Ball & Chain : Blog Hop

March 23, 2014 by Pip

More questions from Live Your Life, Buy the Book:

Welcome to the Ball & Chain virtual tour! If you’re following along, you’ll be able to win yourself some goodies that might just save your life! I’ve got five Survival Kits in a Sardine Can, perfect for traveling and hiking or taking with you to remote island weddings where people might be dying. And I’ve got five sets of trading cards with original artwork and character work-ups for the less adventurous readers!

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First up a massive welcome to Abi Roux … the Queen of Live Your Life, Buy The Book! I have the trophy to prove it. On my dresser. Still. Loooong story 😛

Oh wow. I never did get back to you about that trophy. My bad! I blame life! I NEED IT THOUGH.

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer some questions… we will try to come up with interesting ones. So, what did you have for breakfast today? Just kidding!!! What we want to know first is – how did you and Madeline Urban first start writing together?

It was more of a mutual writer’s block that put us together. It’s far easier, in some ways, to write at another person. It’s harder, however, to make what you write coherent. It worked well in getting me out of the block I had going.

I believe in the beginning you were responsible for Ty and MU was in charge of Zane – how did it work when you took over? Had you both already established family history for the guys that you had to adhere to, or did you have free rein to create Zane’s family as you wanted to?

I was lucky in that Zane’s past was still a mystery by the 5th book. There were a few major things I had to adhere to, and frankly it was hard to make up a past that fit because I had no idea what the whole picture of the original plan for him looked like. What I did know, I changed to make sure it was my own.

I know I have said this once or twice (or more!!) But thank you for being “good” to Zane – I am a fully paid up Team Zane member and I must say I love him more and more as the series goes on – the ending of S&S was simply sublime .. ok, so that wasn’t really a question. Sorry …?

Nice addition of the question mark, though. There was never any question of treating Zane horribly after I adopted him. I wanted him to be happy. It just needed to be done organically, so it took a while to get him there. Readers should be very pleased with the Zane they meet in Ball & Chain. My beta readers have gone so far as to say he’s Zen. I love that.

Following on from the previous questions re plotting out of the story as a whole, Faye wants to know if there are any plot points that you regret or have had trouble writing around in subsequent books?

Not really. There are a few that weren’t originated by me that I’ve had a hard time reconciling to the story arc as a whole, but I think I’ve handled it pretty well.

BookSmitten wanted to know – Do you have an overarching plot to the series and how specifically detailed is each individual book to it? Or do you just have an ending planned and the storyline for each book is only worked out when it’s time to write it?

I have a loose arc for the series. It’s not rigid, because I’ve never ever written a book that went entirely to plan, it would be absurd for me to convince myself I could write NINE and stick to a plan. But I do know where I’m going with it, and what I need to achieve, and each book sort of contorts and weaves to fit it. It’s become something much bigger than I originally intended.

Dianne and Jen asked – We know that you made a research trip to the UK/Ireland for Ball & Chain, was this your first time there? Did you already have specific locations in mind that you wanted to scout or did you work out where you wanted the action in the book to take place while you were there?

I had been to England before, but I was 16 at the time and we were touring and playing volleyball. The only thing I really remember from that trip is practicing and playing and tearing a tendon in my shoulder. This time around, I did some research and knew of one place I wanted to go find. I thought it would be the perfect place to set Ball & Chain, and it turned out, after 20 hours of driving, and a five-hour ferry ride, I was wrong. So wrong. But as the trip continued, I saw other places I loved, and got better ideas for locations. So in the end, Ball & Chain takes place on a fake island that is based on several real ones that I visited in Scotland.

Our resident sports guru Whit wants to know how much you miss volley ball? She does! And wishes she could still play every day 😦

I do miss it. My body is still paying for my dedication to that sport, but I miss it anyway.

Oh Abi! The cover for Cross & Crown is wonderful! The Sidewinder Series as a whole will look soooo good on my book shelf. One question… “Cross” ? Can I hope that it may be a cameo appearance by the delicious Julian Cross?? 🙂 well, I need a Brit-fix and you said no to Liam Bell 😛

Cross & Crown will have more than a cameo from Julian Cross. He’s a major player in that one. And don’t get me started on the covers! I love them so much and I’m so excited for them!

How many books will there be in the completed Cut & Run Series, not including spin offs. Do you know how many Sidewinder books there are going to be in total?

There will be 9 Cut & Run books. That’s always been the plan and it hasn’t changed, regardless of the fact that I’m going to miss Ty and Zane when they’re done. The Sidewinder Series doesn’t have as much structure to it, because it’s more about the individual stories than it is the romance aspect. It gives me the chance to do a lot of the plots I’ve had sitting on shelves, with characters I love, and add in Ty and Zane occasionally. It’s a win/win.

Before we wind it all up with a Quickfire Round I just want to thank you and the rest of the Crack Crew for doing everything you have all done for TJ and Eric. And for making it possible for the rest of us to show our love and support for these two amazing men – it has been awe-inspiring to see everyone come together as a community. 💕💕

It really has been amazing to see the support that rallied around them. Without the community being so generous, I’m not sure how much we, as friends, could have done for them.

QUICK FIRE ROUND

Tea or coffee? : Gross. Both are gross.

Beer or Wine? : Wine.

Fave meal – breakfast, lunch or dinner? : Breakfast.

Cats or dogs? : Cats

Fave song right now? : Cause For Alarm – The Heavy

Last movie you saw at cinema? : Lone Survivor. So good.

Thanks so much for stopping by, Abi! I apologise if you’ve already answered some of these questions on Tumblr or elsewhere – I am a non-Tumblr girl…. shocking, I know 😜 We really appreciate it

Thank you for having me! If you care to follow me more closely, you can find me on Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Home from their unexpected deployment, the former members of Marine Force Recon team Sidewinder rejoin their loved ones and try to pick up the pieces of the lives they were forced to leave behind. Ty Grady comes home to Zane Garrett, only to find that everything around him has changed—even the men he went to war with. He barely has time to adjust before his brother, Deuce, asks Ty to be his best man. But that isn’t all Deuce asks Ty to do, and Ty must call for backup to deal with the business issues of Deuce’s future father-in-law.

Nick O’Flaherty and Kelly Abbott join Ty and Zane at the wedding on an island in Scotland, thinking they’re there to assuage Deuce’s paranoia. But when bodies start dropping and boats start sinking, the four men get more involved with the festivities than they’d ever planned to.

With the clock ticking and the killer just as stuck on the isolated island as they are, Ty and Zane must navigate a veritable minefield of family, friends, and foes to stop the whole island from being destroyed.

You can pre-order “Ball & Chain” from Riptide and get it two days early!

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Reminder of the giveaway – a total of five Survival Kits in a Sardine Can, perfect for traveling and hiking or taking with you to remote island weddings where people might be dying. And five sets of trading cards with original artwork and character work-ups for the less adventurous readers! All you have to do is comment. Right here. Right now.

Thanks for stopping by and good luck with the Giveaway! Faye read the book; and Faye LOVED the book … check out her review HERE.

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