Monday, April 23, 2018

Princess Elara's Meet the Character Interview




Hi everyone!

Today I’m turning the blog over to Princess Elara, the heroine from my historical/fantasy romance, A Most Unusual Princess. She talks about the book, her relationship to her hero, and shares a few naughty secrets!

Q: Greetings, Princess Elara. A Most Unusual Princess is the first book in a series of historical/fantasy novels. Can you tell us about the trilogy?

Certainly. As some readers may already know, A Most Unusual Princess is the first story in a trilogy that also includes A Most Intriguing Temptation and A Most Unfortunate Prince. Although the books are related, each stands alone as an individual read.

A Most Unusual Princess introduces readers to me and my hero, Dalton. My father is searching for a proper husband for me, and Dalton acts as my special guard. In the second book, A Most Intriguing Temptation, I follow Dalton and my brother, Prince Allan, to a sultan’s palace and get into a bit of trouble. A Most Unfortunate Prince (the last book in the series) is all about Allan’s banishment from the kingdom and his journey as he finds true love. Dalton and I are also in the story, and we play a central role in the ending.

Q: Tell us about yourself. What got you in the crosshairs for your author?

I’m a princess and I’ve been pampered and sheltered my entire life. Some people might find that the perfect arrangement, but for me, it’s always been suffocating. I hate being told what to wear, how to speak, and I’m never allowed to have any fun. My brothers are free to do whatever they please while I’m forced to act like a lady. Bah!

Lately I’ve been acting out a lot. I’ve been called headstrong, spoiled, too opinionated, and unmanageable. It’s not my fault, though. I’m an intelligent (and very pretty) young woman who doesn’t appreciate being talked down to just because I’m female.

My father decided I was old enough to be married and wanted to find me a husband. I told him I could find my own husband and would only marry someone I loved; not some dull prince who only wanted me for my dowry.

Kelli started writing my story just before the search for my husband began. She was kind enough to see past all of my so-called faults and realized that deep down I’m a sensitive, caring individual who just wants to be loved. Meeting Dalton changed me for the better.

Q: What was it that drew you to Dalton?

Dalton is unlike any other man I have encountered before. We met under very unusual circumstances (I was undressed and bathing in a pond) and he… well, he thought the whole thing was amusing. At the time I didn’t think I’d ever see him again, but then he turned out to be my special guard. Imagine! As we spent time together, I realized that Dalton was strong, brave, and not easily swayed by my tantrums or tricks. He understood me and treated me like an equal. And I loved him even more for that. (He also acted a bit naughty, which I also liked!)

Q: A little naughty fun, where was the wildest place you seduced your partner?

In the story, we make use of a settee and my bed. But one night after the story ended, Dalton and I went back to the pond where we first met. We did all the naughty things there that we had only fantasized about doing before. It was fun fooling around outside in the dark, and it’s something I’m sure we’ll do again soon.

Q: What is the one place on your partner's body that you know will drive him wild—in and out of bed?

Dalton’s secret spot is along the side of his neck, right near his ear. A lick, a kiss, and he melts in my arms. He also likes me to rub his back and chest. I certainly don’t mind. (Giggles.) He’s strong and muscular and just touching him drives me wild too!

Q: What was one of the most embarrassing things your author did to you in A Most Unusual Princess?

Well… the story starts off with Dalton catching me nude in a bathing pond. It would have been embarrassing enough to be seen like that, but I wasn’t exactly bathing… I was… how did Dalton put it… touching myself to relieve a bit of tension. (If you know what I mean.) A girl is entitled to her privacy! Later, Dalton teased me about it without mercy.

Q: Kelli has written a lot of romances in all genres in all heat levels. How does she switch back and forth so easily?

I’ve been curious about this myself, so I asked some of her other characters. They said that each book comes to her in a different form. Sometimes an entire story “jumps” into her head, and she’ll know everything that happens to the characters. (That happened with A Deceptive Match, Loving a Wild Stranger, A Most Unusual Princess, and The Viking’s Witch.)

Other times, she gets bits of the story and parts of the characters. Once in a while, she’ll have a character come first and then the other pieces of the book fall into place, like a puzzle. (That happened with Dangerous Indenture, Lies, Love & Redemption, and A Secret Match.)

Before Kelli starts a book, she needs to know who the characters are and what’s going to happen to them. After that, she outlines the scenes and starts writing. She says that writing a new book is always an adventure, and she never knows where the characters or stories will take her.

Q: Anything else you would like to add?

Although A Most Unusual Princess is the first book in the series, all of our stories stand alone as individual reads—and I encourage readers to catch up on all of our adventures. I’m content with the way the trilogy ends—and I know that readers will be satisfied (in many ways!).

Kelli has written several fantastic books in all genres, and I wish I could have a crossover with a few of her other characters. We would have a lot of fun together.

Talking with readers was fun! I’ll ask Dalton and Allan to answer a few questions in another chat!

Thank you, Princess Elara, for joining us today. Here’s a look at A Most Unusual Princess.

You can find all of Kelli A. Wilkins’s books at www.amazon.com/author/kelliwilkins and www.KelliWilkins.com.


A Most Unusual Princess

Princess Elara needs to find a royal husband, but claims that no man can satisfy her. Her father hires Dalton, a special guard, to watch over her while she’s courting suitors. Dalton finds her unusual behaviors charming—and enthralling.

Dalton’s aloof manner intrigues Elara, and despite their differences, they share tender moments and intimate nighttime encounters. Elara is heartbroken when her father chooses a “proper” husband for her—until she meets the mystery man.

Bonus! This e-book includes a sneak peek at the second book in the Royal Desires series: A Most Intriguing Temptation.

**The Royal Desires series is available on Amazon & other platforms. Catch this hot historical/fantasy trilogy from the start:

Book 1: A Most Unusual Princess:
All other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/me00L9

Book 2: A Most Intriguing Temptation:
All other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/47kkvj

Book 3: A Most Unfortunate Prince:
All other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/3yPPM6

Next week, we’ll hear from Prince Dalton!
Until then,
Happy Reading!
Kelli

Friday, April 13, 2018

Kelli’s Quill - Welcome Spring 2018 Issue





Greetings everyone! Happy Spring! 

The start of a new season is the perfect time for change, and this issue of the Quill is no exception. I’ve included new book links, blogs, and news about upcoming releases.

Name Your Platform!
Recently I’ve started using universal book links from Books2Read. If you’re not familiar with universal links, they’re great! Simply click on a book’s link and you’ll instantly see where you can buy the book. Whether it’s available on Apple, Kobo, Sribd, or another platform, you’ll always have options. (My Amazon books on Kindle are still retaining those links, however.)
Each book has its own page complete with a full book description and links. 

Here’s the list of universal links (broken down by book genre), plus the link to my main Books2Read page…

Historical Romances:
A Most Unusual Princess: https://books2read.com/u/me00L9
A Most Intriguing Temptation: https://books2read.com/u/47kkvj
A Most Unfortunate Prince: https://books2read.com/u/3yPPM6
Loving a Wild Stranger: https://books2read.com/u/4N1DGN
Midsummer Night’s Delights: https://books2read.com/u/3LrJP1
Midwinter Night’s Delights: https://books2read.com/u/mdKaaX
Ultimate Night’s Delights: https://books2read.com/u/bxgyPk

Contemporary Romances (M/F):
Beauty & the Bigfoot: https://books2read.com/u/4Dog0Q
Confessions of a Vampire’s Lover: https://books2read.com/u/49xp1J

Gay Romances:
Four Days with Jack: https://books2read.com/u/bo6Rap
Killer Wolfs Clothing: https://www.books2read.com/u/mYRB6x

Horror:

Non-Fiction:
You Can Write - Really!: https://books2read.com/u/4AqYN4


Get a full list of my Kindle books here: www.amazon.com/author/kelliwilkins


Springing Forward…
Winter was very, very long, but I kept busy with many new projects. I finished revising a new historical romance. This full-length novel has a Gothic feel and will be out sometime in June 2018. Stay tuned for the book’s cover reveal and release info.

I also wrote new horror novella (as yet untitled). Look for that to make its debut in mid-2018.

Aside from that, I’m developing a few online writing courses, working on a new non-fiction book, writing more horror stories, and outlining a few new romances. Be sure to follow me on social media for the latest updates & news.

I'm now on Instagram!!! You can follow my wacky posts here: https://www.instagram.com/kelliwilkins2/ 

I added my profile & books to Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kelli-a-wilkins

And I’m making a few changes to the Quill. As of now, it will be released quarterly, with the exception of special issues announcing new releases. (Of course, the traditional October Halloween/horror issue will be out as usual. I can’t miss my favorite holiday!)


New Guest Blogs


I talk about my books, characters, and share an excerpt from my historical/fantasy romance, A Most Unusual Princess.


Elara speaks out! Don’t miss this fun and informative character interview with Princess Elara from A Most Unusual Princess. https://dawnsreadingnook.blogspot.com/2018/04/character-spotlight-with-kelli-wilkins.html?zx=f7cf0e40846cf348



I hope you enjoyed this issue of the Quill. I enjoy hearing from readers and welcome your questions and comments. Feel free to contact me on social media or via the email address on my website.


Want to subscribe? Follow this link: http://eepurl.com/HVQqb

Enjoy the spring weather!
Until next time,
Kelli



Monday, April 2, 2018

You Gotta Read... Talks with Kelli A. Wilkins (Part 2)




Hello everyone!

Here’s Part 2 of my interview with You Gotta Read! I answer some writing-related questions & share a few words of advice…

Q:.  Are your books based on real events or are they fantasy?  

About 99% of my romances are pure fiction. When I get an idea for a story, I start writing an outline and let the characters tell me what happens as the story progresses. Since I’m writing fiction I can make up whatever I want. There are three exceptions, however.
When I wrote Beauty & the Bigfoot, I did research on Bigfoot, so I could incorporate the facts into my story. (A main character is an avid Bigfoot hunter, so he had to know everything about the creature.) In A Deceptive Match and A Secret Match (my wrestling romances) I called upon my own personal experiences and observations to convey what life is like in the world of professional wrestling.

Q. Which is your favorite of the books you have written?

I love all of my books and all of my characters; they’re like my children. Since I write in different genres, I have favorites in each. In the fantasy genre, I’m particularly fond of my “Royal Desires” trilogy: A Most Unusual Princess, A Most Intriguing Temptation, A Most Unfortunate Prince.  In paranormal, Beauty & the Bigfoot (it’s a comedy), and in straight contemporary, it’s a tie between Trust with Hearts and A Deceptive Match. I think my favorite gay romance is A Secret Match. I just love the hero, Everett and the struggles he goes through to find acceptance.

Q. Is there anything you find particularly challenging about writing?

Coming up with ideas for my stories is the fun part of writing. The challenging part is sitting down and doing the work that comes next: the revising, editing, and proofreading of a manuscript. That part of the process isn’t hard, it’s just not creative. You have to turn off the imagination part of your brain and get to work on the technical aspects of writing.

Q.  Do you ever suffer from writer's block? If so, what do you do about it?

Fortunately I don’t get writer’s block. I have millions of ideas for stories, but I just don’t have time to write them all. Sometimes after I finish a book, I’ll take a break from writing for a while and let my mind relax and catch up on my reading. Then, when I’m ready to write something new, I’ll read through my ideas folder and see what inspires me.

Q.  Who is your favorite author and why? What books have most influenced your life?

I’ve been inspired by many authors throughout the years and probably every book I’ve ever read has influenced me or inspired me in some way. I started out reading Stephen King short stories and novels, and so really got a feel for good storytelling and world-building at a young age.

Lately I’ve been reading John Sandford, Jonathan Kellerman, and the Preston & Child novels. I find that I like to read anything and everything that isn’t in the romance genre when I’m reading for fun. I enjoy a good detective/mystery story and these authors have created some fantastic and memorable characters.

Q. How did you deal with rejection letters?

In the past, I used to get upset by them – especially if they were nasty or scathing. (I had my share!) Since then, I’ve learned to shrug them off or laugh at them. I’ve gotten rejection letters with typos, ones calling me the wrong name, and the ever-popular photocopied form letter rejection. Most of the stories that were rejected over the years have been bought by someone else, so I can look back and say, “Ha! You missed your chance. Someone wanted that story after all.”

Q.  What tools do you feel are must-haves for writers?

Writers need to have a good imagination, excellent observation skills, and the determination and patience to keep writing, even when they get rejected. It’s not easy to finish a novel and get it published, and many would-be writers give up before they even start because “it’s too hard.” I know a lot of people who tell me they want to write a story (or a book) but say that don’t have the time or it takes too long (or it’s too much work). Writers need to have an internal drive to write. They also need to have the self-discipline to sit in a chair and edit a story when they would rather be outside or doing something else.

Q.  Where do you as an author draw the line on gory descriptions and/or erotic content?

I let the story and the characters dictate how much detail is enough. My erotic romances all vary in genre and heat level. Some romances (Midsummer Night’s Delights) are scorching hot and there are a lot of explicit erotic details. Other romances (A Most Unusual Princess, Loving a Wild Stranger) are tamer and hint at what’s happening without being too obvious. The heat level and sexual activities in the stories all depend on the characters and the plot. My horror fiction tends to be more psychological/spooky than gory. But if the story calls for some blood or a violent death, I’ll run with it.

Q.  Do you ever research real events, legends, or myths to get ideas? What's the weirdest thing you've ever done in the name of research?

My ideas come from everything and everywhere. Most of the time I don’t even try to search out ideas, they find me. The only time I deliberately researched a legend was when I wrote Beauty & the Bigfoot. I needed all sorts of details for the story. I went to the library and took out every Bigfoot book they had. The librarian gave me a strange look and probably was wondering what I was doing!

Thanks for letting me share my thoughts! I invite everyone to visit me on social media for book updates, excerpts, and more. Let me know which of my books is your favorite, and which characters you love best.

Happy Reading,
Kelli