FTC Interview: Spindle Dreams

As part of the glorious celebration that is Sleeping Beauty month over at Fairy Tale Central, I’m looking for any excuse to post SB-related content right now.

Thankfully, Arielle has answered my desperate cries for help, and she’s here today to interview me. Yes, folks, we’re here for an official Fairy Tale Central interview. In case you all somehow missed it, I’ve published a Sleeping Beauty retelling, a short thing known as Spindle Dreams.

Before we get to the interview, let me tell you a little bit about the book.

Marita Kadlec is the only daughter of Rohesia’s poorest – and laziest – weaver. Her father prefers to spend his days gambling in the tavern, leaving the spinning up to Marita. She hates the family business because she’s constantly pricking her finger on the spindle. She’d much rather be tinkering on an invention that she hasn’t had the courage to show anyone yet. A special invention that will rid her of spinning for the rest of her life.

Felix is a young nobleman plagued with the same nightmare – a giant machine, twisting and clanking, shrouded in fire, bent on pain and death. He’s determined to find out what it means, no matter where the answers may lead him.

This is Sleeping Beauty with a twist like you’ve never seen it before.

Spindle Dreams: A Sleeping Beauty Story is book two of my Once Upon a Twist Tales, mostly standalone, non-magical, slightly steampunk fairytale retellings.

AND you can pick up on Kindle now since it’s FREE this weekend! You’re welcome. *grins*

Click HERE to secure your free copy!

And now, on to the interview!

~*~

When did you first read or hear Sleeping Beauty, and what drew you to retell it?

I honestly think it was Disney that introduced me to this fairytale. You know, way back then, when the only fairytales you knew as a kid were the ones Disney told. I remember loving the music and the characters in the film, and it wasn’t until I was much older that I realized Disney really hadn’t done the original fairytale justice.

Once I began working on my own fairytale retellings, I knew I was going to retell Sleeping Beauty. I mean, it’s one of the big five fairytales. Retelling it was a given. Originally, I wanted my first SB retelling to be big and thick and chock-full of fairytale elements that Disney skipped over, but a small story pleaded to be written after I’d finished The Rose and the Balloon, and that turned out to be my second published work, Spindle Dreams. I’m still planning on doing the big SB one, but Spindle Dreams definitely has a special place in my heart.

What was your favorite element of the original tale, the thing you knew you just HAD to include in your retelling?

Honestly, I love how Sleeping Beauty isn’t woken up by a kiss. Not only is a stranger kissing a sleeping girl creepy if you think about it long enough, I’m not a huge fan kissing in books. Cue The Princess Bride: “Is this a kissing book?” In Perrault’s original fairytale, Sleeping Beauty’s 100-year-sleep wears off on its own rather than requiring someone to wake her. Some other versions have her dog or her child waking her up, each by sucking the poisoned flax out of her fingertip. (Although, you have to wonder about that; what happened to the dog/kid once they swallowed the poisoned flax? Or did they spit it out? WE’RE NOT TOLD.)

Anyway, I went more the dog route with my retelling, and had a lot of fun giving my heroine a copper-colored furball named Merryweather. (Yes, that’s a nod directly to the Disney film. Deal with it.)

Who was your favorite character in your retelling?

Human: Felix Barath. He’s basically the cinnamon roll of all my characters, and I do feel bad for what I put him through. But the poor boy bore it so well; even though his shoes aren’t often intact, his sense of humor is.

Not human: SAMSON. I did not intend for a horse to steal the show, but Samson did just that. I had WAY too much fun following that mischief-maker around. I would not be disappointed to revisit Samson in another story. *subtle cough*

Was there a character with whom you identified the most?

Probably Marita, the main character. She struggles with caring too much about what people think of her. Even though she has a big heart and wants to help people, she has a tendency to hold grudges. Marita was not supposed to be modeled after myself, but as I explored her character more and more, I saw a lot of myself coming out. Marita’s struggles were sometimes hitting closer to home than I cared to admit. It was a wake-up call, if I’m going to be perfectly frank.

Is there anything from your life that you incorporated into this story: people, places, experiences, circumstances?

Growing up, I was pretty close with both of my grandmothers. One is still living, with some health issues, but the other passed away in the middle of me writing this book. It was a rough time for me personally, since I was in college and couldn’t go home to the funeral. I originally hadn’t planned on writing Inga Kadlec into my story, but giving Marita a loving grandmother seemed natural. She needed someone who could love her unconditionally, talk nonsense and sense alternatively, and sometimes just listen — just like my grandmothers did for me.

Favorite fairy tale (relation)ship in general?

Ooh — this is a tough one! Even though I am a fan of a slow, deep romance and true love overcoming personal difficulties, I’d have to say the brothers and their sister from The Wild Swans. It has several variants, including The Twelve Brothers and The Six Swans — but the premise is almost always the same. A band of brothers are taken by an evil spell, and it’s up to the sister to save them. Added difficulty: she can’t speak until she breaks the spell. I’m a huge fan of swan stories, and I’ve wanted to retell this fairytale for a long time! The relationship and the love that the sister has for her brothers, and vice versa, is so refreshing! You don’t often see siblings interacting like that, risking everything to save a brother/sister.

If this book was a movie or TV series, who would you pick to play (or voice, if animated) the main characters?

Marita — Minus the accent, I think I’d go with Carey Mulligan? Her expressions and mannerisms from some of her earlier films seem very Marita.

Felix — Chris Pine. For me, there’s never been another voice or face for Felix.

Dmitri — Ben Barnes. For some reason, he always pops into my mind whenever I think of Dmitri.

Lucas — Probably Viggo Mortensen. There’s a roughness about his voice to me that makes me think he could nail the part of a father struggling down the wrong path.

Favorite and least favorite parts of this story to write?

Samson was, hands down, my favorite part to write. *grins* Marita and Felix’s meeting scene, which is Samson’s introduction and also the scene where he kinda runs wild, was absolutely so much fun to write.

Least favorite — probably the scenes involving Marita’s father. I really struggled connecting to him as a character, because I was never quite sure what he was going to do.

What music did you listen to while writing this story? Do the main characters have theme songs? If you don’t write to music, what music do you think best represents this story?

I listened to Tchaikovsky’s ballet Sleeping Beauty A LOT. I can’t listen to music with lyrics when I write because I get way too distracted singing. The soundtracks for Maleficent, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, and The Three Musketeers (2011) were also muchly played.

I’ve never given my characters a theme song, so I’m really not sure how to answer that one. *sheepish grin* Any readers want to recommend theme songs in the comments? I’d be all ears!!

Can you tell us a little bit about the other books in the Once Upon a Twist series and what tales they retell?

The Rose and the Balloon is the first in the series and retells Beauty and the Beast. The beginning roles of the Beast and the Beauty are reversed, with the Beast’s hand offered in marriage to make up for Beauty’s father’s roses.

Diamond is based on the fairytale Rapunzel, and although Diamond herself is a pretty typical Rapunzel character, she’s not the one trapped in the tower.

And currently, I’m working on book four of the series, The Bear of Rosethorn Ring, which is based on Snow White and Rose Red. I’ve only read one retelling of that fairytale, which is disappointing, since it’s a fantastic story! It’s a lot of fun to dig in and twist the original fairytale elements for my story.

What can you tell us about other fairy-tale retellings you’re hoping to write in the future? Like Secret of the Hazel Tree?

I want to retell ALL the fairytales! If that’s even possible. I love taking something that people love and fleshing it out and discovering new bits to it. The challenge is retelling them in a way that does justice to the original tale, since I don’t write magic. That makes things pretty tricky from time to time.

I have quite a few shorter retellings planned (set in the world of Once Upon a Twist Tales), but I’d love to get into longer retellings, much like the Sleeping Beauty story I mentioned in the first question. Once again, that will be without magic, and my goal is to explore the second half of the original fairytale (the part with the ogre mother-in-law, which is basically the part everyone always skips) and jump into what Sleeping Beauty would have awoken to if she had slept for a hundred years. I also have a Twelve Dancing Princesses retelling almost completed, The Twelfth Kingdom, which includes twelve adopted daughters, an assassin, and a continent of kingdoms bent towards war.

*guffaws* Everyone wants to know about Secret of the Hazel Tree! I’ve taken quite a long break from editing (shameful, I know), but once I have a little more free time, the plan is to finish up the polish and begin querying in the hopes of getting traditionally published. I’m sorry I can’t promise anything but that at the moment. For new friends who don’t know, Secret of the Hazel Tree is a Cinderella retelling that was first inspired by the realization that Cinderella’s father never died in the original fairytale. From there, it basically grew into a murder mystery.

~*~

And that’s it, folks! Don’t forget to pick up your FREE copy of Spindle Dreams this weekend! And do let your fellow fairytale freinds know to get a copy as well!

Tell me below: Have you read Spindle Dreams? What are some of your favorite Sleeping Beauty retellings?

Water Princess, Fire Prince (Author Interview)

 

It is my very good pleasure to introduce to you all, Kendra E. Ardnek, authoress supreme, wonderful friend, and just a fantastic and fun girl. As part of the festivities this week surrounding the release of her latest novel, Water Princess, Fire Prince, I was granted a very special interview! 

Be on the lookout for my full review of this wonderful novel on Saturday!!

~*~*~*~

I know from a previous interview you mentioned a shower and a waterfall being the inspiration for the princess. What, pray, was the prince’s inspiration? And why fire?

His inspiration were two simple little words: Love interest. Having declared this girl the Water Princess, I knew I didn’t want full responsibility of this country to rest on her slim little shoulders. Why fire? Um, because it made a good contrast with water? I was young at the time.

Will there be other elements showing up in later books (as I found references to a series on your Pinterest board)?

Well, within the book itself, there is a Wind Prince and Leaf Princess. Beyond that, you’ll have to wait and see. (Though, if you scan down the pinterest board, you’ll see tags for at least a Light Prince, and a Flower Princess, but they’re not in this book)

Who is your favorite minor character?

In this book? I’ll go with Queen Kiona of Rizkaland. She’s a character who I didn’t exactly plan, but she walked into the book with a full-blown personality and a complicated backstory. She’s fun to write, too.

 

If you could cast anyone (and I mean anyone) as the Water Princess and Fire Prince in a movie, who would you cast?

I know I want Eddie Redmayne for the Fire Prince, but I’m still considering my options for the Water Princess. My first choice was Annasophia Robb, but she’s lost a bit of her baby face since then. One of my beta readers suggested Saxon Sharbino, and while she looks perfect, she’s a bit too tall. Choices, choices, here.

What other stories do you think WPFP compares best to?

Hmm… Well, I do call the series itself a YA version of Narnia, because it has the same magic, and deals with similar issues, though in a more mature fashion.

There are also elements of Doctor Who.

Is the book’s ending exactly as you pictured it when you began writing?

It’s very different, because many of the circumstances changed over the course of writing (i.e. I moved the initial setting from Hawaii to Texas), but the heart’s the same.

I know from experience how tedious editing can be. What did you find to help the process along as you edited this story?

A group of girls who beta read it for me and then started fangirling so hard, I gave them a secret group on Goodreads, and then a secret pinterest board.

 

~*~*~*~

And just one snippet of the story to whet your appetite. You’re welcome.

 

“I’ll decide if there’s a quarrel or not,” the girl hissed. She spun back around to face Andrew. “I don’t believe it. You’re too clumsy to be the Fire Prince.”

Clumsy. Well, that was a new one.

“Well, I came out of the Firefall,” Andrew protested.

Her already narrow blue eyes narrowed even further. “So you say.”

Suddenly something clicked in Andrew’s head. She’d been quoting books from his world, including Alice in Wonderland. That meant that she must come from his world. And she fought. Very well.

“You’re the Water Princess,” he realized, wanting desperately to be wrong. She was gorgeous, and that was half the problem. The other problem was that she was staring up at him from the hilt of his sword.

“Well, well,” she said, with mocking surprise. “You can figure something out on your own after all. Yes, I’m the Water Princess, and I am not impressed.” She waved with his sword. “Turn around and march. I can ask questions of you far better at my own camp. And you, Lord Abraham, had best follow, unless you want me to give you a reason.”

 

~*~*~*~

 

Stop by Kendra’s blog for the full tour schedule! You won’t want to miss one moment of the fun!

Half-Blood Review & Author Interview

Review first!

How Jaye knew we needed this book before we even asked for it still amazes me. I absolutely loved Resistance and I’ve been dying to get my hands on a copy of The King’s Scrolls. Jace has proven himself an epic character again and again in my mind, so to get a chance to take a peek into his life before Rayad was truly amazing. If you call yourself any kind of fan of Jaye Knight’s work, then you simply must read this book.

First off, it was a lot shorter than Resistance. I really wasn’t sure what to expect reading this prequel, but even from my confused thoughts, Jaye blew me quickly away. I had been afraid at first to dive into it, lest by some terrible design the character of Jace that I had grown to respect in Resistance be damaged. Nope. No way. Instead, this novella opened up an entire new world of understanding who he really was. It added so much depth to him. I was dumbstruck. Pretty much.

I love that Jaye starts out with Jace as a younger boy. She takes us through his childhood, how he grows, what he learns from those he comes in contact with. The foreshadowing… the suspense… the desires… the pain. Wow. Instead of just throwing us directly into his gladiator fights with Jasper, Jaye gave us to see Jace before the fights. 

But the fights themselves! *whistles* I was concerned with how Jaye might handle the progress of the fights, as there were many of them over the course of… quite a long time. But she did marvelously. There were times I felt I was at the arena with Jace – fighting with him, or yelling from the sidelines. He lived up to every one of my expectations and hopes… and then of course, Jasper walked on the scene, and my heart just broke for Jace. 

Really, what more can I say than this book is a must for all Ilyon fans, fantasy lovers, and adventure nerds alike? I give five stars whole-heartedly.    

Advisory: Quite a bit of violence as Jace fights different opponents/enemies, so please expect some descriptions of that. Several characters are wounded and, as a result of his fighting, more than one death follows Jace, haunting him. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

*Please note that I was given an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.* 

~*~*~*~

For those of you who were interested, this book review will show up later this month on my book review blog, KiriBeth. I am so honored to have been able to review this novella for Jaye. 

Okay, ready for that interview now? *grins*

Half-Blood is a prequel to the Ilyon Chronicles, focusing on everybody’s favorite – Jace. What inspired you to write his backstory?

I had Jace’s backstory in my mind for a very long time. I mean, as a writer, you have to know all such details about your characters. I always wanted to write it, but the ideas sat for a while, until this last winter. I thought I would write a short story that started just before he met Rayad and tell that meeting from Jace’s point of view. Once I started it, however, it grew and grew until it spanned several years and was novella length instead of a short story. As tragic as his story is, I’m happy readers will be able to read it because it shows so clearly why he is the way he is and exactly what he has to overcome.

Did you find that exploring his background in this novella changed your perspective of Jace?

I wouldn’t say it has that much, though I didn’t realize just how compassionate he was all through his life until I wrote it. I certainly did discover some things he went through that I never knew before though. And having it all written down is sure to help as I build on his character over the next few books, especially in book three in which a lot of things from his past are brought up.

Let’s look forward into the Ilyon Chronicles. Might you share a bit of an adventure coming for Jace and his friends?

Well, how about a little scene from Samara’s Peril? 🙂

  

The sun was only just lighting the way when Jace and the others rode up to Marlton Hall the next morning. Most of the countryside was still asleep, and they hoped to be off before too many noticed their departure. Trask dismounted first and knocked on the back door. Sir John answered it, spilling light into the yard, and invited everyone inside. Anne and Lady Catherine greeted them as they entered.

Sir John closed the door behind them and gestured to the dining room table. “I have the uniforms for each of you.”

While Anne took Kyrin upstairs to change, the men stepped to the table and donned their uniforms—a deep blue and black tabard with a white dove in the center of the chest. Jace pulled his on over his shirt and buckled on his belt. Looking over the others, he found they made a diverse group, but in matching uniforms, no one would ever guess their true identities or intentions.

His eyes shifted to Trask and Sir John. They may have agreed to this, but neither one looked fully on board. If he thought it would make them feel any better, he would have told them that anyone intending harm to either Kyrin or Anne would have to kill him first, and the same went for every man in the group. He tested his sword in its sheath, making sure it didn’t stick. He’d just put a razor edge on it and his dagger the night before.

A few minutes later, Anne returned with Kyrin who wore a nondescript gray traveling dress and white cap. She looked the part of a servant, though it didn’t make her any less attractive. But Jace only let this thought form for a moment and nothing more. He’d determined not to let his feelings overshadow his reason and common sense as they nearly had yesterday.

Thank you so much, Jaye! I’m really looking forward to reading more of the Ilyon Chronicles!

Also, wonderful world of blogger, be sure to check out my post earlier today and enter the Ilyon-themed giveaway!

Water Princess, Fire Prince – Interview and Cover Reveal

My good friend Kendra is publishing another book! How that wonderful girl manages to give us so many books so quickly I’ll never know, but she is an amazing authoress. 

Today, I have the great pleasure of participating in Kendra’s cover reveal for Water Princess, Fire Prince. I know you all are eager to see the cover, but I must needs post an interview first. Just be patient, folks. *winks*

Ready?

Ah, my dear Kendra, what originally gave you the inspiration for this story? Any specific pictures that spurred the plot onward?

The story first came to me in the shower, in the form of the random thought, “Hey, wouldn’t it be cool if I were to blink and suddenly find myself under a waterfall? I could be a Waterfall Princess!”

As for visual inspiration, this book was mostly plotted by the time that I discovered Pinterest, and skimming down my Rizkaland Pinterest board, I’m not seeing anything that really influenced the plot. Well, there’s this pin … 

{source} Clara likes rewording this quote.

Now, let’s ask her brilliant characters (Clara and Andrew) a question. What’s the most important thing you’ve learned on this journey? The most practical thing?

Clara: I’d say the most important thing I’ve learned is that I don’t have to do it on my own. It’s not the end of the world to have people relying on me, because I can rely on them right back, most of the time.

Andrew: I’d say the most practical thing I’ve learned is how to defend myself. It was rather useful, what with the war and all that.

This question is for Kendra, Clara, and Andrew: What is the best way to spend an evening after a long day of adventuring?

Clara: Curled up with a good book.

Andrew: With a good, homecooked meal.

Me: Good book and good food.

I really like how the common thread in that last question was food and books. I approve immensely. 

And now on to the cover reveal…

Ta-dah!

Ain’t it purty? *grins* I won’t gush.

About the book:

When the Lady Dragon does come,

Hold fast, do not fear, do not run.

Your Water Princess will fight,

Fire Prince will set all to right.

Each shall come from a Fall,

Their union will save you all.

Despite the fact that she’s on track for competing in the Olympics, and he’s practically raised his younger brothers since they lost their mom in a car accident, Clara Mandras and Andrew Stevenson are pretty much normal teens. They have normal hopes, normal dreams, and they live in a normal world.

All this is torn away from them when they are thrust into another world and declared Water Princess and Fire Prince. With no experience ruling a country, meeting each other for the first time, and being expected to fight the Lady Dragon – an evil sorceress plaguing the world of Rizkaland – Clara and Andrew are underprepared and inexperienced. Unless they learn to work together despite their standing opposition, Rizkaland’s hope will be lost. 

What is to come will change their lives forever.

Where can you go to learn more about this book? I’m so glad you asked!

Check out Kendra’s blog for more information on the blog tour for Water Princess, Fire Prince. Also, be sure to browse the following links! Water Princess, Fire Prince is all over the place! 

~ Available for kindle preorder: http://www.amazon.com/Water-Princess-Prince-Rizkaland-Legends-ebook/dp/B00YTQBTDI/  $2.99 the 19th and 20th ONLY (at which point I’ll put it up to its official price of 3.99)

~ Add it on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24022364-water-princess-fire-prince

~ Part 1’s first chapter: http://knittedbygodsplan.blogspot.com/2014/12/water-princess-chapter-1.html 

~ Part 2’s first chapter: http://knittedbygodsplan.blogspot.com/2014/12/fire-prince-chapter-1.html 

About the lovely authoress:

Kendra E. Ardnek loves fairy tales and twisting them in new and exciting ways.  She’s been practicing her skills on her dozen plus cousins and siblings for years, “Finish your story, Kendra”, is frequently heard at family gatherings.  Her sole life goal has always been to grow up and be an author of fantasy and children’s tales that also glorify God and his Word. You can read more about her on her blog, knittedbygodsplan.blogspot.com.

Interview with Robin and Madeline

 

 If you’re not familiar already with Kendra’s Bookania Quests, you don’t know what you’re missing. I’ve already reviewed the first of the series, Sew, It’s a Quest, on KiriBeth, and I’m hoping to get one up of Do You Take This Quest? before too long. Needless to say, I’m really looking forward to the third installment, My Kingdom for a Quest! You should can purchase the first two books on Amazon. LINK.

Today’s interview is with two very special characters from the world of Bookania: Robin and Madeleine. Robin is the best swordsman in the world, and Madeleine is her great-great-aunt who’s a brilliant artist. Robin doesn’t trust Madeleine.

 

Here we go!

Madeline {source}

Robin {source}

1. Do you have any special pets?

Robin: My red horse, Snow. She and I are close. Very close … but Kendra says that to tell you anything more would be spoilers for the next book. I don’t see why, but anyways.

 

Madeleine: I have a appaloosa named Splatter, but I’m not nearly as close to her as Robin is to Snow.

2. I know that your story is based on a fairytale/myth. Could you tell us which one? Also, if you were to choose another fairytale/myth to be the star of, which one would you choose and why?

Robin: I’m the twin sister to Sleeping Beauty’s prince and, apparently, I’m the Lady of the Lake. Which basically meant that I gave Arthur his picky sword. Honestly, I don’t mind them too much. Would have preferred it if the forest hadn’t eaten Robert while he was trying to rescue Rosamond, but it’s in the past now and he’s all right. She’s all right too, for the record.

 

Madeleine: I’m one of the princesses who fell asleep at Sleeping Beauty’s party, and I’m involved in Arthur’s story … not exactly sure how … maybe I’m Morgana. Yeah, that would be interesting.

 

Robin: And now she’s off practicing her evil laugh … I just thought she was creepy enough to begin with.

3. What’s the best way to spend a slow summer evening?

Robin: Swordfighting Eric. Best way to speed up any summer evening. And when get tired of it, there’s always chess.

 

Madeleine: Painting.

 

~*~*~*~

 

Don’t forget to stop by Kendra’s blog to check out the whole party! She’s celebrating 5 years as a blogger and 3 years as an author! Very exciting stuff!

 

God bless!

Interview with Riley and Roxanne

See? I told you there’d be more interviews! Today, in Kendra’s party (VISIT HER BLOG HERE) she’s featuring her story HaV Academy which she describes as the following:


HaV Academy is an exclusive – and mandatory – boarding school to train superheros and supervillains. Once they assign you to your place, there’s no changing it. To break the rules of their game will mean your death. Story of three attendies and how they coped.

Riley and Roxanne are the two characters participating in the interview today. Just for a little background, they are Twin Supers; she’s a villain with Rock Manipulation, and he’s a hero who can control plants.

 

Ready?

1. What’s the greatest lie your friends may believe?

Roxanne: That the heroes are something special, and that villains are the problem.

 

Riley: That just because they’re trapped in a life, they have to let it control them. My sister seems ruled by that philosophy.

Roxanne {source}

 

 2. I noticed a lot of masks on your story’s Pinterest board. What does a mask mean personally to you?

Roxanne: Something you hide behind because you’re to ashamed of yourself and you don’t want  to let people see you for the real you.

 

Riley: A fun disguise.

Riley {source}

 

3. Favorite color, and why it’s your favorite?

Roxanne: Black – The color of my villainous soul.

 

Riley: Will you quit with the dramatics? I think I would have to go with green, the color of life.

 

God bless!

Interview with Obsidia and Nadilynn

It’s August 1st, which means today’s the day to feature Kendra and Jack’s story Worth of a King! Two great authors collaborating… this book is going to be amazing. I just know it.

Anywhoz, I have another interview! And yup, they’re two characters from Worth of a King! About them:

Obsidia is the daughter of the former king. Nadilynn is the daughter of the king who killed Obsidia’s father. Despite that, there aren’t any hard feelings between them (at least not on that account) and Obsidia is even engaged to Nadilynn’s brother.

Ready? 

Obsidia {source}

1. What is your favorite meal and what do you usually eat at it?

Obsidia: Breakfast because it’s served in my room and I can be alone while eating it. I don’t know why eating should be a social affair. I usually have eggs and toast.

Nadilynn: Dinner, because that’s when all of the important guests are there and I can overhear all sorts of important conversations. We have all sorts of things, like stuffed duck, and roasted peacock. 

2. Your opinion on books?

Nadilynn: I think they’re boring, but Obsidia and Delaney can’t keep their noses out of them. That’s how I knew they were destined for each other.

Obsidia: You just answered a question for me.

Nadilynn: Yep – don’t mind, do you?

Obsidia: Not really.

Nadilynn {source}

3. What’s the most foolish thing you’ve ever done? The hardest thing you’ve ever done?

Nadilynn: That is technically two questions.

Obsidia: If you want, we can each take one.

Nadilynn: That sounds just brilliant. I’ll do the foolish one, since I am the foolish one in the family. 

Obsidia: It works for me.

Nadilynn: Well then, the most foolish thing I ever did was accept a dare from Delaney to read the thickest book in the library. It was the dullest five hours of my life.

Obsidia: You didn’t have to read it all in one sitting.

Nadilynn: Yes I did! Delaney sat there and watched me the whole time!

Obsidia: Anyway, the hardest thing I ever did was my first ball. I’m really not a people person … and all those people … but I am a princess, and it was my duty to attend …

~*~*~*~

And don’t forget to stop by Kendra’s blog for more of her party!

God bless!

Interview With Ennion

Today I have the great pleasure of sharing with you all a very special interview. My good friend Jack of However Improbable is releasing the second book of The Loyalty Trilogy, and to celebrate the occasion, she asked for us to interview her characters. 

Click here to read my review of this book!

Personally, I had a hard time picking just one character to interview. I managed to whittle it down to Ennion and Stefan, but they’re both really awesome characters, so how could I pick between them? But… I did. My obsession with elves pushed through, and now I am pleased to introduce you all to Jack’s lovable, and extremely fun elf… Ennion.

~*~*~*~ 

Welcome, Ennion! First off, I’d like to know… is there any special significance about your name?

Probably not. You see, I wasn’t supposed to be in the book for more then one chapter. I – had to dig deep into my unlimited source of charm to convince Jack to let me stay. She was really mad about it for about a year afterward and she kept threatening to kill me off. So for future reference, having an amazing about of charm can really be life saving.

Haha! I’ve had some characters who are like that. But, oddly enough, they often turn out to be the favorites. *cough* But don’t dwell on that too much. Next question… What is your favourite memory?

Probably the day I was walking through the forest and I met this young man who later introduced me to a girl and a runaway prince. Because that was what lead me to finding the friends who have become my family.

So, just because I love music, what song do you think sums up your life?

Dante’s Prayer. (I forget the name of the lady who sings it. Jack said it is going to come out more, somethings about my past and how the song might fit me, in book three. I just nod when she talks and pretends she is making sense, you can do the same.)

From Jack’s board on Pinterest.

If you knew you were to die tomorrow, what would you do today? What would be your biggest regret?

Oh, now we’re getting to serious questions, are we? I thought you liked me, now you want me dead? I am getting mixed emotions here.

If I was going to die anyways I would confront the princes – Lachlan’s brothers – and make sure they were never able to do anything to hurt him. 

My biggest regret? I have to just narrow it down to one? Well, there is this thing, with my cousin….but, we can save that for later.

Sorry, Ennion. I just like to throw a few deep questions in to make people think. I must say, I’m intrigued by your answers. What’s the greatest life your friends may believe?

This is getting a little awkward. Um….the lie that I am always happy. 

Okey dokey… time for something lighter. 🙂 What’s the best way to spend a slow summer evening?

Okay, this is better.

Sitting out by the river that runs past my home. My cousin and I used to swim there almost every day in the summer when we were younger.

Favourite colour, and why it’s your favourite?

Orange, because it reminds me of fall and I love fall. Simple enough.

Ah! Orange is a favorite of mine, too! After blue, of course. Now… your opinion on books?

One can never have too many. And there need to be more new ones, because I keep running out.

Again, from Jack’s board.

Do you have any special pets?

You mean besides Golon? I am going to pay for that later.

I wouldn’t say this out loud, but I’d count Golon. I mean, my one and only, favorite brother is my family’s pet. But we love him to death all the same. *shrugs* Last question: What’s the most foolish thing you’ve ever done? The hardest thing you’ve ever done?

They are the same, and they go along with the best thing I’ve ever done. Following an amazing girl all around the Nation and trying not to strangle a Dwarf. 

~*~*~*~ 

Thank you so much, Ennion, for agreeing to this interview! Readers, be sure to check out Jack’s blog for more news/information/fun stuff about A Test of Loyalty!

God bless!

Interview with Tabetha and Melisza

It is my great pleasure to introduce you to two of Kendra‘s marvelous characters, both of whom make an appearance in her story The New Division. You can learn more about this story on Kendra’s blog, so be certain to visit. And yes, if you didn’t know this already, this post is part of Kendra’s big (as my friend Kathryn dubbed it) 5&3 celebration (5 years a blogger, 3 years an author).  

Today’s interview is with Tabetha Harsha and Melisza Lilna, two girls who, despite their friendship, end up on opposite sides of the division.

Tabetha {source}

1. What’s your favorite memory?

Melisza: We didn’t have a very bright childhood – we’ve grown up at an orphanage – but I do remember one time Mrs. Arden let me try on some of her jewels – she and her husband used to be rich, but their company fell through with the Great Depression. She’s sold most of them by now, to help keep us children fed, but they were oh, so pretty.

Tabetha: There was an older girl who used to pick on us, because we looked different, because we didn’t speak English very well. I remember well the day when I was strong enough to make her shut up.

Melisza: You got in big trouble for that.

Tabetha: But she never bothered us again, so it was worth it.

2. If you knew you were to die tomorrow, what would you do today? What would be your biggest regret?

Melisza: I would do something, anything to … just be friends with Tabetha again. Just one more time. It’s not her fault that she’s a Harsha, any more than it’s mine that I’m a Lilna. My biggest regret is that I’ve allowed them to make her a servant. I’m sure there’s something I could do about it, but …

Tabetha: Jaqob and I can handle ourselves, you don’t have to worry about us, Lisza. 

Melisza: But it is wrong.

Tabetha: We’re fine. If I were to die tomorrow, I would take some of those stuck-up Lilnia with me, and my greatest regret would be that I’ve allowed them to lord over me. Not Melisza, though. It’s not her fault. Alistaar is another issue, but Melisza just needs to stay out of trouble.

Melisza {source}

3. Any special significance about your name?

Tabetha: I’m named after one of Kendra’s best friends as a kid, but other than that, not really. 

Melisza: Same here, except that it was a lady at church that Kendra highly respects.

~*~*~*~

Be sure to check back in the next few days as I’ll be interviewing more of Kendra’s characters! And make sure you get on over to Knitted By God’s Plan for more party fun! Kendra’s introducing new games and other fantastical posts!

And just for fun, here’s the mock cover I made for this story. I stole the picture off Kendra’s Pinterest page and had fun with it. Technically, it’s wrong because the trees in the story don’t look like that, but I still thought it was a cool picture. And yes, I was pleased with how the cover as a whole turned out. 

God bless!

Interview with Ashlee Willis

Ashlee Willis just published her debut novel, The Word Changers, and today it is my great joy to share with you the interview Ashlee so graciously allowed me. 

~*~*~*~*~

First, give me a short description of The Word Changers. 
The Word Changers is a book about a girl named Posy who, trying to temporarily escape her troubled home, falls straight into a book. She soon finds that even though she has fallen into a fairy tale, and all the characters within the book are treating her as the heroine, the story is a dark one. One she is not sure she wants to be a part of. 

What gave you the idea to write this story in the first place?
Book ideas are, at least for me, similar to seeds. They begin so tiny. Just one thought or image or word. And then they grow. I build on them, more and more, until I’ve got a whole cast of characters, a theme and a structure. The Word Changers’ “seed” began when I was only a child. It wasn’t even something I thought of as a story idea at the time. It was merely my own strong desire to actually become a part of the books I was reading. It was only after I got older and had a child of my own that that idea came back to me again, this time in the form of a potential story.

Who is your favorite minor character and why? 
Alvar is a main character I came to love. I usually am a big plotter, and have most things planned out before I even begin writing my books. But Alvar surprised me. He just popped into existence while I was writing, and I knew he was right for it. He’s a bit harsh, and perhaps even a little scary … but he’s got a huge heart, and more bravery than any warrior.

I know many times, most of my stories run away with me, and end up being totally different than what I had originally planned. Is the current ending of The Word Changers exactly as you imagined it would be when you first began writing the story?
No, it’s really not! The main theme of the ending is the same – the “message” of the story. But there were many of the actual events that happened near the end that just naturally changed in the scheme of things. Plotter though I may be, things do have a way of getting away from me sometimes. I used to get a bit panicked when that happened, but I’ve learned to see the great potential that could be to my story. It doesn’t always have to be a bad thing when stories take unexpected turns …

I love the title — The Word Changers! Can you tell us what inspired it?
I don’t title my books until I’m pretty deep into them, or even finished. There is a part in The Word Changers, where the owl Nocturne is speaking with Posy and Kyran, maybe two-thirds of the way through. He tells them their actions have begun to change the story and he tells them that folk have begun to refer to them as “the word changers.” I think that was when I really made a solid decision on the title. I was pretty thrilled when my publisher decided not to change it!

Let’s suppose that someone just finished reading The Word Changers and laid the book aside. What would you expect or hope his/her reaction to be?
Some of my strongest and best reactions to books have been almost physical. I feel pained to part with them – with the world within them, with the characters I’ve come to know and love. Yet I feel a satisfaction, too, because I’m taking with me a part of that story forever. It meant more to me than just entertainment. And that’s what I hope, even in small part, that readers of The Word Changers will feel when they close its last page.

Now let’s switch topics from the enchanting story to the lovely creator. What is your purpose in writing?
I hope to write stories that my readers will find entertaining, full of adventure, fantasy, danger and intrigue. But I hope as well that they will see the meaning beneath. That the stories I write will not only entertain, but lead my readers to a better understanding of both themselves and God. To let them know that the world we see all around us is only a small part of what we are meant to be a part of. To give them a bit of longing for the world we were truly created for.

Do you often find what you believe coming through in your writing?
Very often! I think if you believe anything strongly and truly, there is no way you will keep it from seeping into every aspect of your life. In fact, many times that is my aim.

Every writer struggles with something when it comes to writing, whether it be plot, character development, dialogue, etc. What would you consider your weak point, and how do you plan on perfecting that?
I tend to get a little wordy with descriptions, I think. I see things so clearly in my imagination, I have trouble holding back from wanting to paint a detailed picture of it with words. I’ve learned (I hope!) to trust my readers a bit more to fill in those blanks with their own imaginations. 

If you were able to give up-and-coming writers a bit of advice, what would you tell them?
There’s a point – a rather dangerous point – where passion fades and the real work begins. That’s not to say that passion never returns again, because it does. But don’t let its absence fool you. Don’t let the lack of it make you think your talent has run its course. Your writing, or even your pursuit of publication, may feel like the most strenuous thing you’ve ever done. But don’t give up. Push on past that wispy feeling, muscle your way straight into determination, and you’ll find a world of imagination and depth that you probably never dreamed of. Keep writing, keep querying, keep studying the craft. And one day, your story will be told.

Thank you so much, Ashlee!

~*~*~*~*~

The Word Changers is a must read for anyone who dares to call themselves a Christian fantasy fan! Click here to read my review of The Word Changers on KiriBeth, and then stop by Goodreads and add it to your shelf! If you’re eager for more information about this novel, please visit Ashlee’s website.

About Ashlee Willis:
Ashlee Willis is the author of fantasy for young adults. She lives in the heart of Missouri with her husband and young son. While most of her days are balanced between writing, reading and homeschooling, she also finds time to enjoy tea with friends, forest walks, photography, and piano playing.