J’nell Ciesielski joins us for a chat about traveling to Scotland, writers/books that inspire her, the elements of a beautiful romance, and her latest release The Winged Tiara, “a sparkling story filled with her signature snappy dialogue and vivid atmosphere that will keep you reading late into the night to see what happens next.” Don’t forget to enter to win a copy of this great book!
About the author:
Bestselling author J’nell Ciesielski has a passion for heart-stopping adventure and sweeping love stories while weaving fresh takes into romances of times gone by. When not creating dashing heroes and daring heroines, she can be found dreaming of Scotland, indulging in chocolate of any kind, or watching old black and white movies. She is a member of the Tall Poppy Writers and lives in Virginia with her husband, daughter, and lazy beagle.
Questions:
Have you ever visited Scotland? (If yes, we’d love to hear about a couple of your favorite places/experiences. If not yet, tell us the place you most want to see and why.)
Your bio mentions how you love “weaving fresh takes into romances of times gone by.” What element do you feel makes a beautiful romance?
As with any artistic craft, writers tend to have those whose work they admire or find especially inspiring. What writers or books leave you invigorated and inspired?
Is there anything especially interesting that you haven’t covered in other interviews that you could share with us or perhaps there is something God has laid on your heart that you would like to share with your readers?
About the Book
Now let’s take a moment to talk about your latest release, The Winged Tiara.
November 12, 1918. It was a match made in champagne-soaked heaven, but all too soon the bubbles dried up, and Esme Fox awakens the morning after celebrating the end of the Great War to find herself shockingly and accidentally married. She gathers her belongings and slips out before her new husband can stop her. After all, she knows it’s best to leave before he does.
Four years later, Jasper Truitt, after having made a name for himself in the underground world of jewel thieves, is on the hunt for a valuable heirloom: a one-of-a-kind winged tiara–the last Valkyrie tiara ever created. So it’s with great surprise that he discovers it at a charity event atop the head of a woman he’s never forgotten. His long-lost wife . . . who happens to be pursuing the tiara for a vengeful opera diva desperate to obtain the jewel for herself.
The reunion is cut short when Esme vanishes–again–but their separation is temporary. With a hitman on their heels and a deadline looming, the pair find themselves in an epic game of cat and mouse across Europe following leads from the French Riviera to a shop of wonders in Venice, a fairy-tale castle in Bavaria, and a veritable circus thrown by a champagne heiress, all before a dramatic horseback flight through the French countryside.
In the end only one can win, and with both of their hearts on the line, the winner may well turn out to be the loser.
Lead in>> I LOVE a traveling adventure, and this one covers some really cool European destinations! Of course, there’s hardly time for the characters to enjoy it with a hitman after them, but readers are going to have a great time.
Speaking of characters, that blurb actually gives the barest glimpse at them. Behind the champagne and glittering jewels and reckless marriage, who is Esme Fox?
About this Valkyrie tiara that so many people want to get their hands on – is it based on an historic jewelry piece? What is its story?
The accidental marriage trope also has the potential for a lot of fun, and a lot of heartache. Before the champagne had Esme and Jasper plunging into marriage, what brought these two together?
What’s next for your writing?
Connect with J’nell: Newsletter, Amazon, Facebook, Pinterest, Goodreads, and Instagram.