How did you get started writing?
Unlike many authors, I did not grow up writing stories. I’ve been an avid reader since I found Nancy Drew books in third grade, and I’ve been reading ever since. How I started writing is a bit different. One night in late 2009, I finished a book, and a story invaded my mind. It would not leave, and I went around for about six months saying to myself, someone needs to write that book!
In June of 2010, I had an opportunity to take some time off, and I decided to spend two hours a day, writing that story. Two weeks later and a lot more hours than two a day, I’d written an 80,000 word manuscript. I’ve been writing ever since!
What genre(s) do you write in and why?
My first love is historical romance. I love romance interwoven in a historical setting. I sometimes think I must have lived during the Regency period in a previous life. While that genre will always be my first love, I have also write sweet contemporary romances with inspirational elements, under the pen name Vikki McCombie. I’m presently working on a military romance and hope to have it available in the spring of 2016.
Tell us about your current series. Lady Overton’s Perilous Journey is the first book in my Honorable Rogue series. Miss Kathleen’s Scandalous Baron is the second book in the series and should be released January 2016. There will be two additional books in the series as well
What is your favorite part of writing?
I thoroughly love doing research, especially historical research. When I originally wrote Lady O, it was set in 1809, but through further research, I realized it was too close to the War of 1812. Since my heroine travels to America on an American ship, it would have been extremely difficult for that to happen in 1809, so I moved the date back to 1802. That was the only year over more than twenty that England and France were not at war.
What is your least favorite part of writing?
There are days when the words just will not come. It happens to all writers at times. What I do when it happens is take a break and read a good book. Some of my best inspiration comes when I am reading!
How has your experience with self-publishing been?
I thoroughly enjoy the freedom I have with self-publishing. I can write out of the box and create stories that may not fit the traditional pattern for romances. While it is a lot of work, it’s all worth it in the end. I’ve been with a small press and while my publisher was fantastic, I did not sell many books. Recently, my publisher closed. Within 10 days I had both my books back up and have sold a lot more copies in the couple of weeks than I ever did with the small press.
Presently, Lady Overton’s Perilous Journey is in the Kindle Unlimited program and doing very well. I also have an erotic historical, To Live Again, written under the pen name V. L. Edwards, in the program as well, and I’m experiencing success. In fact, at one point, it made the amazon top 100 in regency!
Where do you get the ideas for your stories?
Usually they come to me late at night. When I first thought of Lady O, all I had was an image of a woman on a ship bound for America with her young son. That nagged at me for a while, but nothing else came to me. Then one night as I was reading, the opening scene came to me and four weeks later, I had a completed manuscript!
What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?
My best advice is make sure you have great critique partners and beta readers first. Then hire a fantastic editor, who will make sure your story is the best it can be. Tammy Souch of Grammatic Effects is wonderful to work with, and I’m so glad I have her. She gets me and while she gives me great suggestions, she doesn’t try to re-write my stories!
Do you have critique partners?
I do. In fact I have several. Since I do write in a couple sub-genres, I have one for my contemporary romances, and several for my historicals. I find their feedback invaluable, and it makes my books so much better. I also have beta readers as well. Readers bring a different aspect. After all, readers will buy my books, so it’s critical to get their opinion!
What is your favorite dessert/food?
I love chocolate and peanut butter mixed together. I also love Italian food, especially pizza! I try to eat all my fruits and veggies daily, but I normally indulge in my favorites once a week, can’t be perfect all the time.
Lady Overton’s Perilous Journey Book Blurb:
When her son’s life is threatened, Lady Overton seeks a vessel bound for America. Before the ship even reaches the high seas, sparks fly between her and Captain Alex Hawks. Although the young widow may be lonely and afraid, she cannot risk the diversion a romantic entanglement could bring, no matter how much she wants to lose herself in the captain’s embrace.
The Captain vows to protect the little marquess, but can offer no assurance that the marchioness will leave his ship with her virtue intact. Alex is drawn to Anissa’s beauty and courage. How long can he fight a losing battle before he surrenders and makes her his own?
Will Alex be able to keep this remarkable woman and her child safe? Will his passion for Anissa be enough or will their differences keep them apart?
Excerpt:
Anissa clasped her trembling hands together as she stammered, “I w-wanted to watch as we l-left the pier, since it will be my last sight of England for a very long time.”
Captain Hawks stared at her, black eyes gleaming. “Who’s that man? I thought you told me you weren’t running away. What are you running away from? Tell me, damn it!”
Anissa turned back to the railing to give herself time to collect her thoughts. She came up with a believable story, she hoped. Even though she hated lying, now was not the time for scruples. To save her son, she would lie, cheat, or even kill, if need be. She did not owe this arrogant captain anything. He was only a means to an end for her.
Pulling on her confidence as a marchioness, she turned to face him with an expression of disdain on her face. “Not that it is any of your concern, I’m not running away from anything. As I already explained, my uncle is ill. I desperately need to get away for a while. I lost my husband seven months ago. I’m hoping a visit with my uncle and seeing my cousins will help to distract me from my grief. And I can help my family care for him in his time of need.”
“If you’re not running away, then why did that man look disgusted when he saw my ship leaving?” he sneered.
Her mind went blank. She needed to come up with something he might believe. “Oh, you mean the man on the pier?”
The captain interrupted. “Of course I mean that man. It’s obvious someone told him you left with me. He followed you to Plymouth, didn’t he?”
Anissa looked at him, her knees shaking to such a degree that he would have surely seen them, had her breeches not been covered by her long cloak. She prayed he would not decide to turn the ship around.
“He is an unwanted suitor and has been hounding me ever since my husband died. He is one of the reasons I decided to go to America.” Then taking the offensive, she stated, “Besides, it is none of your business why I want to leave, now, is it?”
“It is my damned business if you’re running from something. I don’t need anything turning up later. You know he’ll find out where you’re going, don’t you? My ship is well known, and someone will tell him you’re bound for Baltimore. You don’t have any family in America, do you? You don’t know anyone in my country. How in hell will you take care of yourself, and your son, for God’s sake?”
Buy Link:
Author Bio:
Vikki Vaught started her writing career when a story invaded her mind and would not leave.
Over the last few years, she has written more than a half dozen historical romances and is presently working on her next. Her new release, Lady Overton’s Perilous Journey, published by Secret Cravings Publishing is the first book in her Honorable Rogue series.
Vikki loves a “Happily Ever After”, and she writes them in her stories. While romance is the central theme of all her books, she includes some significant historical event or place in all her novels.
While all her books are love stories, she has also written short contemporary sweet romances as Vikki McCombie and erotic romances using the pen name of V.L. Edwards.
For the last decade, Vikki has lived in the beautiful foothills of the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee with her beloved husband, Jim, who is the most tolerant man in the world to put up with her when she is in a writing frenzy. When she is not writing or working her day job, you’ll find her curled up in a comfortable chair reading her Kindle, lost in a good book with a cup of tea at her side.
Author Links:
Website: http://www.vikkivaught.com/home.html
Email: mailto:vvaught512@aol.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VikkiVaught?ref=bookmarks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/vvaught512
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+VikkiMcCombie/posts
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/vaughtmccombie/
Amazon Author Page: http://smile.amazon.com/Vikki-Vaught/e/B008EE7TG2/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1433778387&sr=1-2-ent
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5208041.Vikki_Vaught
Thank you for having me on your blog today!