Today I have Elizabeth Bright on the blog for a fun interview, to celebrate her debut title (came out fall 2017) which is currently on sale! Buy links and more details below, but first, let's jump right into the interview, shall we?
TBQ: Hi Elizabeth! Please feel free to tell us a bit about yourself first – perhaps in the form of 3 unique, wacky, or fun things about you?
Elizabeth: Hi! Thanks for having me. Here’s a little about me:
- I drink iced coffee year-round, whether it’s 10 degrees or 90. The barista at my local coffee shop thinks I’m nuts.
- I will happily skip along the knife edge of a mountain ridge, but I’m terrified of small spaces. Once, while rock climbing in West Virginia, I got stuck in a chimney (a rock formation that is like a fireplace chimney). I skinned most of my shoulder and back in a panic to get out of there. I thought I was stuck for an hour, but it was really only six minutes.
- I don’t really like chocolate. But I have a huge sweet tooth and I’ll eat sour candy until my mouth hurts! (And then I’ll eat some more.)
TBQ: Don't. Really. Like. Chocolate. I don't understand those words, together in that order. DOES NOT COMPUTE.
Ah well, we all have our flaws, right? 😉 I'll take your share of chocolate then. It's a sacrifice, I know, but someone has to do it!
Your debut historical romance, Twice as Wicked, came out last fall – and it’s currently on sale for $1, yay! Can you tell us a little bit about this book, and why readers are going to love it?
E: Twins, revenge, and a mystery—what’s not to love? It was inspired by Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors. I really admire the way Shakespeare takes what should be a tragedy, makes it funny, and gives us a happy ending. That’s what Twice as Wicked is—a dark story told as a comedy.
TBQ: Um, yes, please! I can already hear people one-clicking that catnip! :)
So why do Alice and Nathaniel fit together so well?
E: They’re a good mix of similarities and opposites, I think. Family and friendships are so important to both of them. But Nathaniel hates conflict, whereas Alice rushes headlong into it. Neither option is really the best way to run your life, and they learn that from each other.
TBQ: Oh, I like that. I think most heroines are written more like Nathaniel and most heroes are the ones running into conflict. Love the switch! And that they balance each other out like that.
In 5 words or less, describe Alice for us. And let's not forget Nathaniel -- what's he like?
E: Alice is brash, headstrong, passionate, brave. Nathaniel is shy, awkward, and loyal.
TBQ: Did you have particular actors/models/etc. in mind for these two?
E: Christina Ricci for Alice. Damian Lewis for Nathaniel.
TBQ: Ooooh, good choices!
Do you have a favorite part from Twice as Wicked?
E: I really like the Stone of Scone scene, because it says a lot about who Alice and Nathaniel are and what they have to overcome.
TBQ: Tease! Also, now I want scones. LOL
I’m always curious about how authors get started: Were you inspired by certain authors or people in your life to start your first novel?
E: I wrote my first book in high school, and it’s a shame I threw it away because it would be a great laugh. A few years ago, I wrote a YA romance and got an agent, but we parted ways before it went on submission. I was feeling pretty down about things, and a friend of mine moved to England at the same time. She suggested I write a historical romance so I could come visit her and have it (partly) tax deductible. I love Regencies, but it had never occurred to me until that moment to actually write one!
TBQ: Sounds like a fantastic friend! I hope you got to do some research trips there. :)
Do you have a specific trope or story (or even subgenre) that you’re dying to write some day?
E: Yes! I’ve been dying to write Wessex’s story since he first showed up in Twice as Wicked! That’s the fourth book in the series, so I’m not there yet.
TBQ: I imagine that's a constant problem for authors -- having other characters pop up and say "My turn, my turn!" while the author pushes them aside with a "Not yet, wait your turn!"
I know many romance authors are also big romance readers. What are a few of your all-time favorite books and/or authors?
E: So many! Mr. Impossible by Loretta Chase has one of my favorite heroes of all time. Dahlia Adler’s Last Will and Testament is the perfect NA. Alisha Rai’s Hate to Want You is painfully brilliant. I can’t stop re-reading Fast Connection by Santino Hassell and Megan Erickson. And I’m really excited to read Regencies by Kimberly Bell, Sara Portman, and Liana de la Rosa this year!
TBQ: *happy sigh* Fast Connection and Hate to Want You are AMAZING. The others are going on my list, so thanks for the recs!
What have you read recently that you can’t stop recommending to others? Or even an upcoming release that you can’t wait to get your hands on?
E: To my shame, I had never read an Elizabeth Hoyt book until this year. I went through her entire backlist in probably a month. Now I’ll shove the Maiden Lane series at anyone who asks!
TBQ: *gasp* Actually, I really can't say anything because even though I started Hoyt years ago, and even read the Maiden Lane series when it first came out, I fell behind and am just now catching up on the final books. They are EXCELLENT, so I totally approve of shoving them at everyone!
What's next-- Can you tell us a little bit about your upcoming releases or WIPs?
E: Nicholas’s story is up next! Lady Gone Wicked is out February 12.
SPEED ROUND:
A day on a secluded island OR a day at the spa?
Secluded island, but preferably one that has a spa. 😉 [I APPROVE!]
Reading a spicy romance novel OR a sweet “my-heart-skips-a-beat” one?
Spicy
Hot summer days OR cold winter nights?
Hot summer days
Cover Lover OR Blurb Fan?
Cover Lover
Where would your dream house be (assuming that, you know, money and whatnot isn’t an obstacle, dammit!)?
Denver—an hour’s drive to the mountains, but still has city life.
Quick—name the one food that you cannot live without!
Wine
TBQ: Thanks so much for stopping by, Elizabeth, and please know that you are welcome back anytime! Do you have any questions for our readers—something to spark a good discussion? :)
Elizabeth: The first romance novel I read was Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas, and it’s still one of my favorites today. What was your first romance, and has it stood the test of time?
Currently $0.99!
Publisher: Entangled: Scandalous (October 9, 2017)
Series: Wicked Secrets, 1
Genre: Historical Romance
Miss Alice Bursnell is determined to wreak revenge on Nathaniel Eastwood, Viscount Abingdon, for the seduction, ruin, and death of her beloved twin sister. But how to expose a seducer without falling prey herself? As she gets closer to Nathaniel, she finds she is in serious danger of following in her sister’s much-too-tempted footsteps. The man is nothing like the heartless rake she expected...and his kisses are truly divine. Could she be wrong about him?
When a mysterious and gorgeous woman confronts Nathaniel at a fancy ball, he suspects she has murder on her mind—his own. But the more he tries to determine who the deceptively innocent beauty is—and what she’s up to—the deeper he falls under her alluring spell. Nathaniel fears he’s in imminent danger of losing his life...or worse, his heart.
Where to Buy*:
More Info:
Elizabeth Bright is a writer, lawyer, and mother living in Washington, D.C. Her debut historical romance, Twice As Wicked, is due out October 2017 with Entangled Publishing.
Elizabeth loves large dogs and large coffees. She is an avid outdoor enthusiast, and when she’s not writing, lawyering, or mothering, she can be found as high in the mountains as she can get. She firmly believes that love is the greatest adventure of all, but rock climbing is a close second.
Where to Find Elizabeth:
Don't forget Elizabeth's question for you:
What was your first romance, and has it stood the test of time?
Enjoy!
Until Next Time,
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