How did you get started writing?

I have been a voracious reader since I found Nancy Drew books in third grade, but I never imagined writing a novel. I did some journaling but that is it. In late 2009 I finished a historical romance, and a story invaded my mind. I went around thinking of it and saying to myself, “That would make a great book. Someone needs to write it.” The story would not leave me alone. A few months later, I wrote out the plot and even toyed with some dialogue. In June of 2010, I took some time off from my job. I decided I would spend 2 hours a day working on my book idea. Two and a half weeks later, I had an 80,000 word manuscript. That’s when the real work began. I’ve been writing ever since. It has become my true passion.

What genre(s) do you write in and why?

I found historical romance when I was a teenager. My mother read them, and I would sneak her Frank Yerby books into my bedroom. They were way too racy for a teenager, but I fell in love with the genre. I devoured Barbara Cartland’s books and also Georgette Heyer. Historical romance is my first love, and since that is the case, it’s no surprise that I write in that genre.

I also write sweet contemporary romances as well. In fact, I recently released A New Beginning for Nanci in January. This book has a strong inspirational element and the hero is a Navy man. I thoroughly enjoyed writing Nanci and Daniel’s love story. As a Navy wife for many years, I understand the difficulties for the families left behind when their loved one has to go on deployment.

Tell us about your current series.

I’m very excited about my Honorable Rogue series. Lady Overton’s Perilous Journey is book 1 of this series, and it has been available since July. It is a romantic suspense with lot of action, poor Lady O doesn’t have an easy time reaching her HEA! Miss Kathleen’s Scandalous Baron is book 2. This is a lighter novel, one with a bit of humor. I fell in love with Andrew, my hero. I am currently working on The Viscount’s Salvation, book 3, which will definitely have quite a bit of suspense. I hope to have it available before the end of this year. I plan to write a fourth book, but I’m also considering giving each of Andrew’s friends their own story. They certainly are honorable rogues as well.

Do you have critique partners?

I am fortunate to have several, and some of them help me with my historicals, and I have one that helps me with my contemporaries and my suspense scenes. I have learned so much from these awesome ladies. I also have several beta readers, and their feedback has helped tremendously.

Do you prefer to read in the same genres you write in or do you avoid reading that genre? Why?

When I first started writing, I only read historical romance. I joined an RWA chapter, and some of the members suggested I also read outside my preferred genre. I accidently discovered Vampire romances, which a sub-genre I thought I would never read. I soon found myself devouring as many as I could find. I discovered Tina Folsom’s Scanguard series and they are fantastic!

I have also discovered I enjoy Billionaire romance as well. They are a great escape from everyday life for me. After all, who doesn’t dream of having wealth beyond our imagination. I love a glimpse of how they must live. I especially enjoy ones with tortured souls, such as Christian Grey and Gideon Cross!

Do you write under a pen name?   Why or why not?

I actually write under three pen names. I write my historicals under Vikki Vaught, my erotic romances under V.L. Edwards, and my sweet contemporaries under Vikki McCombie. Obviously, my readers who enjoy my sweet contemporaries would not be interested in my erotic novels. That is why I write under the different names.

What do you have planned for the future?

I have quite a few characters clamoring for me to write their stories. Some of them are historical, others are contemporary. My problem is finding the time to write since I do still work a full-time job. I hope that I will be able to retire in 2017 if all goes well.

Do you or have you belonged to a writing organization?  Which one?  Have the helped you with your writing?  How?

I have belonged to several writing groups. I am a member of RWA, and I belong to the online Beau Monde chapter, which is a group of fabulous Regency authors. If I ever have a Regency question, I know they will have the answer!

I’m very excited about my new release, Miss Kathleen’s Scandalous Baron, Book 2 in my Honorable Rogue series. It is set in 1803 and is the story of Alex’s sister, Kathleen and Lord Billingsley. It is a light-hearted read with another honorable rogue. Albeit, Andrew, Baron Billingsley, is a bit scandalous. I hope you will enjoy the romance between Kathleen and Andrew as much as I enjoyed writing their love story.

If you would like to start with Book 1 of my Honorable Rogue series, which is Kathleen’s brother, Alex Hawks and Anissa, Lady Overton’s, love story, Lady Overton’s Perilous Journey is available on Amazon and both books are in the Kindle Unlimited program. Happy reading!

Book Blurb:

When the young American debutante, Miss Kathleen Hawks, arrives in town for the London season, the last thing she expects is an attraction to the scandalous Lord Billingsley. He’s the kind of aristocrat she detests, one who only cares for his pleasures.

Andrew Grainger is handsome, young and very wealthy. He loves carousing with his pack of friends from his school days. When he stumbles across the prim, yet charming Miss Hawks, he should avoid her at any cost. After all, she’s an innocent young miss, barely out of the schoolroom. But…there’s just something about her he finds irresistible.

When a chance encounter leads to scandal for the pair, they must choose to brave the Beau Monde, or give into its dictates. Is there any possibility that what appears to be a match made in Hades, could turn into a match made in heaven instead?

Excerpt:

Kathleen Hawks fumed all the way to her brother’s study. Alex must have talked to their mother. Again, she had allowed her emotions to overrule her actions. When she arrived at the door, her heart fluttered, but knowing she had to get this over with, she tapped on the door.

Her brother’s voice bade her enter. She purposefully turned the knob and opened the door as she inhaled and exhaled slowly to prepare herself for what she suspected would be an unpleasant conversation. “Good morning, Alex. You wanted to see me?”

Her brother moved behind his desk. “Please, take a seat.” His set features shouted his displeasure.

Once she settled back in her chair, Alex sat in the chair behind his large desk. “Kathleen, I spoke with Ma and she told me the two of you argued at breakfast. She’s concerned over your defiant attitude, and she feels I may have made a mistake regarding Mr. Jones.”

Oh, dear, when will I learn to control my tongue? “I’m sorry I was disrespectful, but she made several derogatory comments regarding my betrothed. I let my temper get the best of me.”

Her brother’s stubborn expression did not bode well, and she waited for the proverbial axe to fall. “I agree with Ma. I want you to reconsider your betrothal to Mr. Jones. You’re only eighteen, and he’s ten years older than you. I don’t believe you are well-suited. Your temperaments are vastly different. His only concern seems to be his responsibilities at his father’s bank. You were always so playful and vivacious. You’ve changed since you began spending more time with him, and I do not like it.”

She gripped the arms on the chair. The last thing she needed to do was agitate her brother, but she couldn’t sit passively by while another member of her family spoke ill of William. “You’re wrong, Alex. So what if we have a few differing interests? We love each other and that is what is important. You gave William your permission for the marriage before we left last fall.”

Alex stared her down. “I realize that. However, I should never have given it. As you well know, I had quite a few grave issues to deal with at the time. I should have taken more time to consider a decision that involves your future happiness. I’m seriously contemplating sending him a letter telling him I am withdrawing my consent.”

She clasped her hands together to keep them from trembling. It was all she could do to remain seated. “Please, you can’t do this to me. I love William, and he loves me.” Then, throwing caution to the wind, she stood and shouted, “I. Know. My. Own. Mind!”

“Kathleen.” Alex’s flushed face resembled a storm cloud as he stood and placed his powerful hands on his desk. “I will not tolerate your disrespect, young lady. Ma is ashamed of your behavior, and so am I. When you arrive in London for the season, you either promise to take full advantage of this opportunity the Barringtons are offering you, or I will write the letter withdrawing my consent today.”

Her stomach clenched as she tried to rein in her anger. Alex was serious, and if she was to have any hope of continuing with her plans to marry William, she had to placate him. “Please, don’t write the letter. I’ll go to London, and I promise I will participate fully in the parties. I’ll even keep an open mind.”

Alex resumed his seat. “Good. That’s more like it. I do have your best interests at heart, Darlin’. I want you to be sure Mr. Jones is the right man for you. He’s the first man to show you any attention. Please take this time to be sure of your love for him. That’s all I ask.”

Whenever her very American brother grew angry, their mother’s strong Virginian upbringing took over, and his southern drawl came through. Now that he had to spend much of his time in England, he had worked hard to minimize it.

“I suppose it can’t hurt, but I will not change my mind. Now if you will excuse me, I’ll return to my packing, so I will be ready when the duke and duchess arrive tomorrow.” She stiffened her spine, turned, and left his study.

Author Bio:

Vikki Vaught started her writing career when a story invaded her mind and would not leave. Now, the stories keep coming and writing is her passion. She has written well over a half dozen romances and is presently working on her next, while fighting off the future characters shouting my turn!

Vikki loves a “Happily Ever After.” While romance is the central theme of all her books, she includes a significant historical event or place in her Regency novels.

If you enjoy her historical romance novels, you may want to read books she has written in other sub-genres. Vikki writes sweet contemporaries as Vikki McCombie and erotic romances as V.L. Edwards.

Vikki has lived in the beautiful foothills of the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee with her 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 isn’t writing, 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.

Buy Link:

http://smile.amazon.com/Kathleens-Scandalous-Baron-Honorable-Rogue-ebook/dp/B01C28L3FI

Hi Cindy. Thank you for inviting me to visit your wonderful blog. It’s always a pleasure to chat about writing.

How did you get started writing?

I was always a voracious reader, but I backed into writing accidentally.  I was working on film and television projects as a production coordinator. Unless you’re on a series, all below the line employees on film and television projects work a limited number of months and then those jobs end.  The employees then move on to new jobs on other projects.  So looking for the next job is a constant activity. In an effort to add a new skill, I took a class at UCLA on analyzing screenplays. Producers, actors, and directors often have their assistants read submitted material first, to see if it’s worth their time. I fell in love with writing during that class and went back to school to study writing at UCLA.

What genre(s) do you write in and why?

I write mysteries with humor and romance because that’s what I love to read. Think Elizabeth Peters Vicky Bliss series, Dorothy Gilman, or Janet Evanovich.

Traditional mysteries are in both my nurture and my nature. My father was a successful American WWII code breaker. He was a lover of Perry Mason, and Nero Wolfe. Their books and Ellery Queen magazines filled our family bookshelves. I followed in his reading footsteps and came to appreciate mysteries. My mother always enjoyed complicated jigsaw puzzles with intricate pictures on them. For me, writing mysteries is like creating a puzzle and then scattering the pieces throughout the story for the reader to have the fun of putting it back together.

What inspired your latest book?

A few years ago, I researched identity theft for a screenplay. It was a time when few people were aware of it. Since then I’ve been sensitive to the problems it can cause and the personal ramifications that identity theft can have on its victims. That led me to a general interest in fraud. As the target of fraud is to acquire money, power, or goods that can be cashed in, I thought who is more likely to be involved with it than a bank fraud investigator? That’s how my fictional protagonist, Lexi Winslow, acquired her career. From there, I conssidered where do the wealthiest people live who are most likely to be targeted. New York, Miami, and Beverly Hills came to mind. I knew Beverly Hills the best and chose it as Lexi’s workplace location. The fraud I used as the basis for this story is a more personal one that’s harder to diagnose than identity theft.

What is your least favorite part of writing?

The time necessary to concentrate on marketing. Although the part I do love about marketing is meeting other authors and people who love reading.

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

My next project is as an advisor on my husband’s new book, The Reluctant Farmer of Whimsey Hill. It’s his memoir of our early married life. He was a robotics engineer for the US Navy and I convinced him to move to a rural farm in Virginia which I promptly filled with 26 rescue horses, 12 cats, 10 dogs, and a cow, plus two suburban teenagers. There were many more animals in total, but that’s the most we had at any one time. As an animal phobic person, you can imagine how crazy the animal environment was for him. We expect the book to be out by July, 2016.

What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?

My advice would be to thoroughly investigate the advantages and disadvantages of both self and traditional publishing before making a choice.

Do you have critique partners?

I have a reading circle of friends. They’re my beta readers and are composed of about 50/50 trained writers and readers. We don’t have meetings or anything like that, but when any of us wants feedback, we’ll send our manuscript to about half of the group. We save the other half for reading the revised version.

Was your road to publication fraught with peril or a walk in the park?

My road to publication was like a three legged race at a company barbeque picnic. Totally crazy. After I had finished the first draft of Land Sharks, I was reading articles by author and Sisters In Crime Guppy President, James M Jackson. He was writing about being an Amazon/Kindle Scout Program Winner for his book, Ant Farm. Since I was a debut author and I had recently decided to part ways with my agent from another project, I thought why not? I researched it quickly, submitted my book, and was accepted into the program. That was immediately followed by a month of intense campaigning  for votes/nominations. I was thrilled and surprised when Land Sharks was selected for ebook publication by Kindle Press. Next was submission of the final manuscript, a flurry of contract signings, bank account details, sending a new bio and book description for Kindle’s approval, etc. Once Kindle approved the final manuscript, they sent it off to Kirkus Editing.  When the notes came back in two and a half weeks, I did another polish. Kindle Press only takes the ebook and audio book versions. The author retains all other rights. So at the same time, I was preparing the paperback version with CreateSpace to publish simultaneously with the ebook version.  Did I mention this was during Thanksgiving and Christmas? My book was chosen in the first week of November and published on December 22nd.

Thank goodness for my partner in the three –legged race – my husband, who had my back through all of it.

Give us an elevator pitch for your book.

A bank fraud investigator goes undercover in Sumatra to find a young woman who may or may not be kidnapped. Her job might be easier if she didn’t have to deal with her boss’s untrained son who has a crush on her and the unexpected appearance of an ex-boyfriend who’s a conman and has his own secret agenda.

Land Sharks Excerpt –

She sketches as she talks and one of the orphan orangutans comes to life on her pad.

She really is good. When I say so, she looks embarrassed.

“Thank you, but most of my classmates at school are better.”

Having seen her work, I doubt it. She either doesn’t realize how good she is or she’s being modest. Wait. Neither of those would describe my conception of Karista as a rich snob.

In fact, she appears shy. Darn. It looks like I’m going to have to change my opinion of her. First Andre, then Steve, and now Karista. One would almost think that I’m a bad judge of character. The distressing evidence continues mounting up to prove it.

“We should join the others,” Javier says to Karista.

She doesn’t raise her head from her drawing. “You go ahead, honey. I’ll be along in a minute.”

“It’s okay. I’ll wait with you.”

She gives him a sweet smile, but doesn’t stop sketching.

I know a stalemate when I see one. I’ll have to try to get her alone another time.

I excuse myself and head back to the group, which is clustered near the edge of the ravine. I stand between Steve and Grace and look down the deep cliff at the river.

Two young Sumatran elephants are playing in the water below. Steve and others take pictures with their zoom lenses. There’s lots of jostling in the group for better angles and movement to get a better view.

Suddenly, Grace screams as she erupts forward from the group and toward the ravine’s edge. I manage to grab her arm as she goes by, but her impetus swings her body over the edge and lands me facedown, still hanging on to her. I can’t manage her weight for long. Nor do I have the strength to pull her up by myself.

Rocks and dirt shower down the sheer wall. I try to dig my toes into the ground to stop myself as I’m drawn inexorably closer and closer to the edge, but the ground is too soft to get a good purchase. Still, there’s no way I’m letting Grace go.

Abruptly, Grace’s weight stops dragging me past the cliff edge. Looking down, I can barely make out a tiny outcropping that Grace’s toes rest on. Thank goodness for that.

“Help,” I call out. “Help!” The dirt under Grace is crumbling. Another second and we could both plunge to our deaths.

People are moving away in shock, but not closer to help. Then a hand passes me and locks onto Grace’s arm next to mine.

“Swing your other arm up, Grace,” Steve says from beside me. She manages to raise it and he grabs her hand.

Bio –

Nancy Raven Smith grew up in Virginia where she ran horse sport events. Later in California, she traded her event experience for film work as a production coordinator and enrolled at UCLA to study screenwriting. Her scripts have won numerous awards, but she decided to write one idea as a novel. To her surprise, she discovered a passion for writing mysteries. She joined Sisters in Crime, Romance Writers of America, & Mystery Writers of America. There she experienced a deep camaraderie with the other authors who made her feel welcome. Raven Smith realized that she found her true creative home in writing mysteries/romantic suspense. Land Sharks – A Swindle in Sumatra is her first mystery/romantic suspense novel. She hopes people will enjoy reading it as much as she did writing it.

Links –

http://www.NancyRavenSmith.com

http://www.Facebook.com/NancyRavenSmithWriter

http://amazon.com/dp/B017O27SJM

How did you get started writing?

I was fifty-eight and thinking I needed to do something different. Although, I’m a huge reader and have been all my life, I never even considered writing fiction. For years, my husband and I planned to retire on a sailboat, and I’d just read a very good book about another couple’s adventure. So I thought I’d keep a journal about our five year plan to buying and moving onto the boat. Well . . . it turns out that I can’t write about anything that I’ve done or am doing. But that seemed to open up something in my brain, and a few weeks later I read an interview by an author I read. She recommended writing what you read instead of what you know. At that point, the door was flung wide open. Less than a week later, I had a video playing in my head of a furious Regency lady. A month later, I had a 100,000 word completed manuscript, and more characters clamoring for their stories to be told.
What genre(s) do you write in and why?

I only write Regencies. I love the period, and I feel as if I have good feel for the customs, mores, and what went on. With my current series, The Worthingtons, and when I bring back the first series, The Marriage Game, I’ll eventually end up in the Victorian era. I’ve been asked by several other authors when I’m going to write a contemporary series, but I really don’t think I could. I haven’t lived in the States since the early 1990’s, and now I live on a boat. So, no TV, no radio, few newspapers, no magazines (except about sailing). My son is in his mid-thirties and my granddaughter is six. I truly don’t know anything about what life is like in the modern age.
Tell us about your current series.

I’m having a great time with this series. It has eleven children ranging in age from five to eighteen, two Great Danes, kittens are added to the mix in the second book, and various friends. I even have characters from my first series showing up in this one. It begins with Lady Grace Carpenter and Mattheus, Earl of Worthington. Believe it or not, married women were not allowed to have custody even their own children. After her mother’s death, Grace fought for guardianship of her seven brothers and sisters, but that means she’ll probably never marry. Enter Matt Worthington who is looking for a wife and thinks Grace will fit his needs perfectly. But can he take on her brood along with his four sisters? The books are funny and sexy, which is what I write.

Do you have a view in your writing space?

I have the most magnificent view possible.

What does your space look like?

As I mentioned above, I live on a sailboat and my view is constantly changing. There is always water, of course. But the islands and other land masses change.

Do you prefer to read in the same genres you write in or do you avoid reading that genre? Why?

I read the same genre I write in. I have always been a reader, and I’ve been reading Regencies and other historical romance since the early 1970s. Actually, I started reading Jane Austen in sixth grade, so that would have been in 1960’s. I love the books, and I’m always interested in finding new authors. It’s also a great way for me to see what is selling (that’s my excuse, and I’m sticking with it). I used to read much more widely (military suspense, spy books, older science fiction) before I started writing, but the only romance I’ve read is historical.

What do you have planned for the future?

Well, at two big books a year, this series is going to go on for a long time. There are currently about fifteen books planned. I’ll also be releasing companion novellas. In addition to that, I am writing a novella series based on the children of the dastardly Duke of Somerset who was introduced in Miss Featherton’s Christmas Prince, the last book (for a while) in my first series, The Marriage Game. I’m releasing those books in box-sets. The first one, A Promise of Love, released in the Passionate Promises set in February. The next installment will release in July. Just to switch things up, I’ll be going back to The Marriage Game periodically. After all, there are some younger brothers and sisters that are growing up as well as the children.

Will you share some encouraging words for authors still struggling for that first contract?

If being traditionally published is important to you, I was to me, don’t give up, and for goodness sakes, don’t just query only a handful of agents at a time. The best advice I was given starting out was write three books. Unless you’re writing the great American novel, agents and publishers really like a series. They are also like all other readers; they don’t like everything, just as you don’t like everything. Aside from polishing your books until they shine, query as many of them as you can. Before you do, make sure that they represent your genre. If you can afford it, hire an editor. That said, I spent way too much money on one that wasn’t very good. But at the time I didn’t belong to a writer’s group that could give me good referrals. Even if you decide to self-publish, you need at the minimum, a content editor, copy-editor, and a proof reader. Remember, it’s your name out there.

Blurb Three Weeks To Wed

In the first book of her dazzling new series, bestselling author Ella Quinn introduces the soon-to-be Earl and Countess of Worthington—lovers who have more in common than they yet know. The future promises to be far from boring…

Lady Grace Carpenter is ready to seize the day—or rather, the night—with the most compelling man she’s ever known. Marriage would mean losing guardianship of her beloved siblings, and surely no sane gentleman will take on seven children not his own. But if she can have one anonymous tryst with Mattheus, Earl of Worthington, Grace will be content to live out the rest of her life as a spinster.

Matt had almost given up hope of finding a wife who could engage his mind as well as his body. And now this sensual, intelligent woman is offering herself to him. What could be more perfect? Except that after one wanton night, the mysterious Grace refuses to have anything to do with him. Amid the distractions of the Season he must convince her, one delicious encounter at a time, that no obstacle—or family—is too much for a man who’s discovered his heart’s desire…

“Oh, the tangled webs we weave…especially when our hearts are involved. Three Weeks to Wed is a delightfully heartwarming escape into the sparkling world of the Regency.  Ella Quinn weaves magic.” —Cathy Maxwell, New York Times bestselling author

Purchase Links

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Three-Weeks-Worthingtons-Ella-Quinn/dp/142013955X/

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/three-weeks-to-wed-ella-quinn/1122252683?ean=9781420139556

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/three-weeks-to-wed

Apple http://apple.co/1OpLwDi

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Ella_Quinn_Three_Weeks_To_Wed?id=XhAZCgAAQBAJ

Books-A-Million: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Three-Weeks-Wed/Ella-Quinn/9781420139556?id=6580542618446

Kensington Books: http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/book.aspx/32225

Author Bio

Bestselling author Ella Quinn’s studies and other jobs have always been on the serious side. Reading historical romances, especially Regencies, were her escape. Eventually her love of historical novels led her to start writing them. She has just finished her first series, The Marriage Game, and her new series will start in April 2016.

She is married to her wonderful husband of over thirty years. They have a son and granddaughter, one cat and a dog. After living in the South Pacific, Central America, North Africa, England and Europe, she and her husband decided to make their dreams come true and are now living on a sailboat cruising the Caribbean and North America.

She loves having readers connect with her.

Website: www.ellaquinnauthor.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/EllaQuinnAuthor

Twitter www.twitter.com/ellaquinnauthor

Blog http://ellaquinnauthor.wordpresscom

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What genre(s) do you write in and why? I love historical romance, although I have written contemporaries under the pen name Jane Blackwood. I have more half-way written contemporaries than I care to think about. My first love, my true love, is historical romances. I love the Victorian age, as it was such an exciting time in the world. I am an author who cares about history and I always strive to make history more than just wallpaper.
Tell us about your current series. I’m in the middle of my “Lost Heiresses” series. It’s a series of very loosely connected books that are all stand-alone. You’ll see a few characters from past books pop up now and then, but if you haven’t started from the beginning, you definitely won’t be lost (like my heiresses ha ha). The first book is Behind a Lady’s Smile, and How to Please a Lady is the second installment. The first two books are set in England and America. Lady Lost, set on the moors of England, will be released later this year, and I’m currently working on a new series that I’m very excited about!.
What inspired your latest book? Back before the Internet made research easy, I spent the day in the Boston Public Library going through old newspapers on microfiche and stumbled across a small story about a German princess who escape a planned marriage and came to America with the help of a servant. Things went very badly for the poor princess. The servant stole her money and jewels, and left destitute and in the middle of a blizzard in New York City, she attempted to walk to the home of a wealthy American diplomat who she hoped could help her. She made it as far as his front door before collapsing. The wealthy American found her, but she died days later of pneumonia. You’ll see bits and pieces of that tragic story in How to Please a Lady, though my story ends much happier!
How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book? I love this question! Actually, pretty likely, particularly if they are people with big personalities. I met a physician at a recent convention and he was so flamboyantly wonderful, he made it in a small role in an upcoming release. If you’re a jerk, you have a much better chance of becoming a nasty character. Jerks are more memorable. Ha!
Has your muse always known what genre you would write and be published in? Yes. I can’t help it. Believe me, I’ve tried to write other kinds of fiction but my muse always introduces a romance. My kids are a bit embarrassed by my writing and have urged me for years to write other genres. Even my mom, who loves my books, has suggested writing “a real” historical fiction book. I suppose I would if I could, but my brain always looks for the romance. I tend to re-write movies or books that end badly. Castaway? Tom Hanks ends up heading toward that lady with the angel wings and they fall in love. Gone with the Wind? She gets Rhett back, by the way. Just sayin’
What are you currently working on? I adore my current project. Both my hero and heroine are wonderfully complex characters, particularly my hero, who blames himself for his best friend’s suicide—a friend who happens to be my heroine’s brother. It takes place during the 1870s, and part of the plot involves a little known human catastrophe, the famines of that decade that history has mostly forgotten. Don’t worry, it’s not a downer, but I’m hoping it’s inspirational. My hero is a true hero in this book, an admirable man with a heart as big as a mountain.
What did you want to be when you were a child?  A shortstop for the Boston Red Sox. Really. I was pretty devastated when I realized there were no girls on the team.

Please tell my readers a little bit about your book.  How to Please a Lady is a book that’s been brewing for years ever since I read that newspaper article about the German princess who was escaping a terrible planned marriage. At first I thought my heroine would fall in love with the wealthy diplomat. But Charlie, my hero, would have none of that. After all, he’d been in love with Rose for years and wasn’t about to let her go. In How to Please a Lady, I explore the unlikely romance between a high born lady and her servant. The challenge was to ground this in reality, because it was extremely unlikely (actually unheard of) for the daughter of an earl to even think about marrying a servant. So she doesn’t. You’ll have to read the book to find out if she finally comes around and whether Charlie finally gets the girl!

How To Please A Lady

Run though they might, love will find them…

Lady Rose Dunford is shocked–and titillated–by the number of female visitors coming and going from her mysterious new neighbor’s Manhattan brownstone. Recently widowed by the death of her very sweet, but not very exciting husband, Rose finds it difficult to imagine just what the attraction could be.

And then she meets the bachelor in question. Not only is Charlie Avery dashing and outrageously good looking–she knows him! He is none other than the man who once helped her escape the dreary matchmaking plans of her father, the man she once dreamed she could love. Can Charlie’s presence next door be an accident? Or has he come to show her everything he has learned about…

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/How-Please-Lady-Jane-Goodger-ebook/dp/B010ZZY13Q/

Barnes & Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-please-a-lady-jane-goodger/1122252679?ean=9781601834515

Kobo https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/how-to-please-a-lady

GooglePlay https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Jane_Goodger_How_To_Please_A_Lady?id=HRMZCgAAQBAJ

Kensington Books http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/book.aspx/32163

Author Bio

Jane Goodger lives in Rhode Island with her husband, three children, Chihuahua, one-eyed cat, and a ferret. She works full-time, and operates an editing service in between writing Victorian-set historical romances. In her free time (hahahaha), Jane watches HGTV and dreams of fixing up her 1940s colonial. A former journalist, Jane has lived in Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Pozzuoli, Italy.

www.janegoodger.com

www.facebook.com/janegoodgerbooks

@janegoodger

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Having achieved your goal to be a published author, what is the most rewarding thing?   

The best thing is being able to write books that readers love to read. I’m so lucky to be able to do this for a living and sure there will be people who just hate your book, but there are so many more who take pleasure in the story and it gives them a chance to escape and get lost in the world you’ve built up. It’s a pretty cool thing to get to do!

Are you a member of any writing organizations and, if so, have they helped

Over the years I’ve belonged to a number of organizations—I used to be on Backspace which was a great site, so much collaboration and writers helping each other in so many ways. I joined RWA in my early days as an author and that has been a great resource for networking and learning a lot about the industry. NINC is now a huge go-to group for me—so much great information to share with others who have been publishing for a while. I also have a few group blogs and things that I’m on, like the Girlfriends Book Club, and we support each other a lot. It can be a tough business so it’s essential to surround yourself with people who can help you and you can conversely help them when they need it.

Will you share some encouraging words for authors still struggling for that first contract? 

Absolutely! Most importantly, have faith in yourself. Publishing can be fraught with rejection, but you have to trust in your gut and know that what you’re doing is what you want to be doing and that you will be able to usher that book to publication—now there are so many ways in which to do it so it makes it a little bit easier. But be your own biggest supporter because sometimes you’ll find you are the only one standing up for yourself. And nowadays, the best thing you can do is write and write and write some more. Stay away from Facebook haha!

What’s next for you?

I’m working on more books in the It’s Reigning Men series—I’m having a lot of fun writing it and people keep asking for more. I’m also noodling on a few new series so in my spare time I’m going to get writing some of them as well. At some point I’ll work on some single titles I’ve started but not picked back up on, but that’s down the road a bit.

Do you have a view in your writing space?  What does your space look like? 

It depends on the day. My desk it a built-in desk in my kitchen, so I’m looking at pretty Italian tile “backsplash”, which I like a lot because I chose the tile when we built this house nearly 20 years ago. But behind me is a beautiful wooded lot, it’s very quiet, if anything you might hear barking dogs nearby but not much else. Sometimes I’ll go on the back deck and write though the deck chairs are uncomfortable and then if the deer come and start eating my flowers then I get distracted into yelling at them! On a nice day I write on my porch swing, which I love—I see flowering trees and neighbors houses and flower beds. It’s very peaceful and all I hear are chittering squirrels and birds chirping. In the wintertime I usually sit in the living room with a fire in the fireplace and write there—it’s super cozy and makes me happy.

What did you want to be when you were a child?  Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?

I think I knew eventually I’d be a writer—it was just what came naturally to me. Plus I seriously sucked at math (and still do sadly) so it limited my options—not like I could have been an engineer, or doctor 😉

What is your favorite part of writing?

Just making stuff up out of thin air! I started out as a journalist and had to be so married to the truth, so it was very liberating to no longer have to worry about that! I also love to hear from readers. You write these books and then they’re out there and it’s great to hear when people enjoy  them!

What is your least favorite part of writing?

Edits/reivsions—hate them!

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

It’s Getting Hot in Heir, book 7 of the It’s Reigning Men series releases May 24! I’ve got my work cut out for me!

How much time do you spend promoting your books?  What works best for you?

Not nearly enough but it just gets tiresome—just a lot of throwing spaghetti at the wall. I do a newsletter, Facebook/Twitter announcements, I’ll sometimes do BookBub ads when I can get them, but after that, I return to writing…

How has your experience with self-publishing been?

It’s been great but it really means you are an entire publishing house, which can be exhausting.

Where do you get the ideas for your stories?

I often hear things in the news that sound like interesting launching points for a book. Or else I just think of something that would be interesting to me to read and then go from there…

BLURB

Sawyer Patterson has never been one to care much about first impressions, except when it comes to royalty, because snagging a palace endorsement could make or break his fledgling catering business in Monaforte—the European principality where he’s settled following culinary school and an apprenticeship at a renowned French patisserie. Despite his anti-royalist upbringing, when he’s hired for a birthday party for Princess Isabella, he doubles down to ensure the birthday cake he makes for her will leave a lasting impression…

To support her good friend Clementine’s new event planning business, Isabella Annelisa Violetta Stefania, Princess Royal of Monaforte, hires her friend to help plan an epic birthday bash for herself. The occasion is the talk of the town, and she has faith Clementine will hire only the best to pull it off. It’s bad enough when Bella’s nemesis from boarding school shows up as the hired caterer, but when his cake ends up making her the laughingstock of the party, the gloves are off and she’s determined he’ll never get business in her town again..

EXCERPT

Isabella Annelisa Violetta Stefania Easton was perfectly suited to be the princess royal of Monaforte because she liked nothing better than a good party. And who spends more time celebrating at festive occasions than royalty, for whom life always seems to be one big fête?

So it was kismet when her dear friend Clementine sort of stumbled into an event-planning business. Isabella, always up for helping others, wanted to support her friend’s enterprising spirit. Plus, she was in the mood to celebrate her upcoming birthday. No doubt, someone would have organized some sort of gathering for the event without enlisting her friend’s help, but it seemed like more of an adventure to put it all in Clementine’s capable hands and see what sort of bash she cultivated with only the seeds of an idea from Isabella.

The two of them hatched the plan over drinks while warming by a fireplace at their favorite restaurant on a bitterly cold January evening. The holidays had concluded and it seemed a good time to start thinking of something else they could do to stave off the winter funk that always wanted to settle in at this time of year.

“Your birthday falls on the weekend that everyone will be celebrating Valentine’s Day,” Clementine said. “So it seems obvious to go with the whole red hearts and valentines theme. Hmmm, let’s think how we could vary this so it’s not too clichéd.”

“Not queen of hearts,” Isabella said, tapping her pointer finger against her cheek in thought. “Because I’m not the queen. Mother wouldn’t appreciate that.”

“Would princess of hearts be weird?”

Isabella scrunched her nose. “Yeah, sorta. Reminds me of Princess Diana, and I don’t want people thinking that.”

“How about we shun the whole annoyingly predictable-slash-hackneyed Valentine’s Day trope and go for a lonely hearts theme.”

Isabella knit her brow and looked at her friend in disbelief. “Really? You’re suggesting my birthday party be a loser-girl bash? Because, in case you haven’t noticed, it’s not like I have a boyfriend anyhow. Such a theme will only reinforce the status quo in everyone’s eyes.”

“Yeah, but that’s just because you scare men off.”

Her friend’s eyes popped wide open. “What?”

“Well, not you, personally, but your position. Your status. I mean, being princess can be a little off-putting, amiright?”

Jenny Gardiner is the #1 Bestselling Kindle author of the novel Slim to None and the award-winning novel Sleeping with Ward Cleaver. Her latest works are the It’s Reigning Men contemporary romance series, featuring the best-selling Something in the Heir, Heir Today Gone Tomorrow, Bad to the Throne, Love is in the Heir, Shame of Thrones, Throne for a Loop, and the upcoming It’s Getting Hot in Heir. She also published a memoir, four other novels and an essay collection. Her work has been found in Ladies Home Journal, the Washington Post, Marie-Claire.com, and on NPR’s Day to Day. She has worked as a professional photographer, an orthodontic assistant as well as a publicist to a United States Senator (where she first  learned to write fiction). She’s photographed Prince Charles (and her assistant husband got him to chuckle!), Elizabeth Taylor, and the president of Uganda. She and her family now live a less exotic life in Virginia.

Sign up for her newsletter at:

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Or visit her at website:

http://www.jennygardiner.net

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Throne for a Loop is now available here:

iBooks, Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Google

What inspired Ghost of the Nile?

Thanks for having me as your guest again! Ghost of the Nile is the latest in my “Gods of Egypt” paranormal series set in ancient Egypt. For quite a while I’d been fascinated with the idea of writing a story set on an estate in the 1550 BCE era. One of the interesting things about Egypt was that for literally hundreds of years the climate and the daily life stayed pretty much the same. Pharaohs came and went but the more ordinary folk had quite an unchanging routine, linked to the Nile’s floods. I felt my hero could return from the Afterlife and fit right into his old home, although as a guest, not a resident. I thought the challenges for him could be intriguing.

The Egyptians of 3000 years ago believed that unless you were buried in the soil of Egypt and had all the proper rituals recited for you, as well as your name preserved, you couldn’t enter the Afterlife. So my hero Periseneb, who was murdered and didn’t receive the rites at the time of his death, has been condemned to roam the fringes of the Afterlife and wage endless battles against demons and giant snakes.

I’m always fascinated with the goddess Ma’at, who represented truth, balance, justice…and who happened to be the goddess of second chances. I’m a Libra myself – scales, balance…. She was one of the Judges who weighed the heart of a dead person, to see if they deserved the Afterlife. So I decided she’d need a champion to accomplish some task in Egypt, and selects Periseneb, who she believes deserves a second chance at entry to paradise. A favorite old movie of mine is the 1963 version of “Jason and the Argonauts”. I love how the goddess Hera tells Jason she’ll help him three times along the way. I decided Ma’at would help Periseneb, and you’ll see in the book how he has to call for her assistance.

The next intriguing concept this novel allowed me to play with was the ancient Egyptian idea of the terrifying nature of ghosts, or akhs. Periseneb himself is uncomfortable with being an akh returned to Egypt, and worries a lot about inadvertently loosing the evil powers he now possesses on the innocents around him.

How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book?

Not very, especially not in the novels set in ancient Egypt! I don’t draw much inspiration from my own life for those stories.

Give us an elevator pitch for your book.

Can he solve his own murder 200 years later?

Do you have a view in your writing space? 

I do have a view out my balcony, where I can see several trees and the foothills across a small valley. It’s very pleasant. I also have two cats who keep me company, bring me toys, generally supervise my writing! I also keep several statues on my desk for inspiration – a Pharaoh, an ancient Egyptian dancer, a Roman centurion on a rearing stallion and a miniature garden scene from ancient Egypt.

What do you have planned for the future?

This year I want to write and release four new science fiction romances – I have two in the works, either being edited or formatted right now, which will be out in March and April. I have a number of plot ideas for the next  book so I just have to settle on one and start writing. In the Gods of Egypt series, I’ll be releasing a novella that is currently only available in an anthology. And I’m hoping to write the sequel to Dancer of the Nile. Oh, and I’ll be releasing the next audiobook. My narrators are recording it now. Sounds ambitious and crazy busy, I know, but last year I went full time as an author so if I stay focused, I ought to be able to get most of the plan done. Knock on wood!

How far do you plan ahead?

About a year at a time. I’m not a hugely detailed planner, as you can probably tell.  I like to see what new opportunities arise, or how the publishing business is changing, rather than get locked into any one way of thinking.

Do you have any words of inspiration for aspiring authors?

Try to write at least a little every day. Don’t edit yourself too much on the first draft! And remember the publishing world is in a state of flux, with many opportunities and challenges, so be open to trying various paths to your success. Self publishing, traditional publishing, agent, no agent…there’s no one path that works for everyone, to do what feels right for you.

Please tell my readers a little bit about your book.

1550 BCE

Betrayed, murdered, and buried without proper ceremony, Egyptian warrior Periseneb is doomed to roam the gray deserts of the dead as a ghost for all eternity.

But then the goddess of truth offers him a bargain: return to the world of the living as her champion for 30 days. If he completes his mission, he’ll be guaranteed entry into Paradise. Periseneb agrees to the bargain but, when he returns to the living world, two hundred years have passed and nothing is quite as he expected.

Neithamun is a woman fighting to hang onto her family’s estate against an unscrupulous nobleman who desires the land as well as the lady. All seems lost until a mysterious yet appealing ex-soldier, Periseneb, appears out of nowhere to help her fight off the noble’s repeated attacks.

Meanwhile, Periseneb’s thirty days are rushing by, and he’s powerless against the growing attraction between himself and Neithamun. But their love can never be. For his Fate is to return to the Afterlife, and Death cannot wed with Life…

A short excerpt:

In the morning, he rose with the dawn, grabbing a meat roll and a handful of dates from the communal table and heading off to walk the estate. Happy as he was to be in the world of the living again, the tour began first to depress and then anger him. Broken fences, unplanted fields, and drooping crops all spoke to the difficulties the estate was facing. He believed Neithamun was doing her best, given the limited resources, but the losing battle she was waging was all too obvious to him.

But when he topped the ridge and faced the cracked expanse of dirt and scrub grass where the marsh that gave the place its name used to be, he stopped in his tracks and swore. By the look of it, the marsh had been gone for years. Now he had the explanation why the nearest fields were fallow, since the estate had relied on the wetlands for irrigation.

He came down the hillside and walked a short way out onto the baked earth of the marsh, spinning in a slow circle to see the scope of the devastation. A few spindly trees struggling for survival in a cluster were the extent of greenery. Periseneb shut his eyes for a long moment, remembering the marsh as it was in his time—cool, green and thickly surrounded by trees, a refuge for the stately herons, cranes and ibis, stocked with fish, redolent with lotus and lilies, an amazing year-round haven in the hot, dry nome.

Cool water splashed his ankles and he inhaled the perfume of abundant lotus flowers. The cry of a startled bird sounded and he opened his eyes to find himself standing at the edge of the marsh as he remembered it. “By the gods, what sorcery is this?” He stared in disbelief, reached a cupped hand to the water’s surface, and tasted the sweet, crystalline liquid cautiously. A fish jumped nearby to catch a careless flying insect and a white ibis swooped in to snare the fish, just missing and winging away with a harsh cry of disappointment. Periseneb glanced behind him. Sure enough, there were his tracks in the dusty hillside, leading to the water’s edge. “Am I going mad? This cannot be here!” He bent to pluck a single blue lotus and as the stem broke, releasing the fragrant flower, the marsh disappeared, leaving him standing on the hot, cracked lakebed.

Holding a blue lotus.

His tattoo burned on his shoulder.

Periseneb felt a wave of vertigo, as if the ground moved under his feet. Hastily, he retraced his steps, ascending the slope, tucking the amazing lotus into his belt. Making his way to the great house, he went in search of the mistress of Heron Marsh. He found her at the grain silos to the rear of the house.

“We need to talk,” he said, striding over to her.

Buy Links:

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Author Bio:

Best Selling Science Fiction & Paranormal Romance author and “SciFi Encounters” columnist for the USA Today Happily Ever After blog, Veronica Scott grew up in a house with a library as its heart. Dad loved science fiction, Mom loved ancient history and Veronica thought there needed to be more romance in everything. When she ran out of books to read, she started writing her own stories.

Veronica writes novels set in the far future, often involving a disaster to kick the action off, as well as a fantasy romance series set in ancient Egypt. Her most recent release is Star Cruise: Marooned.

Three time winner of the SFR Galaxy Award, as well as a National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award, Veronica is also the proud recipient of a NASA Exceptional Service Medal relating to her former day job, not her romances!

Mother of two, grandmother  of one, companion to two cats….

Blog: https://veronicascott.wordpress.com/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/vscotttheauthor

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Veronica-Scott/177217415659637?ref=hl

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Veronica-Scott/e/B006CUCJ92/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1