#AFTH2014--Interview w/ Elizabeth Hoyt-- tea, cake, puppies and...poisoning wells?! + giveaway

And today we've got Elizabeth Hoyt! Yall she's amazing. Writes just stunning historical romances with a dark edge to them. It's so easy to get lost in her books. It's crazy. We're chatting about her latest Darling Beast (Beauty and the Beast storyline) and whew yeah I was feeling this book all over the place. The review is up HERE if you'd like to check it out. Yall give our visit a look-see then be sure to leave Elizabeth some comment love!  ~Anna

Good morning Elizabeth! Lovely to see you. Come on in. I've set up tea and cakes to have while we visit and dish about Darling Beast. I just loved these two.*settles down and pours a cup of steaming tea* Alright, now, for those who haven't met these two yet what would you tell them about Apollo and Lily to get them good and intrigued?

Thank you for the tea and cakes, Anna! I do like a nice cuppa. ;-) 

Let’s see…Apollo is an aristocrat, a viscount, but he’s in hiding at Harte’s Folly, a ruined pleasure garden, since escaping the horrors of Bedlam. Apollo was in Bedlam because everyone thought he’d committed an atrocious murder. Before he escaped he was beaten and as a result is now mute.

Lily is a down on her luck actress who has moved temporarily into the ruined theater at Harte’s Folly. When her son, Indio, tells her that there’s a monster in the garden she doesn’t believe him…until she finds the big, mute man herself. 

That was so incredibly unique having a mute hero. I really just adored him. Can you tell us 3 fun/sexy/interesting behind the scenes facts about Darling Beast?

Indio, Lily’s seven year old son, has a silly Italian Greyhound called Daff. Daff was modeled on my own dog, Miss Puppy Pie, a frequent guest on my Facebook page 

I researched Capability Brown’s work for Apollo’s gardening knowledge.

Lily is a breeches role actress, which means she’s known for playing a woman disguised as a man in her plays—very risqué!

Oh how I do love a daring heroine! She really was lovely. When was that one moment you realized "oh I am just totally smitten with this woman!"?

When Apollo describes his garden for the first time and she realizes how passionate he is about his work. 

Aws. What about Apollo?

The pond scene. ;-)

Oh I could totally see that. So what would be the perfect Christmas celebration for Lily and Apollo?

A big family celebration with Christmas pudding, a roaring fire, and plenty of sweets for Indio.

Sounds perfect! I've really been having a wonderful time with the series. The characters are pretty darn unique! What's been your favorite thing about working with such a variety of men and women?

It keeps me—and hopefully the reader!—interested when every character is different.

Oh definitely. Now, I'm totally changing gears but I so wanna hear about your herd babes. Do they get all excited about the holiday season?

Oh, yes! Every dog in the Hoyt Household has his or her own stocking and I like to get X’mas toys as well. 

Oh...my word. The cute. It's ridiculous! *scritches to the herd babes* They're so adorable with their Christmas spirit. Speaking of things we get all spirited about here...favorite Man Candy?

Strangest thing you've Google searched in the name of research?

Too many to list, but I once Googled How to Poison a Well…and then realized I’d probably been put on a watch list.

If you could spend a day in Regency England what would you just have to do?

I’d love to go to the theater and see what it was really like!

Oh me too! Favorite holiday tradition?

We always make pepparkakor cookies.

Favorite Christmas treat/meal?

I like making a wild rice side dish.

Ooo that's different! Alright before you head out... what's up next for you?

DEAREST ROGUE, Lady Phoebe’s book, will be out May 2015.

Eeps! I can't wait for that one Elizabeth! Thanks so much for coming by for a visit! Hope yall had a wonderful Christmas!

Thank you, Anna!

Aaaaannnd your turn! Yall have any questions or comments for Elizabeth? Leave them down below!

Falsely accused of murder and mute from a near-fatal beating, Apollo Greaves, Viscount Kilbourne has escaped from Bedlam. With the Crown's soldiers at his heels, he finds refuge in the ruins of a pleasure garden, toiling as a simple gardener. But when a vivacious young woman moves in, he's quickly driven to distraction . . .

London's premier actress, Lily Stump, is down on her luck when she's forced to move into a scorched theatre with her maid and small son. But she and her tiny family aren't the only inhabitants—a silent, hulking beast of a man also calls the charred ruins home. Yet when she catches him reading her plays, Lily realizes there's more to this man than meets the eye.

Though scorching passion draws them together, Apollo knows that Lily is keeping secrets. When his past catches up with him, he's forced to make a choice: his love for Lily . . . or the explosive truth that will set him free.

Amazon | All Romance | BAM | Book Depository | Goodreads

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Elizabeth was born in New Orleans but grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota. She was fortunate to be able to travel extensively as a child, visiting St. Andrews, Scotland; Germany; France; and Belgium. She spent a year in Oxford, England and was a summer exchange student to Kawasaki, Japan.

Elizabeth has a BA in anthropology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison and, as a result of having no clue what to do with her life thereafter, a career history as a barista, a (terrible) sales clerk, a Wisconsin Revenue Service data entry slave, and an archeological field work grunt. Fortunately, Elizabeth married relatively young and produced two children who kept her busy until her mid-thirties. At about this time, when her youngest was entering Kindergarten, Elizabeth’s mother hinted that perhaps Elizabeth should get a Real Job.

Sadly, Elizabeth was so delusional she thought writing a romance novel might qualify as a Real Job.

But! Five years later, to everyone’s surprise, she actually sold that romance novel (The Raven Prince) and began a rather successful career as a Romance Novelist. This was most fortunate since Elizabeth is singularly unqualified to do anything else but Make Up Stories.

Elizabeth lives in Central Illinois with four dogs, a garden in constant need of weeding and the ever faithful Mr. Hoyt.

Find Elizabeth Online

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Tumblr

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Soooos! We have a huge grand prize drawing going on during AFTH2014!

Just leave Elizabeth a question or comment then jump over to THIS page to enter the Giveaway Widget!