Tell us about your current series.

I’m so excited about this series! It’s called the Accidental Heirs and involves heroes who unexpectedly inherit titles and/or wealth in Victorian England. I say unexpectedly because these men were not the first born son, nor the first in line to inherit. Essentially, they’re all men who’d made their own way in the world and then found their best laid plans upset by a change in fortune. I suspect all of us have imagined what it might be like to inherit wealth, and these stories allowed me to explore the consequences for three interesting men.

What is your favorite part of writing?

Oh, wow. I love so many aspects of the writing process, from conceiving and developing characters, to working out plot points, to drafting in a mad rush of inspiration, and, yes, I even enjoy editing. Especially after I’ve done it. J

The very best part is hearing that a reader enjoyed one of my books. Stories and characters really come alive in the hearts and minds of readers.

And I also enjoy that moment, months and months after I’ve worked on a book, when I pick it up, read a few lines, and think, “Maybe it’s not so bad after all!”

What is your least favorite part of writing?

There’s nothing I truly loathe about writing, but not having enough time to write all the stories that pop into my head is a definite challenge. Those other stories can be so alluring and actually be a distraction to the novel I’m busy writing. Thank goodness for composition notebooks! I take a few minutes, jot down random story ideas, and get back to the book I’m working on.

The internal editor is honestly my least favorite part of the writing process. I wish I could have back all the moments I spent hesitating and curbing my creativity because of that inner voice. Though all writers need to learn how to control the various aspects of writing craft, too much control can really hamper creativity and productivity.

What is your next project and when will it be released?

The second book in the Accidental Heirs series, One Tempting Proposal, comes out November 17^th. Readers will get too see Lady Katherine “Kitty” Adderly from One Scandalous Kiss meet her match in Sebastian Fennick, a mathematician who’s become the new Duke of Wrexford.

What is your typical day like?

I’ve just started working from home full-time on writing this year, and I find structure and organization are the most important part of making it work. I have a schedule I try to stick to that involves attacking emails early, getting in a few minutes on social media, and then doing writing sprints in the morning, when my brain seems to work the best. Of course, life intervenes and sometimes my schedule has to be fluid, but I keep To Do lists and a calendar to help me get back on track.

Tell us about your hero.  Give us one of his strengths and one of his weaknesses.

Lucius is a man who’s learned to take care of himself and keep his emotions in check. He lost his mother at a young age and his relationship with his father isn’t a good one. When his older brother dies, and he suddenly becomes his father’s heir, he must find a way to repair their crumbling estate and care for his ailing father.

His strength is that he’s honest with himself and judges others for their merits, rather than their title or status. His weakness is that he initially doesn’t trust himself and has a hard time trusting others.

Tell us about your heroine.  Give us one of her strengths and one of her weaknesses.

Jessamin “Jess” Wright is smart, strong, and determined to make the world a better place, especially for women. She’s practical and spends years attempting to save the failing bookshop her father left her.

Her strengths are her loyalty and her desire to help others. Her weakness is that she’s so worried about fulfilling others’ needs and expectations that she sometimes forfeits her own goals and desires.

What genres are you drawn to as a reader?

Romance and mystery, and if a story includes both, I’m over the moon. When I’m writing romance, I tend to read more mystery or history research books, just to have some variety. But I truly do love reading romance, especially historicals. I love being transported to the past via a good story.

 What are you currently working on?

I’m working now on the third book in the Accidental Heirs series. It’s called One Dangerous Desire and features May Sedgwick from One Scandalous Kiss and an irresistible gentleman from her past.

Do you have any words of inspiration for aspiring authors?

Just write! Find the time, create the time, and nurture your creative spirit. I’m not a patient person, especially with myself, but I’ve finally accepted that writing is a craft and like any other, the more we practice, the better we become.

Excerpt

Marcus stood close to Lucius and leaned in to speak confidentially. “There are some lovely young women in attendance tonight. Don’t you agree, Grimsby? Surely one of them must strike your fancy.”

His sister and her husband were unaware of Aunt Augusta’s matchmaking efforts.

“Yes and no.” Lucius lifted the flute of champagne to his mouth and sipped.

Marcus quirked a brow at him, begging explanation.

“Yes, there are lovely women in attendance. No, none of them strikes my fancy.”

The women in the crush of attendees were stunning in their finery. Every color and shape one could desire. But none of them stirred him.

Marcus wouldn’t be deterred. “Are you never lonely, old chap?” His brother-in-law turned his eyes to Julia as he spoke.

Lucius caught the look, and an ember of loneliness kindled in his chest. He didn’t desire any of the women before him, yet he did envy the easy companionship that his sister and brother-in-law shared. He could envy it but never imagine it for himself. Even if Aunt Augusta’s scheme was successful, it wouldn’t be a love match. He’d seen the results of what such an attachment had done to his father, a man whose adoration for his wife became a destructive obsession, sparking jealous rages that drove her—and Lucius—from their home.

He wouldn’t lose himself in that kind of passion. Now, with the responsibility of Hartwell laid on his shoulders, he couldn’t spare the time for it. Let his father indulge in maudlin sentimentality; Lucius had an estate to run.

“I haven’t the time for loneliness.” He lied easily and ignored the look Marcus shot him, fearing he’d read pity there.

A fracas near the gallery’s entrance offered a welcome distraction. Turning away from Marcus, Lucius craned his neck to spot the cause of the ruckus. The room was so full of bodies it was difficult to see the front of the building, despite his height. But whatever the commotion, it caused a few shouts mingled with cries of outrage.

Then he saw the trouble. A woman. A bluestocking, more precisely, wearing a prim black skirt and plain white shirtwaist, spectacles perched high on her nose, pushed her way through the throng of ladies in colorful evening gowns and men in black tails. She looked like a magpie wreaking havoc among the canaries, though her hair was as striking a shade as any of the finery around her. The rich auburn hue shone in the gaslight, and though she’d pinned her hair back in a severe style, several rebellious curls had escaped and hung down around her shoulders.

As he watched the woman’s progress, a gentleman grasped her arm roughly, and an uncommon surge of chivalry made Lucius consider interceding. But in the next moment the woman proved she needed no rescuer. Stomping on the man’s foot, she moved easily out of his grasp and continued on her path—a path that led directly to Lucius.

BIO:

Fueled by Pacific Northwest coffee and inspired by multiple viewings of every British costume drama she can get her hands on, Christy Carlyle writes sensual historical romance set in the Victorian era. She loves heroes who struggle against all odds and heroines who are ahead of their time. A former teacher with a degree in history, she finds there’s nothing better than being able to combine her love of the past with a die-hard belief in happy endings.

LINKS:

Website: http://www.christycarlyle.com

Blog: http://romancingthegenres.blogspot.com

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/christycarlylenewsletter

Amazon Author Page: http://bit.ly/ccamazonpg

Facebook Page: http://bit.ly/ccauthorFBPage

Twitter: http://bit.ly/ChristyCTwitter

BUY LINKS:

Amazon: http://bit.ly/OSKAmazon

Nook: http://bit.ly/OSKNook

ITunes: http://bit.ly/OSKiTunes

Kobo: http://bit.ly/OSKKobo

BLURB:

Can one kiss change everything?

When a scheming marquess’s daughter offers her one hundred pounds to publicly kiss a nobleman, a desperate Jessamin Wright agrees. She believes the money will save her failing bookstore and finally free her from her father’s debts. But when Jess bursts into an aristocratic party and shocks the entire ton, she never expects to enjoy the outrageous embrace she shares with a grim viscount.

Lucius Crawford, Viscount Grimsby, has never met, or kissed, anyone like the beautiful suffragette who unsettles him with a single touch. He has always strived for control and avoided passion at all costs. Lucius is determined to protect his title and restore the estate he’s unexpectedly inherited, but Jess’s appearance in his life poses a threat to his plans and his heart. After a country house party brings them together once more, neither can resist temptation, and both find that one scandalous kiss just isn’t enough.