We’re thrilled to welcome
fellow Extasy author Seelie Kay to our pages this Valentine weekend, here to share
her newest release. Seelie’s characters are always dynamic, full of grit and
ready to take on the world. We can’t wait to see what she’s cooked up in this
Valentine romp!
An Interview with Seelie Kay:
Q. Why do you
write romance?
Q. Do you
prefer a certain type of romantic hero?
I adore smart,
dashing gentlemen who aren’t afraid to live on the edge. They can be a bad boy,
a billionaire, a prince, or a secret agent. That hint of danger just hooks me!
However, I also love strong, independent women who aren’t afraid to fight for
what they want, even love.
Q. Why did you
write “The White House Wedding?”
It was a bit of a romp, really. I wanted to play off all the craziness
that is politics and Washington, D.C. The creatures in the great swamp have
become so predictable, a story about the political implications and hijinks of
a White House wedding just flowed from my pen. Plus, I always found it
interesting that a country that intentionally broke away from the monarchy,
goes crazy over royal weddings. Admittedly, I am one of them. I won’t get up at
4 a.m. to watch, like so many of my friends, but I will tape a royal wedding
and watch it later. And yes, I did seek teacups from Diana’s nuptials.
Unfortunately, none were to be found. At least stateside. I imagine once she
dumped Prince Charles, their value went up dramatically! Unfortunately, White
House weddings are rare and although we go crazy over royal weddings, I doubt
things would proceed so smoothly here. Every aspect of the wedding would be
dissected and criticized by the media and political opponents, making the
wedding itself a pretty negative experience, which is probably so few occur
here.
Q. The
characters in this book also appeared in “The President’s Daughter?”
Yes. “The President’s Daughter” is where the bride’s—Sarah Lee
Pearson—story first began. She had been kidnapped at age five and raised by her
nanny into her teen years. It was only after the people who raised her were
killed in a paper mill explosion that she began to search for other relatives.
A chance meeting with a presidential candidate, Jamisen Powell, leads her
search in a new direction and she discovers that he is, in fact, her birth
father. This is the continuation of that new relationship.
Q. I imagine in
this day and age, being the president’s daughter would not be an altogether
positive experience.
(Laughs.) As I observe the impact of the Trump presidency on his
children, I am exceptionally happy I was never put in that position. It must be
a horrible experience. We live in such negative times, a time when people seem
to place high value on their ability to shred reputations and destroy people.
All of the current chaos puts us one step away from anarchy. In fact, if you
think about it, it would be a perfect time for the Monarchy to attempt to
reclaim the colonies. We are so busy fighting each other, I question whether we
would band together to fight an outside threat. That’s just sad.
Q. How does
your former profession as a lawyer impact your writing?
In two ways.
First, my knowledge of the legal system permits me to predict the outcome of
certain events. Those events have played a key role in some of my stories.
Second, my friends say I am obsessed with justice and I guess that’s true. After
30 years, the law and the legal world are so firmly embedded in my brain that I
can’t flush them out. That has become the lens through which I view the world
and that naturally guides my characters and plots. Injustice infuriates me, but
it also leads me to great stories!
Blurb:
When
politics interferes with love, can love survive?
Getting
married isn’t easy when your father’s the President of the United States! After
reluctantly agreeing to a White House wedding, Sarah Lee Pearson, the
president’s daughter, finds herself swept into a political maelstrom of
unimagined proportions.
The
White House staff and the first lady see the wedding as a political event, a
way to sweep the president into his next term. Congress is complaining about
the collateral costs. The media is delightfully rehashing every aspect of
Sarah’s life, even those events that have nothing to do with the impending
marriage. And the American public? Visions of an American royal wedding have
swept them into a frenzy and vendors take advantage, making a quick buck off of
everything from limited edition t-shirts to commemorative teacups.
Sarah
and her fiancé, Sam, fight hard to ignore the craziness, but after learning a
bounty has been put on their heads by an anti-government militia group, they
have to decide whether a White House wedding is indeed worth it. And given all
the hurtful controversy, perhaps a better solution is to not get married at
all.
Excerpt:
“How does my
father feel about this?” Sarah asked.
“Your father wants you to do what makes you
happy.”
Jamisen Powell
entered his Chief of Staff’s office and nodded coldly at Jeremiah. He added,
“He would never ask you to do otherwise.”
Sarah smiled and
rose to kiss her father on the cheek. “Thanks, Dad. I knew you wouldn’t ask me
to be a political stool pigeon.”
Jamie Powell
chuckled. “No. That job apparently falls to staff.” He smiled at Sarah. “Look,
hopefully, you only get married once. Make a memory that will mean the most to
you and Sam. Nothing else matters.” He shook his head, “Maybe Jeremiah will get
lucky and your sister, Melissa, will hook some poor sucker before the next
election. She and her mother would be overjoyed planning a White House
wedding.”
Jeremiah scowled.
“I am only thinking about your re-election, Mr. President. Your first term has
been a bit rocky. You need a solidifying factor, something that will grab the
hearts and minds of the American public and provide a clear path into the next
term. Your story, a daughter lost and found after twenty-five years, especially
a daughter who just happens to be a stellar human being and a successful
international law attorney, won their hearts in the first election.
“Walking that same
daughter down the aisle, something you had never dreamed was possible? The
ratings alone will rival a royal wedding. No offense, but Melissa’s marriage—if
it ever happens—could never have the same impact. People don’t view her in the
same light as Sarah. Melissa is a flighty socialite. Her deep-seated sense of
entitlement offends. The ratings for her wedding would be nonexistent. But
Sarah? She’s the golden child. The American public loves her.”
The president’s
sapphire blue eyes, which mirrored Sarah’s, flashed with annoyance. “Be that as
it may, I am not about to force either of my daughters into something they
don’t want. Sarah has declined your request, and as far as I am concerned,
that’s the end of it. You will have to find another solidifying factor,
Jer. Surely I have done something that’s re-election worthy!”
About Seelie Kay:
When not spinning her kinky tales, Ms. Kay ghostwrites
nonfiction for lawyers and other professionals. She resides in a bucolic exurb outside Milwaukee,
Wisconsin, where she shares a home with her son and enjoys opera,
gourmet cooking, organic gardening, and an occasional bottle of red wine.
Ms. Kay is an MS
warrior and ruthlessly battles the
disease on a daily basis. Her message to those diagnosed with MS: Never give up. You define MS, it does not
define you!
Author links:
Twitter: @SeelieKay https://twitter.com/SeelieKay
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seelie.kay.77
Amazon author
page: https://www.amazon.com/Seelie-Kay/e/B074RDRWNZ/
