BOOK TOUR: Surge by Harley Wylde (Excerpt & Giveaway + Guest Post)

Can you, for those who don’t know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author?

I’ve loved writing for as long as I can remember. From writing stories for class assignments in elementary through high school, to writing just because I had a story stuck in my head, it seems like I’ve been creating other worlds forever. It wasn’t until 2008 that I completed a novel. My friends and husband encouraged me. When I’d finished, they all said I should submit it somewhere. I didn’t think it was anywhere near good enough, but decided to give it a shot. While the first publisher didn’t accept it, the second one did. By August 2008, I was a published author! Back then I wrote paranormal romances. It wasn’t until 2016 that Harley Wylde came into existence with a short novella titled Grease Monkey (which is currently on sale for $0.99!).

 Where were you born/grew up at?

 I was born in Memphis, TN. Where I grew up is a bit more complicated. By the time I was ten, my parents had divorced. Mom moved us to New Orleans, just outside the French Quarter. I lived there for a few years (aside from a few months in Augusta, Georgia with my grandparents). By high school, I was back in the Memphis area, but that only lasted through 10^th grade. My junior year I moved to Atlanta, Georgia. After Atlanta was California, and later Texas. Out of all the places I’ve lived, Georgia always felt the most like home.

 What do you do to unwind and relax?

Read. Just not the same genre I write. These days, I enjoy horror books and reverse harem fantasy. Although, I certainly wouldn’t say no to reverse harem horror and have the best of both worlds. I also like watching TV shows with my husband at night after I’ve finished my work for the day. Right now, we’re watching 9-1-1 and 9-1-1 Lonestar. Previously, it’s been Dexter, Supernatural, Bad Girls, and many others… but the very first show we watched together was Buffy the Vampire Slayer, back when we first started dating.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BOOK

 Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in Surge?

Colette is from France. She’s abducted by human traffickers and brought to the US for a specific client. Then she meets Surge, who can tell she’s in trouble. He’s part of the Hades Abyss MC and can’t turn down a woman in need. He’s also bisexual and has had an on again off again relationship with Aidan, a local artist.

If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?

Oh! Tough question. Hmm. I think for Surge, Joseph Morgan. Matthew Gray Gubler as Aidan, and Chloë Grace Moretz for Colette (if she’d dye her hair black).

Do your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel like you have the reigns of the story?

They definitely take over. There are times I sit back and think, “Wow! I didn’t see that coming.” Every time I try to plot, I have to throw it out halfway through because the characters lead the story in a different direction.

 QUESTIONS ABOUT WRITING

 Do you see writing as a career?

Of course! I write full-time, and use my royalties to pay the bills, so it’s definitely something I consider a career. There’s so much more to it than just sitting down to write the book.

Do you write one book at a time or do you have several going at a time?

It really depends. Sometimes I work on as many as 4 or 5 stories at the same time. Others, especially if I have a tight deadline, I have to focus on only book.

Pen or type writer or computer?

Computer. Years ago, I would write by pen then transfer it to the computer. Now, arthritis makes it hard to hold a pen some days, so the computer is the easiest way for me to write.

 How long on average does it take you to write a book?

Not an easy question to answer. It really depends on the book. Some practically write themselves. Others, I struggle for every word that goes on the page. I’ve written a 50,000 word book in less than two weeks, a 20,000 word novella in two days, and an 80,000 word book in three months. Each story is different.