Monday, August 25, 2014

[Blog Tour]: Interview with Darcy Burke + Giveaway!


WELCOME TO THE BLOG, DARCY! :) 






Darcy Burke wrote her first book at age 11, a happily ever after about a swan addicted to magic and the female swan who loved him, with exceedingly poor illustrations. Darcy writes hot, action-packed historical and sexy, emotional contemporary romance.

A native Oregonian, Darcy lives on the edge of wine country with her devoted husband, their two great kids, and two Bengal cats. In her “spare” time Darcy is a serial volunteer enrolled in a 12-step program where one learns to say “no,” but she keeps having to start over. She’s also a fair-weather runner, and her happy places are Disneyland and Labor Day weekend at the Gorge. Visit Darcy online at http://www.darcyburke.com.




Where to Find Darcy:






TheBookQueen: Hi Darcy! I have a fresh batch of orange muffins on the table – help yourself! Coffee?

Let's start with the easy question: tell us a little bit about yourself.



Darcy: Oooh, you had me at fresh muffins, but alas I am not a coffee drinker! I’ll take tea if you have it. ;) [Of course, tea it is!]

Things that shock me: my age (I can’t be that old, can I?), that I drive (and love) a minivan, the thoughtless cruelty of so many people.

Things that amuse me: cat videos, my children, Monty Python.

Things that drive me nuts: an inefficiently loaded dishwasher, people who do not understand drop off/pick up at my kid’s elementary school, tendonitis (because I have it and it suuuuucks).

Things I love: my family, a gorgeous fall day, pinot noir.



TBQ: Oh there is indeed something magical about a perfect fall day!

Your newest release, The de Valery Code just came out last week – Congrats!. Can you tell us a little bit about this book, and why readers are going to love it?

D: If you love treasure hunt and action adventure, you will love my Regency Treasure Hunters series, the first book of which is The de Valery Code. The books follow a series of quests for Arthurian items and combines my love of history, adventure, and romance. The de Valery Code takes place in 1794 and is a quest to solve a secret code that may or may not lead to treasure. The heroine, Margery needs the treasure to save herself and her dear aunts from financial ruin, and the hero, Rhys, is a medieval manuscript collector and antiquarian who wants the treasure for the sake of history and academia. They grudgingly work together and it’s a fun journey as they fight their attraction and the mysterious secret organization that seeks to stop them.




TBQ: You definitely have my attention now! :) 

Why do Rhys and Margery belong together?

 D: Both of them are lonely souls who’ve either bottled up their emotions (Margery) or never really explored them (Rhys). They lost parents at young ages and have been self-reliant for a long time. They are a little like oil and water as they’re both set in their ways, but as with many things, together they are greater than the sum of their parts.



TBQ: *happy sigh* What a perfect match! 

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

 D: Margery: fierce, independent, scared, vulnerable, brazen (which surprises the heck out of her!)
Rhys: intelligent, driven, lonely, kind, passionate (which surprises the heck out of him!)



TBQ: Brazen and passionate belong together, more proof that these two are perfect for one another!

Do you have a favorite part from The de Valery Code

 D: I really love Rhys and Margery’s banter. It’s very Moonlighting-esque if you know that show (at least I hope it is!). I can’t pick just one scene . . . but I can tell you that there’s a love scene on a very hot afternoon that was terribly fun to write. J



TBQ: Great banter and a fun love scene? I'm definitely in!

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?

 D: I don’t hate this question, actually! What I hate is that I don’t have as much time to read as I used to. My favorite old school romance is probably Ashes in the Wind by Kathleen Woodiwiss – she was my go-to author for a long time and I still reread favorite scenes from her books. I absolutely adore Diana Peterfreund’s Secret Society Girl series. It’s technically New Adult, but came out long before New Adult was a “thing.” I’ve reread that at least three times. J



TBQ: 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?

D: I have to go with a Woodiwiss classic: Ruark Beauchamp from Shanna. Dude is PERFECT even if he did fall for an immature sassypants. ;) (Shanna grows on you after about five or six reads, lol.) Ruark is wicked smart, completely gorgeous (of course), kind, generous, has a great family that he loves, and can be violent when he needs to. In other words, he’s DEAD SEXY.



TBQ: I've only read two Woodiwiss novels, so I haven't experienced Ruark, but he does sound perfect! :)

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

D: Up next in the Regency Treasure Hunters series is Romancing the Earl. It takes place 25 years after The de Valery Code and is a quest for a sword that may be Excalibur. The hero is a former army captain who’s inherited an earldom after the sudden death of his brother and the heroine is an adventuress who will stop at nothing to make the discovery of the century. It’s already shaping up to be an exciting treasure hunt!

I’m also working on a contemporary series about a family of sextuplets who live in Oregon wine country (just down the road from me in a fictional town). The first full-length book in the series, Only in My Dreams, will be out February 24, 2015 from Avon Impulse and I’m currently working on book two, Yours to Hold, which will be out April 7. I’m so excited for readers to meet the Archers of Ribbon Ridge! (You can also catch them in the series’ prequel novella, Where the Heart Is, which is available now.) [Oooh, these books all sound great; why can't they be out right NOW?!]



SPEED ROUND:

A day on a secluded island OR a day at the spa?
Spa. The secluded island takes too long to get to, lol.

Reading a spicy romance novel OR a sweet “my-heart-skips-a-beat” one?
Depends on my mood. J Today I’d go with spicy!

Which would you rather have an affair with: a sexy highlander OR a devilishly handsome English lord?
Also a mood thing, but given all the Outlander furor, I think I have to go with sexy highlander right now!

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?
Somewhere in between. J

If you could live in any time period, past or future, which one would it be?
Right now. I’m so grateful for the time and place I live in. I’d love to visit the past, but I don’t think I’d like living there!

Cover Lover OR Blurb Fan?
Cover draws me in, but the blurb has to deliver. [Agreed!]

Steamy Novella OR Sweet Novel? (aka, Quickie or Slow Build Up?)
Slow build up (The de Valery Code is definitely that – I like to earn my gratification, lol).

Quick—name the one food that you cannot live without?
Cheese.

And finally, tell us 3 unique/wacky/fun things about yourself:
1)       Musical productions (not concerts, but plays, musical movies, or kid choirs) make me cry Every.Single.Time. (Yeah, I even cry at the end of Pitch Perfect and I’ve seen that movie about a gazillion times – never gets old.) [TBQ: I love Pitch Perfect, though I admit I've never cried while watching it!]
2)       I think radishes are the perfect vegetable. I’ve even heard them called nature’s breath freshener.

3)       I plan to marry Han Solo.



TheBookQueen: Thanks so much for stopping by, Darcy, and please know that you are welcome back anytime! :)







The de Valery Code by Darcy Burke
Publisher: Intrepid Reads (August 16, 2014)
Series: Regency Treasure Hunters, 1
Genre: Historical Romance

Miss Margery Derrington and her dear aunts are in dire straits. Their discovery of a rare medieval manuscript will hopefully stave off their creditors—if it’s worth what they hope. Margery reluctantly allies with a reclusive scholar to use the book to pursue a treasure that could exceed her expectations. Amidst danger, secrets, and an insatiable attraction, is Margery gambling just her financial future . . . or her heart?

Academic Rhys Bowen can’t believe he has his hands on the elusive de Valery text. Solving its hidden code and unearthing its legendary treasure would establish him as one of Britain’s leading antiquarians, finally casting him out of his brilliant late father’s shadow. But when a centuries-old organization convinces Rhys of the perils of disturbing the past, he must choose between his conscience…and the captivating woman he’s sworn to help.


Where to Buy*:
More Info:






a Rafflecopter giveaway




Thanks for stopping by today, Darcy! The de Valery Code sounds like a fantastic read; it's on my list!

Have you read Darcy Burke before? Do you have a favorite of hers?

Do you like a good historical adventure? Do you have any recommendations?




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!

10 comments :

Lori Hopkins said...

Great giveaway! Love the cover!

Kati R said...

Thank you for hosting Darcy!

Darcy Burke said...

Thanks for having me! This interview was SOOOOO much fun. :)

The_Book_Queen said...

Oh no, thank YOU! :) I had a great time and I look forward to reading your books, Darcy!

The_Book_Queen said...

It is a gorgeous cover, isn't it? :)

Selenity Jade said...

I adore the cover! It's amazing!

Janice Hougland said...

Sigh! Adventure and romance together...what's not to like? Love this combination! I've read a lot of archeological dig articles and books in my time too, because it fascinates me. Spent a week in Egypt in 1986---heaven!! And I, too, love the witty banter that takes place in Regency stories--and Darcy does do that very well indeed. :-) Thanks for the post.

Lover Of Romance said...

I do love a good treasure hunt and I have been wanting to try this author out for a while. The cover is just gorgeous too.

Erin F said...

congrats to Darcy on the new release! Thank you for such a fun post and giveaway :)

bn100 said...

Nice interview