♦The
Smuggler Wore Silk {Book 1}♦
After he is betrayed by one of his own, British spy Julian Travers, Earl of Langford, refuses to retire without a fight, vowing to find the traitor. But when the trail leads to his childhood home, Julian is forced to return to a place he swore he’d never see again, and meet a woman who may be his quarry—in more ways than one.
Though she may appear a poor young woman dependent on charity, Grace Hannah’s private life is far more interesting. By night, she finds friendship and freedom as a member of a smuggling ring. But when the handsome Julian arrives, she finds her façade slipping, and she is soon compromised, as well as intrigued.
As she and Julian continue the hunt, Grace finds herself falling in love with the man behind the spy. Yet Julian’s past holds a dark secret. And when he must make a choice between love and espionage, that secret may tear them apart.
Published by: Berkley Sensation
Release Date: January 7, 2014
Length: 304 Pages
♦The Book Excerpt♦
♦The
Book Trailer♦
Revenge has never been so seductive.
When her husband is killed at Waterloo, Lilias Fairchild takes up his cavalry sword and boldly storms the front, earning herself the nickname Angel of Vengeance. But there is another angel on the battlefield who is just as single-minded, and just as ruthless…
Alistair Whitmore, the Marquess of Angelstone, is a British spy. Code name: Angel. Still haunted by a first love felled by assassins, his mission draws him to Waterloo, where he is captivated by a beautiful and mysterious woman fighting amongst the men—a woman who becomes his most intoxicating memory of war.
Passion has never been so dangerous.
Two years later, Lilias and Angelstone lock eyes in a crowded ballroom and the memory returns in an exhilarating rush. The history they share, and hide from the world, is as impossible to ignore as the heat of their attraction. But it’s that very connection that spells doom for their scandalous affair. When someone from the shadows of their past proves a dire threat to their lives, passion might not be enough to save them. (Courtesy of Berkley)
Published by: Berkley Sensation
When her husband is killed at Waterloo, Lilias Fairchild takes up his cavalry sword and boldly storms the front, earning herself the nickname Angel of Vengeance. But there is another angel on the battlefield who is just as single-minded, and just as ruthless…
Alistair Whitmore, the Marquess of Angelstone, is a British spy. Code name: Angel. Still haunted by a first love felled by assassins, his mission draws him to Waterloo, where he is captivated by a beautiful and mysterious woman fighting amongst the men—a woman who becomes his most intoxicating memory of war.
Passion has never been so dangerous.
Two years later, Lilias and Angelstone lock eyes in a crowded ballroom and the memory returns in an exhilarating rush. The history they share, and hide from the world, is as impossible to ignore as the heat of their attraction. But it’s that very connection that spells doom for their scandalous affair. When someone from the shadows of their past proves a dire threat to their lives, passion might not be enough to save them. (Courtesy of Berkley)
Published by: Berkley Sensation
Release Date: December 2, 2014
Length: 304 Pages
Available for Pre-Order!
♦The Book Excerpt♦
Thanks for having me! I’m ready to settle in with my breakfast and answer some questions. On the menu today at my house is coffee and…well. Bacon. Because bacon makes everything better!
I couldn't agree more, bacon is one of my favorites too! I can see that you're all set, so let's get right to the interview.
At what point in your life did you realize that being an author was no longer going to be just a dream but a career you were going to turn into reality?
Ah, yes. The Moment of Truth. I was on maternity leave after my son was born and also staring my thirtieth birthday in the face. The thing about birthdays—especially the milestones—is they make you look at the past and what you’ve accomplished (or not), then look ahead to the future. In my case, I realized I had accomplished a lot in my life (see maternity leave above, plus a day job I love), but I hadn’t yet obtained the dream of being an author, despite writing off and on for about 20 years. So, I decided it was time to become an author. Now or never, basically.
Which of your characters is most like you?
That’s a hard one, primarily because the character most like me isn’t yet published. (How’s that for a teaser?) But if I had to pick one from my published books, it would be Grace, my heroine from THE SMUGGLER WORE SILK. She was a tough character to write because she’s both rebel and wallflower, depending on the circumstances. And while I don’t model my heroines after myself, I have both a rebel and a wallflower in my soul.
If you were stranded on a desert island, which character from either of your books would you want with you?
Angel from IN BED WITH A SPY. Because...Well. Hawt.
Where do you write?
Everywhere. My home office, my day job office, the kitchen table, the couch, the deck, coffee shops, passenger seat of the car, driver’s seat of the car while waiting for an event to begin/end, doctor’s offices—even on vacation.
Do you have any “rituals” you go through before you write?
I prefer to write to music. Putting on a pair of headphones blocks out the world around me so my muse can be heard.
What was your favorite scene to write and why?
I have many favorite scenes. In THE SMUGGLER WORE SILK, Grace and Julian deliver a baby together, which was very emotional for me (again, see maternity leave above). In IN BED WITH A SPY, Lilias tracks down an assassin on horseback, which was and action-packed and dangerous (do NOT see maternity leave above).
But I think my favorite scene is actually more of a moment. At one point, Lilias is abducted in a carriage in IN BED WITH A SPY. When I was writing that scene, I was listening to the theme from Mission Impossible. Just as the music exploded after the first trill, I was writing Lilias kicking open the carriage door and jumping down into the street, pistol at the ready. It was a great writing moment, and probably my favorite!
What would YOU like your readers to know about your books or you in general?
That I believe women are brave and rebellious, a warrior can be gentle, and true love does exist.
What's one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors?
Write. Write, write, write. Bottom in chair, hands on keyboard. (Also known as BICHOK). You’ll never finish a book if you don’t write!
Do you have a favorite author?
Oh, that’s tough. It’s easier to ask what my favorite books are—and they go back a long way! Touch Not The Cat by Mary Stewart and Watch The Wall My Darling by Jane Aiken Hodge, followed closely by anything written by Victoria Holt.
I absolutely LOVE Mary Stewart and Victoria Holt!!! What is your favorite quote?
This is such a timely question. I came across a Shakespeare quote just the other day that truly inspired me. “This day shall be a love-day…” from Titus Andronicus. I just thought that was brilliant. Every day should be a love-day!
What genre of books do you read for pleasure?
At the moment, I’m on a humorous paranormal kick, or a humorous contemporary romance. Guess I needed a little funny in my life!
What’s the most amusing thing that’s ever happened to you?
Well, there was that one time I was 9 months pregnant and got stuck sitting inside a Rubber Maid container. Mr. Alexander had to come pull me out.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Sleep. No, really. Sleep. And yoga when I can. And eat. I really, really like to eat. Give me a loaf of bread, a plate of triple-cream brie and some Italian sausage and all is right in my world. If you add tomato, basil, and mozzarella to that, I will be your slave.
Who is the Fiction Hero you’d run off with?
Jamie Fraser. I just finished reading Outlander for the first time, and honestly? Best. Hero. Ever. *Sigh* and *Swoon*
Wowzer - Yup, I think we can all see why! Okay, so if all TV shows were real, what show (all time) would you most like to live in?
Iron Chef America. What? I told you liked food! Plus, I have a foodie crush on Alton Brown.
♦Random-Ness♦
Party dress or blue jeans? Yes! I love both. Blue jeans for comfort, but I love getting dressed up too. In my day job, I have the luxury of doing either one any day. Though I confess, it’s usually jeans.
Plotter or Panster? Pantser. Woe is me!
Print or e-Book? Print.
Coastal walks or extreme sports? Cabana by the pool in Mexico. J
Cookies or cupcakes? Bacon! LOL! Actually, I would go with cookies. By the time I finish a cupcake my teeth hurt there’s so much sugar, but a cookie is just about right.
Super hero or super villain? Super villain. Muhahahahaha…
If I had a free afternoon I’d . . . Sadly, I’d probably reorganize my office and my closets. I never seem to have time to do that!
The smell of **what** takes you back to your childhood? Yew and ornamental flowering cherry trees. My parents had shaped yew bushes outside the front door of the house I born in, and a flowering cherry tree beside the front walkway of their second house. For both houses, stepping out of the car and catching those scents on the air told me I was ‘home.’
You suddenly realize you live in a haunted house. Do you:
- Run screaming for the door.
- Bravely go to a church, load up on holy water and try to get rid of the ghost.
- Set up ghost hunting equipment to capture phenomenon.
- Call in the Ghost Adventures crew so that you can ogle the lead guy Zac’s amazingly stiff hair when you’re not ogling his uh, physical attributes.
- Deny you have a ghost and just let it scare the bejesus out of your visitors.
Definitely #5! J
Could you tell us five random facts about yourself?
- I hate raw broccoli
- I never read magazines except in the grocery store line
- My feet are two different sizes
- I have a thing for really long dangly earrings
- I get tongue twisted and say things like “shake a tower” instead of “take a shower.”
Thanks so much for having me here! It’s been fun!
Well, thanks so much for stopping by the Cafe, Alyssa - It's been a fabulous interview and a delight to host you today!
♦About Alyssa Alexander♦
Despite being a native Michigander, Alyssa Alexander is pretty certain she belongs somewhere sunny. And tropical. Where drinks are served with little paper umbrellas. But until she moves to those white sandy beaches, she survives the cold Michigan winters by penning romance novels that always include a bit of adventure. She lives with her own set of heroes, aka an ever-patient husband who doesn’t mind using a laundry basket for a closet, and a small boy who wears a knight in a shining armor costume for such tasks as scrubbing potatoes.
Follow @AlexanderAlyssa
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♦The
Giveaway♦
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