Tammy's Two Cents

Author Appreciation day 19

Belinda Boring (Mystic Wolves) Interview, Review and Giveaway!

Belinda Boring
Author of the Mystic Wolves series
Book Reviewer - The Bookish Snob & The Romance Reviews
http://thebookishsnob.blogspot.com
www.theromancereviews.com

What would you do if a simple errand takes a deadly twist, turning you from cautious prey to dangerous predator?
Someone is trying to send a deadly message to Mason, arranging the deaths of those he loves and it puts the entire pack and Alpha on high alert. Darcy understands the primal instincts driving her beloved Mason's commands. With the help of those he sets as protectors, she learns about herself and the things she'll need to help support her Alpha and pack. When events turn dire however, one truth offers her strength - once given, oaths are unbreakable ... even if it means risking it all.

I LOVE THIS BOOK!! When I initially read this it was in 3 installments, Novella’s you could say… Without Mercy.. Cherished and Bloodoath. This book hits the ground running, there is no unsteady getting to know the characters or introducing the background.. no no, you must keep up! The way that Bel’s writes Darcy and Mason’s story is fanfriggintastic! As your reading and she is describing you are all but there, in the room, as they comfort each other ( I cannot give away why, sorry) the romance and the steam is off the charts. It is not, thus far, R rated… YET! Darcy and Mason are Mates, wolves, lovers, companions and best friends. So yes, there is romance, BUT there is also just a scoch of drama… enter Devlin, the Vampire Enforcer. Yes, we have romance, wolves AND vampires here people! They are on the same side as well. As you see Darcy and Mason’s relationship grow and it is put to the test you also see Devlin, fiercely loyal friend to them both… but, is there an underlying devotion Devlin harbours for Darcy? Only time will tell… we shall have to wait for Forget me Not the next installment of Mystic Wolves, we will keep you posted on the release date. Until then Belinda was kind enough to answer a few questions for me, so without further delay here is my Interview with the Oh So Fabulous Belinda Boring, author of Mystic Wolves!

*Tell me a bit about yourself.
Well, I’m an Australian born girl who found her special someone and moved to America. I’ve been really lucky to always have the chance to follow my passions, and for the past few years that’s been reading and writing. I love all things romance and anything that makes me swoon - the reason behind my running the book review blog, The Bookish Snob. I’m also completely addicted to Facebook and Pinterest!

*Where were you born and where do you call home?

I was born in Sydney, Australia. I spent 24 years there before I met my husband and moved to America. I’ve pretty much stuck to the west coast – California and Arizona, moving around to go to school. Right now I live in a small town in the White Mountains, and I absolutely love it! I get to see four seasons, live a street away from my best friend, and cheer for the local high school sports team, the LOBOS!

*What was your inspiration for The Mystic Wolves?

The Mystic Wolves came like most of my story ideas – from a dream. I remember waking up, with the image of a gun, someone being shot, and the most gut wrenching grief. I texted my best friend, Lacey, to tell her about it, and she suggested I write it down. At that point, there were no wolves, it wasn’t even paranormal. But as I wrote it, I asked myself what kind of supernatural creature the main character could be. I figured a vampire wouldn’t have a gun … why would they when they have fangs, right? I went with werewolves, and it seriously went from there. I wrote a small excerpt, posted it on my blog, and people asked for more. The rest is history!

*Was there a particular person that was the inspiration for Mason?

At first, no. Mason, in my mind, was everything I loved about the heroes I found in my favorite romance books. I tried to tap into the things that made me swoon and sigh – characteristics and attitude. It was important Mason leave the reader panting a little, but as I started writing Cherished, and his love for Darcy was revealed, I’m not going to lie … he reminded me of my husband. They both hold the same patience, dedication and devotion. They both hold the one they love in their focus and it’s all about her. It was very easy to draw on my own sweetheart to write Darcy’s.

*What are some of the struggles you've experienced while getting the series out to the masses?

I’ve definitely struggled with adjusting my schedule to compensate for the random, everyday things that arise. When I start out on a book, I have in my mind how long it should take to release and go from there. Unfortunately things come up, and it’s hard when a release date has to be pushed back. But that’s the beauty of being flexible, I’ve been able to make those changes, and I’m surrounded by supportive people. Readers who love the series are amazing, and it makes everything worth it!

*Thus far we have Without Mercy, Cherished, and Blood Oath with Forget Me Not releasing soon (when??). How many books are you planning for the series?

I recently combined Without Mercy, Cherished, and Blood Oath into on novel length book called The Mystic Wolves. When I initially started, the series was meant to be small novelette installments that I released every 4-6 weeks. But as each one was released, people wanted longer and honestly, so did I. The characters were talking more, showing me who they were, and there was just so much to share in each story. Each installment became bigger and bigger so when I started outlining Forget Me Not and saw it was novel length, I made the decision to expand the series.

I’ve pretty much decided that as long as Mason and Darcy have a story to share, I’ll write it. Forget Me Not releases this March, and the following book will be called Testing Fate (#3). I have the fourth loosely plotted, and of course, Devlin, Daniel, Vlad and Zane will each have their own book. Funnily enough, even though Devlin is uber sexy … it’s Vlad’s story that’s been churning around in my mind lately.

I’ve also got other projects scheduled – Broken Promises, the first book in the Brianna Lane series, and other stand-alone novels.

*Whom in your life would you say has influenced you the most?

Hmmm. I don’t think there’s just one person, because at every different stage of my life, I’ve been blessed to have someone who’s helped me. Whether it’s the supportive confidante who first suggested I started writing, to my husband who has always been there, I’ve learned many things from the people I surround myself with. My best friend Lacey has been a huge influence, one of my biggest cheerleaders, and I wouldn’t even be where I am today without her loving push toward blogging. I recently had my parents visit me from Australia for three weeks, and I had some amazing conversations with them as well. They’ve also been great examples in my life and I’ve taken their advice to heart. They’re so proud of what I’ve accomplished.

*What has been the most interesting comment (or review) about your book?

I’ve had some amazing reviews, ones I’m forever grateful for. I actually printed out one of the reviews from Cherished by Laurie at Readergirls because it made me giddy and cry. She made the comment that the people in Merriam Webster needed to be contacted because Cherished was the new definition for romance. She went on to say that Mason and Darcy were her favorite couple ever, and I loved it. I also chuckled once when I saw someone thought Mason was so hot he could melt steel. I totally agree!

*I must say a lot of times I am drawn to a book by its cover, this was what initially drew me to your book Without Mercy (the other covers I love as well) how did you decide on the cover art?

Lacey was actually the cover artist for Without Mercy and I told her what I wanted – the image of Darcy, a moon and a wolf. Another author had commented about the importance of having your cover represent what the story was about, and it was like magic watching Lacey create it. There was definitely a “click” when everything was in place, and all I wanted to do was stroke the screen. I’ve kept a lot of the same elements in each cover – the moon, wolf, clouded back ground, while adding a new image for the story and extras. I’ve loved every single one of my covers, and as my confidence has grown, I’ve taken over the task. I just finished working on Testing Fate’s cover, and I have to say … it’s my favorite yet!

*Your best friend, Lacey Jackson Weatherford, is an accomplished author as well... what are some of the pros and cons to having your bestie in the same business?

There are no cons to having your best friend in the same business! I love being able to share this journey with Lacey because I know she understands, and we’re really able to give each other the best support. She gets the frustrations of deadlines and trying to figure out plot flaws. It’s hilarious editing together, and most times, you’ll find us with tears in our eyes because we’ve broken out into impromptu song. My favorite is when I have those “OOOOHHHH” moments and I can text her, or race over to her house and tell her. We love going for drives late at night to gush about storyline ideas, and it’s a strength having a partner in crime in all things. Funny thing is Lacey and I are related through marriage, but it took ten years for us to finally meet on Facebook. Once that happened, we’ve been inseparable. She’s not just my best friend – she’s my sister! I don’t think I would’ve published Without Mercy without her.

*Tell us your latest news.

Latest news … well Forget Me Not is scheduled for release sometime this March, and then Broken Promise follows late April/early May. I’ll be heading to Chicago with Lacey for the Romantic Times convention April 11^th, and really looking forward to meeting everyone. We’re also finalizing our plans for RomCon, as well as AZ Dreamin’ in June. Lots of fun things!!

*Please, do tell why we should read your novel.

Because it’s an AMAZING book and you’ll totally fall in love with Mason, becoming completely addicted! Haha!

Okay, on a more serious note, I invite everyone to read The Mystic Wolves and the books that follow because I really love Mason and Darcy’s story. I believe in romance and the ability to overcome anything you face. This story has made me swoon, laugh, cry, and growl, and I’d love to share the experience with others.

But I stand behind my first statement – the book totally ROCKS! LOL

So, last night when i was speaking with Bel's she sprung a surprise on me... she wanted to run a contest with the interview for 1 of our lucky member's to win an ebook copy of Mystic Wolves!

The usual rules everybody; 1.Like Mel's Book Blog on facebook 2.Follow the Blog 3.Leave a comment here in the thread... define "swoon"! Good luck all!!