Today I’m happy to host a blog tour stop for Michelle and her new volume of work, Bonded. I’ve been looking forward to this book for ages.

1: What influenced you to work towards getting published?

Believe it or not, I was in no hurry to get published. I finished my creative writing BA degree in 2002 and then didn’t write for five years. I was so burned out! But eventually, my itch to start writing again returned, and I jumped into the world of creating novels once again. I think my influence to publish a book was when I completed Cinders in 2010 and realized that it was good enough to share with the world … with a lot of editing and hard work, of course! Now it’s being published in my Bonded collection.

2: What do you hope readers take with them when they read one of your stories?

One of the reasons I write is to share things I have learned. The more I live, the more tough lessons I learn. I don’t set out to put certain themes in my books, but I definitely see them emerge as I shape a story. I always hope those themes are clear enough that they touch readers on some level. For instance, in Cinders, one of the themes is that the grass is not always greener on the side. You should always be careful for what you wish for!

3: If a book was written about you, what do you think the title would be in five words?

My Slightly Shakespearean Life

4: So, you have Monarch, The Breakaway, now Bonded this week. What’s next from you with Rhemalda? From self-publishing?

My next novel with Rhemalda is Pieces, the sequel to The Breakaway. It will be released on February 14th, 2013 by Rhemalda Publishing. I’m really excited about that one! I currently do not have anything else signed with publishers. If I self-publish anything in the future, it will be another collection of short stories (like True Colors), but the project is currently on hold.

5: Can you give us a teaser for any of your upcoming stuff?

This is a snippet from Pieces. Naomi, who was kidnapped by Jesse three years earlier, is meeting him for the first time since his release from prison. Naomi is still in love with him.

She almost didn’t recognize him behind the wheel of his father’s green pickup truck. His hair was longer than she remembered. For a moment, her mind spun. She dropped the box in her hands and it fell to the floor, spilling the pink and white candies everywhere. He was parking almost directly across the street from her now. As stupid as it was, she hadn’t planned this far. Now he was getting out of the truck.

She had long since rolled up her window and turned on the air conditioning, so it wasn’t as if she could yell to him. Instead, she opened her door as fast as she could and tripped over her feet as she stumbled out onto the road. She shut the door and the sound made Jesse stop and look up before he could shut the truck’s door. His mouth dropped open.

“Naomi?”

“I heard you were on parole.” She brushed a sweaty hand across her forehead. “I … I—”

“I’m not allowed to see you,” he interrupted, taking a step back. But he had nowhere to go except the truck. His hand lingered on the open door. “I’ll be sent back to prison if I attempt to contact or see you. I’m not even sure I can see you after my parole is over. It might be long time.” He looked at his hands. “I have a hearing next week. I’ll find out more then.”

Even from across the street, Naomi could see the muscle in his jaw tightening with anger. She knew it wasn’t aimed at her. “But you aren’t attempting,” she said. “I’ve taken that initiative, so it’s not your fault.”

“Yes, but if my parole officer finds out about this, he won’t be happy. I was lucky enough to be released to my father. If you’re found here, I’ll be in more trouble than you can imagine.” His face was stiff, his body tense. Naomi realized what a mistake she had made, but there he was, right in front of her. It was too much. She took a step forward, relieved the road was quiet with no traffic at the moment. Jesse glanced down the street, then back to her. His expression softened as she walked toward him. Each of her steps were heavy, as if she didn’t believe she would ever reach him.

About Bonded:


What happened after Cinderella married her prince? How did the evil sorceress in Sleeping Beauty turn evil in the first place? Discover these stories and a world filled with magic, forbidden love, elves, sprites, dragons, and the most powerful creatures of all— the fairies —in Bonded, a collection of three fairy tale inspired novellas.

CINDERS: A Cinderella sequel. Money can’t buy love, but magic isn’t a sure bet either. Cinderella, now officially a princess, finds royal life is not what she once dreamed. When a mysterious elf from her past stirs up long-suppressed passion, Cinderella begins to wonder if there really is love beneath the spell that captured her husband’s heart. But undoing magic can be harder than casting the initial spell, and the results are even less predictable.

THIRDS: A retelling of the Grimm’s fairy tale, One-Eye, Two-Eyes, Three-Eyes. Issina is surrounded by magic, yet none of it belongs to her. Despised and abused by her mother and sisters, she finds comfort when she meets the beautiful elves living in the nearby woods. The elves want to help her discover her own magic, but it’s not the kind of power she hoped for, and she learns there is more to magic than getting what you want.

SCALES: A Sleeping Beauty prequel. The sun never sets in the realm of the fairies. When the young fairy Serina looks into her sister’s eyes, she sees darkness for the first time. After her mother is murdered, Serina defies fairy law to follow her sister to the human realm. There she discovers the strength of a bond, the weight of a promise, and the darkness in her own heart.

About Michelle:

Michelle lives and writes in Utah, surrounded by the Rocky Mountains. She loves the seasons, but late summer and early fall are her favorites. She adores chocolate, sushi, and lots of ethnic food, and loves to read and write books in whatever time she can grab between her sword-wielding husband and energetic daughter. She believes a simple life is the best life.

Michelle likes peanut butter and tomato sandwiches. And cheese. Lots and lots of good cheese.