All of you historical, regency fans, have I got a special treat for you today. Author Lauren Smith is here to talk about the first release in her League of Rogues series, WICKED DESIGNS.
For too long Miss Emily Parr has been subject to the whims of her indebted uncle and the lecherous advances of his repulsive business partner. Her plan to be done with dominating men forever is simple—find herself a kind husband who will leave her to her books.
It seems an easy enough plan, until she is unexpectedly abducted by an incorrigible duke who hides a wounded spirit behind flashing green eyes.
Godric St. Laurent, Duke of Essex, spends countless nights at the club with his four best friends, and relishes the rakish reputation society has branded him with. He has no plans to marry anytime soon—if ever. But when he kidnaps an embezzler’s niece, the difficult debutante’s blend of sweetness and sharp tongue make him desperate for the one thing he swears he never wanted: love.
Yet as they surrender to passion, danger lurks in Godric’s shadowed past, waiting for him to drop his guard—and rob him of the woman he can’t live without.
Warning: This novel includes a lady who refuses to stay kidnapped, a devilish duke with a dark past, and an assortment of charming rogues who have no idea what they’ve gotten themselves into.
Hi Guys! I’m Lauren Smith. I’m an attorney by day and writer by night who hails from Tornado Alley (Oklahoma specifically). I write in the following subgenres of romance: historical, Regency, contemporary, new adult, modern gothic, paranormal. If there’s a good story out there, it’s my dream to share it with readers!
From the blurb, I see that Godric kidnaps Emily. So, are dealing with a bad boy hero here? Because, you know how much we romance readers just hate those bad boys. 
Yes! Godric is very much a bad boy. Each member of the League of Rogues is a bad boy. You might even find them contemptible in the first couple of chapters. They don’t apologize for who they are, they embrace the bad boy aspect of their lives. But, the second they kidnap Emily, everything starts to change and soon she has all of those bad boys eating out of the palm of her hand and fighting to the death to protect her. Wicked Designs, as the first book in the series, shows Emily as the catalyst for opening the rest of the League up to the idea of falling in love. But before that happens, readers will definitely get a fun sense of wickedness from Godric and his friends.
What’s the heat level on a scale of 1-10? (Closed door bedrooms being one, 50 Shades being ten.)
Heat Level for Wicked Designs is probably about an 8.
Hot damn!
Oh, how us readers love our series. When will the next book be released, and tell us a little about the series style. Will each book take on a new heroine or will we follow Emily and Godric through further adventure?
The next book His Wicked Seduction will come out November 11, 2014. Each book in the planned six book series follows a different member of the League of Rogues as they fall in love, but all of the other League members make an appearance in each book so readers will get to see how the lives of the other couples progress over time.
Just for fun, what do you drink while writing? Coffee? Diet Coke? Vodka?
Diet Dr. Pepper. Can’t live without it!
What celebrities would play the roles in this book?
Henry Cavill is my ideal actor to play the role of Godric. He’s the perfect brooding, dark-haired Englishman. Skylar Samuels would be the perfect actress to play the young, intelligent and innocent heroine Emily. She’s sweet but also playful.
What is your writing process? Plotter or Pantser? Or Planster?
Definitely a panster with a touch of plotting! HAHA. I usually have a vague idea of where I’m going with a story and as I write each page, I let the characters tell me exactly how they want to get where they are.
What’s your current work in progress?
I’m currently writing a book called The Gilded Cage which is the second in a contemporary romance series that will be published by Grand Central next year. It’s very steamy (think close to 50 Shades of Gray). The Gilded Cage is about a bull-rider name Fenn who was a victim of a childhood kidnapper and was raised away from his rich family and through the feisty actions of a east coast socialite who is determined to bring him home, he is reunited with his family and finds out the truth behind the kidnapping.
Ah, you just made your first sale on that story. Love the bull-riders!
Is there anything else you’d like us to know about Wicked Designs or the League of Rogues series?
I’d really recommend the League of Rogues series for readers who may not have ever read historical before or thought they weren’t fans of historical. I write across all genres, and I wanted Wicked Designs and the League to appeal to all lovers of romance stories. So if you’ve never picked up a historical and are worried you’ll get lost in historical details, give Wicked Designs at try! It’s all about the adventure, humor, steaminess and the love story of course!
You totally just described me. I’m definitely going to check this one out. Thanks, Lauren for being here!
Wicked Designs is available on Amazon Barnes and Noble and iTunes
About the Author
Lauren Smith is an attorney by day, author by night, who pens adventurous and edgy romance stories by the light of her smart phone flashlight app. She’s a native Oklahoman who lives with her three pets—a feisty chinchilla, sophisticated cat and dapper little schnauzer. She’s won multiple awards in several romance subgenres including being an Amazon.com Breakthrough Novel Award Quarter-Finalist and a Semi-Finalist for the Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Award.
Check her out at www.laurensmithbooks.com. You can follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LaurenDianaSmith and on Twitter at @LSmithAuthor. Her blog is theleagueofrogues.blogspot.com.