THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY
THE WATCH Series by Finley Brown
Get a behind-the-scenes all-access pass to Finley Brown's The Watch Series!
Give me a short synopsis of the book or series? How are the books in the series related?
Pain is a uniquely human indulgence and through it, we can see beauty in the most free and pure form.
On the last night of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Charlotte Hanover finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time. She didn't mean to witness the murder of two men. Kidnapped, bound and gagged, she finds herself in the back of a trunk. She has only one thought, escape, or die trying.
Sinclair Stuart shouldn't have taken the lass. He knew the minute he looked into her eyes, it had been a mistake. Someone had tipped off Viktor Sokolov and his men, and now he and the girl were fugitives. In order to keep them both alive, he needs for her to fear him.
From the dazzling city lights of Edinburgh to the rugged northern coast of Scotland, Sin understands the danger they are in, not only from the twisted and mad Sokolov, but also the secret organization he works for, The Watch. Vows will be tested, and expectations will need to be met in order for them both to survive.
What is the sub-genre and trope? Did your characters lead you to this genre or was that decided before the story began?
It is an erotic thriller. I knew that the whole series would be based on this sub-genre.
Are you more character or plot driven?
I am more character driven. I like my characters to have deep points of view and change through the book.
With many main and secondary characters, how do you keep them separated in your mind? Do you have a story/vision board above your workspace?
I have a bulletin board that hangs on the wall by my desk. I keep all my characters, locations, and scenes on sticky notes in order. It looks like something out of a crime scene/ detective story.
I know from previous interviews that characters take on a life of their own. Were any of the characters in this series determined to take their own direction instead of where you initially wanted them to go?
I’m currently working on book three of the series and I’m finding my heroine has a very strong voice.
Are any of the male POVs based on anyone you know?
No, I usually don’t base my characters on people I know.
Are any of the female POVs based on anyone you know?
No, though I think it is hard not to put a small bit of myself in my heroines.
Was there any one character/scene that was harder to write about than the other?
I have a scene in this book where the heroine has something carved into her stomach.
I was imagining the amount of pain she would be in while still trying to keep her wits about her. That was pretty tough.
What is your favorite book in the series?
I love this one, Found, because I touch on the mythical seal folk called Selkies.
The Selkie references women and as women how much we give up to others- our children, our spouses, work, expectations in general and how at times we need to pause and find ourselves.
We need to remember who we uniquely are as people.
I know that we aren’t supposed to have “favorites” as far as our children, but seriously, who’s your favorite character and why?
I loved my character Wraith, the hero in the first book in the series called Stripped.
He was a secondary character from a previous series and I loved giving him the main spot this time.
Who is your favorite couple and why did you decide on their dynamics?
This is hard because I love all my couples.
How do you get inside these character’s heads to find their perfect HEA?
I like to push my characters to the very edge of who they are when faced with tough circumstances. I think when you can push a character to their limit the HEA just naturally works out.
What scene in this book/series sticks out the most for you? Why?
There is a scene where Sin makes Charlotte look at the picture carved on her stomach so she can face the reality/ horror of it. He knows she will shatter when she looks at it but he also knows it is the only way she will heal.
Were any of the books harder to write than others?
I’m at the beginning of book three right now. I know exactly what I want the book to be about but I’m still having a struggle.
This question is if you write in MULTIPLE POVs not just the hero and heroine - I love the multiple POVs in a book. It’s not just the hero and heroine, but we get inside the heads of multiple characters throughout this series. I feel that it gives the story further depth. Do you think you will write another book or series following this multiple POV outline?
I have ended both books with a chapter from The Watches head leader’s POV.
I’m telling his story and how The Watch came to be formed this way. It continues from book to book and gives some of the side characters more depth.
How long did it take you to write this book/series?
I had hoped to get out three books this year but I had a stroke due to a blood clot and hemorrhage in my brain and that has slowed me down for a bit.
How did you come up with the title for your book and (if applicable) series?
Book Two, Found, was going to be called Carved but that was a bit dark so I changed it to Found. I came up with this title because I reference the word found several times in the story in different ways.
The series The Watch, is a modern day version of the Scottish Black Watch, only now they are a secret organization.
If you met these characters in real life would you get along?
Absolutely. They are badass!
Series question – Did you know in advance that you were going to write this as a series or did one of the characters in book one demand their own story?
I knew I was going to write this as a series.
I came up with the idea two years ago and I’ve been so excited about it.
If your book/series were made into a movie, which actors do you see as playing your characters?
I usually don’t base my characters on actors but I would take Gerard Butler any day to play any of my heroes!
Can you give us a hint as to what we can expect next? Whether a new book and series or a sequel to an existing series? Can you share a small tease?
I just started the third book in the series so it is still very much in the beginning stages.
I can give you a sneak peek into my upcoming release Found. (Note: you can find this at the end of this interview!)
In my free time, when I'm not researching or writing, I enjoy cooking, entertaining friends and family, and drinking wine.
A great bottle of wine shared with a friend is one of life's true pleasures!
Make sure to give Finley a shout-out and FOLLOW her on all her social media!
Start the series now!
Blurb:
Prologue
Edinburgh, Scotland
Time has a funny way of presenting itself in life. One spends most of their days thinking they don't have enough of it, only to be stopped short by the moments in which it seems to stand still. A brief moment suspended along the continuity of one's existence, usually brought about by great happiness or the perception of extreme danger and the feeling which accompanies it. This was the latter. Fear.
She stood there unable to move, paralyzed as if the absoluteness of what she just witnessed ceased to exist. The rational part of her mind told her to run. But instead, she remained frozen, taking in the small, minute details around her—the barstools knocked over, the light shining off the splinters of broken glass, the pattern of blood splattered along the wall, the steel gray eyes of the killer as his pupils constricted to mere pinpoints.
Run. She wasn't supposed to be here. This wasn't her reality. This experience was for someone else. This was their pause in existence, not hers. A crash at the door started the ticking of the clock. Someone was shouting in Russian, "Net. Net."
Run. She turned, sprinting through a small kitchen in the back of the building as fast as her legs would carry her and out a back door into an alley. The unusually warm air, fetid from the reek of rotting trash assaulted her, thick and suffocating.
Run. She kicked her high heels off and made her way down the narrow street. This part of the city was dodgy; people were more interested in keeping to themselves than in helping someone. She turned down a dark street to her left and bumped into a skimpily clad woman. "Watch it, bitch," the lady said before disappearing into an alcove. Faster, she must move faster. She could hear him behind her. His footsteps echoed off the cobblestones. Her lungs burned from the exertion and a stitch had formed in her side, but she couldn't stop. He was getting closer.
A barricade of rubbish bins and old boxes blocked her way up ahead. She jumped over a short crate and fell, landing with a thud. Pain radiated up her arm. Please not like this, she thought, it can't end like this. The footsteps were getting closer. She scrambled to her feet and held her injured wrist protectively, looking around. There was nowhere to go. It was a dead end. She turned slowly, facing her assailant. "Please don't kill me," she begged. He stepped closer. "You weren't supposed to be there." She kept her eyes on him until the darkness took her and the irreversible succession of time ended.
Start the series now!
No comments:
Post a Comment