What inspired you to start writing?

I’ve always been an avid reader, since I was first able to read. When I wasn’t reading I would find myself making up my own stories in my mind. I would jot them down as a preteen and teen and then as I got older life got in the way and I never stopped reading but the writing became just wishful thinking. Then I met Cherry Adair, author and mentor extraordinaire. She encouraged me to write and I started toying with it again and then life happened. AGAIN. Over the last year or so I watched and followed and read all of these fantastic Indie author’s and one day K. Bromberg said something about writing for her because she needed to be more than a wife, mother, etc and it was like this little light went off and so I wrote. I never expected to actually share it with anyone, I was just doing it for me. After I got serious, really serious I had the most amazing support team. I still do and none of this would be possible without them.

Do you have other stories after Deacon?

I’ll have book two in the Caged Love series and then maybe a novella for one of the brothers. Aside from that I have a rocker in my head who has been screaming at me for a long while now so he may finally get his turn too.

Do you see yourself in any of the characters? Frankie or Indie?

I see a lot of me in Frankie I think. Except that I can’t dance. Like, at all. My best friends since fourth grade are two guys. I grew up surrounded by them and their friends, also guys. lol I was feminine but didn’t take any shit ya know? I went through some trying times and came out stronger in the end and I think that you’ll see that Frankie has found that strength and will continue to find it. Indie has a little bit of me but a WHOLE lot of one of my very best friends. She’s who inspired Indie, even her name.

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I am seeing a ton of buzz about Love Hurts, this has to be the best debut book I have ever read, is this your first book or have you written some unreleased book?

First of all thank you! It is INSANE to even hear you say that! This is my very first. It’s crazy to even think that I finished it let alone shared it with others to read. Like I said, I’ve written things, but never anything more than a few hundred words. Poems, ideas, plots on scraps of paper or whatever but a book? A whole story? No. This is my first. If I told you where this book all started you would die lol

#4

Your book is coming out so soon, how are you feeling about this?

It’s all surreal. I was telling Jessica earlier that this book almost didn’t even happen. I was going through a hellacious semester, two young boys at home and zero writing time. I was about halfway through with it when my semester ended and I gave myself the summer to finish it. If it was not finished by the day before my next semester started I was shelving it. Thankfully I had a kick ass sprinting partner who cracked the whip and I actually finished with about a week to spare.

Mandi Beck'S BIO

Writer, wife,mom, student and avid reader. Love Hurts is my debut novel and will be shared in early 2015

BEST DEBUT ALBUM I'VE EVER READ!

You need to check out Mandi Beck's first book LOVE HURTS :)

And our bonus questions,

AND JUST BECAUSE I LOVE DEACON SO MUCH

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Is Deacon based on a real person?

HA! Well, Deac is a lot of my husband. He’s not perfect, he’s a total alpha, crude and a little bit of a caveman at times but he loves me hard no matter what I throw at him. I would have never told him because I knew there would be no living with him but I couldn’t help it when I got my first round of edits back and my editor asked if I meant for Deacon to be a temperamental douche? I laughed so hard and said to Mr. Beck, “My editor said you’re a douche.” I won’t repeat what he said, it was very Deac. ;)

#6

If so, can I have his number?

Um, no. No you cannot. Unless you want to talk to me lol