Spotlight on… A Most
Unusual Princess
By Kelli A. Wilkins
Hi everyone,
Today I’m sharing an inside look at the making of my
historical/fantasy romance, A Most Unusual Princess. This fun
and sexy story is the first book in my “Royal Desires” trilogy. The other two
books are A Most Intriguing Temptation and A Most Unfortunate Prince.
Together, they make up an exciting series, but each story
stands alone as a separate read. Why? Because when I wrote A Most Unusual Princess, I never knew I was writing a trilogy.
A Most
Unusual Princess is a sensual novella about unruly
and willful Princess Elara, and Dalton, the handsome (and incredibly patient)
guard tasked with protecting her while she searches for a suitable husband. The
book is a unique blend of comedy, drama, and romance. It’s also the first
romance I ever wrote – and writing it was a lot of fun.
Although the fantasy genre wasn’t something I
had written in before, I liked the idea of following a very headstrong and
spoiled Princess Elara as she looked for a husband. From the outset, we learn that Elara is an opinionated young
woman who is used to getting her own way. When Dalton innocently catches Elara
doing something very unladylike, the Dalton-Elara love/hate/love relationship
is born.
I enjoyed writing Dalton and Elara’s story and fell in love
with them. I never expected I’d visit these characters again, but not long
after completing A Most Unusual Princess,
I knew Dalton needed his own book, so I wrote a sequel.
And later, Elara’s brother, Prince Allan showed up and I decided to tell his
story, as well.
I’ve been asked how I plotted the series. Did I
use note cards to keep track of each character description? Did I make an
overall outline of the whole trilogy, and then write each book?
Nope. The truth is… I just wrote the story that
was in my head. I didn’t intend to write a trilogy – it kinda happened on its
own. (With a lot of typing on my part, of course!) I wrote each book by itself,
with its own setting, characters, plot, and theme, apart from the book that
came before. So, although they make up a series, each book can stand alone as
an individual read.
Here’s the summary and an excerpt from A Most Unusual Princess:
A Most Unusual Princess
Princess Elara needs to find a royal husband, but
claims that no man can satisfy her. Her father hires Dalton, a special guard,
to watch over her while she’s courting suitors. Dalton finds her unusual
behaviors charming—and enthralling.
Dalton’s aloof manner intrigues Elara, and despite
their differences, they share tender moments and intimate nighttime encounters.
Elara is heartbroken when her father chooses a “proper” husband for her—until
she meets the mystery man.
Bonus! This e-book includes a sneak peek at the second book in the “Royal Desires” series: A MOST INTRIGUING TEMPTATION.
The
Excerpt:
Dalton
walked past her and entered her bedchamber. She stood in the doorway while he
searched the wardrobes and looked under the bed. After last night’s fright, she
was taking no chances.
“There’s
nothing… a-ha! What’s this?” He pulled a white silk stocking out from under the
bed and waved it in the air.
“Put
that down.” She raced into the room and lunged for the stocking. Dalton held it
over his head.
“Is
this what a princess wears beneath her dress?”
“Give
that to me.” She knocked him backward onto the bed and pounced on him.
“This
would make a nice remembrance,” he said, keeping the stocking out of her reach.
“Beast!”
She squirmed as they playfully struggled for the stocking. A moment later,
Dalton turned his head and his lips brushed against hers.
She
gasped. Dalton had stopped laughing and was staring up at her. She closed her
eyes and felt his finger caress her cheek.
“You’re
beautiful,” he whispered.
The
next thing she knew, Dalton’s mouth covered hers. The feel of his warm, moist
lips sent a searing heat through her. After a few seconds of heaven, he pulled
away.
“I
should not have done that.”
She
licked her lips. “I’m glad you did. It was nice.” Her heart hammered out of
control, and her lower body throbbed. This was the feeling she was supposed to
have when she met with her suitors. “Kiss me again.”
“With
pleasure.”
Dalton
curled his arms around her and pulled her down onto him. His mouth moved
against hers, and fire flashed between her legs. She kissed him, tentatively at
first, then with more passion as she was swept away by desire.
He
slid his hands across her back and down to her buttocks. She moaned as he
squeezed her through her dress. Was this what it felt like to have a man make
love to her? Every night should be like this.
She
ignored a faint rapping on the sitting room door. It was probably a
lady-in-waiting coming to undress her for bed. She needed no help with her
clothes tonight. Dalton was here, he could remove her dress and then…
“Elara?”
Dalton
broke the kiss and bolted upright. “It’s your father!”
***
Read the “Royal Desires”
trilogy from the start:
Book 1: A Most Unusual Princess:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Most-Unusual-Princess-Historical-Fantasy-ebook/dp/B01CBX43D8
Other
platforms: https://books2read.com/u/me00L9
Read reviews here: https://www.kelliwilkins.com/a-most-unusual-princess
Book 2: A Most
Intriguing Temptation:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Most-Intriguing-Temptation-Historical-Fantasy-ebook/dp/B01D8P8604
Other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/47kkvj
Read reviews here: https://www.kelliwilkins.com/a-most-intriguing-temptation
Book 3: A Most
Unfortunate Prince:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Most-Unfortunate-Prince-Historical-Fantasy-ebook/dp/B01DMBYJ6E
Other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/3yPPM6
Read reviews here: https://www.kelliwilkins.com/a-most-unfortunate-prince
I hope you enjoyed
this look at the first book in the series. I’ll be writing about the rest of
the trilogy in future blogs.
I welcome questions
and comments from readers. If you’ve read the series, I’d love to know what
your favorite book (or scene) was. You can contact me via the form on my site.
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, and 8 mystery/horror
ebooks. Her romances span many genres and settings, and she likes to scare
readers with her horror and mystery stories.
In August 2024, Kelli released Surreal
Escapes, a collection of 7 speculative/spooky stories. Anything can—and
does—happen in this anthology.
Kelli released her fourth gay romance, A
Thousand Summer Secrets, in April 2024. This tender contemporary
romance takes place over a summer weekend, where two friends reconnect while
seeking love and acceptance.
She published The Route 9 Killer, a
mystery/thriller set in Central NJ, in May 2023.
Follow Kelli on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and visit her
website/blog www.KelliWilkins.com for a full title list and social media links.