Cloaked
by Taylor Hobbs
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Historical Fantasy Romance
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
As the Cloaked Shadow, Fawkes has made his career breaking into prisons for any contract with a large enough purse. He takes advantage of the kingdom's impending revolution by playing both sides of the conflict. Each rescue contract he fulfills turns a tidy profit until he angers the wrong duke.
Charlotte is a criminal-in-training who yearns to crack her mentor’s guarded façade, but is unprepared to confront the depths of his dark past. As her sense of right and wrong blurs, Charlotte discovers just how far she will go for the Cloaked Shadow and the sacrifices he requires.
Now hunted throughout the land, Fawkes must face long-buried secrets in order to survive, but they could destroy him. Charlotte risks everything, including her heart, to set Fawkes on the path to redemption.
Will Charlotte have the strength to pull Fawkes into the light, or will she follow him into the shadows?
Charlotte is a criminal-in-training who yearns to crack her mentor’s guarded façade, but is unprepared to confront the depths of his dark past. As her sense of right and wrong blurs, Charlotte discovers just how far she will go for the Cloaked Shadow and the sacrifices he requires.
Now hunted throughout the land, Fawkes must face long-buried secrets in order to survive, but they could destroy him. Charlotte risks everything, including her heart, to set Fawkes on the path to redemption.
Will Charlotte have the strength to pull Fawkes into the light, or will she follow him into the shadows?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
Fawkes’ attack pressed Charlotte backward, and soon they were outside. As Charlotte’s feet slipped in the mud, she realized she had lost her size advantage. Lightning cracked across the sky, illuminating her surroundings long enough to blind her, and she failed to anticipate the next punch. It landed hard on her right shoulder and spun her around.
Before she could steady herself to counter, her arm was wrenched behind her back. Fawkes had a grip on it with one hand, the other around her throat. She stood flush against him, feeling his harsh breath and pounding heart as it beat against her back. They stood like statues, neither one of them wanting to the first to break the spell.
The roar of thunder made her jump and brought them back to reality. “I’ve gotten better, haven’t I?” Charlotte couldn’t help asking. She’d meant it as a quip, but it came out too hopeful.
She felt Fawkes sigh, tensing his hold on her before dropping his grip. With her back still to him, she waited for his answer. Instead, his hand brushed wet hair back from her face before a finger traveled down and traced her jawline. Charlotte leaned into the touch, but then it was gone. She turned to see only darkness, and then a flash of lightning showed his tall frame heading back to the cave.
Author Interview:
2.Tell us about the publication of your first book.
3.Besides yourself, who is your favorite author in the genre you write in?
4.What's the best part of being an author? The worst?
1. Did you always want to be an author?
I was always content reading other people’s stories instead of writing my own. During childhood I had my sights set on becoming an Olympic gymnast, then an FBI agent. The urge to write didn’t hit until after I graduated from college, when I wasn’t burned out from academics and finally had time to breathe. I flexed my creative muscles for the first time at 23, and I wish I would have started sooner! It took two practice novels before writing something worth publishing.
2.Tell us about the publication of your first book.
Cloakedwas picked up for publication by The Wild Rose Press in February 2018. I was up late feeding my newborn baby when they emailed me the contract offer, and I was so exhausted I thought I was hallucinating. Turns out, dreams do come true! I have had a wonderful experience with this publisher so far, and have been impressed with the entire Wild Rose Press team. It was a smooth editing process and we were able to get the book out in six months.
3.Besides yourself, who is your favorite author in the genre you write in?
For historical fantasy romance, I have to say Diana Gabaldon and her Outlander series. I think that saga had a big influence on Cloaked. I’ve recently discovered Mary Morgan’s Dragon Knights books and have been enjoying those, too. If any readers have suggestions, I’d love to hear your favorites as well!
4.What's the best part of being an author? The worst?
The best part is creating something from nothing. The worst part is that you never stop editing! There’s always the urge to improve, and I can’t read my own books without a critical eye.
5. What are you working on now?
It is about an American woman who buys a village in Spain. I based it off an article I read in 2015 about the Spanish government putting abandoned properties and villages up for sale after their economy crashed. It has a healthy dose of magical realism and an unreliable narrator. Under the Tuscan Sun meets Rebecca.
Thanks for having me on your blog!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Taylor Hobbs lives aboard a 38 ft sailboat named Story Time with her husband, baby girl, and dog. They are a military family who love to travel, whether it is by sea or air. When she's not writing, Taylor enjoys doing yoga and planning her next adventure. You can keep up with their crazy life at http://www.cannonstocruising.com or follow on Twitter at @tayhobbit.
Cloaked is her debut novel and can be found at https://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/6046-cloaked.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE:
Taylor Hobbs will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Thank you for having me on your blog!! I'll be around all day to check in and answer any questions about the book.
ReplyDeleteThank you for having me on your blog!! I'll be around all day to check in and answer any questions about the book.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteVery cool book cover! Good excerpt - got me interested!
ReplyDelete