Please make welcome a sister Rose from The Wild Rose Press, Taylor Hobbs! We're celebrating her debut new release, CLOAKED! In addition, I'm reading her story and have fallen in love with the world and characters she has created. It's an adventure from the very first page! The Tavern is serving ale, hot cider, and something cloaked in decadent chocolate. Get comfortable and let's hear what Taylor has to say...

MM: Welcome, Taylor! So happy you could join us in the Tavern today. Describe a typical writing day. Are you a morning, afternoon, or night-owl writer?

TH: I like to draft in the morning with a cup of coffee. Creativity flows best when my brain is fresh. Editing, however, is easiest at night! Maybe because I’m grumpier and have a more critical eye.

MM: Interesting, Taylor. Business and coffee are my first order of business and then I dive into the writing. Can you tell us about your current work-in-progress?

TH: It is about an American woman who buys a village in Spain. I based it off an article I read in 2015 about the Spanish government putting abandoned properties and villages up for sale after their economy crashed. It has a healthy dose of magical realism and an unreliable narrator. Under the Tuscan Sun meets Rebecca.

MM: Sounds intriguing! What inspires you when you’re writing?

TH: Usually, other amazing books! If I get stuck, I like read a book outside of the genre I’m currently writing to see if it triggers a burst of inspiration. Other books let me step away and give me a new perspective. They challenge the way I think about my own project, which always ends up improving it.

MM: I'm definitely a fan of reading. My go-to source is a good historical fiction or non-fiction book. What’s your favorite item on your writing desk?

TH: Whatever I’m snacking on that day.

MM: Perfect! Now for some fun questions. Do you prefer...

Champagne or Beer? Champagne. Really, mimosas. Can’t go wrong with an excuse to have booze with breakfast.

Southern drawl or Scottish burr? Scottish burr

Kilt or Leather pants? Leather pants! I grew up with Buffy the Vampire Slayer, so that might have influenced this answer. (Love Buffy!)

First romance you read? Nicholas Sparks, A Walk to Remember. I read it in middle school, and couldn’t wait for my own epic love story one day. I think I got it―I married my high school sweetheart!

Print book or e-reader? This one is tough. I am a minimalist, so I love the convenience of an e-reader, but there is something so special about holding a print book!

Wishing you all the best Taylor!

Backcover blurb for CLOAKED ~

As the Cloaked Shadow, Fawkes has made his career breaking into prisons for any contract with a large enough purse. He takes advantage of the kingdom's impending revolution by playing both sides of the conflict. Each rescue contract he fulfills turns a tidy profit until he angers the wrong duke.

Charlotte is a criminal-in-training who yearns to crack her mentor’s guarded façade, but is unprepared to confront the depths of his dark past. As her sense of right and wrong blurs, Charlotte discovers just how far she will go for the Cloaked Shadow and the sacrifices he requires.

Now hunted throughout the land, Fawkes must face long-buried secrets in order to survive, but they could destroy him. Charlotte risks everything, including her heart, to set Fawkes on the path to redemption.

Will Charlotte have the strength to pull Fawkes into the light, or will she follow him into the shadows?

A Sneak Preview from CLOAKED ~

“Please, whatever you are,” Henry begged, “don't hurt us. Please.”

There was no answer, but Charlotte heard the rustle of fabric and a felt a light breeze on her skin as the shadow whisked by her. She whirled around to face the cell across from Henry's. Through the haze of her torchlight circle, Charlotte watched as the shadow knelt down, freeing a hand holding a key from the depths of a long, black cloak. With the telltale rasp of iron on iron, the door to the other cell creaked open.

The stranger crept soundlessly inside, returning seconds later with a body slung over its shoulders. The body emitted a low groan, and the shadow lowered its burden to lean against the wall. With unexpected care, the shadow crouched over the emaciated prisoner and murmured softly to him.

Seeing this spark of humanity gave Charlotte the courage she needed. “Help us.” It was a statement, not a question.

The cloaked figure remained kneeling next to its charge, and a man's voice finally spoke in a low rumble. “But you have nothing to offer me.”

Charlotte hesitated at his unexpected statement, trying to decipher its meaning. “Free my brother, and you can have anything you want.”

To purchase your copy of CLOAKED, stop by ~

AMAZON | BN | THE WILD ROSE PRESS

About the author ~

I live aboard a 38 ft sailboat named Story Time with my husband, baby girl, and dog. We are a military family and love to travel, whether it is by sea or air. When I’m not writing, I enjoy doing yoga and planning our next adventure. You can keep up with our crazy life at cannonstocruising.com