Friday, November 13, 2020

Author Interview - A Heart of Salt and Silver by Elexis Bell #interview #authorinterview



- What is your “day” job if you are not a full-time author?

I work in a tire factory. My official job title is Passenger Tire Builder. I operate a machine the size of a modest two-story house, assembling the various pieces of tires.

- If you wrote a book about your life what would the title be?

What is even happening?

- What is the hardest thing about being an author?

For me, it’s the marketing and networking. I’m not a people person, and I never have been. (Literally, never. I had the same two preschool teachers for both years of preschool and didn’t talk to either one for the first year and a half.)

So having to reach out to people, not only to say hi, but to say, “Hey, you should buy my book,” is incredibly difficult.

Doing so in person actually terrifies me. The last time I tried to set up a book signing, I ended up having a panic attack in the car after talking to extremely nice librarians.

- What is the best thing about being an author?

Where do I even start?

The pure creation and exploration of a new world with new people and animals? The exhilaration of an epiphany that makes the rest of the story come into focus? The interactive reading (editing) that follows? The joy of having someone seek you out to say that they loved your book or that it touched their heart in some way?

There are so many amazing parts of being an author.

I could never narrow it down to just one.

- Have you ever been starstruck by meeting one of your favorite authors? If so who was it?

Due to the whole social anxiety thing, I would never have the guts to approach one of my favorite authors if I saw them out in the wild. So unfortunately, the answer here is no.

- What book changed your life?

That’s a tough question. As far as books that I’ve read are concerned, probably… The Lovely Bones. As an abuse survivor, it’s always chilling to see a story of someone who didn’t survive.
Of my own books, I’d say Annabelle. It was such a cathartic story to write, and I genuinely hope it helps people who’ve been abused to know they aren’t alone and that they deserve better.

- What were some of your favorite books growing up?

The Snowbird by Patricia Calvert and The Juniper Game by Sherryl Jordan.

- What books are currently in your to be read pile?

Too many to name. Which is, I’m sure, a problem many can relate to. I have a three foot tall, three foot wide bookcase that is absolutely overflowing with books I want to read.

My next read is the Wielder series by Elle Cardy.

- Which do you prefer ebooks, print, or audiobooks?

Print, hands down. I almost never finish ebooks, for some reason. Whereas, I can count the print books I didn’t finish on one hand.

Audiobooks are fantastic for when I’m at work, though.

- If you could live inside the world of a book or series which world would it be and why?

The Destined Queen series by Deborah Hale. I love the magic system and the prophecies. I love the romance and the wonder within it. It’s a fantastic world.



A Heart of Salt and Silver
Elexis Bell

Genre: Dark supernatural high fantasy romance

Date of Publication: 11/3/2020

Cover Artist: Elexis Bell 

Tagline: With eternity on the line, is love worth the risk?

Book Description: 

Ness, a demi-demon with a conscience, just wanted a peaceful afternoon in the Forest of Immortals. But Elias, a reckless mortal, went and spoiled it. Not that he wanted to be chased by psychotic vampires.

After saving his life, Ness agrees to help him find his estranged father and his Pack. But that means facing Nolan, the werewolf ex that holds her heart.

Now, Ness must decide. Use Elias to forget Nolan at the cost of his soul or crawl back to her ex and hope he still wants her even though she broke his heart.

But in a world sprinkled with immortals, broken hearts might be the least of their worries.

Fans of gritty fiction, compelling romance, and imaginative takes on magic and the afterlife will love this dark supernatural high fantasy romance.


Excerpt 2:

With my good arm, I pull my leg up to bend the knee. Hiking the hem of my dress up, I reveal torn muscle and shredded skin. I wince as the fabric moves over it, tugging flaps of skin in directions they aren’t meant to go.

Elias’ hands set to work, scooping water up, and pouring it over my thigh. Each drop, gentle as the administration of them may be, pulls a moan of pain from my lips. Wrapping fingers tightly around a stone, I do what I can to bear the pain without making Elias feel worse.

The blood washes away, revealing the true devastation wrought by the dead wolf’s jaws. My leg hangs open, dark muscle showing itself to the sky as it was never meant to do.

“Itand have mercy,” he whispers, calling on the goddess of fortitude.

But she’ll spare no blessings for the likes of me.

“What do I need to do?” he asks. His eyes roam over me, and one hand finds its way to my cheek. Brows knitted together, he clearly longs for something to do, some reassurance that I’ll be ok.

Does he want me to be alright for the sake of spending more time together? Or merely for the sake of having an escort for the rest of the trek?

I hope for his sake that it’s the latter. But the well of loneliness within me wishes for the former.

Either way, there’s nothing he can do.

“My body will mend itself,” I tell him. “It’ll hurt, but it’ll mend. It’s already started.”

His eyes drop to my arm, my leg. The bleeding has stopped, and the cuts aren’t as deep as they were mere seconds ago. Had he seen it when the wounds were first inflicted, he likely would’ve been sick.

“I wish you would’ve let me help,” he murmurs, sliding his hand along my jaw until his thumb finds my earlobe.

Exhaustion pulls my inhibitions low. Despite myself, despite the guilt churning within me, I lean into his caress.

Nolan won’t want me back, anyway.

My heart shrinks from the thought, and I close my eyes, nuzzling my cheek into Elias’ palm.

“Letting you help would’ve been a terrible idea. They could never kill me. They had no salt, no silver. They couldn’t say any incantations.”

I pause, squeezing my eyes tight against the horrid images which flash before them. I don’t want to see the ways they could’ve hurt him. I don’t want to watch them tear him to shreds. I don’t want to see his blood on the ground.

“They could’ve killed you, though,” I whisper.

Suddenly desperate to see him alive and healthy, to ease my conscience just a bit, I open my eyes. Sure enough, he’s there, face inches from mine. The moonlight glows in his magnificent eyes, but the blood of the Howlers still adorns his face.

Reaching for his sodden shirt, I lift a corner of it to his face. Wiping away the dried blood, I memorize the strength in his jaw, the kindness in his eyes. I trace the small kink in his nose, a remnant from a previous fight.

From a distance, it’s almost impossible to notice, but this close…

My eyes drop to his lips, full and soft. They part, but only to speak.

Confusion wrinkles his brow. “If they couldn’t kill you, why were they sent after us? To maim you and kill me?”

“No,” I say, shaking my head. I stifle a groan as my thigh stitches itself together. “They sent them to find us. They know where we are, now. They know which way we were headed. They’ll find us.”

Those words sew our lips shut, for we both know. This won’t be the last of the vampire and his pledge. And if this was just the search party, what awaits us down the path?

About the Author: 

Elexis Bell is a quiet nerd with too many hobbies, including everything from gaming to shower-singing and even archery, weather permitting. She specializes in sarcasm and writing stories that make people feel. She's made a home for herself with her husband, their dog, and a small army of cats.

She writes dark, gritty stories, sprinkling gut-wrenching emotions over high fantasy romance, thrillers, post-apocalyptic romance, and science fiction.

For further information, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook, or check out her blog on her website.

Website: www.elexisbell.com 

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Elexis-Bell-877360839111331/   

Twitter: www.twitter.com/bell_elexis 

Blog: http://www.elexisbell.com/blog/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/elexis_bell 

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Allauthor: https://allauthor.com/author/elexisbell/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17807452.Elexis_Bell

Nanowrimo: https://nanowrimo.org/participants/elexisbell

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