In a month like February, when there are so many new romances to highlight (from our Valentine’s Day feature to our spotlight on new series), it is exciting to see a debut as our Romance of the Month. Anna Randol dazzled us with her exotic page-turner, A Secret in Her Kiss, so we simply had to chat with her about sexy scenes and the thrill of being a writer.
Describe your book in one sentence.
A Secret in Her Kiss is the story of a beautiful English spy in the heart of the Ottoman Empire who’s been blackmailed into completing one final mission, and the handsome, battle-weary soldier sent to ensure she complies—even if it costs her life.
What made you want to be a writer?
I didn’t decide to become a writer so much as I decided to dump the stories in my head onto paper. I’ve always had characters acting out scenes in my brain, and I’ve found they stay there until I write them down and get them safely to their happily ever afters.
Do you have a writing ritual?
Does eating lots of dark chocolate as I write count as a ritual? The darker, the better.
What are the sexiest scenes to write?
I think the sexiest scenes are the ones loaded with small details that heat the tension between the hero and heroine to the boiling point. The bunched muscles along his jaw when she dances by in the arms of another man. The calluses on his fingertip as he touches her cheek. The rasp of her silken glove over the inside of his wrist.
What are you reading now?
A Rogue by Any Other Name: The First Rule of Scoundrels by Sarah MacLean.
If you were stranded on a desert island with one fictional character, who would you choose?
Captain Malcolm Reynolds from Firefly. The man is noble enough to be swoon-worthy but just enough of a rouge to do whatever it takes to get us off the island. And if we got tired of talking, I could just stare at him longingly.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on final edits for my August 28th release, Sins of a Virgin. When a famous, young courtesan decides to auction the one thing no one expects she still possesses—her virginity—she hires a tough Bow Street Runner to keep it safe until the auction is over. Yet she soon discovers he’s hiding a secret agenda of his own. I’m so excited about this one! It’s set in London, but it takes place in the gritty, dangerous underbelly of the city Regency readers seldom get to explore.
