fuonlyknew

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Bitter Pill

by Rowan St. George

Genre: Dark Bully Romance

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Strands of sandy blonde and storm blue eyes cast me in
shadow
The bully stalks my heart, each word meaner than the last
Tell my soul to run to higher ground; I’m rooted in place
The Dragon boss hunts for vengeance and I’m an instrument in the game
Twisted desires and a touch that burns me to the core
The monster is awake and I want him anyway

–a poem by Alyssa Stanton

Liam Masters
I’ve always been torn between two worlds: the real one that’s gritty and full
of potential danger and the one with beauty and grace that I don’t deserve.
Pushing the pretty things away wasn’t so hard. Keeping away from them proved to
be far more difficult. When I’m the boss, I realize it’s time to call in a
favor from the one female I swore I’d leave alone. But temptation comes
knocking and once I have the taste in my mouth, I want more until it’s all
mine. The problem with monsters is they’re not supposed to bask in the sun.

Alyssa Stanton
I fell in love with my childhood friend, but the older we got the more that
feeling got twisted up in his mean words and deeds. Leaving it all behind to
explore my personal interests seemed like the best way forward until an
unimaginable loss brings me back home and into a calculated web. The danger
isn’t just from the very real bullets, but also from the boy turned monster who
makes me feel everything I’ve always wanted. The problem with princesses is
they’re not supposed to love the dark.

Bitter Pill is a gang romance. It is both a second chance and an
enemies-to-lovers story. Bitter Pill has bullying themes and may not be
suitable for all readers. A list of possible triggers is listed in the book.

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From Chapter 1

Alyssa Stanton

Liam Masters had been the bane of my existence since we were kids.  So, opening the door at 7 am on Sunday morning to see his best friend, and one of the three pain in the asses, I’d tried to avoid since coming back to Harbor Run did not bode well for my mood.  I’d already spent a sleepless night looking through my father’s office trying to figure out what the hell had happened.

“What the fuck do you want, Sebastian?” I asked, glaring at him, flexing my hands in a fist and releasing again, agitation stirring deep in my core.  I peered around him to see if he was alone, only slightly relieved he seemed to be.

“Good morning, to you too, sweetheart,” Sebastian smiled, widely as he pushed into the doorway past me as I huffed, throwing up my hands in frustration.

“What the fuck? Come right on in, then!”

Sebastian surveyed the space like he hadn’t been here before.  Of course, that was many years ago, and the house definitely had changed. The artwork and other items had been removed.  My eyes swept the same space, and sadness threatened to bring me to my knees.  It had been two weeks since my father shot himself in the back garden where my mother loved to spend her time.  My brother, Henley, still hadn’t spent the night in the house since he’d found the body. I supposed it was good we’d opted to have my father cremated and buried at the bottom of my mother’s grave at the cemetery in town without a service.  Maybe we’d do a celebration of life ceremony when we started to feel again, but I wasn’t sure when that might be, and I suspected Henley would never care.  The rawness of never being able to speak to my parents again was a bitter pill to swallow.  There was a certain unreal quality to being an orphan, even in your 20s.  My mother had been gone for about 10 years now, and the memories of her dealing with her cancer treatments still left me cold, especially given how painful it was at the end when the cancer had settled in her bones.  The devastating blessing was that she didn’t survive long in hospice care though she did get to rest with the powerful drugs in her system.  The house had been so quiet at times that I almost ran screaming through the halls, but I always stopped myself just in time.  What would crying and shouting really accomplish?

Sebastian’s deep voice brought me back to his unwanted presence in my house.  I watched transfixed as he pulled out an envelope from his jacket pocket and extended his arm out to me, but he was rooted to his spot on the floor and curiosity got the better of me, so I moved forward to take it out of his hands.  His smirk goaded me as I opened the flap finding a folded document.  The shock spiked through me when I saw the deed to my house.  Our house had belonged to a Stanton since my great grandfather had come to America from England.  The property sat on 10 acres of land with a path that led down to the private beach.

“I’m gonna need the keys.  You can pack a few things now, and then in a day or so you come back with some boxes,” Sebastian said, matter of factly.

I was having trouble finding my words, “your serious?  This isn’t some cruel joke cooked up by your leader to piss me off?”  I asked, folding up the deed and placing it back in the envelope.  I wanted to tear it up into tiny pieces, but I knew the document I held in my hand was likely just a copy.”

“You wish, sweetheart,” Sebastian said, taking the envelope back.

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Can you, for those who don’t know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author?

When I was about 14, I started writing poetry and short stories. I’ve always wondered if I would have started writing on my own or if it’s because my mother put the idea in my brain when I was younger.   She said I wrote a story in 3rd grade that made sense and I should pursue writing.  

If you knew you’d die tomorrow, how would you spend your last day?

I’d want all the things I love around me: my pets, close family/friends, a favorite book or two.  I also want to be in a beautiful place like the beach or mountains.

What are you passionate about these days?

Animal causes, nature photography, and creativity

Describe yourself in 5 words or less!

Introvert. Dreamer. Compassionate. Idealist. Independent

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I think you’re a writer in your heart/soul.  So, in my teens/early 20s.  Publishing, whether traditional or self-publishing, is “the icing”!  

Do you have a favorite movie?

Pride & Prejudice (Knightly/McFadden version particularly) is one.

Which of your novels can you imagine made into a movie? 

Tristan.

What inspired you to write this book?

I’m a fan of bully romances (even though I sometimes wonder why – I guess we can tolerate a lot in fiction), so I wanted to write one of my own.  

What can we expect from you in the future?

I’d love to write a romantasy.  Other than that, I definitely want to keep exploring different subgenres in romance.  Maybe a mystery.  

Where did you come up with the names in the story?

The fun part of creating characters is that I get to pick out names I like and use them as my made-up people.

What did you enjoy most about writing this book?  

Getting to explore a new subgenre in my writing, and hoping it works as well as some I’ve read.

Tell us about your main characters- what makes them tick?

Liam is complicated.  He feels more than he allows anyone to know, including himself.  Alyssa knows what she loves and wants.  But she can’t fathom why her best friend/crush could change so much. 

How did you come up with the title of your first novel?

I had the princess part of the FMC first, then realizing the journey she would be forced to face made pawn a natural fit (The Princess Pawn).  

What book do you think everyone should read? 

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

Do the characters all come to you at the same time or do some of them come to you as you write?

No, the characters definitely don’t show up at the same time.  

Do you see writing as a career?

Yes. But for me, at this point, it’s my creative outlet.  I work a day job that is fine, but uninspiring.  

Do you read yourself and if so, what is your favorite genre?  

I love reading and right now my favorite genre is romance.

Do you prefer to write in silence or with noise? Why? 

It really depends on my mood as I’ve done both.

If you could have been the author of any book ever written, which book would you choose?   That’s a tough one; maybe Stieg Larsson’s dragon tattoo series.  Or Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches series.  Or Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird.

Tell us about a favorite character from a book.

Lisbeth Salander is a bad ass. 

Advice they would give new authors?

Don’t be discouraged if you can’t get a plan/outline together for a book idea.  Take one chapter, one character, etc at a time and it will build into a novel.

Describe your writing style.

Descriptive (I hope)

What makes a good story?

Ultimately, something that makes you feel (sometimes that as simple as entertained or transported). 

Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want? 

So far, I’ve kind of let what I come up with lead the way.

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

Believe in abilities (talent) and keep writing/creativity an active part of your life, always (even if it’s not published).

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Rowan St. George writes romance and poetry, finishing her
first book, The Princess Pawn, in July 2020. She is ride or die about reading
and wants to explore as many subgenres in her writing as her TBR does. Rowan is
an INFP, loves period pieces, just as much as sci-fi shows, and wishes
daydreaming was a full-time job. She grew up in Northern Virginia and now lives
in North Carolina with her family.

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

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Signed Paperback and Swag Pack,

$30 Amazon

 – 1 winner each!

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