Epic Force by Alexi
Raymond Synopsis:
Trinity
has given up everything to reach her dreams as a professional wrestler in the
national spotlight; even though it's breaking her heart to stay away from her
trainer, Derek.
Derek knows the road Trinity is walking and wants to be there for her to see
her succeed, but he wants so much more than that for them.
After having a wrestler break her heart once, Trinity isn't willing to jump
back into another wrestling-relationship. That doesn't stop her heart from
pounding at the sight of Derek or her hands from trembling with their touch.
Convinced she has to focus on her dreams, Trinity leaves the safety of home and
wrestling federation,(Epic Force Wrestling), and heads out for the chance of a
lifetime. The things she sees don't make her more sure of her goals, but they
do make her sure of something else - she can't outrun her old wrestling school
or the trainer that holds her heart in his hands.
Sometimes true love is an epic force all its own.
**********
Because
I'm lucky enough to have a friendship with an upbeat, beautiful ginger (aka Alexi Raymond), I had the delightful opportunity to
read Epic Force in its beginning and final stages of writing. I was able to see
the writer’s words blossom into a beautiful adult contemporary love story that
will have you in a headlock. The story and its characters flung me into the
ring in the beginning chapters. And baby girls and boys lemme tell ya, I was high off reading! This is a story that will cater to everyone's taste, women and men. Epic Force isn't your average contemporary read. There was flare in it. Not Rick Flair, but wrestling flare. And if you aren't a fan of the sport, that's okay. After reading Epic Force you'll gain a respect for it. There were some very wooo hooo yeah baby yeah moments, but all with taste. There were some very heart felt moments that a lot of us may have endured. And there was so much craving.
Trinity
is a top female character that I have the utmost respect for. Because she has
respect for herself. Confidence. She's a young, average woman with some muscle behind that beauty. All she wants is a shot in the ring and to experience true love. But if it takes putting love on the back
burner while she proves herself fit to be in the ring, then so be it. But don’t
expect her to tap out on love, because Derek will be coming in full force. And
let me tell you, Epic Force, by Alexi Raymond is one hell of a love story full
of challenges and yearning endurance. Get
ready to let your eyes soar line by line and keep those pages a turning! And
that’s the bottom line, cause Stone Cold… I meant, Kimberly Callegan (that's me) said so!
While
I adore the main characters Trinity and Derek, there is
a certain supporting character in this book that I am absolutely GAGA over and holy
hell he can rock some wrestling tights, but more importantly, I lurve his
quirky personality! And, I *may* have gotten in the ring with him. ;)
So,
stay tuned after the interview with this fabulous author so you can have a
chance to win Epic Force by Alexi Raymond… or, why wait? Go download Epic Force
at the end of this post!
**********
We’d like to welcome Alexi Raymond
to Living-Fictitiously. Alexi’s debut novel, Epic Force was released on 10/4/2012. I must interrupt this introduction to add Epic Force IS in fact,
epic!! Ok, so let’s get started!
KIM: Hi Alexi! Thank you for taking the time to stop by and have an interview.
We are excited to have you on the blog. I’d like to start the interview by
asking, what was your motivation in writing Epic Force? Because I definitely
had the motivation to continue reading it!
Alexi: I'm so glad you
liked it!! Epic Force actually started as a form of self-therapy! Professional
wrestling is a very passionate sport and with any kind of passion comes
conflict and of course, drama. I needed to get some stuff off my chest, ya
know? One of my friends suggested that I write about it in a journal but yeah -
no. Someone could FIND that! I know what you're thinking, "someone could
find that...so you published it?" Au contraire! After lots of writing I
realized that Trinity would actually have a much cooler story if she were truly
her own person with her own experiences! And so back to the drawing board I
went, completely re-writing the first "book" I'd written!
KIM: I have to commend you on writing such an awesome story. While the premise
of the story surrounds the desire for love, there is also the adoration for
one’s career to succeed in wrestling in a predominately
male environment. Do you feel that you took a chance in writing a story about
wrestling and love?
Alexi: Weeeeeeell,
since it didn't start as something I'd ever intended to publish I never really
thought about it. However, if I'd never written Epic Force...I can't say I'd
change it. I know it's hard to ask a publisher to trust you on a book,
especially a debut novel, that involves pro-wrestling. But I also know that a
good story is a good story, even if it involves things you've never known
before! I don't know anything about hockey, but I have still read hockey themed
romances and learned a lot about the sport...or maybe I focused more on the
studly guy and his body shots...either way, I think if the characters are real
the story should have a shot. So yeah, I guess pushing to publish it was taking
a chance but I'd definitely do it again!
KIM: As I mentioned above, Trinity is a top female character that I have
respect for because of her confidence. What was your favorite characteristic in
Trinity’s character and why?
Alexi: Oh man. I think
her determination. Whether it was foolish or not, relating to boys or her
dreams, whent Trin makes up her mind she really sticks to it! A lot of times in
life we have goals but when the going gets tough we back off or give up
completely. Not Trin!
KIM: Derek was nearly a perfect male character in my eyes. What was your least
favorite characteristic in Derek and why?
Alexi: EASY.
Personally, I want a man that has little to no hesitation. You want to kiss me?
Go for it! Trust me, you'll know if it's unwanted ;) But Derek? He's so
cautious and caring! The poor guy cares almost too much what his woman is
thinking and feeling!
KIM: Dave was my favorite character in Epic Force. I definitely have a slight
(winks- okay, major) crush on him… I meant his character. Can you tell us what
inspired you to write about him? (And will he get his own book, with his own love
story? LOLOLOL!!!)
Alexi: I should have known this was coming!! lol! Here's a little secret: Dave is one
of my favorite characters in Epic Force, too! There is a very real man, also
named Dave, who is one of my favorite people involved in wrestling. He's been a
friend for years and when the first drafts were flowing from my pen I had to
include him but then when the story became Trinity's I just couldn't see taking
him out. Well, that and he promised I'd sell more copies if I made him the
hero. I would LOVE to give Dave his own book! He's got a good thing going with
his little lady; it would be interesting to see what their lives together might
entail!
KIM: Did you have an alternate ending for Epic Force, or did you know from the
moment this story developed how it would end and stick to it?
Alexi: No clue! I had went through my "journal"
stage and titled the draft "Meeting The Boys" and I wanted to do two
more books but I had no idea where book three would even start!! Three's just a
magical number, I guess! But once I really got moving on Epic Force I just kind
of let the characters lead me! Somewhere about the time Trinity has to make her
final decision about Epic Force Wrestling I knew what the ending would be!
KIM: Would you consider yourself an introvert or extrovert?
Alexi:
Hahahahahahaha...Extro. Totally, definitively, every sense of the word,
extrovert!
KIM: List two things you are passionate about.
Alexi: 1 - Taylor
Swift. Yep. I have been known to unfriend for Taylor Swift Trash Talk.
2
- Life! I hate when people waste time they have! You never know what moment is
your last, use it all up!!
KIM: Who is your favorite male wrestler? Female wrestler? Tag team?
Alexi: OH MAN!!! Yay
for super awesome question!! Ok ok, calming down... Favorite Male Wrestler of
all time: Curt Hennig aka Mr. Perfect!!! Everything that man did was magic! He
was a showman and a skilled athlete! Good news: His son wrestles, too! WOO
HOO! Current: Dolph Ziggler. Hands. Down. The man is beautiful,
devoted and talented!! Female Wrestler - Would have to pick Fabulous Moolah!
But all of the oldschool women wrestlers helped me to be able to lace up the
boots! Current: Tara! She used to wrestle as Victoria on WWE but goes by Tara
on TNA Impact now! She is strong, beautiful and one of the most talented female
wrestlers I've ever seen! And Tag Team....hmmmm.....Ok, I'm not crazy about tag
teams currently, HOWEVER I used to absolutely love the Hardy Boyz. Obsessively.
But I think it's partly because they had this awesome redhead manager named
Lita that used to be able to hold her own too!!
KIM: It's Saturday night. You can
sleep the whole day on Sunday. Do you
A) Party it up Prince style like its 1999
B) Read the whole night away, kitty in lap, glass of wine on the side
table, hubby fast asleep
C) Hit up a live taping of WWE Smackdown while they are on tour in your state
Alexi: A!! I hit the
Country Junction and learn those sweet line dances with my should-be-sis and
friends OR hang out elsewhere! As long as I've got a good friend with me I'm
happy! Especially if I have a BUNCH of those friends and it's, oh I don't know,
the Romantic Times Convention?!
Thank you guys so much
for being on the tour!!! It means a lot to me and the questions were awesome!!
Can't wait to hang out, soon I hope!!
YAY!! Thanks again Alexi for being the awesome person and author you are and for stopping by the blog. As always, it's lovely hangin out with ya. Um, I guess I need to get my ducks in a row and make some definitive plans in attending RT!
And
now, how about a Chapter 1 Excerpt from Epic Force? Well, heck yeah! Do you
smellllllll –la-la-la-la-la-la, what the Rock, er- Alexi Raymond issssss
cooking?
From chapter 1 with Trinity and
Derek.
"Don't
go." His whispers were lost in her hair. He remained so silent, so
nervous, and yet his arms snaked around her. Trinity’s heart soaked in the
familiar security that came with his embrace. "Please, Trinity, please
don't leave me." He squeezed, no longer hugging her. They clung to each
other as tears rolled down her face, or maybe they were his, there was no way
to tell.
He
had always been there for her; from the first time she walked through the doors
of the warehouse into the poster filled walls of Epic Force Wrestling, to the
first time one of the boys refused to hit her like a real wrestler and even
now, as she stood there breaking his heart. She would never find another man like
Derek; but the truth was that regardless of how she felt for him, she couldn’t
let herself. Nate had broken her heart. She’d never let another wrestler get
that close to her again.
"I'm
going to be late." She sniffled and wiped her face with the back of her
hand, still wrapped around Derek's neck.
"Be
late. Be late forever, just stay."
"Derek."
With
a kiss on the cheek, Derek relinquished his hold. The chocolate swirls in his
eyes were moist, his lips pursed together. Trinity trailed her hands down his
arms and squeezed his huge warm hands. Her palms fit inside of them, tucked
neatly away from the harm of the world. She wanted to face the world,
regardless of the risk, she felt she needed to. She squeezed one last time,
took a longing look into where they both knew she belonged and left him
standing alone under the singular light on the pier.
**********
About
the fabulous author:
Alexi lives in Indiana with her
husband and kittens! You can find her throwing the boys around the ring,
shooting sports highlights or curled up on the couch with Castle and her
"writing kitten" working on a never ending supply of ideas for all of
the books she wants to write!
Find Alexi:
Smashwords
To win a copy of Epic
Force by Alexi Raymond, leave a comment below on what your wrestling name would be if you were a professional wrestler. If you want to get creative and make up your personal wrestling move, we'd love to hear it!!
Blog Hop Schedule:
November
12 -- Fictitious
Delicious
Interview with Trinity
November
13 -- Living
Fictitiously
Review/Interview with Alexi
November
14 -- Adriana Ryan: Captivating
Fiction
Guest Post: What's your publishing story? Why did you decide to take the route
you took?
November
15 -- For What It's Worth Guest
Post: Where you came up with the idea for writing a book about professional
wrestling
November
16 -- Blog - O -
Rama
Interview with Dave
Thanks,
Kimberly
“Forbidden love on a paradise planet that’s anything but paradise...Dionne’s Colonization will keep you guessing.” – Cherie Reich, author of Defying Gravity
About the Author:
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