Monday, March 11, 2013

Blog Tour Interview and Giveaway - Mary Hart Perry - Seducing the Princess



BLURB:
Seducing the Princess by Mary Hart Perry
            Mary Hart Perry’s acclaimed series of romantic Victorian thrillers continues with Seducing the Princess, inspired by the life of Queen Victoria’s youngest daughter Beatrice. Painfully shy and lonely, convinced she is unattractive and unloved, the dutiful Princess Beatrice finally accepts that she will never marry and vows to devote herself to the queen in Victoria's waning years. In fact, her mother has secretly discouraged suitors for Beatrice’s hand. Just when Beatrice has all but given up on love and happiness, she meets Henry Battenberg, a dashing nobleman from the Continent who matches wits with the aging Victoria and risks his life and liberty to woo Bea.
            But Henry isn't the only man interested in being welcomed into Beatrice's bed. The timid princess has become the target of a cruel plot hatched by her nephew, the madman destined to become the last Emperor of Germany. Wilhelm II sends a ruthless agent, a charming Scot, to seduce the naive princess and spy on the queen. How can the sheltered princess hope to fend off a man capable of murder, and perhaps worse, to get what he wants? But Beatrice is not without her own allies--her older sister Louise and Louise's American soldier-of-fortune and lover, Stephen Byrne. Will Beatrice discover which of the two men pursuing her she can trust, before it's too late? Drama, romance and peril chase the royal family from Buckingham Palace to a storm besieged castle on the Isle of Wight.
 

INTERVIEW:
What is the one thing you wish you knew before you tried to get published?
            How much hard work it is. I always thought it would be a relaxing way to earn a living. I do love it, but writing for publication requires keeping to a schedule, meeting deadlines, and passing up chances to do things that might actually be more fun when the writing is coming hard.

What to you is the best part of being a writer and what is the part you wouldn't mind giving up?
            Travel. I love to travel to conferences, to signings, for research. It's wonderful. The part I wouldn't mind giving up is writing proposals and always looking for a new editor or publisher. Things are always changing, and sometimes it seems right when you think you could go on writing for the same company forever, they decide to drop the kind of book you most want to write.

What city would you love to set a story in but the right one hasn't come along yet?
            Paris, France. Definitely. I want an excuse to go and stay for a month or more!

What is the best thing you have done in the name of research?
            I traveled to Egypt. I have always wanted to see the pyramids, tombs, and ruins of the Period of the great pharaohs. When I had a chance to do research there, I was thrilled. And as it turned out, the timing was perfect. I was able to make the trip before the recent political upheaval, which makes traveling there now so difficult.

When writing what is your favorite part of the story?
            I love the revision process. So after I have a full draft and I've revised enough so that the story is no longer rough, and I'm working on details...I'm brimming over with joy. I get such a kick out of putting on the finishing touches and making the writing sparkle and be the best it can be.


BIO:
  Kathryn Johnson lives in the Washington, DC area with her husband and two feline writing partners, Tempest and Miranda. The author of over 40 novels, she's written under her own name and a variety of pen names, including Mary Hart Perry, Kathryn Jensen, KM Kimball and Nicole Davidson. She also teaches fiction-writing workshops for the renowned Writer's Center in Bethesda, Maryland. And, in 2008, she founded Write by You (www.WriteByYou.com), to coach other writers interested in reaching publication. She has been nominated for the prestigious Agatha Christy Award, and won the Heart of Excellence and Bookseller's Best Awards (sponsored by the Romance Writers of America) in 2011.
            Her works in progress include a series of Victorian thrillers inspired by the lives of Queen Victoria's five daughters. The first novel, The Wild Princess, focuses on Princess Louise, who desperately wanted an education as a professional artist, at a time when women were not admitted into art schools. Her personal life becomes complicated when she uncovers a secret about her husband and must help protect her mother from an assassination attempt. The second book of the series,Seducing the Princess, launches April 2, 2013, and features Victoria’s youngest daughter Beatrice. Painfully shy and lonely, the dutiful Princess has promised never to marry and to devote herself to the queen in Victoria's waning years. Just when she has all but given up on love and happiness, she meets Henry Battenberg, a dashing nobleman from the Continent who risks his life and liberty to woo Bea and save both his beloved and the queen from a cruel plot. A third novel, to be published later in 2013, will star Crown Princess Vicky.

ONLINE LINKS:
                Facebook:    
                                Please "like" Mary Hart Perry (Here's the bit.ly short link):  on.fb.me/Kj7hzU
                                Also find me on FB:  http://facebook.com/Kathryn.K.Johnson.3
                Twitter:   @Mary_Hart_Perry      and    @KathrynKJohnson
                Goodreads:  Come find me as Mary Hart Perry  
                Linkedin:  http://www.linkedin.com/pub/kathryn-johnson/21/8b3/350
                Website:  www.WriteByYou.com
                Contact me: Kathryn@writebyyou.com or Mary@MaryHartPerry.com




FACE BOOK EVENT Running March 31st to April 4th  With an all day hoopla on April 2nd to celebrate the release of “Seducing the Princess
Join Mary Hart Perry and Vickie Ann in celebrating the launch of Seducing the Princess. Mary Hart Perry will be doing random giveaways at this event, so keep an eye out for prizes and help spread the word!!!




Giveaway: 2 $10.00 Gift Cards


2 comments:

  1. Donna, Thanks for the lovely interview--so much fun! And I hope your readers enjoy the sample from Seducing the Princess. Can't wait to see who wins the Amazon gift cards! And of course, there will be other yummy giveaways at the FB event. Cheers! Mary Hart Perry (aka Kathryn Johnson)

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  2. I look forward to reading this one. I loved her book, The Gentleman Poet.

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