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Albert Camus

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Enter the Variant World! - Blood Moon (The Dark Moon Series #1) by Shelly M Burrows, Michael S. Stewart

This book pulled me in from the beginning. I love the characters. I've also had the pleasure to see them role played out as well. The authors are very talented writers. They know how to keep you glued to the book. It just unfolded like watching the telly. I am proud of them. It is worth ever bit of your time. It is well written. Excellent job. I am super excited about the second book coming up here soon. I will be purchasing it as well. Great read. Just do it. And get lost in their world. You will not regret it.- Amazon

Description:

Published: October 2014

In book one, Blood Moon Werewolf witches, Conri Olcan and Saoirse MacKay are on the hunt for the bones of the original Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack, Panteon. Cronus, the leader of the Vampire Coven will stop at nothing to prevent that from happening. Mike Hardy and Bentley Britt are caught in between these powerful beings. Will they become casualties of war? Or will they be more important than they even realize? Will Conri and Saoirse survive? Will Cronus succeed in stopping them? Follow this thrilling tale and enter the Variant World.

AUTHORS' INTERVIEW

What are your ambitions for your writing career?
Shelly: I’ve always wanted to write, but never really considered doing it full time. That is what I’d love to do, be a writer full time.
Mike: To produce books that people enjoy, with characters that are entertaining. I would love to be a novelist full time.

Which writers inspire you?
Shelly: I read a lot of Stephen King, Kresley Cole, Gena Showalter, Dean Koontz and thanks to Michael, Stuart Woods.
Mike: Dean Koontz, Jim Butcher, V.C. Andrews, Lawrence Sanders, Stuart Woods, Sidney Sheldon and Jackie Collins. Yes, you read that right, Jackie Collins! Her novels are wildly entertaining

Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?
Shelly: Well, we have a few. Bentley has had a rough life. She grew up in a crack house, but managed to get through school and into college. Life had other ideas for her though. She’s definitely a fighter. Saoirse on the other hand is tough, kind when needed but has a deep hatred for vampires. Though, I’d say she is fair. She has a lot to think about at the end of the book.
Mike: Yes, we have a few. Mike Hardy is a good man, a shape shifter, who is estranged from his family. He chafes at conformity which puts him at odds with his rigid father. He's never had someone see the best in him until he meets Bentley.

What draws you to this genre?
Shelly: I have always loved the supernatural and horror type stories. It seemed natural to write about it.
Mike: Yes, I agree with Shelly, it's a love for the genre. I grew up watching Christopher Lee as Dracula and Lon Chaney, Jr. as the wolfman. When I got older and discovered the works of Koontz and King, I was hooked.

How much research do you do?
Shelly: It depends on what the story calls for. For example, part of Blood Moon takes place in North Carolina, so I wanted to make sure I got the folklore right, even though I’m a transplant to North Carolina.
Mike: Yes, it really depends.

Why do you write?
Shelly: Because I love seeing people engage in the world that Michael and I have created. It’s like letting your child grow up and go into the world for the first time. It’s exciting.
Mike: It's cathartic, exciting, frustrating, funny and many other things. It's something I've always wanted to do.

Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you?
Shelly: We have an idea of how a book will turn out, but we’re up to changing it if we feel it being pulled in a new direction.
Mike: I like to think we have a skeleton to work with, so all the bones and structure are in place, but how the flesh of it will fill out is not determined until we get in the heat of writing.

What is the hardest thing about writing?
Shelly: I find that I have a harder time writing for the all dark characters. It’s hard for me to get into that frame of mind… which you will see one of those characters in our next book.
Mike: For me, it's having to stop when we have a good rhythm going, due to the real world intruding. Even though that is not something that can be avoided by anyone.

What is the easiest thing about writing?
Shelly: For me, it’s playing off of Michael. He is such a skillful story teller and he makes it easy to get on board.
Mike: Playing off Shelly with characters we know so well. I don't have to think "What would Mike do or say here to Bentley?" I know it sounds strange, but the characters think for themselves and that makes writing so much easier.

Who designed your book cover/s?
Shelly: A very talented woman by the name Cris Palomino. She is fantastic.
Do you think that the cover plays an important part in the buying process?
Shelly: Absolutely! If the cover doesn’t pull you in, you’re less likely to pick it up.
Mike: I agree with Shelly on this.

What are your thoughts on good/bad reviews?
Shelly: Well we love our good reviews, I mean who doesn’t. But we also learn from constructive criticism
Mike: It's something that goes with putting your work out there. We love and appreciate the good reviews and consider any negative ones. If it's something we feel we should work on or change, we try to do so.

What is your favorite quote?
Shelly: “Choose your friends by their character and your socks by their color. Choosing your socks by their character makes no sense, and choosing your friends by their color is unthinkable.”
Mike: "We do not look for allies when we love. Indeed, we often look upon those who love with us as rivals and trespassers. But we always look for allies when we hate." ~~Eric Hoffer~~

About the authors:
Shelly M Burrows - I’ve loved reading since I was a girl. My favorites were Stephen King and Dean Koontz. Now I enjoy Kresley Cole, Gena Showaller, Stacia Kane, and Charlaine Harris.
I also, enjoy spending time with my son, affectionately called ‘Bug’.
I was born in Michigan, but raised in Youngstown, Ohio and now reside in North Carolina.
Michael S. StewartA lifelong fan of stories involving the supernatural, I grew up in Los Angeles and still reside there. I love animals, sports and anything from the 80’s.

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