Re/Bound by Michele Zurlo Blog Tour - Interview/Giveaway

Good Morning everyone.  Great character interview and don't forget to leave a comment with your email address for a chance at at $5 gift card from Michelle.  Good luck!

Losing her master ripped Darcy's world apart. Falling in love put it back together. Malcolm is an undercover agent, and she's his unwitting asset. Can a relationship built on lies survive the truth?

 Picking herself up after the devastating loss of her master is more difficult than Darcy anticipated. Just when she needs someone the most, a handsome Dom steps in and helps her out. Theo is thoughtful, dominant, and demanding -- everything she needs. He pushes her boundaries, tests her limits, and takes her to new heights. With him, she remembers what it is to feel joy and love and a firm hand on her ass.

Agent Malcolm Legato is after a corrupt businessman, and Darcy is his ticket into the upper echelon of Snyder Corp. As "Theo," he makes contact with her and cultivates her as an asset. Since she's also a suspect in her master's disappearance, he can't reveal himself to her, even when he realizes she's another of Snyder's victims. He falls hard for this feisty submissive, and he knows he'll break her heart the moment she finds out he's been lying to her all along.

When it all falls apart, will Darcy be able to find the strength to forgive Malcolm so they can build a life together and the courage to bring justice to the man she loved and lost?

Interview with Darcy

1. Your lost you first Master, your fiancé, tragically and unexpectedly. What made you decide it was time to move on with your life?

Darcy: That's not an easy question to answer. I don't think I made a conscious decision to move on. I agreed to present at that conference only because I wanted to honor Scott's memory. He was proud of me, of my success in building my grant writing business. He was my rock when things were tough and my cheerleader when I needed encouragement. I couldn't let what we'd built be destroyed because I was sick with grief. Then I met Malcolm, or Theo as he was calling himself then, and I took a chance. I won't lie and say it's been easy. I still struggle with guilt. I still miss him. I think I'll always miss him. It's a little easier now that I know definitively what happened. But I truly believe that Scott wanted me to move on, that he wanted me to find happiness again, and that he wanted me to be with Malcolm. I think he had a hand in sending Malcolm to me.

2. Malcolm really challenges you to redefine your boundaries and you seemed to take it pretty well. Why?

Darcy: I've never been satisfied with the status quo. I've always been driven to challenge myself, to take chances and see what new dimensions those chances add to my life. I'm not reckless or anything. I believe in calculated risk. I took a chance in starting my business, but I do have an MBA, so it's not like I lack the necessary background. I firmly believe a good Dom pushes his sub to become more than what she (or he) was before or is now. Everybody has the capacity for greatness, and it's so much easier to reach that potential when someone you love and trust is standing behind you, ready to prop you up when you think you're going to fall -- literally or figuratively. So really, I expect my Master to push my boundaries, and he needs to expect me to push his. I want us both to work at personal growth. I think I would lose respect for him if he didn't constantly challenge me.

3.  What first attracted you to Malcolm?

Darcy: If I say I was first attracted to him for his devastating good looks, would you think poorly of me? >smile< He's the epitome of a hot geek, and I've always found that dichotomy very knee-weakening. I also liked the fact that he didn't push me. I was in a very vulnerable place and he recognized that. He respected my feelings. He wanted to talk to me, get to know me. I know now that it was part of his cover, but I also know he wasn't faking his interest. A woman likes to know the man she's with appreciated her for her brains and her looks. That's hot.

4. What are Malcolm's best and worst quality?

Darcy: I like his strength of will and his extremely kissable lips. He has a depth to his eyes that almost defies description. A lot of Doms I know really work to be inscrutable, but I don't really think not being able to read someone equates to emotional strength. I think it points to somebody who is emotionally unavailable, and I don't find that attractive. Malcolm doesn't wear his heart on his sleeve, but he doesn't hide his emotions from me. He's also fiercely loyal, protective of those he loves, and a good cook. I cannot overstate the importance of a man who can cook.

Bad qualities? I can't think of any. He's arrogant, but I don't see that as a bad quality. I find it attractive.

5. How has being in a BDSM relationship affected your relationship with your family?

Darcy: That's another dicey topic. My parents don't know. They hated Scott because they thought he abused me. It didn't seem to matter how we explained it, whenever they saw a bruise or a welt or I ended up needing medical care (Scott and I weren't as safe as we should have been when we were first learning about BDSM) they forgot everything we said. Now that I'm with Mal, they've retired to Florida, so I'm just not telling them anything.

Malcolm has been really good for my relationship with my older sister, Amy. He took the time to get to know her, to educate her in a way she could understand. Well, I wouldn't say she understands, but she has a better handle on it. We've become quite close, which is a relief to me because we used to be close when we were teenagers. I missed having that with her.

6. You're submissive, but you're not at all a pushover. How do you balance your insistence on getting what you want with your desire to please?

Darcy: I think that if you're with a Dom who loves you, then he naturally wants to make sure you're happy. A relationship isn't about one person. It's about two people, and there's a lot of give and take involved, and that negotiation isn't limited to sex. Some people are under the impression that being a submissive means you can't have wants or and you need to communicate them to your Master or Mistress. They aren't mind readers. They will appreciate your openness and honestly. If they don't, find someone who will.

7. What advice would you give someone who is looking to experiment with BDSM?

Darcy: Research. Read. Talk to people in the BDSM community. A lot of us are more than happy to be mentors and help you navigate your way through this sometimes strange world. We want you to be safe and develop a healthy practice. You can connect with people in your area. Lots of local events are posted on FetLife. It takes some courage to go to one by yourself or if you don't know anybody, but take that chance. It's worth it!

8. Anything else?

Darcy: Thanks for having me! If you're interested in getting the whole scoop on my relationship with Malcolm, we wrote a book. You can find information at www.michelezurlo.com/rebound.

Tour Schedule

8/12 - Guilty Pleasures Book Review
8/13 - Redheads Review It Better
8/14 - Mrs. Condit and Friends Read Books
8/15 - Harlie's Books
8/16 - Reader's Confession
8/17 - AJ's Reading Nook
8/20 - My Secret Romance
8/21 - Black Raven's Erotic Cafe