Showing posts with label #ChapterByChapter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #ChapterByChapter. Show all posts

Monday, December 18, 2017

BLOG TOUR & AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Erica Cameron for "Sea of Strangers (The Ryogan Chronicles, #2)"


Sea of Strangers (The Ryogan Chronicles, #2)
by Erica Cameron
Publication Date: December 5, 2017
Publisher: Entangled Teen

Know your enemy if you want to survive…

The only way for Khya to get her brother back alive is to kill Varan — the immortal ruler who can’t be killed. But not even Varan knew what he was doing when he perverted magic and humanity to become immortal.

Khya’s leading her group of friends and rebels into the mountains that hold Varan’s secrets, but if risking all their lives is going to be worth it, she has to give up everything else — breaking the spell that holds her brother captive and jeopardizing her deepening relationship with Tessen, the boy who has been by turns her rival and refuge since her brother disappeared. Immortality itself might be her only answer, but if that’s where Khya has to go, she can’t ask Tessen or her friends to follow.

Purchase Links:

OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES:

~AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Erica Cameron~

1) What gave you the inspiration for the storyline?  

Everything about Sea of Strangers came from Island of Exiles, honestly. With second books, that’s normally how it goes. The shape of the first story and the arc changes the shape of the second one. I had to start Strangers where Exiles left off, but finding the right path to take from there wasn’t easy. I had to rewrite the whole book—as in scrap it and start over—twice. The only chapter that has remained the same from the first draft to the last (more or less, anyway) is chapter one. What’s interesting, actually, is that an early version of the chapter was printed in the back of Island of Exiles, so for those who find the editing process interesting, you can compare that version to the one that will appear in the final version of Sea of Strangers.

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

Definitely. There are certain questions I play with and messages woven throughout the series. However, one of the best things about reading is that everyone who approaches a story is going to walk away from it with a different interpretation. I love that, so I try not to tell people too much about what I buried in the sand. I like seeing what others dig up when they go searching.

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

Not really. Although my own life experience is going to invariably influence the characters I create, I don’t purposefully shape my characters after anyone I know. Or use the names of anyone I’m close to. Exceptions have to be made for incredibly common names, of course, but it’s a rule I’ve mostly stuck to in my books.

4) Who has influenced you most as a writer?

There are hundreds of authors whose work I’ve adored over the years, but Tamora Pierce and Stephenie Meyer have definitely had an especially large impact on me. In my personal life, my dad is the one who introduced me to science fiction and fantasy, and my mom is the one who encouraged me to chase the dream of creating my own. My sister was my first fan, consuming all of my early attempts at writing with encouraging relish, and several of my friends were my first editors, gently steering me toward being a better writer. So many people have influenced me—both in my life and from afar—and without any one of them, I might not be the writer I am today.

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?

That’s such a hard choice! There’s something about favorite characters from childhood books, though, that makes an impact. I’ve always wanted to meet the characters from Tamora Pierce’s Tortall universe, and Lyra from the His Dark Materials series. I’d also love to have a conversation with Phèdre nó Delaunay de Montrève  from Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel saga, because she is an absolutely fascinating character.

AUTHOR INFO:


Erica Cameron is the author of books for young adults including the Ryogan Chronicles, the Assassins duology, and The Dream War Saga. She also co-authored the Laguna Tides novels with Lani Woodland. An advocate for asexuality and emotional abuse awareness, Erica has also worked with teens at a residential rehabilitation facility in her hometown of Fort Lauderdale.


Giveaway Information:
Sea of Strangers Prize Pack, including:**
* A signed copy of Sea of Strangers
* A $20 Visa gift card
* A swag pack
**For international: 1 copy from book depository and a $20 Visa gift card

Check out the entire Tour Schedule for "Sea of Strangers" here!

@chapterxchapter  @byericacameron  @entangledteen
#EntangledTeen

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

BLOG TOUR & AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Melanie McFarlane for "Here Skies Surround Us (Dome 1618, #2)"


Here Skies Surround Us (Dome 1618, #2)
by Melanie McFarlane
Publication Date:  November 21, 2017
Publisher:  Month9Books

Nat leaves her home, Dome 168, just as they begin to colonize on the outside. She travels with Evan to his home, Dome 569, to deliver a replica of the immune serum and allow Evan to report back to his mother, Caroline. But when they arrive, members of the “New Order” take them into custody and Nat and Evan are separated, once again.

Thankfully she is reunited with her uncle, Alec, who takes Nat under his protection. But Nat has a lot to learn about Evan’s home, a progressive dome that colonized on the outside over a decade ago. There are many rules in Dome 569 put in place by Caroline; some that come with sharp and sometimes deadly consequences when broken. Here, Nat learns of the struggles that can come with change, and how tearing down the old ways doesn’t always make things better overall. In the process, she uncovers truths that could tear down the kingdom Caroline has sacrificed to protect, and in turn puts Nat at risk.

Will Nat be able to protect Evan from the lies, or will he succumb to them for the sake of his family, just as his mother did many years before? As Nat uncovers the secrets of Dome 569, will she be willing to give up her morals and values to pay the price for freedom, or die fighting for what she believes in?


Purchase Links:

OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES:

~AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Melanie McFarlane~

1)    What inspired you to become a writer?

I’ve always loved to read and use my imagination to create stories. Over the years I’ve indulged in gaming, movies, and other entertainment, but I’ve always came back to books. When I finally had my own story idea, it just kind of took off, and I never looked back!

2)    What was the hardest part of writing this book?

Sequels are a little harder than first books, because you have to try to continue to develop your characters from book one, while keeping an overall story arc. But I have to say, I fell in love with Here Skies Surround Us instantly… almost (dare I say) more that book one!!

3)    Did you learn anything from writing the book that you weren’t expecting?

I really focused on learning how to deepen my characters internally and externally. A character needs to develop over the life of a series, and Nat and Evan were no different.

4)    Who is your favorite author and what it is that you enjoy about their work?

My favourite all-time author is Ray Bradbury. He was my introduction to dystopian worlds.

5)    If you could have any three literary characters over to your place for movie night, who would you invite, what would you watch, what would you serve, and why? 

I’m not sure I want to hang out with any of my favourite bookish characters in real life!! Haha. I like my books a little on the scarier side. Hmmm… maybe Blanca from Genesis Girl by Jennifer Bardsley, Cassie from Of The Trees by E.M. Fitch, and Chelsea from Gyre by Jessica Gunn. We could all sit around and watch some Grey’s Anatomy talking about how much the boys in our lives drive us bonkers!!

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Melanie McFarlane is a passionate writer of other-wordly adventures, a little excitable, and a little quirky. Whether it’s uncovering the corruption of the future, or traveling to other worlds to save the universe, she jumps in with both hands on her keyboard. Though she can be found obsessing over zombies and orcs from time to time, Melanie has focused her powers on her YA debut There Once Were Stars, and her YA urban fantasy Summoner Rising.

She lives with her husband and two daughters in the Land of Living Skies.


Giveaway Details:
One (1) winner will receive an Echo Dot (INT):


#McFarlaneBooks

Friday, October 6, 2017

BLOG TOUR & AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Nicole Conway for "Savage (Dragonrider Legacy, #1)"


Savage (Dragonrider Legacy, #1)
by Nicole Conway
Publication Date:  September 26, 2017
Publisher:  Month9Books

"Savage" begins the "Dragonrider Legacy" series, a thrilling companion to the international bestselling "Dragonrider Chronicles."

Never send a hero to do a monster’s job.

Forty years have passed since Jaevid Broadfeather brought peace to Maldobar and Luntharda. But that fragile truce will be tested as darkness gathers on the horizon. The vicious armies of the Tibran Empire have crossed the far seas and are threatening to destroy Maldobar completely. Not even the dragonriders can match the Tibran war machines. And after an attempt to awaken Jaevid from his divine sleep fails, the fate of Maldobar is looking grim.

Reigh has never known what it means to be a normal human. Raised amongst the gray elves in the wild jungle of Luntharda, he’s tried everything to fit in. But the dark power within him is bursting at the seams — refusing to be silenced. And while his adoptive father, Kiran, insists this power must be kept secret, Reigh knows he’s running out of time.

As Maldobar burns, the world is desperate for a new hero. Destiny has called, and one boy will rise to answer.

Purchase Links:
 Google Play | BAM | Chapters | Indies | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | iBooks


~AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Nicole Conway~

1) What gave you the inspiration for the storyline? 

I think what motivated me the most was the desire to write the next portion of Jaevid’s story. The Dragonrider Chronicles is just the beginning. It’s his origins. But in this series we will see him truly come into his own. So my inspiration was my desire to complete his story and also introduce his opposite in our new hero, Reigh.

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

The theme of family is one I really dig into with this book. What does it mean to be “family?” Is it something we get to choose? And more importantly, how does it define us? These are the kinds of question our new hero, Reigh, is going to be faced with. He is a human being raised in the kingdom of the elves. That is the only life he’s known, and yet he doesn’t feel like he is a part of that family – or rather, that he doesn’t deserve to be a part of it. I guess we will have to see what answers he finds along his journey! 

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

Yes and no. I prefer to borrow little aspects of some people, habits or specific characteristics, rather than trying to render an entire person into a character. Are there aspects of these characters that come from people in my life? Oooooh yes.

Probably my favourite is Princess Jenna Farrow because she is the first and ONLY character I have ever dared to put bits of myself into. Usually, I intentionally avoid that. I guess, like Jenna, I hate facing my reflection. But in her case, I decided to make this one exception. She’s a warrior at heart, brave, fiercely loyal, but also battling her own internal demons of self-doubt, anxiety, and feelings of inadequacy. She has a hard time looking at herself in the mirror because all she can see is what she isn’t. She is withdrawn and uncertain around other women because she lacks the social confidence that seems to come so effortlessly to others. But put a sword in her hand and an enemy in her path, and she becomes a formidable force.
               
4) Who has influenced you most as a writer?

A lot of people have influenced me along the way in many different ways. My mother is the reason I love telling stories. I was homeschooled and my mother made it a point to read to me every single day. She opened up the world for me through books and stories. It put a fire in my gut to create worlds of my own—a fire that has yet to die. I don’t think it ever will.

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? 

Awesome question!!! And super hard to pick. Hmmm….

I guess it would be a night of the Mario Kart. I’d play with Leo Valdez (Percy Jackson), Zeph Clemmont (Mad Magic), and Drizzt Do’Urden (The Dark Elf Trilogy). We’d have pizza and hot wings. I’d probably make a pan of brownies. Basically just keep it simple and have a good time! 


 Nicole is the author of the children’s fantasy series, THE DRAGONRIDER CHRONICLES, about a young boy’s journey into manhood as he trains to become a dragonrider. She has completed the first two books in the series, and is now working on the third and final book.

Originally from a small town in North Alabama, Nicole moves frequently due to her husband’s career as a pilot for the United States Air Force. She received a B.A. in English with a concentration in Classics from Auburn University, and will soon attend graduate school.

She has previously worked as a freelance and graphic artist for promotional companies, but has now embraced writing as a full-time occupation.

Nicole enjoys hiking, camping, shopping, cooking, and spending time with her family and friends. She also loves watching children’s movies and collecting books. She lives at home with her husband, two cats, and dog. 

Website • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads

Giveaway Details:
Kindle Fire + Drawing Dragons book + signed art from the author 

And check out the Blog Tour Schedule for "Savage" at Chapter by Chapter!

Monday, September 18, 2017

BLOG TOUR & AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Jerico Lenk for "The Missing"


The Missing
The Curious Cases of Will Winchester and the Black Cross
by Jerico Lenk
Publication Date: October 10, 2017
Publisher: Month9Books
  
SYNOPSIS:

Dark proclivities, excess, and outlandish curiosities prevail in 1890's London. Around the city, a battle rages between the living and the dead. The Black Cross, tasked to keep the peace, are quickly losing ground. 

Sixteen-year-old Willow Winchester, lives life as a boy called "Will" in his father's house of distinguished ladies, all but invisible to the wealthy Londoners who frequent. It's an easy ruse since his mother's death left his father's attention to fall upon business matters. But this isn't his only secret. 

When Will unwittingly becomes involved in a Black Cross ghost hunt, his uncanny ability to sense supernatural beings comes to light and the Black Cross wants him in their service. Suddenly, Will's free to be himself. 

But such freedom will come with a price, as Will fights for the acceptance of the only father he's ever known.

Now, part of a team of misfits and unlikely allies, Will finds he isn't the only one keeping secrets. Someone does not want him to uncover the truth about those who aren’t just missing from the world of the living, but missing from history itself.

Can he find the Missing before he ends up becoming one of them?
  



 ~AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Jerico Lenk~

 1) What gave you the inspiration for the storyline? 

A conglomeration of books I’ve read (Anne Rice, Bloody Jack, The Meaning of Night, manga like Black Butler and D.Gray-Man, etc.), shows and movies I’ve watched (Ghost Hunters, Ghost Adventures, etc.), and a writing prompt given to me by a friend that isn’t PG-13 enough to be appropriate for a blog post.    

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

Only the ones I didn’t even realize I stuck in there. Which happens. A lot.

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

I think everyone can find a little bit of themselves in any character; fiction writing, a writer’s entire body of work, is often an accidental memoir. So, yes. Probably.

4) Who has influenced you most as a writer?

Anne Rice. Michael Cox. Chuck Palahniuk. Stephen King. Caseyvalhalla. Madeline Miller and Mary Renault.

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? 

Marius de Romanus, Lestat de Lioncourt, and Louis de Pointe du Lac, to play something probably only Lestat really wants to play, though he might just talk most of the time. Obviously we’ll have someone there to snack on, or we’d have pre-funked. Oh, I forgot to mention, I’m Armand in this scenario.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Undergraduate studying Creative Writing, Classics, Russian and Western European History. Unabashed weeb probably burning incense and drinking too much coffee at this very moment. Out for queer representation and great sex hair. Beyond ready for the upcoming Vampire Chronicles TV series. Lenk writes Young Adult/New Adult, spec fiction, poetry, and screenplays. He is currently unagented. His poems have appeared at/in USF Tampa’s Thread Literary Inquiry, biannual 6x6 creative writing showcase, and placed second in National Poetry Month 2015; Tethered By Letters’ F(r)iction Spring 2016 poetry contest finalist; winner of the 2017 Bettye Newman Poetry award.


Giveaway Details:
·         One (1) winner will receive an Echo Dot



Monday, September 11, 2017

BLOG TOUR & AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Tobie Easton for "Submerge (Mer Chronicles, #2)"


Submerge (Mer Chronicles, #2)
by Tobie Easton
Publication Date:  September 12, 2017
Publisher:  Month9Books


Now that Lia and Clay’s love has broken the Little Mermaid’s curse, everything has changed. Will Lia’s family remain on land, leading the only life she and her sisters have ever known, or will they move below the waves, to the sparkling new capital city? Lia is adamant about staying on land with Clay for her senior year. But at Melusine and her father’s trial, new revelations threaten what Lia holds most dear.

The verdict will shake Lia’s whole world, calling into question her future with Clay, her feelings for Caspian, and the fate of all Merkind. As she wonders who to trust, Lia sets out on a treacherous path that will lead her away from her sheltered Malibu home to a remote and mysterious school for Mermaids—Mermaids who may hold the secret to ancient magic Lia can use to either get back all she’s lost or to embark on a thrilling and dangerous journey.
  

 Google Play | BAM | Chapters | Indies | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | iBooks

 ~AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Tobie Easton~

1)      What gave you the inspiration for the storyline?

The idea for Emerge came to me while I was swimming laps (seriously!).  As a kid, every time I went swimming, I pretended to be a mermaid.  I was remembering that while I was swimming laps, and I started to wonder what life would be like for mermaids who lived on land.  That’s when my brain started spinning the story for what would become Emerge, and eventually, the rest of the Mer Chronicles series.
Once I had decided to tell that story of mermaids on land, I couldn’t help thinking about the original version of The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen, particularly the part that’s generally left out of more modern versions—that the Little Mermaid chose to die at the end instead of killing the prince and saving herself (yep, it’s a dark story!).  I began to imagine what the consequences of that action might have been for modern mermaids.

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

I want each reader to make up their own mind about what the themes of the story are to them.  I will say, one important element of the book is its moral ambiguity, which is something we all have to learn to cope with more as we grow older.  Also, Book 1 was very much about learning when to break rules, and Book 2, as an extension of that, focuses more on the personal consequences of breaking those rules and how your sense of yourself evolves as you grow up.  Book 3, which I’m writing now, is about making your own rules.  Anything deeper is entirely up to the reader.

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

All my characters have at least some small piece of me (which I think is how I connect to each one of them and find their voices).  Lia, the protagonist, is a lot like I was in high school in terms of the way she thinks and how she expresses herself.  Her oldest sister Emeraldine is a lot like I am now.  Both consider love invaluable.  I also really relate to Caspian’s love of learning.  And I wish I were as cool and witty as Lia’s twin sisters, Lapis and Lazuli.  The only character who is very similar to someone in real life is Lia’s dad, who is a lot like mine.

4) Who has influenced you most as a writer?

Most definitely my mom.  She’s the one who instilled in me a deep love of words.  She also gave me the confidence in myself that you need as a writer because the publishing industry can be hard and entails a lot of rejection.  My mom’s influence is very present throughout the series because she raised me to question fairy tales as well as to love them.

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?

Wow.  What a fantastic question!  My answer definitely involves Professor Snape and a game of Pretty Pretty Princess!  You know, the one where you have to put on all the plastic jewellery in the same color to win?  I loved that game as a kid, and I can just picture Snape glowering in one of those colourful plastic necklaces with matching earrings.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
  

 Tobie Easton was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, where she’s grown from a little girl who dreamed about magic to a twenty-something who writes about it. A summa cum laude graduate of the University of Southern California, Tobie hosts book clubs for tweens and teens. She and her very kissable husband enjoy traveling the globe and fostering packs of rescue puppies. Learn more about Tobie and her upcoming books on www.TobieEaston.com.
  



Giveaway Details:
·         One (1) winner will receive a Kindle Fire

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

BLOG TOUR & AUTHOR INTERVIEW with F.M. Boughan for "Cinderella, Necromancer"


Cinderella, Necromancer 
by F.M. Boughan
Publication Date:  September 5, 2017
Publisher:  Month9Books
  
Darkness can only be controlled by those with the darkest of hearts.

Ellison lost her mother at an early age. Now, sixteen, her father has found love again. He’s happy and doesn’t quite notice that Ellison does not get along with his new wife or her vicious daughters.

When Ellison discovers a necromantic tome while traveling the secret passages of her father’s mansion, she wonders if it could be the key to her eventual freedom.

Until then, she must master her dark new power, even as her stepmother makes her a servant in her own home. And when her younger brother falls incurably ill, Ellison will do anything to ease his pain, including falling prey to her stepmother’s and stepsisters’ every whim and fancy.

Stumbling into a chance meeting with Prince William during a secret visit to her mother’s grave feels like a trick of fate when her stepmother refuses to allow Ellison to attend a palace festival where she might see him once more.

But what if Ellison could see the kind and handsome prince again? What if she could attend the festival? What if she could have everything she’s ever wanted and deserved by conjuring spirits to take revenge on her cruel stepmother? And what if she actually liked watching her stepmother suffer?

As Ellison’s power grows, she loses control over the evil spirits meant to do her bidding. And as they begin to exert their own power over Ellison, it becomes harder to tell whether it is she or her stepmother who is the true monster.

CINDERELLA NECROMANCER is CINDER meets ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD and was inspired by a real medieval grimoire of necromancy from 15th-century Germany.


Google Play | BAM | Chapters | Indies | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | iBooks

  ~AUTHOR INTERVIEW with F.M. Boughan~


1) What gave you the inspiration for the storyline?  

One year at Christmas, I received a copy of the book Magic in the Middle Ages, written by a professor at Northwestern University. One particular chapter in the book talks about the practice of black magic by the clergy in the 15th-century, which inspired me to track down the professor’s second book on the topic, Forbidden Magic.

That book contains a translation of a real grimoire from 15th-century Germany, and somehow between reading that and thinking about fairy tales—and how I wished that girls in fairy tales had a chance to fight back rather than wait to be rescued—my brain put these two things together and, well, here we are!

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

I wouldn’t say any of the themes are particularly hidden. I wrote the book with the aim to show how good can triumph over evil regardless of the circumstances—that there is always light in dark places—and that even people doing the wrong things for the right reasons can be forces for good. I don’t ever want to glamorize evil. My intention here, which I tried to make very clear, was to demonstrate how evil can be overcome when good people, no matter how flawed, stand up and fight back.

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

Not in this book! Well, unless you count Liesl’s love of sweets. I’m a dessert fiend. I’d eat it every day if I could, and I’m unabashed about my love for sugar. I mean, everything in moderation, but if there’s an element of anyone in these characters, it’s my unapologetic adoration for desserts as displayed by Ella’s friend Liesl. I mean, she attends the balls basically for the free food, and I’m not going to lie—99% of the time, that’s literally my reason for leaving the house and going to a social event.

4) Who has influenced you most as a writer?

I’ve had many influences, because I’ve tried to learn and study from as many people as possible (and still do). I think one of the biggest influences, however, has been Holly Lisle. She offered two “big” writing courses a number of years ago—How to Think Sideways and How to Revise Your Novel—and they were both indispensable resources for my growth as a writer. I still use many of her techniques, particularly in the early stages of preparing a draft.

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? 

You realize that this is an impossible question, right? It’s so hard to choose! So, let’s go with a combination of people who I’d love to watch interact with each other.

Hercule Poirot, Sherlock Holmes, and Katniss Everdeen. And we’d play Clue.

I’d serve popcorn and tiny cups of espresso, because I think it would be hilarious to watch the refined Poirot and Holmes munching on popcorn, and I’d love to see what happens when all three of those rather large egos get fully caffeinated.
I imagine Poirot and Holmes would argue about whodunit while playing Clue, and Katniss would just get frustrated with the endless bickering and either tell them off for their nonsense or have a nap and eat the rest of the popcorn while they weren’t looking. And then she’d probably get the answer right in an off-handed comment in the last moment of the game.

Either way, it’d be a fully entertaining evening for me at least!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 


F.M. Boughan is a bibliophile, a writer, and an unabashed parrot enthusiast. She can often be found writing in local coffee shops, namely because it’s hard to concentrate with a cat lying on the keyboard and a small, colorful parrot screaming into her ear. Her work is somewhat dark, somewhat violent, somewhat hopeful, and always contains a hint of magic.


Giveaway Details:
·         One (1) winner will receive an  Echo Dot

Link to Tour Schedule: