EPIC FORCE Blog Tour: Guest Post + Giveaway!

How many books have you read that includes wrestling as a backdrop hobby? (If "backdrop hobby" even makes quasi-sense?)

Yeah, I've got zero here, too. But that's what's truly unique about Epic Force by Alexi Raymond: wrestling plays a major part, but it does not define the characters. There is romance that is sensual, so I'd be cautious about that if you're not into that sort of thing. Still, though: if the synopsis that I'm about to present doesn't entice you, maybe the author's guest post on how she manages her time will!

Epic Force
By: Alexi Raymond

Trinity has given up everything to reach her dreams as a professional wrestler in the national spotlight; even though it's breaking her heart to stay away from her trainer, Derek.

Derek knows the road Trinity is walking and wants to be there for her to see her succeed, but he wants so much more than that for them.

After having a wrestler break her heart once, Trinity isn't willing to jump back into another wrestling-relationship. That doesn't stop her heart from pounding at the sight of Derek or her hands from trembling with their touch.

Convinced she has to focus on her dreams, Trinity leaves the safety of home and wrestling federation,(Epic Force Wrestling), and heads out for the chance of a lifetime. The things she sees don't make her more sure of her goals, but they do make her sure of something else - she can't outrun her old wrestling school or the trainer that holds her heart in his hands.

Sometimes true love is an epic force all its own.

-Summary from Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Smashwords 

  
For the guest post, I asked Alexi: 

How do you balance your personal life and writing? 

Ahh, the balancing act! Wait! I have a pic for that! *digs through photo album*

HERE! I found it! 

What I’ve found is that life is a balancing act, and just like in gymnastics, the more you train and prepare - the better you’ll be and the more you can handle. When I was 15 and getting excited for my first car my mom said if I didn’t have a job by the time I got my license, I couldn’t drive. I was so afraid that I wouldn’t have a job that I ended up with two after school part timers. And each one had its own benefits, so I couldn’t see quitting either! Sure I missed out on some high school stuff that would have been cool, but I still found a way to fit most of that in, too! Currently, I have a full time day job. I also work freelance for a local television station where I shoot sports videography, edit highlights, run tapes for the news and sometimes write stories for them! I’m also an Independent Beauty Consultant with Mary Kay. I like to stay busy. So here’s the routine.

Morning: Get up 30 min before designated shower time, get in some crunches, pushups and toe raises.

Work. All. Day. Long. 

Evening: Work my Mary Kay business, Write, Read, Spend time with Hubby before he falls asleep.

Go to sleep.

Usually I’ll pick a day and designate it to one of the fun jobs instead of trying to cram it all in, for instance, I have MK Meetings on Monday’s that I try my hardest not to miss (those gals are FUN!). Tuesdays are my early day at work so I can come home and get some serious writing done. 

Each week I look at my schedule and see what’s going to work best for that week! It’s tricky at times, but I have an amazing hubby who cooks for me and a wonderful kitten who sleeps on my lap as I read and write and really what more do you need in life?! I try to do both reading and writing every day, although my reading has been lacking a bit lately. Where I was getting through three books a week I’m down to 1 1/2. But that’s OK.

I think the goal to working towards all of your dreams in life comes down to three steps:

1 - Pick Your Biggest Dream - Don’t think small!! The bigger the better!

2 - Break it down into tiny baby steps - What’s the first step in making that dream a reality?

3 - Get back up on that beam until you have completely owned the first step in realizing your dream!

So, what do you think? Before we go to the giveaway, here's an excerpt from Epic Force to satisfy your curiosity!

From chapter 1 with Trinity and Derek:

"Don't go." His whispers were lost in her hair. He remained so silent, so nervous, and yet his arms snaked around her. Trinity’s heart soaked in the familiar security that came with his embrace. "Please, Trinity, please don't leave me." He squeezed, no longer hugging her. They clung to each other as tears rolled down her face, or maybe they were his, there was no way to tell. 

He had always been there for her; from the first time she walked through the doors of the warehouse into the poster filled walls of Epic Force Wrestling, to the first time one of the boys refused to hit her like a real wrestler and even now, as she stood there breaking his heart. She would never find another man like Derek; but the truth was that regardless of how she felt for him, she couldn’t let herself. Nate had broken her heart. She’d never let another wrestler get that close to her again.

"I'm going to be late." She sniffled and wiped her face with the back of her hand, still wrapped around Derek's neck.

"Be late. Be late forever, just stay."

"Derek."

With a kiss on the cheek, Derek relinquished his hold. The chocolate swirls in his eyes were moist, his lips pursed together. Trinity trailed her hands down his arms and squeezed his huge warm hands. Her palms fit inside of them, tucked neatly away from the harm of the world. She wanted to face the world, regardless of the risk, she felt she needed to. She squeezed one last time, took a longing look into where they both knew she belonged and left him standing alone under the singular light on the pier.

 

Intrigued? Here's some more info on Alexi:

Alexi lives in Indiana with her husband and kittens! You can find her throwing the boys around the ring, shooting sports highlights or curled up on the couch with Castle and her "writing kitten" working on a never ending supply of ideas for all of the books she wants to write!

Find Alexi here: Twitter || Goodreads

And finally...

Enter with the rafflecopter form after the jump to win an e-book of Epic Force and some awesome swag! :D



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for coming to the last stop in the tour! Don't forget to check out the other awesome stops if you haven't yet. Here's the tour schedule:

November 12 -- Fictitious Delicious  Interview with Trinity

November 13 -- Living Fictitiously  Review/Interview with Alexi

November 14 -- Adriana Ryan: Captivating Fiction  Guest Post: What's your publishing story? Why did you decide to take the route you took?

November 15 -- For What It's Worth  Guest Post: Where you came up with the idea for writing a book about professional wrestling

November 16 -- Blog - O - Rama  Interview with Dave

November 17 -- What's On the Bookshelf  Interview with Derek

November 18 -- The Reviews News  Guest Post: Balancing Writing and Personal Life

May the odds be ever in your favor! (Sorry, had to bring that one back. ;) )