Author Interview – V.S. Morgan (@VSMorgan1) – Hunter’s Mark (a @DecadentPub #BeyondFairyTales #MMRomance)
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It’s been a while since I spotlighted a fellow Beyond Fairytales author. Joining the ranks of Decadent Publishing’s Brother’s Grimm fangirls (which includes Sara Daniel, Eva Lefoy, Zee Monodee, and many others), V.S. Morgan adapts The Skillful Huntsman into a paranormal M/M romance. Hunter’s Mark is now making a splash at all major eBook retailers. Curious? Let’s find out more about it.
1. Okay, from one BFT author to another—what was your first reaction when you got your story assignment? Had you heard of this fairytale before then?
My first reaction was huh. I’m a huge fairytale and Grimm fan but hadn’t heard of this one prior to the assignment. Once I found and read it, I felt there was quite a bit I could work with. Now I’m glad I got a lesser known tale because I could just “run” with it the way I wanted.
2. That's an experience I can definitely relate to! So how did your hero make the leap from a huntsman in the original tale to Hunter the wolf shifter assassin in yours? Did any particular element in the Grimm story inspire this twist?
In the original tale upon completion of his huntsman training, he was given a magical rifle that never misses. Rather than making the gun magical, I made my character paranormal. Hunter was trained as a Marine assassin before he joins a secret organization as a gun-for-hire killing only the most horrible of mankind.
One of my favorite older movies is The Replacement Killers. Chow Yun-Fat’s assassin character gets an assignment he can’t morally follow through with – the assassination of a cop’s young son. Remembering that film and his character inspired me as I wrote Hunter.
3. Since you have two heroes we can discuss, let’s shift (pun intended) to Casey. Does he turn into a wolf too? How did he and Hunter meet?
Casey can also turn into a wolf but he’s different from Hunter in that he was raised around humans. He doesn’t know about shifter ways and communities. He suppresses his wolf nature by using a vegetarian diet, meditation and his dog, Priss, so he can stay safe from detection.
When Casey’s adopted mom passed away, and full of grief Casey was unable to control his wolf, shifted, and ran down a street. The image of his wolf form splashed across the Internet and he became a target. An unknown enemy tracked him down, Hunter’s organization is contracted to kill Casey.
Good thing for Casey Hunter is a very thorough and moral assassin. He doesn’t kill innocents, and he doesn’t kill shifters.
4. Now I’m really curious about the chemistry between the two. Would you mind giving us a sneak peek from when sparks first fly?
The sparks first fly when Hunter goes to check Casey out up close – he’s not fitting the mold of his usual assignments. As he approaches, the super-skilled and graceful assassin trips over Casey’s (awesome) dog, Priss.
Excerpt
He stepped closer to Casey’s stall but stumbled over something small and furry. The toe of one Birkenstock caught on a clump of grass as he attempted not to trample the little beast, and he ass-planted with said beast jumping onto his chest to give him a broad doggie smile.
His buddy laughed piss-your-pants-hard in his ear. Fuck a duck.
“Miss Priscilla!”
The target he’d worked so hard to observe remotely sank to the ground between his sprawled-out legs, peeling the tiny hairball off his chest and setting it on the ground.
“I’m so sorry! Are you okay?”
Big blue eyes fringed with long, pale lashes scanned his body while strong yet gentle hands moved over his ankles and legs, searching for an injury. Oh, a toucher. His wolf basked in the tactile attention. His breath hitched as those hands glided past his knees and skimmed his thighs.
Damn, he needed to get laid after this assignment.
“Oh, my, what a li’l sweetie. Look at those freckles! I wonder if he’s got them everywhere. I’d like to lick them,” Rex crowed in his ear.
He growled.
The other man chortled. “Possessive, much?”
He inhaled deeply, only to be slammed with the force of a Mack truck. Strawberries on a warm summer’s day and fresh-cut grass—shit, his target smelled delicious. He took another breath, and his brain reeled. He’s a wolf shifter, too? Fuck.
Casey’s brows furrowed. “Where are you hurt?”
He forced a smile. “I’m fine. No worries.”
Casey returned the smile, his wide and high beam combined with sparkling eyes. Hunter stared as warmth wrapped around him like a blanket. He had no ammo against such a happy, open expression. The guy freaking glowed.
And it only gets hotter from here as these two end up in close quarters! ;)
5. Hotter? Oh dear, how ever will I cope? Before I let you go—What project(s) are you working on right now? Is it another paranormal romance?
I’m currently working on two projects. I’m in edits for an m/f, multicultural, Western foodie romance called Sam’s Temptation for Decadent Publishing. It’s a sequel to The Gift, but can be read as a standalone. I don’t have a release date yet but I’d guess it may come out in December or January, depending on the schedule.
I’ve also plotted and started writing the sequel to Hunter’s Mark. This time the focus is on Hunter’s smartass best friend, Rex. The working title is Rex’s Mate. I’m having a great time with this story, as charmer Rex is getting the runaround from his reluctant mate, who is not a typical shifter both in terms of animal type and origin. LOL, I know that’s vague, and I hope intriguing!
Smartass best friends are kind off my weakness, I'll have you know. Okay, since book release month is crazy busy for any writer, I’ll let my guest run off.
For more information about the book and author, just scroll down. As always, comments are much appreciated.
Hunter's Mark
by V.S. Morgan
Artist Casey Smith lives a quiet life, under the radar of his enemies, until one fateful night he loses control and the astonishing image of a wolf racing down a suburban street splashes all over social media.
Hunter’s bullet never misses its target. The assassin seeks out and kills his prey with a clear conscience by following two simple rules: 1) Don’t kill innocents 2) Don’t kill shifters.
Realizing his latest assignment violates those rules, the hunter activates Princess Protocol and the assassin becomes the protector. Red hot attraction flares between the hit man and his former target. Can Hunter resist the sweet shifter in his care?
Buy Links: Decadent | iTunes | Kobo | Amazon | Smashwords | B&N | AllRomance
About V.S. Morgan
V.S. Morgan has lived all over the US but calls Minnesota her home now. Her family includes her hubby, son, and a menagerie of pets.
She's been writing stories since she could hold a pencil and dreams of happily ever afters - even for two hot men - because love knows no boundaries. V.S. writes MC/IR contemporary, paranormal, and suspense m/m and m/f with heart. She plans to branch into fantasy and sci fi romance, as well.
V.S. is a GLBT ally and a lifetime contributor of The Trevor Project.
