Maggie Blackbird

Today, I have author Em J Bakker in the interview chair. We’re discussing her latest release, Blindsided, book one in The Queen Series, a paranormal romance. Don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway.

“When fate and magic collide, all will witness the rise of a Luna like no other.”

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1.  How long have you been writing?

Em:  I have been writing on and off throughout my life but never really took it further than scribbling down plot lines or haphazard scenes. But then I published my first children’s story in 2020. I figured after this achievement I would try my hand at more adult writing and that lead to Blindsided.

2.  Do the characters all come to you simultaneously, or do some of them come to you as you write?

Em:  I generally have a good understanding of who characters are and what their purpose is in the storyline before I begin to write as character development is a big part of my planning phase for a book. However, can they turn around and start doing their own things whilst I am writing? Most definitely and I have had side characters absolutely shock me in particular as to where their story arcs led to.

3.  Do you read yourself, and if so, what is your favourite genre?

Em:  I love reading. I am a sucker for romances, paranormal and dark taking the lead for my personal preferences. However, I have been known to enjoy an excellent horror or two. 

4.  Do you prefer to write in silence or with noise? Why?

Em:  Noise, and primarily music. I just like to find the vibe that fits whatever scene I am attempting to create at that time. It helps to be able to immerse myself in the vibes while writing.

5.  Do you write one book at a time, or do you have several on the go?

Em:  Several at a time. Whilst I was writing my trilogy I was already researching and plotting another two works in progress. I generally have at least two on the go at different stages in my loose production line of how I see them. So I can be planning one, writing another, editing another, having beta readers and editors work on another and be getting artworks commenced for all of them at the same time as well as building social media presence for the works in progress.

6.  Pen, typewriter, or computer?

Em:  Pen and computer. Pen is always my go to for my first drafts; I will write the entire book before any of it touches the computer. Once I have written the story, I will then look to begin typing it out where I can pick up on errors, find plot holes and add or subtract details as I go, sort of like the very first time editing the storyline. I will then print it out, and go through it line by line before sending it onto my line editor.

7.  Is there any advice you would give to new authors?

Em:  Read, often. Write, regularly. Enjoy feedback. Be patient and believe in your work, people want to read your stories, you just need to believe in that.

8.  Describe your writing style.

Em:  I try to enjoy an engaging and immersive writing style, I hope it captivates readers with intricate twists and turns. I lavish in creating vivid, breathtaking world-building that transports the audience into new realms. I write to combine romance and fantasy, hopefully keeping readers eager to discover what happens next through my compelling plots that leave them wanting to know what happens next.

9.  What are you currently reading?

Em:  I am currently reading books by Marissa Gilbert, The Perfect Luna and The Luna Trails. I feel in love with her writing when she was posting on paid chapter books, and now that she has brought out her writing on amazon, I couldn’t help myself but to reread it again.

10.  What is your writing process?

Em:  I tend to have an idea come to me for a scene, and that’s where I will start my book. Ill also incorporate researching anything I need too as I continue writing while it is fresh. I will then often go back to the beginning and find the most suitable way to commence the plot line I am building as most scenes that come to me are very rarely the first lines in the finished product.

11.  What are common traps for aspiring writers?

Em:  Believing they can’t do it and that they will never finish. It’s a very big trap within their own minds.

12.  Do you try for originality, or do you deliver to readers what they want?

Em:  Definitely original. I like to pride myself on stories that I have fallen in love with while I have been writing. Unfortunately, if you attempt to please one person, you will fall short with another. Therefore I write what I enjoy and I know others who are of the same mindset as I am will also enjoy what I produce. Unfortunately, one book cannot fit every single niche or every persons tastes, to try and deliver something that does would, I believe, result in the disappointment of the author.

13.  If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

Em:  Don’t quit, I know I wanted to so many times. I even took months off when I just wasn’t connecting to the work. I would definitely tell myself not to stop writing. Write anything else if you can’t connect to your current work. Start something new, but don’t stop the pen moving on the paper.

14.  What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?

Em:  Having to be okay with specific friends and family of the opposite sex reading those passages to check what I have written to see what their perspective and take on the situations within the book look like from their side to ensure they come out as authentic as possible so more readers can relate to the characters they connect with.

15.  How long on average does it take you to write a book?

Em:  On average, 😂 my trilogy has so far taken me 5 years. Other books I have dabbled with but not published, 6 months. It really just depends on how much inspiration I have at the time and whether I am looking for as close to perfect as possible for actual publishing. The book I spent 6 months on will be needing thorough changes should I go to publish it and it will turn from 6 months easily into a year or 4 😂.

16.  Do you believe in writer’s block?

Em:  Absolutely. I believe in writer’s block as a genuine experience that many writers face at some point in their creative journey. It can stem from a variety of factors, both within and outside the writer’s control. I believe it can sometimes be a sign that a writer’s mind needs a break or a change of perspective. Overcoming it often involves patience, exploration of new ideas, or stepping away briefly to return with fresh eyes. I think it’s a very common part of the process.

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Title: Blindsided
Series: The Queen Series, Book 1
Author: Em J Bakker
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Blurb: A world of danger, desire, and heart wrenching secrets. Turning 18 is a milestone for members of the pack, marking the age when they meet both their inner wolf and their fated mate. But when Nyx comes of age, she is thrust into a chaotic world of romantic and physical trials, forced to navigate the uncertainty and heartache of being fated-mates with five powerful alphas while training to become the perfect Luna.

Driven down a path of heartbreak and rejection that threatens to tear her apart, Nyx is haunted by her mates’ secrets and the hidden truths behind the prophecies that bind her to an unknown and ever-watching intruder. In a tale woven with passion, intrigue, and mysticism, Nyx’s destiny unfolds in ways she never imagined.

Will she unite her mates and fight to fulfil her destiny, or will the rejection and shadows consume her?

Amazon | Bookbub | Goodreads

I TIGHTEN MY GRIP on the basin, the ceramic crumbling under my fingers. My heart pounds a frantic beat in my chest, each thud reverberating through me. Tension coils in my muscles, a tightness creeping from my shoulders to my fingertips, as if I can sense the weight of loss pressing down on me. The world around me blurs, my thoughts racing like a storm, each one crashing into the next. What just happened!?

Lucifer! I demand of my wolf, knowing full well I will not receive an answer. He can’t continue to do that without warning. Each time feels like I can’t breathe. The absence of my wolf counterpart is unheard of, and yet here he is, gone. I tighten my jaw, fighting back the frustration and anger that boils at his disappearing act. I run my fingers through my hair and start pacing, breathing as deliberately as I can with the pain lancing through my chest.

It seems Lucifer has learned a new trick. I shake my head, disbelief swirling in my mind. This isn’t just any trick; it is reckless. He has completely thrown caution to the wind, committing to an action neither of us has ever undertaken.

It is frustrating, to say the least. He leaves me completely blindsided. I feel him leave my subconsciousness this morning, making me weaker and less secure. I don’t even know it is possible until I experience a sudden loss of concentration when it happened for the first time. All I know is I can’t afford to have this happen at the wrong time, in the wrong situation.

Lucifer, come back! You’re fucking draining me, you mangy mutt! I can feel myself getting angry and… possessive? What the hell? Possessiveness is not an emotion or trait I am well accustomed to. Lucifer, what have you done?

Lucifer leaving me is exhausting. Existing with a wolf means being coupled to your wolf, a bond that transcends the ordinary. It is a connection that requires one hundred percent loyalty, one that should weather any storm. But no one ever speaks about what happens if that wolf disappears now and then.

Is it truly unthinkable? I have never heard of a wolf casually leaving its human counterpart. Wolves live within us, and when we allow them control, they become sentient beings of their own, allowing us to take in life around us through our wolves’ eyes.

Wolves do not just disappear when we are so tightly connected.

This is by far the most surreal sensation I have ever felt in my 26 years of living. Still in the confines of my bathroom, I close my eyes, trying to ignore the sudden desire to throw something. These heightened senses are playing with my head. I rub my eyes and open them to the mirror… only it is not me who looks back; it is as though I have infiltrated someone else’s mind.

It is almost the same as when Lucifer takes over control, when I look at the world through his eyes. Only this isn’t Lucifer, and I don’t understand how I am connected this way to another. I can still, in some part of my mind, feel and see through my own eyes, but they refuse to show me anything truly in front of me. It feels like a vision.

What the fuck? I look up at a young, masculine werewolf; he isn’t shifted into his wolf, but I can feel it. The wolf itself is strong within this man. It might be why Lucifer has come to this place, the strength of the wolf. But the young werewolf looks shocked, watching us closely or watching whoever we are looking through closely.

Yeah, shock, me and you both, buddy. What is going on?

I felt a sudden demanding possessiveness take over me, and I sense Lucifer’s intense, dominant aura surrounding someone… or something. This is something I have never experienced, even with Lucifer. Maybe he has lost it. How did we even end up here?

‘Your eyes,’ the young man in front of me speaks. ‘They’re…’ I feel Lucifer push his presence again, only not within me; it feels more like it is around me. Whoever belongs to these eyes seems to be important to Lucifer. He has never been so protective of anyone that isn’t me.

Suddenly, we are running through an apartment that exudes an air of pristine luxury. The floors are polished marble, reflecting the soft glow of the pendant lights. Each step we take echoes off the sleek surfaces.

The living area opens up before us, airy and spacious, with carefully curated arrangements of fresh flowers. A large window stretches across one wall, revealing a breathtaking view of a city. But which city?

As we race through, I catch glimpses of bookshelves lined with leather-bound tomes and a subtle scent of fresh linen that perfumes the air. This doesn’t feel like a home; it feels and looks like a hotel.

We run into a bathroom, directly to a mirror.

My jaw drops when I see her. She is stunning and perfect in every way. But who is she, and who is she to Lucifer? I sense she has a wolf, a powerful one at that, but again, why are we here?

I can’t help but stare at the girl. She certainly holds my attention, and clearly, Lucifer’s as well. Standing there, running her hands over her face, concern etched across her features, her long blonde hair wet and falling below her shoulders, she has a very petite and well-toned body. She clearly takes care of herself and trains. As I focus on her eyes, I can’t believe it—those are… Lucifer’s eyes. How… his yellow eyes pour out of this young girl’s eyes, deep and sinister.

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Em J Bakker is a passionate romance writer based in Victoria, Australia, where she draws inspiration from the natural beauty of the countryside. With a deep love for romantic narratives, both in her own life with her doting partner and within the pages she reads and writes, Em has dedicated the past 5 years to craft her debut trilogy.

Known for her eclectic writing style, Em J Bakker’s projects span from light-hearted comedic romances to gripping tales of the underworld. Her writing reflects a blend of creativity nurtured by the serene landscapes and outdoor adventures she enjoys, including days on the lake, exploring snowfields, and off-road journeys through picturesque terrain alongside her loved ones.

Follow Em: Website | Instagram | TikTok | Amazon | Goodreads

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