Cloaked by Taylor Hobbs - Virtual Book Tour and Giveaway

Cloaked

by Taylor Hobbs

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GENRE:   Historical Fantasy Romance

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BLURB:

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?

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EXCERPT

“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.”

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I asked Taylor where are five places you might visit for inspiration for your books?  Here are her answers.  

Thanks for having me on your blog today, Jo, and for the great question! I had fun remembering all the locations I visited while writing Cloaked. Each holds a special place in my heart for helping me finish the book.

1. The library.For readers and writers, I feel like libraries are a place of worship. There is something so special about getting lost among the stacks, surrounded by incredible stories just waiting for me to crack open their spines. If I got stuck while drafting Cloaked,reading other books always triggered a burst of inspiration. They let me step away from my manuscript for a while and gave me a new perspective on the story.

2. A writer’s group. I was fortunate enough to attend best-selling author Jonathan Maberry’s infamous ‘Writers Coffeehouse’ group every month when I lived in San Diego. This meeting was simply writers getting together to talk about writing. We helped motivate and energize each other instead of critique. Cloaked would not be the novel it is today had I not attended this group. 

3. A coffee shop. Coffee shops are fantastic for people-watching and coming up with character sketches. A steady stream of unique looks, mannerisms, accents, and behavior stream in and out of them all day. Studying humanity is a great way to make characters feel authentic in the story (just don’t be creepy about it!). I did a lot of great outlining for Cloakedin coffee shops. 

4. A yoga studio. This activity allowed my thoughts to clear and banish any writer’s block while I worked on Cloaked. Meditative breathing gives me to access my most creative brain and allows the obvious solutions to problems in my stories to surface. A healthy body leads to a healthy mind! 

5. The Beach. I saved the best for last. When I’m at the beach, I feel like my very soul is being cleansed. I am so in tune with myself and my surroundings that the story ideas just appear out of nowhere. Crashing waves and a salty breeze both relax and inspire me at the same time. 

Readers, where do you find your greatest inspiration? Is it in one of the five places I listed, or is it rooted in an idea instead? I’m curious! Let’s discuss.  

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Taylor Hobbs lives aboard a 38 ft sailboat named Story Time with her husband, baby girl, and dog. They are a military family who love to travel, whether it is by sea or air. When she's not writing, Taylor enjoys doing yoga and planning her next adventure. You can keep up with their crazy life at http://www.cannonstocruising.com or follow on Twitter at @tayhobbit. 

Cloaked is her debut novel and can be found at https://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/6046-cloaked.html

Buy links:

Barnesandnoble:https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cloaked-taylor-hobbs/1129153048

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Cloaked-Taylor-Hobbs-ebook/dp/B07FKXJ7Z6/

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE:

Taylor Hobbs will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway