Rachel Van Dyken

When I'm not sitting by my computer thinking about writing, you can usually find me.... Eating Watching way too much reality T.V. Eating Reading romances aka researching ;) Daydreaming Did I say eating?? Okay, okay...I don't just sit and eat and read, though I think the world would definitely be a better place if we ate more chocolate and read more books. Just saying. ;) I grew up in a small farm town where cows outnumber people and tractors are more common than cars. I desperately wished to one day wake up and be a princess. My sister and I often played "pretend," though she was always the princess and I the prince or evil step mother. Maybe that's why I write? I wanted to be the princess so desperately that I decided to write my own story. I've always been a dreamer and a thinker. I blame my parents for allowing Disney to pollute my mind, not that I care, considering I live and breathe all things Disney. I went to college thinking I would change the world one child at a time via counseling...I ended up being a K-8 school counselor for around five years while getting my MBA....the whole time I kept feeling like I was not necessarily doing something I was very passionate about. One day, after a terribly sad counseling session with a few young girls--I began typing. I've been typing ever since. In 2011 I had my first book published. I cried, jumped up and down, and called everyone I knew! I can only say I wake up wanting to do nothing but fall to my knees in thanks to God for his many blessings. I was told one time by a very wise person to sit and think about your childhood. About the dreams that you had, the fantasies you wanted to come to life...by digging in your past it's often found that you can decide what your destiny is. I was a prince, a toad, a monster, the evil step-mother, and sometimes the slave girl waiting to be rescued. So now, I'm an author. Sounds about right... I love to hear from readers...and if you ever stop by Idaho, hit me up. We'll go to Starbucks and talk about food, books, romance, and rakes. :)
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Interview
 1. You have mentioned you like to eat, what are some of your favorite foods?
I do love to eat. :) My favorite food is probably Thai food...so good! But if I'm being completely honest, I'm a hot dog girl haha! I love good ol bbq as well! I usually snack on  almonds when I write...and treat myself with wine when I finish a book!

2. What is it about the historical romance genre that grabbed you, that inspired you to write so many books?
I love historical romances. The dresses, the mannerisms--everything about the regency era was really captivating to me. It was so different from typical life now, that I thought it would be fun to write. I also love rakes...the regency bad boy? Can't get any better than that!

3. As you know I am now addicted to your book Elite and am waitng with baited breath for Elect, do you know how many book you will be having in this series yet?
My initial plan was to have two books with the Eagle Elite series. At this point..I'm thinking I may end up having four. After all, I want to write about Mo and Tex and we don't really get to see much of their relationship in Elect.

4. I am currently in the middle of reading The Bet great book by the way, what would you say is your favorite personality trait that each of the characters has?
Each character? Hmmm..I love grandma's personality. She has no censor whatsoever! I love Travis's protective nature, Jakes selfishness b/c at least he's honest about who he is, and finally Kacey's silly fears ;) I love that each of them bring something different to the table. I mean, that's how family life is right? We all have that crazy uncle or weird grandma, or even that silly crush on our neighbor ;)

5. When you get stuck on a book what do you do?
Write something else. This is why I am, at all times, writing several stories. I get bored with some of my stories, or I can't stop thinking about other characters, so I move on and then come back to the book.

6. Have you ever written a character in a book that you took from one of the reality shows you watch?
 Angelica from Shatter was easy to write b/c i just based her off all the catty women on The Bachelor ;) I have to admit that watching The Vampire Diaries helped me a bit with the Seaside series. I wanted to see how two brothers would react if they loved the same girl.

Books
Renwick House
   Since childhood Sara has lived with the reality of being ugly. Something her awful family never ceased to remind her. After her sisters run off to Gretna Green, she's left with one choice--go to London and take their place for a Season. It's up to her to marry well and save her family from financial ruin. A distant aunt decides it's in her best interest to sponsor Sara for the season and help her snag a husband by any means possible. Nicholas Devons, Earl of Renwick, is a retired rake and consequently bored with life. He's given up beautiful women and carnal pleasures. Desperation makes him decide to give his massive fortune away and marry the first country girl he sees. Lucky for Sara she's that girl. Unlucky for Nicholas, he's to be her new tutor in the ways of the ton. Two waltzes, one masquerade, a violent carriage ride, and two duckless ponds later.... and all that's left is a fun twist on one of the oldest stories ever told.
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  When the angelic Duke of Tempest, Sebastian St. James, appeared unexpectedly at his boyhood friend’s home, he had but one goal: Find a suitable wife as soon as possible. However, his impeccable reputation made him a prime target for ambitious mothers of debutante daughters. He needed a plan. Help came in the form of an unlikely alliance with Miss Emma Gates, the beautiful daughter of a wealthy viscount, who has deemed herself on the shelf, and only wants to marry in order to appease her parents. Together they could sort through the mire of would-be mates to find their perfect matches. That is, if they could keep their hands off each other long enough to pursue likely candidates. When a man from Emma’s past makes a play for her hand, the truth about her life threatens to destroy Sebastian’s reputation, a reputation he has carefully guarded since his youth. In the end, the Angel Duke has to make a choice that will end up changing his reputation forever.
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  Spoiled New York rogue Royce Mc Arthur lives a charmed life. He sees no reason to settle down, until his mother issues her decree that he must grow up, find a wife and produce some grandchildren…preferably before she dies of old age. But his choices are quite limited considering the only women of his acquaintance are ones of ill repute. Meeting the beautiful Evelyn DeJarlias at a ball gives him hope he may have found the one. Her southern blue collar outspokenness and lack of refinement draws him like a moth to a flame. Unfortunately, she does not find him nearly as endearing -- consistently refusing his lavish gifts and his attentions, she poses a challenge he simply cannot ignore. When his mother and her widowed father begin to keep company together secretly, it provides the perfect excuse for him to spend time with Miss DeJarlias But figures from Royces past threaten to destroy the blossoming love between the couple. Evelyn must decide if she is willing to trust the man or hold his past indiscretions against him.
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  Phillip Crawford, the eighth Earl of Rawlings and notorious rake of the ton, has come to the end of his rope. Out of money, out of favor, and out of luck, he wanders the streets of London in the rain, hoping to be hit by inspiration...or a runaway carriage. Something has to give. It is his father's final cruel trick to hold his inheritance just out of reach, requiring him to marry by his next birthday in order to claim his full rights as earl. His step-mother refuses to offer him any more support. With no money, no prospects and no other place to turn, he has only two options. Marriage or debtor's prison. Book Three of the House of Renwick Series: The better choice seems clear enough, but with his name and reputation being attacked daily in the society papers, there's not a proper lady in all of London desperate enough to accept him. It isn't going to be easy, even if the reports of his exploits and rakish lifestyle are greatly exaggerated. On the other hand, debtor's prison does start to look much more appealing when the only friends he has left decide to help him in his search for the perfect bride. Matters become much more complicated when the only woman who shows an interest in him just happens to be the young sister-in-law of the Duke of Tempest; the same man who, just months ago, had been tempted to kill him. One thing is for certain, as the Season draws to an end, Lord Rawlings will have to decide once and for all, if his wicked ways are enough to bring him contentment in life, or if a leopard really can change his spots. Or in Phillip's case—can a devil truly be redeemed?
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  Who said being bad wasn't oh so good? Benedict Devlyn, Duke of Banbury, has one thing on his mind and it isn't marriage. But things take a turn for the worse when his menacing aunt throws a hitch in his plans to remain the most sinful and talked about man in the ton. After all, a man cannot keep the reputation of being The Devil Duke when he is leg-shackled to some simpering spinster. But his aunt, bless her heart, thinks she's dying, and believes her nephew’s behavior is the only thing standing in the way between her entrance to heaven or hell. So she very lovingly and selflessly sets him up. With his childhood nemesis. A young woman who, though she claims it was an accident, has nearly killed him thrice through her lack of grace and manners. It matters not that the minute he sets eyes on her at the Christmas ball, his blood boils with lust. He refuses to allow himself to fall prey to his aunt’s ministrations. That is, until he is compromised and stuck in an engagement to a girl who claims she'd rather jump from a moving carriage than marry him. Funny thing that, for the very minute she says no, he finds his heart very much wants to say yes. When she doesn't leap at the chance to marry him, he sets about to not only prove that he's worthy of her favor, but also worthy of her heart. 
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London Fairy Tales
 
"I release you..." were the last words Rosalind remembered before her world went black. Stefan, the future duke of Montmouth, no doubt thought his words were welcomed but he couldn't have been more wrong. Oh, he was handsome as a pagan Norse god, but that was unimportant when her life as well as those of her family hung in the balance. With less than six weeks left, Rosalind has stopped believing in the fairy tale, the prince on the white horse, and the stolen kiss that would awaken her from her worst nightmares. Resigned to her fate, she waits for the inevitable curse to run it’s course. "We must marry at once!" Stefan declared, fully expecting Rosalind to be delighted that he had come to save her, but he was sorely mistaken. Rosalind was no simpering docile female; she was a fiery temptress with a stubborn streak only matched by his horse, Samson. Insulting, infuriating, intoxicating and alluring enough to drive a man mad. Stefan found himself thankful for the curse that required him marry her, thankful for the betrothal contract he had so recently tried to release her from...With the fortitude of a sailor shipwrecked, abandoned, and a solider warring for his life Stefan decides to lay siege to the greatest prize, Rosalind's heart. 
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  Scarred at a young age, Dominique Maksylov, Royal Prince of Russia, has lived a reclusive life. As a musical prodigy, his music has wide reach into the world, but few ever see his face. He never ventures into polite society, but when he dis-covers he is the only heir to the Earldom of Harriss, he goes to one ball. And that one ball, was enough to change the direction of his life forever. But how could he possibly have known that other person— the other half of his whole—would not only need his help but threaten his very existence? She didn’t know how hard it would be to love the broken. Isabelle Hartwell’s mother just sold her to the Beast of Russia. He’s mean, tem-peramental, and the most virile, handsome man she has ever encountered. But he has a secret, one he’s willing to die for and he refuses to let anyone in. Will she be able to reach his heart before it’s too late? Find out if love prevails in this regency retelling of how Beauty tamed the savage Beast…
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  What happens when one is both Hunter and Wolf? You know it’s going to be a bad day when you get shot at—twice. Hunter Wolfsbane, Duke of Haverstone, also known as “Wolf” is having exactly one of those days. Things take a turn for the worse when he’s notified that he’ll be acquiring a partner for his newest mission. The rub? He’s kissed her---twice. In his defense, she was already ruined, but it didn’t help matters that she was the sister-in-law to his best friend in the world. And how does a woman protect her heart from one who has the power to destroy every-thing she holds dear? Lady Gwendolyn has only one thing on her mind--Finding the Wolf and strangling him where he stands. Unfortunately, she needs him to complete one final mission for the Crown and to keep her family safe. It has absolutely nothing to do with her attraction to him, or his golden eyes, or his wicked smile, or the fact that he’s convinced to keep his heart encased in ice—that is, if he still possesses one.
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When Ash Falls (coming July)

 The Vandenbrook Series
  The last thing career-driven Kessen Newberry wants is to leave her home in Colorado to spend a Season in London, far away from her job, her friends and the memories of her mother. However, her father, the Earl of Newberry, threatens to disinherit her unless she gets in touch with her British roots. She complies, but has no intention of enjoying the experience. That is until she meets Christian Vandenbrook, the arrogant and irritatingly handsome future Duke of Albany and her father’s business partner. Unfortunately, Christian hates Americans. And coffee. And apparently, Kessen. A hatred this passionate can only lead to one thing… marriage. Caught in the middle of a Regency-inspired nightmare, Kessen and Christian are forced to marry in only one week’s time. Resigned to their fate, the two resolve to give the relationship a chance—which would be much easier if everyone would stop interrupting them every time they found a moment alone.
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 Irresistible Terms (coming 2013)



The Seaside Series 
  Life as a teenager is never easy. But for Natalee Murray, things have just gotten way more difficult. Bored with life, she can't wait to graduate high school and get out of town, especially considering the famous band members from AD2 suddenly start attending her school, making her once boring life, absolutely insane. It starts with a pen. A single brush of fingers, and she is captivated. But Alec and Demetri have a dark secret, one that could shatter their reputations and Natalee's heart. What do you do when one guy paints your life with color while the other infuses your soul with passion? How do you choose when your heart is divided? 
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  Jaded rock star, Demetri Daniels, is in Hell — also known as Seaside, Oregon. Sent to rehab after nearly getting himself killed last year, his record company wants nothing more than for him to lay low, away from the limelight. Irritated and more alone than he’s ever been in his life, Demetri tries desperately to rebuild his shattered reputation as a drug addict and player, which proves to be difficult when he meets Alyssa. Alyssa is everything he should stay away from. She’s beautiful, smart, but above all else, she’s damaged. And one thing Demetri has learned is two broken hearts don’t equal a whole. In the end, he has to decide if he can rise above the life he’s created in learning from his past mistakes, or fall into the darkness of his choices.
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  Sometimes the only way to heal... is to shatter. Rock star Alec Daniels has it all. Love, fame, money... But being in the limelight isn't all it’s cracked up to be, and after one bad choice comes back to haunt him he is left picking up the pieces of his carefully constructed life. Now he faces the toughest decision of his life: Deal with his mistake like a man, or dive back into the dark hole of depression, drugs, and denial that have been his comfort for so long. One wrong move could destroy everything. His girlfriend, his family, and his future.
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 Fall (coming August/September)

Seasons of Paleo
  If they take you, you don't come back. You either die...or wish you had. The Western Empire was ruthless. The only reason I survived was because he gave his life for me--a life that might as well have been mine, for when they stole his last heartbeats, they silenced my own. They call me princess, an answer to the prophecy, but I’m nothing more than a prisoner...awaiting my lifelong punishment. Marriage. To the Prince of the East. But it’s the Royal Protector who reminds me of what I lost. He threatens something I never thought I'd have again...my heart.
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Reign of the Lion (Savage Spring)-Christmas


Waltzing with the Wallflower

  The Season has only just begun, but already Ambrose Benson is bored…until his brother offers him a challenge. Something worthy of his particular talents. The object: The girl hiding behind the plants—the one in the horrible dress. The goal: Turn her into the envy of the ton. A lady suitable for a duke. But there is just something about the lady—in spite of all her social misgivings—something that draws him like a moth to flame and makes him want to waltz with the wallflower.
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  Driven to distraction by the redhead across the room, Anthony Benson barely hears the terms of his brother’s challenge before agreeing to them. No matter. It will be easy. Viscount Maddox has never had any problem impressing the ladies. And four weeks is more than enough time to win over this so obviously neglected wallflower. But things are never as easy as they seem. The lady has lofty aspirations. And not one of them includes love or marriage. Especially not with an arrogant and self-assured playboy like the viscount. No matter how attractive he may be.
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  Being level-headed and even-keeled is a thing of the past. Sir Colin Wilde’s broken heart has sent him over the edge. And he is convinced the only way to get over the loss of Lady Gemma is to lose himself in debauchery. Taking his cue from the private bachelor journal of Viscount Maddox, he presses forward in his quest to become the most notorious rake the ton has ever seen. Prim and proper Lady Gemma isn't about to let him soil his reputation, especially over a misunderstanding. In spite of the propriety ingrained in her since birth, she throws convention to the wind and sets about to do the impossible... seduce a rake and tame Wilde.
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The Bet

  "I have a proposition for you..." Kacey should have run the minute those words left Seattle millionaire Jake Titus's mouth. Instead, she made a deal with the devil in hopes of putting her past behind her once and for all. Four days. She could do four days! But she wasn't counting on Jake’s older brother Travis being there to witness their farce of an engagement. One thing is for certain. One brother is right for her. One wants a lifetime. And one is in league with the devil. She should have gotten Jake’s signature in blood. 
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The Wager (coming October)


Elite


When I won the annual Eagle Elite College Scholarship lottery, I was thrilled. After all, my grandma had just died and I wanted to take care of my aging grandpa -- he couldn't be a farmer in Wyoming forever. And graduating from Eagle Elite meant opportunity. But I wasn't counting on meeting Nixon. Nor was I counting on the rules of the Elect. 1. Do not touch The Elect. 2. Do not look at The Elect. 3. Do not speak to The Elect. And worst of all? Don't discover the secret they hide, because in the end, you may just realize... it's about you. 
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Elect (coming November)

Stand Alone

  Amanda turned down Preston's prom invitation in front of her entire high school, but that was eight years ago. Somehow, her past mistakes always have a way of catching up with her, and making her pay. Amanda's sarcastic wit mixed with Preston's insufferable ego make sparks fly in more than one way. Preston, against his better judgment can't fight the desire to get under Amanda's skin and mercilessly tease her, but when that teasing becomes flirting, and flirting becomes something dangerously more, neither of them are prepared for the adventure that follows.
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  Blaine Graham lost his mother at the tender age of eleven. Grief over the loss drove a wedge between him and his father, and soon proved too difficult for him to deal with. At the age of sixteen, he falsified his papers and made the trip across the border into Canada with his best friend to join the Royal Canadian Air Force and enter the war in Europe as a pilot. Ten years later Captain Graham finds himself flying commercial jets in Boston – his estranged father and his past life all but forgotten, until the day he receives a telegram from his dying father asking him to come home. The persistent Mara Crawford, a live-in nurse, has experienced her fair share of loss as well. Her attachment to Blaine’s father drives her desire to bring reconciliation between the two men before time runs out for her patient. But her best laid plans didn’t include falling in love again.
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  Freedom always comes at a cost… The fallen were never named, therefore we go by our human names, names given to us by people who use to worship us. I’m Athena, one thing you need to know about me? I hate having to protect the human race, but my job as Seeker asks me to do just that—so that one day, I can earn a spot in heaven. My father is the leader of the Phantoms, so I’m pretty sure that the archangels think of me as a flight risk, maybe that’s why they gave me the most gorgeous and annoying partner in all of Halceyon, Adonis. His kisses give me strength, his presence soothes my soul—but our love, is completely forbidden. There is a war coming, and now that the Titans have been released, it’s been brought to my front door. One thing is for certain—I’m going to have to make a choice, and I’m not sure I have the strength to make the right one, not anymore. Not after meeting Seth, not after my best friend’s betrayal, and not after I meet my father face to face and learn the truth—I may be exactly like him.
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