Sunday, August 10, 2014

A Midsummer Night’s Fling by Beth Matthews: Author Interview & Giveaway

Kinky Vanilla Romance is pleased to share A Midsummer Night’s Fling by Beth Matthews, a contemporary romance released in June 2014.




A Midsummer Night’s Fling by Beth Matthews
 
Stage Kiss Series (#1)
 

Synopsis
 
After dating her childhood sweetheart Max on and off for years, aspiring actress Nicola Charles is finally ready to move on. It’s time for her to focus on her stage career and stay away from Max–before he can break her heart again.

Max regrets hurting Nicola, but he wants another chance. So when his play loses its leading lady, giving Nicola the part seems like the perfect opportunity to win back his old flame.

But the course of true love—and a theater production—never do run smooth. As Max fights to reignite Nicola’s love, the onstage antics can’t rival the bedlam backstage: a neurotic cast, a prickly crew, and an evil diva of a director who’s got designs on Max.

As Nicola and Max battle to keep the drama onstage, Max can’t help wondering if their romance will end with the last performance. Or have the two of them finally captured what they’ve dreamed of all their lives? True Love.

A contemporary romance that should appeal to fans of the wry humor and playful sexiness in the works of Julie James and Victoria Dahl.

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About the Author
 
Beth Matthews is a California girl, born and raised. She’s a total geek, a movie buff, and a mediocre swing dancer. She lives in sunny SoCal with her boyfriend and two of the neediest housecats on the planet.

Author Links 



Author Interview

What inspired you to write A Midsummer Night's Fling?

I've been in A Midsummer Night's Dream twice as an actor (once as a fairy and once as Hermia, the ultimate Shakespeare bimbo) and I met my boyfriend during one those productions. So, for various reasons, it's kind of my sentimental favorite of Shakespeare's plays. Reunited lovers is also one of my favorite tropes so, when I started brainstorming ideas for a contemporary, the idea of reunited lovers having to work together to play Titania and Oberon (the ultimate Shakespeare power couple) just got all of my creative juices flowing.


What scene was the hardest to write? Why?

When I was doing research for A Midsummer Night's Fling I read this great story about Richard Burton and JFK having a contest at a party to see who could remember the most Shakespearean sonnets. (Burton won, by the way.) I knew I had to steal this for my book--and I did! The hero and several of the other actors have a "Sonnet Faceoff"--but working the contest into the story was difficult. I had to keep the pace moving and find a balance between working the sonnets in but not drowning the reader with them. I think I finally nailed it, but it took a LOT of drafts.


What's your favorite moment from your book?

I really love this exchange between the hero and heroine right after she joins the play:

"I should have asked for more money to do this play," she said.
Max nodded. "Probably."
"And my own dressing room."
"Definitely."
"And some sort of cabana boy to feed me grapes in the breaks between scenes."
"Well," Max paused, putting on a thoughtful expression. "We don't have anyone like that on staff, but maybe one of the interns."


Who's your favorite character in A Midsummer Night's Fling?

Well, of course I love the leads and I love their chemistry together, but one of the secondary characters snuck up on me too and became a real scene stealer. That was Lachlan, the hero's main rival in the theater company. Lachlan is really fun to write because he is snarky and sneaky and British and sexy as hell. (He might or might not be based a little bit on Tom Hiddleston…) Lachlan is going to get his own book at some point--he's just too much fun to write!


What is your next project, and when will it be released?

Right now I'm polishing up a New Adult romance, Love's Last Call, for release later this year. It's about a dorky bouncer and the cocktail waitress he's sure is out of his league. If people want to learn more they can check out the book's info-page on my website.


Which three books would you take to a desert island and why?

Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold because that is my very favorite book. The hero Cazaril is so compassionate and witty. I reread that book at least once a year. Faking It by Jennifer Crusie, which is probably my favorite romance novel of all time. I love Tilda and Davy's banter. No one writes banter like Crusie. Lastly, I would probably take some sort of instruction manual on how to build a raft or an island survival guide. ;P



Giveaway

Prize: one (1) ebook copy of A Midsummer Night’s Fling
Prize is sponsored by the author.
See Giveaways+ or the Rafflecopter widget for complete terms and conditions.

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2 comments:

  1. I would take different types of genre's with me because you don't know what type of mood you may be in. For me, scifi, horror, romantic, paranormal, medical thriller, who knows.

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  2. I'd take BLEAK HOUSE by Charles Dickens, LONESOME DOVE by Larry McMurtry, LORD OF THE RINGS by J. R. R. Tolkien - all books that get better with each re-read.

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