Fun Fast Five
with
Author Teri Wilson

This month I’m excited to introduce you to my best friend and author extraordinaire, the fabulous Teri Wilson! If you follow me on social media, you may have seen pictures of me and Teri traipsing around the world like two Ms. Gotrockses.

Teri is a USA Today Bestselling Author who writes heartwarming contemporary romance with a touch of whimsy. Three of her books have been adapted into Hallmark Channel Original Movies by Crown Media, including UNLEASHING MR. DARCY (plus its sequel MARRYING MR. DARCY), THE ART OF US and NORTHERN LIGHTS OF CHRISTMAS, based on her book SLEIGH BELL SWEETHEARTS. She is also a recipient of the prestigious RITA Award® for excellence in romantic fiction for her novel THE BACHELOR’S BABY SURPRISE.

Teri has a major weakness for cute animals, pretty dresses and Audrey Hepburn films, and she loves following the British royal family.

Feel free to visit and connect with her on social media at the links below. You can also add and share her books on BookBub and GoodReads.

Website: https://teriwilson.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeriWilsonAuthor
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/TeriWilsonauthr
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teriwilsonauthor
Newsletter: https://teriwilson.net/index/vip-newsletter/

Five Fun Facts with Teri Wilson

1. We are besties for a reason! We both love to travel, we love to shop, we love handbags, and we love dogs. Tell us what is the most ridiculous thing you have ever purchased for your favorite furbaby? (note to subscribers: this is going to be good)

Julia, how could you do this to me? I can’t believe you are making me answer this question. Also, I don’t even know where to start. Was it the tiny Cavalier King Charles spaniel-sized pink bunny slippers? The puppy stroller that seemed super practical because it came with a cup holder? The dog bed that looked like a giant Tiffany’s box that I bought at Harrods in London and had them ship to my home in Texas? Stop laughing. I could go on. (side note: she could)

2. Once Upon a Royal Summer is set in a theme park and features Princess Sweetpea and a real live prince. When is the last time you were actually in a theme park, and what was the last ride you were on?

The last time I was at a theme park was in 2017 when I was at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, for the Romance Writers of America Conference. I honestly don’t remember the last ride I was on there…but I definitely remember having neon blue martinis at the Brown Derby in Disney Studios and then helping my friend Patricia choose between two Star Wars handbags to purchase at one of the Disney shops, only to find out that it was the same bag the whole time and just had R2D2 on one side and C-3PO on the other. 

3. You write some of the best rom-coms around, and I should know, because I seethe with jealousy when I read them. What is the number one tip you would give an aspiring writer for writing a romantic comedy (besides you kind of need to be funny)?

Hmm. This is hard. I’m going to give two tips because I can’t decide on just one. First, I’d say read a lot of romantic comedies, because I think the best way to learn about any genre is to read it extensively. Also, I’d say to keep things light. It’s still great to have emotional depth in a romcom, but in the end, these books are supposed to be fun, feel good reads and too much serious subject matter can take away from the humor. That might just be my personal preference, though.

4. You and I have been fortunate enough to travel a lot together to “writing retreats.” What is the best trip we’ve taken? And when we can make long-haul flights again, where would you have us go?

There’s no way I can choose a favorite. I’ve loved all of our trips! If you’re going to force me to pick one, I’m going to say our trip to London in December when England was all decorated for the holidays. We got to see the Princess Diana fashion exhibit at Kensington Palace, we got together with author friends from the UK and we went to Windsor. I adored everything about that trip. When international travel is a thing again, I hope we can go back to Scotland, stay in Edinburgh for a day or two of fabulous dinners and sightseeing and then head to the Highlands to write, drink wine and watch the dogs herd sheep from the living room window. (side note: Scotland was and is heaven)

5. You love the contemporary royal romance genre. If my readers are not up on this niche (and if you’re not, WHY AREN’T YOU?), what fun book would you recommend to get their feet wet?

Contemporary royal romance is my jam! I love it when a heroine finds out that she’s accidentally been dating a prince and thinks it’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to her. I’ll read that storyline again and again and love it every time. A few royal books I’ve really enjoyed lately are Royally Crushed by Melanie Summers, which pairs a sheltered princess with a Bear Grylls-type adventure star (it’s hilarious!) and American Royals (and its sequel Majesty) by Katharine McGee, a lush, soapy, young adult series that takes place in a modern-day America where George Washington was a king instead of a president and the country is still ruled by the House of Washington.