Ex Libris

I looove sport romances and today it is my pleasure to introduce to you a writing duo unlike others, because under the penname of V.K. Sykes you will find Randy and Vanessa, husband and wife creating such sexy and exciting sport romances! So naturally I was curious to know how this collaboration works between Vanessa and her husband and she was kind enough to shed some light on how the V.K. novels come to life :-) Please give them a warm welcome and answer the question below to win some amazing prizes! ;-) 

Hi Stella! Thank you so much for having me on today, and happy anniversary!

I think most readers know me first as the Vanessa Kelly who writes Regency-set historical romance, but I also write contemporary romance with my husband under the pen name of VK Sykes. Being part of a married writing duo tends to raise a question or two—such as, how do you do that without killing each other? The second is usually something to do with sex scenes and the logistics of writing them. I’ll get to both those questions in a minute.

But a lot of folks also note that we write primarily sports romances. Personally, I love to read sports romances. After all, you’ve got sexy, uber-physical alpha heroes who are super-competent at what they do. I find that very attractive. And I do know that a lot of women love sports, especially baseball and hockey, so for a romance writer it’s a fruitful subgenre. But do I actually like sports? As in watching them and knowing what’s going on?

Um, not so much.

Okay, I do like golf, but as for baseball, football, or hockey? All I can say is that I’m happy I have a writing partner who also happens to be a sports fanatic. My husband Randy is pretty much a typical guy in that respect—he loves sports, especially baseball. He’s also got a highly analytical and logical brain, which makes him a spectacular plotter.

And that’s where the beauty of our writing relationship really kicks in: Randy loves doing the background research and planning for the joint books. He comes up with a core idea, we brainstorm the plot together, and then he goes off and writes the first draft. His understanding of the sports world is so solid that he can weave the appropriate details in and out of the book without overwhelming the story. And, of course, he’s awesome when it comes to writing male characters.

So where do I come in? Well, there are those pesky little things called emotions, and then there are the sex scenes, too. When Randy gives me the first draft there tend to be gaps in the manuscript with little notations like: insert sex scene here, or add emotion here. If there’s one thing hubby does not like to do, it’s write a sex scene!

As for how we manage to work together without killing each other, we’re rarely working on the same manuscript at the same time. When he’s writing the first draft of one of the contemporaries, I’m using usually working on one of my historical romances. Basically, each of us has ownership over the manuscript at any given time. That doesn’t mean we don’t consult each other during the process, but it does mean that we’re not competing against each other as we write. We hand the book back and forth until we think it’s where it needs to be, and then we’re good to go.

A lot of women have said to me that they can’t imagine working with their husbands, so I’m very aware of how blessed I am to have Randy as my writing partner. He’s funny, smart, and a great writer. He also lets me win most of our brainstorming arguments, which is yet another reason why I love him!

V.K. Sykes is really two people - Vanessa Kelly and Randy Sykes, a husband and wife team who write USA Today Bestselling contemporary romance. The second book in their Philadelphia Patriots Series of sports romances won the Kindle Book Review Best Indie Books of 2012 Contest, in the romance category. Vanessa also writes award-winning, Regency-set historical romance for Kensington Zebra under her own name.

From USA Today Bestselling author V.K. Sykes, three steamy, full-length romances about three sexy sports heroes and the women who challenge them at the game of love.

Book 1: FASTBALL

Baseball reporter Maddie Leclair has spent years chasing her dream job--covering the Philadelphia Patriots major league baseball team. But in order to make it to the top tier of sports reporting, she needs to score an interview with the most private and elusive athlete in baseball, Patriots' superstar Jake Miller.

On the rebound from a devastating injury, the last thing Jake needs is a pushy female reporter distracting him. But one look at Maddie and he finds himself trying for a different kind of play, one that involves bedrooms and not baseball stats. Sleeping together could damage both their careers, and Maddie is all about saying no. But when it comes to the game of love, Jake is playing to win.

Book 2: HARDBALL

Winner of The Kindle Book Review Best Indie Books of 2012 Contest

After years of hard work, Dr. Holly Bell has finally landed a position as a cardiac surgeon at a prestigious children's hospital in Philadelphia. She's always been about her dedication to work, and she's not letting anything or anyone get in her way. And a hot affair with a superstar athlete is most definitely getting in Holly's way.

Nate Carter, star pitcher for the Philadelphia Patriots, is at the height of his game, with a great career and the most gorgeous women in town in full pursuit. Nate has everything he wants, or at least he thinks he does, until he meets the beautiful and brainy Dr. Holly Bell. He's totally up for a hot affair, and Holly turns out to be the hottest.

But when the lovely doctor starts changing the rules, Nate realizes he just might be playing for keeps.

Book 3: BIGGER THAN BECKHAM

Sports journalist Martha Winston's life goes sideways when she inherits a Florida soccer team from her father. The team is almost bankrupt and on the skids, but Martha has vowed to save her beloved father's legacy. But she needs to get a financial infusion fast, or else lose the team to the wolves baying at her door.

Former British soccer hero Tony Branch wants to add Martha's team to his growing sports empire. But he wants it strictly on his terms--full control, not a partnership. When Martha turns him down flat, he's determined to change her mind by any means necessary. If that includes using the sexual heat flaring between them, Tony is more than willing to play a game of seduction.

Buy at - B&N - Kobo -

Vanessa has generously offered

- an ebook copy of  to one lucky commenter (open worldwide),

- an ebook copy of to one lucky commenter (open worldwide), and

- a copy of to a third lucky commenter (open to US only)!

 

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