Today’s guest post comes from J. A. Belfield, author of many lovely books, including the Holloway Pack Stories, a series about werewolves. Her most recent installment is Instinct, which is the prequel novel that was released last year, but there’s more on the way this summer!
Keep reading to find out what J. A. does when she’s not attached to her computer and to learn more about this wonderful series.
When I’m not writing … hmmm … I’m … asleep?
Mostly.
Okay, I swore to myself I wouldn’t make this post boring as heck in a bid to convince folk I actually might be interesting, so I’ll try a little harder.
Though the truth is, I seriously don’t have that much time when I’m not writing, or thinking about writing, or editing, or critiquing for others ….
But when I do, it’s usually in some random and spontaneous decision to bake a cake. Or biscuits. Or cook.
I’m not the world’s best cook. Far from it. But I have certain meals I’ll cook to the death.
You know the types. You test ‘em out on the family and nobody complains that they’ve eaten this for the twentieth time since Christmas and it’s barely February—they even go as far as licking the plates clean in compliment. Then you just can’t seem to help yourself but feed them a replicated dish at least once a week, every week without fail, until the praise ceases to come and the complaints kick in again.
I’m also not the world’s greatest baker. Heck, most of my creations come out of a Betty Crocker box. But there’s no denying the sense of accomplishment, and the therapeuticness of icing the cake, or getting drunk on the scents that fill my house during cooking, which I get to revel in because the kitchen is my spot of choice when writing.
When I’m at home and not writing or baking, then I’m most likely reading. I’m a devourer of books (see just a few of the series awaiting me on my Kindle). I tell people it’s research when I tear through one PNR or UF after another. Really? That’s just to assuage my guilt over time spent in pure indulgence when I should be writing. ;o)
On occasion, I even get dragged out of the house. It depends how loudly ‘He who must be obeyed’ (otherwise known as Mr B) nags at me to go with them. In all honesty, on the family front, I’m pretty blessed. The kids understand I need to be left alone to write. My man gets that the writing is important to me and so very rarely asks me to step away from it. Both he and the Mini-Me’s have learnt to interpret the grunts I give when any of them speak to me. But they do, now and again, insist on some family time.
Sometimes, this will merely consist of a little ramble along the local canals. Mostly, however, it entails a trip to the Pembrokeshire coast in west Wales, where Mrs B senior lives.
There is no internet for me at the mother-in-laws. This is the one place the family is guaranteed my full undivided attention (when I’m not daydreaming about character conversations or forest battles involving teeth and fur or new storylines …).
Once there, as though to make absolutely sure he has me all to himself, Mr B will cajole me into a coastal walk. 
I complain before we leave his mum’s house. Of course I do. But when I’m standing on the pinnacle of the country, many-overlooking-feet above the sea as it crashes against the rock face? Without fail, my swirling mind clears, my heart sings, and my breaths hasten at the sheer beauty of what confronts me.
So that’s me when I’m not writing. It’s not much. But it keeps me happy and quite possibly as sane as I have any chance of being.
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Thank you for visiting the blog today, J. A.! I wish I could take walk in the Welsh countryside, too! =)
For more information about J. A. and her books, check out her website. You can also find her on Twitter, Goodreads, and Shelfari.
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J. A.’s most recent release is Instinct, a Holloway Pack prequel novel:
Werewolf Sean Holloway treats the village marketplace like a sexual buffet, though his charm does little to win over his latest entrée of choice. Whether because of Jem Stonehouse's unique scent, her headstrong nonchalance, or the fact he is forbidden to see her by his pack's rules, Sean wants her.
When Jem is nothing but flippant toward his advances, he pursues her with vigour, stealing moments alone with her without a libido-driven agenda.
The new and heady experience for him drives their relationship beyond romantic interest, and straight toward love.
That is, until Jem learns the truth about Sean's heritage. Knowledge of the existence of werewolves leads to only one outcome: death.
Purchase: Amazon
And there’s another Holloway Pack prequel due out in July!
An unmarried woman living in a house of men breeds heresay and lore. If only the villagers knew the truth.
It’s not Jem Stonehouse’s marital status that brings unwanted strangers to town. Rather, it’s that she is the only female werewolf in existence — a prize to any pack.
Sean Holloway, the love of Jem’s life, has gone to great lengths to protect her. As a new attack becomes imminent, Sean realizes he must take greater measures with Jem’s safety or risk losing her forever.
His first task must be to marry her, but a force greater than the largest werewolf stands in his way.
And in case you need to start from the beginning, here is the rest of the series:
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Authors, would you like to visit and share with us? Please email me at jennblogs (at) gmail (dot) com and we’ll set it up!
Lovely post, thank you! The books sound very good, have not read them yet. A shame that the cover's don't match each other, giving it a series feel. Do the stories take place in England, as you live there, or in America as most books do?
ReplyDeleteHi Aurian,
ReplyDeleteI've had a few people comment on the covers not matching. To be honest, as the series progresses, I imagine that would get even more difficult to do, especially as each book has the potential to work as a standalone and tells a totally different story. But it's certainly something worth looking at--a common ground, at least--for future editions.
In answer to your question: Yes, the stories take place in England. Whilst the county of Derbyshire is real, the setting of Wild Woodington I went and plunked in Derbyshire is 100% made up so I could have a location tailored to suit my purposes.
Thanks for stopping by to read and comment. :o)
Lovely, I haven't read much books playing in England, not counting historical romances of course. About the covers, if you could just get the same lettering, or perhaps a little symbol on the cover, that would make the books more recognizable as something read and loved before, belonging together.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the suggestion, Aurian. I'll mention that to the publisher when we're working on covers again. :o)
ReplyDelete