Rushing Love (States of Love) by Meg Bawden
Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Brooke Albrecht

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | B&N

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Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Meg Bawden here today talking about her latest release in the States of Love series from Dreamspinner Press, Rushing Love. Welcome, Meg!

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Hello, hello! My name is Meg Bawden and I’m on Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words to celebrate the release of my new book, Rushing Love, which comes out today! Woot!

Rushing Love is a M/M romance story set in South Dakota, USA. I wrote it for the States of Love line from Dreamspinner Press and I can’t wait for its release. I had so much fun writing it and I can’t wait to share it with you. Please allow me to share the blurb with you:

After a devastating break-up with the man he thought he’d spend his life with, Flynn Webb takes a holiday to a South Dakota dude ranch. It’s something completely different from anything he’s done before, and it helps that it’s as far away from his ex as possible. Trapped in his own depressive thoughts, Flynn is surprised to meet Grayson Harland. Not only is Grayson a sexy cowboy—one fifteen years younger—but he’s the most charming man Flynn has ever met.

 

Flynn doesn’t have much experience with being seduced, and he has even less with guys like Grayson taking an interest in him—and Grayson is definitely interested. What begins as a fling while visiting iconic South Dakota sights soon develops the potential for much more. But Flynn is afraid that falling in love again so soon—and with a man so much younger—will lead only to another catastrophic heartbreak. Luckily for them both, Grayson isn’t giving up without a fight.

If you’re interested you can find the story here:

https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/rushing-love-by-meg-bawden-8176-b

https://www.amazon.com/Rushing-Love-States-Book-ebook/dp/B01N17O3X6

To celebrate the release, I’m going to be answer some interview questions! 😀

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Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Interview Questions

How much of yourself goes into a character?

I think each character has a part of the author within them. Whether it be an actual trait, the way they speak, the way they dress, or even a personality trait that the author wishes they had. For me, I’d love to be as confident as Grayson. While I am not, I made him that way because it’s something I don’t have and would love to. Whereas, my character Flynn, has my shyness and my lack of confidence. While I don’t share a similar history to Flynn, I did give him these traits because I wanted them to be a result from his past.  I think all characters, like humans in real life, are who they are because of what they’ve been through to get to that point in their life.

Do you feel there’s a tight line between Mary Sue or should I say Gary Stu and using your own experiences to create a character?

I definitely think there is a fine line between a Gary Stu and a character that’s real. It’s very difficult, as a writer, when you create a character because it is only natural to want everything to be perfect for them. When I write, I’m dreaming of a world where everything works out just fine. I’m dreaming of a world that I would love to be a part of. And because these characters are an extension of me, I’d love them to be perfect and happy. But let’s be honest, everyone wants perfection, right? You want to be that right weight or have perfect skin or beautiful hair. You want to be charitable, but rich, and very intelligent.

As an author, we have to remember that if we want readers to relate to our characters, they can’t be perfect. Perfect is boring. Readers want to see a happy-ever-after for characters that are like them. So, I give my boys and girls a quirk to make them not perfect. For Flynn, he’s shy and has a lack of confidence. He has type 1 diabetes and he’s a bit awkward at times. He’s always must thoroughly think about things before he does it and he hates that about himself.

And for Grayson, while he’s handsome and muscular, with the looks of a perfect specimen, he’s not perfect either. He has no filter and that annoys himself sometimes. He says things without thinking, the opposite of Flynn. He doesn’t watch TV (*Gasp* No TV? What kind of human being is he??? How can he and Flynn Netflix and chill??) and doesn’t understand some references that Flynn mentions.

So yes, they both have negatives and these realistic traits come from understanding people around you. As I began to write this story, these characters told me their negatives. They shared what they hated about themselves and I revelled in it. Putting certain aspects about a character into the story makes it more interesting. And I had fun with them! 🙂

Does research play a role into choosing which genre you write?  Do you enjoy research or prefer making up your worlds and cultures?

Yes and No. I write in many different genres and I usually like writing science fiction or paranormal because I can make up worlds and I already know a lot about the beings that are in that world. However, I do occasionally stick with contemporary, wherein depending on where the story is set, I do have to do some research. For Rushing Love, I definitely did research. I’ve never been to South Dakota, so I used friends’ knowledge, as well as watched youtube videos and researched on google.

Do you like HFN or HEA? And why?

I prefer a happy ever after, mostly because I’m a big old romantic and I like knowing that they spend the rest of their lives together. I’ve had plenty of good relationship role models in my life, from my nan and pop, to my mum and dad, and all I ever see in my stories is the love that lasts a lifetime.

How do you feel about the ebook format and where do you see it going?

I think there are positives and negatives to eBook format. While it’s inexpensive, thus allowing readers to buy and store more books, it also enables pirates to steal and share an author’s work. As it is, authors don’t get very much money and these pirates threaten their livelihood. But saying that, pirates would probably have never bought the book in paperback anyway. I think paperback still has buyers though, because there is something magical about holding a book in your hands, especially one of your favourites. So I believe eBooks and paperbacks can co-exist.

How do you choose your covers?  (curious on my part)

As a cover artist myself, I usually have an idea of what I want in my head. But at the same time, I don’t want to impede on an artist’s work, so I usually give the cover designer general pictures that I’m interested in, like characters and locations, and I let them run with their creative flow. And quite often, they’re right on the money. 🙂

Do you have a favorite among your own stories?  And why?

I think it’s hard for me to choose a favourite. I don’t have very many published works yet and I think they are all a favourite to me. Each story is a part of the author, so each one is special to them. And there is always something I wished I could change after the story is published. Lol. But they are perfect the way they are because that is what you wrote—what you wanted to say.

What’s next for you as an author?

So many things! Lol. I have so many works I want to finish, but at the moment, my priority is my Zombieville #2. I’m having enough zombie dreams to encourage me to finish it. I want to finish the series by the end of this year. As well as that, I’m working on a M/F story that I’m also hoping to finish soon, as well as plenty of others. As for attending events, I will be at Riveting Reads, which is held in Brisbane, Australia in October 😀

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About the Author

If you’d like to follow me and find out more about upcoming releases, you can find me here:

FB: https://www.facebook.com/authormegbawden/

Twitter: @megbawden

MEG BAWDEN was born and raised in North Queensland, Australia. She’s loved stories since before she can remember and has always enjoyed creating characters of her own, even if it did begin with drawing faces on toilet rolls and giving them names. Writing has always been a passion of hers and she’s loved the M/M genre since 2004, the first book she read being Rainbow Boys by Alex Sanchez.

Writing M/M since 2007, Meg has never had the confidence to attempt publishing her own stories, but in 2015, she decided that it was all about to change thanks to the amazing friends she’s made in the M/M genre and their support and encouragement. So watch out world, Meg Bawden is coming out to have some fun!

Giveaway

Are you interested in winning some signed paperbacks from me? Then now is your chance:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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