Kelli A Wilkins

The Royal Desires Trilogy - Three Fun Fantasy Reads!
 By Kelli A. Wilkins, Amber Quill Press author

Someone recently asked me how I plotted my “Royal Desires” trilogy: A Most Unusual Princess, http://www.amberquill.com/AmberHeat/MostUnusualPrincess.html Dalton’s Temptation, http://amberquill.com/AmberHeat/DaltonsTemptation.html and The Pauper Prince http://amberquill.com/AmberHeat/PauperPrince.html. Did I use note cards to keep track of each character’s description? Did I make an overall outline of the whole trilogy, and then write each book?

Nope. The truth is… I just wrote the story that was in my head. I didn’t intend to write a trilogy – it kinda happened on its own. (With a lot of typing on my part, of course!) I wrote each book by itself, with its own setting and theme, apart from the book that came before. So, although they make up a series, each book can stand alone as an individual read.

I specifically wrote A Most Unusual Princess  http://www.amberquill.com/AmberHeat/MostUnusualPrincess.html for the Amber Quill Press “Amber Heat” contest. The book won (along with two others, The Dark Lord & The Sexy Stranger). Although the Fantasy genre wasn’t something I had written in before, I liked the idea of following a very headstrong and spoiled Princess Elara as she looked for a suitable husband.

The story was fun to write and I enjoyed contrasting Elara’s moodiness with her sensual feelings for Dalton. And poor Dalton! By the end of A Most Unusual Princess, I knew he had to have his own story, so I followed up with Dalton’s Temptation.

In Dalton’s Temptation, http://amberquill.com/AmberHeat/DaltonsTemptation.htmlI deliberately focused on the theme of fidelity. Elara wants to test Dalton’s loyalty, so she masquerades as a sultry girl in a pleasure palace. Naturally, she gets in over her head and into trouble. I enjoyed taking Elara out of her element and giving her new challenges and experiences. We also got to see a different side to Dalton’s character and learned about his weaknesses and desires.

Dalton’s Temptation also introduced us to Elara’s brother, Prince Allan. What a pip! He’s a perfect example of a secondary character who tries to run away with the story.

While writing Dalton’s Temptation, I knew Allan needed his own book, and The Pauper Prince was born.

In The Pauper Prince, http://amberquill.com/AmberHeat/PauperPrince.html Allan is banished to live the life of a commoner. His life has been turned upside down. He’s broke, miserable, and forced to endure abuse at his job in the shipyard.

Allan’s character undergoes a complete transformation between Dalton’s Temptation and The Pauper Prince. Once a carefree womanizer, Allan discovers a secret side to himself and through his relationship with Claudette, he learns a lesson about what is truly important in life. A more settled Elara and Dalton also appear in the book and help wind up the trilogy.

I enjoyed writing each of these books. It was fun to create the characters, give them unique adventures, and complicate their lives – all in the name of love. Although these are spicy romances, there’s enough drama, sadness, and humor to keep readers entertained and enthralled. But don’t just take my word for it. Here’s what a few reviewers had to say:

“A Most Unusual Princess is an amusing book that will seize your attention from the first word. Elara is a woman who wants to get married on her own terms, not those set by her father. The growing attraction and love between Elara and Dalton carry this sweet story. Ms. Wilkins has created appealing characters that will touch your heart.” - Tewanda, Fallen Angel Reviews

“I thought the first book [A Most Unusual Princess] was hot, but Dalton’s Temptation is worth reading. Kelli A. Wilkins did a superb job in this one and introduces us to a new side of Dalton. The beginning was just about Princess Elara, and this time we learn more of Dalton. I loved this story and it’s hard for me to give a Historical Erotica a 5 for the first part and a sequel but Kelli Wilkins did a beautiful job in showing us a princess with stubborn heart to love and a man who completes her in every way.

Lena, Reviewer, Mybookcravings.com

“Kelli A. Wilkins finishes her trilogy of books, which started with A Most Unusual Princess and Dalton’s Temptation, with a bang. The Pauper Prince is a riveting tale, and it is a must read for anyone who enjoys fantasy Romance. It is stuffed full of action, love, excitement, sedition, and scurvy characters that are set to make our prince’s life miserable if he lets them. Skillful crafting allows the reader to slip under the spell of Allan and live his every ache, pain, and triumph. The Pauper Prince is a real must read, and in case you haven’t read the others, I would suggest you get A Most Unusual Princess and Dalton’s Temptation, too. Kelli has definitely written a trio of must buys for Amber Quill!!!"

- Rose, Reviewer, Romance at Heart

Happy Reading!

Kelli

Kelli A. Wilkins

Four Days with Jack

Hot new romance release from Amber Quill Press author Kelli A. Wilkins

(www.KelliWilkins.com)

 Hi everyone,

I’m pleased to announce the release of my new book, Four Days with Jack. Although this is my 13^th Amber Quill Press romance, it’s my first gay romance for Amber Allure.  Today I’m sharing some background about the book.

 Since this is my first gay romance, readers may be wondering – why a gay romance now? What sparked the change in genres?

 Up until now, I’ve written straight contemporaries, historical/fantasies, and paranormals of varying heat levels. Some books are scorching-hot and include storylines with multiple partners (A Midsummer Night’s Delights), while some are focused exclusively on a M/F relationship (Trust with Hearts). When I write, I let the story and characters take me wherever the plot leads. In the case of Four Days with Jack, it led to a tropical resort!

I always knew that one day I’d write a gay romance, and I’ve been batting ideas around in my head for a while. I was in between books and had just finished editing A Perfect Match when I heard about the Amber Allure “Postcards from Paradise” line, and I knew I had my next project.

 At first, I didn’t know what the story would be. All I had was a basic plot (straight guy comes out to his gay best friend), a title, and one pivotal scene that takes place in a bathroom. (For those of you who have read the book, you know which scene I’m talking about – but I won’t give it away here.) From there, I let my imagination wander and came up with the resort, the rest of the plot, and the unusual cast of characters that Jack and David encounter.

 Four Days with Jack is one of the very few books I wrote without an outline. I think not having an outline let the characters write their own story (so to speak), and took the book in new directions. Over four days, David and Jack learn a lot about themselves, each other, and what sacrifices they’ll make to stay together.

 I like the story, and I hope readers will, too. It’s got a good blend of humor, drama, and plenty of sizzling love scenes that will heat up your summer! 

 Here’s a short summary and the book link:

 FOUR DAYS WITH JACK

 When David invited his best friend along on vacation, he never expected them to fall in love…

 Spending four days in a tropical paradise with Jack is a dream come true. For years, David lived a lie and denied his attraction to Jack. Now that they’re together in an isolated Caribbean resort, he finally sheds his denial and admits what he really wants—to be Jack’s lover.

 Jack is more than willing to introduce David to the life he has always fantasized about. Their sizzling nighttime encounters confirm David’s long-hidden desires. But what will happen when they leave the resort? Will David sacrifice everything to start a new life with Jack? Or will he go back to his old ways and risk losing the best friend he ever had?

***

The book link is:  http://amberquill.com/AmberAllure/FourDaysWithJack.html

The link to A Perfect Match is: http://amberquill.com/AmberHeat/PerfectMatch.html

The link to Trust with Hearts is: http://amberquill.com/AmberHeat/TrustWithHearts.html

The link to A Midsummer Night Delights  is: http://www.amberquill.com/AmberHeat/MidsummerNightsDelights.html

I hope you’ll check them out!

Happy Reading!
Kelli

Kelli A. Wilkins

A Perfect Match – A sizzling contemporary romance set in the world of professional wrestling!


By Kelli A. Wilkins, Amber Quill Press author

http://www.kelliwilkins.com/

Hi everyone! My new Amber Heat romance, A Perfect Match was just released on March 27. I blogged a little bit about the book before on my personal blog (http://kelliwilkinsauthor.blogspot.com/ ), but now I’m sharing an excerpt and some insight into the book in general.

A Perfect Match is a contemporary romance set in the world of professional wrestling As anyone who knows me will attest, wrestling has always been a part of my life, so it was only natural that one day I’d write a book with wrestling as the backdrop.

People who have read the book have asked me to questions: 1. Which wrestlers are the characters based on? and 2. How do you know all this stuff about wresting?

It’s easier to answer the second question first. Wrestling has always been a staple in my family. (I like to say it’s our family tradition.) Years ago, I was fortunate enough to be on friendly terms with a bunch of wrestlers. My husband and I would go to matches and hang out with the guys after the shows. (No, I wasn’t a ring rat.) I picked up a lot of terms and got a real feel for what they did and how they experienced life on the road. I wasn’t even thinking about writing then, so I had no idea that one day I’d use what I learned in a book. When I got the idea for the book, I was able to incorporate much of what I knew into the plot, through Danni’s point of view.

The male characters in my book (Vinnie, Ev, Thorn, Nick) aren’t based on any one wrestler or real person. Like characters in any story, they’re a combination of real and invented personalities and have their own individual traits. I specifically made sure that Vinnie and the others aren’t linked to real wrestlers, because it would take away from the story. Also, since I’m writing fiction, I was able to invent whatever character flaws and backstory info that I wanted!

Here’s a short summary & a hot excerpt:

A PERFECT MATCH

Falling for the wrestler she had been assigned to interview wasn’t part of Danni’s plan, until Vinnie Valentine pinned her heart in a flash.

Disgruntled with her job as the office gopher for a national sports magazine, Danni Stone impersonates a reporter to prove herself to her boss. Her assignment? Spend thirty days on the road with Vinnie Valentine, a sexy professional wrestler.

Life isn’t going well for the Heavyweight Champ. Vinnie is struggling with a manipulative boss, prepping for the most important match of his career, and feuding with his arch-enemy, Thorn. The last thing he needs is a nosy reporter following him around—even if she is hot.

Thrown together in close quarters, Danni can’t help falling for Vinnie. Their mutual attraction grows, and Danni gives in to the lustful feelings she’s repressed for years. As their relationship deepens, she finds herself drawn into Vinnie’s world and becomes a key player in his title bout. But before Danni can tell Vinnie that she isn’t the reporter she claims to be, he discovers her deception. Her lie threatens to destroy everything between them. Is their fragile love destined to fail, or are they a perfect match?

***

Danni hurried down the hall to the locker room. She hadn’t meant to be late picking up Vin tonight, but the moron lot attendant wouldn’t let her back into the parking area. She pushed open the locker room door and rushed inside. “Vin, I’m sorry I—”

Her tote bag slipped through her fingers and dropped to the floor. Vin stood less than three feet away, soaking wet. A white towel barely covered his waist.

“Oh, my God!” Her entire body flushed as a tingling sensation built deep in her belly. Vin was practically naked and dripping wet from the shower.

“I…um…you’re…I…oh God,” she muttered and whirled around. Why wasn’t he saying anything?

Vin’s warm hand settled on her shoulder. He gently turned her to face him. Beads of water dripped down his chest, and she longed to lick them away. “Um…you…you’re wet.” She glanced at the towel and prayed it would fall off his waist.

“And you’re not?”

She squealed as Vin drew her to his chest. His mouth covered hers, and she lost all sense of reason.

A wet heat built between her legs as Vin’s tongue entered her mouth. Her body surged beneath his touch. She clutched him tight and dug her fingers into the solid flesh of his back and ribs. He smelled like soap and water and yet there was a hint of something manly, musky about him.

Vin moaned and cupped her buttocks through her sundress, melding her body against his. A high-pitched mewing sound escaped her throat as a long-denied lust flared within her. Was this really happening? She’d had this fantasy for so many nights, would she wake up and discover it was only another dirty dream?

She slid her hands down Vin’s flat stomach to the edge of the towel. For a second, she hesitated, unsure. Did she dare do what every instinct commanded? Vin’s tongue plunged deeper into her mouth, wordlessly urging her on. She groaned and traced the outline of his rigid cock through the towel. Hard and thick, it was exactly what she craved.

Without thinking, she tugged the towel away, freeing his penis. Vin moaned as she ran her hand along the length of him. It was so huge, it would never fit inside her—but that didn’t matter—she wanted to try.

Vin scooped her into his arms and carried her across the room. She kept her eyes closed as he set her down on something padded. Her knees hung over the edge of something sturdy. Was she on the massage table?

“You sure you want it?” he asked, his voice raspy.

“Yeah. God, yeah.”

Wide hands pushed up under her dress. Vin massaged her wet sex through her panties and she lifted her hips toward him. She needed him inside her—now.

“Please, hurry,” she begged.
***

The book link is: http://amberquill.com/AmberHeat/PerfectMatch.html

I hope you’ll check it out! I’ll be sharing more about it on my blog: http://kelliwilkinsauthor.blogspot.com/  and I’d love to hear what readers think about the book, the story, and the characters. You can read excerpts and catch up on all of my Amber Quill Press romances on my site: www.KelliWilkins.com

Until next time,
Kelli