Guest Post with Author K. Reed and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome to the blog author K. Reed. K. is currently on tour promoting the release of her book Dark Inheritance: Fallen Empire and has stopped by the blog to chat. Before I give the floor over to K. lets get to know her a bit.

Romance author with an historical twist.

Too many post-apocalyptic stories, movies, and what-ifs crowded her head, and K Reed decided to do something about it. So she plotted one out, decided an historical post-apocalyptic romance was the way to go, and wrote that one instead.

A lover of all things historical, of strong heroes with equally strong heroines, and of sexy pirates, she’s going to explore the post-apocalyptic world of plague-ridden 1804 and the gritty criminal element of Victorian England.

Luckily she has an understanding family, supportive friends, and a day job that offers her the flexibility she needs to plot, plan, and write. Sure, one day she’d like to travel the country in search of fantastic storylines and great locale pictures, but for now she’ll stick to the east coast and the internet.

Places to find K. Reed:

| Site | Blog | Twitter |

Why Regency England?

Lack of the death of the Regency.

When I conceived this story, I hadn’t heard of the Hunger Games, but was well aware of dystopian stories such as The Handmaid’s Tale, We, Canticle for Leibowitz, and of course, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I’m also a big fan of the “traditional” Regency and the complications that can be found in those stories.

So, after too much History Channel and possibly one drink too many, I thought “What would be an interesting way to introduce myself into the Regency genre”?

Why a post-apocalyptic Regency romance, of course!

I’ve crafted a world where plague has ravaged England and the government has fallen. By juxtapositioning traditional Regency mores against the dystopian world, I’ve created something far different than I’ve ever read.

The difference between my story and say Pride & Prejudice & Zombies or Hunger Games is that Dark Inheritance isn’t a paranormal (not a zombie in sight) nor does it take place after a perceived nuclear accident sometime far into the future. It’s simply a story that sprung from my imagination after considering what might happen after a plague, much like the Black Death, struck during the more civilized time of the Regency era. It’s not something that’s so completely inconceivable.

Plus, it was rather fun!

The rules of a Regency no longer applied to me, but I had to keep in mind that my characters would think those rules still existed. What I enjoyed most was using what rules I wanted, dismissing those I didn’t, and bastardizing those that suited my purposes.

Readers of traditional Regency romances (should they give it a try!) would find this a far different romance than they normally read. However, the flavor of what so many people love about the Regency still shines through. After all, what’s the point of having a post-apocalyptic dystopian Regency romance without the Regency?


The once glittering ballrooms of Regency England now lay desolate. A plague has ravaged the countryside. The government has fallen. What vestiges of order remained have been consumed by the endless funeral pyres.

Grayson, once the Baron of Harwich, sought only to protect his people. Rescuing a half-dead woman was not among his plans. But something about her pulled at him. Perhaps it was her beauty, still evident beneath the pallor of loss. Perhaps it was the recently fired rifle at her side. Or maybe he was simply tried of death. All he knew was that the plague had taken too much already. He couldn’t let it take her as well.

Lady Juliette Adair had been ready to die with her brother. She didn't expect to be shown mercy in a world that had no room for mercy. When Grayson saved her she questioned his motives but soon found herself intrigued by him, drawn to him.

Societal rules were a thing of the past, dead along with the ton. Juliette had no manner by which to measure her growing closeness to Grayson any longer. But when she discovers he may not be the man she thought she knew more is at stake than just her heart. The secrets she carries could make a king or destroy one.

Places to Purchase:

| Amazon | Barnes & Noble | All Romance | Createspace (print) |

In another time, his behavior would have been deemed inappropriate, but Grayson couldn’t bring himself to care. As she slept his eyes were drawn to her, and even her weakened state didn’t detract from her beauty. Or the spark of fire Grayson had seen in her eyes when he’d informed her she was to come with him. Her arguments were logical, but Grayson chose to ignore them. This had nothing to do with logic.

Raising his rough fingers to her face, he gently stroked her cheek. Those vivid blue eyes fluttered open at his touch.

“How long have you been here?” she asked. Her voice was low, but stronger than before thanks to food and drink.

“Just a few moments,” he said. The feel of her soft skin lingered on his fingertips, a touch he had denied himself upon first finding her. “Not long at all.”

Helping her to sit up, Grayson nodded ahead of them. He’d forgotten the niceties of society, the way to speak with a woman, the formalness of it.

“We’re not far from the estate, less than a half hour’s ride. There’s order there that much of England has lost,” he continued, holding her steady as the carriage bumped through several ruts. Before, he never would have touched her so intimately, but now those rules were long gone. “Quite unlike your last residence.”

Want to win some goodies from K. Reed? Check out what's up for grabs for nine lucky commenters.

Up for grabs:

• 9 lucky commenters from the ENTIRE tour will win Post-apocolypse survival baskets (which include tea, a fan, a shawl, a bracelet and more--Plus 1 Grand Prize basket will include an iPod Touch)

To Enter:

• Please leave a meaningful comment for K. Reed. 
• Please leave your email address along with your comment to be entered. 
• Giveaway ends June 8th.

Good Luck =)