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Synopsis: Amelia grew up in a world of half-truths. She knows she's an Elder but has no idea what that means. Her father reminds her daily that she must maintain control but he refuses to explain why. Even worse, she's betrothed to the prince of the Immortals and she doesn't even know his name.
Finally breaking free to live a few normal years at a community college, the last thing Amelia expects is to find her best friend in a cheeky Southern girl and to fall for a self-assured human who sees her for who she is and not what she'll be.
As she learns more about herself, Amelia realizes the line between love and duty is a thin one. As her power continues to increase exponentially and her questions are slowly answered, Amelia must make the ultimate choice. The question is, will her head or her heart win the battle?
INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR STORMY SMITH
TeamNerd Reviews: Seeing as how we love all things nerdy here on TeamNerd Reviews, we’d love to know what nerdy things you are just obsessed with!
Stormy Smith: I absolutely ADORE the TV show Nashville. To the point where I listen to the soundtrack all the time on Spotify and a lot of their songs have made it onto my BBD playlists. I already have a movie date with two of my favorite cousins for the premiere of the latest Step Up movie (I’ve seen them all more times than I can count). I will watch Center Stage every single time it’s on TV and I would be perfectly happy to sit on the couch and watch Disney cartoons with my niece all day. I still have the cassette tape soundtracks to The Lion King and Little Mermaid.
TeamNerd Reviews: Where did the concept for BOUND BY DUTY originate?
Stormy Smith: I had never known that I wanted to write a book, but I had just finished rereading the Star-Crossed series by Rachel Higginson for the second time and I couldn’t stop the questions swirling in my head. “What if it happened like this?” “What if she had these powers?” I had absolutely lost myself in Rachel’s story but all of the sudden I had my own. I was driving toward Omaha (where Rachel is actually from, oddly enough) and was trying to scribble in this tiny notebook I keep in my purse while I drove so I wouldn’t lose the ideas. I got to my hotel, had a beer and dinner as I tried to reconcile the insanity in my brain and then gave up and wrote for four hours. Bound by Duty was born on July 24, 2013 and published to the world July 24, 2014.
TeamNerd Reviews: What are some of Amelia’s qualities you can relate with? What are some qualities she possesses that you wish you had?
Stormy Smith: When I started writing Bound by Duty, I knew that while I had loved books like The Hunger Games and Divergent, it was hard for me to believe that a 16-year-old could be so selfless. The characters weren’t real enough for me. So I wanted Amelia to be real. A lot of her vacillating and impulsive actions are reminiscent of me at 18 and 19. I was out on my own for the first time and I made a lot of dumb decisions. But I also took care of business. And I wanted her to be strong when she could and broken when she needed to.
I also wanted that theme of family and the realities of what they can do to you and for you – both positively and negatively – to feel real and relatable. My own family has impacted me so much; I wanted her to feel that duty but to also find herself apart from them.
Of course, I wish I had her power. And even some of the control she was able to have over her emotions. A lot of people will feel like she was so uncontrolled, but if you really read the words, she’s trying so hard to manage those emotions. My emotions tend to get the better of me so I’d like to steal that trait from her.
TeamNerd Reviews: Why did you decide to venture into the fantasy genre for your debut novel? What are some of your favorite fantasy books that have inspired you as a writer?
Stormy Smith: I don’t know that it was ever a choice. I never could connect to books that didn’t have some type of fantasy element to them. I don’t like to read about reality. Life is hard. I want to read story I can get lost in, where I don’t have to see a similar story on the news or relate it to my own family or friends. I still can’t read The Fault in our Stars because kids with cancer makes me too sad. They say to write the book you want to read and Bound by Duty is truly it.
TeamNerd Reviews: Aiden and Micah are the two male leads in BOUND BY DUTY. Tell us about them. What makes them so swoon worthy?
Stormy Smith: Oh, my boys. I do love them both.
Aidan is a little broken and a little vulnerable but still cocky and brazen in the ways Amelia needs to draw her out of herself. His quiet but persistent pursuit of her and the ways he forces her to acknowledge what she truly wants is what makes him swoon-worthy to me. Women in general, no matter their age, often refuse to own up to their real desires. He won’t allow her to do that, but he also respects her enough to give her the space she needs to reconcile herself with what’s happening.
Micah is the mystery. I love his formal speech and his lack of pop culture knowledge. He’s gorgeous in the vein of Eric Northouse, but he’s so conflicted. You never know what exactly he’s thinking and he says just enough to make you want deep inside his head. The moments where he just gives up and says what’s on his mind are my favorite.
TeamNerd Reviews: If you could switch places with any character from any book you love for a day, which character from what book would you choose and why?
Stormy Smith: Mac from The Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning. Faeries are one of my favorite fantasy categories and Jericho Barrens doesn’t need any further explanation. ;) Truly though, to live in Ireland, to be surrounded by books in Barrons’ Books and Baubles, to have the sight and be a totally kick-ass chick who still can be a girly-girl. I’ll take it. And I always liked “Tubthumping.”
TeamNerd Reviews: What song best fits each of the following characters:
Stormy Smith:
Amelia: Hurricane – MS MR
Aidan: In my Veins – Andrew Belle, featuring Erin McCarley
Micah: Promising, Promises – Jon McLaughlin
Bethany: I’m a Girl – Hayden Panettiere (Nashville Soundtrack)
TeamNerd Reviews: What can fans expect from book 2 in the BOUND SERIES? What can readers expect romance wise?
Stormy Smith: Book two (tentatively titled Bound by Spells) will be an alternate POV between Amelia and Aidan. You’ll learn more about the cast of characters introduced in the first book and meet some new faces. Amelia will face even more challenges and Aidan will find out more about himself than he thought was possible. People you trusted will betray you and people you questioned will show their loyalty. Romance-wise…you’ll see growth in the relationships started in Bound by Duty but it won’t come in the ways that you would expect.
TeamNerd Reviews: What were you like when you first started college? What’s one of your favorite memories from freshman year?
Stormy Smith: I was a lot like Amelia in that I thought I was already an adult and that I could just take care of myself. I did in a lot of ways, but I also acted like a total idiot sometimes. I made friends that I’m still friends with today and I met my husband three months into freshman year. I knew from our first real conversation, when he told me, “You know, you aren’t as bad-ass as you act,” that he was the one for me. He saw straight into my soul and even though the last thing he wanted was a girlfriend, I wouldn’t let him go. This year we’ve been together for 14 years and married for 7.
TeamNerd Reviews: Fun question time!
Go To Karaoke Song: Settlin’ by Sugarland
Favorite Dance Move: ALL OF THEM! I’m a dancing junkie. I’ll car dance and not be ashamed of it.
Finish the sentence: “I couldn’t survive without . . .” music. No question.
Favorite Receipe at the Moment: Fish tacos! Hubs and I are totally addicted to grilling tilapia and then I make a veggie salsa with avocado, red onion, tomato, jalapeno, lime juice and whatever else I have on hand, and we toss them in flour tortillas. SO YUM!
BOUND BY DUTY SOUNDTRACK
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stormy Smith calls Iowa’s capital home now, but was raised in a tiny town in the Southeast corner of the state. She grew to love books honestly, having a mom that read voraciously and instilled that same love in her. She knew quickly that stories of fantasy were her favorite, and even as an adult gravitates toward paranormal stories in any form.
Writing a book had never been an aspiration, but suddenly the story was there and couldn’t be stopped. When she isn’t working on, or thinking about, her books, Stormy’s favorite places include bar patios, live music shows, her yoga mat or anywhere she can relax with her husband or girlfriends.
Writing a book had never been an aspiration, but suddenly the story was there and couldn’t be stopped. When she isn’t working on, or thinking about, her books, Stormy’s favorite places include bar patios, live music shows, her yoga mat or anywhere she can relax with her husband or girlfriends.
Where to Stalk Stormy!
Get a chance to win a copy of BOUND BY DUTY over on the I HEART YA 2014 Giveaways page!
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