Cloaked by

Posted: August 30, 2018/By: achristay@aol.com

Please welcome author of Cloaked

Taylor Hobbs will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Cloaked

by Taylor Hobbs

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GENRE: Historical Fantasy Romance

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INTERVIEW

What or who inspired you to start writing?

My husband, Conor, encouraged me to take a chance and go all the way with my writing. In the immortal words of Ron Swanson, “Never half-ass two things. Whole-ass one thing.” Writing became my primary focus from 2013-onward.

How did you come up with ideas for your books?

My plots tend to center around strong female protagonists in out-of-the-ordinary settings. I grew up reading Tamora Pierce and watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer, so I think my characters are a reflection of that exposure.

What expertise did you bring to your writing?

A lot of enthusiasm and an unwillingness to take no for an answer. My degree is in Criminal Justice, and I had no prior writing experience before sitting down to write a novel for the first time.

What would you want your readers to know about you that might not be in your bio?

I am married to my high school sweetheart. My dog is named Scout because I love To Kill a Mockingbird. I am the middle of three sisters. Red wine and cheese will always be well received.

Do you belong to a critique group? If so how does this help or hinder your writing?

When we lived in San Diego, I was a part of the Writers Coffeehouse run by bestselling author Jonathan Maberry. It was more of a writers ‘club’ than critique group. We talked about the business of writing, publishing, trends, and the industry, but mostly it was a chance for a bunch of introverts like myself to meet friends with the same interests. It was a very positive and encouraging atmosphere. Since moving to North Carolina, I have dreams of starting one out here!

My amazing beta readers deserve a shout out though, because they critique everything I write. I couldn’t do it without the help of Annie Brooks, my mom and dad, and Conor.
9. When did you first decide to submit your work? Please tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step?

I started submitting Cloakedto literary agents in April 2017. It wasn’t until I started looking into popular romance publishers that I realized I could submit directly to an editor. The Wild Rose Press had such a great reputation and it seemed like a good fit for my story.

With fingers crossed, I sent a query to the editorial team in November 2017 and Dianne Rich said she would love to see more. My book baby was in good hands, she offered me a contract in February 2018.

What is the best and worst advice you ever received? (Regarding writing or publishing)

Best: Writers should always help other writers.This industry is hard enough without working against your peers! We should all try to raise each other up to create more wonderful books to read.

Worst: You have to start with short stories before attempting a novel.While this works for some people, it is not universal. There are no hard and fast rules for how to start writing. A blanket statement like this might hurt the creativity of a budding author and discourage them from starting their dream project.

Do you outline your books or just start writing?

I am a plotter. I use the Writing the Breakout Novel Workbookto plan all of my projects. Once that 200 page workbook is filled out, I’m ready to start!

Do you have an all-time favorite book?

Ugh this is so hard. I would have to say Watership Down, given to me by my dad in fourth grade. It was my first truly ‘grown up’ book, and it showed me how immersive literature could be. I remember being so completely absorbed by the story, and since then I’ve re-read it about five times. It really is a classic.

Have you started your next project? If so, can you share a little bit about your book?

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.

Anything else you might want to add?

A big thank you for having me on your blog! It has been a pleasure.

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?

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EXCERPT:

“Please, whatever you are,” Henry begged, “don’t hurt us. Please.”

There was no answer, but Charlotte heard the rustle of fabric and a felt a light breeze on her skin as the shadow whisked by her. She whirled around to face the cell across from Henry’s. Through the haze of her torchlight circle, Charlotte watched as the shadow knelt down, freeing a hand holding a key from the depths of a long, black cloak. With the telltale rasp of iron on iron, the door to the other cell creaked open.

The stranger crept soundlessly inside, returning seconds later with a body slung over its shoulders. The body emitted a low groan, and the shadow lowered its burden to lean against the wall. With unexpected care, the shadow crouched over the emaciated prisoner and murmured softly to him.

Seeing this spark of humanity gave Charlotte the courage she needed. “Help us.” It was a statement, not a question.

The cloaked figure remained kneeling next to its charge, and a man’s voice finally spoke in a low rumble. “But you have nothing to offer me.”

Charlotte hesitated at his unexpected statement, trying to decipher its meaning. “Free my brother, and you can have anything you want.”

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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 and 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 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

Buy links:

Barnesandnoble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cloaked-taylor-hobbs/1129153048

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Cloaked-Taylor-Hobbs-ebook/dp/B07FKXJ7Z6/

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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.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f2770

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