Ally
lives in Texas and is convinced her house is shrinking, possibly because she
shares it with three kids, five dogs, a cat, a rabbit, and several reptiles.
Oh, and her husband. She likes to curse in Russian and spends most of her
time letting dogs in and out of the house and shuttling kids around. She writes
historical romance set in Regency England and Imperial Russia.
Just a Kiss: Charlotte Lightwood has one season to find a husband or she'll be forced
to marry her guardian's loathsome cousin. With no title or dowry, she doesn't
have much hope of making a good match. Sebastian Wilkinson, the Earl of Marley,
has been the most eligible bachelor on the marriage mart for more years than he
cares to count and is very aware of his duty to marry a woman who will add to
the wealth and stature of his title. Sebastian makes Charlotte an offer she
can't refuse: he will pretend to court her to help her attract more suitors in
exchange for her advice about which ladies he should pursue. As they work
together, their mutual attraction grows. When they realize they just might be
perfect for one another, they must decide whether to bow to the dictates of
society or follow their hearts.
Q: Welcome, Ally! Your book sounds wonderful! Please
tell us more. Do you have a review you could
share with us?
A: Just
a Kiss is a Regency novella that kicks off a three book single title series.
It is the story of Sebastian Wilkinson, the Earl of
Marley, who has promised his grandmother that he'll find a wife and give her
great-grandchildren, and Charlotte Lightwood, who has one season to find a
husband or she will be forced to marry her guardian’s cousin. This review from Talking Books Blog is one of my
favorites:
Just a Kiss by Ally Broadfield was an entertaining, beautiful
read with so many shocking, laughable and romantic moments! Sebastian's character
is completely dreamy and Charlotte’s character is absolutely beautifully
written that you cannot help but be caught up in their story!
5 Charming Stars!
Q: Congratulations on the wonderful review! What is
the story behind the story?
A: It was a
sad day when I had finally learned enough to know that my first book, a young
adult paranormal, was riddled with beginner mistakes. I knew I needed to put it
aside and start a new project. I floundered for a bit, then saw an
advertisement for a Jane Austen inspired short story contest. Though I had
never tried to write historical fiction, I had been an avid historical romance
reader from the age of twelve and it seemed like a good fit. I penned a short
story that was a continuation of Sense
and Sensibility featuring Margaret, the youngest sister. I didn’t win the
contest, but I received more votes than I expected and a few bloggers even said
they thought I should have been a finalist. It was enough to inspire me to keep
writing historical romance, and that short story eventually became Just a Kiss.
Q: How inspiring! Why do
you write romance?
A: I write romance because I believe in happily ever
after. I read primarily to escape from the chaos that is my life, and there is
no better place to escape to than into a great historical world full of romance
and adventure.
Q: I agree. Did you
choose the title of your book and if so how did you do it?
A: Sebastian, the hero of the story, gave me the
title. He was angry with himself for being so attracted to the heroine,
Charlotte, and he decided that he needed to kiss her to prove to himself that
she wasn’t so different from other women. Just a kiss was all he thought he needed
to rid himself of his infatuation with her.
Q: Where is
your favorite place in the world?
A: The cottage that used to belong to my grandparents
in Honor, Michigan. It’s situated on the Platte River, which flows down to Lake
Michigan. The cottage is no longer in the family and it has been many years
since I was there, but I have so many fond childhood memories of spending time
there with family and friends.
Q: Please
tell us about your favorite character in the book.
A: The Dowager Countess of Marley, Sebastian’s
grandmother, is my favorite character. Despite her gruff manner, she’s very
perceptive, and she’s reached that point in life where she’s willing to say
whatever she wants and doesn’t care what anyone else thinks about it.
Q: I love characters like that. Which
element of this story was the hardest for you?
A: Keeping Charlotte and Sebastian in
line. They love to exchange witty banter and it was difficult to keep them from
going off on tangents that had nothing to do with the story.
Q: What is your
writing process or method?
A: I started out as a total
pantser, but once I sold my first book and was able to submit on proposal, I
had to start plotting so I could write faster. I use a modified beat sheet
based on Blake Snyder’s book, Save the
Cat. It helps me map out the conflict and turning points of the story, and
makes it easy to create a synopsis for the submission package. I’ve also found
that I write a lot faster with those elements in place, but still have the
freedom to make changes as I go.
Q: Do you
have any advice for unpublished authors?
A: Don’t give up! You will run into contest judges, critique partners, and
maybe even family members who aren’t very supportive, but don’t let them get to
you (if you happen to have a copy of Just
a Kiss, be sure to read the Acknowledgements page at the back). Also try to
keep educating yourself by taking online workshops, attending conferences,
reading blogs, craft books, etc. Whether you’re multi-published or just
starting out, there’s always something new to learn.
Q: What’s
next for you?
A: I have the first book of a new Regency mystery
series releasing in the fall, and I’m also going through edits on a Regency set
romantic suspense that is the second book of a multi-author continuity series
that is due out in early 2015. Last but not least, I’m writing the second book
in the It’s in His Kiss series, a
single title Regency featuring characters from Just a Kiss, which will also release in early 2015.
Ally is giving away this awesome swag pack to one commenter! Please be sure to leave your email address in some form so we can contact you. Thanks!!
Just a Kiss is available at:
Please visit Ally online!
Thank you, Ally, for being our guest today!!
8 comments:
Loved the post and cover. Sounds like a great book and I can't wait to read it. I love reading series so am excited that you are going to have one.
kac_030 @ yahoo dot com
Thanks for coming by, Kimmyl!Writing this series has been a lot fun. I hope you enjoy Just a Kiss.
Love the blurb, review and interview! Just love getting to know authors more!
Thanks for coming by, Lani! It's been fun getting to know you. :)
LOL, Ally. I read your introduction and I'm so tired I thought I was reading your blurb. I was intrigued, and thought I really want to read more of this story even thought I thought it was supposed to be a Regency. Then I realized it was your bio. Went to read your Regency story blurb and I like that, too.
LOL, Gerri! I recommend a nap. :) I'm glad you liked the actual blurb, though.
loved the interview - got to know a lot about Ally. This sounds like a fun book - love the red dress on the cover - liked your FB page and shared your amazon link for the novella. I generally do not read series - but I do like mystery and romance so your new series sounds like something I would be interested in reading. oh almost forgot - pinned your cover
Vicki, thanks so much for all of the promo! I hope you have a chance to check out the first book in my mystery series.
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