Christina Hollis—How Writing One Book Led To Another...

Available from The Wild Rose Press at
 http://bit.ly/1GQPIIq

Last year, I escaped the horrible winter weather by shutting myself away in the warm to write a book called His Majesty’s Secret Passion. It was published by The Wild Rose Press earlier this year. You can find out more here, and read an extract here. 

When the hero of that book, King Leo, fell in love with a girl called Sara, his personal assistant Krisia was promoted out of his life. She went to work for the king’s brother, Prince Athan.  Krisia and Athan were such a mis-matched couple, sparks were bound to fly. When readers asked me what happened to them, I knew I had to write a second book about the Princes Of Kharova.  Her Royal Risk was the result, and you can find out more about it here.

When I started brainstorming ideas for Her Royal Risk, I didn’t have much to go on. Krisia resented being pushed aside to work for Athan. He was head of the army, and everything Krisia wasn’t: loud, self-confident and full of native cunning. In contrast, she was quiet, but highly intelligent and determined.  Part of the fun of writing is to take an idea, and let your mind freewheel.

I decided that, as her father worked for the royal household, Krisia could have had lessons with the royal children. I thought back to when I was a swot, and a boy called Gary disrupted every lesson. He was noisy, defensive and could fly off the handle over nothing. He made school life hell for everybody. Nobody could figure him out. In those days, there weren’t many experts ready to identify and help children who fell behind. Gary was pretty soon excluded from school, and left to fend for himself. I met him years later, and  discovered his story had a happy ending. Gary was mad keen on fishing. When he wasn't at school, he did odd jobs at the local angling club.  One of the members had experience with kids like Gary, and a chance remark led to his problem being diagnosed. 

Knowing what was wrong was half the battle. With a lot of help and  hard work, Gary found his feet and was eventually taken on as an apprentice at an engineering firm. Once he had a job, his self-esteem went through the roof. He got married, and lived happily ever after.

I thought a variation on Gary’s story would make a good romance. Playboy Prince Athan has been a bad boy all his life—his parents’ attention was always focussed on his two older brothers, and his problems at school fed on themselves. The routine and camaraderie of military life suits him, so when life bowls him  a tricky ball, he thinks a light is about to shine into all the dark corners of his private life. He needs a personal assistant. Krisia’s the last person he wants, but she’s also the best person for the job.

Available from The Wild Rose Press
http://bit.ly/1ujX5zc

Krisia doesn’t want to be a meek housewife like her mother, who has no life outside of their home. She wants to be part of the new, modern country King Leo is building. Until she starts working with Athan, she thinks her new boss is a fool, and her new job is a demotion.  Then she discovers the prince isn't the unruly boy thrown out of the royal classroom any more. He’s a brilliant, instinctive soldier, who’s hiding the problem ruining his life behind his Alpha-male exterior. As long as he’s judged on his actions, Athan is unbeatable. Krisia is completely different. She wants everything done by the book, and properly, first time. 

I threw these two opposites together, then put them under such pressure, they had no one to turn to but each other. Krisia discovers Athan’s secret, but is there time to help him defuse an explosive situation threatening their whole country?

Everybody deserves a second chance. Athan gets it when he’s teamed with Krisia. I got my second chance when I met OH, and he showed me how amazing family life can be. 

What’s the best thing that’s ever happened to you? There’s a copy of Her Royal Risk on offer for a comment picked at random after 17th May.