Hey, all! I have been enjoying the Great Smoky Mountains in East Tennessee and it has been fabulous! I have been privileged to host so many wonderful authors during this interim. Today is no exception! Author E.A. West has just released Covered with Clean Reads (the company that has published three of my books). I am eager to learn more about her new release, so let’s dive right in.
Welcome, E.A. West. Can you tell us, first, what was the inspiration for Covered?
I’d thought about writing a motorcycle-riding hero for a while, but I couldn’t seem to find the right story for him. Then I saw a video about Bikers Against Child Abuse (B.A.C.A.) and the way they’d helped an abused girl. That brought to mind a single question: What if a group of bikers protected an abused girl, but then she grew up and her abuser came back? “Covered” grew from there. While the motorcycle club in the story isn’t connected to B.A.C.A., it is definitely inspired by the great work of that organization.
That is interesting. I wasn’t aware of such a group. What a neat organization! Inspiration truly comes from many places. Did you always want to be a writer? If not, what did you want to be when you were a child?
When I was a child, I never thought I would become an author. My interests leaned more toward working with animals in some capacity or becoming an artist. I was an avid reader as a kid, but dyslexia and learning disabilities made English class unbelievably difficult. Thankfully, I managed to overcome those difficulties and started writing. Now I can’t imagine doing anything else.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I took a creative writing class my freshman year of high school. As with most writing assignments up to that point, I didn’t particularly enjoy it at first. But then we had to write a brief biography for a fictional person. I had so much fun with that assignment, that I started creating characters and stories without having them assigned. I haven’t stopped writing since.
Sounds familiar! There are many parts of the process I know we all love, but there are certainly parts we don’t love as much. What part of the writing process do you dread?
Writing the synopsis. Trying to condense thousands of words into a few hundred and still make it interesting is unbelievably difficult.
I hear you there! Writing a synopsis can be so challenging. If you’re anything like me, you are always reading for enjoyment and to hone your craft. What are you currently reading?
Right at the moment, I’m reading two books: “Marcelo in the Real World” by Francisco X. Stork and “The Relevance of Religion” by John Danforth.
I also love to listen to music when I write. I find it helps tremendously. What kind of music, if any, do you listen to when you write?
My music tastes vary depending on my mood and what I’m writing at the time. I’ve listened to everything from classical to metal. Some days I write without music because it’s too distracting.
I can understand that. Do you have a favorite time of day to write? What about a favorite place?
I usually write in the evenings. I’ve always been a night owl, so writing after dark works out perfectly for me. My favorite writing place is anywhere comfortable. When the weather is nice and warm, I enjoy sitting outside and writing longhand in a spiral notebook.
Wow! All my early writing was in longhand. But I am pretty much chained to my laptop now. I may try the longhand again. There something about the texture of paper…
Do you have any current projects your working on? Care to share?
I’m always working on several projects. The most exciting at the moment is “Redeeming Honor”, an inspirational romance novel currently in edits with Pelican Book Group. I can’t wait to share it with readers!
More about Covered
Lacey Daniels wants a normal life where she can go to dinner or the mall without constantly looking over her shoulder. Unfortunately, her abusive father is out of prison and more dangerous than ever. The Hawthorne Guardians, a local motorcycle club that protected her as a child, is her only hope for normalcy. Some of the faces have changed, but the credo is the same: protect the innocent. One Guardian, Ratchet, takes an interest in more than her safety. He wants her heart.
Despite her growing feelings for Ratchet, Lacey can’t escape the threat her father poses. With him free and seeking revenge, she will never be safe. Her only chance for a normal life — and maybe true love — lies with Ratchet, a man who is willing to do whatever it takes to keep her father from hurting her again… even if it means risking his life to save her.
Enjoy an Excerpt
I desperately needed to rest, but stopping even a short time was dangerous. An approaching car didn’t give me a choice. I leaned against a utility pole at the corner, my entire body hurting, and stared at the collection of motorcycles parked outside a bar a little farther down the street. Men wearing black leather vests stood around talking to each other and the few women scattered throughout the group. None of them looked familiar, but I had to hope the patches on their vests did. I needed to find the Hawthorne Guardians. I couldn’t trust anyone else, not even my own mother. She’d become part of the problem.
Tears blurred my vision, but I blinked them away as I forced myself to walk toward the bikers. Crying was a luxury I couldn’t afford at the moment. One man turned his back toward me, and I spotted the familiar stylized HG with a sword in the middle I was searching for. Maybe he could tell me where to find Bear.
Before I reached him, he hopped on a motorcycle and rode away with two others. My heart sank, but I couldn’t give up. I had to find someone who could put me in contact with Bear. I continued on to the bar and hoped for the presence of more Hawthorne Guardians.
I staggered into the dimly lit bar and paused long enough to steady myself. Staying upright was a challenge when it felt as if a spear lanced my skull. Too many people packed the place, and not enough wore the familiar patch. In fact, I couldn’t spot a single Guardian in the crowd. My anxiety shot through the roof, but I shoved it aside. I could deal with it later, after I was safe. If I was ever safe again.
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M9AMDJI
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01M9AMDJI
iTunes: http://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/covered/id1161622028?mt=11
More about the Author
E.A. West, award-winning author of sweet and inspirational romance, is a lifelong lover of books and storytelling. In high school, she picked up her pen in a creative writing class and hasn’t laid it down yet. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys reading, knitting, and crocheting. She lives in Indiana with her family and a small zoo of pets.
Connect with E.A. West and her books:
Website: http://eawest.mcphitty.com
Blog: http://thewestcorner.wordpress.com
Amazon Author Central: http://amazon.com/author/eawest
Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/EAWestAuthor
Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/TheWestCornerReaders
Twitter: http://twitter.com/eawest
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/authoreawest
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/eawest