How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days

It’s a pleasure to welcome bestselling author Kerrelyn Sparks to Thoughts in Progress today to talk about her new release just out, HOW TO TAME A BEAST IN SEVEN DAYS.

Kerrelyn’s previous series, Love at Stake, constantly hit the New York Times bestseller list and created a massive fan following for her witty vampires. With the end of her vampire series, comes the start of an extraordinary new fantasy romance series called The Embraced beginning with HOW TO TAME A BEAST IN SEVEN DAYS. Set in a medieval mythical world, the series explores a special group of people with powers born when the two moons of the world form an eclipse. In the start of the series, we meet Luciana, who can speak to the dead, and the Beast of Benwick who can controlling lightening.

◊ HOW TO TAME A BEAST IN SEVEN DAYS:

◊ The Embraced Series

◊ By Kerrelyn Sparks

◊ Published by St. Martin’s Paperbacks

◊ **On Sale March 7, 2017**

◊ Mass Market Paperback | $7.99

◊ ISBN: 9781250108210

◊ eBook ISBN: 9781250108227

Luciana grew up on the Isle of Moon, hidden away because of her magical powers. But when her father arrives, he offers her a choice: remain on the island or return with him and marry the Beast of Benwick in order to save their legacy - and her father's life.

          Lord Leofric, the Beast of Benwick, has not been touched since he was a child. Born with the power to harness lightning, he is a danger to everyone he touches. When he meets his betrothed, he expects a loveless, lonely marriage...until he discovers she's vastly more powerful than he realized. But is she strong enough to withstand his touch?

          If they can survive, their love will alter the future of the kingdom. But will their extraordinary powers cost them everything?

Filled with romance, humor, and a beautifully imagined new world, HOW TO TAME A BEAST IN SEVEN DAYS is a fantasy in the vein of Game of Thrones with all the fun of The Princess Bride. Luciana is a vibrant leading lady that will have readers rooting for her spunk and devotion to her family while the Beast is a swoon worthy hero worth taming.

Kerrelyn has graciously answered some questions about her writing for me. Welcome, Kerrelyn.

The age-old question every reader wonders, what inspired you to write this book?

Kerrelyn:

I’m a huge fan of Lord of the Rings, and by the time I had finished writing the Love at Stake series, my love for fantasy and world building had crept more and more into my writing. The next challenge seemed an obvious one—creating an entirely new world. But since I still love paranormal, I wanted this new world to have all sorts of paranormal elements-- shifters, ghosts, witches, dragons, elves, and magical powers. My vampires all had the same powers, so I wanted to create a group of people (The Embraced), where each one could have a different power. And they are alive during the day!! I could actually write scenes in daylight for a change. The original idea for this series was to make it something like a female-oriented Game of Thrones, but I soon discovered that I can’t remain serious for more than a few paragraphs at t time, so the idea morphed into Game of Thrones meets The Princess Bride. So, with How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days, I tried to include all my favorites things: world building, romance, suspense, adventure, action, spooky stuff, and lots of laughs.

Do you have a ritual you follow when writing such as a favorite place to write, favorite time, etc.?

Kerrelyn:

I can write just about anywhere, either on the computer or by longhand. At home, I like to be in a comfy chair with my feet up and relaxed. But I also love to travel, so I’ve done many pages in a car or airplane or on a cruise ship. Sometimes, I think I’m more productive when traveling because I don’t always have access to the Internet and I’m not getting bogged down with the usual chores you have at home — laundry, grocery shopping, cooking, etc. The only thing that can really stop me from writing is hearing dialogue from another source. If there’s a TV show on or people talking nearby — I find it impossible to write dialogue while I’m hearing it. Music is all right, although I prefer instrumental or songs in another language so I don’t get distracted.

Which comes first for you, the characters' names or their descriptions?

Kerrelyn:

Most of the time I have a name first. But every now and then, I have a nameless character I can see in my mind. I know what he looks like and how he acts and thinks and talks, but the name eludes me till finally — one name will just click, and I know I’ve found him. It’s odd, but there’s a lot to a name. It has to be a perfect fit.

What three books would you take with you if you could go on a year-long vacation without access to any books other than the ones you take with you?

Kerrelyn:

Oh, this is a tough one. Only three? Could I make that three series? Well, if you must be cruel, I’ll go with Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien, and A Rose in Winter by Kathleen Woodiwiss.

What are you currently working on?

Kerrelyn:

I’m currently writing book 3 of the Embraced series. It will be titled Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon and will release in Spring 2018. I’m also finishing up edits on book 2, So I Married a Sorcerer, which goes on sale August 29, 2017. In book 2, Brigitta meets her match, the infamous pirate Rupert. He’s a Wind Sorcerer, which means he can control the wind!

Kerrelyn, thanks for joining us today and answering my questions. I must say I’ve read A Rose in Winter by Kathleen Woodiwiss more times than I can remember. Great choice.

Author Kerrelyn Sparks, Photo Credit Jennifer Berry Studio 16

Now for those of you who aren’t familiar with Kerrelyn, here’s a bit of background on her.

KERRELYN SPARKS is the New York Times bestselling author of the Love at Stake series.

For more on Kerrelyn and her writing, visit her online at www.kerrelynsparks.com.

Thanks for stopping by today during Kerrelyn’s visit. Do you enjoy a bit of humor mixed into a paranormal story? What do you think of vamps being able to go into the daylight?