Welcome Victoria Vane Today

Welcome to Dawn’s Reading Nook, Victoria Vane. Please let my cabana boys/girls get you a drink and make yourself at home. Comfortable? Great…now let’s get down to business.

How did you start your writing career?

It was a fluke really, I just woke up one day in late 2007 with a story in my head that wouldn't go away so I decided to write it. I finished my mammoth 189,000 word tome 14 months later and sent out query letters. Lo and behold someone (Sourcebooks)was actually interested in publishing it (after considerable editing LOL!) The final product was THE HIGHEST STAKES written as Emery Lee, a tale of passion, retribution and horseracing.

My second novel, FORTUNE'S SON, also for Sourcebooks is part prequel and part sequel to the first book. It has received several reviewer top picks and was nominated for two awards this year. For more information and excerpts:  http://authoremerylee.com

I took a slight detour after that with a foray into erotic historical romance that began with A BREACH OF PROMISE from Ellora's Cave. This was a great writing experiment for me as I had never written anything very explicit, nor had I focused my story entirely on the romance as my prior works incorporated equal amounts of history and romance. This naughty little novella also received a great reception which spurred me to write my forthcoming Devil DeVere series for Breathless Press.

Tell us about your favorite character(s) from your books.

I love multi-facted heroes, the ones who are not at all what they appear. I also adore caprice. These are the characteristics of Philip Drake from my Emery Lee title, FORTUNE'S SON as well as Ludovic DeVere, the driving force behind the entire DEVIL DEVER series.

As for female characters, I had always struggled a bit until self-absorbed , petulant, and impetuous Vesta came long. I adore the little wretch and have decided she is who I would have been had my parents been rich and spoiled me! LOL!

Where do you dream of traveling to and why?

I've actually done a great deal of traveling in my life but have never been to the South Pacific. I would love to visit Australia and New Zealand.

Tell us about your current/upcoming release. What inspired it?

I actually have several to mention as I am writing an entire series called THE DEVIL DEVERE.

To explain a bit, it is comprised of four stand alone novellas that all link together to form a whole story involving six main characters. The series is named after the Viscount Ludovic "The Devil" DeVere who connects all the other characters.  A WILD NIGHT'S BRIDE, a romantic comedy is the first title to be released with THE VIRGIN HUNTRESS, another erotic romantic comedy to follow, albeit a bit tamer than the first. The third book, THE DEVIL YOU KNOW is the longest novella at about 45K words and not a comedy but a darker erotically charged story with some mystery and intrigue. The last book will be THE DEVIL'S MATCH which has more of a traditional HR tone but is definitely erotic. This wraps up the entire series of novellas. Each of these e-books will be released about 6 weeks apart and will eventually be bundled together in a print book as well.  (Links and excerpts to all of my Victoria Vane titles are currently available on my web site at :  http://authorvictoriavane.com

The first title to be released April 27th is A WILD NIGHT'S BRIDE and is best described as a racy, rollicking Georgian romp. Here's the blurb:

What happens when a struggling actress and a grieving widower come together in a night of unbridled debauchery orchestrated by a bored and machinating rake?

She’s a lonely lady down on her luck...
Phoebe Scott, alias Kitty Willis, is a struggling Covent Garden actress with a bruised heart and a closely guarded secret.

He’s steadfast and eminently respectable..
Sir Edward Chambers, Ned to his intimates, is guilt-ridden over his beloved wife’s death and avowed to live out a rustic and mundane life … of celibacy.

With the devil in charge — there will surely be hell to pay... Devil in disguise, Viscount Ludovic DeVere, is determined to return his best friend, Ned, to the land of the living. His meddling machinations result in a night of mind blowing passion after which “dull dog Ned” awakes to find himself in the King of England’s bed!

The second title, THE VIRGIN HUNTRESS is also comedic in nature and picks up where AWNB leaves off.

Desperate times call for devilish measures… when the object of one's passion has eyes for another… it's time to take matters in hand!

Lady Vesta Chambers is accustomed to getting what she wants…and what she wants is Captain Hewett DeVere…Coddled and pampered, since her mother's death, Lady Vesta Chambers is beside herself when her father goes to London to prepare for her come-out and returns with a young bride of his own. With her world turned upside down, Vesta accompanies her godmother, Diana, to town, where she is smitten the moment she lays eyes on a certain captain of the Seventeenth Light Dragoons.

But when the object of her passion has eyes for another… Captain Hewett DeVere, younger brother and heir to Viscount Ludovic "The Devil" DeVere, has returned from the American war scarred, disillusioned, and looking forward to settling down to a quiet and respectable life. But when the handsome and straight-laced captain turns his eyes toward the widowed Diana, Vesta is prepared to take devilish measures to prove just how wrong he is.

And the Devil DeVere looks after his own…Recruiting the aid of her godfather, Vesta vows to prove to Hew once and for all that she is no longer a little girl, but a woman with the passion of …a huntress.

The third book, THE DEVIL YOU KNOW is the longest story at about 45K words and serves as a prequel. It's also not a comedy but dark some mystery and intrigue.

Blurb:

When dealing with the devil it's easy to be burned… especially when passion ignites the flames.

Who can find a virtuous woman… Beautiful, respectable, and dutiful, Lady Diana Palmerston-Wriothesley has long resigned herself to her decade-long loveless and childless marriage to a feckless husband…until his gambling pushes them to the brink of financial ruin.

Sometimes the devil is in disguise…as a gentleman… Viscount Ludovic, "The Devil DeVere", is a man accustomed to taking what he wants according to his whim and heedless of the cost…until he encounters a woman who won't be had at any price.

When dealing with the devil, it's easy to be burned… When Diana discovers a secret that shatters the carefully built façade concealing her private pain, she seeks aid and comfort from the most unlikely place…the devil's arms. But will a single night of heavenly passion damn them both forever?

The last book, my current WIP is THE DEVIL'S MATCH which is more of a traditional HR but with erotic undertones and wraps up the entire series of novellas. Each of these e-books will be released 4-6 weeks apart and then will be bundled together in a print book as well.

Has someone helped or mentored you in your writing career?

My first agent was very hands-on and taught me much about polishing my work. Since then  I have pretty much flown solo with the help of some wonderful critique partners and my great friend and beta reader, Jill.

Who are some of your favorite authors/books?

There are really too many to list so I will name my major influences instead-

Georgette Heyer for fabulous witty dialogue and over the top characters, Robin Schone , Sylvia Day, and Charlotte Featherstone for beautifully crafted prose in stories with deep sensuality, and Lila DiPasqua for creative vision in melding history with eroticism.

What was your first sale as an author?

THE HIGHEST STAKES, a work of romantic historical fiction as history and romance are my great passions.

When in the day/night do you write? How long per day?

 I have crazy habits but am most creative at night. Lately, I have averaged about 14 hours per day due to my intense desire to finish the DEVIL DEVERE series quickly and get the stories released back-to-back. To date, I have written 105K words on the first three novellas in only 3 months! I typically write in about 4 hour time blocks with naps in between!

If you could visit any time and place, where and when would it be and why?

 Georgian England, of course! I LOVE the decadence and debauchery of it! It is a writer's dream!

If you could be any shape shifter, what form would you take and why?

A Unicorn! Because I'm an equine lover and adore fairy tales.

What else would you like readers to know about you or your work?

While I am first and foremost a historical writer, I do not wish to be boxed into a particular sub-genre. My work to date encompasses straight historical fiction to erotic comedy to historical romance with paranormal elements!   I write what I am inspired to write without following formulas but my agents and editors seem to want to pigeon hole me. I despise that because I am a rebel at heart. LOL!  I just hope to write great stories so people will seek out my work regardless of the sub-genre.

Who's more fun to write: bad boys or perfect gentlemen and why?

Generally bad boys are the most fun but a perfect gentleman is a blast too if you can find the right heroine as his foil! (I refer to both Ned and Phoebe from  A WILD NIGHT'S BRIDE, as well as Hew and Vesta from THE VIRGIN HUNTRESS!)

If you could meet any fictional character, who would it be and what would you do together?

I always fall in love with all of my male characters so I must refuse to answer the second half of this question. LOL!

Out of all your books, do you have a favorite one? If not, then which one is closest to your heart?

I really can't pick one because everything I have written is so vastly different.

I love the star-crossed lovers theme of THE HIGHEST STAKES and the  May-December soul mates, Philip and Sukey in FORTUNE'S SON. Marcus and Lydia were perfect combatants and then perfect lovers in A BREACH OF PROMISE. I adored the comedic aspect of Ned and Phoebe's outrageously unconventional courtship in A WILD NIGHT'S BRIDE.  Vesta's pluck and determination in THE VIRGIN HUNTRESS had me falling out of my chair with mirth when she decided she would have the honorable Captain Hewett DeVere or no one. Now I  am waiting to see how the widow Diana will bring THE DEVIL DEVERE to his knees!

What character out of all your books is the closest to your personality?

I hate to admit it but undoubtedly Vesta! I am incredibly strong willed. It scares my family!

Anything else you would like to add?

I hope that readers will take as much delight in reading The Devil DeVere series as I had in writing it!

Thank you for being my guest today and may you have lots of sales.

Thank you so very kindly for having me!

About this author

A lover of history and deeply romantic stories, Victoria Vane combines these elements to craft romantic historical novels and novellas for a mature reading audience. Ms. Vane also writes award nominated romantic historical fiction as Emery Lee http://authoremerylee.com

Web site: http://authorvictoriavane.com.

Facebook: Author Victoria Vane

Author Blog: victoriavane.wordpress.com

A Wild Night's Bride by Victoria Vane

Breathless Press

Buy at http://www.breathlesspress.com/wild-nights-bride

Releasing April 27th, 2012

Erotic Historical Romance

With the devil in charge, there will surely be hell to pay...

What happens when a struggling actress and a grieving widower come together in a night of unbridled debauchery orchestrated by a bored and machinating rake?                                                                                                      

She's a lonely lady down on her luck.

Phoebe Scott, alias Kitty Willis, is a struggling Covent Garden actress with a bruised heart and a closely guarded secret.

He's steadfast and eminently respectable.

Sir Edward Chambers, Ned to his intimates, is guilt-ridden over his beloved wife's death and has avowed to live out a rustic and mundane life...of celibacy.

With the devil in charge, there will surely be hell to pay.

Devil-in-disguise Viscount Ludovic DeVere is determined to return his best friend, Ned, to the land of the living. His meddling machinations result in a night of mind-blowing passion after which "Dull Dog Ned" awakes to find himself in the King of England's bed!

A Wild Night's Bride, a sexy, rollicking Georgian romp!

Teaser Excerpt:

St. James, Westminster – 1783 

"Ned, you must wake up." The frantic whisper and tickle of silky hair pleasantly penetrated the periphery of Sir Edward Chambers' drink-induced, sexually sated, and fog-enshrouded consciousness. "Come, Neddie," the soft voice implored. "You must wake, or there will be the devil to pay."

He groaned, rolling onto his side to the simultaneous awareness of a pounding head and the soft, warm presence beside him. He groped blindly, defining a shapely feminine backside that tauntingly wriggled against his groin, stirring quite another part of him to a wakeful and throbbing state. He nuzzled her neck while his burgeoning erection sought the warmth betwixt her thighs. "Annalee, my sweet Annalee," he murmured into her hair.

The warm, welcoming body became cold stone. "Phoebe," a voice intoned.

Ned's bleary eyes popped open, his attention immediately riveted to the massive bed, the heavy velvet curtains of rich crimson and gold, and the towering hand-carved posts of mahogany. He jerked upright as if doused with ice water, his gaze settling on the voluptuous, blue-eyed blonde lying amidst the tangle of luxurious linens. "Kitty?"

"No. Phoebe," she answered. "My name. It's Phoe-be."

"Phoebe?" He frowned in puzzlement. His gaze darted from his thoroughly tumbled bedfellow to the opulent room. He frantically scrubbed his face and looked wildly about the room, eager to light upon something, anything, to assure himself he wasn't going mad. The vision of his surroundings sent him scrambling to his knees, entangling him in the bed sheets, and tumbling him to the floor. Lying stunned on the thick Turkish carpet, his confused conscience absorbed the soaring twenty-foot shadow-boxed ceiling depicting classical heroes.

"Kitty, Phoebe, or whoever-the-devil-you-are," he spoke through clenched teeth. "This isn't Carlton House, is it?"

"No."

His heart beating apace, Ned willed himself first to breathe and then to modulate a tone verging on panic. "I was with DeVere last night. Where is DeVere?"

"DeVere is locked safely in the linen closet." She hugged her breasts, her expression suddenly wary. "Don't you remember anything?"

He vigorously shook his pounding head only to bring forth a chaotic kaleidoscope of last night's events, and the impossible truth persisted to push its way to the surface.

His gaze glued to the bed, Ned made a mechanical backward retreat to the center of the room where he had a clearer prospect of its crowning glory. His vision rose to the top of the headboard, to the heraldic shield seated betwixt the carved figures of a lion and a unicorn. His gaze slid with dread to the engraved scroll beneath. Dieu Et Mon Droit. God and my right, the motto of the king. His chest seized. The room began to spin. He looked to Phoebe, aware that the blood was draining from his face, and that his voice emerged as a strangled sound. "May the same God save me...for I'm going to be hung, drawn, and quartered for spending last night rutting in the King of England's bed!"