tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50502941263288580452024-03-13T06:54:29.562-06:00Coffee Addicts Book Reviewsramblings of rabid readersSelenity Jadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08303443508561806991noreply@blogger.comBlogger691125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5050294126328858045.post-85976874712980174772024-02-12T23:06:00.003-07:002024-02-12T23:06:36.573-07:00SPOTLIGHT: A Vengeful Realm: The Breaker of Chains - Book 2 By Tim Facciola<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJhCayJOWXgoEzX-bCGSfdjnvUFCEujGmBOZ97Dl-YjMJt8RxMGCifLT_9t65y4sVBNFuGuy0fNYZDV82FRZKExcydChzhyphenhyphenqERUmWxXkQrjhsKgCv70NLpAyW55AFL09HlYQ-F7KMuGf2bftHMDNp42BNaUnkpzDhnflJMbTnqRoRIqRVSVE21UuDCpsQ/s1000/vengeful%20realm%20book%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="667" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJhCayJOWXgoEzX-bCGSfdjnvUFCEujGmBOZ97Dl-YjMJt8RxMGCifLT_9t65y4sVBNFuGuy0fNYZDV82FRZKExcydChzhyphenhyphenqERUmWxXkQrjhsKgCv70NLpAyW55AFL09HlYQ-F7KMuGf2bftHMDNp42BNaUnkpzDhnflJMbTnqRoRIqRVSVE21UuDCpsQ/w426-h640/vengeful%20realm%20book%202.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px; text-align: start;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: large;">New Rheynia has woken from peace’s slumber to a nightmare. Denied the nightly rains, crops fail, people divide, and revolution blooms between every crack in the kingdoms’ failing foundation. King Varros—supposedly dead. Laeden, the traitor, a fugitive. And the Uprising’s patience has ended. Following Zephyrus’s open defiance of the crown, war has come</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px; text-align: start;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: large;">And no one will emerge unscathed.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px; text-align: start;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: large;">While Danella directs Damascus to finish the war her father started, Laeden frees gladiator slaves to raise an army against them. With New Rheynia burning, Vykinallia, a prisoner of the Uprising, attempts to prove herself more valuable than a king’s ransom. And Iylea, after skirting death to become a servant in the divine realm, learns of a treacherous plot amongst the Gods with Zephyrus at the center of it all. Now, with the aid of Iylea in the divine realm and Laeden in the mortal, Zephyrus must claim the lost relics of long dead Gods if he has any chance of facing the Traitor God and breaking the chains that bind all of humanity. But plans are in place…</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px; text-align: start;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Age of the End is coming.</span></span></p></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLhyphenhyphenHwd4mS2-74CrJQnEje5GiVYQv-isfzp_ucVJKEHOCnjT6aFCHylKmaXUEFcSVl5NawYVDAxZc-Eo70J42iw2bog0YR0Q1bPVwec9HxOUoKSGz819qRbxIO9hHL5m0FHvDI7OQIOjqiNpRhVou2cfan0edvglEzxe_DnRlNGTif_jsmnOTW-uJIxM0/s1486/interview-with-tim-facciola.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="992" data-original-width="1486" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLhyphenhyphenHwd4mS2-74CrJQnEje5GiVYQv-isfzp_ucVJKEHOCnjT6aFCHylKmaXUEFcSVl5NawYVDAxZc-Eo70J42iw2bog0YR0Q1bPVwec9HxOUoKSGz819qRbxIO9hHL5m0FHvDI7OQIOjqiNpRhVou2cfan0edvglEzxe_DnRlNGTif_jsmnOTW-uJIxM0/w640-h428/interview-with-tim-facciola.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Omra Seoinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06374827091011473816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5050294126328858045.post-46040265391420287802023-11-20T00:21:00.003-07:002024-02-12T22:58:18.733-07:00REVIEW: Magic By Any Other Name By Alison Levy<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzg9fAj8uDoc-fX_ZTwysDtKFIXp7SOuQbeApXlRRInAy9hVQAi_WlQtOs9rD1a7XcRILfdrDivH3t0tqskLvhhKhKGLd3VBu2vUAtqYzYjsf2tGQVmDjCllDVmtuM2I1mvm67iCvyCqUyjhUAD3ioE-mb2Ab4JKDdDn0f_xKma9_ZDTHNFJDQiJ17St0/s1600/Alison-Levy-Guest-Post-Feature.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1160" data-original-width="1600" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzg9fAj8uDoc-fX_ZTwysDtKFIXp7SOuQbeApXlRRInAy9hVQAi_WlQtOs9rD1a7XcRILfdrDivH3t0tqskLvhhKhKGLd3VBu2vUAtqYzYjsf2tGQVmDjCllDVmtuM2I1mvm67iCvyCqUyjhUAD3ioE-mb2Ab4JKDdDn0f_xKma9_ZDTHNFJDQiJ17St0/w400-h290/Alison-Levy-Guest-Post-Feature.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-weight: 700; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-weight: 700; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Young witch flees family abuse, seeks own happy ending</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-23986657-7fff-2a43-03d0-bd9da971c224"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">“A multi-layered and intoxicating fantasy that explores the adverse effects of emotional abuse and the courage it takes to break away and pave your own path.” </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-Lenore Borja, author of </span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">“</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Last Huntress”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Greensboro, NC</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> – Wander the world with Georgette and her magical friends in this tender and hopeful fantasy story from award-winning author, Alison Levy. </span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Magic by Any Other Name: The Witch’s Odyssey</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (Nov 7, 2023, SparkPress) </span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">follows one young witch’s difficult decision to leave her toxic family and seek a better life for herself. With the help from a diverse group of magical creatures, Georgette confronts the demons of her past in order to pave a way for a brighter future.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">CIBA-winning author of the Daemon Collecting series, Alison Levy returns with a new whimsical and cozy fantasy series taking readers on an enchanting exploration of the world and within yourself. Loosely based on the heartbreaking yet empowering family decisions Alison made for herself, Georgette’s story will resonate with young readers choosing “no contact” and creating their own found families.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Ivy Nichols O’Reilly has grown up in a wealthy family full of magic, fantasy creatures, and emotional abuse. When her narcissistic mother arranges an unwanted marriage for her, Ivy decides to leave her life of privilege behind and flees across the country with her best friend, a Wood Nymph named Mei-Xing. Along the way, she encounters a number of different magical creatures all on their own journey of purpose. But in order to grow into her new identity, help her new friends, and develop a healthy relationship with a man she’s beginning to care for, Georgette will have to confront the privileges that have shielded her from the pain and ugliness of the magic community in which she was raised—and find the strength to overcome the trauma of her childhood. Perfect for fans of</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> The Secret Society of Irregular Witches</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOk-3KbjfEkfoU-OVpBvE_k20z50YS3kcbJK7JZS4ls7z-g14wjSMLkcgFuhHB4s7jlbzwBkZrxYEnn0-cRxfMo0ul8GGckHl9-BkDaX_7o2PHHBqS8rLneHcACDXepmieiy9wvDfq_hGP5NKwJ9O9yHrD4qqSB3wTCXTdenzBxveBzy_2G-YL1QY_bj4/s400/review%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOk-3KbjfEkfoU-OVpBvE_k20z50YS3kcbJK7JZS4ls7z-g14wjSMLkcgFuhHB4s7jlbzwBkZrxYEnn0-cRxfMo0ul8GGckHl9-BkDaX_7o2PHHBqS8rLneHcACDXepmieiy9wvDfq_hGP5NKwJ9O9yHrD4qqSB3wTCXTdenzBxveBzy_2G-YL1QY_bj4/s320/review%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">Such a great ya novel by Alison Levy. I have read and reviewed a few by her and I never come away disappointed. She is a wonderful author that knows how to create a wonderful set of characters in these great fantasy worlds that just pull you into the story.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">This novel is no different, it pulls you into a world of magic and mystery and family abuse from a young witches point of view. You meet a nymph , a were hyena, a Valkyrie and many other magical characters along the way in a world full of humans.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">Georgette aka Ivy is on the run from her abusive witch family with her friend and they fall into this crazy situation and she just cant leave without helping which throws her down the rabbit hole of bad situation after bad situation.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">Such a whirlwind of a story but I loved it.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"> 5 stars</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOlVmCH9Y8l82COuLgGM16yzma0nUX24joTQoJV-6gIuALa5ZIhS5p4SzwqUUbWnwIHud6MvkX6qzw5xY6LKCeRw7iVFrfZmnocML_uNjeVpnozwjcKOs1-OyWwWBJChsjw4WxkUrVtfSBHpZSQLKjGOiAk2EmzCoW3KU-gZKnJBfMxnvJFgYTJiTIVoQ/s400/5%20stars%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; white-space: pre;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="400" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOlVmCH9Y8l82COuLgGM16yzma0nUX24joTQoJV-6gIuALa5ZIhS5p4SzwqUUbWnwIHud6MvkX6qzw5xY6LKCeRw7iVFrfZmnocML_uNjeVpnozwjcKOs1-OyWwWBJChsjw4WxkUrVtfSBHpZSQLKjGOiAk2EmzCoW3KU-gZKnJBfMxnvJFgYTJiTIVoQ/s320/5%20stars%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-44426d79-7fff-16d4-9f8b-82ef89258b46"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOu22acIx069gUU_bEZE8jsKmaxqN1982mptAvrqZhgI5-ZnnjEidSlaKjYvYYFZ5Vl1ihq37cvB6-BNTUXRH5LE7fd5ETbkViK1CyPuXLQUL4nStEHPHrq3PqBq-_iOAxBKUYujIbe9uO48reFusdFmcYIWt0GZBEOJix1uTXqIRnnJOz2tercISljzc/s400/meet%20the%20AUTHor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOu22acIx069gUU_bEZE8jsKmaxqN1982mptAvrqZhgI5-ZnnjEidSlaKjYvYYFZ5Vl1ihq37cvB6-BNTUXRH5LE7fd5ETbkViK1CyPuXLQUL4nStEHPHrq3PqBq-_iOAxBKUYujIbe9uO48reFusdFmcYIWt0GZBEOJix1uTXqIRnnJOz2tercISljzc/s320/meet%20the%20AUTHor.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Alison Levy</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> lives in Greensboro, North Carolina, with her husband, son, and a variety of pets. When she’s not writing or doing mom things, she crochets, gardens, and walks her collies. Find out more on her </span><a href="http://www.daemoncollecting.com" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">website</span></a><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">An Interview with</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 24pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Alison Levy</span></p><br /><ol style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">What is one takeaway you want readers - particularly those who can relate to Georgette - to have upon completing the novel? </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">I’d like readers to understand that a found family is a real family. Blood relations who</span></div></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">make unreasonable demands or mistreat you all in the name of “family” are not entitled</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">to control your life. It is okay to step away from people who don’t have your best</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">interests at heart. A true family is not made from DNA, but from love.</span></p><br /><br /><ol start="2" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">How do the fantastical elements in your story help you address topics such as family trauma and mental health with a unique perspective?</span></p></li></ol><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">By telling Georgette’s story through a veil of fantasy, I hoped to emphasize how</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">alone she feels as she flees her family. Breaking away from an abusive family can be</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">incredibly isolating, even with a strong support network around you. Because her family</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">is already separated from general society by their magic, Georgette has even less</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">connection to the wider world than the average person. Overcoming her upbringing is</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">that much harder for Georgette since she can’t fall back on typical social safety nets.</span></p><br /><ol start="3" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">How did writing help you overcome some of your own personal family trauma?</span></p></li></ol><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I started writing this book shortly after my final contact with my narcissistic parent, the</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">last interaction I had with him before going no contact. It was a difficult, emotional time in my life when I was coming to terms with the fact that a lot of my family relationships were not healthy and never had been. Writing Georgette’s story was a way to help me process what I was going through and help me figure out how to move forward. Georgette is not an autobiographical representation but she shares some key characteristics with me that made her a useful means of exploring my trauma.</span></p><br /><br /><ol start="4" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">What are some challenges you faced while writing Georgette’s story?</span></p></li></ol><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">My book features a diverse cast of characters, drawing on mythologies and</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">cultures from all around the world. I was very conscious of the fact that I’m a cis white</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">American woman writing about characters from other ethnicities and backgrounds. I did</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">a lot of research on related issues and topics to make myself as knowledgeable as</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">possible while developing these characters. Doing so has led me to confront some</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">privileges I wasn’t fully aware of for most of my life. I’ve done my best to write my</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">personal growth into the story.</span></p><br /><br /><ol start="5" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Can you tell us about the relationships Georgette has in the book that help her navigate her healing journey as she works through her family trauma?</span></p></li></ol><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Mei-Xing (a Wood Nymph): After Georgette helped Mei-Xing escape from her birth</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">family, Mei-Xing became her rock, supporting Georgette through this challenging time of her life. Ishak (a Werehyena): Through Ishak, who she initially declined to help in his time of need, Georgette learns to recognize the privileges that her upbringing afforded her.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Nico (a curandero): Nico becomes Georgette’s de facto therapist and is the first person to</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">give her the terminology she needs to contextualize her abusive childhood. Neil (her love interest): Dating a good man like Neil shows Georgette that not all close</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">relationships are inherently manipulative. Kazimiera (a Vampire): Georgette’s problematic employer who shows her the dark side of the magic community that her family avoided.</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-f8F6RqoApGIaSMtkzYfSKRJCtMLtQi_oGZmAvXnIfsaE-wlz-tssvgrs_h4fmQc_0wjlpTlo54JrFquFlVQIFgGtITpkBO9uvSGeXGqn5WTiQC-l631s37R-ZhYo-X1w51kBiYPIVEp98iTgG3ctVo_Ow9-KP6e0txD7D1LIJERUvBMoXmQVASFrwHQ/s500/thanks%20for%20looking%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-weight: 700; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="500" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-f8F6RqoApGIaSMtkzYfSKRJCtMLtQi_oGZmAvXnIfsaE-wlz-tssvgrs_h4fmQc_0wjlpTlo54JrFquFlVQIFgGtITpkBO9uvSGeXGqn5WTiQC-l631s37R-ZhYo-X1w51kBiYPIVEp98iTgG3ctVo_Ow9-KP6e0txD7D1LIJERUvBMoXmQVASFrwHQ/s320/thanks%20for%20looking%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div></span>Omra Seoinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06374827091011473816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5050294126328858045.post-24880201751640489852023-10-25T23:05:00.002-06:002023-10-25T23:05:41.809-06:00REVIEW: Vengeful Realm: Book One: The Scales Of Balence By Tim Facciola<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisuhMUxfHwPLTwCiaCm4A1PaBmgdab2JNVvZSK1yAwtbbYDbBI6ZSA8r2t7RE4eKGpBmv_qFMKSa7t1LGSJKxwChVTyMnmkY5IWrIq9MvhYJjFOjafYfxjcvTAZxa8BdxBPwXc03WVxAw7wgSo8M4utbEYG9NaxV3FyWClSPqXbqpf53FqMQlmTga0W7o/s970/vr%20banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="970" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisuhMUxfHwPLTwCiaCm4A1PaBmgdab2JNVvZSK1yAwtbbYDbBI6ZSA8r2t7RE4eKGpBmv_qFMKSa7t1LGSJKxwChVTyMnmkY5IWrIq9MvhYJjFOjafYfxjcvTAZxa8BdxBPwXc03WVxAw7wgSo8M4utbEYG9NaxV3FyWClSPqXbqpf53FqMQlmTga0W7o/w640-h198/vr%20banner.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj6ofLA1OVq5piOkpFLFS9l4DuKojfRbI022elZLpTwzJRknyBF3GF202M2pxSr0EPgrtZckESbPzUB-qGWMQIQ8K8WZ_4RC47Tau3bO7qCe8UZ8ggibbQwMauv_uO2G1EpN4h8kNuZoGCKiQUp48id-pXUmYv29fkfztXFG5VKWgfUiGFkyl908oi3ZU/s1200/vengefulrealmpic1.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="1200" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj6ofLA1OVq5piOkpFLFS9l4DuKojfRbI022elZLpTwzJRknyBF3GF202M2pxSr0EPgrtZckESbPzUB-qGWMQIQ8K8WZ_4RC47Tau3bO7qCe8UZ8ggibbQwMauv_uO2G1EpN4h8kNuZoGCKiQUp48id-pXUmYv29fkfztXFG5VKWgfUiGFkyl908oi3ZU/w640-h310/vengefulrealmpic1.webp" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnEt1uTjXy_1_9MrzvXKXBjBO557wzqxafmbvyMBArRTrYYwJmnaLYEClUq6jmRmjky7rXptiAayGyQBRB3gE2iDZ_wYdKVjN10yDC5SKXahkfxRKd4zJjae6vkrVU3BJvXDKUIK-XvHjNbrF6QCF_3nGd-GW2jzna2qfLyfBJmwwotJB4PxSi5-cxFnY/s225/vengefulrealmpic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; text-align: start;">“It is difficult to overstate the storytelling prowess of author Tim Facciola.” — <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">Independent Book Review<i style="box-sizing: border-box;"></i></i></span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">Peace bought by blood seldom lasts, for vengeance knows no end. The same is true for mortals and Gods alike. Decades, centuries, eras may pass, but the cycle remains. As war and revolution rise again, Zephyrus finds himself at the center of it all. Chosen by the Gods, hailed as a prophet of liberation, and forged as a weapon to break the kingdom and restore balance to the realm, hope rests squarely on his shoulders.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">If only he could remember…</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">Enslaved as a gladiator and thrust into a prince’s game of espionage, Zephyrus has only two clues to help unlock his shattered past: a prophecy foretelling destruction, and a letter to the enemy king, promising peace. Now Zephyrus must survive the dangers of the gladiatorial arena, the cunning fury of the Prince’s enemies, and the Gods’ torment if he is to find the truth of his identity and fulfill his fate. But to have any hope of breaking the cycle, first he must secure his freedom—and not just from his slavers.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">Within this vengeful realm, a queen protecting her kingdom, a prince defending his father, and a gladiator slave haunted by a prophecy each contend for their own brand of freedom. But the Gods have an agenda of their own, and they'll use any vessel—patrician, plebeian, or slave—to see it done.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">The scales must be balanced. By peace. Or by blood.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; text-align: start;">“Arena-set action sequences shine … but even more impressive is the constant political maneuvering, as characters mingle with enemies while plotting against them. There is, of course, plenty of mystery, and Facciola amps up excitement with signs of magic, appearances from gods, and betrayals.” — <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">Kirkus Reviews<i style="box-sizing: border-box;"></i></i></span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; text-align: start;">“A sprawling cast of vivid characters and a meticulously crafted realm, with exposition and world-building unraveling seamlessly alongside the plot…an original work of fantasy that doesn't trod familiar ground” — <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">Self-Publishing Review</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnWZy-HSxxoEYgxeFCKngTuPhWLZpcgxeDghD8WkcqYl1EEbECbwswxY8ntnVYziCU9Q-D02zA8s0OAkVATdUtao722zYk9tWZj78cAEPkdpdxcPJpAK0FUz-oj3Mw761puJS-lPRv69lKa_AnOJHRfqcHd8YY8t6Ib4tnPxrTGiS9TA-QFy9OGl4_dRk/s300/vr%20map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnWZy-HSxxoEYgxeFCKngTuPhWLZpcgxeDghD8WkcqYl1EEbECbwswxY8ntnVYziCU9Q-D02zA8s0OAkVATdUtao722zYk9tWZj78cAEPkdpdxcPJpAK0FUz-oj3Mw761puJS-lPRv69lKa_AnOJHRfqcHd8YY8t6Ib4tnPxrTGiS9TA-QFy9OGl4_dRk/s1600/vr%20map.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip7zmAtBO9H0jyRjofkvUJ6wgJkP5oeqxHORBVHcULvuSDVX76xco79eef-si8DwiEagTWC8uOzn8OT7EO3v1VhlYbsnnzfHUTbOTBbcpM3_BReqrxsTov_uFT4ZVw7bqS1K4SmqfF9BjLSon2VV8by87OGe0KFxSj4Q2WoCu5PEWCdUIq_RxnsAa88PE/s400/review%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip7zmAtBO9H0jyRjofkvUJ6wgJkP5oeqxHORBVHcULvuSDVX76xco79eef-si8DwiEagTWC8uOzn8OT7EO3v1VhlYbsnnzfHUTbOTBbcpM3_BReqrxsTov_uFT4ZVw7bqS1K4SmqfF9BjLSon2VV8by87OGe0KFxSj4Q2WoCu5PEWCdUIq_RxnsAa88PE/s320/review%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is a really great first book in this series. It takes a bit to get into the storyline, but all these different characters and how they align together from so many different views and walks of life is wonderful.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">It has everything, magic, gods, deception, deceit, murder, war, conflict, false accusations, heroes, gladiators and many other things that make this a great epic fantasy.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">Zeb is by far the superior character in this book, no memory but has these strong upheld beliefs and a wonderful code of honor that not even his memories being stripped away can take from him. He is such a heroic character and I love how Tim builds him throughout the book,</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">A lovely riveting story with multiple points of view to leave u wanting and waiting for more.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">4 stars</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgktY7H9h26ncDiGzGPDfci4g80-mnr1kkerbB8poM8HjH2RGBG0Vb0lIZmRjxC0VZP0Uq9kipIPGVVH58mPlFWpBRLlYwhor1NqRDHm6CqewvJPme0yCb5KlSabs1076AvU9PFrAcqyLTH5hn8bLRKRHFAyr86_DWDY0N5qX10DSjuK4RKcJaFvDzSF3Y/s400/4%20stars%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="400" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgktY7H9h26ncDiGzGPDfci4g80-mnr1kkerbB8poM8HjH2RGBG0Vb0lIZmRjxC0VZP0Uq9kipIPGVVH58mPlFWpBRLlYwhor1NqRDHm6CqewvJPme0yCb5KlSabs1076AvU9PFrAcqyLTH5hn8bLRKRHFAyr86_DWDY0N5qX10DSjuK4RKcJaFvDzSF3Y/s320/4%20stars%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglh8wWr243NhkRzmEX0-nI1qCAxYlJk8wuC9Q24fcZpFMY-5w8ByOXPTsL3rgaU1FsRc-fjhHQ8z-UDlJUV0_X60kINw9GdU561fsi2aUB4zOLKUYlAeelHfN90eg6Z8nWbio3sq71WAQFbuZRkN3YcrOH0CQ_WFPsvIrIvtjyTPAYu7FF56rLUEBXJNk/s400/meet%20the%20AUTHor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglh8wWr243NhkRzmEX0-nI1qCAxYlJk8wuC9Q24fcZpFMY-5w8ByOXPTsL3rgaU1FsRc-fjhHQ8z-UDlJUV0_X60kINw9GdU561fsi2aUB4zOLKUYlAeelHfN90eg6Z8nWbio3sq71WAQFbuZRkN3YcrOH0CQ_WFPsvIrIvtjyTPAYu7FF56rLUEBXJNk/s320/meet%20the%20AUTHor.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEPBTgxM38w3eAG8pzf2JO3n10-vkovaAA1Kvbg3HQX0cK5jov329HfKkT8MUWUHxOxJZ1uvs4zJuEbpQTha-IA3CwhfGoaTcwy6SirWmjVoMJOf6fxjrYlzXFUBmCynUx1580pWB6zPFwgZApoCND6LmqWYObazvZIJOgp6fzWyLT0KGhGonYOrRF-iE/s600/tim%20facciola.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEPBTgxM38w3eAG8pzf2JO3n10-vkovaAA1Kvbg3HQX0cK5jov329HfKkT8MUWUHxOxJZ1uvs4zJuEbpQTha-IA3CwhfGoaTcwy6SirWmjVoMJOf6fxjrYlzXFUBmCynUx1580pWB6zPFwgZApoCND6LmqWYObazvZIJOgp6fzWyLT0KGhGonYOrRF-iE/s320/tim%20facciola.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">When Tim isn’t writing epic fantasy, he can often be found in his garage-gym or in the mountains where he lives. A virtual fitness professional by trade, he integrates his creative passions into movement, training with maces, clubs, staves, and swords to unlock his inner gladiator.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">More than writing, reading, gaming, playing music, hiking, and paddle-boarding, Tim loves story. If he’s not working on his own story, he’s helping others develop theirs as an author coach.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">Living in Arizona with his wife, Colleen, Tim continues writing epic fantasy novels while exploring different storytelling mediums so he can inspire others to hope. To live. And to believe.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4Cn49AaKf4LBNN0iUJAt5ARvF5Cj2ZjfHdkkL4L9ohssrMmQ_Q-StGApHNfFGoRMMfO7bcuCCxAhd1GHKUkup5USLh808wpV1pqnoYNsI1jRbQE_1ahrvyeZhOFQX5_O4aYuSnh88QX8blntjkvCxr3ynaVqAW8Ers1-1bVC3G7BBSmFZdmpeKQir0w/s500/thanks%20for%20looking%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="500" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4Cn49AaKf4LBNN0iUJAt5ARvF5Cj2ZjfHdkkL4L9ohssrMmQ_Q-StGApHNfFGoRMMfO7bcuCCxAhd1GHKUkup5USLh808wpV1pqnoYNsI1jRbQE_1ahrvyeZhOFQX5_O4aYuSnh88QX8blntjkvCxr3ynaVqAW8Ers1-1bVC3G7BBSmFZdmpeKQir0w/s320/thanks%20for%20looking%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <p></p>Omra Seoinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06374827091011473816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5050294126328858045.post-75517516681567743402023-08-07T23:28:00.001-06:002023-08-07T23:28:11.230-06:00REVIEW: The Gancanagh's Bride By <p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjapJOKp25TZik-qh3GbAEtSY0s8msms6CSDpH6-ftK6cBAwK7azYMUFWK4DjvAKfE73pQQb576mWcYXa9kxTQaWer2Bwc8YklkNFx9w4Kx9TGu36_LvyaANH48tuSBTk_RXODIXisrDLWBGTyUdxPidJC3hDqaHrA_uxEcJhql1ManRYUKMFrh1lnAmf4/s275/download%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="183" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjapJOKp25TZik-qh3GbAEtSY0s8msms6CSDpH6-ftK6cBAwK7azYMUFWK4DjvAKfE73pQQb576mWcYXa9kxTQaWer2Bwc8YklkNFx9w4Kx9TGu36_LvyaANH48tuSBTk_RXODIXisrDLWBGTyUdxPidJC3hDqaHrA_uxEcJhql1ManRYUKMFrh1lnAmf4/w266-h400/download%20(2).jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /> <span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">It had been day once.</span><p></p><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Long before the endless night overtook the country of Whynne. Before King and Queens declared their rule, before the Seelie and Unseelie had been driven to the woods.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">When Caelan, the last Gancanagh was young, and the war of Whynne had only just begun.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Before he roamed the woods, trying to protect what little of fae society was left. Before humans and Seelie intermingled.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Legend says that the last Gancanagh had been in love with a mere human girl, one who broke his heart and turned him into the monster that those in Whynne feared.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">But legends are often wrong.</span><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> REVIEW</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: Proxima Nova, Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif;"><div>This was a wonderful little novella about a fae man and human woman falling for eachother it goes through a lot of the fae and celtic historical and is fairly accurate I was very impressed with the authors authenticity for the information.</div><div><br /></div><div>You read about them going through trials individually and together and it is a great story.</div></span></span></div>Omra Seoinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06374827091011473816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5050294126328858045.post-18418488734757470972023-07-16T18:01:00.000-06:002023-07-16T18:01:01.345-06:00REVIEW: Claim Me By Blair Presley<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHhhsNt3uqUafCwitkodvGO3sJxcEXlK2ZO5ETVO2a4ThxzKywwhqzAHvNSEEY1OrWcfZatC1mzA615RTbzk4VxzT4P4AY2BmVyB9uc0yszxTk-XBPq1ebPYHMBZCon12d3N6ZXFHbcYEELP4E8vY26PL2ky4JwtKT7I92TSN6QaO_k05I4L0cP2NVj8A/s500/184606077.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHhhsNt3uqUafCwitkodvGO3sJxcEXlK2ZO5ETVO2a4ThxzKywwhqzAHvNSEEY1OrWcfZatC1mzA615RTbzk4VxzT4P4AY2BmVyB9uc0yszxTk-XBPq1ebPYHMBZCon12d3N6ZXFHbcYEELP4E8vY26PL2ky4JwtKT7I92TSN6QaO_k05I4L0cP2NVj8A/w426-h640/184606077.jpg" width="426" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left;">He’s a 6’5 hot Republican with a body of steel and a dark side. She’s a climate scientist on the wrong side of the issues. How will they ever make it work? I need her. I have to have her. With long blonde hair, a luscious mouth, and a determined attitude, Charlotte Martin is all wrong for me. But I know what I want, and it’s her. I’m the famously scary Republican senator from Idaho. She’s the climate scientist intent on changing my mind about global warming. We’ll never work. But then, why can’t I stop thinking about her? I always win in the end, and I will win her. I don’t give a fuck what her politics are. They won’t separate us. That’s a promise. Charlotte Martin moves to D.C. to comprise a climate bill that will change the world and convince Republicans and Democrats alike of the devastating effects of global warming. What she’s not expecting is to come face-to-face with Easton Fowler, 6’5 of pure muscle. He’s scary, sure. But he’s nothing Charlotte can’t handle. She arranges a little surprise to convince him of the negative effects of global warming on the planet. That, combined with her work with the Democrat Senator Bradford, makes Charlotte feel like she’s on top. But nefarious forces are at play in Washington. And it will take everything Charlotte has to get her bill completed. For his part, Easton is sure he’s never met anyone quite like Charlotte, and he knows he can’t let her slip through his fingers, even though he’s destined to date a Republican socialite. What will fate have in store for these two? Can their connection last in a town full of sharks, where every move is calculated and spied on?</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Vvuylu7fK-QTm8qBrSQ9CDhbMZ777h5KCqC4Kje6IBF_CxoCTIE3laoR5mB7EimFJLLM5vR309GBMpeDppRzgVJ-puSgYkKg66UfGjwWvhTTggd5h0XTaWg1EerXWHtAP4wib205yWKUR5K28Y-kWBQi4ualFXYZ1_g9ZBgxbwAoAoulCNkEBdiSul0/s283/download%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="178" data-original-width="283" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Vvuylu7fK-QTm8qBrSQ9CDhbMZ777h5KCqC4Kje6IBF_CxoCTIE3laoR5mB7EimFJLLM5vR309GBMpeDppRzgVJ-puSgYkKg66UfGjwWvhTTggd5h0XTaWg1EerXWHtAP4wib205yWKUR5K28Y-kWBQi4ualFXYZ1_g9ZBgxbwAoAoulCNkEBdiSul0/w400-h252/download%20(1).jpg" width="400" /><br /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8tXZbBcSvGRQBApmCohOvwk7UCnDtI6DDGJR0xfAwNnByxvSi8nluNSnZz5qFsgPNV1NjDcH2K4bAYgR_0-IFCxIX2nO9UwCDfYqqeuoUvt9kG9-vk5jddiOLXe3tCcNGrp0UrWOjx5dBt9qMM_q_tAUIr8Em3_YzXbdJhMBCKDA2H-KqqcLBVCdEjZY/s400/review%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8tXZbBcSvGRQBApmCohOvwk7UCnDtI6DDGJR0xfAwNnByxvSi8nluNSnZz5qFsgPNV1NjDcH2K4bAYgR_0-IFCxIX2nO9UwCDfYqqeuoUvt9kG9-vk5jddiOLXe3tCcNGrp0UrWOjx5dBt9qMM_q_tAUIr8Em3_YzXbdJhMBCKDA2H-KqqcLBVCdEjZY/s320/review%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This was a very wonderfully written romance/political novel about an extremely stubborn and powerful republican senator and the bleeding heart scientist that softens him.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They are complete polar opposites and I love how the author plays on the opposites attracts.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As much as I loved this book a few things could have been better for the ending. I would have love to hear what happened with his re-election and how the opposing senator that he fought with came out after everything.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">All and all it was a wonderful book.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">4 stars</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyiO1PKjTlUCy4OTrCL2Z66WpnaJmabOgD9DD_84RVUN8qVo92BKCnWdAjvRec6gjiCs1k7ZwSUrkMw-rlXlPhjz-uoHFT4yL34mr7G1IygfpASnFr26oyLdGQua8wwnikWzDq9aeRLVWHqABu7dvUxDXpxZuvbEKqbiqRw-3Un5SkBbRoUyNypk12jI/s400/4%20stars%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="400" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyiO1PKjTlUCy4OTrCL2Z66WpnaJmabOgD9DD_84RVUN8qVo92BKCnWdAjvRec6gjiCs1k7ZwSUrkMw-rlXlPhjz-uoHFT4yL34mr7G1IygfpASnFr26oyLdGQua8wwnikWzDq9aeRLVWHqABu7dvUxDXpxZuvbEKqbiqRw-3Un5SkBbRoUyNypk12jI/s320/4%20stars%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihIEG8EFbtyurC6mNQjTnrerYXvNUhsbx0_5FIwSPCq-JkjTOitnV9NH3MbgjaZ9_s9eWWPv8Z0LFBso97-89M98oolEft-AdTp1LLOGKmy-5ri97PY3VJ50_bt11sZqXwkOkKtZjuq73-PnTaH9PtuEEa8nFNmuMS6dCaJ9psN25DwQjW37CWpMnpH5M/s500/thanks%20for%20looking%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="500" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihIEG8EFbtyurC6mNQjTnrerYXvNUhsbx0_5FIwSPCq-JkjTOitnV9NH3MbgjaZ9_s9eWWPv8Z0LFBso97-89M98oolEft-AdTp1LLOGKmy-5ri97PY3VJ50_bt11sZqXwkOkKtZjuq73-PnTaH9PtuEEa8nFNmuMS6dCaJ9psN25DwQjW37CWpMnpH5M/s320/thanks%20for%20looking%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></span></div><p></p>Omra Seoinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06374827091011473816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5050294126328858045.post-72052052494637734242023-06-19T21:15:00.006-06:002023-06-19T21:15:51.392-06:00REVIEW:The Lioness and The Rat Queen By Noah Lemelson<div class="separator"><br /></div><div class="separator"><br /></div><div class="separator"><span style="border: none; clear: right; display: inline-block; float: right; height: 266px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; overflow: hidden; width: 162px;"><img height="266" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_paWvedBRS1P93sfHbfoiSg1BdJ969sDKV0uJspp3nosEPp9hT1MGxMWXEsAZ-CMFfFibxt-NpMA4xOq6QnB5PXP1AuPFBGeoWh78CAEmRPbXYXDBluWQTDfWP3EGxmqWphLR_cIZlrl0ZZ7Pi6SlU4" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="162" /></span></div><p><br /></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-0e2f71d0-7fff-edb8-6cd1-1df55bb41a4e"><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 17pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Award-winning steampunk fantasy gets thrilling 2nd book</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Los Angeles, CA</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> – After winning a First Place award in the OZMA Book Awards for Fantasy Fiction for his debut dieselpunk fantasy, </span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">“The Sightless City,”</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (July 20, 2021, Tiny Fox Press), Noah Lemelson is back with the newest, gripping continuation of his steampu</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">nk-apocalyptic-noir trilogy, “</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Lioness and the Rat Queen”</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (August 29, 2023, </span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Tiny Fox Press).</span></p><br /><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 273px; overflow: hidden; width: 180px;"><img height="273" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/WcY8sAVMQHIFxbj4sGVXdE2XrBwvat1Twi1SDZxx59eKeKkP0d768zQItS_i6IVxU78J44A5u2UMxTzB-FN9b_p5IHjniUDYt5yHALriNtQHkqOr8iybC8WK8BHb-iEJ4KepCvcEPUDfrZUGHMzbJkQ" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="180" /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a61c00; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">“Sure to entertain any fan of gritty speculative fiction.” </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a61c00; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">– Publishers Weekly</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A city burning, a murderous tycoon on the run, and three vigilantes out for revenge…</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Marcel never thought his investigations would lead to this; his once-friend Lazarus Roache turned slaver and cruel puppet master. For the good of Huile, and to salve his conscience, Marcel must take Roache down, even if that means following him into the desolate and savage reaches of the Wastes.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Yet when winds of the Wastes grind their hopes of justice to dust, the three must make common cause with the hardened “Lioness of Vastium,” a disgraced Principate General who wants Marcel’s head just as much as Roache’s. To survive and take down the tycoon, they must find a way to fight as one–but blood begets blood, and old vendettas cannot stay long buried in the blasted soil of the Wastes.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">“The Lioness and the Rat Queen”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Noah Lemelson | August 29, 2023</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBEORvxNsdHBIM5MOJD6xlM1fMBAY_T_DH4JongjN7uYE-EHi6EN-l_va9szPfqfw08uYoDrrpayf9Y-3ujVHk7VAY5wsYZpCjgdVM58MmOqev-CuWcmyQOtZD18zRvpSg2bmGNvdgEQf6ZFDlP0rECSk3ta5QFB4pZUrB0NIajpPgWdBmfqjRTjBvxB8/s400/review%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBEORvxNsdHBIM5MOJD6xlM1fMBAY_T_DH4JongjN7uYE-EHi6EN-l_va9szPfqfw08uYoDrrpayf9Y-3ujVHk7VAY5wsYZpCjgdVM58MmOqev-CuWcmyQOtZD18zRvpSg2bmGNvdgEQf6ZFDlP0rECSk3ta5QFB4pZUrB0NIajpPgWdBmfqjRTjBvxB8/s320/review%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Proxima Nova, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b><br />This was a wonderful second book to The Sightless City. This is a story that pulls you into the well written adventurous environment. This story is long and pulls you in to where you just cant stop reading this book. One of my biggest problems with books nowadays is that they dont last as long or are as long as I like. This book isn't one of them I loved it.</b></span></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>I see both sides to each of the main characters and I have feelings on their problems and personality but I do love Marcel. He tugged at my heart strings with his struggles and his turmoil throughout this story.</b></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b> I cant wait to see more in this series.</b></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>Amazing author and storyteller. I will be looking for more from this author in the future.</b></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>5 stars</b></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyeFKfEtEEfdQE8U8P2TaAaQWl35T6R5RHlvM3Jm8KrHfsthJf_51DYp2q4CNoUaGZorataiGDYgiRxsOpLFqliPJKOMg-J7ZTws6xuXEcsvfmFdxsw86zI-i6maRiB9Q8ZpY5KWwFf-TrB_zVtEPzmKv6JPJvW3rCnEOV8Udvm9xU2TZDTYB7oFQyzq8/s400/5%20stars%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="400" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyeFKfEtEEfdQE8U8P2TaAaQWl35T6R5RHlvM3Jm8KrHfsthJf_51DYp2q4CNoUaGZorataiGDYgiRxsOpLFqliPJKOMg-J7ZTws6xuXEcsvfmFdxsw86zI-i6maRiB9Q8ZpY5KWwFf-TrB_zVtEPzmKv6JPJvW3rCnEOV8Udvm9xU2TZDTYB7oFQyzq8/s320/5%20stars%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></p> <br /><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 17pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Praise for</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 17pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Sightless City</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">"A gripping mystery with an exceptionally fleshed-out world."</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">“Take one step into The Sightless City</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> and you’re pulled into a crackling adventure of intrigue, danger and mystery until the very last page. Lemelson builds an intricate steampunk fantasy world and sets it ablaze with haunting characters and deep moral questions. It’s a thrilling debut!”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-Amanda Silver, writer and producer of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Rise of the Planet of the Apes</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Jurassic World</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">“Lemelson melds industrial revolution with powerful magic; and, like all revolutions, this one isn't a tea party."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-- Dave Higgins, author of </span><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Seven Stones: The Complete Series</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">“Stellar worldbuilding and quick pacing. This is sure to entertain any fan of gritty speculative fiction.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">"With one foot in the seemingly magical and the other in SF, The Sightless City hits that same sweet spot that Tamsyn Muir mines so successfully in Gideon the Ninth. Lemelson revives and updates the gestures of science fantasy to make it a truly 21st century form. Funny, dark, irreverent, and endlessly entertaining, The Sightless City is a rustpunk wonder and a first-rate debut."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> -- Brian Evenson, award-winning author of </span><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Song for the Unraveling of the World</span><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> and </span><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Warren</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">“Feast your eyes on Sightless City, a world no one had ever seen until Noah Lemelson transported us to his exotic crossroad of fantasy, dieselpunk, and sci-fi. It’s a book for all ages: past, present, and future. At the same time. Venture inside and this new author will be a part of your future.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-- Gary Goldman, screenwriter of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Big Trouble In Little China</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Total Recall</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Navy Seals</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMNBJKZwHptWq-tcynMhXDSNBqAj9hyz0y5YyuGjV1wdXQKnzexl7CxyST5EeawfFpIRKrYY_S3B-SR9fJlgM3DKRdavPQj-nEzcpwGXSF40zRsZbho7ymekwM6cXcloSVo3ROga0N0TrrAwErFfxZMFLHWuLTLNDB6atQdYp1jXXjRsFz0PaXtQQl94/s400/meet%20the%20AUTHor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMNBJKZwHptWq-tcynMhXDSNBqAj9hyz0y5YyuGjV1wdXQKnzexl7CxyST5EeawfFpIRKrYY_S3B-SR9fJlgM3DKRdavPQj-nEzcpwGXSF40zRsZbho7ymekwM6cXcloSVo3ROga0N0TrrAwErFfxZMFLHWuLTLNDB6atQdYp1jXXjRsFz0PaXtQQl94/s320/meet%20the%20AUTHor.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><br /><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.noahlemelson.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Noah Lemelson</span></a><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> is a short story writer and novelist who lives in LA with his wife and cat. Lover of Science Fiction, Fantasy, New Weird, and Punk. He received his BA in Biology from the University of Chicago in 2014 and received his MFA in Creative Writing from the California Institute of the Arts in 2020. He has had several of his short stories published in both print and online magazines, such as Allegory, Space Squid and the Outsider’s Within Horror Anthology.</span></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">An Interview with</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 24pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Noah Lemelson</span></p><br /><ol style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">How did you write the evolution of the story you began in The Sightless City? What inspired the continuation of your characters’ journey?</span></p></li></ol><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The story started as one big book, before being split into a trilogy, so I always knew where they were headed. My first vision for this story was these four characters, around a campfire, hunting a single man. A big part of the The Sightless City was setting up our "heroes" (I use the term loosely), explaining their relationship to Lazarus Roache, and laying the groundworks for this haphazard quest for revenge, so it's fun to finally get to see them making their way (mishaps and all) through the Wastes. On a character level, I was excited to explore Sylvaine's struggles with her powers, and the possibility of losing them, as well as Marcel wrestling with the moral implications of his past actions, particularly when faced with the titular Lioness and The Rat Queen.</span></p><br /><ol start="2" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">How can fiction alter one’s own self narrative?</span></p></li></ol><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I think fiction allows us to look at the world through someone else’s eyes, and that’s a skill that can be turned inward. Different perspectives let us realize that the way we think about anything, including ourselves, is just one possibility, not the be-all-end-all truth. We all live in our own stories, partially written by us, partially written by others, while we can’t always control the way we fit into other peoples’ narratives, I think we do have some control on how we tell our own story. Fiction lets us practice that skill.</span></p><br /><ol start="3" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">How did you decide to set your story in a steampunk fantasy world against the tumultuous backdrop of a partial apocalypse?</span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">For whatever reason, I find industrial decay to be utterly fascinating, and even beautiful in its own way. I think that’s one reason why places like Chernobyl are so fascinating, places marked by civilization but no longer controlled by it. Traditional fantasy loves its ruined temples and forgotten cities, I think it’s interesting to take those same tropes and bump them up a couple centuries.</span></p><br /><ol start="4" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Could you explain your “realistic” approach to writing magical characters?</span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Though the term magic is never used in the book (besides once in a derisive aside), several characters have abilities or powers that are… basically magic with a fancy name. It’s a fun fantasy to imagine problems that magic could solve, but I think it’s often more interesting to look at what magic can’t solve. Self-doubt, moral quandaries, societal inequalities, relationship difficulties, magic has its limit. Its like anything else, skills or powers in one part of life don’t necessarily translate to others, and I think many of the most interesting stories about magic characters, be they literal wizards, super-heroes, or realty-defying inventors, is to look at where their magic is no longer enough.</span></p><br /><ol start="5" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">What exactly is the Calamity, and how did that event influence the ongoing wars and discrimination throughout the book?</span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The details of the Calamity aren’t discussed much in the book, but in short it was a massive disaster caused by the misuse of ætheric weaponry that turned a big chunk of the continent into desolate Wastes. It’s one of those events that is so big that it paradoxically just kind of blends into the background. For most people it’s just a fact of history, an explanation for a reality that is their mundanity. Yet, like most facts of history, it can be trotted out to win political debate, or to excuse terrible acts. The Calamity is always someone else’s fault, an everlasting causa belli, a parable to support whatever argument is currently being made.</span></p><br /><ol start="6" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">What inspired you to create this world?</span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 10pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Honestly I always loved the expanded universes for other novels, games, movies, and a not small part of my motivation came from a desire to have a world of my own, where my imagination wasn’t bound by what other people already wrote. As for why it became what it became, that’s a harder question to answer. I’ll say this, it started with the Wastes, and worked its way out.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZtXgFHWAFJ6rVcHhp1uJVs6SZjwSwrjppmlXwjEwoG9LmKHTPpVnE37O51vvusyX7sA4v8jxX7ssFbDJA0aCSfF0q1yc1oLkASVUH7YnP58FivIXhC91ZY-c1QJR4eZ70yu1g1jAEkSOiwWBxfao4Q8N_P2WpGzyfBj9l2FwLy6V5UEbwsrmyJq3h6O8/s500/thanks%20for%20looking%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 14.6667px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="500" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZtXgFHWAFJ6rVcHhp1uJVs6SZjwSwrjppmlXwjEwoG9LmKHTPpVnE37O51vvusyX7sA4v8jxX7ssFbDJA0aCSfF0q1yc1oLkASVUH7YnP58FivIXhC91ZY-c1QJR4eZ70yu1g1jAEkSOiwWBxfao4Q8N_P2WpGzyfBj9l2FwLy6V5UEbwsrmyJq3h6O8/s320/thanks%20for%20looking%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></div>Omra Seoinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06374827091011473816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5050294126328858045.post-2796360385405566692023-02-28T00:30:00.001-07:002023-02-28T00:30:00.192-07:00REVIEW: Castoff: Peridot Series By R.J. Theodore<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcIpQHu4ATlsLQKJ-cWz3GavqdHxSRB4keCd8VF9WMGz2zd3HOqBt-JV7RKPdJt822w219IQMrq6vLcqXo9L-IdU8Mo6A-c8yN7L-mBWi3vU91n5NDHBf3EAQXtwo5kwzkxOT3_CnXKldJ7DvOjL_k3GGvo9RVmKpbyrnXDFCFSpni_CjogPW-jInb/s1200/cast%20off.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcIpQHu4ATlsLQKJ-cWz3GavqdHxSRB4keCd8VF9WMGz2zd3HOqBt-JV7RKPdJt822w219IQMrq6vLcqXo9L-IdU8Mo6A-c8yN7L-mBWi3vU91n5NDHBf3EAQXtwo5kwzkxOT3_CnXKldJ7DvOjL_k3GGvo9RVmKpbyrnXDFCFSpni_CjogPW-jInb/w400-h225/cast%20off.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <strong style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;">The Action Packed Conclusion to the Peridot Shift Trilogy</strong><p></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem;">Peridot is on the edge of annihilation. Once life-giving, the world’s Trade Winds are transforming people into soulless monsters. The surviving Alchemist gods neglect their followers or take advantage of them. Even worse, a delicate peace has been wasted, and everything and everyone is at stake, especially Meran, the mistreated embodiment of the planet.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem;">Captain Talis and the crew of <em style="box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit;">Fortune’s Storm</em> must try to do some good with what’s left of Peridot in the hope that, together, they’ll reclaim the hidden pieces of Meran’s soul before the chaos seals her disastrous fate.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0uisWae2P4je3wzJ6bCxDgPHPq-K3wUNOcmy-nt2TO2ERulwiCjeRHkGp9hHLa1FsG7CJ9wl6dqzZX2KrM0adca_nhvSpYVXtc0jJ_DPZoz7SowkljnoVply0gquKmi2ajUlZskXWKpCdcNuuzr1Fwa4Quc-jul3vwo35zmIRhbpqNSlChpgciaC/s400/review%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0uisWae2P4je3wzJ6bCxDgPHPq-K3wUNOcmy-nt2TO2ERulwiCjeRHkGp9hHLa1FsG7CJ9wl6dqzZX2KrM0adca_nhvSpYVXtc0jJ_DPZoz7SowkljnoVply0gquKmi2ajUlZskXWKpCdcNuuzr1Fwa4Quc-jul3vwo35zmIRhbpqNSlChpgciaC/s320/review%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;">This is the third book of the trilogy. The setting is a planet, Peridot, that has suffered some sort of cataclysmic event that has sundered the planet into diverse cultures. The interaction between sections is primarily a craft that appears to be the marriage between a traditional ocean-going vessel and a hot air balloon. In the previous books, the alien Yu’Nyun and the homegrown Veritors undercutting each other while pretending support is one of the underpinnings for this book.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;">Great finish to this series, Its a must read if you loved the other two. If you like any scifi type shows or books like firefly doom this is a great book series to read.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;">This is an adventure as well as a world-changing experience. Theodore did an incredible job on this trilogy and I can’t wait to see what is next.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;">I highly recommend it. Also, there is a subliminal message about the importance of protecting the environment and respecting Mother Earth.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDO9KYs-wJ9LC87S8eVCCPu8YoVF_YKVh1zv-5esXjCxmV1Rv9UIOn0HHBY304S9bvDJQJM2GT_UTZHtHkR-avu7_VxbEt2QgTJmuRJjJWirnhwCXpqAy4eJS7-tsYEQ_8k9vH6_DAGZvwOfYbqOv3M1kuH5tQ-hep1DZujbc6k-rAy2j5eiABmhju/s400/4%20stars%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="400" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDO9KYs-wJ9LC87S8eVCCPu8YoVF_YKVh1zv-5esXjCxmV1Rv9UIOn0HHBY304S9bvDJQJM2GT_UTZHtHkR-avu7_VxbEt2QgTJmuRJjJWirnhwCXpqAy4eJS7-tsYEQ_8k9vH6_DAGZvwOfYbqOv3M1kuH5tQ-hep1DZujbc6k-rAy2j5eiABmhju/s320/4%20stars%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mu7TfL2yTdLKbsaSOj2Jn2O4bIjvDKW2ebZjNHwUOUeCB_FoxBo6N-5OmrFLcAsYijw-VdKhmyfmk6mboae2lsdlzmScRX-DLrflXIV_ytDIUoE4yVnhXDXtSHqxZZ-fwNowXmlU9EvyG_ITG4N69G3OG2lAY2Z2oVYFnAfXt9aApBF3upWCwZeb/s2000/The-Peridot-Shift-trilogy-by-RJ-Theodore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mu7TfL2yTdLKbsaSOj2Jn2O4bIjvDKW2ebZjNHwUOUeCB_FoxBo6N-5OmrFLcAsYijw-VdKhmyfmk6mboae2lsdlzmScRX-DLrflXIV_ytDIUoE4yVnhXDXtSHqxZZ-fwNowXmlU9EvyG_ITG4N69G3OG2lAY2Z2oVYFnAfXt9aApBF3upWCwZeb/w400-h300/The-Peridot-Shift-trilogy-by-RJ-Theodore.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Wk44oIhgo_B8FNF9qpQXV3bEcM1QfCXfDF0J3dxB-UqXhzyukfiuH-jA_X9K5-fvr_T9yVFHoGOjfXjG7sbmGDHcwF57aIvWJ4n6atkXgGsoGX-BMkugF89PNZW9M0stlhSHbDa5WDWPf3VHut_rjvgTiHhqQHW2khjHp-U7mf9YbxO039fh4JyY/s400/meet%20the%20AUTHor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Wk44oIhgo_B8FNF9qpQXV3bEcM1QfCXfDF0J3dxB-UqXhzyukfiuH-jA_X9K5-fvr_T9yVFHoGOjfXjG7sbmGDHcwF57aIvWJ4n6atkXgGsoGX-BMkugF89PNZW9M0stlhSHbDa5WDWPf3VHut_rjvgTiHhqQHW2khjHp-U7mf9YbxO039fh4JyY/s320/meet%20the%20AUTHor.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span id="freeTextauthor17166271" style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><p style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; margin: 18px 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCOLdOpgRuFPzJKA0XU6713Rw0gDVAuD9cNMsgM814hJqIkBJqssHCo7k2tAnRnaU_08sdapO7C29GgkE1NvmNyMY33_Aq3Jbz-bgIDtYCBUBxYZdMh5AqbZ_trJ1n4iRinCI9Kvg8IfLqPiAza66fX8sQR9WfYqVwGqUtQ-7V2gBv3fLk93WPZLcW/s500/rj%20theodore2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCOLdOpgRuFPzJKA0XU6713Rw0gDVAuD9cNMsgM814hJqIkBJqssHCo7k2tAnRnaU_08sdapO7C29GgkE1NvmNyMY33_Aq3Jbz-bgIDtYCBUBxYZdMh5AqbZ_trJ1n4iRinCI9Kvg8IfLqPiAza66fX8sQR9WfYqVwGqUtQ-7V2gBv3fLk93WPZLcW/s320/rj%20theodore2.jpg" width="205" /></a><b>R J Theodore</b>* (they/she) is an author and graphic designer. Their short fiction has appeared in <i>Lightspeed</i> and <i>Fireside Magazines</i> as well as the award-winning <i>Glitter + Ashes</i> and <i>Unfettered Hexes</i> anthologies from Neon Hemlock Press.</p><p style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; margin: 18px 0px; padding: 0px;">Their Peridot Shift trilogy comes to an adventures conclusion in December 2022! Learn more at <a href="https://rjtheodore.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" style="color: #00635d; text-decoration-line: none;">rjtheodore.com</a></p></span></div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem;"><br /></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem;"><br /></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem;"><br /></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem;"><br /></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem;"><br /></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXBiG_ogxPPICwX7sZUmUXWnVuU7Zbtid-FU2_8k8fUk3JAp_Kn8dFGgudbyeSAybU1w3ybI-wvPwz6yVA4AN1vSJTRX5mxBAzytR-wgUkn99MjKTDTC6uZx_rNPO_mvx35xvAOO2Swq6cdWoMwIEfTvl1mwQpLODuN232r2e7bEvLPAPG9Z_zV3O4/s500/thanks%20for%20looking%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="500" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXBiG_ogxPPICwX7sZUmUXWnVuU7Zbtid-FU2_8k8fUk3JAp_Kn8dFGgudbyeSAybU1w3ybI-wvPwz6yVA4AN1vSJTRX5mxBAzytR-wgUkn99MjKTDTC6uZx_rNPO_mvx35xvAOO2Swq6cdWoMwIEfTvl1mwQpLODuN232r2e7bEvLPAPG9Z_zV3O4/s320/thanks%20for%20looking%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></p></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div>Omra Seoinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06374827091011473816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5050294126328858045.post-38903572687029259332023-02-26T00:30:00.001-07:002023-02-26T00:30:00.185-07:00REVIEW: Salvage: Peridot Series By R.J. Theodore<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0GWg4fttiYekzH1eX6L9Ew62VUHc_PhDJGmviOr2nvtP_2HAOeNPqGqgwKQkQhOWx52GygjqX0a4n3erYplSydF5ErBvRpdTYUwEnE13d6CjdZSuQ4qYObHzW7xl5gD6027bB-KA1L8FFoEHv90615Tw9tCjJVmNQSoTXYh7ibIyaeukkBszd-Zw/s460/salvage_book_mockup.460x0.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="460" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0GWg4fttiYekzH1eX6L9Ew62VUHc_PhDJGmviOr2nvtP_2HAOeNPqGqgwKQkQhOWx52GygjqX0a4n3erYplSydF5ErBvRpdTYUwEnE13d6CjdZSuQ4qYObHzW7xl5gD6027bB-KA1L8FFoEHv90615Tw9tCjJVmNQSoTXYh7ibIyaeukkBszd-Zw/s320/salvage_book_mockup.460x0.png" width="320" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;">Peridot is headed for its second cataclysm. War has broken ancient alliances, sealed borders, and locked down the skies. The Five, Peridot’s alchemist gods, have seen one of their number die and another fall in their efforts to protect their world from invaders beyond the stars. Defeated and diminished, they have ceased to answer the prayers of their people and have left the rapidly unraveling world to fend for itself.</span><p></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem;">Talis and the orphaned crew of the lost airship <em style="box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit;">Wind Sabre </em>have a plan to set things to rights, but they’re stranded on a rock far from the heart of the conflict. When an old enemy comes and offers them a ship and a path forward, it comes with strings that will pull them further from the home they are so desperate to save.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem;">Can Talis and her crew chart a course through hostile skies, shifting allegiances, and subverted governments before the true enemies of Peridot claim a power that can destroy the world once and for all?</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0uisWae2P4je3wzJ6bCxDgPHPq-K3wUNOcmy-nt2TO2ERulwiCjeRHkGp9hHLa1FsG7CJ9wl6dqzZX2KrM0adca_nhvSpYVXtc0jJ_DPZoz7SowkljnoVply0gquKmi2ajUlZskXWKpCdcNuuzr1Fwa4Quc-jul3vwo35zmIRhbpqNSlChpgciaC/s400/review%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0uisWae2P4je3wzJ6bCxDgPHPq-K3wUNOcmy-nt2TO2ERulwiCjeRHkGp9hHLa1FsG7CJ9wl6dqzZX2KrM0adca_nhvSpYVXtc0jJ_DPZoz7SowkljnoVply0gquKmi2ajUlZskXWKpCdcNuuzr1Fwa4Quc-jul3vwo35zmIRhbpqNSlChpgciaC/s320/review%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;">This is the second book of the trilogy and….I enjoyed it too. The setting is a planet, Peridot, that has suffered some sort of cataclysmic event that has sundered the planet into diverse cultures. </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;">A unique world like I’ve never seen before with an action packed story and a lovable crew of characters. Looking forward to the next one!</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;">Theodore gives the characters flaws and personalities. I admire the style and thoroughness of her work.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;">This is an adventure as well as a world-changing experience.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;">I highly recommend it.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;">Wonderfully well written 2nd book in this series. Extremely excited for the conclusion to this series.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDO9KYs-wJ9LC87S8eVCCPu8YoVF_YKVh1zv-5esXjCxmV1Rv9UIOn0HHBY304S9bvDJQJM2GT_UTZHtHkR-avu7_VxbEt2QgTJmuRJjJWirnhwCXpqAy4eJS7-tsYEQ_8k9vH6_DAGZvwOfYbqOv3M1kuH5tQ-hep1DZujbc6k-rAy2j5eiABmhju/s400/4%20stars%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="400" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDO9KYs-wJ9LC87S8eVCCPu8YoVF_YKVh1zv-5esXjCxmV1Rv9UIOn0HHBY304S9bvDJQJM2GT_UTZHtHkR-avu7_VxbEt2QgTJmuRJjJWirnhwCXpqAy4eJS7-tsYEQ_8k9vH6_DAGZvwOfYbqOv3M1kuH5tQ-hep1DZujbc6k-rAy2j5eiABmhju/s320/4%20stars%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAc9U1CLQ2Vbz1YQCJhD83XKoXj_7-63esww4W7BXdnIJpZgLIKOFlV6Iy_bPgJlQTqioBO8hIhTN4q0ts_07QFX3OQE_LwAndEV7qOF3LCt_aSg2MYlgyex2AJwDIZ5ZetTGuWBir7mh0fOA_qvZSGwSxAT8HIEg73hqrop1imjT5eS1cWTswOE8I/s2000/The-Peridot-Shift-trilogy-by-RJ-Theodore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAc9U1CLQ2Vbz1YQCJhD83XKoXj_7-63esww4W7BXdnIJpZgLIKOFlV6Iy_bPgJlQTqioBO8hIhTN4q0ts_07QFX3OQE_LwAndEV7qOF3LCt_aSg2MYlgyex2AJwDIZ5ZetTGuWBir7mh0fOA_qvZSGwSxAT8HIEg73hqrop1imjT5eS1cWTswOE8I/w400-h300/The-Peridot-Shift-trilogy-by-RJ-Theodore.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Wk44oIhgo_B8FNF9qpQXV3bEcM1QfCXfDF0J3dxB-UqXhzyukfiuH-jA_X9K5-fvr_T9yVFHoGOjfXjG7sbmGDHcwF57aIvWJ4n6atkXgGsoGX-BMkugF89PNZW9M0stlhSHbDa5WDWPf3VHut_rjvgTiHhqQHW2khjHp-U7mf9YbxO039fh4JyY/s400/meet%20the%20AUTHor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Wk44oIhgo_B8FNF9qpQXV3bEcM1QfCXfDF0J3dxB-UqXhzyukfiuH-jA_X9K5-fvr_T9yVFHoGOjfXjG7sbmGDHcwF57aIvWJ4n6atkXgGsoGX-BMkugF89PNZW9M0stlhSHbDa5WDWPf3VHut_rjvgTiHhqQHW2khjHp-U7mf9YbxO039fh4JyY/s320/meet%20the%20AUTHor.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span id="freeTextauthor17166271" style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><p style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; margin: 18px 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsgU6qicR-x25GSh-OfRpA9foq_D4ChEzgFIEyOMhQGgPFQ9HMlc8bbzUoLpDsjjMMSFMJng46hs3Hi4TScTQCXTO3EjJkSUnm_lpIHKlSgLDGn9fKqMZB9OpXAs-HGI_qlIMtPtLnezFN6LvLZehRxa7HbAOcLk-glBk35yCqQJNAZn8bozO6yVr/s500/rj%20theodore2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsgU6qicR-x25GSh-OfRpA9foq_D4ChEzgFIEyOMhQGgPFQ9HMlc8bbzUoLpDsjjMMSFMJng46hs3Hi4TScTQCXTO3EjJkSUnm_lpIHKlSgLDGn9fKqMZB9OpXAs-HGI_qlIMtPtLnezFN6LvLZehRxa7HbAOcLk-glBk35yCqQJNAZn8bozO6yVr/s320/rj%20theodore2.jpg" width="205" /></a><b>R J Theodore</b>* (they/she) is an author and graphic designer. Their short fiction has appeared in <i>Lightspeed</i> and <i>Fireside Magazines</i> as well as the award-winning <i>Glitter + Ashes</i> and <i>Unfettered Hexes</i> anthologies from Neon Hemlock Press.</p><p style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; margin: 18px 0px; padding: 0px;">Their Peridot Shift trilogy comes to an adventures conclusion in December 2022! Learn more at <a href="https://rjtheodore.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" style="color: #00635d; text-decoration-line: none;">rjtheodore.com</a></p></span></div><br /><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem;"><br /></p></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXBiG_ogxPPICwX7sZUmUXWnVuU7Zbtid-FU2_8k8fUk3JAp_Kn8dFGgudbyeSAybU1w3ybI-wvPwz6yVA4AN1vSJTRX5mxBAzytR-wgUkn99MjKTDTC6uZx_rNPO_mvx35xvAOO2Swq6cdWoMwIEfTvl1mwQpLODuN232r2e7bEvLPAPG9Z_zV3O4/s500/thanks%20for%20looking%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="500" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXBiG_ogxPPICwX7sZUmUXWnVuU7Zbtid-FU2_8k8fUk3JAp_Kn8dFGgudbyeSAybU1w3ybI-wvPwz6yVA4AN1vSJTRX5mxBAzytR-wgUkn99MjKTDTC6uZx_rNPO_mvx35xvAOO2Swq6cdWoMwIEfTvl1mwQpLODuN232r2e7bEvLPAPG9Z_zV3O4/s320/thanks%20for%20looking%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Omra Seoinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06374827091011473816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5050294126328858045.post-7889423243084893512023-02-24T02:00:00.002-07:002023-02-24T02:00:00.193-07:00REVIEW: Flotsam Peridot Series By R.J. Theodore<p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGE_Nmra6DJWDXaHTUXPYsvF8l3hzFIywBMdNp5gP_7MxUFcNoqhBueHji9UctuHBYVGn5Rc6vfJCfSYYcgEzjMcDrjldVeN6WD-FVJBF3xF8AiNGvzxVXDPazwKkHUCCMWfBFICUcyvRuArL8DA0nRpEvEq533UF1JnP9fFFzgdIxCQFBvX1XGwIR/s536/flotsma_banner.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="174" data-original-width="536" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGE_Nmra6DJWDXaHTUXPYsvF8l3hzFIywBMdNp5gP_7MxUFcNoqhBueHji9UctuHBYVGn5Rc6vfJCfSYYcgEzjMcDrjldVeN6WD-FVJBF3xF8AiNGvzxVXDPazwKkHUCCMWfBFICUcyvRuArL8DA0nRpEvEq533UF1JnP9fFFzgdIxCQFBvX1XGwIR/w640-h208/flotsma_banner.webp" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw8iV3tsu-RtET69uYt36uAjnT1uEdYas-evA9YHoVsH6ozD9D-0KhkNjzXoaOYBY2wJbJntH-qZ23VmOeuzH1zTWTcq5ZQYKSad6gnUxtiuV-iF8cphKrO-Y4D4oY9K6h3KDGQ0bBp_KqFRc1KSJhhpymzzzgrcL7naqHGcPK3FeR-ktndEvKZIIP/s1005/flotsam.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="1005" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw8iV3tsu-RtET69uYt36uAjnT1uEdYas-evA9YHoVsH6ozD9D-0KhkNjzXoaOYBY2wJbJntH-qZ23VmOeuzH1zTWTcq5ZQYKSad6gnUxtiuV-iF8cphKrO-Y4D4oY9K6h3KDGQ0bBp_KqFRc1KSJhhpymzzzgrcL7naqHGcPK3FeR-ktndEvKZIIP/w400-h225/flotsam.webp" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Captain Talis just wants to keep her airship crew from starving, and maybe scrape up enough cash for some badly needed repairs. When an anonymous client offers a small fortune to root through a pile of atmospheric wreckage, it seems like an easy payday. The job yields an ancient ring, a forbidden secret, and a host of deadly enemies.</span></div><p></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem;">Now on the run from cultists with powerful allies, Talis needs to unload the ring as quickly as possible. Her desperate search for a buyer and the fallout from her discovery leads to a planetary battle between a secret society, alien forces, and even the gods themselves.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;">Talis and her crew have just one desperate chance to make things right before their potential big score destroys them all.</span> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0uisWae2P4je3wzJ6bCxDgPHPq-K3wUNOcmy-nt2TO2ERulwiCjeRHkGp9hHLa1FsG7CJ9wl6dqzZX2KrM0adca_nhvSpYVXtc0jJ_DPZoz7SowkljnoVply0gquKmi2ajUlZskXWKpCdcNuuzr1Fwa4Quc-jul3vwo35zmIRhbpqNSlChpgciaC/s400/review%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0uisWae2P4je3wzJ6bCxDgPHPq-K3wUNOcmy-nt2TO2ERulwiCjeRHkGp9hHLa1FsG7CJ9wl6dqzZX2KrM0adca_nhvSpYVXtc0jJ_DPZoz7SowkljnoVply0gquKmi2ajUlZskXWKpCdcNuuzr1Fwa4Quc-jul3vwo35zmIRhbpqNSlChpgciaC/s320/review%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;">Air ships, a captain with a heart of Gold, Alchemical gods, Aliens and a Shattered planet. If any of those elements perk your interests then you should probably take a look at Flotsam.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;">The worldbuilding was excellent; I never felt lost or confused even though Peridot is a very unique setting, but there wasn't so much exposition that it felt like an infodump at any time. The pacing of the story was also very nice... it never dragged, I never felt bored by the narrative but neither did I feel there was too much action with no downtime. And all of the characters were likable in their own way...</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;">This is a Author that I cannot wait to read more from.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Amazon Ember, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">This definitely wont be everyone's cup of tea but if you like Aliens, sky Pirates, fantastical creatures and the like this is a Book for you.</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDO9KYs-wJ9LC87S8eVCCPu8YoVF_YKVh1zv-5esXjCxmV1Rv9UIOn0HHBY304S9bvDJQJM2GT_UTZHtHkR-avu7_VxbEt2QgTJmuRJjJWirnhwCXpqAy4eJS7-tsYEQ_8k9vH6_DAGZvwOfYbqOv3M1kuH5tQ-hep1DZujbc6k-rAy2j5eiABmhju/s400/4%20stars%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="400" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDO9KYs-wJ9LC87S8eVCCPu8YoVF_YKVh1zv-5esXjCxmV1Rv9UIOn0HHBY304S9bvDJQJM2GT_UTZHtHkR-avu7_VxbEt2QgTJmuRJjJWirnhwCXpqAy4eJS7-tsYEQ_8k9vH6_DAGZvwOfYbqOv3M1kuH5tQ-hep1DZujbc6k-rAy2j5eiABmhju/s320/4%20stars%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1p4wq72Y9yk7odmNGBfCHKUeWRrvkSjjQy9X27PADaSqRpltx0v8b54aTW5v7_fxGnN2_zNOgR777Z3Ns_2Sdp-G1Kp2r5zqhQP0a7UhYz0um0xhBhAJXxreP_g4ZvAqCKUoRawhkoJB_LrR6j2M0pPBE7XhErkGjpRxDKCZ7yJqhgg7wX95Fl6Yv/s2000/The-Peridot-Shift-trilogy-by-RJ-Theodore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1p4wq72Y9yk7odmNGBfCHKUeWRrvkSjjQy9X27PADaSqRpltx0v8b54aTW5v7_fxGnN2_zNOgR777Z3Ns_2Sdp-G1Kp2r5zqhQP0a7UhYz0um0xhBhAJXxreP_g4ZvAqCKUoRawhkoJB_LrR6j2M0pPBE7XhErkGjpRxDKCZ7yJqhgg7wX95Fl6Yv/w400-h300/The-Peridot-Shift-trilogy-by-RJ-Theodore.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Wk44oIhgo_B8FNF9qpQXV3bEcM1QfCXfDF0J3dxB-UqXhzyukfiuH-jA_X9K5-fvr_T9yVFHoGOjfXjG7sbmGDHcwF57aIvWJ4n6atkXgGsoGX-BMkugF89PNZW9M0stlhSHbDa5WDWPf3VHut_rjvgTiHhqQHW2khjHp-U7mf9YbxO039fh4JyY/s400/meet%20the%20AUTHor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Wk44oIhgo_B8FNF9qpQXV3bEcM1QfCXfDF0J3dxB-UqXhzyukfiuH-jA_X9K5-fvr_T9yVFHoGOjfXjG7sbmGDHcwF57aIvWJ4n6atkXgGsoGX-BMkugF89PNZW9M0stlhSHbDa5WDWPf3VHut_rjvgTiHhqQHW2khjHp-U7mf9YbxO039fh4JyY/s320/meet%20the%20AUTHor.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span id="freeTextauthor17166271" style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><p style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; margin: 18px 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4kCT_Syq6CAEO6RV7qKI36UsM4OBf8l2Co7YVNw5aAfnvBk36kTHEmftkk_2RQ-ZBKWgJ7qOGI95txapKBNBl70mcAyRDrCDGsNg5AK0oKH-k28rNSypjxm6YJCbPw58rbzvLItQrRV3mOdJWao9wE-RcyT8_igvyaGxgXghtMxNLhUFruhMNrc4X/s500/rj%20theodore2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4kCT_Syq6CAEO6RV7qKI36UsM4OBf8l2Co7YVNw5aAfnvBk36kTHEmftkk_2RQ-ZBKWgJ7qOGI95txapKBNBl70mcAyRDrCDGsNg5AK0oKH-k28rNSypjxm6YJCbPw58rbzvLItQrRV3mOdJWao9wE-RcyT8_igvyaGxgXghtMxNLhUFruhMNrc4X/s320/rj%20theodore2.jpg" width="205" /></a><b>R J Theodore</b>* (they/she) is an author and graphic designer. Their short fiction has appeared in <i>Lightspeed</i> and <i>Fireside Magazines</i> as well as the award-winning <i>Glitter + Ashes</i> and <i>Unfettered Hexes</i> anthologies from Neon Hemlock Press.</p><p style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; margin: 18px 0px; padding: 0px;">Their Peridot Shift trilogy comes to an adventures conclusion in December 2022! Learn more at <a href="https://rjtheodore.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" style="color: #00635d; text-decoration-line: none;">rjtheodore.com</a></p></span></div><br /><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem;"><br /></p></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXBiG_ogxPPICwX7sZUmUXWnVuU7Zbtid-FU2_8k8fUk3JAp_Kn8dFGgudbyeSAybU1w3ybI-wvPwz6yVA4AN1vSJTRX5mxBAzytR-wgUkn99MjKTDTC6uZx_rNPO_mvx35xvAOO2Swq6cdWoMwIEfTvl1mwQpLODuN232r2e7bEvLPAPG9Z_zV3O4/s500/thanks%20for%20looking%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="500" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXBiG_ogxPPICwX7sZUmUXWnVuU7Zbtid-FU2_8k8fUk3JAp_Kn8dFGgudbyeSAybU1w3ybI-wvPwz6yVA4AN1vSJTRX5mxBAzytR-wgUkn99MjKTDTC6uZx_rNPO_mvx35xvAOO2Swq6cdWoMwIEfTvl1mwQpLODuN232r2e7bEvLPAPG9Z_zV3O4/s320/thanks%20for%20looking%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Omra Seoinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06374827091011473816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5050294126328858045.post-66273918486999972402023-02-22T21:21:00.000-07:002023-02-22T21:21:01.699-07:00SPOTLIGHT: Peridot Shift Series By R.J. Theodore<div class="separator"><div style="background-color: white; clear: right; color: #222222; float: right; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Peridot is a wild world drawn from the author's love of high fantasy, space discovery, and found family. Aliens, gods, and magic mingle, make alliances, and—often as not—betray each other. The best heroes are on the outskirts of society, following their hearts and defying the odds to protect those they love.</span></div></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="flotsam_cover_-_gold.250x0.jpg" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" data-image-whitelisted="" height="400" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=4a024a3b8f&attid=0.3&permmsgid=msg-f:1750971549375015466&th=184cb358dc502a2a&view=fimg&fur=ip&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ-zYgbcfNCBF1Lhr-1CCf8zmCq-65t2jewZOqP0XPEHdm-F7EggPCA320JP3teiDebziBXF50uF_WU1_eUbtpL4ugCd_B4FQYp20vX3tV_T2m59I-q-d3tuH7Q&disp=emb&realattid=ii_lb4dclyc1" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left;" width="258" /></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem;">Captain Talis just wants to keep her airship crew from starving, and maybe scrape up enough cash for some badly needed repairs. When an anonymous client offers a small fortune to root through a pile of atmospheric wreckage, it seems like an easy payday. The job yields an ancient ring, a forbidden secret, and a host of deadly enemies.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem;">Now on the run from cultists with powerful allies, Talis needs to unload the ring as quickly as possible. Her desperate search for a buyer and the fallout from her discovery leads to a planetary battle between a secret society, alien forces, and even the gods themselves.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem;">Talis and her crew have just one desperate chance to make things right before their potential big score destroys them all.</p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;"><img alt="salvage.jpg" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" data-image-whitelisted="" height="400" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=4a024a3b8f&attid=0.1&permmsgid=msg-f:1750971549375015466&th=184cb358dc502a2a&view=fimg&fur=ip&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ8iTSuf2UPPnET-rSOA_ymi8TDRknaRm6GmslN4VQbGkGy3t9pDuosaoziNdMY2ABQe_z5vdayXO2ocvDpl9EwV_BMmOLpvk_-lSI4jPDnFdz459pCiZponlf4&disp=emb&realattid=ii_lb4dclyz2" style="margin-right: 0px; text-align: left;" width="259" /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; text-align: left;">Peridot is headed for its second cataclysm. War has broken ancient alliances, sealed borders, and locked down the skies. The Five, Peridot’s alchemist gods, have seen one of their number die and another fall in their efforts to protect their world from invaders beyond the stars. Defeated and diminished, they have ceased to answer the prayers of their people and have left the rapidly unraveling world to fend for itself.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; text-align: left;">Talis and the orphaned crew of the lost airship <em style="box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit;">Wind Sabre </em>have a plan to set things to rights, but they’re stranded on a rock far from the heart of the conflict. When an old enemy comes and offers them a ship and a path forward, it comes with strings that will pull them further from the home they are so desperate to save.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; text-align: left;">Can Talis and her crew chart a course through hostile skies, shifting allegiances, and subverted governments before the true enemies of Peridot claim a power that can destroy the world once and for all?</p></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;"><img alt="Cast off.jpg" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" data-image-whitelisted="" height="400" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=4a024a3b8f&attid=0.2&permmsgid=msg-f:1750971549375015466&th=184cb358dc502a2a&view=fimg&fur=ip&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ-2_xSrzpQVxjZMCJicwolwEzOfqQothaDsL1iloGj0BLisckneibpJLjng-Ea8mPSi-N1NJYi8iVaFMtGptXpOFVTg0gy7DVBM7Uf_cQbK0KwewSs6paKZzjg&disp=emb&realattid=ii_lb4dclx30" style="background-color: transparent; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left;" width="256" /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; text-align: left;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Action Packed Conclusion to the Peridot Shift Trilogy</strong></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; text-align: left;">Peridot is on the edge of annihilation. Once life-giving, the world’s Trade Winds are transforming people into soulless monsters. The surviving Alchemist gods neglect their followers or take advantage of them. Even worse, a delicate peace has been wasted, and everything and everyone is at stake, especially Meran, the mistreated embodiment of the planet.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; text-align: left;">Captain Talis and the crew of <em style="box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit;">Fortune’s Storm</em> must try to do some good with what’s left of Peridot in the hope that, together, they’ll reclaim the hidden pieces of Meran’s soul before the chaos seals her disastrous fate.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; text-align: left;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFn2R_ff2DbWft8Fwd2Ffoo4WIOUKOYNbHQXIRi0nihI4aZd0oFE44WE1112Ohzpad77TiJ0yy-KLIHK6GsAJLSwUTSJIk5xdJwa6xM2HDCa1sOmWfTf_C4KK4Gu229CXfXUwwZzQBEVukyLWaFFjr4D0uMzck5PSkaVxN8GRJ24Ld2GaNil-o1d-n/s266/rj%20theodore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFn2R_ff2DbWft8Fwd2Ffoo4WIOUKOYNbHQXIRi0nihI4aZd0oFE44WE1112Ohzpad77TiJ0yy-KLIHK6GsAJLSwUTSJIk5xdJwa6xM2HDCa1sOmWfTf_C4KK4Gu229CXfXUwwZzQBEVukyLWaFFjr4D0uMzck5PSkaVxN8GRJ24Ld2GaNil-o1d-n/w301-h400/rj%20theodore.jpg" width="301" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span id="freeTextauthor17166271" style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><p style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; margin: 18px 0px; padding: 0px;"><b>R J Theodore</b>* (they/she) is an author and graphic designer. Their short fiction has appeared in <i>Lightspeed</i> and <i>Fireside Magazines</i> as well as the award-winning <i>Glitter + Ashes</i> and <i>Unfettered Hexes</i> anthologies from Neon Hemlock Press.</p><p style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; margin: 18px 0px; padding: 0px;">Their Peridot Shift trilogy comes to an adventures conclusion in December 2022! Learn more at <a href="https://rjtheodore.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" style="color: #00635d; text-decoration-line: none;">rjtheodore.com</a></p></span></div><br /><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; text-align: center;"><br /></p></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div>Omra Seoinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06374827091011473816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5050294126328858045.post-52310390753933094032023-02-01T21:52:00.000-07:002023-02-01T21:52:31.552-07:00REVIEW: The Last Lion Of Karkov By Dale Griffin<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Proxima Nova',sans-serif; font-size: 19pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Author to donate sales of feminist fantasy to Girls, Inc.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Proxima Nova',sans-serif; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Politics, revolutions and sisterhood in European-inspired historical debut</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-83e5cb73-7fff-d91d-5ab1-6d00e5f90020" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 347px; overflow: hidden; width: 230px;"><img height="400" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/GjXdLUwb6ucYAmmOwfQWWfoMSEMQHOj4bgzR3BCDRZ0CJYLHjw2pl276TdmAUsdsHFWJkUZ-zLNWNcBf_McDdHC5k_KcpYpYfaJPaQJDpdD6XxThEwdNqZ4W_TkXgjWlyELpch8zyRJo1NCRfAEnkg4=w269-h400" style="margin-left: -1.718749999999979px; margin-top: 0px;" width="269" /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Proxima Nova',sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">NASHVILLE</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Proxima Nova',sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> – </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Proxima Nova',sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The battle for the throne of Karkov commences in this epic feminist fantasy from debut author </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Proxima Nova',sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Dale Griffin</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Proxima Nova',sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">. “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Proxima Nova',sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The Last Lion of Karkov”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Proxima Nova',sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Proxima Nova',sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">(March 14, 2023, Books Fluent)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Proxima Nova',sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> dives deeply into the worlds of its characters, creating an epic fantasy debut that amplifies the hardships of politics, the sacrifice of love and the enduring bond between two sisters.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Proxima Nova',sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Using his experiences traveling across Europe and his passion for developing complex and endearing characters, Griffin’s epic features twin sisters who must fight for their rightful place in a male-dominated world. And in honor of the sisters within the story, he also plans to donate a portion of sales of his book to Girls, Inc., an organization that believes in empowering young girls to be independent and bold.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Proxima Nova',sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">For royal twin sisters, Jillian and Natalia, there’s nothing that can come between them. Natalia is set for marriage to another kingdom and Jillian prepares to take up the throne as the first Lioness of Karkov. Raised to be warlords and rulers, Jillian’s path to the throne is met with opposition when the old warriors bring forth a male rival. Jillian must fight for her rightful position on the throne, but things change when she starts to develop feelings for her challenger. As destinies are altered and nations are spun into turmoil, Jillian and Natalia must reckon with the consequences of love and war.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Proxima Nova',sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">For fans of Guy Gavriel Kay and Tamora Pierece’s Lioness series, “The Last Lion of Karkov” will give readers two new feminist icons to root for and surprising twists to linger in the mind well after reading.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Proxima Nova',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span id="m_2969177835427559575gmail-docs-internal-guid-2f05b771-7fff-1b2e-af95-1cbe0db45126"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The race for the throne of Karkov begins in this sweeping European-inspired historical fantasy from debut author Dale Griffin. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Last Lion of Karkov </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Mar 2023, Books Fluent)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> follows twin sisters, Jillian and Natalia, both set on different paths to different thrones and their fight for acceptance in this male-dominated patriarchal society. For fans of Guy Gavriel Kay and Tamora Pierece’s Lioness series, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Last Lion of Karkov</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> dives deeply into the psyche of its characters pulling them across the tumultuous terrain of politics as they mature into the strong female leaders they were always destined to become.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dale Griffin creates an epic fantasy debut that amplifies the hardships of politics, the sacrifice of love, and the enduring bond between two sisters. As a tribute to the characters in his story, he plans to donate $2 of every book sold to Girls, Inc, an organization he believes embodies Jillian and Natalia’s beliefs and the themes of empowering young girls to be independent and bold.</span></p><div><br /></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">THE LAST LION OF KARKOV: Spending their lives together, Natalia and Jillian are closely bonded, yet polar opposites. Natalia is set to marry off to another kingdom as Jillian prepares to become the first lioness of Karkov. While Jillian is the stronger of the two, Natalia’s softness for battle has kept Jillian on her toes protecting her throughout their lives. But when Jillian’s position as heiress is threatened by revolutionaries opposing her position on the throne, it’s up to Natalia to start protecting Jillian. As the world around them falls to political turmoil, Jillian and Natalia must face their biggest battle as sisters and warriors.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAhBSr4ZvDR0eJ4wZo-q1Rn1Y65vN8E-O28G-VQ0z_1valypxXTaJMt0-5Pn_Oz7ZksE__xUupYMw14fWdR9iUeXDAzHgcSIm_UkWyM4jMgAKBZA7rJ3uUQy9SNhLscO3SLXZUCPm50MeEO2ISrTaZMk2CrgJCkit2_nHX-mhSp1pyextxPY9K04Q2/s1002/20230201_202837.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1002" data-original-width="904" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAhBSr4ZvDR0eJ4wZo-q1Rn1Y65vN8E-O28G-VQ0z_1valypxXTaJMt0-5Pn_Oz7ZksE__xUupYMw14fWdR9iUeXDAzHgcSIm_UkWyM4jMgAKBZA7rJ3uUQy9SNhLscO3SLXZUCPm50MeEO2ISrTaZMk2CrgJCkit2_nHX-mhSp1pyextxPY9K04Q2/w578-h640/20230201_202837.jpg" width="578" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimSop_ZYg8wNZ1O344TbAzEgdpzR5-d8Sa5R-NZijC2iml_MrWBDl6C2QLAjeixG4bZil78YAjdyPTguROOA1YR22182PckAFPgQ-JaJr_T0A0yBXNhjGKu4OLVA7sjIJ8fMIMATfv9_ZtzOMf677Q6TWPW6unLkComB2oSsD5n3B_opG9fOBU9zbj/s400/review%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimSop_ZYg8wNZ1O344TbAzEgdpzR5-d8Sa5R-NZijC2iml_MrWBDl6C2QLAjeixG4bZil78YAjdyPTguROOA1YR22182PckAFPgQ-JaJr_T0A0yBXNhjGKu4OLVA7sjIJ8fMIMATfv9_ZtzOMf677Q6TWPW6unLkComB2oSsD5n3B_opG9fOBU9zbj/s320/review%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I dont say this often but I fell in love with this book and the characters therein. This book brought me to tears numerous times. This isn't a short novel either its almost 600 pages and worth every page worth.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jillian and Odani are amazing but Natalia is definitely my favorite. She can be sweet and kind and caring but fierce loyal and intimidating at the same time. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This author builds an amazing culture and storyline with so many amazing characters countries royalty and warriors.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> After that ending I am wanting another about Karkov for what happens at the ending. I pray I am not disappointed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Looking forward to more from this author he is amazing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">5 Stars</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVV4R7y1jA0Mciz2KQyjvzG7BhFXQ9kI1rcBtR4Mv9zYVsxs9Lbn1PzImv8-i-oju4M1i1A7VPXKHOYcgQuVkyIxK2gRlEHXd7JaVOZxDos9CyB9Y137K2AieAtC99jtUU6gWpEl_z3PCVe0avHWNbjZ_xa5nrg_o-wgWkfE6sHiuZ97hdsUgIFYEC/s400/meet%20the%20AUTHor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVV4R7y1jA0Mciz2KQyjvzG7BhFXQ9kI1rcBtR4Mv9zYVsxs9Lbn1PzImv8-i-oju4M1i1A7VPXKHOYcgQuVkyIxK2gRlEHXd7JaVOZxDos9CyB9Y137K2AieAtC99jtUU6gWpEl_z3PCVe0avHWNbjZ_xa5nrg_o-wgWkfE6sHiuZ97hdsUgIFYEC/s320/meet%20the%20AUTHor.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDojpvwA1Eg_0ypctcrn7uTh2GQTkI_FrsqRy9gXZqSDAPOvTdqqdqJERGH12VnQ8iaqn-91AD54jO3YQrB2lOqJYADNCupZqo1RYPVaO_fiok6CsVmHY2WJMZIw_qB6AJxQfHRreu3HffDThwnJBIbZlzdgZUU2cs_r0UWwULWW2pAXfQRlfwmDCt/s1077/Screenshot_20230201_173009_Chrome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="1077" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDojpvwA1Eg_0ypctcrn7uTh2GQTkI_FrsqRy9gXZqSDAPOvTdqqdqJERGH12VnQ8iaqn-91AD54jO3YQrB2lOqJYADNCupZqo1RYPVaO_fiok6CsVmHY2WJMZIw_qB6AJxQfHRreu3HffDThwnJBIbZlzdgZUU2cs_r0UWwULWW2pAXfQRlfwmDCt/s320/Screenshot_20230201_173009_Chrome.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">DALE GRIFFIN</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is a historical fantasy writer releasing his debut novel "The Last Lion of Karkov" in March 2023. Griffin considers himself a traveler and a writer as a result. Married to his best friend and travel partner, the two explore Europe as frequently as possible. Inspired by those journeys, Griffin uses his experiences to influence his imagined worlds and the memorable characters who dwell in them.</span></p><p style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">An interview with Dale Griffin</span></p><ol style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jillian and Natalia are deeply developed characters in this story. Could you go into what it was like to create these characters and the work it took to evolve them throughout the story?</span></p></li></ol><p style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I wanted to create twin sisters who were subjected to the same cruel upbringing yet emerged from their circumstances with completely different personalities. Natalia’s character evolved more over the revisions than Jillian’s. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Despite some readers finding Jillian too quick-tempered and unfair, my thoughts are that she is the direct result of her childhood. Natalia, being a person who puts others before herself, should be considered the enigma. Early drafts did not portray her as spoiled during her youth, but I preferred to show her evolve into a proper heroine, with her love of Jillian being the reason.</span></p><p style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><br /></p><ol start="2" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The story is set in a European setting despite being an epic fantasy world. What went into creating the world Jillian and Natalia live in?</span></p></li></ol><p style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Europe — its people, its landscapes, its cities, and its history — inspires me to write. I set out on writing the Euro-inspired story without knowing what the reader would think about my imaginary places obviously being taken from real places. Luckily, early readers found that it helped them picture the setting, so I fully embraced the method and ran with it.</span></p><p style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><br /></p><ol start="3" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As a male author, what was your motivation to write a fantasy story focusing on two women fighting in a patriarchal society? </span></p></li></ol><p style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My favorite characters are feisty female protagonists who refuse to conform to what is expected of them. With Jillian in particular, I created a near-insurmountable obstacle to overcome and unleashed a ferocious lioness to attack it.</span></p><p style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><br /></p><ol start="4" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You must have also drawn a bit from real life. Can you tell us a bit about what parts inspired your real life?</span></p></li></ol><p style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s easier to write about what you know. I was riding horses by the age of 4, which helped to write a book set in this period. My engineering degree was part of the inspiration for Lorenzo. Most importantly, my wife provided many influences throughout the book.</span></p><p style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><br /></p><ol start="5" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You also plan to donate sales of your book to Girls, Inc. What is your motivation there and how do you believe this connects to the story?</span></p></li></ol><p style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s what Jillian and Natalia would want — to support girls in becoming bold and independent women.</span></p><p style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><br /></p><ol start="6" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What do you hope readers gain from the story?</span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I hope that I created characters who will linger in the thoughts of readers between readings and well after completing the book.</span></p><p style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><br /></p><ol start="7" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Are you working on any additional projects?</span></p></li></ol><p style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yes, I have outlined a new book in a similar style where the lands are inspired by Scotland and Northern England, including their rivalry. A druidess is taken from her Highlands homeland to serve a Scottish-like ruler trying to preserve his title of king. But also, the continued “Last Lion of Karkov” story with the threat from the Desert Lion is never far from my thoughts.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE-mj6MUxwALV5UUF60ulkF8ofI9hW8kJl4pAyb-hdVz85kTLFEmUt3kvRsN37fy1j3ylWTMdt0_fjxdgKxtX1Fia98lIW5kXJIUKyPl8ir_O14YJ7xKM3xyDVs9404B9XxFM5w2t_cRnRWr0i4ZXOssXXExfwJFFXdFqc2kZNq4_weE7Xt3t3T_kf/s500/thanks%20for%20looking%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="500" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE-mj6MUxwALV5UUF60ulkF8ofI9hW8kJl4pAyb-hdVz85kTLFEmUt3kvRsN37fy1j3ylWTMdt0_fjxdgKxtX1Fia98lIW5kXJIUKyPl8ir_O14YJ7xKM3xyDVs9404B9XxFM5w2t_cRnRWr0i4ZXOssXXExfwJFFXdFqc2kZNq4_weE7Xt3t3T_kf/s320/thanks%20for%20looking%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></p></span></div>Omra Seoinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06374827091011473816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5050294126328858045.post-69129634977576750022022-10-30T21:55:00.002-06:002022-10-30T21:55:29.239-06:00REVIEW: Ignatius And The Battle At Dinas Affaraon (Ignatius Series Book 2)By D. A. Mucci<div class="separator"><span style="border: none; clear: right; display: inline-block; float: right; height: 239px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; overflow: hidden; width: 155px;"><img height="238.9999999999998" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/Q5FuNuYzj5t2DYpSq67rPakjKTbMPFRbeBvWpflcR77A5-UNtPX69ZAA8I8_Aobq-Clg6QtDqDRFY_L-tp9qnSbHeAaegCPyiAjPEgG9TTaJC4sNH27UlOVnIpeB9-cDsARyOoJBUXC1iV45mCNM_kzyDkZI2liKMcZ0udjeguWLl-7qoc90AQEi" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="155" /></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-c579057d-7fff-bfae-214b-3021dc111a48"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 17pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Unlikely warrior returns in action-packed fantasy series Good Morning America calls “terrific”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Independent Press Award winner releases anticipated Book 2</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Farmington, CT</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> – Emergency Room physician-turned-fantasy writer D.A. Mucci returns with the highly anticipated second book in his YA fantasy series: “</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ignatius and The Battle at Dinas Affaraon” (October 5, 2022, St. Bart’s Publishing). Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts heralded this fantasy adventure series as “just terrific,”</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and reviewers have praised the breathtaking detail of a</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">magical world full of fantastic beasts, some of which are not what you typically expect.”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The first book in the series, “Ignatius and the Swords of Nostaw”, won an Independent Press Award and was well-received by YA fantasy fans. Now in the second installment of this acclaimed series, </span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Iggy forges a sword from a meteorite–but will it be the weapon to save them?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As the obsessive Emperor Mallak plans to kill Iggy for his </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">crystal</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> amulet, Iggy remains entirely focused on becoming a master smith. Well, almost entirely–he is distracted by his crush, Raraesa, and can’t help but hope that she notices his newfound fighting skills (and fighting physique). There’s just one problem: a dark wizard, a Death Knight, and five thousand soldiers have been tasked with hunting him down. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Where will he hide? The mysteries of the Nostaw Warrior still haunt Iggy. There must be a repiceason he was given the sword, and he prays it will help him return to his place and time in Pennsylvania–but right now, home seems farther away than ever. Will he find he answers he’s seeking on the Island of Cambria? He doesn’t have much time to figure it out–an battle is looming, and it will change Iggy’s life. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fans of coming-of-age YA fantasy with relatable teen protagonists, fantastic beasts, mysterious powers and incredible worldbuilding will love Iggy’s story. In Mucci’s newest novel, readers will meet exciting new characters, dive deeper into the rich world of Skye, and hold on tight as twists and turns abound.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Ignatius and the Battle at Dinas Affaraon”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">D.A. Mucci | October 5, 2022 | Fantasy | St. Barts Publishing </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Paperback | 978-1-7372778-4-2| $9.99</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ebook | 978-1-7372778-5-9 | $4.99</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTqHXBEBMcDphUuiPtTMe4AjlkjdImVWKKu2GpGlLedC_w_5Hq44xTDcmLOFPb2egP0m5pw8Nq5BG9grPPjTWIeeMqRWSiRYbbDsr5KYeejTBM1-iWpNns2iwvEWZqCCyzFN0kj9zLwdJPrOk9mi83YjYxt8PofSIRr-chqaqvzIFWy-61MJwzRUo9/s400/review%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTqHXBEBMcDphUuiPtTMe4AjlkjdImVWKKu2GpGlLedC_w_5Hq44xTDcmLOFPb2egP0m5pw8Nq5BG9grPPjTWIeeMqRWSiRYbbDsr5KYeejTBM1-iWpNns2iwvEWZqCCyzFN0kj9zLwdJPrOk9mi83YjYxt8PofSIRr-chqaqvzIFWy-61MJwzRUo9/s320/review%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start; white-space: normal;">I have the first book on my shelf at home which I absolutely adored so im glad I was requested to read this one as well. It was so worth the read.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start; white-space: normal;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start; white-space: normal;">My favorite scene or part is him forging the sword out of a piece of meterite. I love that it makes for such a uniqueness to the storyline and really pulls you into it.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start; white-space: normal;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start; white-space: normal;"> The second book of the Ignatius series did NOT disappoint! Questions were answered with new plot twists. It’s a fantasy journey well worth taking.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start; white-space: normal;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start; white-space: normal;">The characters come to life and pull you into their magical web. The lands are so vividly written you feel as if you are there...... or wish you could be. Life lessons learned though the ventures. And cheers to Rareisa for her desire to teach women to care for themselves. Bravo to all the heroic characters and to the author that brought them to light.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start; white-space: normal;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start; white-space: normal;">Mucci’s writing quickly grasp your attention and allows your own imagination to view his characters, landscapes, towns, and creatures in both his novels. Once you pick up the book you can’t break away. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start; white-space: normal;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLwPcGQe6G6MBeHAfvI87AYVM2o-XHjHYSI68mct0NKeo0ddShu6Cgh1YRvo0uwCsdGfeKcu7uBRxZ5X9NK0hN11D1Bfq0otg4VxzNZj386BdsqKZ0Y1PrzilhgnVgpUnYaMJdFIXKS86wsS8UAo7xZ0LhMbCurlGH7lTbLF-vDuVovt_rNKFT6iB1/s400/4%20stars%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; white-space: normal;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="400" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLwPcGQe6G6MBeHAfvI87AYVM2o-XHjHYSI68mct0NKeo0ddShu6Cgh1YRvo0uwCsdGfeKcu7uBRxZ5X9NK0hN11D1Bfq0otg4VxzNZj386BdsqKZ0Y1PrzilhgnVgpUnYaMJdFIXKS86wsS8UAo7xZ0LhMbCurlGH7lTbLF-vDuVovt_rNKFT6iB1/s320/4%20stars%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn51Q37yIWow3VWpbEdIyhZCfDiX8Z5uvsIaEovInbBnUvt03LShqwWi5BZ6RokSglXRmSQtMGwF4RRHM4-WE0q2iLDKL-ZevEwIDUpUEKEpRPMvr98c2BEhpglUgc79uD5UIGyUehj0YAoufrA5GNlI7YisNlqT3ZFLXRJS_N_zwbvZ-fH-z1n_z0/s400/meet%20the%20AUTHor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; white-space: normal;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn51Q37yIWow3VWpbEdIyhZCfDiX8Z5uvsIaEovInbBnUvt03LShqwWi5BZ6RokSglXRmSQtMGwF4RRHM4-WE0q2iLDKL-ZevEwIDUpUEKEpRPMvr98c2BEhpglUgc79uD5UIGyUehj0YAoufrA5GNlI7YisNlqT3ZFLXRJS_N_zwbvZ-fH-z1n_z0/s320/meet%20the%20AUTHor.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></p><br /><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 221px; overflow: hidden; width: 217px;"><img height="221" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/avubsWA_z_b7KCYJu8-iUBjiD3-TOa96Ygs45zaQt47s9NsP9WW2kVUBwLR7vtYaJi67NpucnHIZ8zGMklEoDk-yu30BF57pLRWNisv-j2tdzFPMsga3SrHDm6JkfpbAvQXCf_5hM0n432bHBtnoI8GIuYlJkxaFtbIywXzuCHzM4wQuHuVKGBNl" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="217" /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">About the author:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After 40 years as an Emergency Room physician, D.A. Mucci turned to writing fantasy fiction in his spare time as an enjoyable escape from the pandemic stress. Mucci’s two adult children inspired his love of the fantasy genre during their younger years. His first book in the Ignatius</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">TM</span></span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> series was well received,winning an Independent Press award, that he now spends most of his time writing and only part-time with patients in the Emergency Room.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mucci calls both Connecticut and Florida home, and with his wife Jeanne by his side, he's constantly dreaming up new, fantastical creatures, daring escapades, and witty one-liners. He looks forward to writing more adventures for Iggy in this series, and hopes they provide readers the same delightful escape it brought him during the pandemic when Iggy’s adventures began. Learn more about the author and get excited for more adventures at </span><a href="https://damucci.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">damucci.com</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Follow D.A. Mucci on social media</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Facebook: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/DA-Mucci-108071821507949/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@D.A.Mucci</span></a><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> | Instagram: </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/d.a.mucci/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@d.a.mucci</span></a><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Praise for the Ignatius Series</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“He has written a YA fantasy adventure novel that is just terrific.” </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 216pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #406290; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">–Robin Roberts, </span><span style="color: #406290; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Good Morning America</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“D.A. Mucci does such a great job of creating a universe that is entirely fantastical yet believable and relatable. Ignatius and the Swords of Nostaw has an almost Harry Potter-ness to it in that we are guided into this world through the eyes of a character who is learning of it the same as the reader and who is a character very similar to its target audience. But, it is also entirely different in a good way. I have honestly not taken to a fantasy novel as much as this one in quite a long time. The author is an excellent storyteller and writer.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="color: #406290; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">–Kate Leboff, </span><span style="color: #406290; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cornell Press</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Right from the start this story is breathtaking in how much detail surrounds the kingdom of Skye... a once luscious and beautiful place that had been filled with animals and people. Now it's a kingdom with no beating heart. In desperation for a hero, a teen named Iggy finds himself becoming the hero these people need. Mastering a set of growing magic skills is a challenge but mastering the skills in handling the towering secrets that are claiming Skye is something else altogether. A wondrous journey in a finely painted world. Highly recommended.”</span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="color: #406290; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">–Lori, </span><span style="color: #406290; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Goodreads review</span></p><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The author managed to create a quite intriguing magical world full of fantastic beasts, some of which are not what you typically expect from beasts - they are mighty warriors, living in seclusion, whose abilities in battles are legendary. The world building is really nice and takes your imagination to amazing places. Combine this with an awkward, introvert and insecure boy who gets swallowed into the greatest adventure of his life, one which is too big for him to understand at a time, but he grows and shows his worth and true power. Definitely recommend this book.”</span></p><span style="color: #406290; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">–Lia, </span><span style="color: #406290; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Goodreads Review</span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgevY7VfctPa5_52rF7R0l87VvuYKNV2N-r2ejghs5-4ssmw9khydNYBTUzjduc4leYO71vfb8wCcUm-UOIyWYDsJtXMFobmbR1m9CEzkd0qOMGw-jz0AQXHgY24tfbit2Z8aL5Z1UuWMhg-zQoRQ7qcwuv3wCghI_B2D5GTxGfSY0foKqvFYpQJOZr/s500/thanks%20for%20looking%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="500" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgevY7VfctPa5_52rF7R0l87VvuYKNV2N-r2ejghs5-4ssmw9khydNYBTUzjduc4leYO71vfb8wCcUm-UOIyWYDsJtXMFobmbR1m9CEzkd0qOMGw-jz0AQXHgY24tfbit2Z8aL5Z1UuWMhg-zQoRQ7qcwuv3wCghI_B2D5GTxGfSY0foKqvFYpQJOZr/s320/thanks%20for%20looking%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div></div><div><span><span style="color: #406290; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>Omra Seoinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06374827091011473816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5050294126328858045.post-91714271758763022062022-10-20T10:30:00.001-06:002022-10-20T10:30:00.193-06:00INTERVIEW: D. A. Mucci<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;">About the author:</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img height="221" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/RCx7PJ1gTlL5fb3CayGyYsmWPS3q3CYOJPIiP1yT9Zr8PJgSV7gB6AH8JOKHIdzUQWvAU0S9rQPWls-e9jYXVk_Q7DUVQ2PQ0h6FRwoQB5y9NGF_7_IftcUVViGOGOmFAFcyM0KjX4NjHnA3N-revKuJ6uEmIVpPlY8kiHM_OF-nHAyfI3B66ZBa" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;" width="217" /></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-ebe94ec4-7fff-8de4-2681-e75462d9f31c"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After 40 years as an Emergency Room physician, D.A. Mucci turned to writing fantasy fiction in his spare time as an enjoyable escape from the pandemic stress. Mucci’s two adult children inspired his love of the fantasy genre during their younger years. His first book in the Ignatius</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">TM</span></span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> series was well received,winning an Independent Press award, that he now spends most of his time writing and only part-time with patients in the Emergency Room.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mucci calls both Connecticut and Florida home, and with his wife Jeanne by his side, he's constantly dreaming up new, fantastical creatures, daring escapades, and witty one-liners. He looks forward to writing more adventures for Iggy in this series, and hopes they provide readers the same delightful escape it brought him during the pandemic when Iggy’s adventures began. Learn more about the author and get excited for more adventures at </span><a href="https://damucci.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">damucci.com</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><br /><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">An Interview with</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 24pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">D.A. Mucci</span></p><br /><ol style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How did you go about expanding the world you created in Book One? </span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Though the four lands within my fantasy world remain, as the plot and characters expand in Book 2, more locations within the Kingdom of Skye and Dinas Affaraon are revealed to the readers. </span></p><br /><ol start="2" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What was the process like in writing the sequel? Did you take a break in writing or are you just continuously writing the next one?</span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I took a break writing after Book One, just long enough to engage with my new readers on social media and in person. Then, I moved right along to continuing Iggy’s adventures in Book Two. This is my first time writing a sequel. When writing a second book I had to make sure that readers new to the series would find the adventure exciting and could relate to the characters previously introduced. I have a new appreciation for authors that write sequels so seamlessly. </span></p><br /><ol start="3" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Though Iggy is the star, you’ve also created new languages and nearly 50 different characters. Which are some of your favorites?</span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I love the Madam Trinity character. She doesn’t appear to have it all together, but underneath the crazy facade you know she is an extremely capable, intelligent and formidable person to have on your side. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I wanted a very diverse set of characters so readers of all ages had someone to relate to. Iggy is the geeky character, while rebellious Lecque fights for what he feels is right. Ansel is the strong mentor Iggy needs. Kylian is one of the strongest male characters, holding true to his principles while being imprisoned for years. Allistair is the most powerful man in Matreach and has a physical disability.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And there are strong female characters along with Madam Trinity, each strong in their own unique way: Raraesa is physically a strong sword fighter with a soft side she doesn’t often show. Trafalga has a bohemian carefree look with a gift that will help save many and guide Iggy. Nyreada is the strong, brave personality who is typically quiet unless she sees unethical practices. And Scathatch is known for being the best warrior that oversees all, helping in a stealthy critical manner. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I wanted to include different languages to highlight Iggy’s special ability to learn them, to showcase his intelligence. While this intelligence was ridiculed in a typical middle school and high school setting, language is one of Iggy’s strengths, and he will use it along the way to accomplish his quests. </span></p><br /><ol start="4" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What advice would you give to writers who feel like their time to write a book has expired?</span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At 68 years old I’m writing a story that caters to Young Adults. There is no age limit for using your creativity and imagination. </span></p><br /><ol start="5" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Without giving spoilers, can you give readers any sneak peek into the rest of the planned series? Will we meet new characters, visit new places, etc.?</span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In Book 3, the Resistance group’s efforts strengthen as many in the Kingdom of Skye work to curb Mallak’s growing power. Madam Trinity has to face decisions made in her past, leaving her to fulfill a task she dreads. Iggy continues on to another quest to help him gain the power and knowledge he needs to help himself get back to the place and time he calls home. While the Kingdom of Skye, Matreach and Dinas Affaron will still be featured, we learn more about Cambria in Book 3. </span></p><br /><ol start="6" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What was your experience working full-time in an emergency room during the height of the pandemic and writing the first book? </span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As a physician for almost 40 years, most of them in an Emergency Room setting, you see all kinds of ailments, accidents and death. While no two cases are exactly the same, experience and knowledge helps you decide quickly what action you’ll take to save a life or manage an urgent health condition. Then a pandemic hits that you don’t have a set of experiences to rely on to truly help you manage patients, and treating patients becomes a whole new level of stress as you make your best guess and read the latest medical news to help you treat those patients suffering significantly. All as you are praying none of your protective gear reeks so you don't bring exposure home to the family you love.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">These stressful circumstances pushed me to bring this fantasy world to fruition. Most of us binge watched shows during the pandemic, and I simply needed a different outlet after a while to feel like I was doing something to help others escape and relax for their stress. What started as a stress outlet has turned into a passion, helping others escape into a book as they need to.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>Omra Seoinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06374827091011473816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5050294126328858045.post-68163446609536354322022-10-15T08:30:00.009-06:002022-10-15T08:30:00.187-06:00SPOTLIGHT: Ignatius and The Battle At Dinas Affaraon By D. A. Mucci<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 17pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Unlikely warrior returns in action-packed fantasy series Good Morning America calls “terrific”</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-b6dc1add-7fff-d2e5-2461-73a960df0f0d"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Independent Press Award winner releases anticipated Book 2</span></p><br /><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 239px; overflow: hidden; width: 155px;"><img height="238.9999999999998" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/9Hbe-2T9-NdFLbIeJiiq9eW35skVvOIbN7BfD2H-HW8t5W13cWJsfdaHKL3Vpb_1ChB1c8hOcpClsEhGoGQU-wAFBWPAzbfZoBcQkMd3FCKZ6beuLKvc-4qAYAqnDjHxyXo8dXKMBU2_-vSmg5zo-qoOk1vXwXtlHxnrF5WPOMkfvDMGmohoNd72" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="155" /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Farmington, CT</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> – Emergency Room physician-turned-fantasy writer D.A. Mucci returns with the highly anticipated second book in his YA fantasy series: “</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ignatius and The Battle at Dinas Affaraon” (October 5, 2022, St. Bart’s Publishing). Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts heralded this fantasy adventure series as “just terrific,”</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and reviewers have praised the breathtaking detail of a</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">magical world full of fantastic beasts, some of which are not what you typically expect.”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The first book in the series, “Ignatius and the Swords of Nostaw”, won an Independent Press Award and was well-received by YA fantasy fans. Now in the second installment of this acclaimed series, </span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Iggy forges a sword from a meteorite–but will it be the weapon to save them?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As the obsessive Emperor Mallak plans to kill Iggy for his </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">crystal</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> amulet, Iggy remains entirely focused on becoming a master smith. Well, almost entirely–he is distracted by his crush, Raraesa, and can’t help but hope that she notices his newfound fighting skills (and fighting physique). There’s just one problem: a dark wizard, a Death Knight, and five thousand soldiers have been tasked with hunting him down. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Where will he hide? The mysteries of the Nostaw Warrior still haunt Iggy. There must be a repiceason he was given the sword, and he prays it will help him return to his place and time in Pennsylvania–but right now, home seems farther away than ever. Will he find he answers he’s seeking on the Island of Cambria? He doesn’t have much time to figure it out–an battle is looming, and it will change Iggy’s life. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fans of coming-of-age YA fantasy with relatable teen protagonists, fantastic beasts, mysterious powers and incredible worldbuilding will love Iggy’s story. In Mucci’s newest novel, readers will meet exciting new characters, dive deeper into the rich world of Skye, and hold on tight as twists and turns abound.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Ignatius and the Battle at Dinas Affaraon”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">D.A. Mucci | October 5, 2022 | Fantasy | St. Barts Publishing </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Paperback | 978-1-7372778-4-2| $9.99</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ebook | 978-1-7372778-5-9 | $4.99</span></p><br /><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 221px; overflow: hidden; width: 217px;"><img height="221" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/RCx7PJ1gTlL5fb3CayGyYsmWPS3q3CYOJPIiP1yT9Zr8PJgSV7gB6AH8JOKHIdzUQWvAU0S9rQPWls-e9jYXVk_Q7DUVQ2PQ0h6FRwoQB5y9NGF_7_IftcUVViGOGOmFAFcyM0KjX4NjHnA3N-revKuJ6uEmIVpPlY8kiHM_OF-nHAyfI3B66ZBa" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="217" /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">About the author:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After 40 years as an Emergency Room physician, D.A. Mucci turned to writing fantasy fiction in his spare time as an enjoyable escape from the pandemic stress. Mucci’s two adult children inspired his love of the fantasy genre during their younger years. His first book in the Ignatius</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">TM</span></span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> series was well received,winning an Independent Press award, that he now spends most of his time writing and only part-time with patients in the Emergency Room.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mucci calls both Connecticut and Florida home, and with his wife Jeanne by his side, he's constantly dreaming up new, fantastical creatures, daring escapades, and witty one-liners. He looks forward to writing more adventures for Iggy in this series, and hopes they provide readers the same delightful escape it brought him during the pandemic when Iggy’s adventures began. Learn more about the author and get excited for more adventures at </span><a href="https://damucci.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">damucci.com</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></p></span>Omra Seoinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06374827091011473816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5050294126328858045.post-56184611750674391022022-10-11T08:30:00.001-06:002022-10-11T08:30:00.176-06:00REVIEW: Blue Flame :Daemon Collecting Series By Alison Levy<div class="separator"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 227px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; overflow: hidden; width: 189px;"><img height="247.36212624584718" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/sRlfSDkESGiE8sWfmQqezVZfZAAPrNomamSWpwg2xCIW6gmWpScDsmxlA7wVfuJQ_8ssPIcWJkL7ZKdEg19jLuU7pAcVGa0b_4g7RS8GsgvBA2bJcntjFnm50hW8JmTPF4GTK5z_f18M4BSNr4U0Z8Zko2lqgMw-OP0Dl3BHKyBXZvxaXlh4oB3p" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="193.49999999999997" /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-db7c347e-7fff-37f0-95c3-d562f1ee846f"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Award winning author returns with thrilling sequel</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Delve back into Rachel Wilde’s thrilling world of Daemons </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">GREENSBORO, North Carolina</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> – Chanticleer International Book Award winning author, Alison Levy, returns with her electric second installment in The Daemon Collecting Series. </span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Blue Flame” (Oct. 11 2022, SparkPress) </span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">continues with the adventures of headstrong and tenacious protagonist, Rachel Wilde. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rachel comes from a dimension that exists adjacent to ours. The people there have structured their society around daemon collecting: they locate, catch, and repair malfunctioning daemons (creatures out of phase with our world that tempt people to do good or evil). </span><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 222px; overflow: hidden; width: 175px;"><img height="222" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/GZEImClHDswbpax0Od_Ed3jGE8B3-pd--aWpMZ7AuDJJA5V-CwA22dgSU4hr7jv0m8FPMHM6dR4Qiabd9cHC4wKnYUtg3dhIQoRSmZWS8FLcAZXMHBqvJhAADuUydjhTgM6FCMeb2UNWI5Pi5q4k8WdmmF9Pr9K7ZrbdmCCcerlfPaaYHqgAoiJY" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="175" /></span></p><br /><br /><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 225px; overflow: hidden; width: 185px;"><img height="241.80497925311204" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/TS14k6bx5JyfFl5-xdnOZP1w-Gk8Ry0VzrDxvmT05cJLs3kGvgWCBH5OlZrhcHTTohUXfGi-TMBYYu8zugOg7rT9DZ69MBXqTvrZSnkMjMvBeE5FrZytU7FYl0saWw2WQob4BoDhKgks7_lxKCQ5wq3O2i-dDA-XH_2bNVVoJP05hjSqzn29VqMW" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="189.67171717171718" /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While introducing Leda Morley, last of an ancient line of gatekeepers, to the ins and outs of her daemon-collecting work, Rachel Wilde encounters something far more dangerous than any daemon: a young boy who stands alone against an unseen yet terrifying enemy that has invaded his home—an inhuman creature who, hellbent on revenge for a minor slight, intends to harm the boy’s oblivious family. Meanwhile, Leda’s brother, Simon, is feeling left out of his maternal family legacy but is coping partly by helping Rachel’s friend Bach—a previously homeless man with unusual mental abilities—get his life back on track.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the midst of all of this, Bach unintentionally but serendipitously makes contact with a capable otherworldly being who, with great reluctance, agrees to help Bach and his friends take on the dangerous creature that’s just become their problem to solve. Together, this group of unlikely allies must put aside their differences to save an innocent child, and his family, from a monster—before it’s too late.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYpbImdqyzM901mW_nEntcbVp9ypYnel3ynrWvP2ClrOPRO2ndLVcNG5RLKesCqNeuzH_ceIdCleT_19s7dq-dV_1tOeCGDyARs9femxz1o48zfxcytrqNXVjeXFNVdbZtZXkhxK_fa3B1zY6wtCTU2h3hWLznZ-llcTmlwtxLt8zVb0mYbkyo1tpw/s400/review%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; white-space: normal;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYpbImdqyzM901mW_nEntcbVp9ypYnel3ynrWvP2ClrOPRO2ndLVcNG5RLKesCqNeuzH_ceIdCleT_19s7dq-dV_1tOeCGDyARs9femxz1o48zfxcytrqNXVjeXFNVdbZtZXkhxK_fa3B1zY6wtCTU2h3hWLznZ-llcTmlwtxLt8zVb0mYbkyo1tpw/s320/review%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: Proxima Nova, Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif;">This author is wonderful but its also hard for me to get right into this book as she has a specific writing style. This in no way deters from her talent and the greatness of this series.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">I would recommend reading book one, Gatekeeper first to understand the dimensions and the characters. I was glad to continue with many of the characters' stories from the first book and go deeper into their backstories. Rachel continues to be strong and fierce, with Leda's help she begins to break down her unyielding personality. Through Leda's human eyes, a better understanding of the Arcana and it's social structure is shown. Leda's thirst for knowledge and gentle nature unravels some of the mysteries of the Arcana and smooths some of Rachel's edges. I was elated to learn more about Bach's history, see him move forward with his life, get a grip on his gift as well as learn of its origins. The being that Rachel and Leda discover in Blue Flame is surprising and interesting to learn about. I loved that the point of view switched to these special beings and they were very interesting to read.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: Proxima Nova, Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif;">This was a really wonderful second book in this series and I was so excited I was approached to read this second book. Cant wait to see what else this author will do or come up with in the future.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0_PuDiG0WbM6dlqvRzGgBaSSCiCbMEag54FA54RXcbzlbGPSNMgI9yZifDcz-SQitM51UzAQUA4I871-ygtDX9isRZyP6ZXmipg4aK3Pf_8ODNxtYVni-jey49K5CFQMiSSMan82bNfEG3mWZjV1mTZtnvna4BMJBoep-I0oZzo89blUiQTflO3oT/s400/4%20stars%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="400" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0_PuDiG0WbM6dlqvRzGgBaSSCiCbMEag54FA54RXcbzlbGPSNMgI9yZifDcz-SQitM51UzAQUA4I871-ygtDX9isRZyP6ZXmipg4aK3Pf_8ODNxtYVni-jey49K5CFQMiSSMan82bNfEG3mWZjV1mTZtnvna4BMJBoep-I0oZzo89blUiQTflO3oT/s320/4%20stars%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;"><br /></span></p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXEq8saWOWb6WLXhQAP5OCcP3opfXXGjXfJHemUwwIgVfCmzBRCsDCfo7f98h2ah9Ph4AKLoNpv13TGxkN2LTuEUKbbZZ8AnA5QEOcQXYc1hEhYLHMEjAMA4SniVq4ky7a-6nGyAqFxHTC5VNSJdMLxDM_tdKKhiEUn6bNTBi82RUoJ0MiKE8_tJGA/s400/meet%20the%20AUTHor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXEq8saWOWb6WLXhQAP5OCcP3opfXXGjXfJHemUwwIgVfCmzBRCsDCfo7f98h2ah9Ph4AKLoNpv13TGxkN2LTuEUKbbZZ8AnA5QEOcQXYc1hEhYLHMEjAMA4SniVq4ky7a-6nGyAqFxHTC5VNSJdMLxDM_tdKKhiEUn6bNTBi82RUoJ0MiKE8_tJGA/s320/meet%20the%20AUTHor.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><br /><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 372px; overflow: hidden; width: 316px;"><img height="372" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/EWjf11_agQdTE0WRiS-s-0DHGki2L2lTOj3j6OC5SqwWKjZ15OuylC-sTu0uT2u7-NazgwOmFPe_AORLA_4zMN0lBVNLuYEW6X-OYRlss0zHepdTnFUuzdb3TMw5QpUfEGPdUWjRgOJdRDpDT0G4BDRDUkHtGiTJPmW3YSWdoloYCeJIEYqCeAzk" style="margin-left: -21.38730158730158px; margin-top: 0px;" width="372.3365079365079" /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alison Levy lives in Greensboro, North Carolina with her husband, son, and a variety of pets. When she is not writing or doing mom things, she crochets, gardens, walks her collies, and works on home </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">improvement projects.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Her books feature female characters who are strong but flawed, making them more relatable. They stay rooted in everyday life while world-building in their fictional cultures. Intolerance of differences has become widespread in recent years. Gatekeeper encourages readers to look beyond what they consider normal and see through foreign eyes, a message that I hope will appeal to many in today’s climate.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>Omra Seoinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06374827091011473816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5050294126328858045.post-73777779815863876552022-09-30T07:30:00.001-06:002022-09-30T07:30:00.180-06:00AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Blue Flame By Alison Levy<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">An Interview with</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-1c46d592-7fff-2ecb-2fdc-40e05d8efc54"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 24pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alison Levy</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="border: none; clear: left; display: inline-block; float: left; height: 372px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; overflow: hidden; width: 316px;"> <img height="372" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/VfZhVryomhDv6LwGj_keBWKdwp1mV45vYOyT77qceJRgQlXwJ-Cy318I1DDkqGtHBi1L7ZgfK3ZhXC60IP5E2BErgqKuLwVSSWZKV2VPzAOPt3aWPDm11XgYowq08-orNzoG4Zjef6OP0JdOPH_w8ViHh297cHJT2b6SsqoSWn0kr9asleZlIoEx" style="margin-left: -21.38730158730158px; margin-top: 0px;" width="372.3365079365079" /></span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 24pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-045fd7ec-7fff-aae4-4388-3c72b94fc450" style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></p><ol style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Can you tell us a little about how you started writing and what led you to this book series now?</span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I wrote a story for an English assignment in 6th grade, a time in my life when my anxiety was particularly bad. My English teacher, Mrs. Webb, pulled me aside to praise my story and tell me what a good writer I was. It gave me a desperately needed shot of confidence. I’ve been writing ever since.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve actually been trying for years to write this story the way I imagined it. I started and discarded two previous versions that I just wasn’t feeling. This time, I think I got it right!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><ol start="2" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How has writing impacted your life and your struggles with anxiety?</span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Living with anxiety, for me, is like having a tiger in the house: the tone of my day is dependent on the tiger’s mood. If the tiger is active, everything I do revolves around it; I can still get things done but if I do the wrong thing, it bites, and then I’m incapacited. Some days the tiger sleeps or wanders out of the room, but I’m always conscious of its presence and waiting for it to strike. Writing is hugely therapeutic for me. When I write, I can tune out the real world and dive into my creation. When my mind is fully engaged in creating, the tiger disappears.</span></p><br /><ol start="3" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What was the process of creating the world that your characters live in? Where did this story start?</span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This story started with my main character, Rachel Wilde. Rachel sometimes feels like the embodiment of an anxiety-free me; she’s brazen, resilient, sharp-tongued, and hard-headed. Throwing her into a difficult situation that would turn me into a pile of jelly and imagining her working through it is very empowering for me.</span></p><br /><ol start="4" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Your undergrad education was in anthropology — how did that influence your writing?</span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anthropology teaches that we as human beings are products of the society we live in. Our day to day activities are not a universal experience; what is normal and mundane to us is exotic or bizarre to others depending on where we come from. I love inventing new cultures that are exotic and bizarre to the reader but normal and mundane to my characters. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><ol start="5" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What did you do differently in your writing process of Book 2 and what do you hope readers take away from this book?</span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One comment I got on my first book was that the villain lacked complexity (I did this intentionally but it’s a totally fair criticism). I took that into account for this book and tried to give the antagonist more depth. This time around, I crafted a character who does horrible things because of an immense amount of societal pressure; he wouldn’t necessarily choose to inflict harm on others but in this circumstance, his culture inflicts negative social consequences on him and his loved ones if he fails to do so. I enjoy creating and writing about different cultures so this felt like a natural evolution of my world building. As always, I hope readers take away an appreciation for the many ways in which culture and society affect our lives and our personalities. For this book in particular, I hope readers come away wanting more!</span></p><br /><ol start="6" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is next for the Daemon Collecting Series?</span></p></li></ol><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Just finished the first draft of Book 3 and I’m looking forward to sharing it with everyone! Coming up in the series, expect to learn more about the history of the Arcana and why it has been interwoven with our dimension for thousands of years. Expect to see the hidden terrorist group stepping into the light. Expect to see Simon and Leda connect with lost relatives and find themselves in a dangerous situation. Expect to see Bach struggle with his abilities and have an encounter with another oracle that turns his life upside down. </span></span><div><span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-578c2a40-7fff-7cb4-40f5-3a0a74035bb9"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 227px; overflow: hidden; width: 189px;"><img height="247.36212624584718" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/CPm8Txc8DH_fLUZDWwduU_9o86tLe5XVyhXZNxtCzhQFoxE7vyzO6yB7yzyi5SB_fJvBWgLgdiu_MevsnVziXHIJxfnvcaJg0gOtHzrsDk99j4s-aYwCyvR3GDnzTZ8es9KMDCdgayEWjbhm29QJ8HasSztIxaguno31jE7ARBlaDX3f29mgP_nQ" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="193.49999999999997" /></span></span></div>Omra Seoinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06374827091011473816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5050294126328858045.post-84386337867223372232022-09-20T19:20:00.000-06:002022-09-20T19:20:08.655-06:00SPOTLIGHT: Blue Flame: Deamon Collecting Series By Alison levy<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-d123cb78-7fff-5d5b-df87-5c9a670baf7f"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Award winning author returns with thrilling sequel</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Delve back into Rachel Wilde’s thrilling world of Daemons </span></p><br /><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 227px; overflow: hidden; width: 189px;"><img height="247.36212624584718" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/CPm8Txc8DH_fLUZDWwduU_9o86tLe5XVyhXZNxtCzhQFoxE7vyzO6yB7yzyi5SB_fJvBWgLgdiu_MevsnVziXHIJxfnvcaJg0gOtHzrsDk99j4s-aYwCyvR3GDnzTZ8es9KMDCdgayEWjbhm29QJ8HasSztIxaguno31jE7ARBlaDX3f29mgP_nQ" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="193.49999999999997" /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">GREENSBORO, North Carolina</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> – Chanticleer International Book Award winning author, Alison Levy, returns with her electric second installment in The Daemon Collecting Series. </span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Blue Flame” (Oct. 11 2022, SparkPress) </span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">continues with the adventures of headstrong and tenacious protagonist, Rachel Wilde. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rachel comes from a dimension that exists adjacent to ours. The people there have structured their society around daemon collecting: they locate, catch, and repair malfunctioning daemons (creatures out of phase with our world that tempt people to do good or evil). </span><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 222px; overflow: hidden; width: 175px;"><img height="222" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/gWTRcYHlNJ4jW8hnX_IR3ffDeoOX1v6-2wBe22zd1spYzhvFFh8VwQTOcrOVAFiNOSY0MH1utySIUW0THnvz7pAIx1LtAlqxbHZhIhEencR_lznlXq6ez59R7p5AhkbCv1C3r4tu0zgI4zopne4VCHtmjcTjxydlcSMSsTxZ0gcSoLx9EgJVu9zz" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="175" /></span></p><br /><br /><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 225px; overflow: hidden; width: 185px;"><img height="241.80497925311204" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/nAT5IWERImKKviwjxeEi3LJ0zxYyP6-wdeuqDaK7bQAZP3hcHn49wpvPxPh4HSE9UKy9oIIeXCZ1fs0Gw8ZZA64k6wMS6-Wx0cMZTt-Hb3w2k5pG8fBWnBWEh5grMiyqAZBhbjxAdPgEeeA5wLO-px88HVFTeuWfF1rtDyG2D47pmt3_9dW9ufoM" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="189.67171717171718" /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While introducing Leda Morley, last of an ancient line of gatekeepers, to the ins and outs of her daemon-collecting work, Rachel Wilde encounters something far more dangerous than any daemon: a young boy who stands alone against an unseen yet terrifying enemy that has invaded his home—an inhuman creature who, hellbent on revenge for a minor slight, intends to harm the boy’s oblivious family. Meanwhile, Leda’s brother, Simon, is feeling left out of his maternal family legacy but is coping partly by helping Rachel’s friend Bach—a previously homeless man with unusual mental abilities—get his life back on track.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the midst of all of this, Bach unintentionally but serendipitously makes contact with a capable otherworldly being who, with great reluctance, agrees to help Bach and his friends take on the dangerous creature that’s just become their problem to solve. Together, this group of unlikely allies must put aside their differences to save an innocent child, and his family, from a monster—before it’s too late.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Blue Flame”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alison Levy | Oct. 11, 2022 | SparkPress | Fantasy</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Paperback | ISBN: </span><span style="color: #2c293b; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">9781684631711</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> | $16.95</span></p><br /><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 372px; overflow: hidden; width: 316px;"><img height="372" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/VfZhVryomhDv6LwGj_keBWKdwp1mV45vYOyT77qceJRgQlXwJ-Cy318I1DDkqGtHBi1L7ZgfK3ZhXC60IP5E2BErgqKuLwVSSWZKV2VPzAOPt3aWPDm11XgYowq08-orNzoG4Zjef6OP0JdOPH_w8ViHh297cHJT2b6SsqoSWn0kr9asleZlIoEx" style="margin-left: -21.38730158730158px; margin-top: 0px;" width="372.3365079365079" /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alison Levy lives in Greensboro, North Carolina with her husband, son, and a variety of pets. When she is not writing or doing mom things, she crochets, gardens, walks her collies, and works on home improvement projects.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Her books feature female characters who are strong but flawed, making them more relatable. They stay rooted in everyday life while world-building in their fictional cultures. Intolerance of differences has become widespread in recent years. Gatekeeper encourages readers to look beyond what they consider normal and see through foreign eyes, a message that I hope will appeal to many in today’s climate.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Follow Alison Levy on social media: </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Alison-Levy-Author-112940816777727/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Facebook</span></a><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> | </span><a href="https://twitter.com/ALevyauthor" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Twitter</span></a><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> | </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/alevyauthor/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Instagram</span></a></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In an interview, Alison can discuss:</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">World building and craft for fantasy writers</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How she uses writing to cope with anxiety and advice for others with anxiety </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How the fantasy genre as a whole has influenced her writing</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Her connection to the characters, and how she delicately weaves in mental health and family dysfunction topics to her writing</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What she hopes readers will take away from this story and what’s to come for Rachel Wilde and The Daemon Collecting Series </span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Praise for Gatekeeper</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Book One in the Daemon Collecting Series</span></p><br /><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 215px; overflow: hidden; width: 140px;"><img height="215" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/GrOpShSquSYeY303Ta8ZhAgPSWeJ1hOUTkF_SXsbdy4uTDnXloa6oeQeQFlBuJ3NlQ2l7qSydnRiPiLxNUDWVf-ePeMKcwxwo70-X_-SStezH-BwM57TY-Fo3ncOSU3I5XqSb0BIhEVLWSDeXwS5BydySO1pRFVLOXbNjbgu_us-jF2X6p-dVbyj" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="140" /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“A compelling, yet endearing, read about a very resourceful inter-dimensional cop Rachel who deals with broken daemons, homeless oracles, linguists, and serial killers with her own style of grace and tenacity. You might not see your own world in quite the same way as you look for the hidden passageways just out of view.”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="color: #406290; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">– Ellen Clary, author of Pursuits Unknown: An Amy and Lars Novel</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #2c293b; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Alison Levy offers us a lens that penetrates the facade of a recognizable world to reveal a thought-provoking analog. Ideas of right and wrong, intention, human value, and justice are all reconsidered. The story leaves the gate at a dead run and never lets up. Written in a clear and incisive style, Gatekeeper was a pleasure to read, and happily, suggests more to follow.”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="color: #406290; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">– Patricia Minger, author of Magic Flute</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Advance Praise for Blue Flame</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Book Two in the Daemon Collecting Series</span></p><br /><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 198px; overflow: hidden; width: 128px;"><img height="198" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/29nZlyxII3-9Y-jy1DpSuMFln-n4XO_r8-f3V1CmjftpFYEBxLqFV2MOfv7VZE-FIHO1Z-9xmHUcrsW-wtYbsBk_7EI7bn0ZlMGk4-V52hePRzsU68vyz2lhULVyLe4sJoEtGFXpN5gOnB50tCp1r4XPy2HUYIaMymjpdutXV6FdnjchOKWv9ka8" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="128" /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #2c293b; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alison Levy’s 2nd installment of the Daemon Collecting Series is a dark and whimsical adventure with a colorful cast of characters you’ll be eager to keep tabs on. Masterful storytelling and exceptional worldbuilding. A unique, action-packed Urban Fantasy series with grit, wit, and a whole lot of heart. Levy has created a truly original series in a genre that doesn’t see much originality these days. Her colorful cast of characters (and creatures) will stick with you long after you turn the last page.</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #406290; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lenore Borja, author of The Last Huntress (Mirror Realm Series Book I)</span></p></li></ul><br /></span>Omra Seoinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06374827091011473816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5050294126328858045.post-59375335863077837612022-07-06T07:00:00.001-06:002022-07-06T07:00:00.185-06:00REVIEW: Rise Of The Catalyst By Honor Raconteur<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><header class="entry-header" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-transform: uppercase;"><h1 class="entry-title" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(234, 236, 239); box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #30404c; font-family: soleil, sans-serif; font-size: 1.31rem; line-height: 25.152px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 24px; padding-bottom: 10px;">MAGICAL EXPERT DETERMINED TO OUTSMART MYSTERIOUS MASK</h1><br /></header><div class="entry-content" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.5em 0px 0px;"><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bolder;"><img alt="" class="wp-image-5813 alignleft" height="374" sizes="(max-width: 249px) 100vw, 249px" src="https://booksforward.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/rise-of-the-catalyst.jpg" srcset="https://booksforward.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/rise-of-the-catalyst.jpg 800w, https://booksforward.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/rise-of-the-catalyst-200x300.jpg 200w, https://booksforward.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/rise-of-the-catalyst-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://booksforward.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/rise-of-the-catalyst-768x1152.jpg 768w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; float: left; height: auto; margin-right: 1.5em; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="249" />Journey across the U.S. in fast-paced and witty steampunk fantasy</span></em></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bolder;">Nashville, TN</span> – Brace for a very wild adventure across the U.S. in Honor Raconteur’s <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bolder;">Rise of the Catalyst (Raconteur House LLC, May 31, 2022)</span>. Follow Arwen Arnoult, a no-nonsense visually-impaired magical retrieval expert who uses her magical senses to uncover the truth behind magical artifacts. When she’s approached by the director of the Boston Museum with a mysterious mask, she and her companion, Flo McGrath, are baffled by its energy and origins. But they’re not ready to give up sending them off on a journey towards the U.S. Southwest to return it to where it belongs…maybe.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px;">One ancient mask with earth-bending powers searching for a bearer. One magical retrieval expert who is determined to seal it back in its tomb.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px;">At the moment, both are failing at their goals, but Arwen is not about to be bested. So what if she doesn’t know what culture it’s from or where to put it back. She’s smarter than a semi-sentient mask. Hopefully. But if the thrice-cursed mask breaks out of her seal one more time, she’s melting it with prejudice, magical backlash be damned.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qTd33Cbwu4wKVu25vBoNOcc-0eWeKUezOgLPVERFs3UCOVOJ--SsCi7lHbfT_rciwZgAlaEAygf5ChWS8IArKuZ0XuXsCSaeqpkGoZm0y47D8GfRkg4dYOWztqZ9VLRvxXptSJ9TzYtkCdPcZqPUs2Gen_9PXDD120G5u7LLxF5zyOM5_jgegldW/s400/review%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qTd33Cbwu4wKVu25vBoNOcc-0eWeKUezOgLPVERFs3UCOVOJ--SsCi7lHbfT_rciwZgAlaEAygf5ChWS8IArKuZ0XuXsCSaeqpkGoZm0y47D8GfRkg4dYOWztqZ9VLRvxXptSJ9TzYtkCdPcZqPUs2Gen_9PXDD120G5u7LLxF5zyOM5_jgegldW/s320/review%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">To begin with I absolutely in love with all the artwork on this novel. Its absolutely stunning and fits the details in the story and environment.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0f1111; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">This is a great first book! Great new characters, world building, magic system, and an interesting mystery to solve. Diverse characters, and the main character is great, especially as she is visually impaired! As a disabled person, it's so rare to read about MCs with any kind of physical impairment, so it was a refreshing read. </span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0f1111; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">she takes care of rogue magical artifacts--usually by returning them to where they belong or destroying them, if needed. She also happens to be legally blind, which makes things challenging for her in some ways, but she's quite capable, especially with a great team/friends to support her. </span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0f1111; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Its a great book to get out of your head with. I massively enjoyed it for sure.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0f1111; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">If you love fantasy and adventure you will love this novel. A must read.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWQ3Ykgs1eK5DS14ImVwqm5H-GImbNPXt3YH9dByBrQZDJxWDDDXTP9WiPs_RVSWW5MHl4AIYEFNQkmQhLFE4C5keIkt68WD6eTJ2bAG4zxzM0zx8-Ma7fCsF-CdUZaAtZm3yK_opyKSUHgufca2E8L3pfnPNccNCrz1gj3ZkiyJL7Z0fe99hWR9BJ/s400/4%20stars%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="400" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWQ3Ykgs1eK5DS14ImVwqm5H-GImbNPXt3YH9dByBrQZDJxWDDDXTP9WiPs_RVSWW5MHl4AIYEFNQkmQhLFE4C5keIkt68WD6eTJ2bAG4zxzM0zx8-Ma7fCsF-CdUZaAtZm3yK_opyKSUHgufca2E8L3pfnPNccNCrz1gj3ZkiyJL7Z0fe99hWR9BJ/s320/4%20stars%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRYpKLEtbsfA7iOp67h8VDE3RkIjAtdeWnCCCml1ZsnmmOoFMm5E_kYwmvU50rcyXhbdI4OHuwQqzZPdB3-Plk8VFLIk8m6mrYUYxTOcVThl2zHK6N-ynZH9ODVVfRVlaM5l5hyV44qMJaxRPqhiu8x-kyVzVaefH8FmOnD3AevFA9CQuAmbS_gcU/s400/meet%20the%20AUTHor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRYpKLEtbsfA7iOp67h8VDE3RkIjAtdeWnCCCml1ZsnmmOoFMm5E_kYwmvU50rcyXhbdI4OHuwQqzZPdB3-Plk8VFLIk8m6mrYUYxTOcVThl2zHK6N-ynZH9ODVVfRVlaM5l5hyV44qMJaxRPqhiu8x-kyVzVaefH8FmOnD3AevFA9CQuAmbS_gcU/w400-h258/meet%20the%20AUTHor.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></p><hr style="background-color: white; border-bottom: 0px; border-image: initial; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); border-top-style: solid; box-sizing: content-box; color: #30404c; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; height: 0px; margin-bottom: 30px; margin-top: 30px; overflow: visible;" /><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bolder;"><img alt="" class="wp-image-5814 alignleft" height="255" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 381px) 100vw, 381px" src="https://booksforward.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/DSC_0421-5-scaled.jpg" srcset="https://booksforward.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/DSC_0421-5-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://booksforward.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/DSC_0421-5-300x201.jpg 300w, https://booksforward.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/DSC_0421-5-1024x685.jpg 1024w, https://booksforward.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/DSC_0421-5-768x514.jpg 768w, https://booksforward.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/DSC_0421-5-1536x1028.jpg 1536w, https://booksforward.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/DSC_0421-5-2048x1371.jpg 2048w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; float: left; height: auto; margin-right: 1.5em; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="381" />HONOR RACONTEUR</span>: Ever since Honor Raconteur was a toddler, she has been making up stories. She would entertain anyone willing to listen to her wild fantasies about unicorns and gargoyles and amazing people. At 13, she started writing the stories down. At 23, she finished the first book that was good enough to publish.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px;">She put Jaunten out as an ebook, created a website and forum so that fans could communicate with her, and spread the word as best she could. Within three months, Jaunten was selling internationally. Within five months, Honor was making enough to quit the day job and sit at home, writing full time.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px;">Honor has continued to write and publish the rest of her books through Raconteur House. When she’s not writing or editing, Honor likes to go out into the community and give presentations of how to be an author. Even if Honor abruptly stopped selling books tomorrow, she would still continue to write. Creating characters and worlds is that much fun. You can find Honor on her website: <a href="https://honorraconteur.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: 1px solid; box-sizing: border-box; color: #fe8172; text-decoration-line: none;">https://honorraconteur.com</a></p><h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #30404c; font-family: soleil, sans-serif; font-size: 25px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 35px; margin-top: 24px;">In an interview, Honor Raconteur can discuss:</h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Case Files of Henri Davenforth series</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Writing a visually impaired main character</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Creating a strong female duo in Arwen and Flo and how they help each other through adversity</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Creating an alternate history from actual events</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Writing humor without removing the seriousness of the story</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">The importance of found family for Arwen</li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #30404c; font-family: soleil, sans-serif; font-size: 25px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 35px; margin-top: 24px;">An Interview with Honor Raconteur</h3><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bolder;">This isn’t your first fantasy novel, but it’s the first one including a lot of historical research to back up your story. What was that process like?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px;">Every story takes a lot of research, really. This one was more arduous than most. I teamed up with a historian and spent six months learning about the Anasazi, what 1907 America was like, etc.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bolder;">What was your approach with writing a visually impaired character?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px;">I asked a lot of questions of people who are visually impaired. I took what they told me, refined it down to parameters for my character, and hopefully have created someone that is both unique but relatable.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bolder;">How does creating Rise of the Catalyst differ from the other novels you’ve written?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px;">It’s far more alternate history based than anything else I’ve written. Most of my career, I wrote high fantasy. Steampunk is something I’m relatively new to but I’m enjoying this blend of science and magic very much.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bolder;">What were some of the challenges of recreating actual historical events?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px;">Not being able to just write my own rules, honestly. That was the real challenge. I had a lot of notes, timelines, maps of that area, all over my desk just to help me keep things straight.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bolder;">There’s also a lot of humor in this story while still being a serious fantasy. How do you balance the two?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px;">Isn’t that how life really is, though? Nothing is always serious, or always funny, it’s a blend of the two throughout the day. I try to keep that vibe in my writing. I’m really just following my character around and writing up the incident report, so of course she’d do funny things too, or so I’d think.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bolder;">While Arwen and Flo are work partners, they also seem very close. What was it like to write these two characters and their relationship?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px;">I knew going into the story that Arwen would need a full team, and she’d have to have a female companion according to the rules of society of that time. She wouldn’t have been allowed out of the house otherwise. I created Flo for her as not only a helper, but a friend, as she needed one.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bolder;">What can we expect from Arwen in the future?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #30404c; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px;">All of the magical shenanigans. Not to mention her sassing ancient artifacts that keep trying to escape her seals.</p><div class="saboxplugin-wrap" itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #30404c; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 810px;"><div class="saboxplugin-tab" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></div></div><div class="saboxplugin-wrap" itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #30404c; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; width: 810px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOJxuc6b_EFVnsrKQJpBlok-3u2jY9vv-p8vwncDi9WtjN8hlrTm7ZRYIeA3Pu15_gmx8BF59rcVGgVfkorDJRuHGpAJqYVUzemJvBpNqUT1fb6fM8N_YBlChUr38_ysSBek0bRNj7cUKPkLpMMYcQVTPKAtJb0Xn-mVqXZ7mGpqEzCNI1ITuKXc4-/s500/thanks%20for%20looking%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="500" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOJxuc6b_EFVnsrKQJpBlok-3u2jY9vv-p8vwncDi9WtjN8hlrTm7ZRYIeA3Pu15_gmx8BF59rcVGgVfkorDJRuHGpAJqYVUzemJvBpNqUT1fb6fM8N_YBlChUr38_ysSBek0bRNj7cUKPkLpMMYcQVTPKAtJb0Xn-mVqXZ7mGpqEzCNI1ITuKXc4-/w640-h414/thanks%20for%20looking%20icon.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div>Omra Seoinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06374827091011473816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5050294126328858045.post-49884292656767230762022-07-05T19:30:00.000-06:002022-07-05T19:30:23.074-06:00REVIEW: Mercy's Quest: The Return By East S.M.<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 18.6667px; font-weight: 700; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkGb-f5r7-XkM8_tEPTPdVr1XQjOiEWKgScOU-CEO1Cizh3sof0Vu6egtMvcuBDP_718qJVNYr51OdrArWaegv69rXsBtd2qxSpSDsvfl5yLRfLZXUfJOnHaN5RLLg2eaMCtNBtlI_oFnmMxamY6QYlMz5tEww0CypZgpYxZIYa421gtbgefXLHGji/s875/Mercy's%20Quest%203D.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="875" data-original-width="548" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkGb-f5r7-XkM8_tEPTPdVr1XQjOiEWKgScOU-CEO1Cizh3sof0Vu6egtMvcuBDP_718qJVNYr51OdrArWaegv69rXsBtd2qxSpSDsvfl5yLRfLZXUfJOnHaN5RLLg2eaMCtNBtlI_oFnmMxamY6QYlMz5tEww0CypZgpYxZIYa421gtbgefXLHGji/w400-h640/Mercy's%20Quest%203D.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; font-weight: 700; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;">Take a journey from the mountains into New Orleans in new occult fantasy, complete with magical beings and witches</span><p></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-5b68281b-7fff-8199-93dc-5e56af502cbb"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author draws inspiration from the mystical with modern witchcraft in debut story</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Humans. We are all conditioned to think we come to earth to learn to be better, only to return to some origins rooted to a belief system that never stopped evolving. You cannot chase the meaning of a story that never ends.”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mercy Stone comes from a long line of Blood Moon witches and, as such, is no stranger to coexisting alongside life’s great mysteries. Haunted by visions of a past life and the discovery of a gruesome family talisman, Mercy is led away from the hollows of Appalachia to New Orleans in search of answers. Along her path, Mercy re-encounters the magical beings she has known across her many lifetimes since time immemorial, including King Solomon, the Battle Crows of Carpathia and the Devil himself. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFVYpqA-DpIF3OfCb_GLTdKWzi81UTASxfxMNj6WAJPgUrx2YZsXqdI77AOzL0tb9-4saArLkDsrQ53HefDtUFiBnPaaDuhWbUKIBpVkKOyHK4ruVxaIWFHzveXxASSl8qBUNVaK7lWtLMdzsNHJdGnS_7SvPAsIU1W7-y8KjUVfb--EGFl5aEMGQa/s400/review%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFVYpqA-DpIF3OfCb_GLTdKWzi81UTASxfxMNj6WAJPgUrx2YZsXqdI77AOzL0tb9-4saArLkDsrQ53HefDtUFiBnPaaDuhWbUKIBpVkKOyHK4ruVxaIWFHzveXxASSl8qBUNVaK7lWtLMdzsNHJdGnS_7SvPAsIU1W7-y8KjUVfb--EGFl5aEMGQa/s320/review%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">This is a lovely younique debut novel for this author. I am intrigued to see more from her. Lots of blood and gore and I just loved it. Its rare to find that in a novel unless its horror nowadays. </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"> <span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"> I</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">f you love occult fiction, you will find enjoyment in this. Additional points for your interests if you love Romance. The author’s knowledge about Occult clearly shows in their world</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"> .</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Mercy's journey is filled with visions and amazing characters sure to keep any reader of occult fantasy engaged. The author really shines in her descriptions of Mercy's visions. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">This first of the series takes us from Appalachia to New Orleans to magical landscapes where we engage her allies and enemies in a pursuit of knowledge and power. East S. M. draws the reader through a young woman’s journey of claiming her magical inheritance as she is forced to make heartbreaking decisions to right a path gone wrong.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbhwRcHPguEjA6jFNsUwC5COoRk6rbQJqpm_Ja8ItgrsGQ0jDzqgAo2FU1N5zTuWb9U1fqxFaNjMVx-mmmzntmfUOgTWSkENULaXpUVsklrNHhlfwrSlj-sd88aLffj88eo_N2TQMXgbrZt5MlkMbmkbtLGGuSFzmZvj1gOwiqGpPg1zpbrN3bK227/s400/4%20stars%20icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="400" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbhwRcHPguEjA6jFNsUwC5COoRk6rbQJqpm_Ja8ItgrsGQ0jDzqgAo2FU1N5zTuWb9U1fqxFaNjMVx-mmmzntmfUOgTWSkENULaXpUVsklrNHhlfwrSlj-sd88aLffj88eo_N2TQMXgbrZt5MlkMbmkbtLGGuSFzmZvj1gOwiqGpPg1zpbrN3bK227/s320/4%20stars%20icon.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></span></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 15pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Early Praise for Mercy’s Quest</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Being of Appalachian lineage myself, I could not wait to step into the pages of Mercy’s Quest.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author and story weaver, East S.M., leads us on a shapeshifting journey between Mercy’s past</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and present lifetimes, Mercy's Quest is a deeply magical story about a young woman coming</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">into her personal power. Being raised by magical women in Appalachia, Mercy discovers that</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the magic she holds within is much stronger and more mysterious than she ever could have</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">imagined. Following the path that now calls to her, Mercy is lead on a journey into the unknown</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">as she discovers who she truly is and who she must now become in this present lifetime. This is</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a great read for all witches and magic makers who may be stepping into their own personal</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">power".</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ailynn Halvorson</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, author of The Tarot Apothecary:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shifting Personal Energies Using Tarot, Aromatherapy and Simple Everyday Rituals</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“A Blood Moon Witch is in the room. Move over Mayfairs. East S. M.’s debut novel, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mercy’s Quest</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is a solid debut in the occult fiction genre. This first of the series takes us from Appalachia to New Orleans to magical landscapes where we engage her allies and enemies in a pursuit of knowledge and power. Told with the proficiency of metaphysics and the heart of a storyteller, East S. M. draws the reader through a young woman’s journey of claiming her magical inheritance as she is forced to make heartbreaking decisions to right a path gone wrong.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">—</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tess Collins</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, author of Notown and Shadow Mountain</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mercy’s Quest</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is a fun, adventure story about family, power, and place. Based on realistic magical systems, this book paints witchcraft as a tool to help personal growth. The first entry into this magical world ends on a quest leaving the reader for more.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jaymi Elford</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, author of Tarot Inspired Life and</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the award-winning Heaven and Earth Tarot</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2839972727272726; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 8pt 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“This rich portrayal and exploration of people and places Magickal souls yearn for will tug at each and every human sense you possess. Strange and evocative at times, yet still fully concreted in sacred order, the artful layers of this book are thick with meaning and wisdom. The author’s enchanting and exotic players, archetypes of energies that speak to the core of your being, somehow still feel relatable and vividly intimate, rekindling cosmic memories preserved deep within. The threads of their connections, these chimeras of time and space, are artfully woven in and out of realities, ancient histories and otherworldly dimensions. With deep powers of immersion, East’s conjurations will pull you through portals of familiarity, long lost remembrances of the soul and expansive universal understanding.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2839972727272726; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 8pt 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— </span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Meleah McCammon</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Intuitive, Teacher and Proprietor of (inner) Perfect</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2839972727272726; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 8pt 0pt;"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2839972727272726; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 8pt 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“As the story unfolds, Mercy’s past, present, and future intertwine beautifully and pulled me into the depths of her soul. With each chapter, new layers of this fascinating world unfurl. Pages filled with adventure, supernatural intrigue, and divination ensure this story is a delight for every type of reader imaginable. I am so excited this is the first book in a series because I can’t wait to be reunited with these memorable characters. East S.M’s debut novel has proved to be an engrossing, mystic journey that I can’t wait to continue!”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2839972727272726; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 8pt 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A.P. Watson</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Author of Jaded, Seeds of Eden, and A Fallen Son</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2839972727272726; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 8pt 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2839972727272726; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 8pt 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2839972727272726; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 8pt 0pt; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-QJIDEdRTDNxFKzPPdjzMWeOQJlDCIB2O9td-YiK5wpwjf6P-lB_AvnmOOlvUuFvXZNltBdFfOty1FXbNvcddOGTCTYUTaVpI58_f9wjSCtZ2E-FD25i7dagJa18PIgIywfTwkYIgDqEHQ6ztCBIT_R0T2KyR5mv5-nWl7r35mWGqJ2NQwP1Rbl7a/s400/meet%20the%20AUTHor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-QJIDEdRTDNxFKzPPdjzMWeOQJlDCIB2O9td-YiK5wpwjf6P-lB_AvnmOOlvUuFvXZNltBdFfOty1FXbNvcddOGTCTYUTaVpI58_f9wjSCtZ2E-FD25i7dagJa18PIgIywfTwkYIgDqEHQ6ztCBIT_R0T2KyR5mv5-nWl7r35mWGqJ2NQwP1Rbl7a/s320/meet%20the%20AUTHor.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-QJIDEdRTDNxFKzPPdjzMWeOQJlDCIB2O9td-YiK5wpwjf6P-lB_AvnmOOlvUuFvXZNltBdFfOty1FXbNvcddOGTCTYUTaVpI58_f9wjSCtZ2E-FD25i7dagJa18PIgIywfTwkYIgDqEHQ6ztCBIT_R0T2KyR5mv5-nWl7r35mWGqJ2NQwP1Rbl7a/s400/meet%20the%20AUTHor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">More about East S.M.</span></p><br /><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 323px; overflow: hidden; width: 214px;"><img height="400" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/eI7moReFslHt037r3FCWbjiNA5Irk8etvkFudNo-5498cPm9tSXWP9Cqj9i2ukiVVHvbXXxTTxM6XUOba9JPFgWqBGVC9f9OEIh-NHwKT5_hcLn-FYN4CrcBqVVJiD7DqoLel5Ajwyuf7xBVBw=w265-h400" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="265" /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">East S.M.</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">East S. M. is an Appalachian Occultist, Diviner, educator, artist, performer, and now author. A cosmic being in her own right, she was born in a small Kentucky town that sits inside a meteorite crater. She spent her childhood studying under a strong matriarchal family that imparted its intuitive gifts and Appalachian Spirit practices from prior generations. East is continuously inspired by music and the power of myth. She enjoys reading paranormal, adventure, and occult fantasy fiction works. One of her highest callings and greatest gifts in life is to share her divinity and intuition through teaching and facilitating sacred ritual spaces. A wild past of wonderful and sometimes unspeakable experiences, and decades of empowering others to seek their own quests, has called East to share Mercy's story in the esoteric genre of Occult fiction. Her debut novel is the first in an anthology that reimagines the Spirit world, the human condition, and the necessity of both evolution and devolution within our lifetimes. </span><a href="https://theartisteast.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://theartisteast.com/</span></a><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></p><br /><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In an interview, East S. M.can discuss:</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The meaning of Appalachian divination </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Writing in a niche genre like occult fiction</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Traveling the world and writing a book</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The book’s journey from dream to full-length story</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What it really means to be an occultist</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Comparisons of the Hero’s journey vs the Fool’s journey from tarot and its importance in storytelling.</span></p></li></ul><br /><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">An Interview with</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 24pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">East S. M.</span></p><br /><ol style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why did you decide to have the book released on the Summer Solstice? </span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My artistry, relationships, essentially every aspect of my life, is led by my desire to connect with any experience in the most sacred way. Nature’s cycles, as they’re displayed through seasons, beautifully mirror our own cycles as human beings. Summer solstice finds the seeds in the ground, they’re growing, and it took hard work to get it there. As an occultist I could say many things regarding the sacred symbolism of summer but valuing the action of showing up and celebrating hard work seemed like appropriate energy for launching my story into the world. I needed to know this journey would begin from a space of celebration no matter where it goes. </span></p><br /><br /><ol start="2" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How has writing poetry influenced your writing of occult fantasy?</span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Poetry forced me to see the ordinary in an extraordinary way. I’ve always been drawn to darker artistic content, and the influence of both pushed me to accept more nontraditional ways of expressing myself. My own growth of creative self-acceptance seemed more rapid in spaces where I shared poetry vs writing groups. If it wasn’t for reading forlorn poetry in late 90’s coffee houses I would’ve never started believing in the possibility of pursuing artistry full time. </span></p><br /><ol start="3" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How do you feel divination is represented in works of fiction, and how has divination influenced your creative process?</span></p></li></ol><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Not always, but often divination in media is presented as dramatic fortune telling and often the cards or symbols referenced are either untrue or so watered down it takes the sacredness away from such a beautiful resource. I would love to see a variety of how it’s presented on both the giving and receiving end of readings in art. In my own writing my character’s readings make sense to their journey. I try to steer away from exact predictors as fate always has its freedom to shift depending on the choices we make.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I utilize Divination as a tool for writer’s block or initial inspiration. Tarot, also known as the fool’s journey, mirrors every experience a human will go through on the path of life. It displays the soul’s reaction to becoming the best versions of ourselves through triumphs and challenges. I often execute readings to establish background for characters or world building. I’ll be offering a creative writing with tarot workshop over the next year where I’ll share in detail some of those techniques. </span></p><br /><br /><ol start="4" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What do you hope readers will take away from Mercy’s Quest?</span></p></li></ol><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mercy is on a quest to uncover a family mystery but finds herself quickly on the path to discovering a deeper truth regarding her purpose in this world. Variables in our lives are always in motion affecting outcomes every second. Our reaction to the challenges we face on that search are character defining opportunities that equip us to grow into better versions of ourselves. My desire is for people to understand there’s no need to rush their evolutionary process in this world. There’s no perfect plan that will see you through to the end. Mercy makes the decision time and time again to show up and trust the process. My desire is to inspire folks to trust that the grace in which we handle the road is far more powerful than reaching the end of that road. </span></p><br /><br /><ol start="5" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How did traveling the world for work while writing this story influence your writing?</span></p></li></ol><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was a beautiful May morning in England, and I had just purchased a private pass to tour inside the Stonehenge round. Tourists typically only view it roadside, but I had an in and was going to honor my inner Arthurian nerd, living fully in this moment. As luck would have it the bus that brought us to the stones broke down in the parking lot. I spent hours, sunset through midnight, lounging in this mystical ritual space. I always seem to find myself in similar magical misadventures everywhere I go. My travel journals are full of adventures from underneath the streets of Budapest, to the shores of Ireland, to a middle of nowhere berry forest in Finland, and then there was one time I swore I met the devil himself in an airport in Amsterdam! My writing reflects my experiences in this world, and I pull the energy from real travel moments in hopes of providing more environmental authenticity. </span></p><br /><ol start="6" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You mentioned this story came to you in a dream. That sounds so fun! Can you tell us about that, and describe its vividness?</span></p></li></ol><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is a long story, but I will do my best to be concise. A god of old came to me in a dream and in this dream, we were burning down houses. I asked him why we were doing this to which he replied preparing a new path. He kept showing up in dreams in spaces where he wasn’t a major player in the theme of the dream, just a background eye of observation. The dream often centered around a tree on my actual property.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Around this same time, I made a social media post regarding the importance of respecting the workspace of street buskers. My dad reached out to me after reading it encouraging me to lean into writing more. I am a performance artist but never considered the possibility of writing an actual novel. The combination of his belief in me brought all the interesting dreams to the front of my mind and just like magic I saw the entire story in my head along with the voice of my muse.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My great grandmother had a box on her mantle that contained something we were told was dark and sacred. Do not touch! I took the story I’d been holding in my heart since childhood regarding what I imagined it was, and that became the foundation of this grand world that was gifted to me by my dream muse.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wouldn’t you know it, I started writing that story and guess what happened? The tree that kept showing up with my muse in dreams was struck by lightning. The strike caused a branch to snap, destroying my mailbox by the street. Where’s the magic? I ordered a new tarot deck only to find it landed at the foot of the tree among the storm’s chaos. The package was destroyed by water and the box holding the cards was warped and open. Guess what lay outside the box? Three tarot cards in a perfect row: Judgment, The World, and The Magician. I am on my path of destiny and the Universe is making a way for me to have the resources needed to support my manifestations. The storm gave me a reading laced with the assurance of knowing I was on the right path. </span></p><br /><ol start="7" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What authors inspire you?</span></p></li></ol><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anne Rice for a number of reasons. The Vampire Chronicles was the first series I obsessed over as a young reader. I’ve been fascinated by vampire lore since childhood and her attention to detail painted elaborate worlds, and dramatic characters that played out like seamless cinema in my mind's eye as I read along. “Interview with a Vampire” was the first book to film fiction I read before a film was considered. Amusingly, I was a pre teen at the time and felt so grown having accomplished such a task!</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Neil Gaiman has this way with character presentation that pulls me deep into the heart of his story. I am a huge fan of Fantasy worlds overlapping with real world scenarios. Intermingling worlds have a presence in my own writing. Mr. Gaiman is a literary rockstar that does this masterfully.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">8</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. What do you think about books to film/do you think your book would adapt easily to film?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My artistic background goes further than writing. I think because of that versatility I’m forgiving of how film chooses to convey a story. I believe reading a book is a magic that can’t be duplicated and presenting it through different expressions like film give it the flexibility to become something unique. However, it’s unlikely I’ll read the book if I happened to catch the film first.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’d love to see the Mercy’s Quest trilogy, as well as the spin off novels transition to film. The story is action based in mystical settings around the world creating an opportunity for something incredibly visually appealing. The characters have such deep back stories there’s an opportunity for multiple lead story developments within the world. It would be an absolute dream if that were to happen. </span></p><br />Omra Seoinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06374827091011473816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5050294126328858045.post-10908076059304041062022-03-06T21:44:00.000-07:002022-03-06T21:44:01.207-07:00REVIEW:Bianca: Journey to Ryuugito (Princess Bianca Series, #2) by Meg Welch Dendler<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Princess Bianca the Brave and Percy the Merciful have settled into a comfortable life together as Bianca steps out of her sheltered, over-protected past. But a handsome visitor from a distant kingdom disturbs their peace. A rare dragon egg has been discovered, and it will hatch in a matter of days. Can Percy and </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitCZMpoJ9_tXp87Lfqwjw7gsqMb23wvs793d4vg0QcjJoswhPqaPYnUu_RI--YVa1rJ4lA2NvjcreQK5vZFmyAlP_gs7f0OijKb5yK5zgNB4R83qoTeH5Vol6MDRbrYwZuUuGQ6rKwkfOqna58ZLOJmCXbcC_HcAD_TNtjkzR62wE9-D_RZpXG3rUU=s3273" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2418" data-original-width="3273" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitCZMpoJ9_tXp87Lfqwjw7gsqMb23wvs793d4vg0QcjJoswhPqaPYnUu_RI--YVa1rJ4lA2NvjcreQK5vZFmyAlP_gs7f0OijKb5yK5zgNB4R83qoTeH5Vol6MDRbrYwZuUuGQ6rKwkfOqna58ZLOJmCXbcC_HcAD_TNtjkzR62wE9-D_RZpXG3rUU=w400-h295" width="400" /></a></div><br />Bianca keep the new dragonet from pillaging the kingdom of Ryuugito? And are they truly prepared for the journey to reach this egg and the dangers waiting for them along the way? With Percy by her side, Bianca will have to prove she is as brave and fearless as her kingdom now believes her to be.<p></p><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">This is the sequel to "Bianca: The Brave Frail and Delicate Princess."</span><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjv14vFMUPniqz_PeRv6fmwqcp3Kg8uhicqDriAYN29JUy5ab1ThUCUk72wZ9AKDAbIM7Du-IHlwTnh224K1mLt1zx3TINbyzMBf7e1EmMNZ6JvbHaTxCGTZDrQSTCwZTiby2HY-SCPnv1NOfGmcCSsrAJ2AGT5O3p9Ot7cFTsG6NAgGBU7KCNL-k9h=s400" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjv14vFMUPniqz_PeRv6fmwqcp3Kg8uhicqDriAYN29JUy5ab1ThUCUk72wZ9AKDAbIM7Du-IHlwTnh224K1mLt1zx3TINbyzMBf7e1EmMNZ6JvbHaTxCGTZDrQSTCwZTiby2HY-SCPnv1NOfGmcCSsrAJ2AGT5O3p9Ot7cFTsG6NAgGBU7KCNL-k9h=s320" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">This was a great sequel to the first novel where u first get to know Bianca. Shes so cute yet strong and this second novel takes you on a whole new journey with her.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">It is filled with clean adventure. We have dragons, unicorns, faeries, a water sprite, flutterpurrs (how cute a name is that?)…</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Bianca has earned some independence from her father. She is still new to being out of the castle, so she doesn’t know all the ins and outs of social interaction, especially when it comes to royalty. After all, who wants to sit at dinner and not be able to talk at all, to tell of her last adventure in Book I? She is 14 and wants to share. She has questions that, the only way she will get answers to, is to be able to ask them?</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Well, all that and I haven’t even looked at my notes.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Ooooo, we have a baby dragon. Princess Bianca the Brave and Percy the Merciful will be put to the test when a handsome visitor makes an appearance. He is requesting their assistance with a dragon egg in a far off kingdom. So over the mountain and through the woods they will go.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Amazon Ember, Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Amazon Ember, Arial, sans-serif;">4 Stars</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Amazon Ember, Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Amazon Ember, Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhCkb-6tVtEAgrJQ0FRrmlTHtlllhxb5aFT-J9_s1mCiZj_w-9rNbbmKUvqFAyxXwAGkdVjAjvBf8a9Ma8RlosKsKitBkX6n78YmvPaR-pgKJxRXB5im097U3E7aROmKm6q01UKMt4MOgWaDo9t3VSx4Ak3K65IfY3Zj0vaZHJxXOA47pqx1WvBuPTk=s400" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="400" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhCkb-6tVtEAgrJQ0FRrmlTHtlllhxb5aFT-J9_s1mCiZj_w-9rNbbmKUvqFAyxXwAGkdVjAjvBf8a9Ma8RlosKsKitBkX6n78YmvPaR-pgKJxRXB5im097U3E7aROmKm6q01UKMt4MOgWaDo9t3VSx4Ak3K65IfY3Zj0vaZHJxXOA47pqx1WvBuPTk=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Amazon Ember, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEge2NWmqeQjamXb26TNOfe1pE7A2szIw2_NAN8brf44pk2rNFA2p-hQYLmKAalXM9VGwyid9LDB4pw_J1UiV7iho7lTafrOxIfG5s6wlVYDqvcbKP7GQc0o4X5yV1MTxMxdlVkPsX-PEhaUmEA11r4LtZZd45oVA_dSi3Ij2nFxMGsca0sHYm-L6xFd=s400" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEge2NWmqeQjamXb26TNOfe1pE7A2szIw2_NAN8brf44pk2rNFA2p-hQYLmKAalXM9VGwyid9LDB4pw_J1UiV7iho7lTafrOxIfG5s6wlVYDqvcbKP7GQc0o4X5yV1MTxMxdlVkPsX-PEhaUmEA11r4LtZZd45oVA_dSi3Ij2nFxMGsca0sHYm-L6xFd=s320" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Amazon Ember, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><div><br /></div><div><div class="bookAuthorProfile__about" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><span id="freeText10047983381411109294">Meg Dendler has considered herself a writer since she won a picture book contest in 5th grade and entertained her classmates with ongoing sequels for the rest of the year. Beginning serious work as a freelancer in the '90s while teaching elementary and middle school, Meg has over one hundred articles in print, including interviews with Kirk Douglas, Sylvester Stallone, and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. She has won contests with her short stories and poetry, along with multiple international awards for her best-selling "Cats in the Mirror" alien rescue cat children's book series. Meg also works with independent and self-publishing authors to polish their manuscripts for publication.<br /><br />Meg and her family live in NW Arkansas. Visit her at <a href="http://www.megdendler.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" style="color: #00635d; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">www.megdendler.com</a> for more information about upcoming books and events and all of Meg's social media links.</span></div></div></div>Omra Seoinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06374827091011473816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5050294126328858045.post-56789733099683575642022-03-06T21:22:00.002-07:002022-03-06T21:22:35.119-07:00REVIEW: Jestin Kase and the Masters of Dragon Metal By J. Michael White<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Award-winning journalist pivots to urban fantasy action-adventure stories with hints of social commentary </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-c60dad9e-7fff-05c3-9cf0-63a0d4e3996e"><br /><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 259px; overflow: hidden; width: 165px;"><img height="259" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/S85RRzD-9bKraMozpo9wskhJBaXh0Vv5sSF2WIAcMK7Q--2svfRWeMJ2mgUnruFZxgKvNfXtZf455Rao0jgyEkde2fL4Fgeo4RDbaXIBj5zk51AuiaZFjLbBsG5569AcnzQ2wrZL" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="165" /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> – In his fiction debut, award-winning journalist J. Michael White draws on his experience as a reporter to develop the world of his new urban fantasy novel, “Jestin Kase and the Masters of Dragon Metal” (May 3, 2022, Teer Publishing).</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mankind lost the battle for its soul without knowing. Evil won. And no Chosen Ones are coming to the rescue.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Enter Jestin Kase, a foster kid on the run in Chicago. He finds himself drawn into the underbelly of civilization, where the Three Great Schools of Magic are crippled by their own corruption and unable to push back against the Great Dark. Monsters from Babylonian myth, demons, and the enthralled thrive beneath the notice of everyone. Only one force of good remains: an ancient magic called Dragon Metal. And Jestin is determined to learn its secrets.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But how much of a difference can one person make in a world that’s already fallen?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There’s no fate.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No destiny.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Only Metal. And those brave enough to wield it.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">review</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 400; text-align: left; white-space: normal;">A fantasy novel that is equal parts magical and grounded allows those who read it to really connect to this new universe and its characters. Following Jestin on his journey through life and in his discovery of new magic draws you in and doesn't let go as action and adventure pick up. Looking forward to following Jestin on many more quests in the future!</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 400; text-align: left; white-space: normal;">The world building was great and I appreciated the symbolism. It's almost like an allegory. The book takes place in our world in contemporary Chicago. In the book, the battle of good versus evil is over and evil won and no chosen ones are coming to the rescue. It sure feels that way with current events the way they are. Jestin's story manages to offer a sense of hope and inspiration with a powerful message that should hopefully resonate with teens and young adults. It's an empowering story.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 400; text-align: left; white-space: normal;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 400; text-align: left; white-space: normal;">The sarcastic humor kept me turning the pages of this multiple POV fantasy, but I would have liked a little more world-building early on. There were some intense action sequences right away with enough details to orient myself, and then some flashbacks to get Jestin’s backstory, but at the 20% mark I still didn’t have a clear idea what this story was about other than Gideon is going to train Jestin to fight demons, thralls and the Great Dark. After that point, the conflicts and intrigues developed a little more and I was hooked. Lots of great action and fun humor, but the plot details felt a little abrupt and disjointed at times.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 400; text-align: left; white-space: normal;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 400; text-align: left; white-space: normal;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 400; text-align: left; white-space: normal;">Overall, this was a really funny, entertaining read that kept my interest.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 400; text-align: left; white-space: normal;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 400; text-align: left; white-space: normal;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 400; text-align: left; white-space: normal;">And I loved Jestin’s incredible cat.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 400; text-align: left; white-space: normal;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 400; text-align: left; white-space: normal;">4 stars</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 400; text-align: left; white-space: normal;"><br /></span></span></p><br /><br /><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 246px; overflow: hidden; width: 165px;"><img height="246" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/HI_fOzfDBilSJfvGfu-he4iQWyW94QZ0VIGgzUVK3IlcI5dFdFFCa7qtTssDaXzJUIdrmvzAzqMSi2rjNK7S8OruA5i1hEB4J21yHE2iwnb42vUtcyIgMgWlFvQIe8xjAJB1gVE3" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="165" /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">J. MICHAEL WHITE:</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> J. Michael White is an award-winning journalist and author of young adult urban fantasy action-adventure stories. His career as a newspaper reporter gave him deep glimpses into the challenges of the world, from the struggles of foster care to the tragedies of murder and war. His fiction often reflects these experiences. Instead of setting his stories in alternate, dystopian futures, he looks at the dystopia of the world we live in today, through the lens of urban fantasy and adventure, with a little dark humor. Like all responsible adults, he spends his time playing video games, reading books, and watching cartoons.</span></p><br /><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Follow J. Michael White on social media: </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Twitter: @JMichael_White | Instagram: @thejmichaelwhite | TikTok: @the_jmichaelwhite</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In an interview, J. Michael White can discuss:</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">His background as a journalist and the process of pivoting to fiction writing </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">His choice to highlight the dystopia of the world we live in today instead of creating a traditional dystopian future. </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">His choice to make his main character a foster child as an entry point into a larger conversation about the foster care system</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The spiritual and religious undertones of his book and why he chose to incorporate that in his writing</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">His main character Jestin Kase being a part of the LGBTQ community and why the way he is portrayed is important</span></p></li></ul><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">An Interview with</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 24pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">J. Michael White</span></p><br /><ol style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How did you develop the character of Jestin? Why did you give him the background of a foster kid? </span></p></li></ol><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I wanted a humorous, sarcastic, likeable teenager to balance the bleak background of the story. I also wanted to use Jestin as a vehicle to highlight the problems with the foster care system (my original idea for Jestin was “Oliver Twist but with demons”). Further, as a member of the LGBT community myself, I wanted the same for Jestin, but without making the story about his sexuality, something I don’t see often with LGBT representation. </span></p><br /><ol start="2" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why did you set the book in Chicago?</span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I grew up in northwest Indiana, which is more a part of Chicago than the Hoosier state, and I’ve always loved the character of the city. It was important for me to set the story in a Midwestern city, because I wanted the story to take place in the heartland, the heart of the country. </span></p><br /><ol start="3" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How did you develop the idea of the Three Great Schools of Magic?</span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Three Great Schools of Magic represent the state of spirituality in our world today. There are people who pervert and twist religion for greed and selfish purposes, to spread hate and to amass power. This is what the Three Great Schools represent.</span></p><br /><ol start="4" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You have a background in journalism -- where your job is to report on reality. Was it difficult to shift your writing focus to fiction / urban fantasy? How did you go about this? </span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve written fiction stories for my own enjoyment since I was in grade school, so the shift from journalism to fiction was pretty simple. If anything, my newspaper writing skills helped craft my fiction writing style. Also, I’ve seen some crazy things in this real world of ours, and that’s helped me build my fictional characters’ backgrounds. </span></p><br /><ol start="5" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is your first novel -- what inspired you to write it now?</span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve wanted to write a book for years; I actually left the newspaper business to free up my creativity to focus on fiction. But I still never found the time to write--until the pandemic. Like many people, I’ve been working from home since COVID, and without a morning or evening commute, I have up to a couple hours of extra free time a day that I use for writing. </span></p><br /><ol start="6" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You make a distinction between traditional dystopian futures and the worlds you create in your writing. Can you explain what this is and why you chose this approach?</span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I wanted to highlight the dystopia of the world we live in today instead of creating a traditional, make-believe dystopian future. Look at the state of things in our world: class warfare, poverty, sickness, corruption, homelessness, division--one could argue we’re already living in a “dystopian future” in the real world of today. </span></p><div><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>Omra Seoinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06374827091011473816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5050294126328858045.post-27470322198520795612021-08-16T01:39:00.001-06:002021-08-16T01:39:55.992-06:00REVIEW: The Sightless City By Noah Lemelson<div class="separator"><br /></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Welcome to a world of æther and rust.</span></span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-7f2223f5-7fff-a1e1-1012-0c72af3120a4"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CghVRROSChI/YN_4VTWYuDI/AAAAAAAAEWQ/IzkdQa4WoqEcXRrCGuCZSqV9mkTLESOLQCPcBGAYYCw/s733/The%2BSightless%2BCity%2BFront.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CghVRROSChI/YN_4VTWYuDI/AAAAAAAAEWQ/IzkdQa4WoqEcXRrCGuCZSqV9mkTLESOLQCPcBGAYYCw/w420-h640/The%2BSightless%2BCity%2BFront.jpeg" width="420" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">As both veteran and private investigator, Marcel Talwar knows this firsthand, and he likes to think he’d never participate in such things. However, that naïve idea comes to a crashing end when he takes on a new case that quickly shatters his world view. A trail of evidence points to someone in Marcel’s inner circle who’s using him as a pawn to conduct grisly experiments—experiments that could lead to genocide.</span></span><p></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Now, Marcel is more determined than ever to discover who’s pulling the strings to this sinister plot. But the further he gets, the larger the target on his back becomes, and it’s not long before Marcel has to ask himself how much and how many he’s willing to sacrifice to get to the truth.</span></span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Noah Lemelson harmoniously merges unique genres in his new steampunk/apocalyptic/fantasy noir novel. </span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The Sightless City,”</span><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (July 20, 2021, Tiny Fox Press) is the debut novel of an upcoming trilogy, and has already received a First Place Award in the 2019 OZMA Book Awards for Fantasy Fiction. Lemelson places realistic and flawed characters in a world both strange and familiar. Strange in its unique creatures, machines, and magics, familiar in the corruption and cruelty that comes with industry and war.</span></span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Kidnapping. Enslavement. Murder. Those are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to actions some will take to protect their interests in æther-oil, the coveted substance that fuels the war-torn city of Huile.</span></span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">“The Sightless City”</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Praise for</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Sightless City</span></span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">"A gripping mystery with an exceptionally fleshed-out world."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">-- KIRKUS Reviews</span></span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Stellar worldbuilding and quick pacing. This is sure to entertain any fan of gritty speculative fiction.”</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">-- Publishers Weekly</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Take one step into The Sightless City</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and you’re pulled into a crackling adventure of intrigue, danger and mystery until the very last page. Lemelson builds an intricate steampunk fantasy world and sets it ablaze with haunting characters and deep moral questions. It’s a thrilling debut!”</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">-Amanda Silver, writer and producer of Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Jurassic World</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">"Lemelson melds industrial revolution with powerful magic; and, like all revolutions, this one isn't a tea party."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-- Dave Higgins, author of </span><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seven Stones: The Complete Series</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">"With one foot in the seemingly magical and the other in SF, The Sightless City hits that same sweet spot that Tamsyn Muir mines so successfully in Gideon the Ninth. Lemelson revives and updates the gestures of science fantasy to make it a truly 21st century form. Funny, dark, irreverent, and endlessly entertaining, The Sightless City is a rustpunk wonder and a first-rate debut."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">-- Brian Evanson, award-winning author of Song for the Unraveling of the Worldand The Warren</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Feast your eyes on Sightless City, a world no one had ever seen until Noah Lemelson transported us to his exotic crossroad of fantasy, dieselpunk, and sci-fi. It’s a book for all ages: past, present, and future. At the same time. Venture inside and this new author will be a part of your future.”</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">-- Gary Goldman, screenwriter of Big Trouble In Little China, Total Recall, Navy Seals</span></span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Noah is an incredible writer. He has done what most sci-fi writers cannot. He wrote a believable sci-fi/fantasy/steampunk/thriller.”</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">-- Anne Hart, Instagram Influencer</span></span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Big fat 5 stars for this book and a massive congratulations to Noah Lemelson for writing an exquisite debut novel.”</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">-- Melina’s Blog, blogger</span></span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">“A longer read and I finished in just 2 short days.”</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">-- Lost in a Book Erin, Instagram Influencer</span></span></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AUwek0U2fOY/VdbJpWfBlsI/AAAAAAAABeg/-OmCtEL4jeMMME4Klv_SWAVJ7rFgON_-ACPcBGAYYCw/s400/review%2Bicon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" height="206" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AUwek0U2fOY/VdbJpWfBlsI/AAAAAAAABeg/-OmCtEL4jeMMME4Klv_SWAVJ7rFgON_-ACPcBGAYYCw/s320/review%2Bicon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">This author opened my eyes up to a whole new type of genre that really caught my attention. This author is wonderfully surprising it what he brings to his novels.<br /></span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">Y</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;">ou will not want to miss this one! THE SIGHTLESS CITY had one of the most unique and well-developed world structures I have read in recent years! The diesel punk elements blend wonderfully into something I would describe as akin to dark fantasy, creating a rich and fascinating world for the story!</span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Amazon Ember, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The city of Huile is both an industrial marvel and a nightmare after the Calamity, the fight for Huile's freedom. Marcel is a disillusioned veteran of that war, now working halfheartedly as a private investigator. Sylvaine is a Ferral, a nonhuman reviled by many, but all she wants is to become an engineer and work on her inventions. I fell in love so quickly with both Sylvaine and Marcel and found myself utterly invested in their separate stories and then their uneasy partnership as their paths finally cross and they work together against the evils of Lazacorp. I really want to know more about the mysterious warrior monk Kayip who seemingly comes out of nowhere to recruit Marcel and Sylvanie to his cause, and I hope there will be more background on him in the next book</span></span></div><div><span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">You'll find yourself introduced to a new concept early on, and by the end you'll be so used to reading about it that you'll feel that it's always existed. The characters are all so well defined and interesting, too. Every single one of them is well thought out and feels real.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8tDNmoJs790/Vey_FPsrbJI/AAAAAAAABjA/dVdE4IVPfvEf27kGabTB0CZRwnveE-lQgCPcBGAYYCw/s400/4%2Bstars%2Bicon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="400" height="258" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8tDNmoJs790/Vey_FPsrbJI/AAAAAAAABjA/dVdE4IVPfvEf27kGabTB0CZRwnveE-lQgCPcBGAYYCw/s320/4%2Bstars%2Bicon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XbZ5ZWVk-48/VdbK8-KpX5I/AAAAAAAABeo/07CAJdsm5MsXbjF1fu1o9cJvxhwpFwZ8ACPcBGAYYCw/s400/meet%2Bthe%2BAUTHor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" height="206" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XbZ5ZWVk-48/VdbK8-KpX5I/AAAAAAAABeo/07CAJdsm5MsXbjF1fu1o9cJvxhwpFwZ8ACPcBGAYYCw/s320/meet%2Bthe%2BAUTHor.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a-TPOzx91no/YN_4Ry1LfdI/AAAAAAAAEWM/ZzsH6RWhqEcJtQ1c0VlSnjO6s76BZ75LgCPcBGAYYCw/s227/noah%2Blemelson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img border="0" data-original-height="227" data-original-width="209" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a-TPOzx91no/YN_4Ry1LfdI/AAAAAAAAEWM/ZzsH6RWhqEcJtQ1c0VlSnjO6s76BZ75LgCPcBGAYYCw/w368-h400/noah%2Blemelson.jpg" width="368" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span><br /><br /></span><span><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.noahlemelson.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Noah Lemelson</span></a><span style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is a short story writer and novelist who lives in LA with his wife and cat. Lover of Science Fiction, Fantasy, New Weird, and Punk. He received his BA in Biology from the University of Chicago in 2014 and received his MFA in Creative Writing from the California Institute of the Arts in 2020. He has had several of his short stories published in both print and online magazines, such as Allegory, Space Squid and the Outsider’s Within Horror Anthology.</span></span></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jKifD_YgNOQ/VdbMyS3ryHI/AAAAAAAABfA/SG8DqDYbhnQNw2yJL44NlbrtgKS_JMc1gCPcBGAYYCw/s500/thanks%2Bfor%2Blooking%2Bicon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Proxima Nova", sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="500" height="259" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jKifD_YgNOQ/VdbMyS3ryHI/AAAAAAAABfA/SG8DqDYbhnQNw2yJL44NlbrtgKS_JMc1gCPcBGAYYCw/w400-h259/thanks%2Bfor%2Blooking%2Bicon.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div></div>Omra Seoinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06374827091011473816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5050294126328858045.post-91258374251326638872021-07-03T00:00:00.005-06:002021-07-03T00:03:18.536-06:00AUTHOR Q AND A: Noah Lemelson<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ufuFidy7VwA/YN_8x_ZXYtI/AAAAAAAAEWU/90alLmU0I5kKPzLhjtdNyNHQ2Qf1pr9hQCLcBGAsYHQ/s480/q%2Band%2Ba.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ufuFidy7VwA/YN_8x_ZXYtI/AAAAAAAAEWU/90alLmU0I5kKPzLhjtdNyNHQ2Qf1pr9hQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/q%2Band%2Ba.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a-TPOzx91no/YN_4Ry1LfdI/AAAAAAAAEWE/76cj_ucJ-JA65wDku-9T4Hfrd9oYDWnyACLcBGAsYHQ/s227/noah%2Blemelson.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="227" data-original-width="209" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a-TPOzx91no/YN_4Ry1LfdI/AAAAAAAAEWE/76cj_ucJ-JA65wDku-9T4Hfrd9oYDWnyACLcBGAsYHQ/w368-h400/noah%2Blemelson.jpg" width="368" /></a></div><p></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">1. Reading a bit of your bio I am curious what brought you to writing after going to school for biology originally?</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="im" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="color: #01ffff; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p></span><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: x-large;">I was writing a bit during college, and for a while after graduation I was working in a lab while taking writing classes. I even applied to a PhD program in animal behavior and was waitlisted. But around that time I just realized I was happier writing. In many ways I’m still trying to answer those same questions that got me interested in biology, questions about human nature and our place in the universe.</span></p><span class="im" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="color: #500050; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2. What authors inspired you into writing?</p><p style="color: #500050; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p></span></span><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: x-large;">Hmm… I grew up with classics of sci-fi and fantasy, Tolkien, Heinlein, Frank Herbert, as I got older I got really into Stanislaw Lem and Ursula Le Guin. Sci-fi has always been my favorite genre to read, I love its emphasis on big ideas. I also need to give thanks to my mentor at CalArts, Brian Evenson (who writes excellent literary horror, if you haven’t read him.)</span></p><span class="im" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">3. What inspired you to create such a unique and intricate world as you did in Sightless City?</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p></span></span><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: x-large;">Boredom, mostly. I came up with the basis of the universe as a teenager. I think I’ve always been interested in industrial decay, and the allure of ruins and wastelands. In this digital age, there’s something bizarrely attractive about old industry, even as destructive as it could be. </span></p><span class="im" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="color: #500050; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">4. What are your favorite characters to write and why?</p><p style="color: #500050; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p></span></span><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: x-large;">I have a soft spot for Sylvaine, but honestly it's a lot of fun to write villains. Villains can just go places and do things that more heroic, or even just vaguely decent, characters wouldn’t, and it can be equal parts fun and horrific to see what they are capable of. Verus, I particularly liked to write, he’s just a jerk, and does the least to hide it.</span></p><span class="im" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="color: #500050; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">5. Does your personal and private life seep into your books?</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></p></span></span><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: x-large;">I hope not! There’s not too much in my life that fits directly into the grim world of The Sightless City. I’m sure if I dug deep I could find some comparisons, but I prefer not to dig.</span></p><span class="im" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">6. How did you become interested in Fantasy fiction novels?</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p></span></span><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: x-large;">I’ve always loved sci-fi and fantasy. As for my own work, I’ve never been too strict with genre conventions. I write things that aren’t real, and I think it’s easier to fit those things into fantasy, sci-fi has some extra rules. As for why I write speculative fiction in general… I like the freedom it provides. I also enjoy worldbuilding, creating landscapes, histories, and cultures, and we kind of already have all of those already in the real world. (Though I do love reading about them!)</span></p><span class="im" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">7. Do you see yourself as becoming a famous author with followers?</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p></span></span><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: x-large;">No idea. I hope so, or rather, I hope I become a writer with readers. Fame and followers themselves don’t particularly matter, (I’m terrible with twitter anyways) I just want my book to be in the hands of those who would enjoy it. I want to provide the wonder I received as a young science fiction and fantasy reader. </span></p><span class="im" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="color: #500050; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">8. What can we look forward to from you in the future?</p><p style="color: #500050; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p></span></span><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: x-large;">I’ve been hard at work on the sequel to The Sightless City. I have the trilogy all sketched out, I’m just doing all the filling in. I also have another project, but it’s still in progress and I have no publisher at the moment, so I don’t want to announce too much.</span></p></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CghVRROSChI/YN_4VTWYuDI/AAAAAAAAEWI/6sdqFP1k0hIeYFsloxUr39SWtwi8nqP0wCLcBGAsYHQ/s733/The%2BSightless%2BCity%2BFront.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CghVRROSChI/YN_4VTWYuDI/AAAAAAAAEWI/6sdqFP1k0hIeYFsloxUr39SWtwi8nqP0wCLcBGAsYHQ/w420-h640/The%2BSightless%2BCity%2BFront.jpeg" width="420" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Omra Seoinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06374827091011473816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5050294126328858045.post-4510731111916842032021-06-30T16:47:00.006-06:002021-06-30T16:47:49.819-06:00REVIEW: A Story Of Giants By Scarlett Ripley<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W5LIN5koBtQ/YNzyrTFMEFI/AAAAAAAAEUk/u6QnQDywKRIgoBAQbctauAqQ7sOZIlKlACLcBGAsYHQ/s346/story%2Bof%2Bgiants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="346" height="554" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W5LIN5koBtQ/YNzyrTFMEFI/AAAAAAAAEUk/u6QnQDywKRIgoBAQbctauAqQ7sOZIlKlACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h554/story%2Bof%2Bgiants.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">What if I told you that we are not alone, that our world is but one of many, and that Giants walk among us?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;">Book 1 of the debut fantasy series, A Story of Giants.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;">Leanna Salinger won't open her heart to anyone beyond her younger sister Violet. Everyone else she loves is gone. But when their internal abilities awaken, the young women discover the truth behind their beloved grandmother’s stories. We are not alone. Our world is but one of many on an infinite string. Those among us called to guard the realms are called Giants.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;">Join Leanna as she enters their ranks and trains to travel the realm. Leanna is a Warrior Giant, measured not by physical size but by the power of her gifts. Giants, under the supervision of the Council, keep watch over the worlds guided by principles of humility and compassion. Leanna is asked to train with three other newly-emerged Giants under the surly and watchful eye of celebrated Warrior Lieutenant Gyan. As Leanna and her compatriots embark on a multi-world quest to stop insurgent Giants from overthrowing the Council, Leanna must overcome a tragic past which has come to define her and open her heart to the man who loves he</span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AUwek0U2fOY/VdbJpWfBlsI/AAAAAAAABeg/-OmCtEL4jeMMME4Klv_SWAVJ7rFgON_-ACPcBGAYYCw/s400/review%2Bicon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AUwek0U2fOY/VdbJpWfBlsI/AAAAAAAABeg/-OmCtEL4jeMMME4Klv_SWAVJ7rFgON_-ACPcBGAYYCw/s320/review%2Bicon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ccWOJibsKOg/YNzyrh9u-QI/AAAAAAAAEUo/pzXs2GEIVBYiBgb8uCZkuHlmoXhJDlzYgCLcBGAsYHQ/s475/story%2Bof%2Bgiants1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="297" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ccWOJibsKOg/YNzyrh9u-QI/AAAAAAAAEUo/pzXs2GEIVBYiBgb8uCZkuHlmoXhJDlzYgCLcBGAsYHQ/w250-h400/story%2Bof%2Bgiants1.jpg" width="250" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;">This was a very interesting world to explore and I love the imagination and possibilities that the author presented. There is a lot of world building and idea exploration in this book.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;">Overall, I enjoyed A Story of Giants. We get introduced to some interesting characters and see some pretty neat worlds. I did struggle with the pace of the book. Sometimes a lot happens, and I want more of the details, but then sometimes the book focuses for a long time on pieces that seem less important to the overall storyline. It makes the book overall feel a little slow to me.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;">I didn't really connect with any of the characters either. I enjoyed meeting them and I hope the book explores them further. There are quite a few that are intriguing. I also hope that we get a bit more Leanna...I feel her character needs a little more development to help her be consistent.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;">I enjoyed this well-written fantasy romance! The book is definitely of the young adult variety with some sweet romance mixed in. Leanna makes a fine main character. She is strong yet reserved; loves deeply but trusts few.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;">I love Nan as a character, too, and wished she had stuck around longer. Truthfully, the first part of the book where Leanna and Violet were young is my favorite. The “strange things” that happen around Leanna are fascinating, as are Nan’s explanations.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;">4 stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8tDNmoJs790/Vey_FPsrbJI/AAAAAAAABjA/dVdE4IVPfvEf27kGabTB0CZRwnveE-lQgCPcBGAYYCw/s400/4%2Bstars%2Bicon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="400" height="323" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8tDNmoJs790/Vey_FPsrbJI/AAAAAAAABjA/dVdE4IVPfvEf27kGabTB0CZRwnveE-lQgCPcBGAYYCw/w400-h323/4%2Bstars%2Bicon.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XbZ5ZWVk-48/VdbK8-KpX5I/AAAAAAAABeo/07CAJdsm5MsXbjF1fu1o9cJvxhwpFwZ8ACPcBGAYYCw/s400/meet%2Bthe%2BAUTHor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XbZ5ZWVk-48/VdbK8-KpX5I/AAAAAAAABeo/07CAJdsm5MsXbjF1fu1o9cJvxhwpFwZ8ACPcBGAYYCw/s320/meet%2Bthe%2BAUTHor.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;">Scarlett Ripley's series "A Story of Giants" is a fantasy series based on string theory. She loves to blend fantasy, science fiction, adventure, romance, and psychological study in her writing, given her stories a broad appeal beyond traditional fantasy-genre books. All of her writing features strong female protagonists.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;">In addition to the continuing "A Story of Giants" series, Scarlett is working on a modern-day gothic romance, "Death Knows," among other projects.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;">Scarlett lives in London, England. Scarlett loves to hear from readers and encourages them to get in touch with her via her website, www.scarlettripley.com.</span></div></div><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jKifD_YgNOQ/VdbMyS3ryHI/AAAAAAAABfA/SG8DqDYbhnQNw2yJL44NlbrtgKS_JMc1gCPcBGAYYCw/s500/thanks%2Bfor%2Blooking%2Bicon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="500" height="259" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jKifD_YgNOQ/VdbMyS3ryHI/AAAAAAAABfA/SG8DqDYbhnQNw2yJL44NlbrtgKS_JMc1gCPcBGAYYCw/w400-h259/thanks%2Bfor%2Blooking%2Bicon.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Omra Seoinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06374827091011473816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5050294126328858045.post-42187401955560915602021-06-30T16:08:00.000-06:002021-06-30T16:08:03.193-06:00REVIEW: Aeroreh: The Ealdspell Cycle Book 1 By Jesikah Sundin<p style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P9KBdEy6yzA/YNzqCEiw8gI/AAAAAAAAEUU/YT5Is4yVZu4otlG-beNEMMl2LZEdCVSzQCLcBGAsYHQ/s612/d593633f-5773-41bf-bab5-920ff0115ef5_1.292541ac9c001160812e6b2349846648.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-size: x-large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="612" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P9KBdEy6yzA/YNzqCEiw8gI/AAAAAAAAEUU/YT5Is4yVZu4otlG-beNEMMl2LZEdCVSzQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/d593633f-5773-41bf-bab5-920ff0115ef5_1.292541ac9c001160812e6b2349846648.jpeg" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">DREAMS ARE DANGEROUS</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Princess Æroreh Rosen was faerie blessed before her birth. To promote the New Dawn Era, the Queen coded her daughter with every feminine perfection.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Beauty. Gentleness. Obedience. Musicality. Kindness. Grace. Good cheer.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hunger and lung sickness plague the Kingdom of Ealdspell. But Æroreh is plugged into The Dream, a program created by a sect of faeries to control the realms through illusions of beauty and contentment. All Æroreh has ever known is blissful servitude to a cursed system, and she believes her realm is prospering. Until a different faerie sect decides to wake her sleeping mind and set her true magic free.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Meanwhile, Félip Batten MacKinley holds a dangerous secret. With no easy future in sight, he accepts that he’ll die a burden to his foster parents, his true history erased. But a tempting offer from the faerie’s Fate Maker leads Félip to cross paths with the hauntingly beautiful Æroreh—a young woman who represents all he loathes.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Yet only she has the power to awaken a new Dream.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Æroreh is a gritty spin on the romantic tale of Sleeping Beauty and blends faerie magic and pagan ritual with high technology. For fans of Margaret Rogerson and Holly Black.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lTNDjuxq-kw/YNzqCAWtcSI/AAAAAAAAEUM/lWZ5LnU5MaIMzdv-9EHGCIgAlbNSu3yrACLcBGAsYHQ/s318/images%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="159" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lTNDjuxq-kw/YNzqCAWtcSI/AAAAAAAAEUM/lWZ5LnU5MaIMzdv-9EHGCIgAlbNSu3yrACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h200/images%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AUwek0U2fOY/VdbJpWfBlsI/AAAAAAAABeg/-OmCtEL4jeMMME4Klv_SWAVJ7rFgON_-ACPcBGAYYCw/s400/review%2Bicon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AUwek0U2fOY/VdbJpWfBlsI/AAAAAAAABeg/-OmCtEL4jeMMME4Klv_SWAVJ7rFgON_-ACPcBGAYYCw/s320/review%2Bicon.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is a must read if you love a mixture of different fantasy types. It has technology or steampunk type, romance, strong female characters, fantasy, happily ever after. Take your pic and you have it in this book.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let's just say that Aeroreh is a bit crazy and I love it! I was almost scared off by the technology mixed with magic idea as it is presented in the description, but I'm so glad I read it. The technology really played such a tiny role that it as almost didn't matter, but it still did.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This book is a beautifully twisted Sleeping Beauty retelling that injects a hint of dystopian sci-fi into a lush fantasy landscape. The intriguing combination of technology and faery lore makes this a stand-out in a sea of fairytale reimagining's. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Félip is the perfectly imperfect contrast to our heroine, Æroreh. He is charming, humble, and pleasantly real in a world where people are programed to behave "ideally". I loved him from the first page he is mentioned. Æroreh took a bit more time to see through all the glamour, but once she started revealing her true nature, I enjoyed seeing her character flourish.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jesikah is such a creative writer. If you are looking for a unique fairytale then this book is for you. Im looking forward to reading more by this author.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">4 stars</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8tDNmoJs790/Vey_FPsrbJI/AAAAAAAABjA/dVdE4IVPfvEf27kGabTB0CZRwnveE-lQgCPcBGAYYCw/s400/4%2Bstars%2Bicon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8tDNmoJs790/Vey_FPsrbJI/AAAAAAAABjA/dVdE4IVPfvEf27kGabTB0CZRwnveE-lQgCPcBGAYYCw/s320/4%2Bstars%2Bicon.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XbZ5ZWVk-48/VdbK8-KpX5I/AAAAAAAABeo/07CAJdsm5MsXbjF1fu1o9cJvxhwpFwZ8ACPcBGAYYCw/s400/meet%2Bthe%2BAUTHor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XbZ5ZWVk-48/VdbK8-KpX5I/AAAAAAAABeo/07CAJdsm5MsXbjF1fu1o9cJvxhwpFwZ8ACPcBGAYYCw/s320/meet%2Bthe%2BAUTHor.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xjjCHa05hiE/YNzqCOxlW-I/AAAAAAAAEUQ/FM3Vp__ESFk63HdTWmDgo0fwrVvrRBgVgCLcBGAsYHQ/s600/baomcb55clnrn9o7k7n00cs9t2._SY600_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-size: x-large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xjjCHa05hiE/YNzqCOxlW-I/AAAAAAAAEUQ/FM3Vp__ESFk63HdTWmDgo0fwrVvrRBgVgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/baomcb55clnrn9o7k7n00cs9t2._SY600_.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">JESIKAH SUNDIN is a multi-award winning Dystopian Punk Lit, Fairy Tale, and Historical Fantasy writer, a mom of three nerdlets, a faeriecore and elfpunk geek, tree hugger, nature photographer, and helpless romantic who married her high school sweetheart. In addition to her family, she shares her home in Monroe, Washington with a rambunctious husky-chi, a red-footed tortoise, and a collection of Doc Martens boots. She is addicted to coffee, laughing, and cheese... Oh! And the forest is her happy place.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">WEBSITE</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">https://jesikahsundin.com/</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jKifD_YgNOQ/VdbMyS3ryHI/AAAAAAAABfA/SG8DqDYbhnQNw2yJL44NlbrtgKS_JMc1gCPcBGAYYCw/s500/thanks%2Bfor%2Blooking%2Bicon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="500" height="259" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jKifD_YgNOQ/VdbMyS3ryHI/AAAAAAAABfA/SG8DqDYbhnQNw2yJL44NlbrtgKS_JMc1gCPcBGAYYCw/w400-h259/thanks%2Bfor%2Blooking%2Bicon.jpg" width="400" /></a></p>Omra Seoinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06374827091011473816noreply@blogger.com0