The SHANNON MUIR’S INFINITE HOUSE OF BOOKS column on Mondays and Wednesdays is a place at Shannon Muir’s author website showcasing books from a variety of fiction genres, with an emphasis on interviews and guest posts from other authors. One thing Shannon firmly believes in for readers not only to learn about new books available, but about those who craft the tales behind them. As its name implies, SHANNON MUIR’S INFINITE HOUSE OF BOOKS weekly column features writers from all genres of fiction who want their potential audience to get to know them, and their works, better.
Today, we look at RESTLESS.
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RESTLESS by Michelle Bellon, Contemporary Romance, 204 pp., $4.99 (Kindle)
Author: Michelle Bellon
Publisher: Booktrope Editions
Pages: 204
Genre: Contemporary Romance
You grow up. You get married. You have a family. At least, that’s
what Malea Winters believes she’s supposed to do. So why is it that
every time she comes close to finding that happily ever after, she runs?
When she meets Garrett Taylor, she warns him that she’s not the
marrying type because history has shown that long-term relationships are
not her forte. She has a tendency to leave when things get too serious;
the direct result of being raised by an emotionally detached mother and
a stepdad with philandering ways. So she swore off men and surrounded
herself with her best friends; three quirky, funny women who are facing
challenges of their own.
But Garrett is everything she’s ever looked for; charming,
successful, fun, and sexy. Despite her better judgment, his persistence
pays off and she finds herself falling for him.
Learning how to love and be loved will be the hardest lesson she’s
ever faced. The question is, will her relationships survive that lesson?
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husband-to-be, I remember the dream and feel the need to run.
our Christmastime wedding, and feel the sweat on my palms collect in the
center. I want to rub them down the front of my dress.
every stitch, carefully placed every pearly bead, and worked every delicate
piece of lace. It’s a work of labor and love.
watching me take this enormous step into life as a wife, as a life partner, I
feel anything but princess-like.
follow me down the aisle, tapping on my shoulder and reminding me that I have
no ability to live up to this responsibility.
still I march forward on the arm of the only male in my life I’ve ever thought
of as a father. He isn’t really, but he’s the only man my mom brought home over
the years to whom I formed any real emotional attachment before they’d split
ways. Due to his philandering ways, he was out of our life more than he was in
it. But when he was around, something
inside of me recognized something inside of him, and I cared for him.
is the natural order of things: you grow up, you get married, you have a
family. That’s how it’s done.
for…safety? Love? Answers?
the anxiety, the angst. He smiles cautiously. He’ll never admit what we both
know.
The gathering within the small church is there for only one purpose: to watch
us get hitched.
turn around and make a run for it.
Michelle Bellon appeared previously at sister blog SHANNON MUIR’S THE PULP AND MYSTERY SHELF. Here is what she had to say then:
What initially got you interested in writing?
I’ve always been an avid reader. I love the way a book can make you fall in love with people you don’t know and want to travel to places you’ve never imagined. Right after I had my fourth child, ideas for books and scenes started to present themselves. Storylines came to me in dreams. I kept toying with the idea of writing a book but doubted I could accomplish such a task. After a few months of obsessing and pondering and wondering, I decided to put away doubt and give it a shot. What the hell?! So I made a silent pact to write at least twenty minutes per day. Some days I didn’t get to it at all, but some days twenty minutes easily turned into an hour and a half. Six months later I had a full novel. It was a hot mess, but it was a novel.
What genres do you write in?
I’m definitely a multi-genre writer as I tend to write whatever story is haunting me at night, no matter the content. I’ve won awards for my young adult novel, my paranormal romance, my literary fiction, and just recently, my thriller-Breathe In.
What drew you to writing these specific genres?
I love fast-paces books that draw you in and keep you drawn in from page one, that’s where my suspense and thrillers come in to play. But I also love stories of the human condition, which is always why I write very flawed, broken characters who must face their own demons and overcome tragedy. That’s where my drama/literary novels come in. And of course, I love a good love story, which is why all of my books have at least a touch of romance to them.
How did you break into the field?
By doing everything the wrong way first. Seriously, I just wrote a book, then threw myself into the industry to understand how it all works, learning the craft along the way, always striving to do better. I made all the common mistakes like passive writing, telling vs showing, too much backstory…etc, ect. That’s how I typically do life. Backwards.
What do you want readers to take away from reading your works?
I want them to read something they’ve never quite read before. Personally, I’m getting sick of reading the typical romance, the cliché storylines. Everything is so predictable now, even the really good stuff. One thing I can honestly say, is that most of my books have an element to them that you won’t find in other books. They have something unique to them that makes them hard to categorize into just one genre because they do tend to break the mold and cover multiple genres. And that’s ok with me.
What do you find most rewarding about writing?
The concept that I’ve tapped into the creative source and created something that otherwise would have never existed. I’ve birthed characters that live and breathe a new story. I love that.
What do you find most challenging about writing?
It used to be the pursuit of working to improve my style and quality of writing. That never stops. Then I began to focus more on the marketing aspect of the writing world and it devoured my time, energy, and drained my creativity. So I took a step back. Now, that I’ve got the creative spark back, my biggest challenge is finding the time to write. I’ve worked my way up to Director of Nursing in my career and between that and raising my children on my own, I find very little time or energy to create a new story.
What advice would you give to people wanting to enter the field?
Learn the industry so you have realistic expectations of what it takes to have measurable success as a writer. Always strive to do better. Learn from other writers. Network.
What type of books do you enjoy reading?
I love a good drama. I enjoy historical romance. Suspense and thrillers always catch my eye but I need them to be more than just action. I want them to make me think and keep me guessing.
Is there anything else besides writing you think people would find interesting about you?
Not sure if it’s interesting, but I love anything to do with ancient civilizations. If I had the chance to travel the world visiting places such as The Great Pyramids, Machu Picchu, Teotihuacan, I’d do it in a heartbeat.
What are the best ways to connect with you, or find out more about your work?
I’m most active on my personal Facebook page where I connect with a lot of other writers, agents, bloggers, and of course readers, but you can find me at any of the spots below, too!
https://www.michellebellon.com/
https://www.facebook.com/michelle.authorpage
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Michelle-Bellon-Author/544448685599147?ref=hl
https://twitter.com/MichelleBellon
https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B004TZ0CUK
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4742393.Michelle_Bellon
https://plus.google.com/u/0/105101655597839729577
and boyfriend, Seth. She loves coffee and has an addiction to chapstick.
time writes novels. She writes in the genres of romance suspense, young
adult, women’s fiction, and literary fiction. She has won four literary
awards to include making finalist in the New Age category in the USA
Book Awards for her latest release, The Fire Inside. Her latest release is the contemporary romance, Restless.
