Guest Author: Kandy Shepherd

I met today’s guest many years ago at an RWA conference, and immediately loved how she was so warm and welcoming. Her warmth and great sense of humour translates into her beautifully written romantic reads and it’s a great pleasure to have Kandy Shepherd as my guest author today. 

Kandy settled in Australia after having been born in Sri Lanka to expat parents, and then living her early years in Sri Lanka, India, England and Ireland. She says she devoured books from a very young age. “My mother loved literary fiction but also introduced me to Georgette Heyer, Anya Seton, Daphne du Maurier and Agatha Christie as well as Harlequin romances. So I can truthfully say I’ve been immersed in romance and popular fiction for most of my life.”

Kandy worked in magazines and was an editor-in-chief of several mass-market titles in Australia and England, ending up as editorial director of a major magazine publisher. Now, Kandy is multi-published by Harlequin, has a self-published sensual romance which was an Amazon best-seller (“The Castaway Bride”), and a fun, sexy chick lit titled “Reinventing Rose”. Kandy has also been published by Berkley Sensation and says,“I was thrilled beyond belief when Berkley wanted to publish “Love Is A Four-Legged Word”. Berkeley also published the follow up story, “Home Is Where the Bark Is”.

I’m very much in awe of the depth and variety of Kandy’s writing. Now, I’m looking forward to having her answer my quick author quizzing!

Welcome Kandy!

Thank you so much for having me as your guest, Alyssa. I too, fondly remember our first meeting at a luggage carousel! I've enjoyed meeting with you when we've had the chance and followed your career with interest.  

I'd love to hear about your latest release and whether it posed any particular challenges to write.

My latest book is a July release from Harlequin Mills & Boon, "Best Man and the Runaway Bride".

The main challenge I faced was to give a new twist to the well-loved trope of the runaway bride—one of my personal favourites! The best man, Max, by helping bride Nikki flee her society wedding and her duplicitous groom, finds himself getting caught up in the kind of scandal and media headlines he, as a top ranking international tennis player, will do anything to avoid. Nikki runs all the way to the anonymity of a tropical Indonesian island, the last place she expects Max to appear. To avoid further scandal, they need to stay away from each other—easier said than done, as it turns out! There are some gorgeous scenes in this book as Max and Nikki explore the beauties of this island, both underwater and on land, as they fall in love.

That sounds wonderful! I can't wait to read it. What's next for you as an author?


Harlequin has kept me very busy for the last few years. I'm just finishing my next romance for them which is scheduled to be a 2019 release. Then there's another to finish by the end of the year. I also have ideas for other non-series stories ticking over.

  In all your travels, which place rates as your favourite? 

Current favourite is Greece, in particular the beautiful seas surrounding the Greek islands where I have been fortunate enough to go on the most amazing swimming holidays. I totally fell in love with Crete and next on the swim hit list is Santorini.

Closer to home, I love Bali. "Best Man and the Runaway Bride" is actually set on the small Indonesian island of Nusa Lembongan, off the east coast of Bali, and accessible only by boat. There's a lot about it in the book—in fact I wrote some of the scenes while I was staying there last year. Heaven!

                                       

These photos you've taken certainly depict a tropical paradise!

My overall favourite place to visit will always be England, London in particular.

 I visited the Greek Isles a few years ago with my family and also loved swimming there, Kandy. As for London, there's always so much to see and do there. My son would love to work there when he finishes his university degree and if he does, I'll love to visit! 

Which place is now the top of your travel wish list?

Two destinations are vying for equal place. Both are places I lived in as a child and have never had the chance to return to-Ireland and Sri Lanka. I want to get there ASAP!

 I hope you make it to both places soon!

 In all the highlights of your writing career, is there one moment that stands out for you?

After having some earlier success in romance publishing, there was a long, dry spell of rejection after rejection. When I opened an email from Berkley saying something like "we have read your manuscript for Love Is A Four-Legged Word and enjoyed it..." I was waiting for the "but" or the "however" followed by a kindly worded rejection. Instead there followed an offer of publication.  That really was a thrill and I danced around the room holding hands with my daughter. At that time, to sell a single title romance unagented to a New York publisher was quite a big deal. Another standout is the first time I got a letter from a complete stranger telling me how much they loved my book. I still love to get those letters! 

Thank you again, Kandy for sharing all these wonderful insights with us today.

Readers! Kandy has very kindly offered one autographed copy of Best Man And The Runaway Bride which she'll send anywhere in the world. To enter, please leave a comment and you will be entered into the draw. All names of those who comment will be entered into the draw and a name picked randomly. The winner will be announced in a special blog post on the 23rd of July.

Thanks again Kandy!

 

  

You may find out more about Kandy on her website: kandyshepherd.com/

  Please join me on July 4th for my next Guest Author, Cathleen Ross! Until then, Happy Reading!

       Alyssa J. Montgomery

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About the Blogger:

Alyssa J. Montgomery is an Australian contemporary romance author who is published by Escape Publishing (Harlequin Enterprises, Australia). She also 

writes medieval romance as Alyssa James,

 

         http://www.alyssajmontgomery.com/