Hello Diana and welcome to Passages to the Past! Thanks so much for stopping by today to discuss your novel, About an Earl!
To begin, can you please tell us a little about yourself and your writing?
Sure! Authors LOVE to talk about their writing. While I’ve been writing for many years, it took me a long time to get serious about publication. Career, marriage, children, family – those all came first for me while I hid my writing in a box under the bed. While I read both fiction and nonfiction, my first love has always been Romance novels. I always knew those were the stories I wanted to write. It’s the happily-ever-after that appeals to me.
What inspired you to write About an Earl?
Fairy tales. I devoured Aesop, Grimm, and Andersen as a child and the original tales are as dark and twisty as any modern thriller. My vision for the “What Happens in the Ballroom” series was to mash-up elements of well-known fairy tales. After all, they’ve been entertaining people for hundreds of years. ABOUT AN EARL, is my romcom imagining of Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid woven together with an HEA at the end.
What was your favorite scene to write?
I love the meet-cute. It’s my favorite part of any book; that first spark between the two main characters. I love writing awkward meet-cutes and the one in ABOUT AN EARL was a blast for me to write. There’s a dark, deserted garden, masks, a Greek goddess, and a case of mistaken identity. Once I shoved those two characters together, I could take them on any wild journey I wanted to.
What was the most difficult scene to write?
Since I’ve been married forever, I’d say writing a sexy-times scene for a virgin hero was the most challenging. I knew Oliver was a tender-hearted beta hero and bringing out his inner tiger took many, many rewrites.
When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
Having always been drawn to books, as I child I wanted to be an English teacher. That dream morphed into wanting to be a librarian and that dream eventually changed to wanting to be an author. What really happened was file clerk to administrative assistant, marriage, development coordinator, motherhood, medical library assistant, motherhood part deux, test proctor, public library assistant, author.
What does your daily writing routine look like?
How to describe catching lightning in a bottle? I’m writing down or dictating ideas into my phone all day long. I stopped kidding myself that I’d remember things later and started noting things as I thought of them. I even have a special notepad for the shower. The bulk of my writing is done at night after everyone else has gone to bed. I need the uninterrupted time and the quiet. I’ve put in more than one writing all-nighter when the words are flowing. Other days, I’m happily writing while my hubby and the boys are watching a hockey game on TV. For me, it’s not an exact science.
What has been your greatest challenge as a writer? Have you been able to overcome it?
Confidence. It will always be a struggle for me to believe that my words are just as creative, interesting, and valid as any other author. Lack of confidence means I struggle to complete a first draft without endless editing and that compliments are brushed off as inauthentic.
Who are your writing inspirations?
Jill Kleypas, Julia Quinn, Cat Sebastian – all the big names that are easy to find in the library. They represented the kind of stories I wanted to write. When I got serious about sitting down to write I was inspired by Betina Krahn, Maggie Fenton, and Marianne Stillings – there is a delicate balance in their books between humor and angst that I knew I wanted to recreate.
What are three things people may not know about you?
I studied belly dancing for years.
I’m a middle child and, yes, everything said about us is true.
I’ve had the song “Toss a coin to your Witcher” stuck in my head for a week now.
What appeals to you most about your chosen genre?
It’s all about the HEA. Real life is a roller coaster with no predictable outcome. Romance novels are guaranteed to have a happily-ever-after. I need that and I think a lot of readers do too. I chose historical romance novels because I’m a sucker for research. Love it. Falling down a research rabbit hole for an hour or two (or more) is well-spent and enjoyable time for me. With every little tidbit, trivia, or historical fact, I’m working out how to fit it into a story.
What historical time period do you gravitate towards the most with your personal reading?
The period from 1770-1820. Wow, there was so much going on in the world then. Change upon change, the old giving way to the new, political upheaval, and advances in science during this time period make it a challenge to peel away the layers for more and more information.
What do you like to do when you aren't writing?
Read. When the weather cooperates, I get out and take a walk. I’m lucky I live by several parks with walking trails. If I get a story idea, I just dictate it into my phone and keep walking. My dog is especially happy with this habit as she likes walking too. PSA – your local animal shelter has plenty of dogs who’d love to be your walking buddy and they also make great lap warmers and writing partners.
Lastly, what are you working on next?
Book 3 of the “What Happens in the Ballroom” series, LAST LORD STANDING, was due to my editor a week ago (oops!) So, I’m finishing that up. This installment of the series begins in the same ballroom as the first two and ties all the main characters together. LAST LORD STANDING is scheduled for a September 2020 release. After that, my next trilogy is already clawing for space in my overcrowded brain. Hint: the year 1800 was wild, y’all.
Ha! I cannot wait for that trilogy! Thanks for spending time with us today!
About an Earl by Diana Lloyd
Publication Date: January 27, 2020
Entangled Publishing LLC (Amara)
ebook, 400 pages
Series: What Happens in the Ballroom, Book Two
Genre: Historical Romance
An outsider at her first English ball, Jewel is fascinated with the beautiful dresses and the lovely dancing, but she’s vowed to save the Earl of Winchcombe from her cousin’s marriage trap. When she first glimpses the handsome lord, her heart beats faster. As they plan to thwart her cousin’s machinations, she discovers a kindred spirit in Oliver—even if he’s a peer and she’s a lowly colonist. Caught kissing the earl, the ball ends in disaster and Jewel’s displeased uncle whisks her away to Scotland..
Lord Scar, as the ton calls Oliver, would rather be anywhere than at a godforsaken masquerade ball and when he learns from the free-spirited colonist about the nefarious marriage plan, he grudgingly accepts her help. Jewel intrigues him and sets his heart racing. Yet, when the ball is over and the mask is off--Oliver curses the scar that will send her screaming away.
When her uncle banishes her, Oliver comes to her rescue by offering Jewel his hand in marriage. She agrees, despite his disfigurement. But what’s a beastly lord like him to do with such a beautiful wife--especially when he discovers she’s delightfully saucy?
Amazon | Barnes and Noble
About the Author
Diana Lloyd, mother of gingers, lives in the state shaped like a mitten. Diana has loved books since she first ate one and appreciated them even more once she learned to read. Enjoying an occasional tumble down the rabbit hole of research, Diana writes historical romance by mixing equal parts History, Heart, and Humor. A 2017 RWA Golden Heart finalist with HOW TO TRAIN YOUR BARON, Diana is anxiously awaiting the publication of book two ABOUT AN EARL and book three LAST LORD STANDING in the "What Happens in the Ballroom" series.To stay up to date on all of Diana's projects, visit her website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, BookBub, and Goodreads.
Blog Tour Schedule
Monday, January 27Review at Rose is Reading
Tuesday, January 28
Review at Historical Romance Lover
Wednesday, January 29
Interview at Passages to the Past
Thursday, January 30
Review at Gwendalyn's Books
Friday, January 31
Feature at I'm Into Books
Review at Historical Graffiti
Monday, February 3
Review at Unabridged Chick
Wednesday, February 5
Feature at Donna's Book Blog
Thursday, February 6
Review at A Chick Who Reads
Excerpt at Books In Their Natural Habitat
Friday, February 7
Review at Locks, Hooks and Books
Saturday, February 8
Review at Historical Fiction with Spirit
Sunday, February 9
Feature at YA, It's Lit
Monday, February 10
Review at Robin Loves Reading
Giveaway
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About an Earl
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