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An Interview and Giveaway with Incy Black, Author of Hard to Hold (Hard to…#1)

 OMG, I. Love. This. Cover. Must read!

HardToHold300

Thanks so much for agreeing to be with us today, Incy, and welcome!
What 5 things should readers know about you?

  • I’m a Brit. learning to write American.
  • I write Alpha-bast*rd heroes (because it takes a special kind of woman to find their soft spot)
  • If there’s a conspiracy theory out there, I’ll believe it. (No matter how improbable)
  • People-watching is my all time favorite activity. (I get to imagine all sorts of things about them)
  • I find ‘eyes’ the scariest part of the body. In fact, I’d rather embarrass myself by staring at someone’s groin than make eye contact.

LOL, really? (5th bullet point, obviously)

 

 

Tell us all about your main characters—who are they? What makes them tick?

Anna Key is best summed up by her ring tone, Bowie’s ‘Rebel, Rebel’. She’s a bad girl made good, and what life denies her, she finds a way to get for herself—in this case, a baby through artificial insemination by anonymous donor. Put her on an island with a satellite link and laptop, and within days a construction crew would be there to build her the home of her dreams.

British Intelligence Agent, Nick Marshall didn’t choose his ring tone, his best—now only—friend uploaded it: Foreigners, ‘Cold as Ice’. He’s just about as closed off as a man can get. The only thing he’d want/need on a desert island is Anna—though he’d shoot himself before admitting it.

Basically, Anna and Nick are toxic when together, but utterly broken when apart.

Love the ring tones—great detail and very telling!

 

 

If your book were being cast as a movie, who would you want to play the main characters?

Hands up, I haven’t got a clue. I’m hopeless with names and mostly refer to actors as ‘the one with the spectacular bum (ass)’, ‘the one married to the one with the spectacular bum’—basically, I’d have to attend a casting session to know who would be best for the part. (And I’d enjoy every minute of it)

Let me know if you need any help with that…I am definitely here for you!

 

 

How long have you been writing, and what (or who) inspired you to start?

Four years ago, I dared myself to attend a school reunion. (Never again—it was an excruciating experience. I went to an all-girls school.) Transpires I was ‘expected’ to become a writer, and I was so maddened at being made to feel a failure, I returned home on a personal blood oath that I’d become an author if it killed me. I started that night. So I guess I wasn’t as much inspired as I was motivated—by sheer bloody-mindedness.

That is the most unique answer I’ve gotten for that one—love it!

 

 

What do you like best about being a writer?

Being able to give free rein to my imagination and hitting that ‘sweet spot’ when the words flow and the scene writes itself. It’s an incredibly liberating feeling, akin to an out-of-body experience. Nothing can touch it. It’s the very definition of ‘exquisite’.  Only my kids (all 5 of them) can put a wider smile on my face.

Eyes just got very large here—FIVE kids? And you still find time to write? Amazing.

 

 

What is the most challenging part of being a writer?

Putting your work out there. Imagine running through Harvey Nichols (extremely posh department store in London’s Knightsbridge, peopled by the rich and the mega-beautiful) on a busy Saturday morning, stark naked, your body imperfect, with your jiggly bits bouncing not pertly, but sluggishly. That’s how I feel when I sub a new manuscript. That’s how I feel in the run up to release day.  For me, finding my big girl knickers to pull on is the single most challenging thing about being a writer. Courage and me are far from being best friends.

Ack! What a description—I can definitely feel your pain…

 

 

What are you working on right now? What can readers look for from you in the next year?

Hard to Chase, Book 3 in the ‘Hard to….’ series is currently tied against the whipping post. Will Berwick is proving a difficult character to write, because his ‘hardness’ is subtler. In fact, he skirts dangerously close to being nice. Hard to Forget, Book 2 in the series will be out in August. Also, in my head, I’m working on a new series of lawless heroes and the women who bring them to heel. Watch this space.

Will do–definitely!

 

 

What authors and/or books have inspired you?

John Sandford, P J Tracy, James Lee Burke and Carol O’Connell who have a sublime gift when it comes to writing challenging characters. J R Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Lara Adrian (Breed series) and Christine Feehan for their ability to make the reader fall in love with absolute A-holes. It’s all about the redemption. There are many, many more I could list, but these writers hit the screen first.

Great list!

 

 

What are you currently reading? What are your thoughts about it so far?

Rather than choose a specific book (because I tend to read 3-4 books at once), I’ll share a genre I recently discovered. Bad-boy, biker hells angels. I picked up a Jamie Begley on spec, read all she had to offer *eyes wide-open*, tripped over Bella Jewel and all she had to offer, same with Joanna Wylde and Julie Ann Walker and finally completed the binge by reading all of Kristen Ashley’s titles (except the magical ones). That’s the wonderful thing about discovering a sub-genre, you never know where the path will lead. It was a six week reading fest and I enjoyed every minute of it.  I’ll never be a die-hard fan of biker books, but I certainly won’t be skipping over the titles of new releases without serious consideration.

Hang on—five kids, writing a series, and still reading 3-4 books at a time? What the heck and I doing with all my time? Slacking off, obviously… 😉

 

 

Please share a favorite scene from your book with our readers.

One of my favorite scenes is Nick’s reaction after he learns the truth about where Anna had really been on the night he threw her out. In his own inimitable way, he’s shell-shocked. He admits to himself (he’d never share with anyone else) that his life is missing something crucial—Anna—and as he realizes all color has gone from his life, he concedes not only that he’s screwed up but that he hasn’t a clue how to put it right.

Thanks so much, Incy–great interview!

Keep reading for more about Incy and her book–plus a giveaway…

 

Author Bio:

It took a swan dive from a roof to convince Incy (aged 5) she wasn’t an avenging fairy and that no, she most certainly couldn’t fly.  Bruised but undefeated she retreated deeper into her make-believe world populated with the brave and the poisonous.

When not fighting injustice and righting wrongs on ‘Planet Incy’, she works as a Marketing Director. (Unfortunately, her law degree languishes unused, the distinction between good and evil proving too worrisome in real life.)

Her five children are well versed in what scares her (most things) and delight in pushing her neurotic buttons—at their peril.

Author Website: http://incyblack.weebly.com

Author Blog: http://incyblack.weebly.com/

Author Twitter: https://twitter.com/IncyBlack   

Author Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/incy.black (profile)

Author Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/8091237-incy-black

 

 

Hard to Hold
Incy Black
Release Date: 4/28
Genre: Romantic Suspense

 

Book Synopsis:

Anna Key Marshall is about to get what she’s always wanted: a baby. Granted, it’s through a sperm donor instead of her ex-husband, but you can’t have everything. She has no idea why someone wants her dead, but she’ll do whatever it takes to protect her unborn child—even if it means turning to her ex, the Black Ops specialist who broke her heart.

Five years ago, British Intelligence agent Nick Marshall slammed the door on the woman who betrayed him. But now Anna’s back in his life with a vengeance, pregnant and full of attitude. He’d like nothing better than to walk away, but with her life on the line, he has no choice but to do what he does best—protect her at all costs.

As old wounds resurface, Nick begins to doubt his version of what went down with Anna so long ago. And he begins to believe they might have a second chance together. But with Anna’s would-be killer on the loose—it will take the full force and fury of his protective instincts, fueled by a powerful love he can’t leave behind, to hold on to the woman he still loves.

 

Tagline: Love hurts.

Goodreads Book Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21893703-hard-to-hold

Amazon Buy Link: http://amzn.to/PcWLna

Amazon UK Buy Link: http://amzn.to/1eRaVqK

Barnes & Noble Buy Link: http://bit.ly/1qVHBAN

Entangled Page: http://bit.ly/1tiMW7q

 

Giveaway:

$25 Amazon GC

 

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3 Comments

  1. Neena Martin Neena Martin

    Thank you for the into to this book.

  2. Elise-Maria Barton Elise-Maria Barton

    Great book tour Incy! I love your interviews.

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