The month of January is all about character interviews. Today, I’m firing questions at Angel from Shiloh Love’s latest release Broken Dolls, a contemporary romance.
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1. First off, tell us who you are (age, where you grew up, where you live now, etc.) and what role you play in the novel.
Angel: My name is Angel. I’m thirty-eight, grew up in rural PA, moved to New York for a while and now live in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, PA. I’m the star of Broken Dolls.
2. Share with us your hobbies and interests, and why you enjoy them.
Angel: I play guitar. Music is my passion. It takes me away from myself. I love playing with the men in my tribe.
3. Tell us how you feel about being in a novel, and if you are happy with how your author presented you to readers.
Angel: Initially, I was nervous about telling my story. I have a shadowed past and desires I can’t always control. Once we completed the novel, I felt good about how my author portrayed me, how she handled my serious issues with a delicate touch, and especially the smoking hot men she let me play with. She never tried to change me, or fix me, bec
4. If your author was to create another novel with you in mind, give us a quick blurb of what it would be about. And be sure to give the title.
Angel: Hm. Good question. The first title that comes to mind is, Nobody Is Failsafe, because I’d love to play with Dr. Nobody again! Let’s see, a quick blurb.
Angel’s story continues with the good doctor at her side. As he attempts to heal her broken soul, he falls deeper into her intriguing world of fantasy mixed with reality. When Angel gives him the leadership position in her “tribe” of men, Dr. Nobody experiences firsthand the inner workings of his former patient now lover and his uncontrollable obsession with her. Together, Angel and Dr. Nobody delve into the dark abyss of mental illness from which neither want to escape. Will a seasoned psychiatrist find his way back to the outside world and risk losing Angel? Or will he choose insanity to stay connected to the one patient who took him over the edge?
5. Which character in the novel do you like the most, and why?
Angel: Dr. Nobody. He really tried to help me. The chemistry between us is smoking hot. He’s gorgeous and a magnificent lover. But most importantly, he allowed himself to step into my world instead of judging me.
6. Which character in the novel do you dislike the most, and why?
Angel: Nurse Nelle. She was rude and nasty and she never brought my cookies.
7. Tell us why we should read the featured novel and what we will find most intriguing about you.
Angel: Broken Dolls takes a candid look at mental illness in a unique, thrilling way with shocking twists and loads of passion. The most intriguing aspect about me is my ability to make you believe that everything in my novel is real. By the end, you’ll want to go back and read it again then lie awake and wonder about my story. The author’s sister read it and freaked out. The author’s partner devoured it. But neither of them can forget it. You’ll try to figure me out. Good luck with that, LOL. More than one shrink didn’t make it over the cuckoo’s nest while trying to figure me out. I will never be entirely transparent to outsiders but I welcome everyone to step into my world if they dare.
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Title: Broken Dolls
Series: N/A
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Shiloh Love
Heat Rating: 4 Flames (open door sex, explicit language used)
Length: 49,115 words/167 pages
Release Date: December 30, 2022
Publisher: eXtasy Books
In the shadow of tormenting doubt lies the truth.
Blurb: Nobody is failsafe. When Angel’s psychiatrist crosses forbidden lines in attempt to draw her out, he finds himself in over his head. Dr. Nobody shows that even people society deems normal can have a low threshold for giving into their own dark demons, mental and emotional instabilities.
In her struggle with social phobia, a woman in her late thirties leaves a prestigious career in New York and retreats to a quieter life in Pennsylvania. She’s hoping the move results in a fresh start away from judgmental relatives and the pressure of social mainstreaming.
Angel finds comfort in the arms of her ‘tribe’—a group of gorgeous men who worship her—when their rock band reunites. However, her new shrink suspects something isn’t right. In his relentless quest to uncover her truth, she becomes his unhealthy obsession.
When Doctor Nobody discovers that Angel has several deep freezers full of body parts, will he keep his promise to help her get well? Or will the good doctor become her next victim in a very cold case?
Purchase at: eXtasy Books
I settle into a high-back leather chair and face my psychiatrist. I call him Doctor Nobody because that’s how I see all shrinks—nobodies—because that’s what I am to them. Yet I sit and tell them my problems for lack of better options. I have no friends to confide in.
Besides, I can never remember this guy’s freaking name. It’s one of those Polish-sounding names, maybe Russian, I don’t know. Even the spelling makes no sense. How does one pronounce the letters CAJ?
“I played a gig last night with the band.” I tell him to get things rolling.
“Oh?” he asks with raised brows. “You never mentioned that you play in a band.”
“You never asked.”
“What do you play?”
“Guitar.”
“How’d it go? No anxiety? That’s a very social setting.”
“Yeah. I was really nervous at first. I thought about you. Kinda wished you were there to calm me. But once the music began, it swept me away into the place of escapism I crave. Would you like to hear about the after-party?” I ask with a lilt of tease in my voice.
“By all means.” He glances at this watch yet fascination clings to his voice.
“Making love to the tribe after rehearsal last night was nothing less than mind-blowing. Never have I felt more cherished. Each man stayed in his role. They thrill me in ways I never dreamed possible. Such discipline and selfless adulation is highly commendable. Rider is definitely my alpha.”
“You are intimate with the entire band?”
“Does that bother you? Should I stop talking?”
He blinks with a shake of his head. “No…no, don’t stop.”
“I love that the men take control.”
My thoughts skip about, lingering deliciously on each man in my circle. I wonder if I’ll ever get one night alone with Rider. Would it break a silent code among us? He’s so damn decedent and smoking hot. I’d love to feel what he’s like when turned loose without restraint.
“Angel,” Nobody says. “You were saying?”
“Oh…sorry. I was thinking back.” Recollections from last night flit through my mind. “After rehearsal, the tribe laid me down with as much skill and dedication they use when laying down the track to a new song.”
“I see.” He swigs from his water bottle. “Is this a regular thing? Do you use protection?”
Visions of Rider, Sax and Rush splash over me—my three lead males. They work so well together, the artists that they are, in the art of love and music like poetry in motion—motion over me.
“We are exclusive. They are loyal to me. Have been for years. They’re the only men I’ve ever trusted. We look out for one another so there’s no need for concern.”
“I see.”
“I was their captive for a night forever etched into my mind. The men took turns tantalizing me into rapture. But Rider is the one who takes me home with his sweet love until I scream with ecstasy.”
I proceed to tell him, in detail, of my post-concert fun with the tribe. I leave nothing out. He’s hanging on every word that comes from my mouth. Nor do I embellish. I simply tell him in my very straightforward manner, how each man in the tribe pleasures and fusses over me. “They accept me as I am.”
Doctor Nobody dabs his sweat-beaded brow with a hankie. He clears his throat. “Is this your silent retaliation against Liam because he abandoned you?”
“I don’t know. That would be giving Liam too much credit. He was just a soldier home on leave looking for a weekend fling and I was his fool.”
Doctor Nobody arches both brows above tinted glasses. “I’m sure he was sincere about his feelings for you. But long distance relationships rarely survive. He probably did the kind thing in letting you go. How are you coping with the breakup?”
“That’s rather obvious, don’t you think?” I lean back in the chair and stare past him. Thinking about Liam angers me. Smooth-talking Navy man home on leave and I fell hook line and sinker into his lies. I swallow some cool bottled water and shake my head to clear my mind. “It feels good being back with the guys. I miss Booker, though.”
“Booker?”
My head jerks to attention and I smile mischievously, the kind of smile that indicates a deep dark secret I’m determined to keep. “One of the tribe.” I smirk.
“Tribe?” His interest piques. He sits up straighter and looks abruptly more alert.
I stare blankly at the doctor. “Weren’t you listening? Tribe is what I call my men in the band.”
His brows furrow. “What is the name of this band?”
“We don’t have an official name.”
“Where do you play?”
“Around. Local gigs. Whoever calls us. We all have fulltime day jobs. The band is our fun.”
“And you’re all single?”
“Most of the guys are divorced. Rider, Booker and I are the only members who never married.”
“Perhaps we should examine your connection with these men and help you move on to healthier relationships.”
“I’m not here so you can give me Psych 101 on men. I’ve got that figured out. I pay you, well, my health insurance pays you and I pay them more than enough for you to just listen to me. Is that so much to ask?” I twist the cap of my water bottle back and forth, frustrated. “I just want someone to listen for once and stop, just stop, trying to fix me! Nobodies with more degrees on their wall than you have tried. I picked you because you seem hardup for clients. I figured you’d simply listen and take notes. You don’t have enough experience to even begin fixing the mess in my head.”
He appears unfazed. “Do you want to be well?”
I glare at him. Not for the question but for his unexpected tenacity and lack of reaction. “Getting well went out the window years ago.”
“I understand why you’ve lost hope. Your family, people you considered friends, and Liam all abandoned you. But I see something deeper, something worth saving. I want to help you stop this pattern of self-destruction. I can’t do it alone, Angel.”
He appears sincere, which surprises me. But for how long? I’ve seen it before—people feigning sincerity until I’m no longer of use to them or until my baggage gets too heavy. I lost the ability to believe anyone truly cares about me.
“What you call self-destruction, I see as surviving in a man’s world.” What does Nobody want…a guinea pig, another project to boost his confidence or further his experience with mental disorders? “Aren’t you going to check your watch again?” I snip.
“I’m more interested in you at the moment. You’re my last appointment for the day. Forget about the time. Tell me more about the tribe.”
I sink back in the chair with a delicious smile and lick my lips. “Mm, the tribe. Leather-clad bad boys, my fierce protectors. Mick is the clever one. They never saw him coming. I love them all.”
“What about Booker?”
“Oh, he’s the leader. He’s in an entirely different league.” I’m not ready to tell him about Booker.
“What did you mean, they never saw him coming?”
“The online bullies. I abhor social media. It was okay for a while. Mick had my back and stopped them. He’s quick-witted, and not one to mess with.”
“You were bullied?”
I nod and avert my gaze, loathing my pathetic weakness. “I thought success would bring me the recognition I’d craved all my life. It only brought more agony. More scrutiny. More criticism. Seems no matter what you do, there’s always someone doing it better and someone waiting to take you down.”
“Is that why you left your prestigious job at the publisher?”
“I’m not a people person. Doesn’t matter what I do or how hard I try. I never fit into the social mainstream. Not in school and not out there in the fast lane.”
“I see.”
A grin tugs at my lips as my thoughts shift. “The tribe doesn’t try to change me. They don’t insult me. They adore me.”
He shifts uneasily in his chair, from casually leaning back on one elbow to sitting forward with both arms resting over his thighs. “Where did you meet?”
“A wise man once told me to never give up the location of my fishing hole.” I cross my legs and smooth my leather skirt over my thigh. I catch him stealing a glimpse of my bare thigh. “You seem unusually fascinated by my men. Are you seeking to join their ranks?” I tease with a coy smile.
“I’m a professional, Angel. I’m merely trying to gain a firm grasp on your thought patterns.”
“You don’t wanna be inside my head, trust me. It’s a mess in there.” I slant him a questioning look. “Do you think God understands people like me?”
“I can’t speculate on religion. My education is based on facts, and science based on studies of human behavior and the physical variances of the human brain.”
“Oh. I was never into science. I like art and music.”
“Yes, you told me. You play guitar, right?”
I nod once, wondering where he’s going with this. His questions seem as random as my comments.
“Perhaps you can use music as an outlet for your anger instead of…”
“Men?” I furrow my brows. “Just say it already. I’m not dense, just fucked up.”
“I think there’s a little girl inside you craving the acceptance and affection she never received as a child.”
“Oh, don’t even mention that little girl. She’s gone and I never want to see her again.”
“I suspect that you act out now with these other men because you had no control over those who rejected you in the past.”
“I’m not acting out. I chose to become part of their circle because to them, I’m not broken. Nobody wants to play with broken dolls.”
I wonder if he picks up my subtle innuendo because sure as shit this man wants to play.
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“Writing stories you’ll live in!”
Shiloh’s closest friends describe her as a kindred spirit. She started as a tender-hearted bookworm and began writing her own fictional stories in grade school. Growing up on a farm was a hard life. When not working in the fields, tending livestock, or doing household chores, Shiloh slipped away to her room and penned endless pages of fantasy adventures that she kept hidden under her bed. To this day no one else has read those secret worlds she escaped to. A favorite quote from Shiloh, “The only time I’m truly free is when I’m writing,” shows her true passion for the written word and the gift of telling a story.
Writing is her powerful coping mechanism. Shiloh has battled severe OCD, anxiety, and depression since she can remember. She was also diagnosed with Meniere’s disease in 1995. One place she escapes her suffering is in her books with characters created from her vivid imagination.
Follow Shiloh: Website | Facebook | Twitter |Instagram | Pinterest | Tik-Tok | Linked In | Amazon
Maggie Blackbird 