February: Kelsie Rae

This month's author is the beautiful Kelsie Rae! She's the author of several Contemporary Romance novels--The Signature Sweetheart Series. We talk Valentine's Day and her new release Sophie.

Can you tell me what inspired your latest novel? Where did the idea come from?

I had a dream, woke up, and started plotting for hours! Funny enough, the story doesn't look it's going to turn out anything like the original dream, but it definitely fueled my imagination! Now I just gotta pray it all works out. (This is my current WIP set to release June 2019.)

What does your workday look like?

I'm a stay at home mom to three little monsters who are 3, 5, and 8 which means our days are a little crazy. I'm pretty much a taxi driver, chef, maid, playmate, and writer when I can squeeze in the time. :)

If you could co-write a novel with anyone, who would it be?

Rachel Van Dyken would be pretty freakin' awesome. She's the one that originally made me fall in love with romance novels and I'd love to see her skills firsthand!

What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Oo, good question! Two things. First, I would suggest having at least one novel set aside before you publish your first book. The benefit is it helps relieve the pressure of how often you publish because you're always writing ahead instead of hoping to hit deadlines. Second, marketing is key! You think the easy part is writing the book and hitting publish, but that's when the real work begins. Don't think that just because your book is out in the world that it means it's automatically going to sell. That being said, don't get discouraged! You got this! If I can do it, you can too!

What’s a genre you haven’t written but would like to try?

I've always wanted to write an MC series because they're some of my favorites to read, but we'll see if I ever brave that trope/genre. :)

What are your hobbies outside of writing?

As I mentioned, I'm a mama. My kids are pretty much my entire world outside of writing, but when I'm not playing with them, I'm a big baker, love to run, and dabble in photography, too!

If you had to go to dinner with one of your characters, who would it be, where would you go, and why?

Breezy. I love all of them, but Breezy is absolutely hilarious and has ZERO filter. I think she'd be pretty entertaining to hang out with.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Both! I go in with good intentions of planning out a story, but I'm not afraid to follow what my characters are telling me to write, so I rarely end up where I was planning. That being said, I think the plotting is great for getting the creative juices flowing.

What’s next? (book-wise)

I have a secret project I've been working on (I'm knee-deep right now!) that is a little grittier than my Signature Sweethearts Series, but you're going to love it! And for those curious about Marcus, he's with the editor and is set to release April 2nd! I'm so excited to share his and Natalie's story with you!

Where do you write and can we see a picture?

I'm boring. I write on my family room couch on my laptop, usually while dodging flying cheetos or sippy cups.

Which of your characters is your favorite and why?

Luke, the hero from my first story is pretty much my favorite guy ever. He's insanely patient, giving, sweet, a great dad, etc. etc. I'd kill to give him a big fat hug! (Just don't tell my husband.) ;)

What are your Valentine's Day plans?

Hubby and I make dinner (sometimes steaks, sometimes Papa Murphey's heart shaped pizzas) with the kiddos at home.

Flowers or Chocolate for Valentine's Day?

Both! (This is also my answer for any This or That game on Facebook. Those are torture for an indecisive girl like me!)

Thank you so much for allowing me to interview this month! I can't wait to read your latest release!

About the Book

Sophie I never wanted to see Nathan again. Ever. One highly educational night with him in bed was all it took to hand over my v-card. Apparently, that was all it took to get him to move across the country without a backwards glance, too. Our best friends are getting married and I've been asked to play nice, but I can't promise he'll make it through the weekend in one piece. The only problem is that I'm not sure my heart will survive, either. Nathan I don't do feelings. I don't do relationships. And I sure as hell don't do love. Ever. One crazy hot night with Sophie was all it took to remind me why. She gets under my skin and makes me want things I definitely don't need. I'm here to be the best man to her maid-of-honor at a destination wedding in paradise, but close proximity to all things Sophie just might push me over the edge. It's one long weekend with the woman I can't stop dreaming about no matter how hard I try. I can do this, right?

* Can be read as a standalone*

All Book Links:

Luke: https://amzn.to/2DCo7ky

Liv: https://amzn.to/2FmP8u2

Breezy: https://amzn.to/2FumjMu

Jude: https://amzn.to/2DBsht3

Rhett: https://amzn.to/2Fj4xLS

Sophie: https://amzn.to/2DEkj2p

About Kelsie Kelsie is a sucker for a love story with all the feels. When she's not chasing words for her next book, you will probably find her reading or, more likely, playing with her "monsters".

She adores chocolate, photography, baking, and chick flicks. And now that she's actively pursuing her writing dreams, she's set her sights on someday finding the self-discipline to not eat an entire batch of cookies in one sitting.

Follow Kelsie Online!

Amazon → https://www.amazon.com/KelsieRae/e/B07C86P9QG/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

BookBub → http://bit.ly/2uXKxsU

Facebook → http://bit.ly/2GkLj7K

Reader group → https://www.facebook.com/groups/372524139887972/?source_id=191937918228118

Goodreads → http://bit.ly/2G4wC9O

Twitter → http://bit.ly/2GiCLyq

Newsletter → http://eepurl.com/dlBLRL