Blog Tour: Body Magic – Poppy Dennison

Where do you hail from and what do you love most about your hometown?

I’m from Knoxville, Tennessee and I must admit that the view of the Smoky Mountains I have from my backyard is my absolute favorite thing about where I live. I love the area so much, I even set my first series here! There’s an amazing place in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park called Cade’s Cove. I love to drive through there and visit the traditional buildings left behind while enjoying the breathtaking scenery. Okay, I’ll stop waxing poetic about the mountains now!

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be *everything* when I grew up! I think it went something like “A Dancing, Singing, Astronaut Doctor who also solved mysteries in her spare time.” I think the only way for me to accomplish all that was to become a writer so I could live vicariously through my characters.

Tell us about your latest book.

My newest book is Body Magic, Book 2 of the Triad Series. It continues the story of Alpha Gray Townsend and his new mate, apprentice mage Simon Osborne. Simon and Gray broke a lot of rules with their mating, and their pack is now in danger from all sides. Gray’s best friend Cade is suspicious of the security expert Gray brought in to amp up the pack’s security system, and the mystery of who kidnapped the pack’s cubs deepens.

Do you have anything new in the works and can you tell us a bit about it?

I’m working on the third and final book of the Triad Series, Soul Magic. I also have two novellas coming soon and am busy researching a new Urban Fantasy series that I’m super excited about.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging about writing?

One of the challenging aspects of writing for me is finding the right balance between character and plot, dialogue and action. Writing is a bit like juggling for me, trying to keep a lot of elements in the air at the same time while being entertaining in the process. It’s fun, but not easy!

What advice would you give to writers just starting out?

Oh goodness, there are so many things I’d suggest to new writers. I think the best advice I could give would be to research *everything*. Not just information for your books, but publishers, other writers, as many aspects of the field as you can. Know your business so you can make smart decisions. Being a writer is more than just telling a good story. You have to be your own publicist, editor, marketing expert, accountant…it’s definitely doable, but you have to put the time in to know what you’re getting into!

What books have most influenced your life?

Pretty much every book I’ve ever read—and that’s a lot of books. I give credit to the Trixie Belden series when I was very young for sparking my interest in reading. I was desperate to read every book in that series, and it inspired in me a love of plot and mystery that I still hold to this day.

What tools do you feel are must-haves for writers?

A great imagination and an amazing beta reader. I don’t know what I’d do without either (but especially my beta readers).

Where do you as an author draw the line on gory descriptions and/or erotic content?

This is a tricky question, because I’m not sure you can “draw the line” on the content of your books. I mean, sure, we all have preferences. You probably won’t find a lot of graphic violence in my books, but I can’t say it would never be there. As a writer, I feel like I’m telling someone else’s story—this character in my head is a fully developed individual and if violence happens either in their past, or in the course of their journey, who am I to censor that?

Don’t forget to give us links to your website etc.

A pack is only as strong as its weakest member. Rocky Harris knows how the system works. He’s been on the bottom rung his whole life. But when his alpha consigns him to the High Moon Pack to help them improve security, he finds his beliefs not just challenged but outright assaulted.

Cade Montgomery’s confidence took a hit when the pack’s cubs were kidnapped on his watch. He’s prepared to do anything to protect his family, even if it means working with Rocky. Maybe Cade doesn’t trust Rocky, but with the turmoil surrounding pack Alpha Gray’s unpopular decision to break tradition and mate with a mage named Simon, Cade knows more threats are coming.

Then someone declares war on shifters and puts the entire pack in danger. Cade and Rocky will need each other’s strengths to survive the impending battle—and the power of their growing attraction.

Buy Links
Dreamspinner Press

Bio:
A sassy southern lady, Poppy Dennison developed an obsession with things that go bump in the night in her early years after a barn door flew off its hinges and nearly squashed her. Convinced it was a ghost trying to get her attention, she started looking for other strange and mysterious happenings around her. Not satisfied with what she found, Poppy has traveled to Greece, Malaysia and England to find inspiration for the burly bears and silver foxes that melt her butter. Her love of paranormal continues to flourish nearly thirty years later, and she writes steamy love stories about the very things that used to keep her up all night. If her childhood ghost is lucky, maybe one day she’ll give him his own happily ever after.