Interview with Christine Wells & Giveaway

SWEETEST LITTLE SIN by Christine Wells

A Marquis' Betrayal

Lady Louisa Brooke has many suitors, but the only man for her is the wild and ruthless Marquis of Jardine. When Jardine suddenly abandons her after a long-standing liaison, he leaves her with nothing except the secret they share. Her future in ruins, Louisa recklessly accepts a mission from the head of the secret service and becomes embroiled in a perilous operation in which nothing is as it seems...

A Lady's Revenge

The Marquis of Jardine is determined to destroy the criminal mastermind who's sworn vengeance against all he holds dear. But when he hears that Louisa is to wed a dangerous enemy, Jardine is tortured by jealousy and fear for her safety. He tracks her down, only to discover that her mission collides with his.

A Love that Won't Be Denied

Together, Louisa and Jardine must now foil a plan to betray the secret service and escape a diabolical revenge. But can they put the past behind them, and take the greatest risk of all--on love?

REVIEW

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My Interview:

Christine! I'm so thrilled to host you on my blog again. Welcome!

Thanks so much for having me, Ashley! I love your site and I'm thrilled to be back. Hi everyone!

Jardine. Gawd, I was trying to wait to discuss him but I can't! Not only does he steal every scene he's in, he's stealing this interview as well! What was your first thought when he walked onto the pages of THE DANGEROUS DUKE? For most authors, a magnetic character such as Jardine is the best thing to ever happen to them, but I have to imagine some groaning when he makes his appearance in the midst of another hero's story. What was the experience like for you?

Haha, Ashley, yes Jardine is just one of those 'force of nature' characters who appears on the stage and you simply can't tone him down. He is who he is. I probably should have tried harder, though, for the good of the main story. He was meant to be a foil for the hero, Max's character. Jardine's the spy who stops at nothing; Max wrestles with questions of honour and eventually sees he can't reconcile his personal values with the life of a spy. Jardine's character actually requires a lot of energy to write--it often feels as if I need a rest after dealing with him! As a secondary character he was a lot of fun. As a hero, he was exhausting!

The mystery surrounding Jardine is incredibly thick and while its sexy as hell, the trait also made me wonder if he was just as mysterious to you. Did you have to pry from him detail by agonizing detail, or was he "talkative"?

Oh, I have this funny thing where I don't interact with my characters at all. I don't even try to delve into their history. They walk onto the page fully formed and then their history is revealed to me as I'm writing. I have an idea of what their secret is, but not the full picture until later in the book. Then I might go back and layer in little hints here and there, to make it more interesting.

Louisa and her tumultuous emotions where Jardine is concerned were extremely palpable for me. She and her feelings were so real and spot on with the surrounding circumstances that it caused me to really empathize and immerse myself entirely within her shoes. What was the experience like for you writing her character? Did she pour as fluidly through your imagination as she did onto the pages?

Louisa is far braver and smarter than I would ever be, but throughout, I identified with her choices. She was always a crack shot and a good horsewoman, but she wasn't going to become a seasoned spy overnight. I did my best to make her believable, yet admirable. I liked that she didn't sit around and whine when Jardine left her. She took action. She's that kind of woman.

The pairing of a beautiful hero with a plain heroine is one of my all time favorite romance themes. Jardine mentions that he was felled by Louisa's warrior-woman eyes followed quickly by her intelligence and bravery. He sees in her what many do not making this aspect of his nature something I sincerely loved. Why go this route with your characters? Why was Louisa not the typical, stunningly gorgeous heroine that the Historical Romance genre generally demands?

I think we all love the idea of this devastatingly beautiful man in love with a woman who is not classically beautiful. In a way, Jardine is such an extraordinary hero that Louisa's force of character, her ability to stand up to him, make her beautiful to him. Classical beauties are a dime a dozen--being a handsome, wealthy marquis, Jardine can take his pick of them. Louisa is unique. But I didn't set out with a plan to write a popular trope. Louisa's lack of beauty was as irrelevant to me as it was to Jardine. I didn't think about it much; she just appeared, and she wasn't a winsome young thing, and that was that.

Ferny Hall, the home of the villainous Mr. Radleigh, is a strange collision of the Orient meets England and was a character all in and of itself. A phantasmagoria, as Louisa describes it, with Hindu Goddesses and erotic temples. Why the strange and multifaceted setting for Jarndine's and Louisa's story? What was its inspiration?

I wanted to show that Radleigh had more money than taste and because I had so much of the book occurring on this estate, I looked for an eccentric style of house. I found Sezincote, which is like the Prince Regent's Brighton Pavilion, only built earlier. It was the house that actually inspired the Brighton Pavilion some years later. You can see Sezincote here: http://www.sezincote.co.uk/ I stole quite a few of its features for Radleigh's home, although Sezincote doesn't boast a temple with erotic carvings all over it! That was my little addition:) I think it's gorgeous, but the Beau Monde probably turned their noses up at it at the time!

Speaking of villains, you sure do write some scary ones! SWEETEST LITTLE SIN in particular contains some awful villains. How difficult, if at all, is it to write these types of characters especially the ones that enjoy hurting women?

It's a difficult place to go as a writer and I'm not a suspense writer per se so I haven't made a study of this type of personality. But I think the key to that kind of character is to remember that they are wholly and completely self-absorbed. They don't care about anyone else. They just want what they want and they won't let anyone stop them getting it. The villain I really enjoy writing is always the mastermind, however. I love a clever villain!

I had mentioned in my review of THE DANGEROUS DUKE, that each sentence is crafted with such authenticity, whisking away readers to another time, that I pictured you toiling endlessly over each one. How much research do you allot for your novels? How do you format your words with such perfection that one can really grasp the culture of your historical settings?

Oh, what a lovely compliment! I do try to strive for an authentic voice that is still very smooth and readable for the modern reader but I don't really labor over each word. I think as a writer you find your natural voice fits somewhere and mine seems to fit in historicals. I have a fairly good general knowledge of the period built up over years of fascination with Regency England. When something comes up for a particular book, I'll chase down out of print copies of books and information on the Internet, but usually I do that as I write. Small items, I look up as I go and sometimes, when I'm really stuck, I ask my friends at the Beau Monde. They can usually point me in the right direction!

And finally, what's next for Christine Wells? Is it perhaps Vane's troubled brother, Nick? *waggles brows*

I could tell you, but then I'd have to send Jardine to kill you! LOL Seriously, I have the most fantastic surprise coming and I'm very excited about it but I'm not allowed to tell anyone yet! It's killing me, but when I'm given the green light, I'll be sure to let you know! *Doh! I hate waiting!*

Giveaway Details:

I'd love to give away two signed copies of SWEETEST LITTLE SIN to anyone who can tell me what's your Sweetest Little Sin??

Thank you so much for having me!

Cheers,
Christine

*Answer Christine's Question along with a Current Email Address*

**Contest Open to USA Only**

***Must be 18 or Older to Enter***

****Contest Closes Monday, June 21st at Midnight U.S. Pacific Standard Time and Winners will be Chosen Randomly and Announced Tuesday, June 22nd****