Wednesday, May 15, 2019

BLOG TOUR & AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Shayna Grissom for "A Soul Reclaimed"

A Soul Reclaimed
by Shayna Grissom
Publication date: April 1st, 2019
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Hell is divided into seven regions. The first region is designated for the purest of souls, the seventh is for the evilest. There was once a king of Hell, but the steward family has ruled for centuries. 
Nora, the stepdaughter of the steward is undone when her mother and step-father take away her beloved tutor, Peter. When Nora confronts the steward and her mother, the discussion is heated and ends with the steward in inexplicable pain. 
Shortly after, Nora finds herself in the Starry Wood. Peter told her of the perils within the forest, and it’s not long before the inhabitants of the wood find her. 
A giant hunter named Aegis comes to Nora’s aid. He is drawn to Nora, compelled to protect her from the steward’s assassins, the giants, and the evil souls who escape the seventh region. 
Together, they travel the seven layers of Hell to discover why the steward is so threatened by a teenage girl.

~AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Shayna Grissom~

1) What gave you the inspiration for the storyline? 

Dreams give me most of my inspiration. Sometimes they are just images or ideas that I expand on, but in this case, the entire story was played out and I wrote it down.

2) Are there any hidden themes in the book that you hope readers will discover? 

There are things the souls misinterpret from the “other world” just as there are myths and legends that we misinterpret from Hell. One of the major themes is that we think we know regarding life and death are probably wrong or misunderstood.

3) Are any of the characters based on real people you know? 

No. Characters from other stories do bring inspiration, but it’s sort of a mashup to create the dynamic I want.

4) Who has influenced you most as a writer? 

Guillermo Del Toro. He mixes fairy tales and horror in such a beautiful way.
5) If you could have any three literary characters over to your place for game night, who would you invite, what would you play, what would you serve, and why? 

Virgil (A Divine Comedy) because it no doubt inspired A Soul Reclaimed. Jane Eyre, as I am currently reading her story. Lucille Sharpe because she is my favorite villain.
6) Do you feel that you can ever have too many books? 

Logistically, yes, I suppose it is possible to have too many books. That is why we have libraries and eBooks, fortunately.  

Author Bio:
Shayna Grissom was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. She currently resides in Seattle with her husband, two children, and her beloved pets. Shayna draws inspiration for her writings from binge-watching too many shows with far too much wine. She is a lover of the macabre, the strange, natural sciences, and films that feature vivid colors and imagery. Her favorite film director is Guillermo Del Toro, and her favorite books growing up were Anne Rice novels. 
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