Tell us a little about yourself.
Hi, I’m Missy! I’m so excited to be here, Lauryn thank you so much for having me. A little bit about me…I have a degree in Criminal Justice, a career in Program Management, and I dabble in herbalism. I live in a little slice of heaven at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains with a pond, an heirloom apple orchard, and honeybee hives (unfortunately we lost our hives this season, but hopefully we will have more hives again in the future). We have a Mountain Cur (dog), two indoor cats, and eight barn cats. I enjoy a variety of activities, which obviously include reading, writing, and daydreaming. I enjoy weaving together fantasy worlds of romance and intrigue, mixed with paranormal elements, suspenseful storylines, and addicting characters. But a perfect day to me is spending time with my husband and son, laughing and enjoying the little things in life.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? I was telling a good friend of mine of an idea I had about the creation of vampires. And she was like “OOOOOO, YES! You need to write a book about it!” And, that’s the first time I ever actually thought about writing a book. From then, anytime I had the spark of an idea however big or small, I’d write it down.
Have events or people in your life ever inspired scenes or characters in any of your books? Well, since I write about paranormal creatures–no. Real-life people, nor events have inspired my scenes or characters, lol. But, the emotional responses to situations I put my characters through, may have been influenced by real life.
What is your favorite underappreciated novel? That is a hard one. I have several favorite books that are by indie authors and are underappreciated. I guess the first one that comes to mind is the Sweet Series by Bailey Ardisone. (If you haven’t read it and you enjoy Elves, you should totally check it out!)
What is your favorite/most frustrating part of the writing or publishing process? My favorite process is the brainstorming, plotting, and outlining. I love throwing curve balls at my characters and seeing what they do with it. The most frustrating part are the revising and editing rounds!
Tell us about your main character. Lucinda Mae Ravin is a rogue wolf shifter, meaning she wanders alone with no pack allegiance. She is strong-willed, resilient, and compassionate. Life has thrown so much at her, and she may stumble, but she doesn’t falter. Her life motto is:
I bend with the hurricane when the wind blows.
I stand as solid as a brick wall when the waves come crashing down.
I am strong.
How did you pick your character names? I try to pick my characters names for a specific reason, such as the meaning of the name. Lucinda, the main character, her name means Light. And Caiden, the male lead, his name means Battle. In picking Lucinda’s name, I also wanted a name that had multiple nicknames. Lucinda has two nicknames-Lux and Cinda-one representing different periods of her life.
Do you have a favorite scene in the last book you wrote? Tell us about it. I can’t say too much about it without giving away spoilers, so I’ll just say this...my favorite scene is when the big bad Alpha drops his shield and we see his vulnerability.
What’s something you had to edit out of your last book? I tend to write on the shorter side vs the longer side. While most Authors need to cut down their word count after their first draft, I need to bump it up. I like action. So, during my first draft, I often skip through the finer details and write only the action and dialog parts. So, during the first round of revision, I need to add all the detail. And as far as editing...there are a few words and phrases I tend to use a lot that needs to be edited out, such as smirks, snarl, flaring nostrils, and clenched jaw to name just a few.
What are you currently working on? I’m currently in the first round of revisions for The Alpha’s Secret, which is the second book in The Raven Chronicles. And then I’ll dive straight into drafting the third book, The Witch’s Betrayal.
What kind of books do you read in your free time? I read an assortment of books to include YA, NA, and Adult. I love the fantasy genre, which include all of its sub-genres, I also enjoy Historical Fiction, and of course select Romance sub-genres, especially Paranormal Romance.
Do you have any advice for aspiring writers? Reach for the stars, but also keep your feet firmly planted on the ground. Believe in yourself and just keep reading and writing. The more you read and write, the better you’ll get. And most importantly...Never give up!!!
About the Book:If your life hung in the balance, would you choose to make your own destiny or leave your life to fate?
Lucinda Raven is being hunted by her ex-lover, a controlling rogue Alpha, who is determined to perform the sacred mating ritual that will bind them together forever. Knowing nothing will keep him from carrying out his ruthless plan, Lucinda is on the run and seeks refuge in the territory of an old friend.
Caidan Moone, cursed Alpha of the Blood Moone Pack, has a tortured history that haunts him daily. He sees the arrival of this beautiful and alluring nomad as a chance at redemption from his prior failures and invites her to stay, despite the danger it brings to the entire pack.
As Caidan and Lucinda grow closer, her two worlds collide and Lucinda must face the events of her dark past in order to save the future. Will Caidan be able to protect her without sacrificing his pack? Or will she end up bearing the mark of her psychotic ex?
Social Media links:
Website: https://missydegraff.wordpress.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormissydegraff/Twitter: @dream_craziness