~ELIZABETH HOYT~

We are nearing the end of our SCANDALOUS AFFAIR but we have saved the best for last… We have here with us today the talented Elizabeth Hoyt.  She just released LORD OF DARKNESS, the fifth book in the Maiden Lane series and is here to share a bit with us.  So lets give her a warm welcome.

Welcome to UTC, Elizabeth! We are so thrilled to have you! UTC has been a long time fan of your work. As a Historical Romance author, what is the most fulfilling aspect of being a writer in this genre?

The readers. The readers are unbelievably wonderful. I’ve met so many interesting people since I’ve started this gig. From giggling fifteen year olds to ladies in their eighties who are still reading three books a week. I’ve had letters from readers that made me tear up and letters that made me laugh out loud. It’s been truly wonderful.

How would you describe yourself? Do you feel that some of your personality reflects in your work?

I’m average, just average. A mom, a wife, a gardener, and dog owner.

Of course some of my personality goes into my work–in the humor, the odd taste for fish some of my heroines have, and the inner complexity of my heroines. I think interesting people have many, many layers, most of which are never seen by other people.

Your Maiden Lane series is utterly fabulous! The latest book, LORD OF DARKNESS features Lady Margaret Reading and Godric St. John. Can you tell us a bit about this book?

In the last Maiden Lane book, THIEF OF SHADOWS, Lady Margaret’s lover was murdered and shortly thereafter, while Megs was still in shock, she realized she was pregnant. Fortunately, she has a loving—and determined—brother who blackmails Godric St. John, a lonely widower, into marrying her.

Fast forward two years. Megs lost the baby shortly after the marriage and ever since has lived separately from Godric. At the opening of LORD OF DARKNESS, Megs has come to London for two things. First, to kill the Ghost of St. Giles who it’s believed murdered Megs’s lover, and secondly to seduce her husband in order to have a baby. What Megs doesn’t know is that Godric is the Ghost of St. Giles. Meanwhile, Megs has turned Godric’s lonely life upside-down and he can’t figure out how to get her to leave—or even if really wants her to go.

This book, at its heart, is about unexpected love and how it can heal the scars of the past.

In LORD OF DARKNESS, you continue with the Ghost of St. Giles story line. How did you come across this idea and why do you think readers respond so favorably to it?

I got the germ of the idea from an old Disney movie, Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow, which was about an American Revolutionary War hero who is a mild mannered vicar by day and a vigilante dressed as a scarecrow by night. I loved the idea of a masked historical action hero, it brings to mind Scaramouche and The Scarlet Pimpernel and all those fun action romances. I had so many ideas, in fact, that I decided to split the initial character so that there are actually three different men playing the Ghost.

I find it very hard to answer why my own books do well—or don’t do well. I’m just too close. I assume readers like the Ghost thread for the same reasons I wanted to write it, but it’s really a question my editor can answer better. 😉
DUKE OF MIDNIGHT will release in November of 2013. Needless to say, readers are on the edge of their seats waiting for information on this book. What can you share with our readers?

The hero is Maximus Batten, the Duke of Wakefield and the heroine is Artemis Greaves, Lady Penelope’s cousin and lady’s companion.

Do you have a writing process? Do you have to listen to music, have complete silence, write only on a full moon?

Heh, I wouldn’t get much done if I could only write on a full moon. 😉 I like music (on earbuds) because it both drowns out other distractions and if I listen to the same music over and over again, there’s a nervous system response to hearing it again: I feel like I’m in the mood to write and write well.

Besides that, I usually try to write in the mornings and early afternoons, I often go to a coffee shop with my friend Jade Lee, and I like to chew gum while I’m writing.
If we were unforgivably rude and pulled five random things from your hand bag, what would we find?

Two eyeglasses cases, one for a computer and one for prescription sunglasses

Band aids

A little notebook I’ve never used

Hand cream

kleenex

If you could read one book again for the first time, which one would it be?

Harry Potter—all of them.

Have you ever “faked” reading a book, and if so, which one?

Do you know, I don’t think I ever have. If I were going to fake reading a book it would be Fifty Shades of Gray because people keep asking me if I’ve read it and I haven’t and it’s so embarrassing!

What are you currently working on?

I just turned in DUKE OF MIDNIGHT (which will be out this November) so I’ll be doing editor revisions on that very soon. In the meantime, I’m working on a seventh Maiden Lane novel.

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions!

Thank you for having me on Under the Covers! Readers can learn more about my Maiden Lane series and Lord of Darkness at my website: www.elizabethhoyt.com. You can also chat with me on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, and Pinterest.

When Strangers In The Night

He lives in the shadows. As the mysterious masked avenger known as the Ghost of St. Giles, Godric St. John’s only goal is to protect the innocent of London. Until the night he confronts a fearless young lady pointing a pistol at his head—and realizes she is his wife.

Become Lovers…

Lady Margaret Reading has vowed to kill the Ghost of St. Giles—the man who murdered her one true love. Returning to London, and to the man she hasn’t seen since their wedding day, Margaret does not recognize the man behind the mask. Fierce, commanding, and dangerous, the notorious Ghost of St. Giles is everything she feared he would be—and so much more.

Desire Is The Ultimate Danger

When passion flares, these two intimate strangers can’t keep from revealing more of themselves than they had ever planned. But when Margaret learns the truth—that the Ghost is her husband—the game is up and the players must surrender…to the temptation that could destroy them both.

EXCERPT

“We’re about to be stopped by the dragoons,” Godric said grimly as he pulled Megs into his lap, parting her legs beneath her skirts so that she straddled him. “If they discover I’m the Ghost, we’re both ruined. Do you understand?”

She was both brave and intelligent, his wife. Her eyes widened, but she merely nodded once.

The carriage was already slowing, the soldiers’ horses right outside the window. They could hear the shouts of the men, the answering voice of their coachman.

“Good,” he said. “Follow my lead.”

He took the little knife from his boot and slit the front of her bodice open, cutting through stays and chemise as well. Any other woman would’ve screamed—the dress was silk, an expensive, frivolous thing—but Megs merely watched him with startled brown eyes.

He pulled the edges widely apart and the most beautiful breasts he’d ever seen popped into view, round and full with dark rose nipples. Had it just been his life, he might’ve taken the time to look his fill. But it was her life as well—or at least her reputation. If he were hung as a murderer, she’d be shunned by all but her family.

He pulled her close and bent his head as hands scrabbled at the carriage door. Then his mouth was full of her sweet nipple and he suckled strongly, as the heady scent of woman and orange blossoms swirled about his head. He could see her pulse beating at her tender throat like a fluttering bird. Damn it, if his mouth wasn’t full, he might’ve chuckled.

He was as hard as a rock.

The door to the carriage was yanked open.

He felt her jerk, her strong young back arching in his hands, and she brushed her fingers through his cropped hair.

“What—” The voice was loud and commanding. The voice of a dragoon captain.

Godric raised his head, eyes narrowed in anger as he pulled her into his chest, shielding her nudity. Megs made a distressed, embarrassed sound and hid her face in his shoulder.

And just like that, his anger became real.

“What in God’s name is the meaning of this?” he growled.

He doubted very much that Captain Trevillion was used to blushing, but damned if the man’s cheeks didn’t darken. “I…uh…I am Captain James Trevillion of the 4th Dragoons. I’m charged with capturing the Ghost of St. Giles. One of my men thought he saw the Ghost enter this carriage. If you—”

“I don’t care if you’re charged with capturing the Pretender himself,” Godric whispered. “Get out of my carriage before I carve your eyes out and use—”

But Trevillion was already muttering an apology as he withdrew. The carriage door slammed.

Megs straightened.

“Wait,” Godric murmured, stilling her with a hand on her soft, bare back.

Trevillion might be red-faced, but the man was nothing if not canny.

Only when the carriage started forward did he let Megs slip from his lap.

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About the Author

Elizabeth Hoyt is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of historical romance, including reader favorite, The Raven Prince.

Elizabeth was born in New Orleans but grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota. She was fortunate to be able to travel extensively as a child, visiting St. Andrews, Scotland; Germany; France; and Belgium. She spent a year in Oxford, England and was a summer exchange student to Kawasaki, Japan.

Elizabeth has a BA in anthropology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison and, as a result of having no clue what to do with her life thereafter, a career history as a barista, a (terrible) sales clerk, a Wisconsin Revenue Service data entry slave, and an archeological field work grunt. Fortunately, Elizabeth married relatively young and produced two children who kept her busy until her mid-thirties. At about this time, when her youngest was entering Kindergarten, Elizabeth’s mother hinted that perhaps Elizabeth should get a Real Job.

Sadly, Elizabeth was so delusional she thought writing a romance novel might qualify as a Real Job.

But! Five years later, to everyone’s surprise, she actually sold that romance novel (The Raven Prince) and began a rather successful career as a Romance Novelist. This was most fortunate since Elizabeth is singularly unqualified to do anything else but Make Up Stories.

Since then Elizabeth has written eleven books to critical acclaim: The Prince Trilogy (The Raven Prince, The Leopard Prince, and The Serpent Prince); the Legend of the Four Soldiers series (To Taste Temptation, To Seduce a Sinner, To Beguile a Beast, and To Desire a Devil); and the Maiden Lane series (Wicked Intentions, Notorious Pleasures, Scandalous Desires, Thief of Shadows, and the upcoming Lord of Darkness.) All of Elizabeth’s books are set in eighteenth century England and all feature a fairy tale story that serves as a foil to the main story.

Elizabeth lives in central Illinois with a trio of untrained canines and a garden in constant need of weeding.

Ms. Hoyt has an awesome giveaway today!
A SIGNED copy of LORD OF DARKNESS.
And this is open INTERNATIONAL!