Author of the Month: Vicky Dreiling

As a history lover, and yes I admit I'm a sucker for a good romance, I tend to choose books that have both. I'm one of those hopeless romantics that believe that true romance and love do exist. My late husband proved it to me. He was my knight in shining armor. The best historical romances have a great story, a good sense of humor, hot steamy love scenes, and a lot of historical content. Vicky Dreiling was obviously paying attention while she was reading all those romance novels before she started writing. I'm quite sure the traveling she's done in Europe has been a big help as well.

According to the bio on her website, “Frequent business trips to the UK allowed her to indulge her passion for all things Regency England. Bath, Stonehenge, and Spencer House are among her favorite places.” It also mentions something about tripping an alarm in Windsor Castle. I'm glad she has a great sense of humor. It really shows in her writing. I laughed throughout the whole book. Tessa (from How To Marry A Duke) is a kick and sharp as a tack.

This book is her debut novel. My feeling is that if she keeps writing like this, The sky is the limit. She's already got me hooked. I'm already on pins and needles waiting for the next one in the series.

I had the pleasure of reviewing her book on MyShelf. I was so impressed that when I had the chance I took it for my Author of the Month. Vicky was nice enough to agree to do an interview on very short notice. I hope you enjoy it. It's my first interview so I hope I asked the questions you all will want to know the answers to.

Interview:

Linda: How does it feel to now be a published writer?

Vicky: It still feels surreal knowing that my first book will be out in January. To be honest, I found it very hard to say goodbye to Tristan and Tessa after completing the book. So I’m very excited about the publication so I can share their story with others.

Linda: What inspired you to start writing?

Vicky: I was a voracious reader as a kid and started writing in a diary when I was ten years old and kept one for the next decade. Writing fell by the wayside after my kids were born. Then one day in the supermarket, I picked up a paperback book with a pretty cover and the words New York Times Bestseller splashed across the top. It was Judith McNaught’s Almost Heaven. I’ve been hooked on historical romance ever since.

A few years later, I decided to write a romance just for grins. Every morning, I would jump out of bed at 6 AM to write before taking the kids to school. One day, I admitted my secret hobby to a friend. She just happened to have seen a notice for a class on how to write a romance. I signed up on the spot and joined Romance Writers of America. That first book actually did surprisingly well in contests and collected a lot of requests from editors and agents. Ultimately, it wasn’t strong enough for publication.

Shortly thereafter, I got divorced, went back to college, and spent several years ramping up a marketing career. Then something unexpected happened one night.

Linda: What?

Vicky: One night while watching The Bachelor TV show, a story idea popped into my head: The bachelor in Regency England, minus the hot tub and camera crew. I just couldn’t resist this call to adventure. Eventually I sold HOW TO MARRY A DUKE in a three-book deal to Grand Central.

Linda: If you could change places for a day with a character in your books which one would it be and why?

Vicky: Oh, that’s a tough question! I think maybe Tessa because she’s smart and always has a clever comeback. Also, she gets to be with my drop-dead gorgeous hero, Tristan.

Linda: What do you love most about writing and what do you most dislike?

Vicky: I love it when the characters surprise me because then I just have to keep writing to find out what happens. The only thing I dislike is when I take a wrong turn and realize I’ve got to scrap what I’ve written.

Linda: What question do you wish people would ask you about your work that no one has asked yet?

Vicky: Did you know the ending before you finished the book? The answer: Yes, I had a vague twist on the Cinderella ending in mind. But I’d made the obstacles to the happily ever after so difficult, it took me days to figure out how to resolve the ending in a heroic manner. When the answer came to me, I sniffled a little as I finished the book.

Linda: Anything I missed that you'd like a chance to talk about?

Vicky: Well, I had a great deal of fun satirizing modern dating practices, and I enjoyed skewering the mean girls.

Linda: Please tell us about your next book HOW TO SEDUCE A SCOUNDREL.

Vicky: HOW TO SEDUCE A SCOUNDREL features two characters from HOW TO MARRY A DUKE: Hawk, the charming rogue and Lady Julianne, Tristan’s impish sister. When Marc Darcett, the Earl of Hawkfield agrees to be Lady Julianne’s guardian, he’s certain she’ll abide by all the proprieties. But Hawk has no idea of her secret plan – to publish a scandalous lady’s guide to enticing unrepentant rakes.

Thanks so much for inviting me to talk about my books.

I want to thank Vicky for taking the time for this interview. I hope you enjoyed it as well. You can follow Vicky on her website and keep up-to-date on new and upcoming books. You can also read my review of How To Marry A Duke here on MyShelf.com this month.