Monday, September 16, 2013

Blog Tour: Interview with Victoria James + Giveaway!



WELCOME TO THE BLOG, VICTORIA! :) 


Victoria James always knew she wanted to be a writer and in grade five, she penned her first story, bound it (with staples) and a cardboard cover and did all the illustrations herself. Luckily, this book will never see the light of day again.

In high school she fell in love with historical romance and then contemporary romance. After graduating University with an English Literature degree, Victoria pursued a degree in Interior Design and then opened her own business. After her first child, Victoria knew it was time to fulfill the dream of writing romantic fiction.

Victoria is a hopeless romantic who is living her dream, penning happily-ever-after's for her characters in between managing kids and the family business. Writing on a laptop in the middle of the country in a rambling old Victorian house would be ideal, but she's quite content living in suburbia with her husband, their two young children, and very bad cat.



Where to Find Victoria:




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The_Book_Queen: Hi Victoria! Can I offer you anything to drink before we get started?



Victoria: Thanks so much for having me! And I guess since it’s morning…I’ll take a coffee, please :)



TBQ: *hands over a hot mug of coffee* I think I'll make myself a cup, too. I must have my vanilla sugar though; coffee always tastes better with it. 

Now, on to the fun part! :D  Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself? 


V: I’m an Interior Designer/Small business owner…and as of this year a published Romance Writer :)  I’m a wife, and mom to two young children, living near Toronto, Ontario.  I write contemporary romance for Entangled, Indulgence.  THE BEST MAN’S BABY is my third book release this year, and it’s the second book in my RED RIVER SERIES.



TBQ: Congrats! *throws confetti* As you were saying, your newest release, The Best Man's Baby, came out in August. Can you tell us a little bit about this book, and why readers are going to love it? 


V: The Best Man’s Baby is book two in my Red River Series.  It’s about two opposite people facing the repercussions of what was supposed to only be a one night stand. Claire is the ultimate good-girl, and Jake…well, he’s the town bad-boy. Their journey to HEA is filled with self-discovery, passion, laughter and heartache. They are both really strong-willed characters, neither of them willing to back down and surrender their beliefs. But they’re also both holding onto some painful memories, and Jake has a secret past that he must finally confront before moving on with Claire.


TBQ: Oh dear...Gotta love those secrets pasts, though, they always provide for some very interesting stories, and characters, for that matter. 

Are there other genres you would like to write about? If not, how about other types of stories, setting, etc?


V: I’d love to write a single title historical romance one day. That was my first love in the romance genre. It does take a lot of research and I’m thinking when my kids are a little older I will attempt writing one!



TBQ: Good luck, I hope that some day soon you have more time to tackle a historical! 
Why do Jake and Claire belong together? 


V: They bring out the best in each other, and challenge each other. And they have amazing chemistry ;-)



TBQ: You had me at "amazing chemistry". That's it, I'm sold! 

In 5 words or less, describe Claire for us. And let's not forget Jake—what's he like?


V: Claire: Smart, sassy, vulnerable
Jake: Rebel with a heart of gold.



TBQ: I love how you describe Jake! 

Do you have a favorite part from TBMB? (If spoilers are involved, you can be vague.)


V: I have two favorites…the first is in chapter one and I’d really hate to give it away, but it involves Claire finally getting up the nerve to do something impulsive and taking charge of her life. Unfortunately for Jake, it’s a little embarrassing ;-)  

My other favorite was the epilogue…I know people either love them or hate them, but as a reader and as a writer, I adore epilogues. And I really wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Jake and Claire yet, especially as a happy couple.



TBQ: But often times those are some of the best scenes if you can embarrass the hero a bit. Often he deserves it, but that's another story...

When writing each novel, do you listen to certain songs, like a playlist for the story? If so, what was the playlist for TBMB?


V: I do have a playlist for each book. I’ll be posting my playlist on my website soon. I have the playlist for the first Red River book up there already.



TBQ: I find playlists so fascinating... Often I'm a bit out of the loop with new music, so I sometimes find songs this way that I never would have otherwise. 

I know we all hate this question, author and reader alike. :) But I have to ask: What are a few of your favorite books and/or authors?



V: Judith McNaught is my favourite romance author-I adore all her historical romances. Almost Heaven is my favourite.



TBQ: It's been a while since I read one of McNaught's books. I think it's time I catch up! 

We've all fallen for a hero (or two, or three, or....ahem).  Tell us one hero that you've fallen for—who is he and what drew you to him?


V: I’d have to say it was Ian from Judith McNaught’s Almost Heaven. He’s so strong, witty, and isn’t afraid of putting society in it’s place (this was set in Regency London). He’s also extremely tender and a true romantic and will stop at nothing, and do whatever it takes to win the heroine’s heart.



TBQ: That's it, definitely putting AH on my list! How did I miss that one? 

What's next-- Can you tell us a little bit about your upcoming releases or WIP?


V: My next release is the last in the Red River Series. If you follow my blog you’ll know that the youngest Manning brother proved to be the most difficult to write. There is a lot of angst and heartache in book three-of course with a HEA…but the journey to get there was a rough one. All the favorites are back of course, and there is another wedding in the book (probably not who anyone is expecting!) along with some brand new characters. I think I’ve left Red River and the Manning’s in a very good place…


Right now, I’m working on another Indulgence. It’s a little different for me-no small town setting or scenario.  This book is set in France...in a castle. Brand new characters, new families, new setting, glamour…I’m kind of in love with it at the moment ;-)


SPEED ROUND:

A day on a secluded island OR a day at the spa?
Secluded Island.


Reading a spicy romance novel OR a sweet “my-heart-skips-a-beat” one?
Sweet.


Which would you rather have an affair with: a sexy highlander OR a devilishly handsome English lord? 
Ooooh, that’s a tough one! Highlander. (You made the right decision, in my opinion at least. :D)


Hot summer days OR cold winter nights?
Cold winter nights.


Where would your dream house be: in the city, where all the action is OR nestled in the mountain where you can enjoy the quiet and the wilderness? 
Mountain.


If you could live in any time period, past or future, which one would it be? 
Present.


Cover Lover OR Blurb Fan? 
Cover.


Steamy Novella OR Sweet Novel? (aka, Quickie or Slow Build Up?)
Sweet novel.


Quick—name the one food that you cannot live without! 
Homemade pizza. (Mmmm... Yes! Any particular toppings?)


And finally, tell us 3 unique/wacky/fun things about yourself:

I’m afraid of mice.
My favourite childhood show was Little House (and I still watch the Christmas episode every year)
I bring hand sanitizer everywhere I go




The_Book_Queen: Thanks so much for stopping by, Victoria, and please know that you are welcome back anytime! Do you have any questions for our readers—something to spark a good discussion? 


Victoria: Thank you so much for having me! This was lots of fun. :) 


Do you like accidental pregnancy themes in your romance books? What’s your favorite trope?



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The Best Man's Baby by Victoria James
Publisher: Entangled: Indulgence (August 12, 2013) 
Series: Red River, 2
Genre: Contemporary Romance


Florist Claire Holbrook has always played by the rules her entire life, but breaks them to spend one night with sexy lone wolf Jake Manning, a man she's adored since she was a teenager. Six weeks later things get complicated when she discovers they created a bond that will last a lifetime...Jake has never played by the rules. Getting Minister Holbrook's daughter pregnant wasn't part of any life plan, but he won't run from his responsibilities. He'll step up and be the best man he can, even if he doesn't have a clue where to begin. The more time he spends with Claire, though, the more he wants her, and the harder it is to get close because that would mean sharing the one thing he hasn't with anyone--the truth and his heart. 



Where to Buy*:
More Info:
Add it on GoodReads! | Find the Series




The Best Man's Baby by Victoria James
Excerpt


He stood behind her and whispered in her ear. “I’m not leaving.”

She sighed and turned around to look at him. They were standing a few inches apart, and for what had to be the hundredth time in two days he wondered how he’d never noticed her eyes.
Big and bright, but with a soul that hinted at such emotion and fire, it filled him with the need to see how deep it went.

“What are you doing here?”

“Helping.”

“You have never been back here in all the years I’ve been in business.”

“Things are different now. We’re having a baby.”

“Shhhh!” He bit back another grin as she turned her head around wildly to make sure no one had heard.

“Listen, you’re not getting rid of me. I’m here to help. Then when you’re finished, I’m going to take you out for dinner.”

He saw her cheeks flush, then she shook her head. “I have a long day ahead of me. No time for any distractions.”

“Perfect, so afterward you’ll need some time to relax. I’ll take you out to your favorite restaurant.”

“You don’t even know what that is.”

“Then you can tell me.” It was simple, really. He didn’t understand why that would upset her.

“You should know what it is. In the Claire Holbrook world, the father of my child should know my favorite restaurant,” she whispered.

“Just tell me and we’ll go,” he said with a shrug.

She shook her head, her ponytail swinging back and forth with the motion. He wondered what she’d do if he pulled her hair free, letting his hands run through it as it tumbled around her
shoulders. He stared at her mutinous expression. She’d probably try to deck him.



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Victoria will be awarding a $50 Starbucks GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour!


How to Enter:

Leave a comment on this post, answering Victoria's question.

Be sure to follow the rest of the tour; more comments = more chances to win!



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Thanks for stopping by today, Victoria! :) I look forward to reading the Red River series, and I hope you do write that historical one of these days... 

Don't forget to answer Victoria's question:

Do you like accidental pregnancy themes in your romance books? What’s your favorite trope?





Enjoy!




Until Next Time,



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  *TBQ's Book Palace is a member of both the Amazon and Barnes and Nobles affiliates program. By using the links provided to buy products from either website, I receive a very small percentage of the order. To read my full disclosure on the matter, please see this post!

9 comments :

Goddess Fish Promos said...

Thanks for hosting!

Sandy Xiong said...

It depends on what is happening in the story for me to like accidental pregnancy. Sometimes I hate it because it doesn't help with the plot to grow.
paaj(_)xyooj(at)yahoo(dot)com

bn100 said...

Depends on how it's written; alpha hero

bn100candg at hotmail dot com

Pat Egan Fordyce said...

So nice to meet you Victoria! Great giveaway! I don't mind an accidental pregnancy as long as the father stands up to the challenge! I'm not crazy about stories where the mother keeps it secret for years and then the Dad finds out accidentally. This novel looks great! Thanks TBQ!

Erin F said...

I also think it depends on the story. I like pretty much any trope as long as I can believe it to be real :) Congrats to Victoria on the new release!

Natasha said...

I do like them.
I don't have a favorite.
Thanks for the chance to win!
natasha_donohoo_8 at hotmail dot com

Rita Wray said...

I like accidental pregnancy stories especially when the father doesn't know and when he finds out, look out.
Kit3247(at)aol(dot)com

Ann Drake said...

I like accidental pregnancy themes. Jake sounds like the perfect hero! fischert484@gmail.com

Debbie Carney said...

Yes I like accidental pregnancy's, when its not the man you think it is. (the other man)



debredevil@yahoo.com