Today I’m joining the blog tour for A Stolen Knight’s Kiss. I’m sharing my Q&A with the author with thanks to Rachel Gilbey at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me on the blog tour and to Melissa Oliver for answering my questions!

Have you always wanted to write?

Yes! I have done many other things in my life but I have always written stories and always wanted to be a writer.

What were your previous jobs? Have they helped you with your writing process?

I’m trained as a designer and used to make bespoke wedding dresses and strange as it might sound, the design process does have many similarities with the writing process, which I find very useful.

What was your inspiration for A Stolen Knight’s Kiss?

A Stolen Knight’s Kiss is the second book of the Protectors of the Crown series, (although it can be read as a standalone) and the inspiration was the Musketeers books, which I’m a massive fan of. However, rather than being set in Paris, they’re set in London at the beginning of the 13th century during the reign of King Henry III.

How do you construct your characters? Do they have traits of people you know?
I start by thinking about who my characters are, what they want from life and how they feel about a given situation. I write a back story that makes me think about their past and how this has shaped the people they have become. And no, I don’t base any of my characters on people I know- not consciously anyway!

What does your writing process look like? Are you a plotter or a pantser?
I’m a plotter and a pantser and it works well for me. So not only do I write a character bio to really delve into who my main characters are but also a synopsis, which I must say, I find a little difficult. Though this does cement the story in my head and always provides flexibility when something needs to change. The pantser part comes when I’m actually writing the scene, as I write it very much in the moment. I love it when something really surprising happens. In fact, some of my best scenes come about in these very organic moments.

How did you research? Did you enjoy it?
I write historical romance so yes, I love doing research but I do have to be careful not to end up down the rabbit hole of research, spending hours and hours of time on something that might take up a line or two in my book (which has happened many times)! And in terms of how- well I use every resource I can get my hand on, visit in person or read.

Who are your favourite writers? Are you influenced by them?
I have many favourite writers from Austen, Bronte, Du Maurier and Heyer and more recent writers of the genre, such as Lisa Kleypas, Julie Anne Long and Mimi Matthews.

If you could invite three people, living or dead, to dinner, who would they be and why?
William Shakespeare, Jane Austen and Mary Shelley as I’d like to pick their brains on their writing process.

Who would you least like to be stuck in a lift with and why?
Anyone who might be hysterical as I don’t think it would be too helpful.

Who would play the main character/s in a film version of A Stolen Knight’s Kiss?
Nicholas d’Amberly- Richard Madden
Eva Siward- Daisy Ridley

What do you like to do in your spare time?
Long walks with our dog, Mr Darcy, pub lunches, going to visit castles, historical houses and museums and baking cakes with my youngest daughter.

What is next for you?
I’ve just finished the final book of the series and after I finish the edits and tie everything up, my next project is a medieval romance set in Ireland…

Favourites:

Book? Pride and Prejudice

Film? Some Like it Hot

Band/Singer? I have such an eclectic taste in music but always The Beatles & the Arctic Monkeys

TV show? This is always changeable but my favourites have been the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, North and South and Emma. I also like The Last Kingdom, Peaky Blinders, Line of Duty and currently loving Succession.

Colour? Blue/ indigo

Place? Anywhere with a beautiful view & my home town of Richmond in Surrey is a place I always love to visit.

Biscuit? Anything with chocolate.

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A Stolen Knight’s Kiss is available from Amazon.

You can follow the rest of the blog tour here: