Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Elizabeth Hoyt Bedevils One Desirable Devil
Jack: Hellie, sweetheart, this is exciting! You’ve never tied me to the bed before.
[camera zooms out and shows the bare-chested Jack lying spread-eagle on the Captain’s bed, tied with red scarves to the posts. Hellie thoroughly checks the ties for strength.]
Hellie: I had thought to spice things up a little. I’m just so happy you agreed.
Jack: Agree? How could I not agree, my luv?
[knock at the door]
Jack: We’re busy, come back later.
Hellie: No, we’re not. Just a second.
Jack: What?
Hellie: It’s Elizabeth. I’m so excited she’s here.
Jack: Elizabeth? That Elizabeth? Has someone hidden the rum? [eyes widening] Is she *joining* us?
Hellie: [laughing] She is. [stuffs a scarf in Jack’s mouth] Now do be quiet, darlin’, this will not take long. [Jack makes a muffled protesting noise as Hellie opens the door, launching herself at the blond stranger standing there and hugging her] Elizabeth! It is so great to finally meet you! Oh, dear, I’m sorry, I promised everyone I would not maul you at first sight, and I’ve already broken my promise. I’m just so….
Elizabeth: Excited. [laughing] I can see that. Do you usually conduct interviews in the Captain’s Quarters?
Hellie: [pointing her thumb over her shoulder] Jack has a way of hijacking my interviews, so this time I thought….
Elizabeth: You’d tie him to the bed for my pleasure? [hopeful note to her voice] Really, you shouldn’t have.
Hellie: No, no, he’s just tied there so he doesn’t interrupt. We’re going to interview up top….
Elizabeth: Oh, that’s okay, I think we should do it here. Keep an eye on the rascal and all. I bet he’s a whiz with knots, and you want to make sure he doesn’t get out of them and kidnap me. [wistful look] Whisk me away to an island to be his mistress…. [clears throat] Yes, I think we should do it here.
Hellie: Well, if you would be more comfortable….
Elizabeth: Definitely. [pulls up chair next to bed] So what would you like to know first?
Hellie: Where to begin? I have all your books. I love them—and I was so excited to find that To Desire a Devil is now out. Finally. Can you tell us more about it?
Elizabeth: To Desire a Devil is the fourth and final book in my Legend of the Four Soldiers series. It’s the story of Reynaud St. Aubyn, Viscount Hope. Presumed dead for seven years, he escapes captivity and returns home, ready to resume his life. But the life he left isn’t there anymore. His father, the Earl of Blanchard is dead, another man has claimed the title, and there are rumors that he’s insane. Everyone seems to be against him except the new earl’s niece, a woman named Beatrice Corning. Beatrice for her part is dangerously attracted to Reynaud, but can she make him see that what they have may be more important than the life he’s trying to regain?Hellie: [swooning in her chair] Reynaud. When you first introduced Reynaud in To Taste Temptation, I thought it was a shame he was dead. In fact, I was hoping he was alive, and voila, here he is! I imagine though, a man who was nearly murdered has some issues with trust and intimacy. Was it hard to bring him back to the land of the living, pardon my pun?
Elizabeth: Not too hard for me, since he really never died in the first place, but Reynaud certainly has some issues to deal with. He represents the soldier that gets left behind by his friends (through no fault of theirs, of course—they thought he was dead!)
Hellie: All your heroes are a little unconventional. They’re all hard and usually a little dark—very, very manly (even Simon and his red heels)—did you find it difficult to publish heroes who weren’t conventionally handsome…and weren’t all titled? You even write in the Georgian period before it was cool! You’re a rebel! Where do you draw your inspiration?
Elizabeth: I think breaking in was a bit difficult—my first book was The Raven Prince, which features Edward de Raaf, the Earl of Swartingham, who is called ugly in the first scene of the book. A lot of people were a little leery of an ugly hero. But here’s the secret: ugly can still be very sexy. Think Edward James Olmos (Admiral Adama on Battlestar Galactica) when he was younger. Rwoar!
As for inspiration, I write the books I like to read. I’ve always found the Georgian period more sexy than the Regency. (Jack should agree with me—the Pirates movies are Georgian.) There’s swordfights and ladies in magnificent sweeping gowns and men in heels and wigs!
Hellie: One of my favorite things about your stories is that each chapter has a piece of a “fairy tale” that mirrors the book’s story. How do you think up those stories? Do you write them before or after the book is written?
Elizabeth: My fairy tales are often inspired by other fairy tales or common fairy tale themes. In To Desire a Devil, for instance, the fairy tale hero is imprisoned in an underworld—that’s fairy tale 101. I usually write the fairy tale before the main book, but it’s amazing how they’ll end up mirroring each other.
Hellie: What’s your call story?
Elizabeth: My agent shopped The Raven Prince for over a year—and it was rejected by every major New York publishing house. Warner—now Grand Central Publishing---was literally the very last house we had to submit The Raven Prince to—and they offered for it!
Hellie: What is coming up next for your readers?
Elizabeth: Right now I’m putting the finishing touches on Wicked Intentions, the first book in a new series! The Maiden Lane series is set during the gin craze in London when one out of every four houses sold gin for a penny and a half a cup. There was wide-spread addiction, crime, and violence, but for economic reasons it took forever for Parliament to crack down on the sale of gin.
My fictional Maiden Lane is smack in the middle of one of the worst areas of London at this time, St. Giles. And on Maiden Lane is the Home for Unfortunate Infants and Foundling Children run by Temperance Dews and her brother. But the home has recently lost its patron and the home is in dire financial straits. One night a man appears in her sitting room, Lazarus Huntington, Lord Caire, who has an interesting proposition: if Temperance will help him search St. Giles for a murderer, he will help her find a new patron for the home.
Also, I’m in the midst of writing a free novella for readers on my website this year. The Ice Princess is Coral Smythe’s story—Coral was the Aphrodite from The Raven Prince. Each month I’ve been posting a new chapter. You can go here to check it out: http://www.elizabethhoyt.com/books/iceprincess.php
Hellie: Okay, last question, what advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Elizabeth: Writers learn by writing so it’s very important to write as much as possible, preferably every day. And if you aspire to be a romance writer, I suggest joining Romance Writers of America (http://www.rwanational.org/). They have phenomenal online workshops, local chapters, Yahoo loops, and regional and national conferences where writers can learn the craft from published writers such as moi. ;-)
Hellie: Thank you, Elizabeth, for agreeing to visit with us today. Do you have any questions for me or the rest of the crew?
Elizabeth: Why, yes, Hellie…how exactly did you convince Jack to be tied up?!
Hellie: [waves hand modestly] Boys can be so dumb. It was nothing. Okay, crew, Elizabeth has offered one crew member a copy of To Desire a Devil to celebrate her ship visit. So the questions are: how exactly would you convince Jack to be tied up? Do you have a favorite “back from the dead” movie or book story? And do you have any fairy tales you haven’t seen in a book and would like to?
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40 comments:
Easy peasy ta tie Jack up. I'd use a funnel, a keg a' rum suspended over the bed...
I did like seein' Angel return from the dead in Buffy. Then again, he were already dead, weren't he? What would ya call that? Return a' the dead from the underworld, but still dead.
This could get real confusin'!
Though, ta be real.. Loved when Edward Dumas escaped from the Iron Mask and returned. When King Richard returned ta Sherwood Forest in time ta pardon Robin... Lots a' great returned from a version a lost, one way or t'other.
Hi Elizabeth!
I've very excited about this series. Haven't read a single one, I've just been buying them as they come out and waiting for the finale before I do any reading. Now I'm going to read them all. I just can't torture myself between books, though I was VERY tempted to dive into the third one that was getting so much awesome buzz. :)
So don't put me in the draw (cause I have it).
I'm so glad Grand Central bought your first book. What a brilliant debut it was! I remember when it came out and all the buzz was a flying... I was totally on that bandwagon and glad I've read (or at least bought the last set of books) since.
Can't think of a back to dead story, been up all night and brain is a sieve--I'm in trouble it's not even six! LOL
I'm sure you've been asked this before, but how do you balance writing two different genres?
Hi :)
Thanks for the interview with Elizabeth.
If the girl was ultra-hot, she'd just have to ask Jack to be tied up. My favorite back to from dead story is a great character from A Song of Fire and Ice series by George R.R. Martin (I won't say who to avoid any spoilers) I remember reading a fairy tale about a giant whose heart was kept outside his body hidden away.
:)
All the best,
RKCharron
xoxo
Hellie would have to sauce him the night before, then catch him unawares on the hang over. The other option--erotic promises--would be too cliche! I DO like that he assumes it, though then she goes along with it. *tapping chin* Well, maybe...
A storm? High winds and waves as tall as the London Bridge. Better to be tied down... Hmm. Well, he'd be an idiot but, maybe he'd just be curious to follow her train of thought on that one.
Back from the dead movie: definitely It's a Wonderful Life.
After trying to figure out how you meant this last question, a new fairy tale? or a retold fairy tale (are there really new stories out there?) I'm going with retold (contemporary would be cool), and saying: The Twelve Dancing Princesses.
:) Have a great Hump Day!
Bethanne
Hi Elizabeth and welcome to the ship! Great interview, Hellie, as always. :)
I just wanted to pop in and say awesome, awesome, awesome book! I gobbled it up on release day. It was one of those books I couldn't put down. I'm having a hard time picking a favorite of the four. I'm kind of partial to Vale, though. I really can't resist a man with a sense of humor. The opening chapter of his book was a laugh riot. Although Munroe and his wounded soul really got to me also. And his story had Lady Grey and the children. I love dogs and children in my romances. I go to the Dog Show every year and am drawn to the Irish Wolfhounds.
The Ice Princess is fabulous, also. I tried to resist until the whole story was out, but I was weak. I absolutely love when the H/H are so certain they know the other person and what makes them tick and are so completely off base. It's a lovely story and I'm really enjoying it.
So excited I forgot to answer the questions.
Let's see... convincing Jack to be tied up? I'm with Hellion on this - he's a guy. I'm not thinking any convincing is necessary.
Back from the dead storylines? I'll have to come back to that one. I can't think of one right now.
Different fairy tales in my romances? I'm afraid I can't think of one of these that hasn't been done either. I'm a sucker for Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast.
Hi Elizabeth! And welcome to the ship. Thanks for playing nice with Jack. :)
First of all, I'm like Tiff. I'm so excited this fourth book is out so I can read them all straight through. :) I loved the Prince books, especially Raven Prince.
Your Maiden Lane story sounds great too.
My favorite back from the dead movie? The Princess Bride. Not just that Wesley comes back after five years for Buttercup, but that he literally comes back from being "mostly dead." Such a cute movie.
Good morning and welcome aboard, Elizabeth. We are so excited you're here, as you can tell. LOL! Gotta love how Hellie pretends this is the first time she's tied Jack up. Yeah, sure.
Now that you have me thinking about it, I do so love return from the dead stories. One of my favorites in Romance would be Dare's story in Beverly's Rogues series. And Aidan Bedwyn sort of returned from the dead in Balogh's Slightly Married.
But my favorite may be The Count of Monte Cristo. I loved the way Jim Caviezel played that part.
Now, am I the only one who sees the irony of a book set around alcoholic issues having a heroine named Temperance? LOL!
That's hilarious - I was writing Count of Monte Cristo at the same time!
Congrats on the new release Elizabeth! I have 2 of the four books, but I'm sad to say they are in my TBR pile and I haven't read them yet. It's a pretty big pile, so it's nothing against the books! LOL
I LOVE the Count of Monte Cristo - while not totally a "back from the dead" story, it is a back from the depths of prison story. I also love the idea of a benefactor making a hero's social stature rise so he can have the heroine.
Ha! And I was so proud that I'd beat everyone else to it. LOL! And technically, the woman he loves believes he's dead. So it fits. Did Jim not have the perfect hair in that movie? *sigh*
He pretty much rocked my world in that movie. Which is weird to think now that he's Jesus. Hi, I'm Sabrina and apparently Jesus rocks my world in a sexual way. That is so wrong!
Good morning all! Thanks for the loverly welcome. So glad you enjoyed TDAD, IrishEyes, and I hope it's worth the wait, Tiffany Clare and Marnee Jo! ;-) The Count of Monte Cristo (which I tend to call the count of Monte Crisco) was one of my favorite movies as a kid. I remember him being in the prison FOREVER. By the time he got out, you really wanted him to get revenge. Haven't seen the updated version (staring Jesus) but I'll have to chec it out!
That's weird even for this ship.
BTW - I think Hellie is holed up in her cabin fighting the funk. Send her one of those hot rum toddies when you get the time, Chance. (I almost typed "...when you get a chance, Chance. LOL!)
How can I have said the weirdest thing on this ship?!
I actually agree - pretty freakin weird.
Poor Hellie! So far I've managed to avoid getting sick this season.
I took a workshop with Elizabeth at RT this year and it was fantastic.
You put Jesus and sex in the same sentence and it wasn't yelling out "JESUS!" at a certain moment, which is the only way that would have been acceptable.
I got to have lunch with Elizabeth at Nationals in San Fran when Julia Quinn had a little gathering at the Cali Pizza Kitchen. Walking down the street, I had one of my more embarrassing fangirl moments. I actually turned to Ms. Hoyt and said, "I can't believe I'm walking down the street with Elizabeth Hoyt." To which she responded, "I can't believe I'm walking with her either."
Not my best moment, but she was a doll. LOL!
Sabrina tops my list of best things ever said in the comments on the ship. That is awesome in a very strange weird way. LOL
Hellie! If you are sick, I'm not coming over tonight!
Elizabeth!! So wonderful of you to be on the ship with us! Exciting!! I picked up one of your wonderful Prince novels after Hellie just wouldn't shut up about you, and she was right. You are a righteously great writer. Can't wait for this new series, Maiden Lane. Sound really intriguing.
How can I have said the weirdest thing on this ship?!
I think that is quite the accomplishment, Sabrina, when you stop and consider what has been said on this ship!
I forgot about Dare in Beverley's Rogue series, Ter. That was a good one, but I think I liked Slightly Sinful better. Isn't it Alleyne's story, Ter? (I had a really hard time with his name. I called him Allan in my head throughout the whole series and then I read an interview with Mary Balogh and that is definitely not how you pronounce it. But he'll always be Allan to me. LOL)
Hi Elizabeth
To get Jack tied up I would attempt a carrot and stick approach. I'm not even going to think about appropriate carrots! :lol:
I believe that ghosts are the residual spirits of the departed so any ghost story would in a way involve a return from the dead. I would choose Susan Carrol's 'Bride Finder series'.
Elizabeth, may I ask you if you have any ritual or preparatory procedures to get you in the mood for writing and do these change when you switch from historical to contemp? For example as Elizabeth do you wear historical garb and then switch to modern dress to write as Julia?
Amazing interview with the skipper .... Isn't she amazing! 8)
Distract him (with rum?)and tie him up quick.
I don't have a favourite back from the dead story.
Irish - I think you're right! And I pronounced that like Elaine only with an "A" on the front. Is that right?
Q - That same question could be turned back on you. Do you wear sweaters with patches on the elbows while you're a work and then a smoking jacket a la Hugh Heffner while sipping scotch aboard the ship? LOL!
"Hellie! If you are sick, I’m not coming over tonight!" WTH?
Ooooh go on & visit the poor thing, SIN! Hellion is Always sick... Errrr ...
Or is it me that is always being sick ...
Yes, I'm taking Zicam today and just logged on. (Incidentally my computer is never going to get fixed. #*(%&#*((#$&(!@*$ piece of crap.) So, Sin, don't worry about it. I'll just set it on fire. It's fine.
Elizabeth, thank you again for coming on the ship today! In case I wasn't clear: I love, love, love your books.
I'm loving everyone's back from the dead story suggestions--I love Monte Cristo and It's a Wonderful Life. And of course, I love Pirates of the Caribbean 3 when they bring Jack back from the dead....
Beauty and the Beast stories are my favorite, but I'd like to see a 12 Dancing Princesses as well. I always thought that was an awesome fairy tale.
There are IMO two things that a man cannot resist.
Good food.
And a beautiful woman.
The last time I had to convince someone to get tied up I plied them with pizza. Then I introduced him a good looking wench who told him to "Give me yor wallet. And while you're at it ... hand over yor pants too."
Oh, I just checked my email and the new newsletter was there with those lovely bonus vignettes, Elizabeth. Now I am excited about reading them as well as TDAD. What a great idea!
As for return-from-the-dead stories, Jo Bev's Dare was the first one I thought of since I loved the character and always believed he would prove a survivor. A couple of other good, recent stories with that theme are Jennifer Haymore's A Hint of Wicked, which I thought was a brave, risky book, and Julia London's contemporary, Summer of Two Wishes, which left me eager for a followup.
I can't believe that another guest has gone missing!
To paraphrase Oscar Wild, "To have lost one guest in a week could be an accident but to lose two seems downright careless!"
Perhaps Sin has been practising her starboard turns again an got us all lost. *grin*
Anyway I'll have a quick rum and blackcurrant, trying not to drip any on my bow tie and smoking jacket. Then I'm off to an English pub for some REAL ALE!
Enjoy shipmates!
I got us lost on purpose Q, just so I'd have more time to charm you. *wink*
No one lets me drive. I'm surprised Hells lets me drive when we're together. She white knuckle grips the seat.
Your computer will get fixed, Hells. Have faith. At least you can access the internet.
The Kraken did not eat her! Lessen she threw herself off a' the stern. I been feedin' 'im off the stern... I will never run outta inner critics. Remember crew, be kind ta yerself and the Kraken, and throw 'im a critic now and again!
Well, I always write in me pirate coat and hat... I get some odds looks at Starbucks...
Everyone hear me first paragraph advanced me ta the firt page step? Whoop!
What the hell is a firt page and who said that? And Edward Dumas? I am so flaked today! The Man in the Iron Mask wasn't the Count of Monte Cristo... I was obviously is me cups when I wrote all that last night...
Off ta flog meself...
No flogging yor' self, Cchance. As a Wisw Woman once said "Remember crew, be kind ta yerself"!
Checked out your first paragraph, Chance. That is powerful and the finaling is well deserved. And I noticed Renee finaled as well!
Blame your keyboard. Always blame your keyboard.
Make that CHANCE... C-h-a-n-c-e!
Uuuh, anybody see where Chance put thatfloggie-thingie-muhjing?
Hey ya go, Julie... I made it outta shoelaces... Learned it in a book 'bout...uh...nevermind.
Ah, flog me keyboard? ;)
I desperately want a double stuffed flamin' twinkie...saw me DH off ta New York ag'in! Sigh. Well, when he's gone I finish me present MS. Right!
Thanks, Terrio! I hope the first page carries me ta the first chapter. I gots a week ta polish it ta within an inch a' its life.
Oh, and finish the blessed endeavor!
How's Nano goin' fer all ya Nano-ers?
(Might as well entertain ourselves till the guest crawls back aboard!)
Well, there I go again. Embarrassin' everyone so they jump ship..
Hi Elizabeth! I have TDAD in my tbr and can't wait to read it. I've been praying that Reynaud wasn't dead since the first book in the series. Thank you for bringing him back!
Jo Bev's Dare was the first who came to mind. Such a great return!
Love the sound of the new series! When do you anticipate the first book coming out?
Bobby Ewing - no probably not, he should have probably remained dead. Elizabeth I can't wait to read TDAD. I have thoroughly enjoyed all your books but I have to say that The Raven Prince has been the one that has stayed with me. I read it then gave it to everyone I knew saying you must read this fabulous book. I can't believe the first publisher you went to didn't snatch it up. Great interview - thanks for being here.
Make him think your going to have sex whit him tied up.
Angel in Buffy came back from the dead not a movie but a good show.
sasluvbooks@yahoo.com
Oy! Sorry for the late update--I got some loverly news yesterday afternoon and totally forgot what I was doing. ;-)
Why, yes, Quantum, I always write my historicals in stays, paniers and black velvet patches...actually not really. Writing is writing (alas!) and I write my contemporaries the same way I write my historicals: with butt in chair and grumbling.
How could I have forgotten Jennifer Haymore's A HINT OF WICKED...and Bobby Ewing? You're dating yourself, Beth! ;-)
Thank you all for having me on and I do apologize for falling overboard midway through the day!
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