Blog Tour Stop: The Art of Temptation by Genella deGrey

Please welcome Genella on her blog tour as she shares her release, The Art of Temptation with us. Be sure to comment as she's giving away a large goodie grab bag comprised of 'author swag' gathered from the Romance Novel Convention in August 2013 to three randomly drawn commenters during the tour. 

What is your name and where do you live now?

Hi! I am Genella deGrey and I live in Southern California.

First off, how has your week been?

My week has been a frenzy of activity! I'm gearing up for the first annual Romance Novel Convention - http://romancenovelconvention.com/ - that will take place in Las Vegas at the Golden Nugget Hotel, August 7 – 11th. It's all-inclusive 5 days/4 nights of classes, events and meals. I'll not only be teaching a workshop, but I'll be participating in the book fair on Saturday (8/10) where myself and over 350 (check that number because it may have gone up) romance authors will be signing our books, giving away goodies and meeting readers from around the world. There will be a costume ball and a Mr Casanova contest... Can you tell I'm excited? :D

Oh wow sounds fun! So did you always want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?

Honestly, I had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up. Looking back, I'd say I was made aware of  things I couldn't do, and places I shouldn't go, rather than shown the path to things that were available to a young woman back then. I have a 9 year-old son and we talk all the time about different careers and what's out there – and that he will be able to choose to go to any university, and that he can be anything he wants. I want the world to be his oyster rather than the scary place that was presented to me.

Please tell us about your current release.

The Art of Temptation is a fictional tale about the opening of the Moulin Rouge. It's about a secondary character, Valerie Hempstead, from my book, Remember Me. However, the book she came from was a paranormal/supernatural/historical, angels, demons and vampires in Victorian England. Valerie's book is strictly a historical romance without any sub-genres.

She is told by the heroine of the first book that she's about to go on a journey that will change her life. Well, I just couldn't let her go all by herself, I had to follow her! ;) So that's where the idea came from for my current release.

The book's blurb: With proper motivation, even the innocent can learn The Art of Temptation.

Sounds great! Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?

In The Art of Temptation, Valerie goes on a tour of the continent. They begin in Venice, Italy, and I have to admit, I couldn't help but incorporate Venice into their travel plans! Back in 2001 I went to Venice to help film a documentary on Carnival. Well, as everyone does when they visit that city, I fell in love with it. So much so that this is the second time I've written about it. The first was in my book, Unmasked. I feel I left a part of my soul there, and someday I'd like to go back and visit – perhaps not during Carnival this time so that I can really feel the heartbeat of the city and immerse myself in the history that literally surrounds you there.

Are your books available as eBooks? Were you involved in that process at all? Do you read eBooks or is it paper all the way?

All of my books are available on Amazon in e format, however I have a few that you can purchase in paperback.

Remember Me and The Art of Temptation are my independent releases, all my other books are through small presses.

I read e and paper. I like them both. :)

Do you have plans for a new book?

I just finished edits on my next release, Cat and Mouse, another sexy historical. Book blurb: A proper lady would never steel or lie; nor would she enjoy the sting of her lover’s hand upon her posterior.

As you can imagine, this one is going to be one of my naughtier ones. ;)

And I'm working on the related novel currently titled: The Best Kind of Scoundrel, that features a secondary character from Cat and Mouse. I'm hoping it matches the heat level of the first book, but we'll see. I tend to write my love scenes as the plots/storylines dictate and not just all hot, all the time.

Do you decide on character traits (ie shy, quiet, tomboy girl) before writing the whole book or as you go along?

Each writer's process is different. With my process, usually a character comes to mind that is so interesting, I HAVE to write their story. Every once in a while it will be a puzzling situation that prompts me to investigate and eventually write.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I'm not sure if this is considered a quirk or not, but...my heroines aspire to be proper, truly, but they inevitability end up entangled in a scandalous situation or two. Now, I don't know about you, but I wouldn't be able to read about a fictional heroine who just sits there like a lump because it wouldn't be proper to get involved or do something about a dire circumstance. So my girls get out there – they're clever, they get their hands dirty and do all sorts of things that society would deem 'improper.'

If you look at history, it's filled with people who broke the molds and breached barriers. Laurel Thatcher Ulrich is credited with comeing up with one of my very favorite sayings: “Well behaved women seldom make history.” Word, sisters!

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

I get a few readers saying that my fictional characters aren't period-correct. Well, the same could be said about Scarlett O'Hera and Lizzy Bennet. That puts me in pretty good company if you ask me. Would there even have been a story if Scarlett sat at home embroydering hankies or if Miss Bennet married Mr Collins? YUCK! I'm board just writing that sentence! LOL

If there is one thing I learned from submitting my early stories to the big New York publishers, it's that today's reader HAS to be able to identify with, at the very least, your heroine. So I ran with that information and here I am today. I have fun, interesting plots and characters who can handle anything I throw at them.

My favorite thing as an author is when I get readers from all over the world telling me that the love my books. No ammount of sales would touch my heart like that kind of compliment does.

Do you think ebooks will ever totally replace printed books?

No. But I have to admit, the older I get I really appriciate the fact that I can make the font bigger when my book is in electronic format. <grin>

Thanks so much – this was a lot of fun! Please feel free to pop by my website www.genelladegrey.com and look around. I have extras and bonus stuff about my books, and I have a place for you to register for my 'Terribly Infrequent Newsletter' and a place to sign-up for blog alerts. AND you can find me on Facebook: 'Genella deGrey Books' and Twitter: @GenelladeGrey

After seven failed seasons, Valerie Hempstead decides to take her fate into her own hands, and a tour of the continent is just the thing. Accompanied by a female cousin, and the girl’s childhood companions--all of whom live fast and for the moment, Valerie is about to discover more about life than she anticipated.

Travis Elijah Colin Wade, the son of no one in particular, has just been handed a vast amount of money and a large country estate and, of all things, a bloody title. However, he's not at all pleased about leaving his care-free bachelor days behind. Determined to spend some of his money and relax before assuming his duties for Queen and country, Travis goes abroad. Little does he know that he is about to be utterly swept away by the seduction of innocent surrender. 

“Come here, my sweet kitten. Let me hear you purr.” He moved closer, now loosely holding her masked face between his hands.

Praying to God that he would be dissuaded from whatever it was he was about to do to her, Valerie swallowed and half-succeeded in twisting away from him again, but his hands wouldn’t permit a complete rotation. “You mistake me, sir. I am here with some friends. I had no idea what this party was about,” she said, her voice higher than normal and her pounding heart nearly audible. Much to her embarrassment, he seemed to snuggle his body even closer to hers and her head turned back to him of its own volition.

“So, you’ve never attended a Shadow Party before?” he whispered.

Valerie shook her head almost imperceptibly as his face inched nearer to hers.

Her senses heightened, whether by the champagne or the heady sensation the man’s proximity was causing, she didn’t know. Nevertheless, he did smell wonderfully masculine. His gentle touch had been quite foreign to her, and yet she welcomed it; hand to elbow, finger to chin, palm to cheek, body to body, whatever the combination, it was wonderful.

And very dangerous.

“I’m on holiday,” she whispered, the tone of her voice rose, hoping she didn’t sound too flustered.

“Are you?” Without letting her answer, he continued speaking softly. “I’ve stolen away to the Continent for a holiday as well.”

“I—I’ve never been abroad before,” she said in a shaky voice trying to continue with the new direction of the conversation.

“No?” was his response, his face perilously close.

Valerie took a breath. It wasn’t working. He was still inching towards her.

“Nor have I been kissed be—,” her whisper was cut off when his lips touched hers.

Her first kiss was nothing like she’d expected. He was gentle with her. His mouth softly brushed hers—like warm champagne-scented feathers. Her lips pursed, pliant against his and he pressed in to meld with her. With her mouth occupied, she inhaled through her nose. God, he did smell good; a manly cologne, clean and leather, cedar and soap, faintly done, not in the way the French used perfume. Valerie sighed, she didn’t mean to, but it was too late to call it back.

“Are you enjoying our kiss?” he murmured against her lips.

“Yes.” She sighed the word.

Born and reared in Southern California, Genella deGrey longed to be your typical blonde, tanned, surfer girl

but failed miserably. Unable to sit idle without falling asleep, she embarked upon several artistic endeavors. Makeup and set dressing for the entertainment industry, Resort Enhancement for The Walt Disney Company and writing sexy historical romance top the list of her favorite activities.

Genella has a keen interest in the spirit world. She loves wandering around in graveyards, traveling to battle fields and other haunted destinations, the older the better. New Orleans is one of her favorite places to encounter the supernatural, as is Tombstone, AZ.

Purchase The Art of Temptation on Amazon.