1--What is the title of your latest release?
BUILT TO LAST
2--What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
It’s an enemies-to-lovers set in an HGTV-style setting.
3--How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
This is the third book in the series, and they’ve all been set in NYC. I decided on the Manhattan setting first because I just love the city, but also because this is about three women dealing with careers and change and finding love, and I think it’s a great setting for those challenges.
4--Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?
Absolutely. Harper is a lot of fun to be around.
5--What are three words that describe your protagonist?
Loyal, loving, stubborn
6--What’s something you learned while writing this book?
I learned a lot about renovation. Specifically, about what goes into renovating a Gilded Age mansion and how those homes were built and run at the time. And I learned what shiplap is.
7--Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
When I’m writing and I finish a chapter, I usually go back and reread and do a very basic edit before moving on to the next chapter. But otherwise, all the heavy editing occurs when I’m completely done with the first draft.
8--What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
French butter. So I love a nice slice of warm bread, and I got utterly addicted to French butter while in Paris. My husband found out we could buy the kind I like at a local grocery, so I am never without a crock full of French butter.
9--Describe your writing space/office!
I have a dedicated office in my house. It’s in the back so I’m close to the backdoor, which is great because I have three dogs and they like to go out several times during the day. I have a desk that goes from sitting to standing—thanks, IKEA—and pretty much everything I would need to keep writing, including a nice library of reference books. I use the Internet for most research, but when I’m writing paranormal or fantasy, I have some reference books I can’t do without. And I’m right next to the kitchen, which is good because I put on a kettle several times a day.
10--Who is an author you admire?
Do not tell him. Like I will lie and say someone got on here and changed my answer, but it’s Steve Berry. I admire his books, but more importantly how kind and open he is to helping all authors, new and old. The amount of research he puts into one book is amazing, but it’s the kindness that really counts.
11--Is there a book that changed your life?
I think the first romance I read that made me think I could write one was a book by Jayne Ann Krentz titled Trust Me. Before that I’d read a lot of historicals and contemporary romances and I loved them, but the heroine was always the most beautiful young woman in the world and the men heroes were all angsty and tore her apart until the moment when they realized they loved her and then everything fell into place. I loved those books, but I didn’t see myself writing one. Then I met Desdemona and Sam. They were odd and quirky, and Desdemona was independent and strong. Sam was thoughtful and ultimately kind. This was the nineties so it felt revolutionary to me, and I started writing my own quirky characters.
12--Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)/Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
For me it wasn’t a call so much as an almost-missed email. I wrote a book called Small Town Siren and submitted it to an e-publisher that was popular at the time. And then I waited. And waited and waited. Roughly a month in I was ready to acknowledge the fact that they weren’t interested, but for some reason I checked my spam folder and there it was. They wanted the book and they’d sent the acceptance nine days after I submitted, so now they were the ones who were waiting. So I almost missed out on a whole career because of a spam filter.
13--What’s your favorite genre to read?
That’s a hard one. It changes with my mood. Right now, like the rest of the world, I’m heavily into romantasy.
14--What’s your favorite movie?
I’m going to prove myself to be the world’s biggest geek. Galaxy Quest.
15--What is your favorite season?
Even though I live in Texas right now and it’s hot, I have to pick summer because I spend most of it in a pool. I swear I was a mermaid in the last life because I love the water. During the summer I finish my word count and get in the pool and read a book for a couple of hours. I’m always sad when October rolls around and my pool days are done.
16--How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
I love a small get-together with friends. There are several in my friends’ group who have Virgo birthdays, so the local baker I buy from knows she’ll be making a Virgo-themed birthday cake at least once a year. And yes, we’re all picky.
17--What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
I’ve seen some great stuff lately. Cannot recommend Sinners highly enough. It’s a great horror movie where the truly horrifying experience isn’t really the vampires. I loved The Residence on Netflix. Fun Agatha Christie style murder mystery set in the White House, and Max’s The Pitt was exceptional
18--What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
Do I have to pick one? I eat a lot of Italian and Mexican. I also love Thai and Japanese. But if I could eat one style every day, it would be British high tea.
19--What do you do when you have free time?
What is free time? Seriously, I watch TV and movies, and I love to cook. I experiment a lot in the kitchen. I don’t usually play games, but right now I’m totally into Disney Dreamlight Valley. It’s peaceful tending my pumpkins and talking fishing with Goofy, but I’m pretty sure Scrooge McDuck is overpricing his sweatpants.
20--What can readers expect from you next?
Along with BUILT TO LAST, I’ve got another book coming out this summer. It’s called The RELUCTANT SIREN and it’s the latest addition to the Texas Sirens: Legacy series, as well as a new Masters and Mercenaries: New Recruits coming this fall.
Park Avenue Promise #3
A Novel
From New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake, discover The Park Avenue Promise Series...
Three young women make a pact in high school—
to always be friends and to one day make it big in Manhattan
Built to Last
Harper Ross has always dreamed of working on one of the magnificent brownstones of Park Avenue. Now one of her closest friends has bought the house of her dreams and hired Harper to do the construction work. She wants to showcase the renovation on a television show for her brand-new production company. It’s the same grand home she and her friends promised themselves they would be able to afford one day. Working on it isn’t the same as living in it, but it’s all a part of Harper’s grand plan to grow her father’s construction business into one of the biggest in the city. The only obstacle—the designer on the project.
Reid Dorsey believes in the balance between beauty and functionality. As one of Manhattan’s new voices in design, he’s excited to get to work on a true Gilded Age property. If only the owner had selected a contractor he enjoyed working with. Oh, Harper was brilliant and her work was excellent, but she has an opinion on everything—and it’s usually the opposite of his.
Over the course of the job, these enemies start to see different sides of each other, and suddenly their fights don’t seem so bad. But when the project is threatened, they might have to choose between their jobs and the beautifully designed future they could share.
Romance Contemporary [Blue Box Press, On Sale: May 27, 2025, Paperback / e-Book , ISBN: 9781963135213 / ]
Dangerous passion, everlasting love
Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband and three kids. She began writing at a young age concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance that she found success. Lexi believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome or foursome may seem.
© 2003-2025 off-the-edge.net
all rights reserved Privacy Policy