Wednesday, June 28, 2017

DANDELION DUST // Blog Tour, Interview, & Giveaway


Howdy, folks! This morning, I am absolutely delighted to share with you Dandelion Dust, a debut novella from author Faith L. Potts!

ABOUT THE BOOK


Like a speck of dandelion dust riding the tides of a prairie wind, life is fleeting. Though I never realized just how fragile it was until that day...

Charity always had a dream. It was simple, really. Find a guy, fall in love, and get married.

The day she met Ryder, Charity knew he was the man God had chosen for her. But she never expected their relationship to be tested and tried through the fires of a freak accident. Suddenly, her world is thrown into chaos, and the bleak, white walls and sterile smells of a city hospital fill every spare minute. And then there comes the dreaded news. It was likely Ryder would never make it out of the hospital bed.

As her carefully laid plans for the future come crashing down around her and the sun seems to set on her dreams, can Charity still find hope in the dark of night?

Like a dandelion, life is beautiful. But treasure every moment... for one day, the flower will be gone.

COMING JUNE 30TH, 2017


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

FAITH L. POTTS is a teenage writer, living with her family and beloved yellow labs in the southeastern US. When she's not writing stories, consuming large amounts of coffee, reading books, or creating pottery, she can be found laughing harder than is healthy, daydreaming, and -- of course -- blowing dandelions.

Readers can connect with Faith via her writing blog, inspirational blog, Goodreads, Pinterest, and Instagram.

INTERVIEW
Welcome to the blog, Faith! I'm so terribly excited for your release of Dandelion Dust; it sounds like such a beautiful story! First off, would you mind introducing yourself?

Certainly! Saved by His grace alone, I'm a Child of the King. I'm a homeschooled, teenage writer and preacher's daughter, living with my family in a beautiful mountain area. I enjoy writing, blogging, and reading, among other things. 🙂

How did the idea for Dandelion Dust come about?

Hee hee, this question has quite the interesting answer... Christmas night 2016, I had a dream about a guy wrecking an ATV. Other details are blurry in my mind, but to this day, I can still see a four-wheeler in a field and then it just... crashes. The next day, I told my critique partner about my bizarre dream and said that I was going to "write a short story about it." I started writing that day and didn't stop until I had a thirty-four-thousand-five-hundred-word book.

How long did it take you to write it?

Writing the first draft took twenty-six days, the fastest I've every written anything. From start to finish, there was not a day I didn't write at least one-thousand-and-three words. (Not that I'm keeping track. 😉) I believe it's safe to say this story was meant to be. 😉

What are you working on, now?

I currently have several projects in the works. The one I'm focusing on the most is a contemporary about a wounded soldier returning home. I've already promised it to my blog readers, so it will probably become a sort of blog/serial story. 🙂

I'll also be starting the first edit of my historical fiction novel soon, as well as writing a sequel to Dandelion Dust.

Thank you so much for your time, Faith! One last question, before you go: what's your best piece of advice for writers, whether published or unpublished?

As ironic as it may be, I'm going to go with -- don't follow all the advice. That's not to say you shouldn't follow "any" advice, but you can't follow all that's out there. Not only would you stress yourself out, but your story would suffer as well. Just because it worked for someone else, doesn't meant it will for you. So, take your time and figure out what works best for you. Every writer has his or her own style and way of doing things.

Thank you for having me, Liv!

Thank you so much for hanging out with me, Faith! It's been a pleasure! 😄

GIVEAWAY


Faith has been so kind as to offer two print copies of Dandelion Dust in a giveaway! Please note that this giveaway is open to US entries, only. It runs from midnight (this morning) to midnight on Saturday, Eastern time. Winners will be announced on Faith's blog this Sunday.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TOUR SCHEDULE

~

Aaah, doesn't this look like such a lovely story?! And the beta readers' reviews are just glowing! Keep an eye out for Dandelion Dust's release on Lulu in just two days time -- and don't forgot to add it to Goodreads and enter the giveaway!

❤,

Blog tour images provided by Faith L. Potts.

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Saturday, June 24, 2017

Your 4 Key Characters


Whether your story's cast consists of twenty characters or five-hundred, at least four of them are your primary characters. As once eloquently put by writing wizard K.M. Weiland in a post on Helping Writers Become Authors,

"These four characters are important for the simple reason that, together, they provide the foundation for not just your plot, but a multi-faceted theme."

YOUR ANTAGONIST

In J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter, we meet Lord Voldemort (and yes, I'm pronouncing that "t" as silent). He's the reason Harry's an orphan, and provides a stark contrast to the story's theme of love and loyalty.
Voldemort {source}, George Warleggan {source},
and Lady Tremaine {source}.

In the BBC's Poldark, there's George Warleggan. Crafty, manipulative, and determined, George shares Ross Poldark's burning anger and desire for change... which makes him the perfect villain.

In Disney's 2015 remake of Cinderella, Lady Tremaine serves as the primary villain. She's jealous of Ella: jealous of the time she spent with her father, jealous of her father's passionate familial love for her and her mother, and jealous of the beauty, courage, and kindness Ella holds.

The antagonist ultimately revolves around who your protagonist is. What traits do they share? Does your antagonist ever try to partner with your hero? How does your antagonist help to support (or not support) your story's theme? What drives your villain?
YOUR PROTAGONIST

 And now, we come to the hero.

Harry Potter, like Voldemort, is an orphan. He even shares Voldemort's "race" or "blood type". The difference between Harry and Voldemort is Harry's use of his sorrows for good: his passion for justice, his kind heart, his unwavering loyalty, and his dedicated friendship.

Harry Potter {source}, Ross Poldark {source}, and Ella {source}.
George Warleggan once looked up to Ross Poldark. The two of them started from nothing. Both are, as once again put by K.M., "vastly ambitious, aggressive, [and] intelligent".

Ella's parents taught her to "have courage and be kind". She is driven by her constant desire to be good, and not the sort of woman her stepmother is.

What is your protagonist's motivation? Why don't they team up with their villain? What makes them who they are?
YOUR FOIL

 Draco Malfoy is a coward. He longs for protection, and desires to carry on his father's legacy, but is unsure how.
Draco Malfoy {source}, Francis Poldark {source},
and Anastasia and Drizella {source}.

Francis Poldark longs for his wife's unconditional love. He is afraid of failure, which is a reflection of Ross's fearlessness in taking risks in the hope of success.

Anastasia and Drizella both want riches -- and handsome husbands to be by their sides. Their carelessness and lack of brains allows for Ella's love and compassion to shine through.

Your foil is a mirror image of your protagonist. Take a look at your hero -- what makes them tick? Now take a few of those traits, and flip them. Your hero and your foil's similarities and differences allow your protagonist's strengths to be more visible.

 Consider your foil like a clear coat of nail polish. Though it may be weak in some areas, its weakness provides the bottom coat with shininess and an extra boost of endurance. 😉
YOUR LOVE INTEREST

 Not every story has a love interest, and not every story needs one. Still, there is oftentimes a character who serves as an element of attraction for the protagonist, and, possibly, in the dreaded case of a love triangle, another character, as well.
**Warning: To proceed may involve spoilers from the last three Harry Potter movies
and the last two Harry Potter books; the latter half of Poldark, season one;
and the majority of Cinderella.**

Ginny Weasley exists to guide Harry. She guides him through ridding himself of the Half-Blood Prince's Potions textbook. She throws herself forward as one of the mourners at Harry's "death".

Demelza guides Ross into a purer life, and allows him to teach her the manners of an upper class society.

Ginny Weasley {source}, Demelza {source},
and Prince Kit {source}.
Kit guides Ella to embracing herself just as she is, without the need for wealth or power.

Your love interest (or center of attraction, if there is one) serves to guide your protagonist along their journey. They may be, in a sense, the protagonist's foil -- or someone who shares a majority of their traits and beliefs.

~


 In the process of outlining, identifying your four key characters and their clockwork can be extremely helpful.

Tell me, Dragons: does your story have a love interest? How is your foil similar to your protagonist? How is he/she different?

❤,


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Friday, June 23, 2017

COILED // Blog Tour, Book Review, & Giveaway

{Image provided by H.L. Burke.}

Howdy, Dragons! Today I'm delighted to introduce to you Coiled, a new, YA mythological romance from H.L. Burke!

ABOUT THE BOOK

{Image provided by H.L. Burke.}

A healing touch. A hideous face. A looming curse.

As the ugly twin to a perfect sister, Princess Laidra lives her life in the shadows -- until her parents offer her as bait for a giant serpent.

Her escape attempt leaves her shipwrecked on a secluded island with only one inhabitant: Prince Calen, who lives under a curse. If anyone looks upon him, he turns into a giant serpent. Speaking to him in the darkness, Laidra sees past the monster to Calen's lonely soul, and she determines to free him from the magic's hold.

But if Laidra can't break the curse in time, Calen will become a mindless creature of scales and fangs forever.




BOOK REVIEW

★★★★☆

"Love doesn't fit on a scale for us to say whose has more weight."
~H.L. Burke, Coiled

Greek mythology retold. A giant, man-eating serpent. A rejected princess with a hideous curse and an astounding gift.

From the moment I first heard about H.L.'s upcoming novel to the moment I saw the cover, I knew this was a story I wanted to read.

A retelling of Eros & Psyche, as well as a Beauty & the Beast retelling in its own right, Coiled is the story of Laidra -- a girl forced into hiding by her own family, treated as if she was the child who was never meant to be, and thrown into political schemes as bait for a monstrous snake.

The characters -- Calen is so adorable! Which is saying a lot, because I hate snakes. But (thankfully!), Calen was no problem for me! He was such a cute, lovely little ginormous guy! 😊

ZEPHIA. She was probably my favorite character in the entire book! A clever, powerful demigoddess, daughter to a wind god? Yes, please!

And Valen. Uhg, Valen. He and his father are both such terrible people that I love/hate it. The pair of them would both, without a doubt, qualify for Paper Fury's "best worst villain to hate".

 The romance -- The romance was definitely sweet. As the story progressed, however, I felt like the affection between Laidra and Calen was starting to be displayed a little too physically. A good dose of innocence in the romantic area would've been preferred, but otherwise, the romance was considerably clean. (See notes below.)

 The writing -- H.L.'s voice is fast-paced, but not too much -- just enough to keep the story going at a likable, adventure-ready pace.

 The setting -- The mythology elements shown through just enough to deliver an allegorical tale evidently set in a fantasy land inspired by ancient Greece. And, being the Greek mythology nerd that I am, I loved uncovering the subtle little references to characters such as Theseus and Perseus!

The plot -- About halfway through, when a certain unfortunate event occurred to a certain primary character, an unforeseen journey came into view. I tend to prefer romance in a story when it's "all or nothing", so I personally would've liked that journey to... not exist? It was certainly enlightening and relevant to the story, but I would've preferred to focus on the relationship between the main characters.

This made for such a lovely read! I'd recommend this to anyone searching for a sweet, romantic read with mythological elements thrown in. 🙂

You may want to know: There are some brief and rather undescriptive references to nudity, as well as strong suggestions/implications. There is violence and references to warfare, along with the involvement of "gods", drinking, magical elements, and kissing. The "ba-word" is used once.

NOTE: I received a free ebook copy of Coiled from the author, in exchange for my honest review.

Read my review on Goodreads and Merikthorne Library!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

{Image provided by H.L. Burke.}

Born in a small town in north central Oregon, H. L. Burke spent most of her childhood around trees and farm animals and was always accompanied by a book. Growing up with epic heroes from Middle Earth and Narnia keeping her company, she also became an incurable romantic.

An addictive personality, she jumped from one fandom to another, being at times completely obsessed with various books, movies, or television series (Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Star Trek all took their turns), but she has grown to be what she considers a well-rounded connoisseur of geek culture.

Married to her high school crush who is now a US Marine, she has moved multiple times in her adult life but believes that home is wherever her husband, two daughters, and pets are.

Readers can connect with H.L. via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, her website, and her personal blog.

GIVEAWAY

Seven stops on this blog tour include special scavenger hunt clues, presented by H.L.'s own dragon, Theodore, and snake, Pistachio! Search for an image of either one of both of H.L.'s friends holding up a note, each of which is a part of her secret phrase. When you've found all seven pieces of H.L.'s phrase, click here to let her know! All correct entries will be put into a random drawing for a signed paperback of Coiled. The winner will be drawn during the Facebook party, on June twenty-third, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM (PST).

{Image provided by H.L. Burke.}

TOUR SCHEDULE

~

❤,


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Wednesday, June 21, 2017

THE SORCERESS & THE SQUID // Blog Tour & Sneak Peek

{Background/cover image source. Banner created/edited by yours truly.}

*waves* Hello, Dragons! Today I am very excited to be a part of the blog tour for Emily Mundell's debut novel, The Sorceress & the Squid! I must say, what an enchanting title! And what an enchanting cover...

{Source.}

In the magical land of Perth, divisions between the Old Kingdom and the New have waged for centuries. The humans have long harbored a mistrust of the spell-casting Fae and vice versa. In the midst of this conflict, Estrella the Sorceress lays waste to the Training Academy for Human Warriors, making an enemy in the soldier, Jalen. During their standoff, Jalen is turned into a squid and Estrella, unable to restore him to his original form, takes pity on him and travels west across the Sea to bring him to the Wizard in hope he can be saved. But is there more to the unrest in Perth than meets the eye?




EXCERPT

{Source.}
Jalen started to shrink, and his ruddy brown skin became grey-ish and wet-looking. His hair and clothes disappeared, but his arms and legs seemed to multiply, until they were no longer arms and legs, but tentacles. The human before her had become something entirely different, entirely unexpected.

"A squid?" she squeaked, horrified, as the warrior-turned-sea-creature struggled to rise.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

{Source.}
Emily Mundell is a nineteen-year-old author, artist, horsewoman, and lover of the wonders of the wide world. She hails from the Great White North of Canada and has spent her life growing up in the heart of rural Alberta in a close-knit farming community -- though she has often entertained fantasies of inhabiting the Shire.

Writing is her true passion -- though horses and art take a close second. With fantasy as her primary genre, Emily has been writing stories since the tender age of eight when she finished her first "book." She is currently working to complete her Creative Writing Certificate through the University of Calgary. An avid bookworm, true country-mouse, and unconventional tree-climber, Emily can usually be found on a horse, working on one of her half-dozen projects, chasing a loose cow, or being swept off her feet by the man she calls her own personal "hobbit."

 Readers can connect with Emily via her blog, Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram, and Goodreads.

TOUR SCHEDULE

{Source.}

~

Eeep! I'm so terribly excited for this book! Don't forget to pick it up on Amazon or Createspace, and add it to Goodreads!

What's your favorite thing about The Sorceress & the Squid? The cover? The title? The excerpt?

❤,


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Saturday, June 17, 2017

Investigating Jayna Buckley // Beautiful People

{Source.}

Salutations!

Firstly, Camp NaNoWriMo. It's that time of the year, again! And this time, I am thoroughly determined to do it. *buys all the chocolate because inspiration and HELP ME PLEASE*

Are you doing Camp NaNoWriMo this July? Feel free to add me!

Now, on to Beautiful People, which, for those of you who don't know, is a monthly set of character questions, hosted by Cait at Paper Fury and Sky at Further Up & Further In. Though I don't always do Beautiful People (*coughs* Obviously. *glares at the small collection of all the Beautiful People posts I've ever done*), it's a rather fun tag (and what was supposed to be today's blog post had a fight with me), and next month's NaNo! Good excuse? Good.

Since my Camp NaNoWriMo project is also the first draft of my Five Poisoned Apples entry, we'll be discussing Jayna Buckley, the Regency heroine who also happens to be my Snow White character.

Ahem. Without further ado, zee queztionz!

~

1. WHAT'S THEIR FAVORITE PLACE TO VISIT?

Ireland. Though Jayna and her younger sister technically lived there for three years of boarding school, she still loves to travel there.

2. WHAT'S ONE MISTAKE THEY MADE THAT THEY LEARNED FROM?

Let people know you're deaf. (Yup, Jayna's deaf.)

Jayna was once at a boarding school orientation ball, and was mistaken for snubbing the headmistress. Several letters between Jayna, her parents, and the headmistress were exchanged, and some calm time later, it was seen to that Jayna was taught sign language and how to explain to others her situation. Both were thoroughly overseen by the headmistress.

3. WHAT WAS THEIR FAVORITE SUBJECT IN SCHOOL? OR FAVORITE THING TO LEARN ABOUT?

Jayna hated sign language and much preferred lip-reading, but her favorite thing to learn was gardening. She adores flowers (particularly red roses), and loves to smell and nurture them.

4. WHAT'S THEIR FAVORITE FLOWER?

Red roses, for certain!

5. HAVE THEY EVER MADE SOMEONE CRY? WHAT HAPPENED?

Not exactly, though others have cried over her. Jayna's sisters, father, and stepmother all cried when they learned she would never hear again.

6. WOULD YOU CONSIDER THEM A RELIABLE OR AN UNRELIABLE NARRATOR?

Oh, reliable, and very much so!

7. WHAT DO THEY DREAM ABOUT AT NIGHT?

Gardens, castles, and horses. Jayna adores the ancient history behind castles, and has a special connection with her horse. So, naturally, she dreams of the things she loves. 🙂

8. THEY'VE GONE OUT FOR A "SPECIAL MEAL". WHAT DO THEY EAT?

By a "special meal", I'm thinking maybe a celebratory hey-I'm-done-with-school outing with her family, perhaps to her aunt's house? In which case, there would probably be salmon, roasted broccoli, boiled carrots, and apple pie.

9. WHAT'S AT LEAST ONE THING THEY WANT TO DO BEFORE THEY DIE?

Fall in love, marry, and start a family. Jayna's always dreamt of that.

10. DO THEY HAVE ANY DISTINGUISHING OR UNIQUE TALENTS?

Well, Jayna's extremely good with plants. Her skill could easily rival a maid trained in gardening. And she's fantastic at reading lips. 😉

~

If you'd like to know more about my Snow White retelling, then feel free to check out my Pinterest board!


How's your Snow White retelling going? Are you doing Camp NaNoWriMo this July?

❤,


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Saturday, June 10, 2017

The Voices of YA Tag + the Goodreads Tag


Hullo, Dragons! *basks in the glory of summer* *sighs* Isn't it just wonderful to finally have free time?

Today, I have a couple tags to share with you. The first is the Voices of YA Tag, from Audrey Caylin! *waves* Thanks for the tag, Audrey! And thanks to Caitlyn at Quills & Coffee for creating it!

THE RULES
  • Thank the person who tagged you
  • Link to the original creator
  • Answer the ten questions
  • Tag at least two other YA writers/bloggers*

*Since I'm doing two of these puppies, today, consider it a free-for-all! If you want to do the tag, then go right ahead and do it. 😁

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE WRITERS

1. What draws you to YA?

 I've never been very big on children's books. And though I do fall in love with the occasional middle-grade novel (*coughs* Harry Potter and Percy Jackson & the Olympians!!!!), I've always loved the enthusiasm and originality of YA fiction.

 2. Describe your writing process. Do you like outlines and structure, or seeing where the story takes you?

 When I was younger, I was always a pantser. Over the past year or so, however, I've discovered a newfound desire for outlining. (You can read my post on that here. There's also another method I've found a love for, which you can read about here.)

 3. How long have you been writing? Where are you in your journey?

 Since before I could spell (which made non-verbal storytelling rather complicated). 😉 When I was twelve, I read Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl, which led me to discover (*drumroll*)... the blogging world! Thus, I was sucked in and found myself immersed in stories. Ever since then, I've been taking things somewhat seriously. 😜 I'm hoping to publish my first book sometime next year.

 4. What do you need to write? Coffee? Music?

 Silence -- and music! Talking nearby always throws me off, which is why I'm not a write-in-all-the-coffee-shops writer. But if I have the ability to control what I'm listening to (thank you, Spotify!), and maybe a mug of hot cocoa or a glass or sparkling cider nearby, then I'm all set. 😀

 5. If you could offer one piece of advice to another writer (other than "don't give up"), what would it be?

 This is a bit of advice I gleaned one of my favorite authors, Ivy Rose, offered in an interview I did with her last July:
Don't forget Who you are writing for. It's easy to get discouraged when people don't like your writing, but that's just it. They're people. You don't want to serve people, you want to serve God. Write for Him, and ignore what other people say. It just doesn't matter.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BOOKS

 6. What book still has you reeling from its plot twist? (No spoilers, please!)

Hmm... I haven't read too many books with major plot twists as of late, but I remember Robin Hardy's Latter Annals of Lystra was stocked full with them. There were several late-night exclamations made while I was reading them. 😉

 7. What books are you most anticipating, this year?

EXILES!!!! Oh my word, I need more of Jaye L. Knight's Ilyon Chronicles!!!! *sobs, because waiting*

Also Unraveling by Sara Ella. I wasn't a huge fan of Unblemished, but Sara Ella's gorgeous writing style and my rooting for #TeamKy is enough to keep me going.

 8. In your opinion, which YA book/series has the most unique premise?

The Out of Time trilogy by Nadine Brandes (note that I've only read book one, so no spoilers, please!). Nadine totally knocked the dystopian genre out of the park; A Time to Die was completely different than I expected. And I loved it. 😍

 9. What is your all-time favorite quote from YA literature?

 Gaaah, I can't choose! So here's a lovely quote from one of my favorites -- A Dream Not Imagined by Shantelle Mary Hannu:

God... will You write my love story? Will You write my life story? I just don't believe I can do it on my own. My heart will shatter into a million pieces long before I get it right.
10. What book do you most hope will have a movie adaptation?

Oh, I think I see a typo, there. I think you meant books. 😛

Ahem.
  • Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl
  • A Branch of Silver, a Branch of Gold by Anne Elisabeth Stengl
  • The Wulver's Rose by Hayden Wand
  • The Ilyon Chronicles by Jaye L. Knight
  • The Healer's Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson
  • The Annals of Lystra by Robin Hardy
  • The Latter Annals of Lystra by Robin Hardy
  • Valiant Hearts by Dina L. Sleiman
~

And now, for the Goodreads tag! Thanks to Kellyn Roth for tagging me!

THE RULES
  • Thank the person who tagged you
  • Answer the questions
  • Tag at least three people*

*I'm going to play hooky on this one, too. 🙂

THE QUESTIONS

1. What was the last book you marked as "read?"

Coiled by H.L. Burke, which happens to be coming out in five days!

2. What are you currently reading?

 The Reluctant Godfather by Allison Tebo.

 3. What was the last book you marked as "to read?"

 Little Red Riding Hood by Allison Tebo.

 4. Do you use the star system?

 Of course! Unless I mark a book as DNF, that is.

 5. Are you doing the 2017 reading challenge?

 Naturally! I'm already 68% done! (Thank you, short stories and articles I had to read for school! ...JK. I'm not that grateful.)

 6. Do you have a wishlist?

 They're all one my wishlist, dearie. 😉

 7. Who are your favorite authors?

 Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Ivy Rose, Hayden Wand, Bridget Zinn, J.K. Rowling, Rick Riordan, Shantelle Mary Hannu, Gail Carson Levine, and Melanie Dickerson.

 8. Have you joined any groups?

 *clears throat* Twenty-four. I'm only active in three or four of them, though. *blushes*

 9. How many Goodreads shelves do you have?

Not including the traditional shelves ("read," "currently reading," and "to read")... sixty-two. #noregrets 😐

~

Thank you again for the fun tags, girls! Any of you Dragons want to participate in them? Go right ahead!
How many Goodreads shelves do you have? Is there a plot twist you're still recovering from?

❤,


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Friday, June 9, 2017

ILLUSIONARY // Blog Tour, Interview, & Giveaway

{Image provided by Laura A. Grace.}
{Source.}

Hello, Dragons!

Today, I'm delighted to feature novelist Desiree Williams! Desiree is a fellow spekkie who writes fantasy with a good dose of romance!

I recently read one of Desiree's latest novels, Sun & Moon, which is a captivating tale set in a land of desert sands, harsh slavery, soulmates, allegories, and powers harnessed from the stars. If you haven't read Sun & Moon, I highly recommend it! You can pick up a copy here.

Desiree is with us today in honour of her most recent release, Illusionary, which came out in April. Here's a bit about the book:

{Image provided by Laura A. Grace.}

Dorothy got sucked into a tornado.

Alice fell down a hole.

Wendy flew to Neverland.

Kamryn? She tripped down the stairs.

Now, Kamryn Kensington finds herself in a strange new world. Within minutes of her arrival, she dodges an archer's arrow and avoids getting sliced up by a cosplay reject holding a dagger to her throat. And that’s before the storyteller's breath brings stories to life.

Home is the mission -- to return to her family and pursue her life's dream of art and travel. Yet the longer she's in the Land of Ur, the harder it is not to feel for the people she meets. Even her artistic side can’t help but breathe in the beautiful wonder and magic of this new world. So when the Oracle hands her a different quest, she takes it on the condition he sends her home afterward.   

No one thought to warn her of a jealous queen and her dragon minions. Or that, by helping her, the cute storyteller would go crazy. Or that her heart would rip in two when she left. Those would’ve been great facts to know ahead of time.

Considering that nothing in Ur is what it seems, the mission proves to be more than she ever imagined. But more than her own future will be in jeopardy if Kamryn doesn’t succeed.



KOBO

iBOOKS


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

{Image provided by Laura A. Grace.}
Desiree Williams is a dreamer by day and chocoholic by night. She lives in the beautiful state of Kentucky with her husband and daughter, where she juggles life as a wannabe supermom. Desiree is a lover of food and avoider of dirty dishes. She delights in making people laugh and strives to bring hope and love with her wherever she goes.

Readers can connect with Desiree via her website, blog, newsletter, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Goodreads.

INTERVIEW

If you could travel into any fantasy world, which would it be?

Oh, this is hard. It’s like pulling teeth to narrow it down to just one fantasy world. I mean I could stick with the classics like Narnia. Or I could travel to the world of The Lunar Chronicles. Or swing by District 12 and chat with Katniss and Peta. Oooh, I could even fly to Neverland and read stories to the Lost Boys or battle swords with Captain Hook. See my dilemma? So in the end, I’ll pick them all. *cheeky grin*

Is there an author who made an impact on your writing life? Who was it?  

I can’t say there’s been just one author who impacted me as the entire writing community inspired me to be better focused on my career dreams. When I first started pursuing indie publishing, I did take a few courses with seasoned indies Heather Hildenbrand and S.M. Boyce, to get my feet wet so to speak. But after attending writer conferences the past few years (Utopia, Realm Makers, etc.) I received so much inspiration to dig deeper into my stories and find a work-life balance that works for me. And of course, I've made friends along the way who’ve been great champions in cheering me on. Although a few resources that I love (at this point in life) are Five Secrets of Story Structure by K.M. Weiland and Hack Your Reader's Brain by Jeff Gerke. I also enjoy the Creative Penn's podcast.

How long (on average) does it take you to write a book?

I can usually finish my first draft within two to three months. Unfortunately, meltdowns and breakdowns do happen. Especially when writing a project that’s close to my heart. For example, I started brainstorming ideas and building my storyboard for Illusionary in September 2015. But I didn't actively start writing (meltdown free) until April 2016 and then sent my baby off for the first round of editing in June 2016. Now the journey to publication is a different story altogether. I can't force freelance editors to bend backward to meet my personal timelines (that’s just not nice or friendly), which is why Illusionary had a nine-month editing/revising period. From start to finish, Illusionary took nineteen months to be published.

What are you working on now?

I'm laying the groundwork for a new sci-fi/romance trilogy. Each book in the trilogy will focus on a different couple and location all gearing up to save the planet of Irredecca who is facing annihilation through biological warfare. 😃 Oh, my creative brain is having such a fun time with this one too. New species and planets. Not to mention the technology fun that’s being woven in.

If you could have any job alongside being a writer, what would it be? A pirate? A knight? A princess? An accountant?

My first reaction was to scream pirate. Arr! However, I get sea sick so ... I can't. *sad face* Then I shuddered at the thought of being an accountant. Math and I are not compatible. Though I could envision having epic adventures as a knight or a princess (or a princess knight!). But overall, I'd like to be a food reviewer. I love eating yummy food and it’d be awesome if I could get paid to do that. Granted, I have no knowledge of food history. I just like eating. LOL.

Thanks so much for having me on today! I had a blast and am honored to visit with you. 😃 Blessings!

Thank you, Desiree! It's been a pleasure! 😄

GIVEAWAY

{Image provided by Laura A. Grace.}

Desiree is kindly hosting an incredible giveaway! The winner receives:
  • a "make everyday an adventure" pillow
  • a "don't grow up; it's a trap!" metal sign
  • a book cozy
  • a signed paperback copy of Illusionary
  • a notebook
  • pens
  • a sketchbook
  • coloured pencils
  • an "eat cake for breakfast" travel mug

The winner will be announced on Desiree's Facebook and Twitter pages on Monday, June twelfth, at approximately 9:00 AM EDT (6:00 AM PDT).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TOUR SCHEDULE

June 5th:

June 6th:

June 7th:

June 8th:

June 9th:

June 10th:

~

Thank you so much to Desiree and Laura for answering my questions and organizing this tour! I can't wait to read Illusionary -- it sounds absolutely brilliant! And I adored Sun & Moon! ☺

Dear Dragons, don't forget to pick up your copy of Illusionary from Amazon and add it to Goodreads... and enter the giveaway!

❤,


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