An Inside Look at… Redemption from a Dark Past
A Gothic
Historical Romance from Kelli A. Wilkins
Hi everyone,
Today I’m sharing a look at the making of
my Gothic historical romance, Redemption from a
Dark Past.
When I sit down to write an historical
romance, I never know where (or when) my story will take me. I’ve written
romances set in the Old West, the Minnesota wilderness, Colonial Pennsylvania,
and Celtic Scotland. Redemption from a Dark Past takes place in another unique
locale, the Kingdom of Hungary.
For me, the setting conjures up images of brooding
castles perched on treacherous mountaintops, tiny villages, medieval stone
cities, vampires, and Prince Vlad. Although the book does not take place in
Transylvania specifically, this atypical location appealed to me. It seemed
like the perfect place for a Gothic novel filled with secrets, danger,
deception, and superstition.
I enjoyed creating the cast of unusual characters
and setting the stage for the drama that’s about to unfold. Right from the
start, we meet Lord Sebestyen Adrik and learn that he’s a troubled hero who has
hidden himself away in his isolated castle. He’s depressed, guilt-ridden, has
an unsavory reputation, and is the subject of nasty rumors spread by superstitious
villagers.
The heroine, Katarina, is feisty, clever,
and anything but superstitious. She dismisses tales of evil spirits and ghosts,
and doesn’t have time for old wives’ tales. She’s ambitious and wants to leave
her pathetic job on the goat farm for better things. When she learns that she’s
about to be forced into marriage to a much older man, she jumps at the chance
to be Lord Adrik’s companion—despite all the terrifying stories she has been
told. Katarina’s boldness and intelligence make her the perfect person to free Sebestyen
from his dark past.
When I set about creating the mysterious
Lord Adrik, I wanted to make him a flawed and sympathetic hero. He has two
physical ailments (one most romance heroes never have) as well as several
psychological scars. And as if they weren’t enough problems, he also has a
reputation as a murderer (among other things). At the start of the book, he
has just about given up on life and any hope of being happy. By giving Sebestyen
all this “baggage” I made him vulnerable and provided him with lofty goals to
reach.
As I wrote, I added layers of secrets,
built suspense, and created numerous plot twists and turns. Readers follow
Katarina’s adventures and are not sure what—or who—to believe. Can Magda the
surly, gossiping cook be trusted? How did Lady Adrik die? Is the castle really
haunted? What happened to Lord Adrik’s previous companions? Are the rumors
about him true? Katarina is left alone with Sebestyen every night, should she
fear for her safety? Everyone says she should!
Over the course of the book, Katarina
draws Sebestyen out of his shell, and just when she thought she knew him, she
uncovers a disturbing secret he’s been hiding from her. Katarina tries to make
sense of it all, while following her heart.
Not everyone in this story is exactly what
(or who) they seem to be, and this adds another level of mystery and intrigue
to the book. Combining all these elements into a sensual, Gothic romance was a
lot of fun, and I hope readers will enjoy this trip into “the Dark Lord’s
lair.”
Here’s the book summary, a short excerpt, and links.
Redemption from a Dark Past
Lord Sebestyen Adrik has an unsavory
reputation as a madman, murderer… and worse. Lonely and searching for love, he
seeks the companionship of local young women, hoping one of them will ease his
torment and bring him the happiness he longs for. Katarina is his last
chance—but will she fear him like all the others? Or is she the one who can
lift his curse?
Desperate to avoid a forced marriage,
Katarina agrees to become Lord Adrik’s latest companion, despite the rumors she
has heard about him. She discovers the “Dark Lord’s” secret past and realizes
he’s not the monster everyone thinks he is.
As their love blossoms, she renews his
passion for life—yet they cannot escape the ghosts of the past.
When a meeting of the nobility goes
horribly wrong, Sebestyen’s world unravels, and his enemies plot to destroy
him. As all seems lost, a mysterious stranger arrives at the castle. Sebestyen
must decide if he is a friend or a foe…and if he can find redemption in his
love for Katarina, or lose her and everything else that he holds dear.
* * *
Special
News: My Historical Romance Book Sale Ends Saturday!
If you love to get swept away by romances set in
different time periods, I’ve got great news for you – all of my historical
romances are on sale for a limited time. (And if you’ve never read a historical
romance, now’s the perfect time to try one!) Don’t miss out. All the books in
the sale are $1 off until August 15.
Get the details here: https://www.kelliwilkins.com/post/my-historical-romance-book-sale-starts-saturday-august-1
The
excerpt:
Sebestyen winced as he propped his
right leg on the padded footstool. He had a crackling fire before him, his
belly was full, he’d drunk almost an entire bottle of wine, and yet he was not
content.
Another girl had arrived. He had
another chance to find happiness, but he didn’t dare get his hopes up. She
would probably be another sour disappointment like all the others. Each failure
drove a dagger deeper into his heart, and yet, he persisted.
But why? Why did he put himself
through the pain, the hurt, and the humiliation of buying another companion?
Perhaps it would be best if he accepted the fact that he was cursed. He’d never
be happy, never know love again.
He watched the flames and sipped
his red wine. The rumors about him had spread throughout the countryside.
Lukacs was right when he’d told him that the villagers would not allow their
daughters to come here, no matter what enticements he offered. He’d almost
given up, but then Lukacs had written with the news that Katarina had
volunteered to be his companion. Why? Surely she knew the stories about him.
Despite the tales circulating in
the villages, he had never harmed any of the young ladies who came to the
castle. If anything, he was generous. He bought them new clothes, fed them, and
paid them well. He certainly wasn’t a rapist or a drinker of virgin blood as he
was portrayed in the stories.
“But am I the monster they say I
am?” he wondered aloud.
He stared at a painting on the far
wall. Two boys in formal dress, one with light blond wavy hair, the other with
black hair, posed with a black and white dog. He raised his glass in a silent
toast to Tristan. The portrait was commissioned when he’d been, what? Ten? And
Tristan was nearly fifteen. Those were good times, when life was easy.
Now he was all alone, trapped in
this miserable castle and forced to suffer with the boring duties he had
inherited from his despicable father. It wasn’t fair. He’d had different plans
for his life, plans that included travelling, marrying a woman he loved, and
being happy. Instead, he sat here every night drinking himself into a stupor,
hating his life, hating his very existence.
He closed his eyes and leaned back
in the leather chair. Perhaps Katarina could redeem him and lift his curse. If
she did, she would earn riches beyond her wildest dreams. If not, he would
suffer bitter disappointment yet again. “Why do I even try?” he whispered. “I’m
doomed.”
* * *
Order
Redemption from a Dark Past here:
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DL1FXYW/
All
other platforms: https://www.books2read.com/u/3R1aYD
I made a Facebook page for my historical romances.
Check it out here:
https://www.facebook.com/Historical-Romances-by-Kelli-A-Wilkins-1703805359922371/
Read
reviews here: https://www.kelliwilkins.com/redemption-from-a-dark-past
I hope you enjoyed this inside look at the making of Redemption from a Dark Past. I welcome comments and questions from
readers. Be sure to follow my blog for the latest updates and visit me on
social media!
Happy
Reading,
Kelli A. Wilkins
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.
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