This week’s author is EJ Everette. I will admit that I don’t know her as well as I should. Yet. I have a strong feeling that she and I will become very good friends. I can tell that she has a very kind and compassionate soul. Without further ado, I shall introduce her properly!
Her Books (Click book photos to buy):
All Gray Marshall wanted to do was spend her summer surfing and enjoying lazy days with her besties and watch movies with her kid brother, Charlie. Unfortunately, summer school had to ruin her lovely plans and she is forced to spend two months in geometry work hell. There is no way she will survive the monotony!!That is, until a tall, dark, and handsome guy literally bumps into Gray in the halls on day one and her entire world gets flipped upside down. Not only is Reid sexy as sin, he has a twin and three other friends who all qualify for panty-melting status. Despite their attractiveness, Gray is not a social person. Years in abusive homes have made her hesitant, anxious, and all-around antisocial. So why do these five guys make her want to spend every moment with them? Why doesn’t she fear their presence, a presence they basically force upon her within minutes of meeting? And what is with the way her body literally buzzes when they touch her” After decades bouncing between realms, Reid, Rip, Mitch, Chance, and Dean have finally found the prophecy girl they have been searching for. But…she has no idea who she is, what she is capable of, or how important she is to them and their people. Worse yet, the council has forbidden them from telling her anything until she comes into her power. That task, in and of itself, isn’t too hard, except that every single one of them know the truth and they can only resist the pull for so long before they claim what is rightfully theirs. Shit, it’s been prophesized. Waiting to Ignite is book one in a slow burn new adult paranormal reverse harem romance series. Gray has a lot to learn about who she is and where she really comes from, but first she has to survive summer school and the guys who guest star in her dreams at night. Not to mention someone, or some thing, has a special interest in her as well, and they aren’t looking to date her.
This can’t be real. There is no reality where I have… powers? And what do the guys mean when they say I am part of a prophecy? After Gray wakes up following tragedy, she is confused, frightened, and hell, a little bit angry. When the guys tell Gray just how important she is, she loses it. Gray is tired of manipulation. Tired of games. The old Gray let herself be a victim. Allowed herself to be a pawn in the plans of others. Those bones have been broken, scars have been formed, and the new Gray refuses to revisit that pain ever again. But when an enemy comes for her, Gray finds herself alone and once again her life hangs in the balance as someone else calls the shots. After they tell Gray the truth about who they are, where they are from, and the destiny that lies before her, the guys are beyond shocked when Gray demands space, pushing them away from her at every turn. This isn’t right. They are her guardians, hand chosen to protect her and keep her aligned with the path that leads to peace. How are they supposed to do that when she won’t even let them in the same room? Not to mention, now that the igniting has taken place, their bonds are stronger, leaving them all desperate to be with the one their lives are bonded to. When Gray goes missing, the guys have to put aside their own pain and focus on saving the woman they can’t live without, even if she doesn’t accept their love yet. They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and the truest strength, comes from pain. Gray is about to find out just how much she can break and, in turn, how much she wants to survive. If she is going to bring about the prophecy she is destined for, she is going to have to ensure she is strong enough to conquer those who oppose her. Sometimes, we have to feel the burn of the flames before we can conquer the fire within.
About EJ Everette:
A little about me — I probably read more than I should since I am supposed to be writing these days, but books give me the perfect excuse to escape my crazy life for a few! This is why I strive to write characters, worlds, and stories that will do the same for my readers. I am a Mom (half an egg carton full of kids) and a military spouse. I have seen some of the world but my goal is to visit so many more places before my hips give out!
I enjoy short walks on sunset beaches (because long walks sound exhausting) and the occasional glass of wine or mug of beer. I sing as often as I can (even in stores where some might think it is frowned upon) and dance even though I likely scare those watching.
Mostly I am happy to be lucky enough by some f@#ked up miracle to live the version of my life I get to live right now and hope you enjoy hanging with me!
Interview With EJ Everette:
Tell us about the books you’ve published so far. Can you tell us about some of your upcoming novels?
Since the start of my writing career (a whole 6 months ago) I have published two books from my debut series, The Ignited Girl, and have another on the horizon! The Ignited Girl focuses on the life of Gray, a seventeen year old young woman who was dealt a crappy hand and had to fight for the life she finally has with her younger brother and Grams. Things are smoothing out for her, though she is far from pleased with her next hurdle in life- summer school. That is, until she shows up to campus and runs into a goofy sexy guy over and over again. Add in his friends of equal god-squad status, and Gray has her hands full. Not one to usually enjoy the company of people, especially men following a rough past, Gray feels oddly pulled toward this group of guys- safe in their presence and definitely attracted to them… all of them. The guys have a few secrets they aren’t sharing with Gray, though. She may not understand what she is feeling, or why, but they are very aware of the pull, it’s purpose, and know exactly how she is feeling. All five of them are following their path as it aligns with a prophecy shared with their ancestors long ago… a prophecy featuring a very clueless Gray… a prophecy that will change everything about her life, her past, and present her with a future she is not ready for. Books one and two (Waiting to Ignite and Igniting the Flame) are already out on Amazon and KU. Book three, When the Heart Ignites, is due out in the coming months. This series has six books total planned for it and so far each book averages about 118k words- I like them thicc!
What was the moment you knew you wanted to be an author?
When I was eleven, a horrible tragedy struck the United States – the Columbine school shooting. I had never heard anything about school shootings before, but this was everywhere. I watched interviews with parents and teachers. My school changed its policies for visitors, as did so many others, and security tightened. Within a year, there was another shooting all over the news. My heart, though still in pre-teen mode, was deeply saddened by what was happening around us. In the year 2000, I wrote a song in honor of those lost in the shootings and to bring attention to the chaos happening in the world. It was submitted to contests all over the US by my teachers and was even published in a book about a year later, though they chose to represent it as a poem instead of a song. The point is, regardless of publication and attention, I felt some sort of solace in expressing the emotions I had built up within me through words. It would be years before I would write something to publish again, but the writing bug got to me then and never left. I knew, even at that young age, that I wanted to chase that feeling of completion I received when writing. It took me a few decades, and quite a crazy life in between, but today I still write for the same reason- to express the emotions fluttering around inside of me on a daily basis. My hope is that just one person can be positively impacted by the scramble of words I put onto paper- able to feel all the intensity of my own passions woven within the text.
What are some things you do to overcome doubts about your writing?
Oh what a great question! I wish I had the ultimate answer. I just recently left my corporate job to write full time and start my own business. It is TERRIFYING! It is one thing to work for someone else, but to work for yourself and know every penny you earn is directly related to whether or not your art is appreciated by others… bury me alive with spiders and scorpions and I would be less afraid! Still, the community of authors and readers is EXTENSIVE and so supportive. Between my epically amazing support system at home, my readers and other authors in my genre, and my own determination to finish the things I start no matter what the opposition, I find ways to keep myself moving forward. Also- I think it is incredibly important to take days of rest for my brain and my heart. Sometimes things aren’t as easy, words don’t flow as smoothly, or life is hectic (I have six kids- this is almost always for me!). The best way I have found to overcome the paranoia of failure and slumps in my writing is to take the emotional time I need whenever necessary to refresh, recharge, and allow myself to be human!
Have any actual life experiences reflected in your writing?
It is actually pretty much the opposite for me. I was married at 17 years old. I didn’t have a traditional high school experience nor did I live through the dating stage for very long before settling down. My husband and I just celebrated 17 years of marriage, still going strong, but the teen heartthrob moments, butterflies, and back and forth dating games? I never had any of that. I don’t regret meeting Mr. E or the life we have together, but I have found a way to live vicariously through my writing by developing characters that experience all the things I didn’t. It’s actually incredibly cathartic!
Who was your easiest character to write about and why? What was your hardest and why?
I have quite a few different, incredible characters in my current series. I absolutely LOVE writing Gray, my FMC. She is strong but not afraid to deal with the emotional turmoil she has lived through. She has so many hardships thrown her way, and she finds a way to rise above them. I am in awe of her determination and the way she looks after her little brother. She has some goofy moments, some very teen-like boy crazy moments, and her sarcasm makes my heart happy, but when the going gets tough, Gray embraces the suck and gets tougher. Her POV comes naturally to me- so natural I often find myself dreaming of her as if I know her in real life, not just in my head. She is, by far, the easiest for me to write! As far as the hardest to write, I’d have to say it is Chance. He is broody, angry about a life he can’t control, and basically an asshole in all ways. While those characters tend to be the ones I am attracted to the most in books and movies, writing everything from his moody perspective is a challenge. I have to remind myself that he is just angry, not evil, and convince myself not to have someone beat him upside the head when he says or does dumb things just to piss Gray off. He is one of my favorite characters, but getting into this mindset takes more time and energy than any of the others.
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