Camp, Candace 1949- (Candace Pauline Camp, Jill Gregory, Lisa Gregory, Kristin James, Sharon Stephens)

PERSONAL:

Born May 23, 1949, in Amarillo, TX; daughter of Grady W. (a newspaper business manager) and Lula Mae Camp; married Pete Hopcus (a counselor), August 11, 1979; children: Stacy. Education: Attended University of Texas, 1967-70; West Texas State University, B.A., 1971; University of North Carolina, J.D., 1977. Politics: Democrat. Religion: Roman Catholic. Hobbies and other interests: Live theater, travel, books, films, cheering the Dallas Cowboys and the University of Texas at Austin Longhorns.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Temple, TX. Agent—Kathryne Walters, 1714 Church St., Rahway, NJ.

CAREER:

Writer, lawyer. Teacher at secondary public school in Eureka Springs, AR, 1972-73; Wachovia Bank, Winston-Salem, NC, administrative assistant in trust department, 1973-74; First City National Bank, Paris, TX, lawyer in trust department, 1977-78; private practice of law in Paris, TX, 1979; writer, 1979—. Actress and director in amateur theater. Member of the board of directors of Paris Community Theatre.

MEMBER:

Texas Bar Association.

AWARDS, HONORS:

Lifetime Award for Western Romance, Romantic Times.

WRITINGS:

NOVELS

(Under pseudonym Sharon Stephens) The Black Earl, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1982, published under name Candace Camp, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1995.

(Under pseudonym Jill Gregory) The Looking Glass Years, Jove (New York, NY), 1987.

Rosewood, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1991.

Heirloom, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1992.

Rain Lily ("Tyrell" series), HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1993.

Flame Lily ("Tyrell" series), HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1994.

Evensong, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1995.

Suddenly, Mira (New York, NY), 1996.

Scandalous, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1996.

Indiscreet, Harlequin (New York, NY), 1997.

Impetuous, Mira (New York, NY), 1998.

(With Cait London and Sherryl Woods) Maternity Leave, Harlequin (New York, NY), 1998.

Satan's Angel, Harlequin (New York, NY), 1998.

Swept Away, Mira (New York, NY), 1999.

Impulse, Mira (New York, NY), 2000.

Hard-headed Texan ("Intimate Moments" series), Silhouette (New York, NY), 2001.

Smooth-talking Texan ("Intimate Moments" series) Silhouette (New York, NY), 2002.

So Wild a Heart ("Aincourt" series), Mira (Don Mills, Ontario, Canada), 2002.

The Hidden Heart ("Aincourt" series), Mira (Don Mills, Ontario, Canada), 2002.

(Contributor) Baby and All, Silhouette (New York, NY), 2003.

Mesmerized ("Moreland Family" series), Mira (Don Mills, Ontario, Canada), 2003.

Secrets of the Heart ("Aincourt" series), Mira (Don Mills, Ontario, Canada), 2003.

Beyond Compare ("Moreland Family" series), Mira (Don Mills, Ontario, Canada), 2004.

Winterset ("Moreland Family" series), Mira (Don Mills, Ontario, Canada), 2004.

An Unexpected Pleasure ("Moreland Family" series), HQN (Don Mills, Ontario, Canada), 2005.

An Independent Woman, HQN (Don Mills, Ontario, Canada), 2006.

A Dangerous Man, HQN (Don Mills, Ontario, Canada), 2007.

The Marriage Wager ("Matchmaker" series), HQN (Don Mills, Ontario, Canada), 2007.

"MONTFORD HEIRS" SAGA

A Stolen Heart, Mira (New York, NY), 2000.

Promise Me Tomorrow, Mira (New York, NY), 2000.

No Other Love, Mira (New York, NY), 2001.

NOVELS; UNDER PSEUDONYM LISA GREGORY

Bonds of Love, Jove (New York, NY), 1978, published under name Candace Camp, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1992.

The Rainbow Season, Jove (New York, NY), 1979.

Analise, Jove (New York, NY), 1981.

Crystal Heart, Jove (New York, NY), 1982.

Bitterleaf, Jove (New York, NY), 1983, published under name Candace Camp, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1992.

Light and Shadow, Jove (New York, NY), 1985.

Before the Dawn, Warner Books (New York, NY), 1987.

Solitaire, Warner Books (New York, NY), 1988.

The Rainbow Promise, Warner Books (New York, NY), 1989.

Seasons, Warner Books (New York, NY), 1990.

Sisters, Warner Books (New York, NY), 1991.

NOVELS; UNDER PSEUDONYM KRISTIN JAMES

Windswept, Richard Gallen (New York, NY), 1981.

Cara's Song, 1982.

Dreams of Evening ("Intimate Moments" series), Silhouette (New York, NY), 1983.

Morning Star ("Intimate Moments" series), Silhouette (New York, NY), 1984.

Secret Fires ("Intimate Moments" series), Silhouette (New York, NY), 1984.

Worlds Apart ("Intimate Moments" series), Silhouette (New York, NY), 1985.

A Wedding Gift ("Temptation" series), Harlequin (New York, NY), 1985.

Cutter's Lady ("Intimate Moments" series), Silhouette (New York, NY), 1986.

Heartwood, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1986.

A Very Special Favor ("Marshall Brothers" series), Silhouette (New York, NY), 1986.

Satan's Angel (historical), Harlequin (New York, NY), 1988.

The Gentleman (historical), Harlequin (New York, NY), 1990.

The Yankee (historical), Harlequin (New York, NY), 1990.

Salt of the Earth ("Marshall Brothers" series), Silhouette (New York, NY), 1991.

The Letter of the Law ("Marshall Brothers" series), Silhouette (New York, NY), 1991.

(With Naomi Horton and Mary Lynn Baxter) Daddy's Home (three novels), Harlequin (New York, NY), 1993.

(With Mary Jo Putney and Julie Tetel) Promised Brides (stories), Harlequin (New York, NY), 1994.

Once in a Blue Moon ("Desire" series), Silhouette (New York, NY), 1995.

The Last Groom on Earth ("Desire" series), Silhouette (New York, NY), 1996.

(With Dorothy Glenn) The Gentleman and the Hell Raiser, Harlequin (New York, NY), 1997.

"STONE … SKY" SERIES; UNDER PSEUDONYM KRISTIN JAMES

The Golden Sky, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1981.

The Sapphire Sky, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1981.

The Summer Sky, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1982.

The Amber Sky ("Intimate Moments" series), Silhouette (New York, NY), 1982.

Also contributor to the anthologies Harlequin Historical Christmas, 1989, and Daddy's Home, 1993, under the pseudonym Kristin James.

SIDELIGHTS:

Candace Camp once told CA: "Fantasy has been my mainstay since I was a child. I wrote my first book at age eleven, and the only time I did not write was when I taught school for a year. I wrote my first novel when I was in law school. My problem in writing was discipline, and I credit law school with giv- ing me that. I then quit my law practice to write full time. I found that my practice did not allow enough time to write, and writing is my first love."

Camp's first novel, Bonds of Love, was published under the pseudonym Lisa Gregory in 1978. Since then, Camp has turned out dozens of historical romance novels, mainly set in Regency England, as well as a few contemporary ones.

Between 2000 and 2001 Camp published the "Montford Heirs Saga" trilogy of romances, set in Regency England. These books received mixed reviews. All about Romance Web site reviewer Nora Armstrong commented: "I have to hand it to Candace Camp: she's a terrific writer. It was only after I finished reading A Stolen Heart [the first book of the trilogy] that I realized it was based on a preposterous premise and contained a couple of elements that would have caused me to roll my eyeballs in exasperation if a writer with lesser skills had attempted to write this story."

The "Montford Heirs Saga" trilogy, which also contains the books Promise Me Tomorrow and No Other Love, is about the three children of Lord and Lady Chilton, who are orphaned when their parents are killed by the mob during the French Revolution. Their English grandparents assume that the children were killed, too, until twenty years later, at the beginning of A Stolen Heart, when a young American named Alexandra Ward appears, looking exactly like the late Lady Chilton did at her age. Sebastian, the Lord Thorpe, is suspicious that Alexandra is trying to defraud Lord Chilton's mother, the Countess of Exmoor, but when a series of misfortunes befalls Alexandra, Sebastian finds himself protecting and eventually falling in love with her.

Promise Me Tomorrow "is exciting, witty and a luscious foray into mystery, thievery and romance," Kathe Robin commented in her online review of the book for the Romantic Times Book Reviews Web site. It is the story of the former Mary Chilton, now known as Marianne, who after escaping from a horrible English orphanage falls in with a gang of thieves. Her graceful manner allows her to pass herself off as aristocracy, so she crashes upper-class parties, scopes out the area, and then tells her thieving friends where the valuables of the house are kept. All goes well until Lord Justin Lambeth catches her stealing and, assuming that she must be a lady of all-around loose morals, tries to take advantage of her. "Their encounters practically send sparks jumping off the pages," declared Jennifer Keirans in her review for the All about Romance Web site. "Unfortunately," continued Keirans, "Justin is not nearly as well-developed a character [as Marianne is]. He's the standard arrogant Regency nobleman who sees the heroine once and must have her."

Many of Camp's other books have received similar reviews, noting her excellent writing but faulting her for clichéd or improbable plots. For example, Indiscreet, another Regency romance, was described by Kathe Robin on the Romantic Times Book Reviews Web site as having "humor, quirky characters, mystery and passion." Similarly, a Publishers Weekly contributor thought this "comedy of errors," with its "oddball characters and misadventures," is a "delightful romp." However, where these reviewers found humor and likeably odd characters in this story of two people who pretend to be engaged for personal gain and end up falling in love, Romance Reader Web site reviewer Leslie McClain found a heroine who is a "blithering nincompoop," as well as "implausible plot points, [and] absurd coincidences."

Camp explained why she is so drawn to Regency England in an interview for Literary Times Web site: "It was a very open time in England—let's just say that social prudery was not at its height!" Camp strives to make her stories as historically accurate as possible: She has studied the period extensively, even trying to discover the going price for goods her characters might purchase. "It's these little bits and pieces that help make a story come alive," she remarked on the Literary Times Web site.

Camp has continued with her Regency romances in a number of stand-alone titles and series. Among the former, Impetuous tells of a feud between the Neville and Verrere families. The dispute has gone on for more than a century, initiated when Margaret Verrere, faced with an unwelcome marriage to a Neville, ran away to America instead. Her dowry went missing along with her, and both families accuse the other of absconding with it. Now Cassandra Verrere, reduced to impoverished circumstances, enlists the aid of a member of the hated Neville clan, Sir Philip, to try to recover the dowry. Together, however, the two discover more than missing gold. Reviewing the title on the Romance Reader Web site, Jean Mason called it "not especially original, but … well done." Mason also complained that "the historical aspects of this historical romance are so ephemeral that this reader could remain in doubt as to the novel's temporal setting." Higher praise came from Romantic Times Book Reviews Web site critic Kathe Robin, who felt that Camp "weaves together a charming tale, adding poignancy and enough spice to charm every reader," and from a Publishers Weekly contributor who thought that "Camp gives dignity to this tale by drawing a heroine of quiet plainness and refreshing intelligence." By doing so, the reviewer noted, the author "turns an otherwise frothy romance into a smart, fun-filled romp."

Another notable stand-alone title is Swept Away, a novel of revenge in Regency England. Julia Armiger's brother Selby was wrongly accused of stealing money from a trust he was overseeing and committed suicide as a result. Now Julia, aided by Selby's widow and other members of the trust, set out to avenge his death, and the object of their revenge is Lord Stonehaven, the man who accused Selby and the only other person who could have embezzled the funds. However, Julia soon falls in love with this man whom she has trained herself to hate. Lesley Dunlap, writing on the Romance Reader Web site, had a very positive assessment of Swept Away: "For readers who have found many recent romances tepid, this book is going to be a welcome relief. When it comes to writing sexual tension, it doesn't get any better than this." Similar praise came from Romantic Times Book Reviews contributor Robin, who felt that Camp "evokes the era perfectly and brings us into the story because we care about her well-crafted characters." Revenge of another sort is also at the heart of Impulse, in which a young groom, Cam Monroe, is thwarted in his love for Angela, the daughter of the wealthy Stanhope family. He goes to America to make his fortune, and when he returns to England, he vows he will not be thwarted in his love again. Reviewing this novel on the Romantic Times Book Reviews Web site, Robin called Camp "renowned as a storyteller who touches the heart of her readers time and again." Robin went on to commend the author for adding "her own freshness, glowing warmth and compassion to the story and a large portion of poignancy and tenderness."

In her series works and in sequels, Camp has also shown a fine sense of story. Hard-headed Texan and Smooth-talking Texan are companion volumes that are an exception to Camp's usual Regency romances, for these are set contemporaneously and in the town of Angel Eye, Texas. In Hard-headed Texan, a vet, Antonia Campbell, escaping the physical abuse of her husband, comes to town and soon is in the thrall of the tall and handsome Daniel Sutton. Both of the protagonists have suffered in previous marriages and are shy of beginning a new liaison in this book that is "full of sweet moments, mostly driven by Daniel's character," according to Romance Reader Web site reviewer Cathy Sova. However, Sova also felt that "while the story didn't completely satisfy, I liked the residents of Angel Eye enough to go back for more of this series." For Debbie Richardson, writing in Romantic Times Book Reviews Web site, the work was "a light and enjoyable read." In Smooth-talking Texan, another new woman comes to Angel Eye. Newly minted lawyer Lisa Mendoza has, by the terms of her scholarship, contracted to spend a year working for legal aide, and in Angel Eye she is soon representing a young man she feels has been wrongly imprisoned. Her work matches her up with the handsome sheriff, Quinn Sutton. Richardson, again writing on the Romantic Times Book Reviews Web site, termed this a "topnotch romance."

Camp returns to Regency romance with the "Montford Heirs" series, including the books A Stolen Heart, Promise Me Tomorrow, and No Other Love. The first volume of the series is a "fast-paced, exciting tale of romance and reunion," according to Romance Reader Web site critic Jean Mason. All three books involve the adventures of Lord and Lady Chilton and their three children. Caught by the turbulence of the French Revolution, the Lord and Lady, unable to escape themselves, manage to get their three children back to England, supposedly to be in the care of the children's grandparents. However, all of the children are torn from their backgrounds. The first novel begins decades after the Revolution and features Alexandra Ward, who has recently arrived from America and now begins to suspect that she might be an heiress. Robin, writing on the Romantic Times Book Reviews Web site, thought this "Anastasia-esque Regency-set romantic mystery is another example of [Camp's] superb talent." In Promise Me Tomorrow, the middle child, Marie Anne, is featured in a tale that, as Romance Reader Web site contributor Nancy J. Silberstein noted, "provides charming entertainment." Kidnapped in England, young Marie Anne is brought up in an orphanage as Mary Chilton and then sent into domestic service. Attractive, she soon is made pregnant by the son of her employers. She learns to take care of herself on the street, has a baby, Rosalind, and refashions herself Marianne Cotterwood, a comely widow invited into fashionable society. Mary Anne has turned herself into a quick thief and is pursued by more than one patrician male seeking excitement. Romantic Times Book Reviews Web site contributor Robin commented: "Readers will surely be delighted by the love story, villains, the carefully detailed background, and the hints of danger." The final novel in the trilogy, No Other Love, focuses on Nicola Falcourt, whose memory is awakened by the stolen kiss of a notorious highwayman. Robin observed on the Romantic Times Book Reviews Web site: "Readers will admire the bold outlaw and the pro-active Nicola, even though an astute reader might guess at the secret he is trying to hide." Harriet Klausner, writing on her Harriet Klausner's Book Reviews Web site, had a higher assessment, calling No Other Love "an exciting Regency romance filled with non-stop action and an entertaining rogue of a hero and an intrepid heroine."

Other series from the productive Camp include the "Aincourt" Regency books and the "Moreland Family" Victorian series. The former series deals with the doomed Aincourt family, cursed never to know happiness. A Publishers Weekly reviewer called the first volume in that trilogy, So Wild a Heart, "an exemplary read." For Booklist contributor Shelley Mosley, the work was "utterly irresistible." Reviewing the second book in the series, The Hidden Heart, Robin found in Romantic Times Book Review that its "underlying humor and the unexpected turns of plot will certainly satisfy readers looking for a smile." The final installment dealing with the Aincourt family, Secrets of the Heart, is "an exciting Regency romance that hooks the audience," according to Best Reviews Web site contributor Harriet Klausner.

The "Moreland Family" series features various members of this eccentric family and opens with Mesmerized, featuring the clairvoyant investigator Olivia Moreland in a book that "shows the ability of love to help people overcome something out of the ordinary," as Robin wrote on the Romantic Times Book Reviews Web site. Booklist contributor Mosley felt this "delectable paranormal offers a double helping of romance." Other titles in the series have also earned critical praise. Romance Reader Web site contributor Tracy Merritt called Beyond Compare "a fast paced adventure, mixed with suspense and a bit of steamy romance," while Romantic Times Book Reviews Web site critic Robin termed Winterset a "chilling mystery." An Unexpected Pleasure was lauded by a Publishers Weekly reviewer who observed: "Romance, humor, adventure, Incan treasure, dreams, murder, psychics—the latest addition to Camp's Mad Moreland series has it all." And with her 2007 title, The Marriage Wager, Camp inaugurated the "Matchmaker" series, set in nineteenth-century London and featuring Lady Francesca Haughston, "mistress of romantic chicanery," according to a Publishers Weekly reviewer, who dubbed the title a "frothy concoction," as well as a "beautifully written charmer."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, February 1, 2002, Shelley Mosley, review of So Wild a Heart, p. 927; September 15, 2003, Shelley Mosley, review of Mesmerized, p. 220; July, 2005, Shelley Mosley, review of An Unexpected Pleasure, p. 1907; March 15, 2006, Shelley Mosley, review of An Independent Woman, p. 34.

Publishers Weekly, January 8, 1996, review of Suddenly, p. 65; July 8, 1996, review of Scandalous, pp. 80-81; October 20, 1997, review of Indiscreet, p. 73; June 29, 1998, review of Impetuous, p. 56; January 7, 2002, review of So Wild a Heart, p. 52; September 1, 2003, review of Mesmerized, p. 69; July 16, 2007, review of The Marriage Wager, p. 151.

ONLINE

All about Romance,http://www.likesbooks.com/ (June 7, 2002), Jennifer Keirans, review of Promise Me Tomorrow; Nora Armstrong, reviews of Swept Away and A Stolen Heart; Liz Zink, review of No Other Love; Mary Sophia Novak, review of So Wild a Heart.

Authors on the Web.com,http://www.authorsontheweb.com/ (November 12, 2007), "Candace Camp."

Best Reviews,http://thebestreviews.com/ (January 3, 2002), Harriet Klausner, review of So Wild a Heart; (July 15, 2002), Harriet Klausner, review of The Hidden Heart; (January 3, 2003), Harriet Klausner, review of Secrets of the Heart; (August 31, 2003), Harriet Klausner, review of Mesmerized; (March 10, 2004), Harriet Klausner, review of Beyond Compare; (September 14, 2004), Harriet Klausner, review of Winterset; (June 7, 2005), Harriet Klausner, review of An Unexpected Pleasure.

BookReview.com,http://www.bookreview.com/ (November 12, 2007), Harriet Klausner, review of The Marriage Wager.

Casa Mysterioso Reviews,http://www.juliesmithauthor.com/ (February 6, 2006), Harriet Klausner, review of An Independent Woman.

Dear Author,http://dearauthor.com/ (August 30, 2007), review of The Marriage Wager.

eHarlequin.com,http://www.eharlequin.com/ (June 7, 2002), "Author's Alcove: Candace Camp."

Fantastic Fiction,http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/ (November 12, 2007), "About Candace Camp."

Harriet Klausner's Book Review Archive,http://harrietklausner.wwwi.com/ (November 12, 2007), Harriet Klausner, review of No Other Love.

Internet Booklist,http://www.iblist.com/ (November 12, 2007), "Candace Camp."

Literary Times,http://www.tlt.com/ (June 7, 2002), "Behind the Pen … of Some of Your Favorite Authors."

Mrs. Giggles.com,http://www.mrsgiggles.com/ (November 12, 2007), review of No Other Love.

Romance Reader,http://www.theromancereader.com/ (July 6, 1998), review of Impetuous; (September 11, 1998), review of Maternity Leave; (May 3, 1999), review of Swept Away; (June 7, 2002), Leslie McClain, review of Indiscreet; (November 12, 2007), Shirley Lyons, reviews of Winterset, An Unexpected Pleasure, The Marriage Wager, and Secrets of the Heart; Nancy J. Silberstein, review of Promise Me Tomorrow; Laura Scott, review of An Independent Woman; Lesley Dunlap, review of Swept Away; Jean Mason, reviews of A Stolen Heart and Impetuous; Deann Carpenter, review of The Hidden Heart; Cathy Sova, review of Hardheaded Texan; Tracy Merritt, review of Beyond Compare.

Romantic Times Book Reviews,http://www.romantictimes.com/ (June 7, 2002), Kathe Robin, reviews of A Stolen Heart, Evensong, Impetuous, Impulse, Indiscreet, Promise Me Tomorrow, No Other Love, So Wild a Heart, Suddenly, and Swept Away; (November 12, 2007), Joan Hammond, review of The Marriage Wager; Debbie Richardson, reviews of Hard-headed Texan and Smooth-talking Texan; Kathe Robin, reviews of An Unexpected Pleasure, Winterset, Beyond Compare, Mesmerized, The Hidden Heart, So Wild a Heart, No Other Love, Promise Me Tomorrow, A Stolen Heart, Swept Away, Impetuous, Impulse, and An Independent Woman.