Unwrapping an Interview with Jess Michaels, author of the Ladies Book of Pleasures series

Yesterday, A MEASURE OF DECEIT, book 3 in the Ladies Book of Pleasures series by Jess Michaels released and gave us the answer to the identity of The Lady, the authoress of the scandalous LADIES BOOK OF PLEASURES. Lady Grace, Duchess of Jameswood may have penned the book which led her two dearest friends to their happily-ever-afters but she is lonely, and missing the thrill of being in love and happily mated. A MEASURE OF DECEIT gives us her story and introduces us to the sexy Scotsman, Connor Sheridan – the man who published her book and claims Grace’s heart.

Joining me today is the fabulous author of so many amazing erotic historical romances, and the creator of this fabulous series, the incomparable Jess Michaels.

Blurb for A MEASURE OF DECEIT:

Even Society’s most scandalous writer couldn’t have predicted this.

The Ladies Book of Pleasures, now credited with two marriages and countless other affairs and liaisons, has Society all aflutter. The one person not benefitting from its scandalous advice? The author herself.

From the safety of her anonymity, Lady Grace Hollis, Duchess of Jameswood, enjoys the blissful results of her handiwork—and pretends she does not miss the passionate proclivities she penned. But when her handsome editor begins making the rounds of Society parties, she wonders how long her secret will be safe.

Connor Sheridan wants—needs—to know the answer to the one burning question on everyone’s lips: the mystery writer’s identity. And it’s not just because their correspondence, delivered via untraceable couriers, has made him smile, frown, or imagine her engaged in erotic escapades—with him.

Other letters have begun landing on his desk, letters written by a decidedly unfriendly hand. And though it may threaten her reputation, the safest place for her could very well be his arms. Whether she likes it or not.

Warning: This book contains secret identities, dangerous liaisons, and a very sexy Scot.

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Please join me in welcoming back Jess Michaels, author of the newly released A MEASURE OF DECEIT, book three in the Ladies Book of Pleasures series, to Unwrapping Romance … 

Amy: Welcome Jess, it's an absolute delight to have you with us today, and I'd like to thank you so very much for taking time out of your busy day to join us. Congratulations on this amazing series and your most recent release, A MEASURE OF DECEIT. 

Jess: Thank you so much for having me! I'm always thrilled to be here!

Amy: Perhaps you'd like to tell us a little bit about yourself for those who don't know you yet.

Jess: I'm Jess Michaels and I write erotic historical romance set in the Regency period. A Measure of Deceit is my 48th release, most of them are erotic historical written under my Jess Michaels name. I've also written under Jesse Petersen (zombie comedy) and Jenna Petersen (regency era romance, but not as erotic). I live in Tucson with my husband and our two old lady cats. I also enjoy reading, walking in the gorgeous desert and hanging out with friends.

Amy: Jess, you began your full time writing career in 1999 and since then, you've published dozens of amazing stories. It's been an amazing journey for you. Perhaps you could share with us what first inspired you to write, and what inspired you to take your historical romances in the delightfully naughty direction we now enjoy?

Jess: It really has been a wonderful journey! I couldn't have imagined when I started out that I would be writing full-time still, have written almost 50 books, and would fully support my family with my writing income. I've always wanted to write and once I started reading romance I got very into writing it. Over the years, I hope I developed my own voice and style and eventually Avon wanted to buy my historicals. When they were ready to launch Avon Red, their erotic romance line, they knew I'd written a couple of novellas that were erotic under my Jess Michaels name and they asked me to write them for them. So I got to write sexy regencies and even sexier regencies. :-) But as time passed, I knew I couldn't keep doing so many things. The sexier historicals were most interesting to me by the time I was writing them for Samhain, so that's what I'm focused on at this point. I doubt I'll write as Jenna again, but you never know for Jesse.

Amy: I hope you won’t be giving up on Jenna completely, but Jesse’s stories are certainly a wonderful diversion.

Your newest release, A MEASURE OF DECEIT, is Lady Grace and Connor Sheridan's story. Connor, like the readers, is determined to discover the identity of the author of the scandalous Ladies Book of Pleasures. So what inspired your creation of the book and the characters we meet in this amazing series? I love the bits of advice. They are so good and still applicable.

Jess: Well, when I came up with the idea for the Ladies Book of Pleasures, I knew that the third book would revolve around the identity of The Lady (the author of the notorious book). Connor is the editor of the book, but he's never known who she really is. When she cuts off contact with him suddenly, he longs to find her and encounters Grace. If you've read the other two books, you already know Grace to be so strong and Connor is a great counterpoint to that. The advice was fun to write, though sometimes I struggled to find something that would fit with the chapter and the idea of the book.

Amy: The advice is some which modern woman can easily use to capture or in most cases, keep their men attentive.

Most writers are prolific readers. As you mentioned, you love reading, so what authors have influenced your writing? 

Jess: I would like to be more prolific but right now, I'm working about 80 hours a week, so I don't have a lot of time for anything besides sleeping and eating. When I do read, I tend to do it in jags of like five books in a week during vacation. I read all over the map (at the point I'm writing this, I am about to start reading AS YOU WISH by Cary Elwes). Influential writers: LM Montgomery, Julia Quinn, Teresa Medeiros, Stephen King. :-)

Amy: That’s a very eclectic reading list and from it, I can see where you’ve gained influence. Great list.

Is there a story living in your imagination, which you have yet to write but is itching to get out? If so, is it different from anything else you've done so far or within the genres you already excel at?

Jess: There are about ten stories living in my imagination. Right now I'm all focused on Jess Michaels’ erotic historical romance so that's what's bopping around in my head mostly. Though I do have a thriller I would possibly pursue if I ever had ten minutes to put together. Not likely in the next year or so.

Amy: A thriller! Wonderful. Well, I personally hope you find the time to conjure that one for us.

Usually I ask about a favorite character but since you've visited us before, I thought I should ask something new and different. So Jess, if you had not found your joy in writing, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Jess: Ballerina and baseball player is what kindergartener Jess wanted to do. Then writer was pretty dominant for the rest of my childhood. I have a degree in psychology though, and I probably would have pursued my plans to become a marriage and family counselor. I'm pretty glad it worked out as it did, though. Now I doubt I could do anything else.

Amy: I imagine that degree in psychology will come in handy if you do decide to pursue the suspense genre.

Jess, thank you so very much for joining us today and for sharing A MEASURE OF DECEIT with us. Congratulations on this amazing series, I hope any of my readers who haven't dipped their toe into the amazing Ladies Book of Pleasures series will as soon as possible. As for the rest of us, I'm sure my readers are as excited as I am to see what comes next. 

Jess: Thank you so much for having me, it was a blast! I hope you'll all enjoy A MEASURE OF DECEIT as much as I loved writing Grace and Connor's story!

Amy: Thank you, Jess, for sharing all of your fabulous characters with us and I hope everyone who hasn’t read the Ladies Book of Pleasures series will certainly give it a try. I have no doubt that you all will fall in love with Jess’s characters and adventures just as I, and so many others, have. Watch for her brand new Notorious Flynns series coming in January starting with THE OTHER DUKE, releasing on January 13, 2015. I am very excited about it. It’s been an absolute pleasure having Jess visit us and she’s always welcome back at Unwrapping Romance just as her wonderful stories always are.

Happy Reading Everyone!

About the Author:

Jess Michaels began writing full-time in 1999 after being encouraged by her husband to follow her dream. In 2003, she sold her first novella, an erotic historical romance about an Egyptian tomb and a very sexy curse. Since then she has published nearly 50 novels and novellas under three different pen names with several major publishers, small presses and via self-publishing. Her erotic historical romances have been national bestsellers and won awards from booksellers and readers.

She and her awesome husband live in Tucson where she enjoys playing video games, exploring the beautiful desert, reading and spending petting her two old lady cats.

To learn more about Jess and her fabulous books, please visit her website and feel free to follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads. When you visit her website be sure to sign up for her newsletter, she’s always got some fun giveaways happening along with keep you up-to-date about her books.

A MEASURE OF DECEIT, a Ladies Book of Pleasures novel by Jess Michaels, Samhain Publishing, available now in ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks.

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