One of the things we hear most from our readers, authors and staff is how Mills & Boon feels like a family. Despite the huge number people who love to read and write romance all over the world, the community is still very close-knit and lifetime friendships are made even when people are continents apart. 

So when author Liz Tyner got in touch with a blog about one such friendship we asked if we could share it with all of you! 

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Author Janice Preston and I met Tuesday, August 19^th, 2014. How do I know the date? It’s easy because we met through an accidental email I sent her, and unfortunately embarrassing emails remain in files forever.

My debut novel, Safe in the Earl’s Arms was published that July and Janice’s debut, Mary and the Marquis was published in August. I was excited to find someone I had so much in common with, so I made note of her name in an email to send to myself—but sent it to her and about a hundred other people. I wanted to hide under the bed…but instead emailed her and explained. Janice promptly wrote back.

            Janice writes – I was so thrilled to hear from another debut author. The ‘hundred other people’ Liz emailed by mistake are all past and current Mills & Boon historical authors who are members of an online group we had both joined. To me – at the time – they all seemed scarily knowledgeable and I struggled to understand many of the online conversations due to the liberal use of acronyms. Knowing I wasn’t the only ‘newbie’ helped!

We were two new Mills and Boon authors but we didn’t live close enough to get together for lunch. She lives in the UK and I live in almost the very middle of the USA.

            Email acquaintances can fizzle, but ours flourished into a true friendship when we were each offered a chance to write a book in the Governess Series.

            Janice writes – When I learned Liz was one of the three other writers involved in writing The Governess Tales series, that put the icing on the cake for me. Neither of us had written in collaboration with others before, but the experience did bring us closer together. It was lovely to be able to email someone to double check understandings and details and not feel a nuisance.

            I was thrilled to be able to bounce ideas off Janice. Our characters Grace and Isabel were friends, and it was authentic to us. Her attention to detail helped me catch a timeline error early on, and I appreciated the input she added for historical accuracy.

            Janice writes – I admit I’m something of a nitpicker when it comes to detail, but Liz also saved my face, when she flagged up a discrepancy over timings in letters our characters exchanged, including what information they were aware and when! I was very grateful for that.

            The world seems so much smaller after I met Jan, and my personal world seems so much bigger. I’m still embarrassed about that email, but I’m so thankful it happened.

            Now Janice and I are planning to have lunch together, either in the London or the USA,

or even better, both places.

               Janice writes – I can’t wait 

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Thank you to Liz and Janice for sharing their blog with us! Have you developed a friendship with someone because you both love romance? Let us know in the comments or on our social media. We’d love to hear from you and share your story! 

By The Mills & Boon team