Wednesday 18 May 2016

Author & Book Spotlight: A Deceptive Match by Kelli A. Wilkins @KWilkinsauthor

Today, I am pleased to host author Kelli A. Wilkins on my blog, with her new book A Deceptive Match. She has kindly taken time out of her busy schedule to answer some questions. Please find them below, as well as details of her other books.



Book Title: A Deceptive Match
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 264
Author: Kelli A. Wilkins
Date Published: 30 April 2016


Synopsis:

A Deceptive Match

Falling for the wrestler she had been assigned to interview wasn’t part of Danni’s plan, until Vinnie Valentine pinned her heart in a flash.

Disgruntled with her job as the office assistant for a national sports magazine, Danni Stone impersonates a reporter to prove herself to her boss. Her assignment? Spend thirty days on the road with Vinnie Valentine, a sexy professional wrestler.

Life isn’t going well for the Heavyweight Champ. Vinnie is struggling with a manipulative boss, prepping for the most important match of his career, and feuding with his arch-enemy, Thorn. The last thing he needs is a nosy reporter following him around—even if she is hot.

Thrown together in close quarters, Danni can’t help falling for Vinnie, and she unwittingly becomes a key player in his title match. Their mutual attraction grows, and late one night, they give in to the lustful feelings they’ve been fighting.

As their relationship deepens, Danni considers telling Vinnie her secret. But before she can confess the truth, Vinnie discovers she isn’t the reporter she claims to be. Her lie threatens to ruin everything between them. Will their relationship be destroyed by her deception or will their love win out?

Genres: Contemporary Romance / Contemporary Wrestling Romance / Wrestling Romance / Romance Novel / Sensual Romance / Sports / Athletes / Action

This novel was previously published by Amber Quill Press under the title “A Perfect Match.” It has been revised and re-released by the author.

Spotlight on… A Deceptive Match
By Kelli A. Wilkins

Hi everyone,

Today I’m sharing an inside look at the making of my sizzling contemporary romance, A Deceptive Match.

A Deceptive Match is a full length novel set in the world of professional wrestling. Wrestling has always been a part of my life, so it was only natural that one day I’d write a book with wrestling as the backdrop. But this book is different from all of my other books because the entire story came to me in a rather unusual way—in a dream.

One morning I woke up and said “Uh-oh!” and grabbed the pen and paper next to the bed. (I keep it there in case of inspiration.) I knew that if I didn’t immediately start writing down everything in my head, it would be lost forever. So I sat there, furiously scribbling the outline. At this point, it was just the bare bones of the plot and the characters, but I knew I was onto something.

Over the course of the day, more bits and pieces came through. Now I had a subplot, secondary characters, and knew more about what was happening in this wrestling romance that suddenly appeared out of nowhere. I was fortunate enough to actually “see” the book in my head like a movie—some scenes were missing, but I had a clear picture to work from.

People who have read the book and know about my love of wrestling always ask me the same questions: Which wrestlers are the characters based on? How do you know all this stuff? How much of it is real?

It’s easier to answer the second question first. Many years ago, I was fortunate enough to be on friendly terms with a bunch of wrestlers. My husband and I would go to matches and hang out with the guys after the shows. (No, I wasn’t a ring rat.) I picked up a lot of terms and got a real feel for what they did and how they experienced life on the road.

At the time, the thought of being a writer never even crossed my mind, so I had no idea that one day I’d use what I learned in a book. When I got the idea for A Deceptive Match, I was able to incorporate much of what I knew into the plot through Danni’s point of view.

The male characters in the book (Vinnie, Ev, Thorn, and Nick) aren’t based on any one wrestler or any real person. I specifically made sure that Vinnie and the others aren’t linked to real wrestlers, because it would take away from the story. Like characters in any book, I invented whatever quirks, flaws, and backstory I needed to help move the plot along.

And how much of it is real? Well, anyone who knows anything about wrestling can tell you that it’s technically termed “sports entertainment” for a reason. But that doesn’t discredit all the training, hard work, and other sacrifices the wrestlers go through every day. A Deceptive Match touches on the subject of what’s “real” and what goes on behind the scenes that most fans are unaware of.

Here’s the book summary and a steamy excerpt:

A Deceptive Match

Falling for the wrestler she had been assigned to interview wasn’t part of Danni’s plan, until Vinnie Valentine pinned her heart in a flash.

Disgruntled with her job as the office assistant for a national sports magazine, Danni Stone impersonates a reporter to prove herself to her boss. Her assignment? Spend thirty days on the road with Vinnie Valentine, a sexy professional wrestler.

Life isn’t going well for the Heavyweight Champ. Vinnie is struggling with a manipulative boss, prepping for the most important match of his career, and feuding with his arch-enemy, Thorn. The last thing he needs is a nosy reporter following him around—even if she is hot.

Thrown together in close quarters, Danni can’t help falling for Vinnie, and she unwittingly becomes a key player in his title match. Their mutual attraction grows, and late one night, they give in to the lustful feelings they’ve been fighting.

As their relationship deepens, Danni considers telling Vinnie her secret. But before she can confess the truth, Vinnie discovers she isn’t the reporter she claims to be. Her lie threatens to ruin everything between them. Will their relationship be destroyed by her deception or will their love win out?


An Excerpt:

Danni hurried down the hall to the locker room. She hadn’t meant to be late picking up Vin tonight, but the moron lot attendant wouldn’t let her back into the parking area. She pushed open the locker room door and rushed inside. “Vin, I’m sorry I—”

Her tote bag slipped through her fingers and dropped to the floor. Vin stood less than three feet away, soaking wet. A white towel barely covered his waist.

“Oh, my God!” Her entire body flushed as a tingling sensation built deep in her belly. Vin was practically naked and dripping wet from the shower.

“I…um…you’re…I…oh God,” she muttered and whirled around. Why wasn’t he saying anything?

Vin’s warm hand settled on her shoulder. He gently turned her to face him. Beads of water dripped down his chest, and she longed to lick them away. “Um…you…you’re wet.” She glanced at the towel and prayed it would fall off his waist.

“And you’re not?”

She squealed as Vin drew her to his chest. His mouth covered hers, and she lost all sense of reason.

A wet heat built between her legs as Vin’s tongue entered her mouth. She clutched him tight and dug her fingers into the solid flesh of his back and ribs. He smelled like soap and water and yet there was a hint of something manly, musky about him.

Vin moaned and cupped her buttocks through her sundress, melding her body against his. A high-pitched mewing sound escaped her throat as a long-denied lust flared within her. Was this really happening? She’d had this fantasy for so many nights, would she wake up and discover it was only another erotic dream?

She slid her hands down Vin’s flat stomach to the edge of the towel. For a second, she hesitated, unsure. Did she dare do what every instinct commanded? Vin’s tongue plunged deeper into her mouth, wordlessly urging her on.

Vin moaned as she ran her hand along the length of him. It was so huge, it would never fit inside her—but that didn’t matter—she wanted to try.

***

I enjoyed creating the characters in this wrestling universe, and as I was writing, I fell in love with Everett, Vinnie’s best friend. I knew I had to tell Ev’s story and give him his own book, so I wrote A Secret Match. That book is all about Everett, but Danni and Vinnie play supporting roles in the storyline. Although the books are connected, they each stand alone as individual reads.

I hope romance fans and wrestling fans alike will check out A Deceptive Match and A Secret Match. They’re a good blend of action, drama, romance, humor, and spicy love scenes.

Happy Reading!
Kelli

Order your copy of A Deceptive Match here:

Look for A Secret Match, coming in late May!

Interview with Author Kelli A. Wilkins

1. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve always been interested in writing, but my professional writing career began in 2000. Growing up, I read every book I could get my hands on, and eventually I started writing short stories. I took creative writing classes in high school and college, but I didn’t try to get anything published until I took a commercial writing course. I got a lot of great feedback from the instructors and other students and began submitting my stories.
I started writing because characters, plots, settings, and story ideas kept popping into my head. One way for me to deal with them was to write the story (or idea) down. I’m still inspired by ideas that come to me from out of nowhere, the Universe, muses, or by something I see or hear at random.

2. How long does it take you to write a book?
That depends on the book. Some of my romances are shorter novellas (A Most Unusual Princess, Killer in Wolf’s Clothing, A Secret Match) and others are longer full-length novels (A Deceptive Match, A Most Unfortunate Prince, The Viking’s Witch, Dangerous Indenture). Obviously, the longer the story, the longer it takes to write, revise, edit, etc. I generally take about a month to write the first draft of a novella and anywhere from two to four months for the first draft of a full-length novel.
When I’m writing, I focus on one project at a time. As I write the first draft (whether it’s a short story or a romance novel), I divert all my attention and energy into the story until it’s finished. After that, I set it aside and work on other projects, such as submissions, promotions, blogging, updating my site, or outlining another story. After a few weeks or so, I go back to the new project with fresh eyes and start making revisions.

3. What do you think makes a great story?
An interesting (and maybe unusual) plot, believable details, and well-developed characters that I care about. If the author can accomplish all that, then he or she has written a great book.

4. What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
Busy. I’m always multi-tasking. Although I can only write one book at a time, I constantly find myself adding something extra to my ‘to do’ list. I might be writing a book, promoting another book, blogging, Tweeting, and writing my newsletter all in the same week! I also write short horror fiction, so I’m toying with those storylines while thinking about other romances to write.

I get new story ideas all the time, so I’m always thinking about more than one plot or set of characters. For example, I’ve been in the middle of writing a book and had the entire plot for a new book jump into my head. When that happens, I take a break from the book I’m writing, make an outline and take notes for the new book (so I don’t forget anything), then go back to the first one. I can only write one book at a time, so the new title has to wait in line until I’m ready. I think that’s why I’m able to write so many books—I always have the next one (or two) lined up.

5. Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
Ideas are everywhere. I’m constantly observing what goes on around me, listening to other peoples’ stories, seeking out unusual settings, and noticing what most people don’t see. All of that, plus my overactive imagination, leads to story ideas. Once in a while, a story idea will just come to me out of nowhere. Sometimes I take two ideas and combine them into one, or I take an idea and ask myself “what if” to invent new scenarios.

6. What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your book/s?
I never know what to expect when I start writing a new book. I might think that I know everything about a character (since I created him or her) but that’s not always the case. I’ve had characters surprise me by experimenting with same-sex relationships, having a secret child, sharing backstory details from their childhoods, etc.

I’ve also had secondary characters (Ev from A Deceptive Match and Allan from A Most Intriguing Temptation) try to take over the book they’re in. Usually when that happens, I know they need a book of their own.

Each book is a new adventure for me as I’m writing it, and every so often I find myself pleasantly surprised by the story or where the characters take me.

7. How many books have you written? Which is your favourite? 
To date, I’ve written 19 romance novels. I write in just about every romance genre: contemporary, gay, paranormal, historical, fantasy… in every heat level ranging from mild to super-scorching hot. I write wherever the stories take me, but most of my romances are historical or historical/fantasy.

I like writing historicals because I can explore different settings and time periods, but I’m not “married” to one particular genre. I have certain books that I’m more “in love” with (because of the characters) but I can’t pick one absolute favourite.

8. Are your characters based on anyone you know?
Sort of. I’ve taken bits and pieces from real people and used some elements for my characters, but no one character is 100% anyone I know. I’m also a “people watcher” so I pick up character traits from observing people and how they act.

9. Do you have a favourite place you love to write?
That depends on the season. When the weather is nice, I like to write outside in my back yard. In the winter, I’m forced to write inside. When I do, I sit in a comfy chair in the living room.

10. What do your family and friends think about your books?

My friends and family have been very supportive. My husband is proud to call me the “resident writer” in the family. I have a few close friends I turn to for encouragement and guidance about my writing, and family members are always asking about my latest (or next) project.

11. What do you like to do when you are not writing?
When I’m not writing or reading, I like to spend time with friends and family, travel, visit haunted/creepy historical places, and go to flea markets and garage sales.

12. Do you have any suggestions to help aspiring writers better themselves and their craft? For an aspiring writer what do you feel are certain do's and don’ts for getting their material published?
The best advice I can give to any writer (regardless of what genre he or she likes to write) is to keep writing. It takes a lot of dedication and determination to sit down every day and write something. But the more you write, the easier it gets. Writing classes are a great way to learn the basics and meet other writers. If possible, join a writer’s group or a critique group to get feedback on your stories. When you’ve written the best story you can, submit it! You can’t get published if you never submit, and you never know when your first acceptance will arrive.

I’m always asked to answer writing-related questions (how to get published, where ideas come from, how to create characters etc.) so one day I decided to write a book about it! My non-fiction writing guide, You Can Write – Really! A Beginner’s Guide to Writing Fiction covers everything about writing (regardless of genre) from A-Z. It’s perfect for beginning writers who need motivation or simple advice on how to get started. The book is on Amazon and other platforms and includes fun writing exercises and helpful tips all writers can use. (Read more about it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00THWLFQU)

13. What are your favourite books and which authors inspire you?
I read everything, so in a sense every book I’ve read has influenced me in some way. I read a lot of Stephen King growing up, and I’m a big fan of The Twilight Zone, so I was introduced to the world of speculative fiction and great storytelling at a young age.
Right now, my two “go-to” authors are Stephen King and John Sandford. I read a lot of books in different genres (mystery, thriller, suspense, romance, non-fiction, horror), and my books-to-read shelf is overflowing.

14. What are you working on now?
I’m having a very busy 2016! So far this spring, I released five romances, and my third Medallion Press historical romance will be published this fall.
I was with Amber Quill Press for ten years, and I published 16 romances (in all genres) with them. These are great stories that I don’t want to see vanish forever, so over the course of 2016–2017 I’ll be re-releasing all of them on Amazon and other platforms. (Stay tuned to my blog and social media for more information and updates and full title lists.)
This spring I re-released my historical/fantasy Royal Desires Series that’s made up of A Most Unusual Princess, A Most Intriguing Temptation, and A Most Unfortunate Prince. (Although the books are connected, each stands alone as an individual read.)
In May, I released two contemporary romances set in the world of professional wrestling: A Deceptive Match and A Secret Match. My gay paranormal, Killer in Wolf’s Clothing, will be released in late May/early June.
My third Medallion Press historical romance, Lies, Love & Redemption, will be published in September. This Western is set in a small Nebraska town in 1877 and blends spicy romance, humour, and danger. It was a lot of fun to write and I think readers will enjoy it.

Thanks for letting me share my thoughts with everyone. I welcome questions, comments, and feedback from readers. You can contact me on social media or via the email address on my website.
Happy Reading,
Kelli A. Wilkins

Thank you Kelli for being with us today!

 Here are a few other books written by Kelli:


A Secret Match
By Kelli A. Wilkins

A SECRET MATCH
Everett Kinkade is a world-famous professional wrestler and the sexy heartthrob of millions of adoring female fans. But Ev has a secret he doesn’t dare share with anyone. He’s gay.

After years of being Ev’s secret lover, Josh is tired of hiding in the shadows and wants Ev to openly acknowledge their relationship. Coming out is the last thing Ev wants and fears it will ruin his career.

One night in a moment of truth, Everett outs himself on live TV. There’s no going back, and his announcement sparks a firestorm of problems—both personally and professionally. He’s forced to come to grips with who he really is while facing down a manipulative boss and a tag-team out to destroy him.

Torn between living a lie and losing the man he loves, Ev has risked everything… can he find a balance between his career and his heart?

An Excerpt:
Everett finished his beer and gazed around the living room. It was comforting to have someone to talk to, instead of constantly keeping everything bottled up inside. It had been years since he’d been alone with a guy, and he liked Josh, liked him a lot. But he was worried. What if something went wrong? What if Josh told someone?

Josh gave his shoulder a little shove. “Come on, out with it, Muscles. Either you really love staring at my bookcase, or you’re too shy to face me. I know you’re thinking about something behind those beautiful blue eyes.”

“I… nah…”

“What? Anything. Say it.”

He sneaked a glance at Josh out of the corner of his eye. “I was wondering what it would feel like to”—he bowed his head—“kiss you.”

“Why don’t we find out?” Josh took Ev’s empty beer bottle and set it down on the marble end table. “Come here.”

He let Josh draw him into his arms. Ev closed his eyes and waited, his heart hammering out of control.
A second later, Josh’s lips gently pressed against his. Ev gasped and kissed him back gingerly. Josh increased the pressure, and their mouths moved in unison. The scent of Josh’s spicy vanilla cologne washed over him and he lost himself in the tender embrace. Josh’s beard grazed his cheek, sending an electric tingle racing up his spine. God, this was good.

He clutched Josh tighter, holding on to him for dear life, not daring to let go. Josh groaned and slid his tongue into his mouth. An adrenaline rush of excitement flooded through him, and his cock sprang to life.

Dear God, he wasn’t supposed to have these kinds of feelings, this hunger, for another man, but it felt right. The wet heat of Josh’s tongue swirling around his drove him into a frenzy, and he kissed Josh deeper, praying this would never end.

After a few minutes, Josh eased away. “You are amazing. That was hot.”

Ev smiled. “It’s been so long. I forgot how good this could be. I feel safe with you. I really do.”

Josh rested his head on Ev’s chest. “You should, because you are. And don’t worry, we’ll take this slow. You set the pace, Muscles. Whatever you’re comfortable with works for me.”

Order your copy of A SECRET MATCH here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FERW65A

The Royal Desires Series: A Most Unusual PrincessA Most Intriguing Temptation, and A Most Unfortunate Prince






Spotlight on… The Royal Desires Series
By Kelli A. Wilkins

Hi everyone,

Today I’m sharing an inside look at the making of the Royal Desires Series. This trilogy of historical/fantasy romances is made up of A Most Unusual Princess, A Most Intriguing Temptation, and A Most Unfortunate Prince. Together, they are a fun series, but each story stands alone as a separate read. Why? Because when I wrote A Most Unusual Princess, I never knew I was writing a trilogy.

I’ve been asked how I plotted the series. Did I use note cards to keep track of each character’s description? Did I make an overall outline of the whole trilogy, and then write each book?

Nope. The truth is… I just wrote the story that was in my head. I didn’t intend to write a trilogy—it kinda happened on its own. (With a lot of typing on my part, of course!) I wrote each book by itself, with its own setting and theme, apart from the book that came before. So, although they share characters, each book can be read apart from the others.
 
A Most Unusual Princess is a sensual novella about unruly and willful Princess Elara, and Dalton, the handsome (and incredibly patient) guard tasked with protecting her while she searches for a suitable husband. The book is a unique blend of comedy, human drama, and romance. It’s also the first fantasy romance I ever wrote—and it was a lot of fun. 

I liked the idea of following a very headstrong and spoiled Princess Elara as she looked for a husband. From the outset, we learn that Elara is an opinionated young woman who is used to getting her own way. When Dalton innocently catches Elara doing something very unladylike, the Dalton-Elara love/hate/love relationship is born.

I enjoyed writing Dalton and Elara’s story and fell in love with them. I never expected I’d visit these characters again, but not long after completing A Most Unusual Princess, I knew Dalton needed his own book, so I wrote A Most Intriguing Temptation.

A Most Intriguing Temptation focuses on the theme of fidelity. Elara wants to test Dalton’s loyalty, so she masquerades as a sultry kharim girl in a pleasure palace. Naturally, she gets in over her head and into big trouble. I took Elara out of her element and gave her new challenges and experiences. We also got to see a different side to Dalton’s character and learned about his weaknesses and desires.

When I wrote A Most Intriguing Temptation, I introduced readers to Prince Allan. He’s basically the male version of his sister, Princess Elara—hedonistic, selfish, and utterly wild at times. I had fun creating the character and enjoyed setting him free in a pleasure palace completely without limitations. I soon realized that Allan needed a book of his own, so I wrote A Most Unfortunate Prince. (Several readers also asked me if Allan’s story would be told, and I was happy to oblige!)

But before I wrote a word, I knew that Allan was going to have to face the music for his bad behavior. At the start of the book (yes, right there on page 1) Allan is banished for his actions stemming from A Most Intriguing Temptation. His father kicks him out into the real world alone and broke, and he’s forced to make his own way in life.

I decided to take this carefree, roguish prince and turn his world upside down. I asked myself: How bad can you make things for him? He has nothing: no food, no fancy clothes, certainly no job skills, and no real sense of identity. He had lived a pampered life where everything was handed to him on a silver platter (literally), and now was in for a rude awakening. I really put the screws to poor Allan, and at times left him broken, sad, and utterly miserable. 

Over the course of the book, Allan suffers life’s lessons at the hands of his evil employer and falls in love—twice. The story introduces us to Claudette, a sassy seamstress who fancies Allan and helps him adjust to the life of a commoner. Once a carefree womanizer, Allan discovers a secret side to himself, and through his relationship with Claudette, he learns what is truly important in life. And to round things out, a more settled Elara and Dalton also appear in the book and help wind up the series.
 
I enjoyed writing each of these books. It was fun to create the characters, give them unique adventures, and complicate their lives—all in the name of love. Although these are historical/fantasy romances, there’s enough spicy love scenes, adventure, drama, sadness, and humor to keep readers of all genres entertained and enthralled.

Read the Royal Desires Series from the start:
Book 1: A Most Unusual Princess: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CBX43D8
Book 2: A Most Intriguing Temptation: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D8P8604
Book 3: A Most Unfortunate Prince: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DMBYJ6E

If you’ve read the trilogy, let me know what you think. What was your favorite book? Which scenes did you like best? Readers can contact me via the email address on the “News” page of my site or on social media. 

Happy Reading!
Kelli A. Wilkins

ABOUT THE AUTHOR



Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 95 short stories, 19 romance novels, and 5 non-fiction books. Her romances span many genres and heat levels.

In 2016 Kelli is re-releasing her romances previously published by Amber Quill Press. Visit her website and blog for a full title list, book summaries, and other information as it becomes available.

Her writing book, You Can Write—Really! A Beginner’s Guide to Writing Fiction is a fun and informative non-fiction guide based on her 15 years of experience as a writer. It’s filled with writing exercises and helpful tips all authors can use.

If you like to be scared, check out Kelli’s horror ebooks: Dead Til Dawn and Kropsy’s Curse.

Kelli posts on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and Twitter: www.Twitter.com/KWilkinsauthorShe also writes a weekly blog: http://kelliwilkinsauthor.blogspot.com/.

Visit her website, www.KelliWilkins.com to learn more about all of her writings, read book excerpts, reviews, and more. Readers can sign up for her newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/HVQqb

CATCH UP WITH KELLI

Here are a few links to find Kelli & her writings on the web
Newsletter sign-up: http://eepurl.com/HVQqb

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