Kelli A. Wilkins - Romance, Horror & Mystery Author : April 2021

Sunday, April 25, 2021

Behind the Scenes: A Most Unfortunate Prince

This “Behind the Scenes” blog is part of a series examining my romance novels. In each blog, I’ll talk about why I wrote the book, share my thoughts on the plot and/or characters, and reveal what I loved most (or least) about writing the book. Warning: Blogs may contain spoilers.

A Most Unfortunate Prince picks up soon after A Most Intriguing Temptation. King Maxwell is furious at Prince Allan and blames him for the disastrous events at Emperor Salizar’s palace. As punishment, the king banishes him. Allan is a spoiled, pampered prince who is used to living the good life and getting his own way. Now he is being sent to the worst/poorest area of the kingdom.

At first, Allan doesn’t seem to take his banishment seriously. He is experienced in manipulating people and situations to his advantage and figures he will be punished for a few weeks (or maybe a month), and then his father will change his mind and welcome him home.

But deep down, Allan is concerned. A part of him knows he is responsible for nearly getting himself, Dalton, and Elara killed. He starts to realize the severity of the banishment and has no idea how he will survive on his own. He has lost favor with his father and basically has been told to get out and grow up. The king has cut off all his funds and only lets him take what he can carry. But to save face, Allan jokingly tells Elara he’ll take the family silver with him to pawn if he needs money.

So begins Allan’s trials and tribulations. As readers can imagine, life is not going to be easy for this fallen prince. He is forced to find work at the docks doing manual labor—something he has never done before. Working at the docks for an abusive boss brings its own set of mental, emotional, and physical challenges.

But life isn’t all bad for Allan. He meets a sweet and savvy seamstress named Claudette and wants to impress her. In the past he could seduce women with his wealth and prestige—but now he has to rely on his charm and true personality. Claudette is a sensible, no-nonsense young woman who is not taken in by Allan. In fact, their first meet is disastrous (and physically painful) for him.

Claudette has overcome her own challenges and is used to making her own way in the world. She doesn’t trust that Allan’s motives are sincere and makes him work for her affection. In doing so, Allan learns many lessons about himself, relationships, and what it means to be in love. He helps Claudette stand up to her nasty boss, and together they create a good life for themselves. It’s a simple life, but they’re happy.

But A Most Unfortunate Prince isn’t all about Allan and Claudette’s romance. While working at the docks, Allan uncovers a smuggling/illegal trade operation. In the course of his investigation, he is subjected to mental and physical abuse at the hands of his vile supervisor and other dockworkers.

Although the primary focus is Allan, Dalton and Elara appear as secondary characters. Elara and Allan exchange letters, and when Claudette finds letters from a mysterious woman with the initial “E” she becomes jealous. She accuses Allan of having a secret life (and a wife). This causes all sorts of problems in their relationship.

As a result of his investigation, Allan is attacked and viciously beaten. When he is whisked away by strangers and taken to a manor house to recover, Claudette’s suspicions grow. And when Claudette meets Dalton, Elara, and King Maxwell, she is in for quite a shock. Learning Allan is a prince throws their love into a tailspin.

After Claudette learns who Allan really is, she questions everything about their relationship. She wonders why Allan never told her his true identity, questions if he has only been toying with her for fun while he’s slumming it in the poorest section of the kingdom, and is unsure if she is truly worthy of being with him.

One of the things I liked best about writing the book was showing Allan’s growth and transition from the drunken womanizer he was in A Most Intriguing Temptation, into a respectable man. Claudette’s guidance and love has reformed him in a way no severe punishment could have. I enjoyed writing ways for them to get to know each other and fall in love, and I liked inventing clever ways for Allan to learn his lessons.

Spoiler Alert: The one thing I hated most about writing this book was killing off Alex, a secondary character. Alex isn’t in a lot of the book, but he made a dramatic impact on Allan’s life. When Allan’s money ran out, he was living on the street begging for food and nearly froze to death. Alex rescued Allan and they became extremely close friends (and more).

I originally had no intention of creating Alex at all. He was a secondary character who appeared out of nowhere and became an important element of the story. Alex was a good friend to Allan and may have unknowingly died for him. It broke my heart to kill him off, but it had to be done for the sake of the story. (I still wish I could have found a way to keep him alive.)

Later in the book, Allan is so overcome with grief and guilt over Alex’s death that he nearly dies out in the cold on Alex’s grave. Claudette finds him in the cemetery, distraught and broken, and brings him home. This was a heart-wrenching, powerful scene to write and a major turning point in the novel.

Dalton and Elara are mostly off-page for the book, but they play a large role in the events at the end of the story. A very pregnant Elara gives birth and needs Claudette’s help with the delivery. Allan consoles a terribly worried Dalton and confesses a secret he has been keeping from everyone.

I leave Dalton, Elara, Allan, and Claudette in good places at the end of the book—and the trilogy. (I even wrote a special epilogue to wrap up everything.) It’s a satisfying conclusion for the characters and the readers.

The Royal Desires series is my favorite. All three stories are sensual romances that blend adventure and humor while taking readers on an emotional roller coaster ride. Whether you read this book as a stand-alone story or as the last part of the series, I think you will love reading A Most Unfortunate Prince as much as I loved writing it.

Here’s the summary:

A Most Unfortunate Prince

This time, it’s all about Allan… and he never expected to fall in love!

Banished by the Royal Family, pampered Prince Allan is forced to abandon his life of luxury. The former Royal Shipmaster General is sent to the worst part of the kingdom and manages to find work at the docks. Lost in a commoner’s world, Allan is miserable—until he has an unusual encounter with a saucy shop girl named Claudette.

Allan must earn the respect of the woman he loves while keeping his true identity a secret. In an effort to redeem himself in his father’s eyes, he exposes a dangerous smuggling operation involving the Royal Fleet. But his loyalty to duty comes with a deadly price.

Can he keep Claudette and his royal title? Or will he lose her forever when she discovers his secret?

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:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CBX43D8

All other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/me00L9

Read reviews here: https://www.kelliwilkins.com/a-most-unusual-princess

Book 2: A Most Intriguing Temptation:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D8P8604

All other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/47kkvj

Read reviews here: https://www.kelliwilkins.com/a-most-intriguing-temptation

Book 3: A Most Unfortunate Prince:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Most-Unfortunate-Prince-Historical-Fantasy-ebook/dp/B01DMBYJ6E

All other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/3yPPM6

Read reviews here: https://www.kelliwilkins.com/a-most-unfortunate-prince

I hope you enjoyed this “Behind the Scenes” look at the making of this romance. I welcome questions and comments from readers and other authors. Contact me via the form on my site or on social media.

Happy Reading,

Kelli A. Wilkins

Saturday, April 10, 2021

Meet the Character Day: Chatting with Prince Dalton from A Most Intriguing Temptation

This “Meet the Character Day” blog is part of a series examining my romance novels. In each “Behind the Scenes” blog, I talk about why I wrote the book, share my thoughts on the plot and/or characters, and reveal what I loved most (or least) about writing the book. The “Meet the Character Day” blogs are fun chats with the heroes and heroines from my romances. Warning: blogs may contain spoilers.

Hello romance lovers! Today we’re chatting with Prince Dalton, the hero from A Most Intriguing Temptation by Kelli A. Wilkins.

Q: Greetings, Prince Dalton. A Most Intriguing Temptation is the second book in Kelli’s Royal Desires series of historical/fantasy novels. Can you tell us about the trilogy?

A: Certainly. As readers may already know, A Most Intriguing Temptation is the second story in a trilogy that began with A Most Unusual Princess and concludes with A Most Unfortunate Prince. Although the books are related, each stands alone as an individual read.

A Most Unusual Princess introduced readers to Princess Elara and myself. The book brought us together through unusual circumstances. (Elara discussed our interesting first-meet in a previous blog.)

In A Most Intriguing Temptation I’ve been called away to attend a business meeting with Emperor Salizar. Elara got jealous of the fact I’d be away and surrounded by Salizar’s sultry “kharim” women, so she decided to follow me and her brother, Prince Allan, to the palace. Needless to say, she got into a lot 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. Elara 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?

A: I was charged with guarding Elara while she received suitors. Of course, one thing led to another and we ended up falling in love. I’m a very patient and understanding person and it takes a lot to push me to the edge. However, in A Most Intriguing Temptation, Kelli (my author), tested me at every turn.

In this novel, Kelli explored the themes of fidelity and trust. I was sent to a palace full of women whose only function is to satisfy the male visitors’ every wanton need. When Elara learned where I was going, she followed me, and to my surprise, impersonated a “kharim” woman to test me and my loyalty to her. I admit, I was tempted, but when I learned of her deception, I turned the tables on her to teach her a lesson.

Q: What drew you to Elara?

A: Elara is headstrong and intelligent, and she has a sweet and vulnerable side she only shows to me. Of all the people in her life, I’m the one who understands her best and can “manage” her moods and unpredictability. I love her dearly, and yet, at times, she is vexing. As we spent time together, I realized she was putting on a brave front most of the time and I learned not to be swayed by her tantrums or tricks. Elara needs to be treated like an equal, both in and out of the bedroom.

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

A: A Most Intriguing Temptation is definitely naughtier than A Most Unusual Princess. We’re not shy about our lovemaking at home, or anywhere. Elara (disguised as Oonish) tried to seduce me everywhere—in the bathtub, in bed, in a hallway… In the book, we made very naughty use of a settee, and later we got frisky on a pile of satin cushions (and we were not alone!). After the story ended, we wanted to recreate the wanton atmosphere of the palace, so Elara and I set up a tent outside to engage in a few wild fantasies. She likes fooling around outside in the dark, and it’s something I look forward too, as well.

Q: Do you sometimes want to strangle your author because of the situations she puts you in?

A: Yes! Kelli put me through several physical and emotional trials in this book. She says it was “for the good of the story” but I would have been content not being tormented, teased, and driven mad with lust on every other page. Kelli thought it was fun and has admitted that creating those scenes was one of the highlights of writing the book.

Q: Tell us more. What was one of the most embarrassing things Kelli did to you in A Most Intriguing Temptation?

A: Throughout most of the book, I’m in a state of sexual frustration. Oonish is at my side every minute of every day, and she’s practically naked. She goes out of her way to tease me, arouse me, and test my loyalty to Elara. And since Oonish is Elara, she knows just what to do to get me hot and bothered. At one point in the story, I get very, very excited and want Oonish so bad… I have a naughty dream about her and… Well, let’s say, my body reacted in a physical way to an extremely erotic dream. It was highly embarrassing to be discovered like that, and I’m not thrilled with Kelli for putting me in that awkward situation. Naturally, Oonish/Elara thought it was funny!

Q: Kelli has written romances in all genres in all heat levels. Does she find the love scenes difficult to write?

A: Not at all. A Most Unusual Princess was a mild book (I believe you’d call it a heat level of 1) and A Most Intriguing Temptation is much hotter (a 2 or 3, depending on your taste) and contains a lot of graphic sexual activities taking place at the palace.

Kelli’s books have different heat levels because she matches the intensity and situations with the characters and plot. She says makes the love scenes as natural and as real for the characters as possible, given the story, the characters’ personalities, motivations, and backgrounds, and what level of intimacy they share.

She admits that sometimes she’ll be writing a scene and the characters “take over” and decide the scene should go a different way, or something she planned on happening changes. (This can happen during regular scenes or love scenes.) Characters can jump off the page and take the story in a different direction. (“Of course we can,” I told her. “This is our story!”)

Kelli confided in me although she thought knew all about her characters before writing A Most Unfortunate Prince, she was surprised to discover a different side to Prince Allan. (I have no idea what that means exactly, but Allan will be here in a few weeks to address his book, so you can ask him.)

Q: Anything else you would like to add?

A: Although A Most Unusual Princess, A Most Intriguing Temptation, and A Most Unfortunate Prince make up the Royal Desires series, each of our stories stand alone as individual reads. You can start with book 2 and then go back to book 1 to see how everything started, or start with book 3 and go in reverse order. However you read them, I encourage romance lovers to catch up on all of our adventures. I’m content with the way the trilogy ends—but I don’t want to give away the ending. I can say Kelli left all of us in very good places.

I’d like to add that Kelli has written several fantastic books in all genres, not just historical romances. She has contemporary, paranormal, and gay romances that bring incredibly interesting characters to life.

This visit was fun. Thank you for having me. Elara has arranged for Prince Allan to answer a few questions in another chat. Brace yourself, because he’s a wiseass.

Thank you, Prince Dalton, for joining us today. Readers can learn more about all of Kelli’s books on her site: www.KelliWilkins.com

Here’s the book summary:

A Most Intriguing Temptation

After only four months of marriage to Princess Elara, Prince Dalton is sent to Emperor Salizar’s pleasure palace on business. Not wanting to be left behind, Elara risks her personal safety and sneaks along on the trip.

Aided by her mischievous brother, Prince Allan, she disguises herself as one of Salizar’s sultry “kharim” women and decides to test Dalton’s loyalty. Masquerading as Oonish, Elara goes out of her way to tempt Dalton at every turn. Despite Dalton’s resolve to resist the indulgent girls, he finds himself falling under the spell of the mysterious Oonish.

After nearly giving in to temptation, Dalton discovers Elara’s trickery and turns the tables on her, making her into his submissive playmate. Their fun and games are quickly shattered when Emperor Salizar learns about Elara’s deception. He holds the royals prisoner and condemns Elara to a fate worse than death.

Can Dalton save Elara before it’s too late, or will her prank bring about the end of their love?

***

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