Interview with Author Vanessa Kelly and Giveaway

Meet Vanessa Kelly, author of Secrets for Seducing a Royal Bodyguard.

Vanessa Kelly is an award-winning author who was named by Booklist, the review journal of the American Library Association, as one of the "New Stars of Historical Romance." Her sensual, Regency-set historical romances have been nominated for awards in a number of contests, and her second book, Sex and The Single Earl, won the prestigious Maggie Medallion for Best Historical Romance. Vanessa's next series, The Renegade Royals, is due to hit the shelves on Nov. 26 with Lost in a Royal Kiss. Book one in the series, Secrets for Seducing a Royal Bodyguard, will release in January, 2014.

Find Vanessa at:

| Site | Blog | Rock*It Reads | Facebook | Twitter |

First off, can you tell us a bit about you?
Hi, Dani! Thanks for having me on today! For readers who don’t know me, I write award-winning, Regency-set historical romance for Kensington, and I also write USA Today bestselling contemporary romance and romantic suspense with my husband, under the pen name of VK Sykes.

A la Twitter style, please describe your book (or series) in 140 characters or less.
The Renegade Royals: bad-ass spies, soldiers, and high-stakes gamblers who are all the illegitimate sons of England’s royal princes. Mayhem, adventure, and romance guaranteed.

What types of scenes are your most favorite to write?
I enjoy writing dialogue between the hero and heroine. I LOVE it when they talk to each other—whether they’re arguing, laughing together, or trying to figure out how to get out of whatever trouble they’re in. When I’m writing dialogue, I find I can easily slip into my characters’ heads and really move the story forward.

What are the things that influence you the most as a writer?
I get a lot of inspiration from other books, especially history, biography, romantic suspense, and historical mystery. I tend not to read any other historical romances when I’m writing a first draft, because I don’t want another romance writer’s voice creeping into my head. I’m also really influenced by movies and TV shows, especially in terms of thinking through high concepts.

What are some of your favorite characteristics to find in a hero?
I like smart heroes, guys who are as good with their brains as they are with their bodies. Heroes who like words, even though they might be the strong, silent type by choice. I do like alpha heroes, but I want them to have a solid core of compassion and kindness—even the bad-boys. My heroes tend to usually want to do the right thing.

Tell me, is there anything that we would be surprised to learn about you?
Probably that I write romance with my hubby, which I mentioned in question one. And, perhaps, that I used to work in professional theatre? I worked behind the scenes, but I met a lot of interesting actors and stage people over the years, from Avery Brooks, who played Capt. Sisko on Deep Space Nine (he was one of my teachers at theatre school) to John Nelson Reilly from The Ghost and Mrs. Muir.

If you could live inside any book, which one would you choose and why?
Well, since I’m a wimp, I’d probably choose a contemporary romance by either Jill Shalvis or Kristan Higgins. I wouldn’t want to live in a time without antibiotics and modern medicine. I would make one exception, however—I’d love to live in the world of the Amelia Peabody mysteries, which are primarily set in late 19th/early 20th century Egypt and England. Elizabeth Peters created the coolest world in these books!

If you could spend the day in the shoes of any of your characters, who would you choose and why?
Probably I’d like to be Justine Brightmore, the heroine of Confessions of a Royal Bridegroom, book two in The Renegade Royals. She’s smart, disciplined, and uber-competent, which I really like—kind of a Regency Mary Poppins. Plus, she gets to hook up with Griffin, one of my favorite heroes. I also love Lady Vivien Shaw, the heroine of Secrets for Seducing a Royal Bodyguard, but she has an awful family and she’s being pursued by a stalker. I’m not into that level of drama in my personal life!

If you were stranded on a desert island and could bring only three items, what would you bring and why?
My iPad with a rechargeable power source, an emergency medicine kit (see question 7), and a satellite phone. I know, I’m so boring, but being stranded on a desert island—even with a fabulous hero— has never been a fantasy for me!

Last question, are you working on anything right now?
I just finished up Tall, Dark, and Royal, the second novella in The Renegade Royals series. It’s Dominic Hunter’s story, which has been a thread throughout the earlier works. I hope readers will be pleased with how Dominic finally achieves his HEA. I’m also about to start book 3 in The Renegade Royals, and I’m also working on a new contemporary romance series for Grand Central Publishing, with my hubby.

If you could bring only one book to a deserted island, what would it be? One person who comments will win an ARC of Confessions of a Royal Bridegroom.

Accomplished spy Aden St. George prefers to stay away from the frivolous ton, especially after the way his mother was used by the Prince Regent. But his latest mission compels him to guard unconventional, vibrant Lady Vivien Shaw. Rescuing her from kidnappers was easy. Resisting her beauty is not. Duty demands he keep an eye on her—and naturally, his lips soon follow. For someone who views entanglements as a weakness, this is pure, delicious folly…

Though grateful for Aden’s help, Vivien has secrets she must keep hidden. Yet with her abductors still at large, she needs Aden’s protection almost as much as she craves his touch…

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | The Book Depository |

Check out the The Renegade Royals:

 

Check out what's up for grabs.

Up For Grabs:

• 1 ARC copy of Confessions of a Royal Bridegroom

To Enter: 

• Leave answer Vanessa's question: If you could bring only one book to a deserted island, what would it be?
• Please fill out the Rafflecopter form.

Good Luck! 

Special thanks to Vanessa Kelly for sponsoring this giveaway.

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