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Guns and SmokeThe Fool’s Adventure, #1by Lauren Sevier and A. SmithDate of Publication: July 10th 2021Publisher: Lauren SevierCover Artist: Stefanie SawGenre: Dystopian/Western RomanceISBN: 978-1734402346ASIN: B08RW6JNGGNumber of pages: 364Word Count: 134,000
Tagline:Life should be about more than just surviving. BLURBIn a world where safety is a luxury and honor is found only among outlaws, two people attempt to outrun dangers lurking around each corner and the tragedies that define them. Bonnie is an outlaw on the run. Beautiful but dangerous; her dark past stalks her like the crater beasts that roam the desert. As the notoriously cruel outlaw Jones sends his henchmen to track her down and retrieve the gun she stole from him, Bonnie hopes she can stay one step ahead. Because if he catches her, a fate worse than death awaits. Jesse always dreamed of leaving the farm to explore the ruins of the big cities he'd heard about his whole life. He just never imagined he'd be forced to flee after strange men burned down his rural mountain town and murdered everyone he loved. Responsible for his kid brother and searching for an uncle he's never met before, he isn't sure he can navigate the perils of life among con artists and thieves long enough to find him. Their two paths collide as they find themselves thrown together on the adventure of a lifetime. Together, they may just discover that life is about more than just surviving.
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/kC821NrfFGsAmazon BN More Links on Author Site https://www.youtube.com/embed/kC821NrfFGs Excerpt “I didn’t mean what I said earlier, about turning you over to Sixgun. I was just…” He struggled for the words. “Hurt?” I offered, and he nodded. “I know. I have a talent for pushing people away.” “I still shouldn’t have said it,” he muttered near my ear, his arm tightening around my shoulders to hold me closer. “Do you really think I’m stupid?” I asked. “No, I think you’re the smartest person I’ve ever met,” he said, with all the conviction with which he said everything else. I smiled against his shirt. “Did you really climb into my bed because you thought I was upset about the train?” “No,” I croaked, hiding my face as best I could. “I don’t have nightmares when you hold me.” “I don’t have nightmares when I hold you either,” he admitted. So I let him. I let him hold me all night. We didn’t speak, we just leaned against each other until the sky began to lighten and the shadows of our pasts seemed to fade into the distance.
Authors Info
Lauren Sevier and A. Smith are longtime friends and co-authors from southern Louisiana. Guns and Smoke, their first joint publication, began as a “short” story after having too much wine on girl’s night.
Nine years later it is now the first novel in a Dystopian/Western Romance series.
The duo has plans to publish several series together in the future. A. Smith spends her time with her two rescue dogs and rescue cat surrounding herself with books and Labyrinth paraphernalia.
Lauren Sevier collects antique tea cups and tries to stay sane, though as the mother of a toddler she fails brilliantly most days. She also has a growing collection of crowns and tiaras and likes to act silly on TikTok. Look for more thrilling novels from The Fools Adventure series in the future!
The Book Junkie Reads . . .Reckless Dreams Interview with . . . Lauren Sevier & A. Smith. . .
Do you feel that writing is an ingrained process or just something that flows naturally for you?
-Abbie: For me, writing started naturally. I know that this isn’t the case for everyone, but I have always been a storyteller from the time I was really young. I don’t have a formal education in writing, but I do spend a lot of time working through my craft because I believe that we can always improve.
Lauren: Ah! What a question! Both. I think especially for me, a lot of my writing starts as discovery writing (pantsing primarily) so that I can figure out the characters and motivations that inform their decision making throughout the overall plot. But, as I’m also an editor I recognize the value in the technical side of writing. Once I have the characters and world somewhat figured out I’m able to dive in and really do the work that takes the basics of a story into a multi-layered narrative that is emotionally driven and still thought provoking.
Do you have a character that you have been working on for a long time that still isn't quite ready, but fills you with excitement to work on the story?
Abbie: I have spent the last fourteen years developing a character named Dominick Lynch. I had a wild idea the day I graduated from high school. Originally, the story was about a vampire. Then Twilight got really big and I decided I wanted to change the story. It has taken on many iterations over the years, and Dominick’s story still isn’t quite ready for publication. Through her journey, I was able to explore my own battles with mental health, loss, and grief. I’ve taken a step back from writing her character, but there is something about her that has always kept me coming back for over a decade.
Lauren: Yes. And No. It’s more the novel itself instead of a specific character. The protagonist has changed so much throughout the years that as of yet she’s unnamed but the book itself has been one that I know I’m not quite the author I need to be just yet to do it justice… but I know I will be one day. It’s a strange phenomenon that I think every writer has experienced. It’s their swan song novel. The one that lives inside of them, gathering strength, until one day you just feel ‘ready’ to write it. Every single writer I know has a story like that. I’m not really ready to talk about the details of that project, but when I am, you’ll be the first to know ;)
Can you share your next creative project(s)? If yes, can you give a few details?
We have completed the first draft of Guns & Smoke’s sequel, Leather & Lace. We hope to have it published sometime in 2022. Lauren is working diligently to publish the sequel to her debut YA Fantasy novel, Songs of Autumn, released in November 2020. Abbie is currently in the editing phase of her NaNoWriMo 2020 project with hopes of seeking representation in the near future.
If you could have dinner/dinner party with 7 fictional characters, who would they be?
Abbie: This question is really fun. I would love to have a dinner party with Sirius Black (because let’s face it, he knows how to party), Cassian from ACOTAR (I’m madly in love with him!), Dante from Caraval, Feyre Archeron (because I think she’d be super fun to party with), Scarlet from the Lunar Chronicles (a wolf growled at her and she literally growled back), the Darkling from Shadow & Bone, and Nina Zelnik from Six of Crows. I think that would be quite the dinner party, and it would be a lot of fun to make bets on who threw the first knife. :)
Lauren: OMG! I agree with a lot of Abbie’s choices. Sirius Black for SURE! Hello chaotic bisexual with addictive tendencies! Cassian because… hello? He’s Cassian and would for sure be fun to party with. KAZ BREKKER from Six of Crows because I would shamelessly flirt with him and love to see the others tease him about his gloves not knowing anything about his tragic backstory. Wrath from Kingdom of the Wicked... I would literally give anything to see who would win between him and Kaz in a deception-off. Poppy, from Book ONE of the From Blood and Ash books because she’s so uptight and it would be hilarious to make her uncomfortable. Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice because I need someone with snark and poise to balance the insanity. And Nesta… because not only does she know how to party, but every good soiree needs the bitchy side kick, no?
Where would you spend one full year, if you could go ANYWhere, money is not a concern? What would you do with this time?
Abbie: I would buy a castle in Europe, outfit it with all of the modern conveniences and you would never see me again. I would spend all of my time writing or reading if money were no question. I’d love to be the lady of a giant, medieval castle in the middle of the highlands. Assuming I have all of the money in the world for that one year, I’d make investments to ensure I could live the lifestyle beyond that single year because, hey, it’s a fantasy, right?
Lauren: SCOTLAND! Fun fact, I’ve been obsessed with visiting Scotland since I was a little girl. I actually have Edinburgh weather on my phone so sometimes when work gets me down or I feel like I just need a vacation… I look to see what the weather's like in Scotland. I think not only the highlands and the natural beauty of the country would be inspiring, but the people and culture there seems so inclusive and grounding. Besides, Scottish people look like they know how to have fun in a casual, call last minute for a pint at the pub kind of way. My husband and I were supposed to go a couple times over the years, but circumstances didn’t allow it to happen. I want us to renew our vows at Gretna Green and to spend some time on the Isle of Skye. There’s just so much I’d love to see and do, I'm sure it would lead to endless amounts of inspiration.
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