Sunday, March 7, 2010

Three Reasons You MUST Read Too Wicked To Kiss!


By Erica Ridley (hosted by Kirsten Scott)

Hi Everyone! Kirsten here, swinging by the Lair to drop off the talented Erica Ridley! Erica's debut, Too Wicked to Kiss, is a gothic romance with plenty of passion, suspense, and a really hot hero. Too Wicked to Kiss is already garnering praise and great reviews. I'm sure it's going to be a smash hit and I'm thrilled to have Erica in the Lair to tell us all about it.

Now, Erica is a delightful conversationalist and it would be great fun to just do the usual interview with her. But I'm feeling a need to change things up a bit. It's my adult ADD at work. *VBG* So instead of the usual interview, how about we play a little game? I'm giving Erica three chances to convince you to buy her book. The trick is that all three have to be excerpts from the book. No cheating!

So...here's to you Erica!


Thanks Kirsten! I'm thrilled to be here (but that isn't in the book so hopefully I'm not cheating). Here are my three reasons -- hope you enjoy!

REASON ONE: The Hero

Gavin stalked back over to Miss Pemberton, hauled her to her feet, and grabbed her by the shoulders. “No. I mean, she’s not like you.” He dropped his voice and leaned into her, until he was sure she knew exactly what he meant. “If we were alone, I’d show you precisely how you affect me, in ways the Stanton chit never could.”

She blushed, leapt away from him, busied herself with the kites. “We can’t be alone.”

He laughed. “Put down that kite and I’ll take you somewhere very alone.”

“Stop making me think about. . . that.”

“Mmm. I’m thrilled to know I make you think about ‘that.’ Care to define ‘that’ for me? Perhaps we can act it out.”

REASON TWO: The Whodunnit

A silence fell. No one seemed eager to exchange glances with each other, much less look too long at the corpse upon the bed. Even Miss Pemberton was not scrutinizing the earl’s body as she’d first suggested—not that Gavin blamed her—and was instead biting her lip and gazing at the carpeted floor as if she’d rather be anywhere than where she currently stood.

“I heard you, by the way,” Edmund slurred from his perch against a wardrobe. “I heard you apologize to your sister for killing him.”

“No,” Gavin said. “You heard me apologize for killing someone else.”

His clarification failed to ease the tension.

REASON THREE: The Passion

Evangeline replaced the poker she’d used to stoke the fire and turned to face him. Gavin was in half dress. She wore nothing but her shift. He looked splendid, as always. Dashing. Hungry. Hers.

Thumbs hooked in waistband, he lounged against the now-closed panel. The intensity of his gaze heated her flesh more than the fire at her back. Now that she’d invited the lion into her den, what was she going to do with him?



Whew! That was awesome - I can't imagine anyone can resist the book now! Now, we'd love to hear about Erica's writing process, her CALL story, and other delightful tidbits about her glamorous life traveling in Europe and rollerblading across Paris. But we'll save those for the comments.

Erica would love to give away a book or two -- she'll pick a couple of folks who ask questions from the comments to receive copies of Too Wicked To Kiss! So get your questions ready and say hello to Erica!

54 comments:

mariska said...

weeeeee !

mariska said...

Hi Erica ! *waving*
welcome to the lair :D

we're so happy to have you here.

- What's your favorite time to write ?
- any favorite quote(s) to share with us ? :)
- do you have favorite Author(s) ? who ?
- How did you choose your title ?

i can ask some more, i'll be back :D

limecello said...

Erica- I'm still totally jealous of the time you spent in Europe! Congratulations on the new release - I've been hearing great things about it, and loved the blurbs.

What made you pick this story and genre?
Is there any particular reason you chose the names Gavin and Evangeline?
And please - share your call story with us! (So not a question so much as a plea...)

Lastly - unrelated, Y_Y I'm so confused with these posts. (The past few days) I figured yesterday's original blank one was a fluke - and I was right and it disappeared and... well whatever :P

Helen said...

Congrats Mariska have fun with him

Whoo Hoo what excerpts I have heard so much about this book Erica I really need to read it all.

I would love to hear your call story and did you use any guy in particular when deciding on the hero and how long did it take you to roller blade across Paris.

Looking forward to hearing the answers. Thanks Kirsten for inviting Erica along today and what a fun post.

Have Fun
Helen

Kim in Baltimore said...

Hi, Erica! Still laughing about the comment on your website, “Getting lost in Budapest” (as I have done the same). At least the Hungarians use the same letters (just more accents). I’ve gotten lost in Greece (couldn’t remember the alphabet from my sorority days), Yugoslavia (not enough vowels), and even Hawaii (too many vowels).

But clearly you have navigated through the publishing business – how did you break through with your debut novel? How did you research your book – getting lost in London?

Looking forward to reading your book!

s7anna said...

Hey Erica,
I love reading gothic romances and this sounds like a fabulous read. What kind of research did you do to set up the settings for this story?

Happy Reading
Anna
s7anna@yahoo.ca

Virginia C said...

Reason 1: "That" man.

Reason 2: "That" man.

Reason 3: "That" man.

Reason 4: "That" man is way too wicked not to kiss ; )

Joan said...

Welcome Erica!

Your book sounds great and I can think of another reason to read it....

I want to know what happens!

Welcome to the Lair!

Anna Sugden said...

Welcome to the Lair, Erica and thanks to Inara for tempting you here.

You've certainly enticed me with your excerpts - I definitely want to know what happens!

Add my vote to those asking for your call story - it's always so inspirational to those of us still waiting *g*.

Erica Ridley said...

Mariska: Hi!! My favorite time to write is definitely first thing in the morning. I like to roll out of bed, pour a half gallon of coffee down my throat, and settle in front of the laptop for a couple hours, before the "real world" encroaches on my morning. =) Favorite authors are far too many to name (and since I glom backlists when I find a new favorite, there are books stacked 3 deep in every room of my house! LOL)

My editor actually came up with the title while rereading the first kiss scene between Gavin and Evangeline. She knows he's bad, bad, bad and that it can't possibly end well... and yet... to finally succumb to a kiss is sooo tempting! (Mmmmm)

Erica Ridley said...

Limecello!! Thank you so much! This genre (Gothic historical) is a blend of my two favorite genres evah: Regency romance and suspense, which was the perfect combination for me.

My call story begins with the confession that all my calls have been *missed* calls. I was not at home when my agent called to offer representation, and I was in Costa Rica with my phone off (in an attempt not to pay roaming fees) when she called to squee we'd sold the book. I went to an internet cafe to check my email, and opened what from her that said, "What do I have to do to get you to call me back??? We've got an offer on the book!!!" (I immediately decided I didn't give a fig about roaming charges, and called her right back! LOL)

Erica Ridley said...

Gavin Lioncroft wasn't based on any one person of my acquaintance, but rather an amalgam of men I've known and the men in my imagination whom I *wish* I knew. ;-)

Rollerblading across Paris so rocked!! It took about 4 hours. We went past a ton of amazing sights, including the Eiffel Tower.

(I say "we" because I went with Eloisa James--there's even a picture of us rollerblading in Paris on my Facebook if you want to see how awesome and superhero-y we looked in our protective gear: http://www.facebook.com/EricaRidleyFans :-)

Erica Ridley said...

Kim: I am proud to say I did in fact get lost in London many a time! LOL. Actually, one of my favorite things to do when visiting a new city is head out and walk around without looking at a map. Sometimes that's the best way to find the most amazing things! (And I agree--Greece was tricky. By the end of the stay, I'd figured out most of the alphabet sounds, and even then it was a challenge!)

As to breaking through the publishing business, well... first I wrote and polished several manuscripts (4 to be exact) while attending conferences and workshops etc. I did contests and pitches in the hopes of ensnaring agent representation, but in the end, it was the good old-fashioned query letter that did the deed. (In other words, there is no magic trick! The straightforward methods definitely do work.) The first manuscript we put out on submissions actually did not sell (it was a contemporary romantic comedy) but when I went back to my historical roots and gave my agent Too Wicked To Kiss, we sold within about 6 weeks!

Erica Ridley said...

Anna: I did a lot of research online and in books, but the truth is I drew heavily on a mix of actual experiences in Gothic castles and cathedrals as well as pure imagination. I hope you enjoy Blackberry Manor!!

Erica Ridley said...

Virginia: Amen!! LOL ;-)

Erica Ridley said...

Thanks, Joan! I hope you have as much fun reading it as I did writing it!!

Erica Ridley said...

Thanks, Anna! And my best advice/encouragement is simply: perseverance. No part of it happened overnight for me, but I kept writing until I won contests, kept querying until I got an agent, and sent submissions until we sold a book! As the saying goes, the only difference between those who make it and those who don't, is that those who made it didn't give up. I really believe that!

Louisa Cornell said...

Way to go, Mariska !! Keep the GR busy or he will get into mischief!

Hello Erica !

Those are some great excerpts ! Gavin is definitely HAWT !! Makes me wonder if he is too wicked to kiss or just too darned wicked NOT to!

So, plotter or pantser or a mixture of both. Do you plot out each scene or do they unfold in your head as you go? And do your characters ever take you places you NEVER intended to go?

cheryl c said...

OK, I'm hooked! You had me at "hero." ;-)

catslady said...

After reading the excerpts I definitely want to know more - about the plot but definitely the characters. You convinced me and had me at reason one lol. I'd love to know more about you - time for any hobbies? pets?

Mitzi H. said...

Congrats Erica!!! Your novel sounds delightful and I'm looking forward to reading it. The cover is beautiful. Did you help design it?

Thanks for the chance to win a copy of your book.
mitzihinkey at sbcglobal dot net

Kirsten said...

Hey everyone -- isn't Erica fabulous! I just loved reading those excerpts and the book is just delightful.

Mariska, congratulations on the chook! Hope you'll make him do some work today -- maybe he can cook for your Academy Award party. :-)

Kirsten said...

lime, the posts have been a bit tangled because of MOI! I had a tester in the queue and forgot to take it out and it popped up before I got up the real blog yesterday. Then I messed up our group calendar for today. Clearly, I need a vacation! Maybe Kim from Hawaii can let me sleep on her floor for a few days? :-)

Christie Kelley said...

Erica, congratulations on your debut! I'm always so glad to see more Kensington authors here.

Your book sounds great and I can't wait to read it.

Erica Ridley said...

Louisa:
I'm pretty much a plantser... I need to know where the story is going in general, and where the scene is going in specific. I definitely have all my major turning points mapped out before I start writing, but then I plot (sometimes loosely) from turning point to turning point as I write, rather than the whole book at once. This is because sometimes I'm wrong about where it's going... which I think answers your second question! LOL

Erica Ridley said...

Catslady:
No pets, unfortunately, because I travel too much and would feel horrible dumping them off at a kennel for extended periods of time. Maybe someday, though! I do love traveling, though... if that can be considered a hobby, then it's definitely my #1. I also love scrapbooking (a great companion hobby to travel ;-) and rollerblading. I have a guitar collecting dust in the corner, and if I could afford a nice one, I'd love to get a piano--I played when I was younger and have missed it ever since. How about you?

Erica Ridley said...

Mitzi:
The extent of my help involved filling out a form describing the hero and heroine (which was *mostly* adhered to... Evangeline's hair is actually wild and curly in the book, but I'm beyond pleased at the cover's hotness factor, so I won't complain!! *g) I thought the art department did a fabulous job at evoking both spookiness and sexiness. =)

Erica Ridley said...

Kirsten:
Maybe Kim from Hawaii can invite *all* of us to sleep on the floor for a few days...? ;-)

Christie: Thank you!!!

Donna MacMeans said...

Erica - What a fabulous cover! Between the title and cover and wonderful excerpts this book should leap off the shelf.

I'm so envious of all your travels! Roller skating in Pairs (with Eloisa James no less!), sunning in Costa Rica, Greece, London ... it all takes my breath away. What marvelous fodder for more books. What's next on your plate?

Kate Carlisle said...

Erica, welcome to the Lair! And how fun to be here on Double Blog Sunday! You and the Oscars, what a treat for us!

You've definitely sold me on your fabulous book. I love the title, the cover is gorgeous, and what a tantalizing glimpse of your hero! All that AND a dead body! Awesome!! I'm off to order it right now!

And I must read more comments and find out about your rollerblading adventure in Paris. What fun!

Congrats on snagging the golden one, Mariska!! (And I don't mean the Oscar, I mean the BIRD!)

Nancy said...

Welcome, Erica!

Wow, all those scenes end in great hooks. I can see the TBR pile growing . . . *g*

So you're a morning person, eh? We recently discovered that many in the Lair are, while others of us, a slight minority, I think, function better in the "wee" hours than in the "early" ones.

Good luck with the book!

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

Welcome Erica!

And BIG THANX to Kirsten for inviting you. Your excerpts were FABULOUS! I LURVED the great old Gothics of yesteryear and I'm sure I'll love Too Wicked To Kiss also. ;-) What's NOT to love about that wicked hero?!?!? He was apologizing for killing someone else??? OMG, what a hook!

AC
In the minority with Nancy... even more NOT a morning person!

Erica Ridley said...

Donna: Insofar as travel, I'm staying here in the US for a little while, but I am getting to see a few places... I'm going to a readers' luncheon in Portland, the spring fling conference in Chicago, the national conference in Nashville, and NYC in August. I love to travel, so I'm totally pumped!!

Erica Ridley said...

Kate: Thank you so much!!!

Nancy: The funny thing is, although I am far more productive in the morning, I don't exactly bounce out of bed. And I never want to turn in at night... it's not unusual for me to stay up until 3am to finish a good book. So I guess you could say I'm a reluctant morning person! =)

Erica Ridley said...

Loucinda: Yay!! Thank you--I hope you love it!!!

Nancy said...

Erica, "a reluctant morning person" is a great phrase!

On the occasions when I have to roll in the morning, playing off your example, I'd describe myself as a grudging morning person.

Anna Campbell said...

Erica, huge fan of gothics. I was a teenager in the 70s and gothics were HUGE then. Victoria Holt fueled a large number of my adolescent fantasies, not to mention Heathcliff and Mr. Rochester. Let's face it, the Brontes are gothic through and through. The book sounds delicious! Congratulations!

hrdwrkdmom aka Dianna said...

I don't think I have ever read a gothic novel before and I read a LOT of historicals. How did I manage to miss an entire genre??

Erica, who decides what genre a book is listed under. Does the author determine that or the publisher?

hrdwrkdmom aka Dianna said...

Oh, by the way, you had me sold at number one, the hero...LOL

hrdwrkdmom aka Dianna said...

Loved the book trailer too Erica, did you make it?

Marnee Bailey said...

Congrats again, Erica! :)

And I think these are all wonderful reasons to read the book. Especially the hero.

Unknown said...

Hi Erica, congrats on your new release! I have been seeing your book a lot lately and i can't wait to read it.

What types of books do your read? Do you enjoy the research part of writing?

Darcy Burke said...

Hi Erica! I'm Erica's CP and I just have to post the link to the scandalsheet that highlights all of the wickedness in Too Wicked To Kiss. It's too awesome to ignore! Plus, it's something Banditas would totally dig. :) http://www.2wicked2kiss.com/

Caren Crane said...

Erica, so sorry I Oscar blogged on top of your head! Your book sounds fantastic and we are so happy you're here with us (you know, blogs on top of your head aside).

Gothics are some of my favorites!

Llehn said...

Hello Erica,

Of all the books that have been published, which ones (apart from Harry Potter) did you wished you had written and why?

Thanks.

Beth Andrews said...

Welcome to the lair, Erica! Wow, you've certainly convinced me to buy Too Wicked To Kiss! Thanks for the fabulous post *g*

Thanks so much for being with us today :-)

Fedora said...

LOL!!! Erica! I'm convinced!! Too Wicked to Kiss is going on the TBB :) As for a question, what are you working on next? Also, what/who's on your keeper shelf? Thanks for visiting with us today!

Unknown said...

Thanks for the interview Erica. The book looks great and I'd love to read it.

What are some of your most favorite historical romance books?

Thanks for your time,
lolahb at gmail dot com

Unknown said...

Erica, welcome to the lair!

This sound FABULOUS. I Really do not need the TBR pile to get any taller, but your hero is irresistible.

*sigh* Off to the bookstore tomorrow.

Thanks for visiting and sharing about your book, and please come back to play in the lair again soon!

limecello said...

Erica- heh. Yes, that's definitely something worth roaming charges! Congratulations again - you world weary traveler!
Sounds like a fantastic story :)

Kirsten - I need a vacation too - Hawaii sounds wonderful. Do you think Kim would be ok with *two* visitors? ;)

Lady_Graeye said...

Hello Erica!
I love asking questions!

~ Do you have a muse?
~ What/who inspires you to write?
~ Do you need certain things around you when you write? a fav drinking cup, a blanket, a pet?
~ What is your favorite book you've ever read?
~ Where is your favorite place or time to write about?
~ Do you write in different genres?
~ Where would you like to be in five/ten years?

Laurie Logan said...

Hi, Erica! I'd love to know what's next for you. Another historical gothic?

Pat Cochran said...

Hi, Erica

What has been your "wildest"
adventure in doing research for
your stories, besides getting
lost?

Looking forward to reading Too
Wicked To Kiss!

Pat Cochran

jo robertson said...

Hi, Erica, welcome to the Lair. I really like the sound of your debut book. Love a dark hero, a spunky heroine, and a murder mystery!