Unveiling His Princess by L. K. Below

L. K. Below, author of Unveiling his Princess, currently lives in Iqaluit, Canada with her very own Prince Charming. She spends most of her time doing what she loves best -- crafting new worlds and stories. Visit her online at www.lbelow.net. 

Q: Tell us about your book.

A: When Natalia’s horrid stepsister locks in her a closet, steals her identity, and sets out to marry Prince Bennett in her place, Natalia nearly gives up hope. Luckily, she has a fairy godmother willing to guide her steps. Dressed in nothing but a mouse-skin pelt and assured that Bennett will recognize her even though they’ve never met, she sets out for his palace.

Prince Bennett knows that he must marry his princess, but when he meets her, something seems amiss. He cannot reconcile the lively, veiled beauty he consorts with at night with the waspish princess he meets during the day. And to make matters worse, he can barely fight off his attraction to a fur-clad scullery maid. Whatever will he do?

Q: Where can readers find your book?

A: I always post the links to my website, www.lbelow.net. The book is also available at www.liquidsilverbooks.com.

Q: How long did it take you to write this book?

A: This (22,000-word) novella took me three days to write. But it took longer than that to revise it afterwards LOL.

Q: How long was your path from first draft to publication?

A: Because this is a novella, it was fairly short. I was lucky enough to get this accepted, edited, and set for release in less than a year. I wrote it on January 15^th-17^th of 2010. Most of my works take a lot longer than that before they’re ready to be read.

Q: How did you get the inspiration for this book?

A: I was reading the original Brothers’ Grimm fairytales when I thought to myself, Hey, I could make a story out of this. In fact, I thought that about a lot of them and dog eared each one, but when I considered “Princess Mouseskin” which this story is based on, Natalia immediately popped into my head and away I went.

Q: How closely does your book follow the fairytale?

A: I used it more as a guide than as an actual plot. The essence (the prince is duped, the real princess has to disguise herself as a scullery maid and win him back using three enchanted walnuts) is there, but a lot of the details changed. For instance, in the original story the antagonist is an evil witch who enchanted the prince into thinking he was in love with her, and casting aside the woman he loved. In my version, Bennett and Natalia have an arranged marriage but have never met -- so when Antonia (who, alas, is not a witch) shows up at his palace claiming to be Natalia, he believes her.

Q: What about fairytales called you to write about them?

A: Fairytales are magical and terrible all at the same time. After all, something horrible has to happen before it can come to a close. As a romance author, I love the happily-ever-after premise, so I jumped at the chance to write a real happily ever after. Plus, I relished the chance to weave magic into the plot in such a way.

Q: What was your favorite thing about this book?

A: I love Grimsby, Bennett’s manservant. I found him to be an entertaining character, and I hope to bring him back in a sequel.

Q: What do you intend to work on next?

A: I don’t think “intend” has any part in it LOL. I’m a slave to my muse. Where inspiration leads, I must follow…though I try to resist the call if I’m already in the middle of a book. At the moment, I intend for January to be a month for sequels -- sequels to my young adult novel(s), to my romances, and to my forthcoming fantasy. But since I doubt I’ll get through them all, I can’t really say what the month will bring. That’s part of the adventure.

Q: Do you ever find it difficult to write in more than one genre?

A: Not at all. In fact, the opposite is true. Because I write in so many genres, whenever I get stuck on one, I can easily switch to another genre. I find it’s the best cure for writer’s block, though it sometimes takes me a while to return to the novel I was blocked with!

Q: Do you have any other writing tips and tricks you’d like to share?

A: If the characters aren’t cooperating, I find that interviewing them helps me to get their voices down on paper. Then, instead of re-reading everything I’ve written, I can glance over that interview, get a feel for the characters, and launch back into the story.

While I’m not a plotter, I occasionally find holes in my plot that I don’t know how to fix (and which my beta readers have no suggestions for either). To help with that, I make a story web -- which in my case means that I summarize every scene on a sticky note and place it on the wall. Then I do the same with subplots, making sure they’re followed all the way from beginning to conclusion in the scenes. Then I add themes and symbolism, noting which scenes represent those and where there is a lull. Often this large-scale visual representation helps me to figure out how to fix what went wrong.

Q: What is your advice to aspiring writers?

A: Don’t give up. Simple enough advice, but it isn’t said enough. The writing world can be discouraging at times. First, there’s the rejections. Then the edits (which you may or may not agree with). Once your book is published, it may receive bad reviews -- and may even earn you hate mail from malicious readers! And of course, there’s the never-ending task of marketing and the slim check you might get in the mail from previous sales. Unless you’re a bestseller, I don’t think the last one will ever be what you’re hoping for. But if writing is your calling, don’t. Give. Up.

Q: What is your favorite part about the publishing process so far?

A: That’s definitely the covers. While writing, I have a picture of my characters in my head that I try to get out on paper. But seeing my covers for the first time… well some of them, like this one, leave me speechless! It’s uncanny how often cover artists are able to get a feel for my book and put it in an image. Beautiful! 

EXCERPT:

Natalia had always known she would marry Prince Bennett; their union had been arranged when she was still in the cradle. But with her father’s remarriage and the arrival of Natalia’s stepsister, the state of her betrothal seemed poised precariously on the brink of a precipice. And her stepsister was determined to see it reduced to tatters.

Antonia first began with cajoling. She wanted Prince Bennett for herself--that much was obvious--but Natalia refused to admit defeat. With the contract arranged and signed, her marriage was a matter of honor. Her feelings for Prince Bennett aside, she would see it through to the letter. Unfortunately, Antonia had other ideas.

When her pretence at sisterly affection did not work, Antonia turned to crueler means. She took to following Natalia around, criticizing her at every point and undermining her self-confidence. Although Natalia valiantly buried her emotions when in Antonia’s presence, she couldn’t stop the tears leaking from her eyes onto the pillow each night. Even worse, she began to wonder which of Antonia’s barbs were true and which were fancied. But even that did not achieve Antonia’s goals. Natalia refused to back down.

Now, Antonia’s desperation was beginning to show in her actions.

Natalia didn’t expect to meet Antonia in the corridor at such an early hour. Her stepsister usually lay abed until noon. However, as soon as Natalia exited her chambers in her least conspicuous dress, bound for her morning tour of the gardens, she came face to face with her horrid stepsister.

Composure, she reminded herself. Antonia might have cut her deeply in past weeks, but Natalia was determined not to let it show. A princess must never show her weaknesses. Therefore, instead of retreating to her chambers as she dearly wished to, she coolly nodded to Antonia and continued past her. “Good morning, Antonia,” she murmured under her breath. She was proud to hear no tremble in her voice.

Continuing down the hall, she frowned at the open door of a linen closet. The maids were usually conscientious enough to shut the doors after they were through with their chores, in order to maintain the overall aesthetic appeal of the castle. Natalia gave an inner shrug. Clearly, someone had been negligent.

As she stepped past the linen closet, Antonia broadsided her. Unprepared for Antonia’s attack, Natalia stumbled into the closet, aided by her stepsister’s rough pushes. She caught herself on the shelves before she fell, but before she could gather her wits and straighten her clothing, Antonia slammed the closet door. As she heard the click of a lock, Natalia’s breath fled. Her hand shot out to grip the handle, though she knew it was no use. She was locked inside.

Although her breath began to tremble, she refrained from banging on the door. Princesses did not bang on doors. They did not scream. They remained calm and poised, and so, too, would she. Clasping her arms around her middle, she struggled to keep her tears at bay.

Antonia’s cold, shrill voice pierced through the wood. “I’m afraid you’ll have to stay in here, Princess Bitch. That’s what they call you, you know. The servants, the knights, even your own father. Luckily for Prince Bennett, he won’t be marrying you.”

At the pronouncement, Natalia held her breath. Her mind counted the seconds as she waited for the speech that was sure to follow. Antonia’s narrow-minded spiel seldom differed.

“He will be marrying me,” Antonia said in a self-satisfied tone. “With his father’s death, he will need to wed in order to claim the throne as king. Instead of having him come here to claim his bride, I will go to him--as you.”

As Natalia gasped, she clasped a hand over her mouth to stifle the sound.

Her tone cutting, Antonia continued, “You won’t interfere, Princess Bitch--unless you want a scandal, that is. By the time you get free of this closet, it will be too late to stop me, anyway. Have fun in the dust and spiders--it’s where you belong!”

As Antonia’s laughing retreat echoed in Natalia’s ears, she bit the inside of her cheek. Still, tears sprang to her eyes. She had expected cruelty, but she had never expected this. At that moment, with Natalia cloistered in the dark, dusty closet, Antonia seemed destined to get her wish. She would wed Prince Bennett, and Natalia would be left to watch.

Sobbing quietly, she sank to the floor.

Read more about the book at http://www.lbelow.net/lkbelow/books/romance/erotic-romance/historical-romance/unveiling-his-princess