Stolen Princess by Nikki Jefford: Interview & Giveaway

Stolen Princess
Nikki Jefford
(Royal Conquest Saga #1)
Publication date: November 11th 2018
Genres: Fairy Tales, Fantasy, New Adult, Retelling

She sacrificed herself to save her family from poverty…
The ball was only the beginning.
It wasn’t enough to kill my mate, heir to the throne. My obsessive Fae brother-in-law wants the crown. And he wants me ruling by his side.
I thought I was done with romance until a certain pompous elf reappeared in my life at the illustrious Monster Ball. A little teasing led to bruised lips and captured hearts. No one wants Jhaeros and me to be together, not even my favorite sister, Melarue. But she’s a teenager just coming into her elemental powers and discovering boys—the wrong kind—the type I want to shoot arrows through.
My royal in-laws are playing a treacherous game, and my brother-in-law is determined to get what he wants. But this elf princess no longer has a master. I don’t want a crown. I want freedom, family, and the love of a lifetime. But love might be the one thing that destroys us all.
**This book will now include the prequel novella Enemies and Lovers.

Goodreads / Amazon

Author Bio:

Nikki Jefford is an award-winning, bestselling author of paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and quirky combinations in-between.
She is a third-generation Alaskan now living in the Pacific Northwest with her Westie, Cosmo, and her French husband, who she wouldn’t trade in for anyone–not even Spike or Mr. Darcy!
When she’s not writing, she’s reading, walking, or out riding her motorcycle, a Honda CB500F, (so long as it’s sunny and warm)!
To get in on the fun and adventure, visit Nikki at her website for release alerts, updates, exclusive giveaways, and a free story when you subscribe to her newsletter: http://nikkijefford.com/

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Interview 

Please welcome Royal Conquest Saga author Nikki Jefford to Diane’s Book Blog.

How long did it take you to write Stolen Princess?

This one is unusual. It started out as a novella for The Monster Ball Anthology Year 1. The novella took over a month because it was my first fantasy and took time to set up a new world and characters. Once I realized I had to continue the follow-up book, (Stolen Princess), took seven weeks to complete the first draft. That was the fastest book I ever wrote, partly because most of the characters were already established … and because I fell in love with the story so much I got completely swept away in the writing.

If you could be best friends with one of your characters, who would it be?

Aerith from Stolen Princess. We’d drink sweetberry wine with baked treats while talking and laughing. She’d want to play campagine, though, (which is like chess) and I’d be trying to talk her into Exploding Kittens.

What inspired you to write your first book?

One of my first memories of wanting to write was after my mom rented a cartoon of Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables. She didn’t realize it wasn’t for kids. She popped it into the VCR and left me alone to watch. Wow! It was so dark and gritty. All that injustice, turmoil, and heartache. It consumed me. I wanted to capture that kind of emotion on paper with my own characters.

What is your favorite book that you wrote?

To date, Stolen Princess. I had so much fun writing, laughing and shocking myself along the way. What started out as a novella then follow-up novel turned into a completed saga that now has a Christmas novella on the way (Holiday Crown) followed by second generation character titles in The Royal Conquest Heirs.


What is your typical day like?

The birds on our sunrise alarm clock start chirping at us to get out of bed around 6:15 a.m. I make quick cooking steel-cut oats with strawberries and have a bite with my husband then pack his lunch before he heads to work. Afterwards, I do a ten-minute mediation using the calm app. I try to be at my desk writing by 8 a.m. until noon or 1 p.m. (And try to steer clear of social media and email until the afternoon.) If I’m being good, I’ll do thirty minutes on the elliptical. After eating lunch, I either start writing again or switch to marketing and work correspondence. I stop around 4:30 to feed my dog followed by a walk at the park with my husband and Cosmo then make dinner while listening to an audiobook. Evening is family time (watching shows and reading).

How do you overcome writer’s block?

A brisk walk can solve pretty much any blockage I encounter. Sometimes it takes several walks, or an extra long walk. I let go of my worries and set out with the belief that I will work it out by the time I finish the walk.

Reading is the other huge creativity feeder. Trying new authors and genres and seeing their unique approach to storytelling is a treasure trove of inspiration. Seemingly unrelated books have unlocked ideas or helped me to problem-solve with my own plotting many times.

What book are you reading now?

I’m rereading The Cruel Prince and The Wicked King by Holly Black in anticipation of this month’s release of The Queen of Nothing.

What do you prefer paperback, hardcover, or ebooks?

I love storytelling in all it’s formats, including audiobook!

Thank you for having me!

-Nikki

 

Giveaway

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