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Sunday, September 14, 2014

Interview with Author Regina Kyle and Giveaway

Meet Regina Kyle, author of Triple Threat.

Regina Kyle knew she was destined to be an author when she won a writing contest at age ten with a touching tale about a squirrel and a nut pie. By day, she writes dry legal briefs, representing the state in criminal appeals. At night, she writes steamy romance with heart and humor.

A lover of all things theatrical, Regina lives on the Connecticut coast with her husband, teenaged daughter and two melodramatic cats. When she’s not writing, she’s most likely singing, reading, cooking or watching bad reality television. She’s a member of Romance Writers of America and treasurer of her local RWA chapter.

Find Regina at:


First off, can you tell us a bit about you?
I’m a wife, lawyer, stage mom, Diet Coke-aholic and lover of all things theatrical. When I’m not writing, I’m most likely singing, reading, cooking, watching bad reality television or obsessing over my current celebrity crush/hero inspiration. (So far I’ve cycled through Joe Manganiello, Adam Levine and Jessie Pavelka and have moved on to Chris Evans and Tom Hiddleston.)

Did you always want to be a writer?
I’ve always loved to write, but I went through a lot of career phases, mostly due to the influence of television and movies. There was medical examiner (Quincy), journalist (All The President’s Men), lawyer (The Paper Chase). I got a journalism degree in college and wound up as a lawyer, both of which involve a substantial amount of writing. But I didn’t really think about pursuing a career as an author until I hit my mid-life crisis.

What kind of writer are you? Panster or Plotter?
Is there such a thing as a Plantser? My first book was pretty much pantsed, but I’ve plotted the next two to a degree, as I have to submit a proposal to my publisher that includes a (gasp!) synopsis. At first I resisted, but I have to admit it does make the writing go faster when you know where the plot’s headed, at least generally. Plus, I get to make a pretty plot board with colored sticky notes.

Where do your ideas come from?
A lot of places. Pop culture. The news. The interweb. And I draw a lot from my real life (the names are changed to protect the guilty LOL). In Triple Threat, the setting is theater, something I’ve been involved in for years, first as an amateur actress and then as “stage mom” to my daughter, who toured the United States as Jane Banks in Mary Poppins. Gabe in my next book, Triple Time, is a prosecutor, like me. Ivy, the heroine in book three of the Art of Seduction series, struggles with her weight, again like me. I guess you could say there’s a little of me in all of my books.

A la Twitter style, can you describe your book (or series) in 140 characters or less.
Playwright & Hollywood heartthrob face life-threatening accidents that could close their show…or give them a chance to finish the sexy something they started as teens

What are some of your favorite kinds of stories to read?
My Ipad mini is chock full of all types of romance, but I’m really a contemporary gal at heart, the steamier the better. I love a good reunion or friends-to-lovers story, smart-mouthed heroines who know what they want and beta heroes who don’t know how awesome they are. Oh, and books with a sense of humor. Because what’s life if you can’t laugh at it once in a while?

Do you have a favorite book and if so what is it?
I can’t say that I have one favorite book, but I can tell you the book that started me on the path of writing romance: Leslie Kelly’s Slow Hands. I had just gotten my first e-reader, and it was a free book that month. I read it in a day and then devoured almost everything she’d written. Somewhere along the way, I started thinking maybe I could write one, too. And thus, the seeds of Triple Threat were born. Leslie’s books are angsty, steamy and, most important, funny. Plus, she’s written the absolute best sex scene with food I’ve ever read. (Check out Overexposed. All I’m saying is it involves a cannoli.)

What are the scenes that are the hardest for you to write?
Probably when it gets really emotional. Deep POV is my bailiwick. My critique partner Lisa is great at pushing me to go the next level, really dig deep and make my characters suffer. I’m better at writing snappy dialogue. At least, I think I am. I aspire to be the Aaron Sorkin of the romance genre.

If you could have dinner with any three authors, who would you choose and why?
Living? Dead? Either? If I could include those who’ve left us, definitely Harper Lee. She only wrote one book, but To Kill A Mockingbird is a masterpiece. Plus, Truman Capote was her pal, and the inspiration for the character of Dill, so it’s like getting two authors for the price of one. And Lin Manuel Miranda. He’s the genius behind the musical In The Heights, and he starred in it, too. (He gets a shout-out in Triple Threat.) As for romance writers, I’d say Leslie Kelly, since she’s the one who got me started, but I was lucky enough to have dinner with her at this year’s Romance Writer of America conference in San Antonio. (We chatted about our mutual love for community theater and compared photos of our kids in various productions. It was surreal.) So I’d have to pick Susan Elizabeth Phillips. That woman can flat out write. Her descriptions are so vivid, her characters so engaging and her books so darned funny. I mean, a heroine walking down the highway in a beaver suit? How can you not root for her?

Last question, are you working on anything right now?
I just submitted the proposal for book three in the Art of Seduction series for Blaze, tentatively titled Triple Dare. It tells the story of Ivy, the third Nelson sibling, and Cade, her twin brother Gabe’s best friend. And I’m finishing up the second book in the series, Triple Time. That’s Gabe and Devin’s book, and they’re both introduced as characters in Triple Threat.


Because Triple Threat is theater-themed, what’s your most memorable theatrical experience? And I’m not talking making out in the back row of the cineplex.



The Theater of Temptation presents Sabotage…and Seduction!

The Playwright: It’s emerging playwright Holly Nelson’s big break. Broadway. Having survived her traumatic marriage and divorce, Holly is now aiming for success, not love. And any naughty dreams about Nick Damone—the gorgeously dishy star who was her crush back in high school—must remain a fantasy.

The Star: For Nick, Broadway is a chance to go from big-screen-eye-candy to serious actor, and to explore the lust blazing between him and Holly. But life-threatening accidents will force a chain of events that could bring down the curtain on the whole production…or give Nick and Holly a chance to finish the sexy something that started fifteen years ago!

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N |
Check out what's up for grabs.

Up For Grabs:
  • 1 copy of Triple Threat

To Enter: 
  • What’s your most memorable theatrical experience?
  • Please fill out the Rafflecopter form.

Good Luck! 

Special thanks to the Regina Kyle for sponsoring this giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

24 comments :

  1. Seeing Ethel Merman in Hello Dolly on Broadway in the 60's!

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    1. My DH and I love to go to the theatre and always make that a special date day. But my very favorite theatre memory involved my son. We were on vacation in New York City and had a chance to see Adams Family. It was my son's first live show and I was not sure how he would like it. He LOVE it - I can remember him laughing so hard he was holding his sides. It is my favorite memory of that vacation and of the theatre. I hope we have passed our love of it on to him now. He is in college now and last semester took an appreciation class. He ended up volunteering as a stage hand in their last semester performance, so I guess it did pass on.

      I can't wait to read your book! It sounds so good!!

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    2. About five years ago my daughter was a huge fan of Spring Awakening and part of their online fan club. As a result, she was offered $10 tickets to sit on stage with the performers and, in essence, become part of the Broadway play. We went and it was incredible! We've been to a bunch of Broadway and off-Broadway shows through the years but that was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

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    3. These are all such great stories! Great to hear from some fellow theater lovers, both on stage and in the audience.

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    4. Hi Regina - Your book sounds great. I can't wait to read it! I think my best theater experiences go back to my high school years. I used to act in some of the productions. My favorite was Grease which we did my senior year.

      I wish you good luck with your book!

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  2. We took the kids to see the bubble show at Hershey Theatre a few years ago and they still talk about it! Does that count as a theatrical experience? LOL

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  3. Seeing phantom of the opera!
    =)

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  4. In high school I was working as the assistant stage manager, assistant choreographer and stand in for Godspell at our local theater. The woman, Shannon, I was standing in for was pregnant and couldn't make it to all of the rehearsals, so I learned her blocking and since I was stage managing I knew most of the show by heart.

    One day I walked into the theatre for the performance and the box office lady (who is normally very cranky) said, "Hi, Karin. How are you? I hope your day went well." When I got to the green room the director came to me and said, "Shannon can't be here tonight so you will be on stage in her place." Her house had been broken into earlier that day. So I had two hours warning before performing on stage - her songs, lines and everything! It went pretty well and after the show was over, I was talking to everyone backstage and commented, "I think I could play anyone except for Roxie (the risque part).

    Low and behold, the next performance I had to play Roxie because her husband had been caught on base from his deployment. I didn't have to sing her songs, but everyone decided afterward that I probably should have. I came very close to standing in for her the next night as well, but she managed to make it back.

    So, I managed to play two separate parts, two separate nights that I was not cast for. All while I was still a Junior in high school.

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  5. Seeing Zero Mostel in Fiddler on the Roof when I was 12. I was hooked on theatre after watching his mesmerizing performance

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  6. I played Liesl in our high school production of The Sound of Music. No, I didn't play Maria!

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  7. I haven't been to any, I was in grease back in middle school..lol...hi Regina from a CTRWA member

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  8. Local theatre. Love to see local talent, whether it be adults or high-school students....

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  9. Patrick Stewart's one-man show of "A Christmas Carol." We got to see it twice - during his first Broadway run and then his special benefit run for NYC after 9/11. Except for Sir Patrick, an empty stage except for a stool, a table and a lectern. Talk about Christmas magic!

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  10. I haven't acted in anything but I do like seeing local productions.

    Marcy Shuler

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  11. A local production of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF was very good. It's been ages before & after.

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  12. I'm not much of a theater-goer now that I've had kids. My husband and I went on our second date to see the Blue Man Group and it was great! I guess that's my most memorable theater experience. Thanks for the giveaway! :-)

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  13. Well, I'm dating myself here but I saw A Chorus Line on Broadway way back when. It was my first Broadway show. But probably my favorite was last year when we took our then eleven year old to see Nice Work if You Can Get It with Matthew Broderick and Blythe Danner. He grumbled about it for a week ahead of time, but admitted afterward that it had been a lot of fun.

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  14. Either seeing Wicked on tour or seeing Billy Joel's Movin' Out on Broadway!

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  15. I was the housekeeper in The Sound of Music in high school. On the closing night, I got a rose delivered NOT from my parents, but from someone who had seen the play and loved my performance. 40 years later, it still resonates! But the best show we ever saw was the Lion King on Broadway. I got all choked up as the magnificent animals entered past the seats and climbed the stage. It was truly a wonderful experience.

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    1. Let's try that again, LOL. So many great theater memories! And I was the housekeeper in my high school production of Sound of Music, too. But no one sent me roses :(

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  17. I remember seeing Jesus Christ SUperstar when it first burst on the scene. It was awesome!
    Jwisley8@me.com

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