Welcome to Under the Covers Book Blog, Christy! We’re so thrilled about your latest release, ANYTHING BUT A DUKE! We’ve been excited to read this series since we heard it’s a Victorian version of the TV show Shark Tank.  Can you please tell us more about the Duke’s Den series and how the idea came to be?

Thanks so much for inviting me!

The Duke’s Den was an idea that bubbled up because I was thinking a lot about the inventions of the Victorian era. I’d done a bit of research on innovations in printing and book publishing for a previous book, and I loved the idea of somehow combining inventors and entrepreneurs. I’d watched Shark Tank a few times, and I just loved the idea of adapting that idea and somehow making it work in the Victorian era.

What is your favorite thing about Aidan and about Diana?

I love that Aidan is inherently kind. I’ve written alpha heroes and love them, and Aidan is definitely self-sufficient and driven. Still, even though he experienced hardship as a child, he’s willing to help others.

I love that Diana believes in herself and her invention so completely. When it comes to love, she may have some doubts, but she never waivers in her determination to get funding for her machine.

What is your writing process like?  Do you have a clear outline of the story, or are you more of a pantser?  Do you use visual inspiration (like pictures or celebrities) to write scenes or characters?

I’m forever in search of the most effective writing process! I’m definitely a planner, and I do like a general sense of the plot and my turning points in a story before I begin writing. However, I have to admit that I often end up diverging from my plan. The choices characters make and the need to ratchet up the tension sometimes take the story in the best, if unexpected, directions. I’m a very visual person, so I always like to gather some pictures of actors who represent my characters and settings that evoke the places I’m writing about. For most of my books, I’ve done that via Pinterest and have boards set up for most. Click here to check them out.

What was the biggest obstacle you faced while writing this book?

All of my obstacles were personal rather than story-based. It was a challenging time for me that involved some of those unexpected life issues that you never incorporate into your plan.

Has there been any fun or weird piece of information you found while doing the research for this series?

I read about a lot of intriguing inventions! A couple of the inventions mentioned in the novel came from my research, including the hat removal device. A favorite I read about was a parasol that had spectacles sewn into the fabric so that you could keep the rain off and see clearly at the same time.

What is your favorite thing about writing in the Historical Romance genre?

Historical romance was the genre that I first gravitated toward with when I started reading romance. Authors like Lisa Kleypas, Julia Quinn, and Connie Brockway really made me fall in love with historicals. I’m also a history lover in general. I’ve always been fascinated by the past, and I’ve developed a special fondness for the Victorian era in particular. To be able to tell stories about strong women and love overcoming all the odds and set it all against a Victorian backdrop is a dream come true.

Do you have a favorite trope to read?  How about the most fun to write?

One of my favorite tropes is friends to lovers, but I’ve actually never written it. I’m giving it a try in my current work in progress, and I have to say it’s as much fun to write as it is to read.

Enemies to lovers is also fun to write because the tension is built in and gives both main characters lots of room to grow.

What are you working on next?

I’m working on the third and final book in the Duke’s Den series. For those who’ve read the first book, A DUKE CHANGES EVERYTHING, this is Rhys’s story. He’s my most unapologetic rogue of the Duke’s Den trio, so he’s lots of fun to write.

Thanks so much for sharing with us today!

Thank you for the invitation!

Available April 30, 2019!

 

Self-made man Aidan Iverson has seen more closed doors in his thirty years than he’s ever cared to count. As a member of the elite Duke’s Den, he has all the money he could possibly need, but the one thing he can’t purchase is true power. If roguish Aidan can’t buy his way into society’s hallowed halls, he’ll resort to a more extreme measure: marriage.

Brought up to be a proper lady, the only thing Diana Ashby desires is to be left alone to the creation of her own devices. But when her dreams are crushed, she must find another way to secure the future of her invention. Knowing his desire to enter her world, Diana strikes a deal to arrange Aidan’s marriage to the perfect lady—as long as that lady isn’t her. She doesn’t need any distractions from her work, particularly of the sinfully handsome variety.

As Diana and Aidan set out to find him an aristocratic match, neither are prepared for the passion that ignites between them or the love they can’t ignore.

In the Duke’s Den, can happiness ever be a winning prospect?

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About Christy Carlyle

Fueled by Pacific Northwest coffee and inspired by multiple viewings of every British costume drama she can get her hands on, USA Today bestselling author Christy Carlyle writes sensual historical romance set in the Victorian era. She loves heroes who struggle against all odds and heroines who are ahead of their time. A former teacher with a degree in history, she finds there's nothing better than being able to combine her love of the past with a die-hard belief in happy endings.

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