The Blackwood Pack saga continues…
This is part of an on-going series by Amazon Bestselling Author, Mary Rundle, and catching up on previous titles is advised. Readers of the past books will enjoy meeting old friends once more as the pack does what it does best ̶ caring for one another and helping shifters everywhere.
David spent most of his life as a prisoner, beaten countless times as he was taught by the Sisters of the Four Gods. After learning the truth about what they had planned for him, he escaped and eventually landed in Scotland where he was rescued by kind shifter who gave him a job and a bed. His feeling of safety ended abruptly when he was discovered by the ones he fled.
Zane, the Blackwood Pack’s genius computer programmer, joined his brothers and friends in Scotland on his very first vacation. It had been a long and hard road for him since parents and younger siblings were massacred, but his life was finally coming together Not expecting anything more than fun and sightseeing, he was stunned to find his Fated Mate there.
Before they can claim each other, they find themselves in a terrifying game of cat-and-mouse, trying to elude brutal pursuers who want to capture David and kill Zane. As they fight to stay one step ahead of them, Zane sets out to win David’s heart and restore his confidence and also becomes his protector and lover.
Learning about each other’s abilities and gifts—and about the gods’ plans for David’s formidable new role in the shifter world—they form a unique bond with undying trust and a deep love that will bind them forever together as one.
Narrow escapes, kidnappings, battles, rescues and the revelation of unique gifts from the gods will keep you turning page after page as Mary Rundle weaves another thrilling tale of love and adventure.
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Hello! I’m Mary Rundle and thanks for hosting me today on my blog tour of Ghost Walker, Book 6 of the Blackwood Pack series. Today I have a special post about my use of multiple points of view in my stories and why my readers like them.
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In my Blackwood Pack series, each story has two Main Characters (MC) but they also contain multiple Points of View (POV) of all of the supporting characters, giving the reader a broad understanding of the over-arching storyline that continues from book to book. Most romance stories—whether MM or MF—are usually written using one, or at the most, two POVs. So what’s the difference between that and using many POVs?
A lot! Writing with multiple POVs is difficult—maybe even one of the hardest feats for a writer to pull off because they has to keep each character and their personality separate from all the other characters who appear. For instance, Kieran, who is a MC in Ice Soul appears in the next two books in a supporting role but his story continues, woven into the each book, advancing the understanding of him to the reader.
That requires me to make sure Kieran has the same behavior and speech pattern as when the reader first met him. Now, imagine doing that with seven brothers, their Fated Mates and an assortment of other characters that make up the saga of the Blackwood Pack. A good memory is important!
So, why go through the trouble of using this technique? Because it gives the reader more intimacy with all the characters of the Blackwood Pack than they would normally get with only one or two. Some of my readers have expressed it this way:
“Mary Rundle knows how to put you in the story, like you were there at the scenes.”
“I feel as though I am in the thick of it with the characters”
“I love how even though you know who the MCs are you have the POV of pretty much the all the characters at once”
“…the books have a main couple, but you read from the whole pack’s point of view”
“The way this series is written I am able to feel as though I’m actually feeling what the characters are”
The other benefit about using multiple POVs is it allows me to weave different storylines together in each book, giving the reader more information about other characters and what’s happening to them during the story.
One reviewer describes it like this:
“Mary’s ability to tell multiple stories at once keeps the reader interested and wondering what’s next!”
Readers have also said my books are like watching an exciting movie—where the story advances by cutting to different POVs and locations. Perhaps some of the film courses I took in college account for this.
Writing this way makes for a very robust story so the urge for the reader to find out what will happen next is huge and many readers say they can’t put down my books once they start to read them, as they are eager to find out what happens to each character. Because my readers really like this way of telling a story, it’s well worth my time and effort to please them by writing a multiple POV story.
Mary is giving away a $20 Amazon gift card with this tour – enter via Rafflecopter:
“David, are you coming back to the hotel with us tonight?” asked Theo.
Zane spoke up, “We haven’t decided what we’re doing, Theo.”
“Where are you from?” asked Norm, then adding quickly, “Not that it matters but I was just wondering.”
“No problem,” David said, “I’m from a region in Italy called Tuscany.”
“I know all about it,” Kieran said, “It was one of the areas my Shaman made me study. I always wanted to go there to see the Church of the Four Gods. From the pictures my Shaman showed me, it’s magnificent, but he told me I couldn’t really appreciate it unless I stood exactly in the center of it, looked up and turned around in a circle and then I’d understand why so many paranormals chose to follow that religion. Have you ever been there?”
Unsure if Kieran was trying to expose him, David felt the urge to vanish again and it was only Zane’s hand holding his that kept him there giving him a sense of calmness. “Yes, I have,” he answered, “but I never did that. What happens when you do the circle thing?”
Shrugging his shoulders, Kieran said, “I don’t know. My Shaman never told me that, only that I would find understanding, but that doesn’t matter to me, I just want to see the architecture… Oh macushla, did you ever go there?”
“No, but I agree with you—it’s a stunning piece of workmanship,” answered Logan, “and it’s one of the finest examples of Ancient High Gothic Celestial architecture left on earth.”
“It’s a church for paranormals? I never heard of it. Can humans go there too?” asked Theo.
“Only if they’re mated to a paranormal,” Kieran said.
“You mean a shifter can have a human for a mate? Pooh bear, did you know that?” Theo asked.
“No, I don’t remember learning that in school,” Norman answered.
“My Shaman,” continued Kieran, “told me it was more common a long time ago, but after humans started to hunt shifters—and when shifters began to go underground, so to speak—the gods decreed it should stop. They also forbade any shifter from disclosing the existence of another.”
Dakota then joined in. “Slate told me the original owners of this pub were a wolf shifter and a human and that’s what saved it when the war against the Scottish wolf shifters occurred.”
“Very true,” Ian’s mother, Lili, joined in. “Your parents would bring you here, Ian, whenever they had to visit Edinburgh. Do you remember?”
“So that’s why I had a déjà vu moment downstairs,” Ian chuckled. “I was chalking it up to my pregnancy hormones.”
Smiling, Lili’s husband, Samuel, said, “Remember dear, we would come here every year for our anniversary.”
Lili ducked her head, giggling, as she remembered what they did afterwards, and said, “Of course I do…and I also recall how beautiful the nights were.”
Seeing Ian blush at his mother’s comment, Colton smirked at the thought his mate wasn’t comfortable about his parents reminiscing about their sex life, so he steered the conversation back to the original topic. “If I understand you, Kieran, the Church of the Four Gods is also a religion?” asked Colton.
“Uh-huh. My Shaman told me about it but I wasn’t too impressed at the time because my belief in our gods and the Fates was very strong, but seeing the Church of the Four Gods was always something I wanted to do. Hey, macushla, I have a great idea!”
“Oh, no, here we go again!” groaned Theo.
“What do you mean?” Zane asked.
“Anytime, Ki says he has a great idea, beware,” answered Norman.
“P-u-u-leeze, that is so not true,” Kieran said. “I was thinking Logan and I could stop there on our way to Mykonos.”
“Why are you going to Greece?” asked David.
“Oh. My. God. David, you and Zane must come with us since you are newly mated also.”
“What about Slate and me?” asked Dakota. “We’re newly mated too.”
“Absolutely!” cried Kieran. “The more the merrier I’ve always said.”
“Ki, why Greece?” Zane asked.
“It has the very best gay parties with lots of music and dancing, and fabulous theme parties where we can make our own costumes. And then, there are also pool parties with lots and lots of hot sexy men that are about 99% naked.”
“What are they wearing if they are 99% naked?” asked Theo.
“Speedos!” exclaimed Kieran. “Teeny, tiny swim suits that highlight everyone’s assets, if you crotch my drift!” he said, giggling at his play on words.
Theo’s eyes widened then, turning to Norman, he said, “Pooh bear, I want to go there too. Can we, please?”
Norman smirked, he knew exactly why his honeybunch wanted to go. “Sure, if Ki agrees.”
“Oui!” Kieran answered, clapping at the thought of the fun everyone would have.
“Babe, before you buy tickets, I’ll have to check in with Jackson about the work he wants done,” Logan said.
“Oh, I know, macushla,” Kieran said, “I’m just making plans.”
Groaning, Logan murmured, “That’s what concerns me.” Then he lifted his mate onto his lap, nuzzling Kieran’s neck and giving him soft kisses and gentle nips until he got to the mating scar, which he licked.
“Macushla!” Kieran exclaimed, shivering in excitement. “Oh, my gods, that’s what rim…”
Watching Logan place his hand over Kieran’s mouth confused David because, as far as he could tell, Kieran wasn’t doing anything other than talking. Bile rose in him—the sight of physical restraint brought back bad memories of his time with the High Priestess. If the Alpha allows this, I don’t want to be in the Blackwood Pack. Calling forth his ability again, David disappeared, taking Zane with him.
The first book I ever wrote was Dire Warning in 2017 and, much to my delight, it became an Amazon Best Seller. Readers loved it and I was on my way to chronicling the Blackwood Pack, seven brothers who are gay wolf shifters in search of their fated mates– stories about love at first sight with twists and turns, angst and humor, romance and adventure and, of course, happy endings.
Now, six books later, Ghost Walker, another Best Seller, has just been released to critical acclaim. I love the M/M paranormal genre because it gives my imagination a lot of territory in which to roam. My mind can really run wild and come up with some amazing stuff when it doesn’t have to stay inside the box.
My readers tell me they feel like they’re a member of the pack as the stories unfold. As if they’re right there in the middle of the action. Others tell me it’s like watching a fast-paced movie. My writing style pulls no punches– readers love it and are always clamoring for the next book.
Stories come to me as if they were being channeled by my characters, all of whom I love (except for a few villains). They are eager to recount their lives, loves and adventures and are not inhibited when it comes to revealing steamy details.
I currently live in the Northeast and love the beautiful change of seasons, my husband, and our quirky calico cat, though not necessarily in that order. I’m always happy to hear from my readers and can be reached through Facebook, Twitter, MeWe, or my website.
Author Website: http://www.maryrundle.com
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