I'm an established author but Claudine is my first erotic novel and I was very pleased it received a starred review from Publisher's Weekly. Barbara Palmer is my pen name. The real Barbara Palmer, born Barbara Villiers, was a famous English courtesan, the Duchess of Cleveland. Mistress and confidant of King Charles II, she was called the shadow queen" because of her strong influence on the king. I have a taste for the classics in erotic literature: Henry Fielding, John Cleland's Fanny Hill, Anais Ninn and especially Joseph Kessel, author of Belle de Jour. So naturally, I was intrigued when the opportunity to write Claudine came along but also aware of what a challenge it would be since erotic romance differs so much from my other novels.