Today I welcome guest author, Kathy Wheeler, who writes fairtytale romance as Kae Elle Wheeler.
Tell us a bit about you and your background.
Well, my background was a little backwards. I married young (19), baby at 21, worked as a secretary/admin assistant for 14 years before finishing college at 39. I began writing 10 years later!
What’s the logline that describes your writing?
A writer’s work is never done!
What are your hobbies away from the computer?
I am a sports fanatic, though it was just pointed out to me recently that I never played sports. Not quite true! I played softball. Oh, and does 14 years of fantasy football count? I hold season tickets to both NBA Thunder Basketball and the Oklahoma City Broadway series. And I adore karaoke.
If you use music while writing, name your favorite types.
I cannot listen to music while I write. I become distracted trying to dissect where the vocalist is taking their breaths, or picturing the intervals of the notes. I love Jewel, Broadway showtunes, and classic rock.
Have you traveled to any locations that appear in your books?
I have three stories ongoing—one for Atlanta, the Gulf, and New York City. I’ve been to all three. But I also have a story set in the Pyrenees and Alsace Region of France and another in Chicago. I haven’t been to either places.
Can you share a tip about what you do when you get stuck in creating a story?
Bitch and moan, then sit my butt in the chair and start pounding the keys…
Describe a normal writing day (or period, if you have other employment obligations).
I do have other employment obligations and this summer I am in a coding (computer programming) class two nights a week. So it’s a little crazy. However, when I am in the writing zone, I can tune anything out (except singable music). I can sit at the bar at Louie’s Bar and Grille and not hear a thing. They usually have a couple of TV screens with some kind of sports on and as long as I can glance up occasionally, I’m good to go.
What’s your dream vacation destination?
Well, I’ve been to London, Madrid, Barcelona, Avignon, Paris, Köln, Amsterdam, Vancouver, Victoria, Caymen’s, Puera Vallarta, and of course most of the major cities in the US thanks to the various RWA conferences and Jazzercise. However, I have not been to Ireland. And I would love it!
In what genre do you read?
I read both Historical and Contemporary Romance. I just finished “Silent Revenge” by Laura Landon. What an excellent set up. She took me completely by surprise. But I also just finished “One Night With the Quarterback” by Jeanette Murray. I loved that one too!
Are you a pet person?
If so, what do you have? I love animals, but they tie you down. We had a dog for 17 years. My husband had an awful time letting him go. Within the last couple of years of his life, a cat landed on our doorstep with a huge hole in her side. But she healed 100% and it’s tough traveling and being away from her, but she is adorable!!!
What do you hope readers gain from your stories?
I just hope they connect to the characters to some degree.

Note: While my Cinderella Series, The Wronged Princess ~ book i, The Unlikely Heroine ~ book ii, and The Surprising Enchantress ~ book iii, have been out a while now, book iv is scheduled for September, 2014: The Price of Scorn, Cinderella’s Evil Stepmother. This particular story, while not a romance, will tie the series up.
Thank you so much for having me, Linda.
BLURB:
Finding his mysterious princess by trying her glass slipper on every maiden in Chalmers Kingdom sounded like a brilliant scheme until the silly thing slid quite easily on the foot of the wrong girl. Now Prince Charming is betrothed to one batty-eyed girl without means of an escape.
Cinderella is devastated when her shoe fits one of her evil stepsisters. Tis an unfair twist of fate. Was she destined to a life of slavery forever?
Little do Cinderella and Prince Charming realize that his mother, the queen, and her twin sister (Cinderella’s infamous fairy godmother), leap on the opportunity to teach Prince, impulsive decisions do not a future king make!
Buy links:
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/books/the-wronged-princess-book-i-1/HqsGNlTr0UKcMbU0AQRQYQ?MixID=HqsGNlTr0UKcMbU0AQRQYQ&PageNumber=1
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Wronged-Princess-Cinderella-Series-ebook/dp/B007MF3NK0/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-wronged-princess-book-i-kae-elle-wheeler/1109629646?ean=2940149414116
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-wronged-princess-book-i/id521451582?mt=11
Excerpt:
But one kiss, who would know besides she? Roaring silence filled the passageway. One more step found her in touching distance. Spicy soap assailed her senses, and before she could stop herself, Cinderella closed her eyes, tipped up on her toes and touched the corner of his mouth with her lips. Floating on air had nothing on such a daring adventure, touch of his lips. Heart pounding furiously, she lowered her heels, opened her eyes, and stepped back. There was a lovely firmness that contrasted with such velvet. She brought her fingers to her mouth.
Time suspended, holding her prisoner. She’d never acted so indecently. She stared at him as if he were Eros, come to life, yet he remained still as the statue, itself.
“Nicely handled, my dear.”
Startled, Cinderella jumped back, the stick clattering to the floor.
“Ah, there it is. I wondered where I’d misplaced it.”
Shamed burned through her. Her deplorable behavior fastened her in place.
“Oh, Fairy Godmother. I-I am, I—” Cinderella took another step back.
The distinct crack of wood had her gasping for air. Oh, no. No, no, no. She’d broken the magic stick. This could not be happening. Hands flew to her flamed cheeks. She waited for Prince to snap out of his frozen reverie. Denounce her very life. But not so much as a flicker of his eyelash fluttered. She dare not move. “Oh. I…I…” Her voice croaked in horror.
Fairy Godmother’s dainty palm came up to halt Cinderella mid-sentence. “Did you break it, do you think? My wand, dear? Thank the heavens you found the blasted thing. ’Twould not do for it to fall into nefarious hands.” She dipped forward and swiped two distinct pieces from the ground.
“Oh, my,” Cinderella whispered. She had definitely broken it. She was too stunned to cry. “I shall—shall—” An audible gulp was impossible to mask. Resigned, she squared her shoulders. ’Twas time to pay the piper. “I shall turn myself in, of course. ’Tis only fitting I should be locked up. The dungeon would be preferable to the gallows, however. Is it possible…you could recommend…I would be most grateful…I…I imagine there are friends in the dungeon. Or, mayhap, Marcel…I am friendly with mice, you see. They are not so terrible, you know. He…is not…so…”
“Cease your prattling, dear child. It is not as dire as all that. Worry naught. I shall handle matters from here. Do you think you can manage your way back?”
Cinderella did not think so, but she could not seem to form a coherent sentence to convey the fact.
“Run along, dear.”
“But, I need to tell Essie. He…she…they…” Cinderella flung out her hand unable to put sound to the word ‘betrothed.’
“Let us not mention this little incident further, hmm?”
“But—” She choked at Fairy Godmother’s stern gaze. “No…no, of course not.” She stammered while heat burned her face. She swung on her heel. Then stopped, and asked over her shoulder, “Prince? Sir Arnald?”
“Not to worry, child. These spells never last long. You handled things magnificently, if I must say.”
Pressing her luck was not an option. She ran for the cover of darkness—never mind the lack of ladylike etiquette, or the fact that she had no inclination, whatsoever, on how to find her way back. Or the many questions she’d had for her elusive Fairy Godmother, once she’d set eyes on her again.
Perhaps another time, she promised herself, and fled for safety.
Amusing twist, November 3, 2013
By
Diane B. – See all my reviews
Verified Purchase(What’s this?)
This review is from: The Wronged Princess – book i: Cinderella Series (Kindle Edition)
just what I needed. A light hearted spin on the traditional Cinderella story. I always wondered how she could have had such unique feet…

bio: Kae Elle Wheeler a.k.a. Kathy L Wheeler was born in Presque Isle, Maine. How she ended up in Texas, Colorado, then Oklahoma is as much a mystery to her as anyone. She graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma with a BA in Management Information Systems and a minor in Vocal Music. She is a member of several RWA Chapters including DARA, The Beau Monde and OKRWA. Kae Elle lives with her musically talented husband in Edmond, Oklahoma, has one grown daughter and one bossy cat!
Web: http://kathylwheeler.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/kathylwheeler
Twitter: http://twitter.com/kathylwheeler
Giveaway (ebook only): The Wronged Princess ~ book i.