I have read and enjoyed every book that Kiley Dunbar has written. I expect that One Winter's Night will be no different. (Doesn't it have a gloriously gorgeous cover? Diane Meacham does incredible work!) I preordered it at least a month ago so I could be one of the first to get my hands on it. I'm so excited for this one! Winter in Stratford-Upon-Avon with Kelsey and Jonathan? Yes, please!
Since Covid is still messing up everyone's plans and lives, I thought it would be fun to do a quick little interview with Kiley to help her celebrate her new release. So, congratulations on your fourth published book, Kiley! I'm so excited to read it and find out what Kelsey's been up to!
SJ: How did you settle on Stratford-Upon-Avon for Kelsey's story? KD: Stratford is my happy place. I lived there for a decade, it’s where I met my husband (blind date, got engaged after 4 days - I know, it was intense!) and I miss being there walking by the Avon every day. Writing the Kelsey Anderson duet (One Summer’s Night and One Winter’s Night) allowed me to escape there whenever I wanted to!
SJ: What is your favorite Shakespeare play?
KD: Ooh, I love Hamlet so much. It’s always been my favourite play to watch and to teach (I’m an English lecturer too). I cast Jonathan as Hamlet in One Winter’s Night just so we could enjoy him in a baggy black laced-up renaissance style shirt and eyeliner!
SJ: What is the best live Shakespeare play you've seen? KD: Live on stage it was Sam West’s Hamlet in 1999. That was a great production and he was beautiful. And I loved the Stephen Fry, Mark Rylance and Johnny Flynn all male Twelfth Night - that was a very sexy production!
SJ: What is your favorite thing about writing romance?
KD: I love the endless variety of ways of interpreting romance tropes, and how even though some unfortunate folks may think it’s a formulaic genre (they clearly haven’t read enough) it’s actually a really creative, diverse, challenging genre to work in.
SJ: What are some of your favorite romance tropes to read?
KD: I love Only One Bed, second chance at love, woman starting over with nothing, friends to lovers... there’s so many, I love them all!
SJ: One Winter's Night releases on September 16. Are you doing anything special to celebrate?
KD: Sadly my book launch signing event is postponed because of the tightening measures on groups gathering in England, but I am taking my husband for a very posh afternoon tea to celebrate and I’ll be sharing my whole publication week on my YouTube channel! Thanks so much for having me! I’d love to ask you a question or two, if I may? ...
KD: What was the best thing about your novel Blue Skies coming out last month?
SJ: To be honest, it's been a really rough year for me personally. I wrote Blue Skies (as Alana Oxford) in May and June this year in order to feel productive and creative during a very trying time. Escaping into the world of Patrice and Seth made me happy and hopeful again. I sincerely hoped that readers would feel that way too.
The best part was seeing reviews come in and people were saying exactly that. That it was an uplifting, happy read that was just what they needed right now. It feels so good to see people enjoying the book and feeling a little better because of it. It's a very humbling experience.
KD: And what do you think your characters Patrice and Seth might be up to this weekend?
SJ: Patrice and Seth would take the mask mandate and staying home as much as possible very seriously, but I think they would definitely get together to take their dogs for a nice, crisp, walk in the park. They'd also indulge in watching a movie together at home. I think they'd either choose a Star Wars movie, or a snuggly feel good romcom.