Woohoo! We've made it to day 22 of the Authors for the Holidays event!
And we have a wonderful guest here visiting with us today...Vicky Dreiling! Who writes delightful historical romances that are so much fun to read! And don't you just LOVE her covers?! How to Ravish a Rake is one of my favorites! I love that dress :)
So, sit back and enjoy. Feel free to leave Vicky questions and don't forget to enter the fab giveaway down below :)
Good morning Vicky! Welcome to herding cats & burning soup :) We've got a few questions for you today so why don't we jump right in :)
Anna, thanks so much for inviting me to your fabulous blog. I’m ready, so fire away!
I'm reading your How To series right now and am loving it. For our followers who are just meeting you would you tell them a little about the series and what you have coming up next?
Sure, I’d love to share the behind the scenes of this fan-named ‘How to’ series. I’m a fan of Jane Austen’s novels and loved Emma. So I wanted to write a historical romance featuring a matchmaker, but I wasn’t quite sure about a plot. Then one night while clicking through 800 channels on TV, I happened upon a reality show with one bachelor and 25 bachelorettes. I thought it was hilarious. When the episode ended, an idea popped into my head: The Bachelor in Regency England minus the hot tub and camera crew. I knew it would be tricky to write it, but I had so much fun with the spoofs of pop culture that are sprinkled throughout HOW TO MARRY A DUKE.
Similarly, HOW TO SEDUCE A SCOUNDREL is a Regency version of the advice book The Rules. The concept for HOW TO RAVISH A RAKE is What Not to Wear to the Ball in Regency England. Each of the books also contain traditional tropes such as the matchmaker, friends to lovers, and marriage of convenience. I admit I had so much fun writing these stories.Oh and you can so tell you enjoyed it. They're all so much fun to read too! Alright, so, I love a good hero. What's your favorite thing about the men you've written?
Oh, gosh, I love them all. Tristan grabbed my heart right away, because his father mistreated his family and left his son in horrible debt, but Tristan worked hard to overcome the financial disaster. With Hawk, I didn’t know about his past. One morning I woke up from a dream about him. It scared me a little bit, because I didn’t know that underneath the clown mask, was a man tormented by his past. There was a point while I was writing HOW TO SEDUCE A SCOUNDREL that I was crying so hard I couldn’t see the laptop screen. That’s all I’ll say to avoid spoilers.Aw Tristan is an amazing guy. And Hawk, it's always amazing to see what's going on under the surface. I can imagine it would be hard to tell some of their stories! Do you have a special place you write (or read)?
A local hotel. Seriously, when I’m on a tight deadline, I check into this hotel where all the staff knows me, so that I can write around the clock with no interruptions. I don’t get as much time to read, but I try to read a little in bed at night on my Kindle Fire. I love print books, too.Oh that's so neat! Do you ever sneak parts of your real life into your books? People you know, places you've been, etc?
LOL, there’s a behind the scenes feature on my website that describes the real life incident that spurred a door scene in HOW TO SEDUCE A SCOUNDREL. It contains spoilers, so I advise readers to read the book first. Here’s a link: http://www.vickydreiling.com/behindthescenes_htsas.pdf
Other scenes were inspired by my business trips to London. For example, a scene involving a barge was inspired by a boat tour I took of the Thames River. The idea for the statue in HOW TO SEDUCE A SCOUNDREL came from a visit to Apsley House, the Duke of Wellington’s residence. Julianne’s sketches of Stonehenge resulted from my own visit to those “big rocks.” LOL.
Oh my word. That must have been quite the boat tour!! LOL. Alright, so, if you could jump into one of your own books which would you pick?
I always feel like I’m jumping in as soon as I start a book.
When you're not writing what's favorite way to keep busy?
I like to hang out with my writer friends. I also love going to see romantic movies or watching series on PBS. Right now, I’m really enjoying one called The Midwife, set in 1950’s London.
Since it's nearly Christmas do you have any exciting plans or traditions you're looking forward to?
I spend Christmas with my family and extended family. We exchange gifts, eat honey baked ham, and other goodies. Also, we often play board games and video games, too. It’s pretty funny when the entire family is playing Guitar Hero. I belt out a mean Livin’ on a Prayer (Bon Jovi rocks!).
Oh that sounds like a hoot! We'll let you get back to all the festivities but how about a little lightning round first...
- First frivolous thing you'd do if you ruled the world? Turn all the bombs, guns, and other weapons into foam toys.
- Favorite hero (not yours): Christian Langland, the Duke of Jervaulx in Flowers from the Storm. This book is unrivaled in romance. It is my #1 favorite romance novel.
- Cookies or cupcakes? Cookies.
- Favorite vacation spot? Paris. I’ve been there twice and want to go again.
- Favorite piece of clothing? My jeans.
- Oddest thing in your purse right now...Sugar free Altoids.
- Cats or
dogs? Both.
Thanks so much for stopping by and chatting with us Vicky! Hope you have a wonderful Christmas and New Year with the fam :)
Happy holidays to all!
Here’s my question to readers for a chance to win a signed set of my first trilogy HOW TO MARRY A DUKE, HOW TO SEDUCE A SCOUNDREL, and HOW TO RAVISH A RAKE. One winner (US & CA Only) What is your favorite holiday tradition?
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| Vicky, Kati (from Romancing Rakes for the Love of Romance) and Kieran who yall met on the 4th! Aren't they lovely?!   Vicky Dreiling is a confirmed historical romance junkie and Anglophile. Frequent business trips to the UK allowed her to indulge her passion for all things Regency England. Bath, Stonehenge, and Spencer House are among her favorite places. She is, however, truly sorry for accidentally setting off a security alarm in Windsor Castle. That unfortunate incident led her British colleagues to nickname her “Trouble.” When she’s not writing, Vicky enjoys reading, films, concerts, and most of all, long lunches with friends. A native Texan, she holds degrees in English literature and marketing. Find Vicky Online Blog Facebook Website Twitter Pinterest Goodreads |
Leave Vicky some book love and answer her question!
What is your favorite holiday tradition?
