I am absolutely thrilled to welcome new historical romance author; Paulia Belgrado to the blog for an exclusive chat, Paulia’s debut; May The Best Duke Win looks amazing and was one of those books that I broke my own self-imposed book-buying ban to grab a copy as I loved the look of it so much. I am very excited to share this wonderful interview with you all.
Hello Paulia, Welcome to Chicks, Rogues and Scandals! Thank you for taking the time to chat with me today.
Firstly, what five words would you use to describe yourself?
I would say Adventurous, Chill, Creative, Dependable, Dreamer
Can you tell us a little about your latest book?
My next book, Game of Courtship with the Earl, is about an American “dollar princess” from Pittsburgh who’s looking for a titled Englishman to marry. Maddie, however, is unfashionable by the ton’s standards—aside from being American and a genius (she’s works in her family’s iron forge), she’s also tall—about 6 feet tall! So, in order to attract the attention of potential suitors, she engages her friend’s brother, Cameron, Earl of Balfour in a fake courtship scheme. Cam is a Scotsman and he’s not in search of a bride himself, but helps her out because Maddie was kind to his sister (and totally, absolutely not because he’s attracted to her!)
I love the sound of this book!! When not writing, what do you like to do to relax?
I like to catch up on shows or movies I’ve missed, though most of the time, I just hang out with my husband and my dog Jessie. She’s a toy poodle and super smart, so we do a lot of training and walks or I’ll take her out to pet friendly cafe and she’ll socialize with other dogs. I also love exploring whatever city I’m living in and that’s currently Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia
If you could have a holiday home anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Oooh it’s hard to say where I would like to have a holiday home because I love to travel, but I would have to say New York City. I used to live there and would love to have a home base there. There’s always something to do there and I never get bored and having a holiday home there would just make it so easier to come and visit all the time.
If you could have one of your books made into a film, which book would it be and who would play your lead character’s?
I only have one book out and one releasing next month, so it’s not a tough choice. I would say I would love to start from the beginning with May the Best Duke Win, and would love Alison Brie to play Kate and Matthew Goode to play Sebastian.
When writing, do you plot or just go with the flow?
I’m definitely a plotter. I start with a detailed synopsis and then do a chapter by chapter summary. I find that it’s better for me to know where I’m going and it frees up my brain to come up with the more complex stuff like dialogue and descriptions
What three tips would you pass on to an aspiring author?
First would be to not give up! Don’t be discouraged by rejection, but use it to perfect your craft. Next is sometimes you can’t be precious with your writing. Listen to constructive criticism, especially those who have experience in the industry. And third, I would say don’t be a snob when it comes to media—consume anything and everything you can, you never know where your next inspiration will come from.
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to chat with me today, Paulia, I have just one more cheeky question, just for fun; What is your favourite snacking food?
this definitely changes but usually I’ll be obsessed with one food for a while and then move on when I find something else. Currently it’s Lotus Biscoff biscuits which I’ll have with my favorite smokey Earl Grey tea, but last week I was all about these wasabi mixed nuts
Thank you, Frankie x
About the Author
Born and raised in the Philippines, Paulia Belgado has worn many hats over the years, from freelance writer to PR assistant, flyer distributor, singer, nanny, and farm worker. Now, she’s proud to add romance author to that list. After decades of dreaming of seeing her name on the shelves next to her favorite romance authors, she finally found the courage (and time! Thanks, 2020!) to write her first book. Paulia lives in Malaysia with her husband Jason, Jessie the poodle, and an embarrassing amount of pens and stationery art supplies.
Follow her on Twitter @pauliabelgadoor via her Official Facebook Page
About the Book
May the Best Duke Win
A charming, playful Victorian debut from Paulia Belgado
She must marry a duke… But which one?
American heiress Kate Mason loves being a rail engineer—yet her father is demanding she marry an English aristocrat! Her plan is to accept any noble who’ll allow her to pursue her railway ambitions—until she kisses Sebastian, Duke of Mabury. He is a duke, but the wrong one. He’s shunned society since a family scandal and vowed never to wed at all. So why does being with him feel so right?
From Harlequin Historical: Your romantic escape to the past.
Book’s purchase links pauliabelgado | Twitter, Facebook | Linktree
If you are a romance and/or historical author and are interested in taking part in an exclusive author interview, then do get in touch via the contact me page, everyone is welcome!
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