Interview With Kathy Wheeler / Kae Elle Wheeler, Author of The English Lily

I’m delighted to welcome fellow Wild Rose Press author Kathy Wheeler here today for an interview and a look at her new historical romance writing as Kae Elle Wheeler, The English Lily, the fourth story in her Cinderella Series. Don’t forget to comment for a chance to win in Kathy’s giveaway!

Hi Kathy, so glad to have you here today. Tell us a little about your Cinderella Series. What inspired these stories?

I was looking through some Google writing prompts one day and ran across one that read: What if Cinderella’s glass slipper fit one of her evil stepsisters. . . and Voilá. Four books later. . .

The Wronged Princess – Book I
The Unlikely Heroine – Book II
The Surprising Enchantress – Book III
The English Lily – (The Wild Rose Press – 5/15/2013)

The English Lily – Blurb:

Lady Kendra Frazier is devastated. The love of her life just married another, and now all she desires is to be as far away as possible. Viscount Lawrie, Joseph Pinetti Gray, is facing financial ruin and needs a wealthy heiress.  Luckily for him, Kendra’s impetuous nature has handed him the fortuity he requires to save his family’s downfall. But Joseph’s carefully cultivated plans come to a grinding halt when he finds himself falling in love for what should have only been a marriage of convenience. And how can an old cursed doll help?

What are you working on now? Do you have any releases scheduled for this year?

The English Lily (Book IV, picked up by The Wild Rose Press) is currently available through Amazon on their Kindle Select program for 99¢. The official release is scheduled for May 15.

What are your writing goals for this year?

I’m currently working on another Historical to submit to Harlequin. I’m approximately two-thirds completed.

What do you enjoy most about writing?

Making the hero suffer, grovel, work his tail off for her love, approval.

Where do you start when writing? Research, plotting, character, or…?

I start writing. The ideal will usually come at night before I sleep, then nags me until I begin to write. After I’ve started the initial story, I start my planning. Questions at the end of my document, notes in a billion different writing books, recordings on my phone. . .

What is the best thing about being an author?

It’s a complete diversion from my day job. In my writing there are no rules. Characters say and do what they will. The consequences stay in the story.

What did you learn from writing your first book or what do you wish you’d known before becoming published?

I certainly wish I’d began at a much younger age. I’ve only been writing since approximately 2006.

Do you have a favorite hero and/or heroine in your books and why?

In my contemporary Bloomington Series, I have this hard-ass character Lorianne. She is not a particularly likeable heroine, but she is a very loyal friend. She grew up almost homeless, her mother a drug addict. But she can tear a person to shreds. That being said, in my Cinderella Series, The Unlikely Heroine – Book II is also similar. Very difficult to bring around, but once she is your friend she would die for you.

What is your favorite scene from this story and why?

In The English Lily, there is a particularly difficult scene where Lady Kendra has garnered every ounce of her courage to ask a young schoolmaster for his help, when the ship they are on is attacked by pirates. He is hit by a musket ball.

How do you balance writing and everyday life?

Sheer willpower.

Where is your favorite place in the world?

So far it’s New York City, Paris, London, Madrid, Amsterdam, Köln, Victoria, Seattle, San Francisco, Atlanta. . .well, you get the picture. I have been to Ireland yet. . .

What is your favorite food to cook or eat?

I am not a cook. I try not to focus on food.  It’s more like places. I frequent McNellies, an Irish pub in Midtown Oklahoma City for Burger night, but I usually try to eat a Spinach Strawberry salad.

What do you like to read?

Historical Romance. Teresa Mederios, Amanda Quick, Suzanne Enoch, Elizabeth Boyle.

Do you listen to music while you write?

Absolutely, not.  I sing too, so I can’t write and sing at the same time. What are you listening to now? The Discovery Channel – How This Is Made. I really like The History Channel and all the Roman and Greek architecture shows. I can have sports on . . . for the most part. No movies, sitcoms or very close scoring favorite team games. i.e., Dallas Cowboys or Thunder basketball games.

These are few of my favorite things:

1. NBA Thunder Basketball (season ticket holder 43 home games plus playoffs!)

2. Broadway Theater in OKC (season ticket holder) (You’re probably wondering how I fit it all in—I wonder too!)

3. Jazzercise

Thank you so much for hosting me today. It’s always exciting to talk to other readers and writers.

Excerpt from The English Lily:

He rushed over. “Thank God,” he whispered. He crouched down next to her. “Thank God,” he said again, touching his forehead to hers.

“Joseph? Lord Lawrie?” Her voice cracked. Her white glove was no longer white. He wished he could

have protected her from that.

Leaning back, he peeled the stained fabric away. Her hand clenched. “My hands—” He brushed his lips over the tiny scars. “Your hands are perfect,” he said. “We’ll have to marry, you know.”

“Married. I’ve dreamed of marrying,” she whispered, smiling. Her eyes were dry, but in them he read the shock and fear.

Something tight squeezed Joseph’s chest, and he found he could hardly breathe. Death hovered over them. While he might fail in creating bliss for Kendra’s last moments on this earth, he could offer her the whimsical fairytale.

Joseph dropped her hand and cupped her head with both hands. “Lady Kendra Frazier, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife, mademoiselle, s’il vous plaît?”

With a stately incline of her head, she replied with a trembling smile. “I shall be honored, Viscount Lawrie,

Chevalier Joseph Pinetti Gray. Lord Hardwick’s Marriage Act was put in force in Scotland in fifty-four, so we’ve no need to post the banns.” A small hysterical laugh erupted. “Shall we escape to Gretna Green, my lord?”

A Giveaway!

Kathy is giving one lucky commenter a copy of The Wronged Princess – Book I and The English Lily.

Bio: Kathy L Wheeler/Kae Elle Wheeler was born in Presque Isle, Maine. How she ended up in Texas, Colorado, then Oklahoma is as much a mystery to her as anyone.  She graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma with a BA in Management Information Systems and a minor in Vocal Music. She writes spicy contemporary with elements of suspense and historical. An avid traveler, she’s been to Europe, Mexico, Canada and roams from one RWA conference to another, nationwide.  She’s served several positions in the Oklahoma Outlaws RWA Chapter, is a member of DARA, Passionate Ink, and The Beau Monde Chapter.

Kathy lives with her musically talented husband in Edmond, Oklahoma, has one grown daughter and one bossy cat!

You can find Kathy around the web at:

http://klwheeler.com

http://kathylwheeler.com

Twitter: @kathylwheeler

Facebook: Kathy L Wheeler

Goodreads: Kae Elle Wheeler

You can find The English Lily at:

http://amzn.com/B00B5LB0JS