Guest Author & A Giveaway: Alexandra Hawkins

Hi everyone! For those of you who have stuck with me from the beginning… (O_o actually are there any of you who have lasted that long? Cuz… frankly you deserve a gold star. And maybe more.) You might remember that Alexandra Hawkins was possibly going to be the very first ever author in the Guest Author & A Giveaway feature. Unfortunately, she was too busy then, but she’s here now! (No seriously though, remember? It was also my very first ever personal blog giveaway. People – this is like… some sort of milestone, or something!)

I’ve now read all four Lords of Vice novels that are out – and in fact a review of Sunrise with a Notorious Lord will be going up some time in the future. (Was waiting for the guest post and all… ;)) I read it in a day. I can’t decide which book is my favorite in the series. I mean, All Night with a Rogue obviously stuck in my mind. But I think I like book two, Till Dawn with the Devil more. Or maybe book three – After Dark with a Scoundrel because I love the heroine, Regan. And it’s got the whole “zomg I can’t fall in love with my best friend’s little sister!!!” aspect. Heh.

Anyway, I’m sure you don’t want to listen to me anymore. Ms. Hawkins elected to do an author interview. So here are my questions, and her answers!

1. If you were a zookeeper, which animals would you terrify David Letterman with?
A: Probably something from the reptile and amphibian exhibits.

2. How’d you come up with the Lords of Vice and their nicknames? Do you nickname people you come across in your every day life? What’s next after this series?
A: I started by searching through 18th to 19th century marriage/death records. I made a list of surnames that I could break down into intriguing nicknames. The process took several days. Do I give people nicknames? Sometimes. What’s next after this series? I haven’t pitched the idea to my editor yet, but I’d like to write another series set during the Regency period. Right now, the Lords of Vice are keeping me busy.

3. What is a question you as an author always wish someone would ask you but nobody ever does? Or – what is a question you love answering?
A: I really don’t have any burning questions. I love discussing the Lords of Vice series with anyone who is interested in it. However, the one thing I’ve noticed is that I receive very few questions about the heroines. Most of the questions focus on the heroes, which makes sense since I’ve built the series around them.

4. As a child which character/book(s) would you most want to be [or be in] a Laura Ingalls Wilder book, Madeline L’Engle, Lloyd Alexander, L.M. Montgomery, or Gail Carson Levine?
A: Actually, I was a huge Nancy Drew fan when I was growing up. From your author choices, I’d have to go with Laura Ingalls Wilder. These Happy Golden Years was one of my favorite books. (Oh I like that! I’ll have to include Nancy Drew from now on… :D)

5. How’d you come up with your author name? Have you ever forgotten your author name and not responded when someone called out to you?
A: It was something my editor and I worked on together. Have I ever forgotten it? No, I’ve gotten used to the name.

6. What’s the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you in school? How about a conference? (Or any other public venue.)
A: I can’t think of anything really embarrassing. When I was in grade school, I managed to wipe out face-first into a mud puddle in front of my P.E. class. I was such a mess, the teacher drove me home so I could change clothes. As for a mishap at a conference—Thankfully, nothing has happened.

7. What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever eaten? On the other end of the spectrum – what do you most like to eat?
A: Honestly—sushi. I stay away from raw meat in all forms, but a friend talked me into trying it. I come from a family of farmers, which means meat and potatoes are standard fare at our house.

8. What was your first job? And what has been you most interesting one? (If writing, aside from that.)
A: My very first job was a paper route. Besides writing, one of my more interesting jobs was working as a medical technician for an ophthalmologist. I enjoyed working with the patients.

9. What did you do with the money from your first royalty check?
A: I bought a new laptop and printer. (I’m dying to know – what kind of laptop?)

10. What’s your favorite hair care product? Shampoo, conditioner, and other?
A: I have curly hair that tends to frizz in humidity. I’m a big fan of Biosilk’s conditioner.

11. What would you put in your ideal candy bar? Do you prefer sweet or savory snacks? What’s your favorite snack?
A: Caramel. I love dark chocolate and caramel. Yum! Sweet or Savory? It depends on my mood. I love to snack on fresh fruit. For savory, I like Stacy’s Parmesan Garlic & Herb Pita Chips. (I LOVE those! I recently discovered there are Stacy’s Parmesan Garlic & Herb bagel chips as well!)

12. What do you think is the best commercial of all time? Why?
A: I don’t have an all-time favorite commercial. One that I do think is sweet is the “Baby Driver” for Subaru. I have three teenagers so it resonates with my own feelings about the kids driving.

Oh – also, don’t the cover fairies absolutely adore Ms. Hawkins? Love all of them! And… I just went googling and look at what I found! All Afternoon with a Scandalous MarquessMy first reaction was “Oh. My.” O_O Look at that cover! Scandalous! I know it’s not Frost’s book… It’s Sainthill/Saint’s. I’m a tiny bit disappointed, but there’s still a chance! I keep telling/asking/begging Ms. Hawkins not to write Frost’s book last. (Don’t you think it’s a bit too cliche for him to go last?) But she says he needs more time. Or something. And I guess as the author of the series she knows best… ;P

Alexandra Hawkins is the USA Today bestselling author of the Lords of Vice Novels. An unrepentant Anglophile, she discovered romance novels as a teenager, and knew that one day she would be writing her own stories. She has combined her love of English history, mythology, and romance to create sensual character-driven stories that she hopes will touch readers’ hearts.

That’s it, folks! I think I should have asked her more questions, don’t you? 😉 So – what questions do you have for Ms. Hawkins? Either related to the Lords of Vice … or you know – something like what I asked. I don’t have to tell you which *I* personally would prefer, do it? 😛

Two lucky commenters will win their choice of books Ms. Hawkins currently has available, which are All Night with a Rogue, Till Dawn with the Devil,  After Dark with a Scoundrel, or Sunrise with a Notorious Lord. So let me see some crazy fun! 😉

0 thoughts on “Guest Author & A Giveaway: Alexandra Hawkins

  1. mary f

    Fun interview Alexandra and Lime 🙂

    I have 2 questions

    Do you have a favorite vice?

    Who is your favorite pairing in the series so far?

    Reply
    1. Alexandra Hawkins

      Hi Mary–My favorite vice is dark chocolate. Yum! As for my favorite pairing. It’s difficult to pick just one because each one is my favorite when I’m working on the book. Right now, Saint and Madame V are number one because I’m working on edits for their book. However, I’m also working on Hunter’s book and I love his interactions with the heroine.

      Reply
  2. June M.

    I LOVE this series! Alexandra Hawkins is a great author and I love the Lords of Vice. I have not read the latest book yet but I loved the first 3! I can’t decide whether I want Frost to get his story told soon, or be the last one. I do hope though that the girl he falls for drives him crazy!!!

    Congrats to Alexandra for the release, and I do remember the problems with the interview (this was right about when I really got into her books, getting the first 3 and falling in love with them).

    Reply
    1. Alexandra Hawkins

      Hi June–I’m so glad you’ve been loving the series! I did feel bad that I was Lime’s first guest author in spirit only. I think I was in deadline hell for Vane’s book. LOL, after a while all the deadlines become a blur.

      Reply
    1. Alexandra Hawkins

      Hi Maureen–Reading. My own deadlines have forced me to cut back on my pleasure reading so I enjoy those quiet moments. Second place goes to social media. I spend way too much time online. 😀

      Reply
  3. Liz

    Wonderful interview/post! I love the Q&A theme. Since you’re a new author to me, I can’t ask about the books themselves, but I would ask about the characters. When you plan your characters, do you look for inspiration somewhere like actors, models or singers or people you see in real life? Or do you create them entirely in your mind’s eye?

    Thanks for the great blog post and giveaway. I’m adding you to my TBR list!

    Reply
    1. Alexandra Hawkins

      Hi Liz–Excellent question. When I create character profiles, I do start with an image, but I stay away from recognizable models, actors, etc. This helps me start with a blank slate so I can build my character from the ground up. Otherwise, if I picked someone–let’s say, Jensen Ackles from Supernatural–then all I’d be thinking about is Dean. Which isn’t a bad way to pass the time, but it would muddle my character building process.

      Reply
  4. JoAnne

    I would love to win any of the books you plan to giveaway.
    Enlightening interview.

    Where is your favorite place to travel to on vacation?
    Where have you not yet traveled but would love to some day?
    I too loved reading Nancy Drew when I was young. Who are some of your favorite authors now?

    Reply
    1. Alexandra Hawkins

      Hi JoAnne–Favorite place to travel–Any place with a beach. I’m not a sunbather, but I love the water. Where would I like to travel? Greece and Egypt. As for favorite authors . . . Some of my favs are: Gaelen Foley, Anne Stuart, Linda Howard, Lorraine Heath, Jeaniene Frost, Jayne Anne Krentz, and Nora Roberts.

      Reply
      1. JoAnne

        Love the beach and have been to several Caribbean islands, Hawaii, CA and even Sicily to name a few. Would also like to travel to Greece and back to Italy too.
        Thanks for listing some of your fave authors. Some of them are favorites of mine too plus I can add a few more to my list to check them out.
        Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
  5. eli yanti

    Hi Alexandra,

    i really love your book till dawn with the devil and so excited with sunrise with a notorious lady, hope can win and read this book 😉

    Reply
  6. kimmyl

    I love Alexandra’s books! They are funny, and very sexy! Thanks for a great interview today! Can’t wait to read it.Thanks

    Out of all your books who is your favorite character and who did you have more fun writing about?

    Reply
    1. Alexandra Hawkins

      Hi Kimmyl–When I proposed the series, Sin was my favorite. Frost was not, hence one of the reasons why I kicked him to the end of the line. 😉 Now, that I’ve written five of the books (currently working on book 6), it’s become more difficult to pick a favorite. I really love them all–Even Frost, though we are still working out our issues.

      Reply
  7. Lili

    Good morning, Ladies! All of the questions I would have asked already have been, so I will ask this–what did you have for breakfast this morning? Are you like me, just give me coffee and I’m good to go, or do you prefer to sit down for breakfast before you head out to where ever you’re headed for the day?

    And I was an avid reader of Nancy Drew when I was a kid. Passed that love on to my niece now!

    L.

    Reply
    1. Alexandra Hawkins

      Hi Lili–I had hoped to pass my love of Nancy Drew to my two girls, but neither one was really interested in the books. However, they do share my passion for reading and both of them love romance–though my youngest is reading strictly YA.

      Re: Breakfast–I’m so bad about breakfast, and always have been. I had a cup of tea and a banana.

      Reply
  8. Milagros Gomez

    I just finished reading “All Night with a Rogue” and love it! Can’t wait to read the rest of the series!! Why do you love the Regency period? Have you ever thought of writing contemporary novels?

    Reply
    1. Alexandra Hawkins

      Good morning, Milagros! I’m so glad you loved ALL NIGHT WITH A ROGUE. 🙂 Why Regency? The period was my first introduction to the romance genre, and clearly it made an impression. There was something about the costumes, the opulent country houses, and darker aspects of the period that just fired my imagination. Have I thought about writing contemporary novels? Actually, I have, but I haven’t had time to act on any plot ideas.

      Reply
  9. Penny Gerstner

    I’ve been wanting to ask this question each time I read one of the Lord of Vice books (which is frequently– usually every other month) Is Frost gay? You never really write about him with a specific female. There’s comments that make think he’s straight, yet he seems to be most bothered by the pairing off of his friends.

    Reply
    1. Alexandra Hawkins

      Hi Penny–Good question. When I was developing Frost’s character for the proposal, this was a question I wanted to explore because he seemed to be evolving into a bisexual character. The short answer, however, is: No. Frost is very comfortable with his body and quite open-minded when it comes to sex. In the past, he has shared women with Sin and the others so while he might have experimented in his youth, he’s straight. As for being bothered by the pairings–Frost is a complicated and somewhat selfish character. He’s built his life around his friends, and Sin was the first one to put a ripple in his “perfect” world. It’s one of the reasons why he’s been so resistant to all the changes in his friends’ lives–and the reason why I wanted his book to be last. When his book opens, all of his friends will have moved on with their lives and for the first time he’ll be alone. Frost isn’t the type to doubt himself, but he’ll come close.

      Reply
  10. Julie

    Lovely interview! I was wondering if you had all their stories mapped out somewhere before you started, or if you’re kind of going along on the journey. 😀

    Reply
    1. Alexandra Hawkins

      Hi Julie–Another good question! I’m a plotter. My proposal to SMP was 78 pages. Fortunately, my editor loves detailed proposals. All the main plots were worked out in advance, but I develop minor storylines as I’m working on the manuscript. This allows me to work in character updates and anything else that develops during the creative process. And for the record–I HATE writing synopses. I grumble and whine about them, but I do find them invaluable when I’m writing that first draft.

      Reply
  11. Shannon

    Hi Lime and Alexandra!
    You are a new-to-me author Alexandra, and I’m looking forward to picking up your books.
    How do you balance family life and writing? Do you have a set schedule that you stick to? Where do you write? (Home office? Coffee Shop? Anywhere you can grab a moment?)
    I love that driving comercial too. Made me tear up the first time I saw it.
    Great interview! Thanks. 🙂

    Reply
    1. Alexandra Hawkins

      Hi Shannon–Balance in my life. It’s an elusive goal, but I haven’t given up on it. When I began to toy with the idea of writing a romance novel, I had a traveling husband and kids in diapers. Finding quiet time to figure out if I could even write a book was next to impossible.

      These days, my “babies” have grown into teenagers and my husband runs his business out of our house. The house is noisy, but I usually retreat to my office and turn on classical music to block the outside world. Since I work around my kids’ schedules, my hours can vary. My favorite time to write is at night.

      Reply
  12. savannah miller

    Hi Alexandra,
    All Night with a Rogue was my very first romance novel! I bought it for my Sony ereader 🙂 but anyway my question!
    If you had to write yourself into one of your stories which lord of vice would you set yourself up with??
    My choice for myself would be Frost (I always like the villains ;)!!) or Dare just because I think it took a lot of balls for him to piss off Frost!
    Thanks for the great interview!
    brandon_savannah@yahoo.com

    Reply
    1. Alexandra Hawkins

      Hi Savannah–Your first romance novel. Really? I’m so honored! Wow. That’s wonderful.

      Good question and a tough one. I was all about Sin in the beginning. Yum! However, Reign has a gentleness that still makes me sigh. And Dare. I admired his quiet strength and restraint with Regan even when he wanted her. Vane would be the guy to party with. Saint–Only my agent and editor have read his book. Let’s just say, the guy was full of surprises. I’m working on Hunter’s book so he’s fallen into my “men are so dense” category for the moment. And Frost and I have always had an adversarial relationship since he likes to go “rogue” on me. 🙂 Ah, the choices. Today I’d have to pick Dare, though Saint is running a close second.

      Reply
  13. Mary Kirkland

    I cannot believe I have not read these books. I will be fixing that soon. Just my type of book too.

    After a hard day of writing about sexy Hero’s, what do you like to do when you are trying to relax?

    Reply
    1. Alexandra Hawkins

      Hi Mary–I have a weakness for Regency bad boys. 🙂

      Since I spend hours isolated in my office, I like to relax with my family. We play games, watch movies, and try to catch up on whatever TV series we’re behind on–LOL, which is most of them.

      Reply
  14. Cathy P

    Hi Lime and Alexandra! Loved the interview and the covers on your books. You are a new-to-me author, but after seeing/reading your interview, I have to change that. My questions are: Do you write full-time now? How did you and your editor come up with your name? How did you meet your husband? How long have you been writing, and what made you decide you wanted to write?

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    Reply
    1. Alexandra Hawkins

      Hi Cathy–Yes, I write full-time. I was already a stay-at-home mom so the only thing that changed was the amount of time I dedicated to writing each day. re: Pseudonym–We approached it the same way I come up with character names. I searched English surname databases and wrote down my favorite names. When I had a a short list, my editor and I went back and forth until we came up with a name that we loved. Re: My husband. Believe it or not, I have to give McDonald’s credit for our first meeting. I was in college and working as an assistant manager for the restaurant. The future Mr. Hawkins strolled in looking for a part-time job. We flirted for six months before he got around to asking me out. I turned him down. Oh, I wanted to go out with him, but I couldn’t date him because of company policy. When I told him why I couldn’t accept, he quit on the spot. We’re celebrating our 24th wedding anniversary in May. Re: How long I’ve been writing? All of my life. It was something I did for fun. The notion of becoming published seemed like a pie-in-the-sky goal so I didn’t even consider writing a novel until the birth of my first child. I was staying home with her full-time and when she celebrated her first birthday I decided that if I wanted to write a book, this was my chance to go for it. Even so, I was clearly on the slow path to publishing. Thankfully, my persistence paid off.

      Reply
    1. Limecello Post author

      Diane, at the beginning! No seriously – as someone who doesn’t mind reading series out of order… in this case, I say why not go with the norm? 😉

      Reply
    2. Alexandra Hawkins

      Hi Diane–I can’t tell you how many series I’ve picked up out of order. With that in mind, I tried to write the Lords of Vice series so the books could be read as a standalone. However, I agree with Lime. You get the most out of a series by starting with the first book.

      Reply
  15. Limecello Post author

    Alexandra! Thanks for guesting with us today! Hmmm – I want to know where you get your inspiration for the heroines – or more, what makes you write them as you do? Is it what would most fit the hero – or drive him crazy?
    More specifically, do you have any character in mind for Frost? And based on your answers to others here today, I guess I can allow for him being last. p.s. – SO excited for his book!

    I know you’ve still got a few more to write/work on…

    But do you have any inkling of what’s next? Historicals that are heroine centric? The contemporary you said you had an idea for?

    Have you written a favorite heroine yet, or a certain type of heroine that you want to write? (Heh. Yes. I’m wheedling for more hints about Frost!)

    Another question – what’ll you do about your twitter handle once the series is over?

    Reply
    1. Alexandra Hawkins

      Hi Lime–That’s a good question about my twitter handle. Can I even change it? Most of the obvious variations of Alexandra Hawkins have already been taken. It was one of the reasons why I decided to link the account to my series.

      Re: Heroines . . . I’m a big believer in the notion that opposites attract. So yeah, my goal was to drive each hero crazy.

      Re: Frost’s heroine . . . Oh, I definitely have a lady in mind. I plotted his book more than a year ago. 😀

      Re: What’s next? I’m sure my editor is expecting something historical from me. I wouldn’t mind developing a heroine-centric series. Or even family-centric. I have lots of ideas. I just need to sit down and put some order to my thoughts.

      I would be open to working on something non-historical, too. It would help if I could write faster so I could develop both at the same time. 🙂

      Re: Favorite heroine–I favor strong heroines, but that strength comes in many forms–or it’s discovered during the journey. For the LOV, it was the only kind of heroine that would work for them.

      Reply
    1. Alexandra Hawkins

      Hi Annisa–I posted a few of my favs in an earlier post. I’ll also add Johanna Lindsey, Nicole Jordan, Elizabeth Lowell, Lynsay Sands, and Jennifer Cruise.

      I’ve never been to Bali. I pulled up some images on Google, and it looks like a beautiful place to visit.

      Reply
    1. Alexandra Hawkins

      Hi Aretha–I listen to classical music when I’m writing a first draft. If I try to turn on contemporary music, I end up singing along with the radio. LOL, which means I’m not working. So classical music or movie soundtracks work best for me.

      Reply
  16. Renee Brown

    OMG!!! I love your rogues! I read the first two books of the series and somehow missed the third coming out. Now, of course, I have to reread the first two so that I’m up to date for the rest. Which is your favorite Lord of Vice? I know you are not supposed to play favorites but fess up. I know which one is mine!

    Reply
    1. Alexandra Hawkins

      Thanks, Renee. 🙂 Yes, Dare’s book was released last February. If you get the chance, you should track down AFTER DARK WITH A SCOUNDREL. Dare and Frost’s sister–need I say more? 😀

      LOL, but they’re all so yummy. It’s difficult to pick just one. A few hours ago, I was feeling the love for Dare. Now I’d pick Saint. I can’t help it. I’ve been working on the edits for his book tonight and he’s delightful.

      Reply
  17. Diane D - Florida

    Hi Alexandra,

    I really enjoyed your interview and your books sound amazing. I’ve read all the comments that people have posted about your books and can tell from them how good they are. I can’t believe that I’ve not read any of your books yet. I’m “Author Struck”, love finding new Authors and would love to win one of your books.

    I adore Historical Romance set in the Regency period, and get really involved in the stories. I especially love to read all about the glittering balls, soirees etc. and always fall in love with the Hero. The Heros’ in your books sound “to die for”.

    Thank you for this opportunity.

    Reply
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