~ Blooming with Books ~
After you enjoy getting some unique insights into Claudia and her writing check out my Instagram post for a chance to win one of three copies of this book. (US readers only)
If the above link doesn't work copy and paste https://www.instagram.com/p/C8ThzghOzTz/
After you enjoy getting to know Amanda be sure to head over to Instagram and enter the 3-book Giveaway that I'm hosting (Open to US residents only).
Instagram post link is https://www.instagram.com/p/C8TfdSVudzi/Today I have the pleasure of sharing an interview I recently did with Gillian Bronte Adams. She is currently in the midst of releasing her newest series The Fireborn Epic. And if you haven't yet picked up the first book Of Fire and Ash, you have a treat in store. And if you hate waiting for the next book Of Sea and Smoke releases next month!
Thank you, Gillian, for taking time from your busy schedule to answer some questions. If they are like me, I'm sure my followers will enjoy getting to know you and your writing better.
1) How long have you been working on this series? I don't just mean the actual writing, but how long has it been a part of you, growing in your mind?
Over ten years now, which feels completely wild to me. This story came together in two distinct pieces, which is unusual for me. Back then, I started exploring the idea of writing the story of an aspiring warrior queen, a female character who desired to follow in her father’s footsteps and one day lead her people, when her nation is suddenly plunged into war, her father is killed in battle, and she now has to step up and do just that.
I was interested in her story, but all of my attempts to build the world fell flat. There was nothing unique or fascinating about it, and eventually, I set her story aside until I could dream up something better. Later that summer, I was serving as the Head Wrangler at a youth camp, which meant that I was spending every day either in the saddle or running alongside kids as they learned to ride. One evening, I pulled out a notebook and started sketching out ideas for horses with magical abilities—horses who could breathe fire, ride the stormwinds, vanish into shadow, etc. I originally envisioned a western story set in that world, which sounded fun to me, but then I started fiddling with the idea of medieval-era warriors riding those horses, which sounded even better.
But the more I built out the world, the more frustrated I became, because I couldn’t settle on a story that would be epic enough to do it justice. So here I was with a story without a world and a world without a story, and it was still months before it occurred to me to try combining the two just to see what would happen, and years before I felt ready to tackle telling such an epic tale.
2) If you had to pick another format for your books to be shared, what would it be -musical, movie, public readings, serial release(a chapter at a time), or graphic novel?
I would have to say movie, hands down. I think there’s a part of every author who imagines seeing their story on the big screen since that’s how it often exists in our heads, even though the track records of so many book-to-movie adaptations make the idea slightly terrifying. But I think
the scope of The Fireborn Epic, along with the visuals of the different settings and the various magical warhorses, not to mention the intensity of the action sequences, would translate well to the big screen and make for a truly epic movie.
If done by the right director, I agree The Fireborn Epic would make a fantastic movie, on par with LOTR. I personally would love to see all the Solborn in action.
3) What one author, past or present, would you like to mentor you?
Oh, this is a tough question. I can honestly think of so many authors from whom I would love to glean bits of insight on specific elements of storytelling. But if I narrow it down to just one, I think I would have to say J.R.R. Tolkien because he did something so powerful with The Lord of the Rings that has impacted generations of fantasy writers and readers alike. He managed to create a world that you want to live in, which is something that I think we see less of in fantasy today, as stories lean more gritty or dark and worlds become more oppressive. I don’t dislike gritty or dark stories. But even though there is great evil and darkness in Tolkien’s world, his heroes are not just fighting against something; they are fighting for something, for a vision of beauty and of goodness that they have tasted and long to see survive. And it’s something tangible, both for the characters and for us as readers—it’s the Shire, it’s Rivendell, it’s a glimpse of a star high above a smog-choked place—which makes it especially powerful. I would love to have had the chance to talk to Tolkien about that.
I agree that finding hope, even a glimmer of it just beyond the present is what made Toliken's work so powerful. Those pockets of light made the fight worth it.
4) How do develop your setting (a photo, a trip, a random comment)?
If it’s set in an environment that I have never visited or experienced, I will spend a lot of time searching Google images and videos until I can visualize it in my mind. I’m always looking to pinpoint the specific details that will help ground it in a reader’s senses. The specific sounds associated with a place. The sensations. The scents. The flavor.
At the end of the day, I’m not trying to create something that each reader will be able to visualize with 100% accuracy. I kind of think of it as the difference between realism and abstract art. I’m trying to give splashes of color and flavor and choice details to convey a certain atmosphere and vibe that allows readers to fill in the rest in their minds.
5) If you could share a cup of tea (or coffee) with anyone, who would it be?
I would love to share a cup of coffee with a reader who has connected deeply with my books. Someone who found a home away from home in my stories with characters who made him/her feel seen. So much of writing is done in isolation. For so long, as a writer, it’s just you and the story and the characters. Then gradually, the circle grows, and beta readers and editors come in to join you. Then it heads out into the world, and readers get to experience the story. But so much of that happens at a distance, and often by that time, you’re already deep into working on the next thing, so any opportunity that arises to see how your story has touched someone else is honestly such a gift!
6) What's one book would you recommend that everyone read? It can be one of yours or someone else's book.
7) Who is your favorite character in your book? And where did you get your names (Ceridwen, Rafi, Finnian, Jakim, Mindar, etc.)
Today, I'm spotlighting Episode 1 from The Time Patriot. Hail Mary Pass
A Hail Mary Pass.
A long shot.
But it's worth a try.
About the Author:
Website: https://www.authorkimmegahee.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/author.kmega
Amazon: http://amzn.to/3OdX8xE
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/65138146-the-time-patriot
Excerpt from Chapter Five of
The Time Patriot: Episode 1 – Hail Mary Pass
Before Washington could speak, McKnight and Tyler stepped out of the trees with their sidearms in their hands.
The robbers turned to them as McKnight spoke.
“Release him or you’ll answer to us. This gentleman is our companion and under our protection.”
The robbers spread out and raised their rifles.
“Just the two of you, then?” the leader said. “Not very good odds.”
McKnight whistled, and the rest of the team stepped out of the bushes, weapons trained on the robbers. “I won’t ask again. Lay down your weapons if you want to live.”
The bandits laid down their weapons, but the one named Sam drew a knife, leaped toward Washington, and held the blade to his throat.
“I think you are the ones who should lie down your weapons. Else, I’ll slice your benefactor’s throat. Your choice.”
McKnight didn’t blink.
“Hatcher?” he said.
“No shot, sir, I’ll hit the General.”
“Cutty?”
“I have him, sir. Say the word and I’ll blow his head off.”
“Wait, now wait!” David cried out and stepped forward with his hands out.
“Hold, Sam!” he said, and pointed at Washington. “Did you call him General? Who is he?”
Tyler spoke. “That’s General Washington. Did you fight with him during the war?”
Sam stepped away from Washington and dropped his knife.
“I did,” he said. “I’m sorry, sir.”
The other robbers hung their heads.
“We all did, sir,” David said, dropping Washington’s sword. “We wouldn’t have attacked if we’d known it was you, sir. We’d sooner starve than hurt you.”
Several of the others nodded.
Hatcher bounded over and cut the ropes that bound Washington and Lee to the tree, then went to secure the horses.
The general shrugged off the rope fragments, rubbed his wrists and, after a long look at Hatcher, he approached McKnight and Tyler.
“Sirs, I beg you, please release these men. Their primary crime is being hungry, a common plight in this part of the country. Three of them have already paid with their lives.”
Before they could reply, Washington did a double-take and stared at Tyler’s face.
“Colonel Tyler, isn’t it?” he said. “You look different.”
Tyler glanced at McKnight and winked with a smile.
McKnight could almost read his friend’s mind and sense his humor. “I’m a colonel, too.”
“Yes, General Washington. It’s me. May I present—”
“I know,” Washington said. “Colonel McKnight, I presume?”
McKnight was stunned. “How…?”
Washington looked him up and down.
“You’re not what I expected, sir. I look forward to talking with you, but we have an immediate situation to resolve. What should we do with these men?”
David spoke up. “General Washington, you have our humblest apologies. We’ll accept any punishment you demand. We deserve it.”
Washington looked at McKnight, who gave a slight nod.
“When we were at war,” Washington said, “I had men flogged for stealing.”
He sighed.
“The war is over, and I’m a businessman now. I’m not inclined to punish these men. What about you, Colonel McKnight?”
“I’ll leave it to you, General. It’s to your discretion.”
Washington nodded and turned back to the robbers. He walked to David and picked up his sword. He looked him in the eye, then stepped back to address all the bandits.
“I am releasing you to go back to your homes. If I learn you are waylaying people on this trail again, I shall raise a force and come looking for you. I won’t be merciful the second time.”
He approached the leader David again. The man stared at the ground.
Washington spoke in a low voice.
“Look at me, sir.”
David raised his face to Washington. Tears flowed down his cheeks.
“These men respect you, David,” Washington said. “You have influence over them. I’m counting on you to keep them on a Christian path. Don’t let them stray.”
“I will, sir,” he said. “I swear before God I will.”
“Good. Pick up your weapons and go home. Find a better way to survive if you can. If not, come see me at Mount Vernon. Together, we will find a solution.”
David’s men picked up their long guns and walked back uphill to the trail.
Washington turned his back to them and walked back to McKnight and Tyler.
McKnight glanced at Wheeler, who nodded and slipped into the brush after the robbers.
Washington looked at Tyler again. He touched Tyler’s hat and said, “May I?”
“Yes, sir,” Tyler said, and Washington reached forward and lifted his hat from his head.
“I’ve known you for twenty years now, Colonel, and the last time I saw you, your hairline was receding. Now your hair is full again and the wrinkles on your face are gone. How is this possible?”
“It’s part of a plan, sir,” Tyler said. “It’s what brought us here to this time and place.”
“A plan?” Washington said. “Clearly, there’s more here than I perceive.”
He turned to McKnight.
“So, tell me, Colonel McKnight, what army are you in? What brings you and your men…” He stopped and scanned the faces before him, his eyes resting on Hatcher and Lagunas. “… Your men and women… to these woods?”
“We represent the Army of the United States, sir, and we came here looking for you.”
Washington nodded. “It appears you have found me, Colonel. What can I do for you?”
McKnight laughed. “That we have, sir. We need your help, and if you’ll allow me a few minutes of your time, I’ll explain.”
Washington looked around and spread out his arms.
“I am at your disposal, Colonel. How can I help?”
Author Q/A
Which was the hardest character to write? The easiest?
Where do you get inspiration for your stories?
There are many books out there about time travel.... What makes yours different?
What advice would you give budding writers?
How long have you been writing?
What genre do you write and why?
How are you similar to or different from your lead character?
Today, I'm pleased to share with you my recent interview with author Rachel Hauck.
 Chronicles of the Hudson River Valley #1 By Jean Jacobsen I love historical fiction and often wonder how different my own life would be living within the structures of society and its expectations. Don't get me wrong, it seems on the surface to be a simpler time, with no technology and dresses all day long being the norm. But being forced to marry because, as a woman, you can't work; you must get married or face destitution and ruin. That would be hard. And Clarissa Tanner is faced with just such a fate following the death of her parents. This book follows Clarissa and how she has to take such drastic measures to save her family's home and horse farm. Though I will admit, I would probably have done the same thing for my horses and dogs. But is she willing to marry someone solely to save her home? And what will a marriage of convenience cost her? But to accomplish her goal, she'll need help, and that is where Nicholas Granger comes in. A struggling artist who can help her polish her dance skills and provide a ready escort to both Clarissa and her grandmother, as they enter New York's Social Circle. But like so many things, there is more to Nicholas than is first apparent. And this is where the heart of the story comes in. So find a comfortable corner, have a cup of tea, and take a step back in time. This is a book that fans of clean romance and historical fiction will enjoy. It is one of those books that doesn't require deep thought, just some quiet. I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jean Jacobsen's novel offers a beautifully descriptive and immersive portrayal of life in the 1800s, where societal norms dictated much of one's life. She weaves in historical elements that add depth and richness to the narrative. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Book Description: Tragedy brings them together. Will love tear them apart? New York City, 1832. Clarissa Tanner is carefree and lighthearted until the sudden death of her parents. Forced to pay off family debts or lose her horse farm, she's given one choice: auction off her beloved horses or reluctantly enter 1830s New York Society social season to face the dreaded marriage market. Nicholas is a man on a mission, searching for his missing brother. Fearing Liam may be the victim of foul play, Nicholas needs to keep a low profile while conducting his search. He takes a position as a dance instructor, providing refresher lessons to the beautiful but distracted Clarissa. Clarissa and Nicholas find a connection through grief and movement as they fight their attraction to one another. Will they give in to their desires and find true love or will family obligations keep them apart? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  Meet the Author: Jean Jacobsen is an award-winning storyteller of Sweet, Historical Romance. Featuring strong female characters, roguish heroes, and 19th Century adventure tales. She pens stories that transcend the heart and always have a happy ending. Because of Jean’s deep passion for history, she includes real events from the time period, making her stories come to life as they transport you to a by-gone era. Join her on the next adventure. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Author Q and A with Jean Jacobsen Q-What advice would you give to aspiring historical romance writers? A- My advice would be to read as much as you can in the genre and to do your research. There's so much history to explore, and the more you know, the better your writing will be. Also, don't be afraid to take risks and try new things. The best stories come from taking chances and pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. Q- How do you approach writing strong and independent female characters in a historical setting? A- The characters must be believable, not subservient. They each have their own personality. Q-What is your writing process like? A- I usually start with an idea or a character, and then I do a lot of research. I read books, watch movies, and visit museums to get a sense of the time and place. Then I start drafting, and I revise and edit until I'm happy with the story. I try to write every day, even if it's just for a few minutes. Q-What do you think sets your books apart from other historical romances? A- I think what sets my books apart is the focus on adventure and action. I love a good romance as much as the next person, but I also want my readers to be on the edge of their seats, wondering what's going to happen next. I try to balance the romance with plenty of excitement and danger. Q- Can you share a sneak peek or hint about any future projects you are working on? A- “Liam,” a story about a missing brother in the Hudson River Valley, is straight out of the first book, “Clarissa.” He called to me to tell his story, which is quite an adventure of a treasure hunt and so much more! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tour Schedule: May 8 – Cover Lover Book Review– book spotlight / guest post / giveaway May 8 – fundinmental – book spotlight / giveaway May 9 – Liese's Blog – book spotlight May 10 - FUONLYKNEW - book spotlight / author interview giveaway May 11 – Character Madness and Musings – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway May 12 – Book Corner News and Reviews - book review / giveaway May 12- Rockin' Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway May 15 – MacKade – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway May 15 - Splashes of Joy - book review / giveaway May 16 – @regallywritten– book spotlight / giveaway May 17 – Stephanie Jane – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway May 18 – Celticlady's Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway May 19 – mamof9 – book spotlight May 19 - Diane’s Book Journal - book spotlight May 22 - Older & Smarter? – book review / author interview / giveaway May 22 – Novels Alive – book spotlight / giveaway May 22– Novels Alive – book review May 23 – Sandra's Book Club – book review May 23 - Locks, Hooks and Books - book review / giveaway May 24 – Gina Rae Mitchell – book review / guest post / giveaway May 25 – Blooming with Books - book review / author interview / giveaway May 26 – Pause for Tales – book review / giveaway May 26 - Bizwings Book Blog – book review / giveaway May 26 - History from a Woman’s Perspective – book spotlight Enter the Giveaway: |
