Author's Spotlight (published on Indie Paranormal Book Reviews)

This interview and book excerpt was originally published on Indie Paranormal Book Reviews, Special Thanks to Michelle!!! If you love books then her blog is the definite place to go.

Whatcha Reading? Bound to the Prince by Deborah Court



What’s the basic premise of Bound to the Prince?
Once a proud warrior, elven prince Elathan was living in exile, fallen from grace and separated from his own people. He wanted the mortal woman the moment he saw her standing on London’s Blackfriars Bridge, staring down into the darkness with unbearable pain in her eyes. This strangely compelling female also happened to have luscious curves that made his body ache with desire. Naturally, he decided to hunt the woman down, drag her to his lair and command her to become his slave of pleasure. But would her frail human body survive a night of untamed passion in the arms of a Fae?

After a devastating breakup with her fiancé, Igraine Chandler was spending her honeymoon in England all by herself, her life utterly bereft of meaning. For who could ever love a plain, slightly overweight nurse from New Jersey with nothing left but a broken heart and her lost dreams of a home and a family? But she never imagined that she would soon set out into a world beyond her wildest dreams, and help a prince reclaim his throne …

What inspired the idea for this book?
I’ve always loved elves since I first read “Lord of the Rings”, and later the graphic novel “Elfquest”, which inspired me to write and draw my own comic books. When the LOTR movies came out, I had quite a crush on Legolas and the other male elves. However, they always seemed a bit too soft and ethereal for my taste. I longed for a darker kind of elf, strong, masculine and sexual. Elves are magical creatures, living in perfect unison with nature. They are also clever and cunning, and they love to play all sort of pranks. If one of them encounters a mortal woman he desires, he’ll simply steal her from her own world. This is what happens to my human heroine, Igraine.

Who is the audience for this story?
Readers who, deep inside their heart, believe that somewhere - maybe not too far away - another world exists; a place where myths and legends come true. And women who want to have it all in one story - romance, action, mind-blowing passion, and the immortal love of a prince.

How would you define the genre for this book? Are there any underlying themes?
Jokingly, I call it “H.E.R.” - Hot Elven Romance. Actually, it’s a paranormal romance with lots of steamy scenes and a strong alpha male as the hero. Still, it’s not like urban fantasy since the story mainly takes place in the elven realms, so I guess it’s a fantasy novel, as well. You’ll find noble knights, monsters and magicians, sacrifice, betrayal and revenge. It’s a romance at heart, but I was strongly influenced by Celtic mythology and the Arthurian Legends when I created Fearann, Elathan’s kingdom.

How would you describe the heat level for this book?
Although I see Bound to the Prince as a fantasy/paranormal romance, I think it would be also right to call it erotic romance so that readers will know what to expect.

The heat level is definitely much higher than in mainstream romances; the erotic scenes are more frequent and explicit. My hero is an alpha male - after all, Elathan’s a prince who's used to be the one in command. He likes to be dominant and possessive in bed, but in a loving way. Since he's an elf, he even might use some magic to enhance his woman's pleasure. But I strongly feel that the main focus is on the love story, and there's much more going on in the elven realms than just mind-blowing passion. As the story enfolds, you'll visit beautiful places, meet mysterious creatures and see some fighting action, too.

What sets Bound to the Prince apart from other books in the genre?
Although I am not 100% sure, I think that my book is the first romance featuring an elven hero. Besides, Elathan is another sort of elf than those we know from fantasy fiction. He’s much darker, deadly beautiful and seductive. But at the same time, he has a strong sense of honor and responsibility. If he gives his heart to a woman, it will be forever. I love paranormal romances, but I didn’t want to write another story about vampires, weres or shapeshifters - there are already so many talented authors who did that. Instead, I felt that it might be the right time for something new.

Will Bound to the Prince be part of a series? If so, can you tell us more about it?
Yes. “Bound to the Prince” is the first book of my upcoming Elven Warrior Trilogy. I am currently working on the second part, which will be Calatin’s story. Calatin is an elven magician and Elathan’s friend. I introduced him in “Bound”. He’s funny and sexy, and he’s an irresistible womanizer. But at the same time, he’s loyal and honorable. Calatin is a character I fell in love with quite unexpectedly. I planned him as some sort of funny sidekick to Prince Elathan, but he turned out to be so much more.

Who did the cover art for your book?
Kimberly Killion at Hot Damn Designs, a wonderful artist and a romance writer herself. It was a pleasure working with her.

What is your favorite scene or line from Bound to the Prince?
It’s hard to decide, but I particularly like a scene where Elathan commands Igraine to wash him under a waterfall by an underground lake. It was so much fun to write. Read an excerpt of this chapter below.

If you could be one of the characters in your book, who would it be, and why?
Obviously, my heroine Igraine. At the beginning of the book, she has reached a dead end in her life, and she’s heartbroken. Then Elathan takes her to his beautiful realm of magic, and she gets all the hot elven lovin’. ;-) But Calatin is the character I fell in love with quite unexpectedly. I planned him as some sort of funny sidekick to the prince, but he turned out to be so much more.

Where can readers find your book? Is it available in ebook, print, or both?
It’s already available at Amazon.com as a Kindle ebook, and will shortly be published in print version. You can also find it in many other e-book formats on Smashwords and other large retailers.

Is there anything else you would like readers to know?
The elven language I used in this story is, though I didn’t especially mention it, Irish Gaelic. I had some help from a good friend who learned this wonderful old language from her Irish grandmother. My next blog entry will be about “How to say it in Gaelic” - teaching you the best declarations of love and the best insults, just in case you’ll encounter some handsome-as-hell sex god from Ireland or Scotland whom you want to impress. I also wove some old Irish legends into the story. Readers will find the original versions on my website if they are interested to dig deeper into the mythology.

Where can readers find you online?
You can find book excerpts, a video trailer and more on my homepage: http://www.deborahcourt.com.
My blog: http://www.deborahcourt.blogspot.com.

I always love hearing from readers, so don’t hesitate to hit the “Contact me”-button! Although it may take a few days, I’ll answer every message.

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FIRST WORDS... (from Prologue)

Deep in the night, an elven prince lay by a lake, sound asleep.

Dreams wove their way into his peacefully resting mind, dreams of days long past, when he was a young knight living at his father’s court. King Bres of the Tuatha Dé Danann had attached great importance to his son’s education and insisted that Elathan was to be treated the same as any other warrior in his service, for he should not grow up to be pampered and weak. After all, Prince Elathan’s royal duty would be to defend Fearann, the lands of the Fae, and make sure that no human would ever cross the magic boundaries. 

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Read the "Shower with the Prince" excerpt from Bound to the Prince