Thursday, October 31, 2024

NBtM Virtual Tour: Smelling Daisies by Elysia and Mark Stevens


 Guest Post

 Did you have a minor character who insisted on playing a larger role in the story? If so, please tell us about it.

Crayton’s ability to play both sides really surprised us. Initially, we saw him as a supporting character, but the more that we wrote, the more his motivations began to reveal layers of complexity. He had insights into both sides in the story, which allowed him to manipulate situations in ways that significantly impacted the plot.
As he navigated alliances, we realized that he could serve as a spark plug for tension and conflict, while driving key moments in the narrative. His choices added unpredictability, which forced other characters to confront their own beliefs and decisions throughout the story. This not only expanded his role but also challenged the themes of loyalty and betrayal for the character. We found that by embracing his character’s lack of conscience, Crayton became essential to the story's progression, which ended up leading to some of the most pivotal scenes of the story.




Whenever things seem to fall apart around Daisy, romance novels are her way of escaping. When immersed in a novel, she can imagine herself in the story as the lead female character. Still, the difference between her and the typical female character in her novels is that she is not your average damsel in distress.

Daisy was raised by a military father who ensured his daughter knew survival skills and how to protect herself. Following in her beloved father's footsteps, Daisy joined the army and met Justin. Eventually, Daisy's dreams would come true. While on a decompression stop after a deployment overseas, she finds herself at the Lachlan Castle in Scotland. There, she is thrown back in time to the era she loves to read about, but things are nothing like she imagined.

When Daisy befriends a bonnie Scottish lass, she finds herself in a haven under the roof of the girl's brother, a laird named Alick. It becomes clear that the laird is constantly challenged by the many nuances of Daisy's status as a modern-day female soldier as she attempts to navigate the dangerous life in medieval Scotland. While trying her best to fit in, Daisy stumbles upon a psychotic baron named Thomas, who loves to torture women and is fascinated with her.

Both Laird Alick and Baron Thomas want to tame the lioness in Daisy but for different reasons. But Daisy is ill-prepared for medieval love or warfare and must train her heart and head to face what's coming next.




Excerpt

Two floors below mine, I felt safe that I would come out of this situation unscathed, so I decided to sneak out a little squeaker to relieve some of the pressure. If I learned anything from this situation, it was this: you can spend your whole day out and about and not see one goodlooking guy, but if you blow one little fart in an elevator, one will suddenly appear like Houdini.

As the ding chimed and the elevator doors opened one floor below mine, I sheepishly stood in my stench, staring into the face of a tall, muscular, blond-haired, brown-eyed hunk of a man. I could tell he didn’t appreciate the treat that I left for him. So, there was only one thing to do in this situation, and that was to stay cool and collected, as though nothing had happened, even though it was pretty evident that I had just dumped my guts. The look he gave me as he stopped in his tracks and raised one eyebrow before turning and pressing the button for the thirtieth floor made me blurt out the first thing that came to mind.

“Do you smell popcorn?” I said. Instantly, I regretted my words, as heat rose to my cheeks.

He gave me a sideways smirk and faced the doors as they closed, replying, “I am not sure where you buy your popcorn, but if it smells like that, I wouldn’t recommend buying it again.”




Hi, I am Elysia Stevens, and I am a big fan of rom-coms, which should not be a surprise after reading this story. Most would describe me as eccentric in my personality, which really stands out in my choice of attire. I love to wear fun socks, and every Friday I celebrate “Fabio Friday” by wearing a Fabio T-shirt for all to enjoy (luv ya, Fabio!). Thankfully, my husband, Mark Stevens, has a lot of patience because I can’t sit still for more than five minutes at a time and always have my head in the clouds. He has been my partner in life for over eighteen years, and there is nothing we can’t and don’t tackle together. My husband’s taste generally ranges from Stephen King to classic literature, but being the great guy he is, he not only read my rom-com novel but also co-authored it with me! Unfortunately, he still doesn’t understand the appeal of a good naughty scene in a book, but I won’t hold that against him.





Giveaway
The author will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

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NBtM Virtual Tour: Smelling Daisies by Elysia and Mark Stevens

  Guest Post   Did you have a minor character who insisted on playing a larger role in the story? If so, please tell us about it. Crayton’s ...