Guest Author Day with Kelli Wilkins

Please give a warm welcome to Luther Dubois from Loving a Wild Stranger, a historical romance by Kelli A. Wilkins. Today we sit down and see what makes him tick.

 

What’s your favorite thing to do when you’re not saving your wife, Michelle?

I enjoy being outside as much as possible, so my favorite things are hiking in the woods, swimming in the lake, or admiring a spectacular sunrise. I’m part Ojibwa, and I have a great respect for nature and the environment.

 

What is it about Michelle that makes you crazy in a good way?

How many can I choose? (Laughs.) Michelle has been making me crazy from the minute I met her and brought her to my cabin.

At first, it wasn’t always ‘crazy’ in the good way, but I’ve come to love her, quirks and all. She’s stubborn and opinionated and likes to do things her own way—until someone can explain ‘why’ she shouldn’t. Although at times that makes me crazy, I admire her.

 

She’s a strong woman who has overcome a lot of obstacles, and yet she also has a very passionate, feminine side that drives me crazy in a very good, but naughty, way!

 

Do you sometimes want to strangle your writer? Thrash her to within an inch of her life for the stupid crap she makes you do?

On one hand, yes, absolutely! My life would be so much easier and less complicated if Kelli hadn’t dropped one bad thing after another on me. I’ve had troubles with the local townspeople, I’ve been in jail, gotten into fights, nearly lost Michelle twice, had conflicts with my family, and I was almost killed by a bear and a raging psycho. Thanks, Kelli!

Although Kelli always gets me out of these messes, it would be nice if things were easy once in a while. However, I have to thank her. If it weren’t for Kelli bringing Michelle and me together, my life would be very lonely.

 

Favorite food?

I’d say venison (or rabbit) with wild rice. Living in the wilderness doesn’t offer a lot of exotic food choices.

 

Tell me a little bit about your world. What are your greatest challenges in that world?

Well, as readers may know, I’m part Ojibwa and I live in a cabin in the Michigan Territory. Up until I met Michelle, my world was pretty much centered on tending to my daily chores, hunting, trapping, and staying alive. The lifestyle I lead isn’t easy, and my greatest challenges include what most modern, civilized folks take for granted: food, water, and shelter.

 

I lived alone for several years and learned to adapt to the harsh conditions. To me, it’s just how things are, but when Michelle came into my life, she had a hard time adjusting. She’s from a very wealthy family in New York and was used to a fancy house with lots of luxuries. When she came out west, she wasn’t prepared for life in the wilderness and had to learn a whole new way of living.

 

Describe yourself in four words.

Loyal, honest, passionate, and caring.

 

What do you do for a living?

I’m a trapper and trader, and I make my living selling pelts and skins. I also make furniture and do wood carvings. 

 

What do you fear the most?

One of my biggest fears is losing Michelle. I already nearly lost her twice and she’s very precious to me. I also sometimes fear that something could happen to me—and then I wonder, what would happen to Michelle? But now that I’ve reconnected with my family, I have their support, and I know that Michelle and I are going to be just fine for many years to come.

 

Thanks for letting me share my thoughts with readers. I hope they enjoy the book. The summary and links are below.

 

And don’t forget, Kelli has written a lot of other romances in all genres (historical, contemporary, gay, and paranormal) at all heat levels. If her other stories are as exciting and as interesting as mine, I’d love to meet more of her characters. Her social media links are author bio are at the end of this post.  

 

 

 

Loving a Wild Stranger

 

A woman running from her past… straight into the arms of an untamed man

In a moment of desperation, Kathleen Stanton flees her pampered life in Kingston, New York and ends up stranded in a small town in the Michigan Territory. Out of money and forced to rely on her instincts, she impersonates a handsome stranger’s mail-order bride.

 

Committed to her deception, Kathleen calls herself Michelle and starts her new life with Luther in an isolated cabin in the wilderness. Luther can’t believe his luck when his beautiful bride arrives, but something doesn’t feel right about his new wife. Michelle has terrifying nightmares involving a man named Roger and is reluctant to talk about where she came from.

Luther’s friend, Redfeather visits and tries to convince Luther to send Michelle back east. Distrusting Michelle, he warns Luther that his bride is not what she seems. But Luther is in love with Michelle, and he is harboring a secret of his own—one that might force Michelle to reject him when she learns the truth.

Michelle falls in love with Luther and adapts to her new way of life. Together, they face off against brutal townspeople and overcome harsh living conditions. When they finally give in to their desires and agree to become a proper man and wife, a dark figure from Michelle’s past resurfaces and threatens to destroy everything.

 

Order Loving a Wild Stranger here:

 

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N6M551H 

 

All other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/4N1DGN

 

Read reviews here: https://www.kelliwilkins.com/loving-a-wild-stranger

Kelli made a Facebook page for her historical romances. Check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/Historical-Romances-by-Kelli-A-Wilkins-1703805359922371/

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 20 romance novels, 6 non-fiction books, and 2 online writing courses. Her romances span many genres and settings, and she likes to scare readers with her horror stories.

In 2020, Kelli published Love, Lies & Redemption, a western romance set in 1877 Nebraska. This novel blends a sensual love story with mystery and danger.

 

She released Romance Every Weekend: 104 Fun Ways to Express Your Love, a non-fiction guide to romance in 2019. The book features 104 fun and easy ways you can express your love to that special someone in your life. Perfect for men or women, it focuses on tender, everyday gestures that let your partner know how much you love him or her.

Kelli published Extraterrestrial Encounters, a collection of 18 sci-fi stories, in 2019. If you like horror fiction, don’t miss her disturbing novella, Nightmare in the North.

Kelli has authored two online writing courses: Fiction Basics: Finding Ideas and Fiction Writing for Beginners. These courses are perfect for anyone who wants to learn how to write. Visit: https://kelliwilkins.teachable.com/ for more details.

Not just an author, Kelli is also an amateur photographer. Visit her pages on Shutterstock https://www.shutterstock.com/g/kelli+wilkins and iStock https://www.istockphoto.com/portfolio/kelliwilkins to view her photos.

Kelli posts on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and Twitter: www.Twitter.com/KWilkinsauthor.

Visit her website/blog www.KelliWilkins.com to learn more about all of her writings.