Featured Interview With Shelby Hailstone Law
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised in Georgia my whole life (besides a brief stint in the Rockies while my dad finished school during my toddler years), and I love being here so much that I dragged my husband to come live here too after we got married! We’re back in my hometown of Acworth, where we’re raising our two kids with a love of reading and learning.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have always loved books. My mom would put books on cassette tape on in my room to keep me busy, and by the time I was two, I could recite “The Cat in the Hat” from memory! By the time I was in elementary school, I wanted to write my own princess stories, and by the time I hit middle school, I tried my hand at writing larger stories. My first published book, “Lady Thief,” was actually written when I was fourteen. I never stopped writing, though I did take a brief break from publishing during college and early married life. My husband knew how much writing meant to me, though, and encouraged me to get back into it.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I can’t say enough wonderful things about Agatha Christie. I could spend hours reading her Hercule Poirot stories. But I’m also a sucker for a good “coming of age” fantasy, especially the Books of Pellinor, an underrated high fantasy series that makes me cry every time I read it.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
My most recent book is “Death Flirts Back,” a story about a girl who falls in love with a Grim Reaper. I’ve had this idea bouncing around in my head for years, and in 2023, I finally sat down to write it. One year later, I published it in October 2024, and I’m ridiculously proud of my first-ever foray into paranormal romance!
Everything I write is clean, because I’m a practicing member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but I don’t think that detracts from the romance at all. In fact, this story is largely built around how dangerous it is for Abigail, the main character, to fall in love with an agent of Death itself!
Check out this synopsis:
Abigail’s family is cursed.
Generations ago, a man made a deal with a Grim Reaper, hoping to gain eternal life. In the process, he had promised to give that Reaper a mass murder, a gift of many souls to shepherd to the other side. Abigail’s ancestor escaped, and Reapers have followed her whole family ever since. The deal remains unfinished so long as she and her family walk the earth.
In an attempt to cope with an emissary of Death following her around all the time, Abigail has taken to talking to her otherworldly shadow. In all her years, not one Reaper has ever talked back to her.
Until one day, a young Reaper lowers his hood.
Now, Abigail struggles to find the balance between keeping herself safe from her family curse and getting closer to this Reaper. He’s curious, cute, and interested in ending the curse so he can get back to his normal job. But when a single mistake could be fatal for Abigail, how can she trust him?
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