Good morning readers, Coffee Time Romance is excited to have Kim Lenox chatting with us today. She has a new book soon to be released, Night Falls Darkly and it is a great book read. Coffee Time Romance wants to extend a warm welcome to Ms. Lenox as we begin our interview and learn so much more about Kim.
Kim, thank you for allowing Coffee Time Romance this interview.
Thank you so much for having me, Cherokee! I’m thrilled to be here.
I would like to tell you that I love your inviting website. The minute I visited it, it had a warm inviting atmosphere.
I’m so glad to hear you say that. I hope readers will visit, and visit often. After NIGHT FALLS DARKLY’s release, look for a few additional features, such as some “hidden” scenes. I can’t tell readers where to find them – they’ll have to explore my website, and see what they come across!
I must tell you I read Night Falls Darkly and found it utterly gripping. I believe this is a series of stories on the Shadow Guards. I loved your characters. Archer, Lord Black practically leaps from the pages with an alluring charm. I found him the ultimate of heroes. Elena has a certain strength where she can most definitely stand on her own, but deep inside she still wishes to have that suave someone to come to her rescue where she can just fall into his arms. Kim, why not give the readers a sneak peek into the Shadow Guards?
NIGHT FALLS DARKLY begins as Archer, Lord Black, returns to England at the behest of Queen Victoria. A terrible killer is at large — one the queen believes deserves the attention of the most prolific and cunning of the immortal Shadow Guard’s Reclaimers. Archer revels in the hunt, finding Jack the Ripper to be a challenge – something he hasn’t experienced in a very long time. He soon learns, though, that he has one weakness – the young woman he spared from death two years before.
That young woman, Elena Whitney, has never wanted for anything – not since coming under the protection of her mysterious guardian, Lord Black, a man she has never met. He’s gifted her with everything a young woman of quality could hope for, including an enviable address, an unlimited income and entrée into the drawing rooms of high society. But now, after nearly two years of indifference, he believes he can sweep into her life and rid himself of her by marrying her off. If he knew anything about her – anything at all – he’d know she had greater aspirations than that.
What prompted you to do this series and to bring in Jack the Ripper?
When I was a child, I had what I’ll call an “Avenger” fantasy. I imagined I was a dark, mysterious female superhero (very cool of course, with a cool costume), and that I’d make evil people pay — and pay dearly — for the wrongs they’d committed against the innocent. I suppose that fantasy has continued on to this day, and in some small way, this is my way of giving the killer known as Jack the Ripper his due for what he did to his victims.
Did it take you long to work on Night Falls Darkly?
I wrote NIGHT FALLS DARKLY in about six months. I do a lot of plotting and re-plotting, writing and rewriting, until I’m happy with the direction my book is going. I tinker with my manuscripts up to the very moment I press the SEND button to my editor.
Have you always wanted to be an author?
I always wanted to be an author, but I didn’t know what I wanted to write until my late twenties. I’ll admit it, I was one of those romance novel snobs you hear about. I’d always been a big reader, I just hadn’t read any romances, other than the teen romance books I bought when I was fourteen. My mother is responsible for my conversion – she gave me a copy of her personal favorite, a book she probably hid from me when I was younger. It was SHANNA, by Kathleen Woodiwiss. I’ve been a fan of romance ever since.
Do you outline your stories or do you just write as you go?
I usually start off with a fourteen to sixteen page synopsis. Next I sit down with post-it notes, and scribble out individual scenes – just a few “trigger” words — and put them in order on a big project board. I usually start writing intensively at that stage. Eventually, once everything is even more clarified in my mind, I will plug all my scenes into a twenty-chapter table in Word, and print that out. I’ll scribble notes and reminders on the table, and update it once a week or so, until I’ve completed the book. That way I can keep up with plot points, dark moments and where my various threads begin and resolve.
Do your characters come alive and become a part of your life as you write?
Very much so. I once told a writer friend that I knew I was on the right track because I’d broken down and cried over the pain Archer and Elena were going through. When they hurt, I hurt! It’s funny that yes, I know there’s going to be a Happily Ever After, but when I’m in the middle of the darkest days of their lives, I can’t see that happy ending any more than they can.
Have they ever awakened you in the middle of the night and demanded your attention at the keyboard?
I have to say no. I love sleep, so once I’m down, I’m usually down until the alarm clock goes off. I do have to confess I had several very creepy Jack the Ripper dreams that woke me up while I was writing this book.
Do you have any hobbies or pet peeves?
My hobbies are cooking and reading, and doing things with my family. I love travel, and going to the beach. Pet peeves? I admit it! I have them! Line cutters drive me crazy. When someone cuts into a long line of people who’ve been waiting their turn, they are saying they are more important than all those other people. I don’t get that. And people who litter/pollute. We have a beautiful world, and we should take care of it.
You wake one morning to find that you and your spouse have changed identities for a whole week. What fun things would you do that week?
No! No! I don’t want to change identities. I’m the one with the fun job. It would be interesting to see what pages he wrote to be included in the next book though …
For your next works in progress, you are asked to rough it and live in a tent, would you do as your editor asked? And where would you set up your tent?
What a fun question! The second book in the Shadow Guard series, SO STILL THE NIGHT, opens in Highgate Cemetery, so I think that’s the location I’d pick! The cemetery would be beautiful and fascinating during the day. At night, I’m sure I’d be completely freaked out, and cowering inside my tent.
Is there anything else that you would love to share with your readers?
I hope they’ll love Archer and Elena’s story. I think the Shadow Guard series will appeal to both traditional historical readers, as well as paranormal readers — and anyone else who’s looking for a great love story and adventure.
You know the saying about the chip; no one can eat just one, what is something that you just cannot eat just one?
Doritos. I love them. I rarely buy them, because I want to gobble down the whole bag in one sitting.
Kim, I don’t know if you watch the Food Network but if you had the chance to either do a throwdown with Bobby Flay, cook a 30-minute meal with Rachel Ray, go up against one of the Iron Chefs with the certain secret ingredient, cook down south with Paul Deen, or whip up some Italian dish with Giada, which of these would you choose and why? And whoever you choose what meal would you prepare?
That’s a hard question. I love food, and would enjoy a cooking session with any one of those foodie experts. If I were FORCED to choose only one, I’d go with Bobby Flay, and we’d make something like … oh, fresh Mango margaritas, crab cakes with roasted corn and jicama salad, and some warm peach-blackberry cobbler. Thanks a lot Cherokee! Now I’m starving! And thanks for the great interview — I had so much fun!
Thank you Kim. I really enjoyed it and love your books!
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