Interview: Kristal Hollis (Rescued by the Wolf) ~ Except

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Hello & Welcome!

Today I’m happy to introduce Kristal Hollis author of Rescued by the Wolf. Kristal, Thank you for visiting Angel’s Guilty Pleasures and speaking with me today. 

Hi Angela! I’m delighted to be here.

What do you do when you are not writing?

I work a full-time “day” job, so I do the majority of my writing at night or on the weekends. But when I manage to squeeze in a spare moment, the Hubster and I will hang-out at Cloak and Blaster—a gamer’s pub, or head to the movies. My favorite films to watch are action-adventure and fantasy. Those that combine both, send me over the moon.

I also love spending time with friends and family, and I’m always looking for interesting things to do. Especially outdoor events such as fairs and festivals, and anything that has to do with animals.

We also have two rescued dogs that beg for attention whenever they aren’t napping.

If you could swap lives with the heroine of any romance book, which book would you choose?

Ooh, that’s a tough one. I’m fixer, or rather, a problem-solver. Since heroines in romantic fiction tend to get their happily-ever-afters at the end of the story, I’m not inclined to swap with them because there’s nothing fix.

However, the Hubster and I did see ROGUE ONE recently, and though technically not a romance novel, I do consider it a romantic film. <SPOILER ALERT> Only in the end, they die in each other’s arms instead of living happily-ever-arm. Sort of like the focal characters in Nicholas Sparks’s novel.

Now I don’t have a death wish and I certainly don’t find it romantic or emotionally satisfying for a hero, heroine or both to die at the end of the story; but if I could,  I would temporarily swap places with Jyn Erso. As a determined a romance writer, somewhere in the course of reliving Jyn’s life as it unfolds in ROGUE ONE, I’m sure I could figure out a way to give her and Cassian a true HEA.

Who are your favorite authors? Why?

Jill Shalvis is my all-time favorite contemporary romance author. I’ve met her several times. She’s so sweet and funny and so are her books.

I also love Amy Tan. Her captivating books are about women’s trials and triumphs in the quest to make their lives their own.

What type of scenes are your most favorite to write?

I love writing scenes where the hero and heroine have to work together. Usually one is resistant to help, but has to go along with the plan to achieve their own goal. The reluctant give-and-take can lead to some funny, but endearing moments that bonds them.

Which of your characters are you most similar to and why?

I believe every character an author creates is inherently sparked from their own personality.

In the first book of the Wahyas of Walker’s Run series (AWAKENED BY THE WOLF), the heroine, Cassie Albright, is dead-set on making her own way in the world. Although I didn’t imagine myself as Cassie when writing the book, her determination to succeed when all the odds are stacked against her is something that deeply resonates with me.

As for Grace Olsen, heroine of RESCUED BY THE WOLF, she is searching for a place to belong. This story is a slight variation on the theme, but at it’s core, it’s still about a woman making her way in the world. For Grace, that means finding “home.”

Years ago, I made an active choice to venture beyond my environment and circumstance. The journey has been frightening and exciting, and still continues. Perhaps the sliver of similarity between me and my characters lies in taking the first step in a new direction.

Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why?

Hands down, I want to meet Julius Caesar. This man had a reversal of fortunes on more than one occasion, yet his grit and determination helped him scale upward, time and again. His military campaigns and political influence, good or bad, shaped the evolution of the modern world. I would love to pick his brain.

Rescued by the Wolf

Would you tell us a little about your book, Rescued by the Wolf?

Widowed wolfan, Rafe Wyatt is lucky not to be road kill. He’s also bare-ass naked after shifting into his human form to assist Grace Olsen—the lively, human female who wrecked her car instead of running him over. Owing her his life, Rafe becomes Grace’s guardian during her extended stay within the wolf pack’s territory.

Grace has lived all over the world, but has never had a real hometown. Being stranded in an idyllic, close-knit Appalachian community gives her a glimpse into what her life could be like if she settled down—and she likes what she sees. Especially the gruff, sexy mechanic who seems to be at her beck and call.

When a bitter pack member draws Rafe and Grace into a life-or-death fight, Rafe must draw upon the primal beast within to defeat the deranged wolfan. Overwhelmed by the ordeal and deeply wounded by Rafe’s deception about his true nature, Grace leaves him. But time is running short. If Grace doesn’t regain her faith in Rafe soon, the tender, ethereal bond between them will wither and die, destroying their last chance for true love ever after.

What was the hardest thing about writing Rescued by the Wolf?

Rewriting it. When I contracted with Harlequin Nocturne, the first two books in the series were completed. Although AWAKENED BY THE WOLF only needed a few minor changes, RESCUED BY THE WOLF needed to be deconstructed to eliminate a secondary subplot and hone the overall concept so that it would be appropriate to the publisher’s brand. The process felt much like trying to force a scrambled egg back into its shell, and then trying to turn it into an egg-white omelet.

What is your favorite scene from Rescued by the Wolf?

I absolutely love the scene where the widowed hero, RAFE WYATT, loses his home in a devastating fire. Everything in his past is being stripped away, leaving his emotions raw as he deals with reconciling who he was with who he wants to become. He feels utterly alone in this endeavor until the heroine, GRACE OLSEN, shows up at the scene of the fire. She becomes his strength, his solace and his sanctuary. This scene is a definite roll reversal, with the heroine becoming the knight in shining armor for the hero.

If you could spend the day with one of the characters in Rescued by the Wolf, who would it be and what would you guys do?

I would spend the day with Doc Habersham, Rafe’s human, adoptive  father. There’s a long history between Doc and the Alpha of Walker’s Run that I’m dying to investigate further. So, if I could, I would invite him over for a quiet dinner and convince him to tell me all those delicious, dark secrets.

Kristal, it was a pleasure having you visit. Thank you for taking the time to chat with me today!

Thanks for inviting me over. I’ve had a lovely time and appreciate the opportunity to share my new release, RESCUED BY THE WOLF, with you and your readers.

 

Rescued by the Wolf

Wahyas of Walker’s Run Series

Book Two

Kristal Hollis

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Harlequin Nocturne

Date of Publication:  March 1, 2017

ISBN:  0373139837

ASIN: B01JBQ3HQW

Number of pages: 304

Word Count: 74,000

Book Description:

She’s not afraid to run with his wolf.

When a poacher killed his mate, Rafe Wyatt lost his future. While the Wahyas of Walker’s Run have been pulling him back from the brink, he’s certain he won’t have another chance at love. That is, until Grace comes to town.

Grace Olsen is a woman without roots. That’s exactly how she likes it, until a sojourn in a small, close-knit Appalachian community gives her a new vision of what home could be—and so does Rafe. He was supposed to be nothing more than a casual lover, just as wary of commitment as she is. When their raw attraction becomes something deeper, more complex, they could be looking at a new future together. But someone close to them both would rather see Grace dead than let her be with the man—and the wolf—she’s grown to love.

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“Rafe, wake up!”

He didn’t move, snort, or otherwise acknowledge her presence.

Grace eased off the Murphy bed, slid her feet into pink slippers, maneuvered between the coffee table and couch, and reached over Rafe to the alarm clock balanced on the top frame of the couch, the LED face flipped so that the time flashed into the cushion instead of into the room.

In a sudden whirl, she slammed onto the couch seat cushions. Rafe’s steely fingers clamped around her wrists, pinning them over her head. She stared into icy, cobalt blue eyes that would’ve stolen her breath if she hadn’t lost all air when he plastered his hard, hot body onto hers.

The short crop of his auburn hair stuck out in different directions. A pillow crease cut across one high cheekbone and dipped into the reddish stubble dusting his strong jaw. His firm, full lips would look much more kissable if he smiled.

Squared shoulders rose above a sculpted chest swirled with soft tufts of hair, and a quarter-sized scar marred the taut, tan skin over his right ribs.

Her gaze slid over the ripples of his abs and the sharp indents of his hips. She couldn’t follow the treasure line that arrowed down from his belly button because he was lodged intimately against her pelvis.

A giddy heat rushed her body and struck her with the acute awareness of a virile man in his prime.

“Never sneak up on me, Grace.” Rafe’s laser-intense eyes burned holes straight through her body. “It’s dangerous.”

No doubt.

From his deeply etched scowl to his silent, panther-like movements, she needed no further warnings. He was dangerous on all levels.

——————-

Rafe sat on the couch in the living area of the suite, opened the fast food bag and methodically set three wrapped sandwiches, an extra-large order of fries, napkins and a plastic spoon on the small round table.

“How you can eat like that and not have an ounce of fat?” She knew he didn’t because she’d seen every inch of him.

“I run almost every night.” Rafe unwrapped the first sandwich, wadded the paper and dropped it in the bag.

“You don’t look like a runner. They’re usually lean and lanky.” Grace pulled a bottle of water from the small in-room refrigerator and placed it on the table for Rafe. “You’re thicker, more solid.”

Elbows on his knees, holding the sandwich in front of his face, he took a giant bite, chewed slowly and swallowed. “You think I’m dense and slow?” His gaze lifted to her with a challenge in his eyes.

“No.” She joined him on the couch. “Think of greyhounds and rottweilers. Greyhounds are sleek, elegant and fast. Rottweilers are—”

“Blocky and stout?”

Neither of which described Rafe.

“I was going for strong and durable.” She picked up the spoon and shoveled a big scoop of delicious, soft, vanilla ice cream drowning in hot fudge into her mouth.

Her entire body cheered.

“I could give a greyhound a run for its life.”

“Keep eating junk and you won’t.”

Eying the sundae in her hand, he halted before taking another bite of his sandwich. “Who’s the pot and who’s the kettle in this conversation?”

“Hey. This is my only vice.” She savored another bite. “Ummmm.”

“What about coffee?”

“Isn’t a vice. Coffee is as essential as oxygen.”

“If you stopped breathing, which would you rather have, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation or a cup of coffee poured down your throat?” Rafe’s gaze lingered on her mouth.

Her lips tingled. She gave her spoon a slow, sensual lick. “Depends on who’s providing the rescue breathing.”

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Raised in a small Southern town, Kristal Hollis has spent most of her life helping people and animals. When a family medical situation resulted in a work sabbatical, she began penning deliciously dark paranormal romances to escape the real-life drama. After the crisis passed, her passion for writing love stories continued. An RWA 2015 Golden Heart® Finalist, Kristal lives with her husband and two rescued dogs at the edge of the enchanted forest that inspires her stories.

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I'm an outdoor sun loving reader living near San Fransisco. I’m a mother, wife, animal & book lover. I'm the owner, reviewer & mind behind Angel’s Guilty Pleasures. My favorite animals are horses & dogs. As for reading I love all things paranormal & urban fantasy & my favorite shifters are dragons.

4 comments on “Interview: Kristal Hollis (Rescued by the Wolf) ~ Except

  1. I so want to read this series.

    • I do too! Thank’s for stopping in.

  2. Thanks for interviewing me today?

    • It was my pleasure and thank you for taking the time. ^_^