• Character Interviews,  Historical

    Historical: Unexpected Gift | Interview @AuthorKayGrey

    An Unexpected Gift 
    Katherine Grey, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. Let’s talk
    about your book, An Unexpected Gift.
    Genre: Historical Romance
    Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
    Cover artist: Rae Monet
    Length: 276 pages
    Heat rating: Spicy
    Tagline: Two wounded souls find happiness in the most unlikeliest
    of places, with each other.
    Blurb:
    Known only as Lazarus to the band of cutthroats and thieves he
    leads, William Prescott will do anything to find his missing sister, even blackmail
    a fragile young woman into helping him. But he never plans to fall in love with
    this mysterious woman with a troubled past.
    Haunted by the memories of war, Olivia St. Germaine wants nothing
    more than to live a normal life. But when her brother, a doctor, suddenly leaves
    town without a word, she is forced to use her medical knowledge to help an injured
    man who puts her life in danger. Can she keep herself safe as she tends Lazarus,
    or is her heart more vulnerable than she realizes?

    Buy links:

    Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/an-unexpected-gift-katherine-grey/1114371314?ean=2940016394534
    What are your main characters’ names, ages, and occupations?
    Olivia St. Germaine is 26 years of age. She has no formal occupation.
    William “Lazarus” Prescott is 28 years of age. He leads a band of
    thieves.

    Interview

    Tell us about your story’s world. What is it like in this
    period or place?
    An Unexpected Gift takes place in London during the Regency period. It shows a side
    of life in London
    outside those of the aristocracy. Both Olivia and Lazarus live on the very fringes
    of Society.
    What inspired you to write this book?
    I was asked to write a novella for my publisher’s Love Letters
    line. In writing that story, Lazarus appeared on the page larger than life. I had
    a hard time controlling him and keeping him from taking over the story. It only
    made sense that I tell his story as well.
    Which character in your current book do you think readers
    will like the most? Why?
    I think Lazarus would the favorite. While he does things that
    aren’t necessarily legal and right, he does them with the best of intentions. He
    goes out of his way to protect those he considers his family and is loyal to a fault.
    When you’re not writing, what would we find you doing?
    I love to bake bread. I find the whole process of kneading the
    dough to be very relaxing. It’s also a great way to work out scene in my head while
    doing something constructive. Of course, the smell of freshly baked bread filling
    the house isn’t a bad thing either.
    Are you a plotter, or do you prefer to make it up on the spur
    of the moment?
    I say I’m a combination of both. I write two to three sentence
    paragraphs detailing the main points of each chapter, but other than that, I let
    my characters have free reign and write where they take me.
    What’s your writing schedule like?
    I write Monday through Friday for approximately an hour and half
    when I get home from my day job. I have a weekly goal of twenty-five pages of new
    material each week. It helps keep me on track and not lose the threads of the story.
    When an idea hits you, what do you do to capture it?
    I have a notebook where I jot down the idea, character names,
    plot points, any scenes or snippets of dialogue and anything else that comes to
    me. If I’m out, I have a small pocket sized notebook I keep in my purse for the
    same thing, though I have been known to write on the paper napkins when at a restaurant.
    Which of your books was the hardest to write and why?
    My novella The Muse was the hardest to write. It was the first
    short story I’d written and I had a hard time keeping it within the word count requirements
    to be a novella. I kept having to go back and delete subplots and the like.
    What are you currently reading for fun? Anything for research?
    I’m currently reading Fifth Grave Past The Light by Darynda Jones.
    It’s the fifth book in her Charley Davidson series. If you haven’t read any of them
    yet, I highly recommend them, but read them in order. For research purposes, I’m
    reading The Man Who Broke Napoleon’s Codes: The True Story of A Forgotten Hero in
    Wellington’s Army
    by Mark Urban.
    Do you believe in luck?
    I do believe in luck but at the same time, I think we make our
    own luck by taking advantage of opportunities presented to us.
    What kind of music do you listen to while driving? Same question
    when writing?
    When I’m in the car, I usually listen to whatever’s currently
    popular on the radio station. When I’m writing, I listen to classical music.
    Do you play any musical instruments?
    I play the violin and a tiny bit of the piano. I would like to
    take formal piano lessons some day.
    What’s your favorite movie?
    I have two favorite movies – Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and
    I Am Sam. Sean Penn was amazing.

    Please complete the sentence

    I love pizza with cheese and pepperoni.
    I’m always ready for a cup of cinnamon apple tea and a good
    book
    .
    When I’m alone, I read my manuscript pages out loud. I like
    to hear the rhythm of the dialogue
    .
    You’d never be able to tell, but I have five tattoos.
    If I had a halo it would be slightly
    tilted
    .
    If I could write full time, I’d be the happiest person
    on the planet
    .
    I can never kill a spider because I’m terrified of
    them. I don’t have any problem getting other people to kill them for me though.

    Previous Books

    Impetuous
    The Muse (novella)

    Find Me Here