Robin Lythgoe's Blog, page 31

It's the second day of my tour, and things are hoppin'! It's such fun chatting with folks who take the time to comment, and I'm not sure there's anything that can make an author's day like hearing that her book is "very well written and engaging." I'm still smiling!
Two more fantastic bloggers are featuring me and Crow today. 
Nastasia and Amber over at ZincUniverse are so warm and funny! And I'll have to say that they were just as creative with their interviews as Kristie Kiessling and AE Marling were yesterday. I've so enjoyed the offbeat questions, like these two:

• Is there a character in your book that you would really like to slap? Or give a good talking to?
• Which character do you feel most protective of?

Do you want to know how I answered? Please go check out the interview here: Author Feature with Robin Lythgoe—and we'd love to hear your thoughts or questions!

BJ Almeda from Three Blank Pages gave As the Crow Flies a positively charming review that only made my smile grow bigger. 4.5/5 stars! Woot! He's been wonderful to work with, too, and I'm not even counting (much) the way he made my head swell. It was hard to pick a favorite line from what he had to say, but how about this one?

"Crow, the main character, is so lovable and he was a thief, mind you."

I hope you'll go read the rest of his review here: As the Crow Flies by Robin Lythgoe BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY. You'll smile, too!

Have you entered the giveaway yet?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It's the beginning of a new week—a new month!—and I am so excited to be kicking off the official Blog Tour for As the Crow Flies! I want to thank everyone that is participating this tour, helping me celebrate the release of the paperback edition of the book. It means so much to me that you would give your time and space on your blogs to share my book.

I'll be posting links each day for the participating blogs so be sure to check them out. AND... There's a giveaway during the tour. Don't miss out! (check below)

Getting this show started is my wonderful friend and writing partner, Kristie Kiessling:

I often blog about my friend Robin Lythgoe. I do that because I believe in her talent and I want to spread the word about her stories. Her latest adventure is a Blog Tour. June 3-9, Robin will be virtually visiting some blogs around the web to promote her book, "As the Crow Flies." It is my privilege to have tour to begin here and my honor to have Robin as my guest at Directions for the Journey. 

I had such fun with our interview! You can read it here: Guest Interview: Robin Lythgoe, author of "As the Crow Flies", and be sure to show her some blog-lovin' with your comments!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A tale of tragedy, love, growth, freedom... and worms.

I got the most unique gift for Mother's Day this year: an abandoned baby robin. It actually fell out—or was pushed out—of its nest on Saturday. From my living room window I saw this fluttering orange thing and had to take a closer look. "That looks like a bird..." I mused. And sure enough, it was a baby bird, gasping and panting in the sun (and looking a wee bit sun-burned).

My gallant husband fetched the extension ladder and bravely leaned it against the upper branches of our  gangly pine to return the poor thing to its nest. On Sunday, it had been ousted again, but this time it was perishing on the hot cement of our driveway.

"What do you want me to do with it?" Husband asked.

"You can either put it out of its misery or bring it in. I can't bear to have it die a long and terrible death on the driveway. On Mother's Day, no less."

So he brought it in. It was not a pretty sight. It reminded me of the creatures in the old fantasy movie Labyrinth.

About 4 days oldOnly the quills and fuzz kept it from looking entirely like a dragon. Thanks to the invention of the internet and web browsers, I was able to look up information that told me its age (4 days in this picture, as near as I could tell) and how to care for it. My grandson, now an ancient three months old, eats about every 3-4 hours, but this tiny tyke requires food ever 15-20 minutes. Earthworms or mealworms were the preferred natural food, but moist kitten chow and hard boiled eggs were also supposed to be quite good for it. (Cannibal!) My daughter decided to name it "Nugget" (as in chicken nuggets). I strenuously objected.
6 daysWell, guess who turned his beak up at kitty food and eggs? Mm-hmm. I learned something new, though. Put a worm in the beak, and you get an immediate return on your investment. We lined a small round plastic dish with strips of paper towels and discovered that these itsy bitsy beasties have a built-in instinct to live their (very bare and completely featherless) bums over the side of the nest to poop. This probably works better in a nest built to fit the bird, but we had moderate success. And it didn't take the bird long to decide that moist kitty chow and hard-boiled eggs (Whites only. Must have been listening to my daughter or something) were perfectly acceptable foods to consume. By about the third day in our care, there were suddenly small, fluffy feathers on the chest, and the tail was produced some stunted, quarter-inch long attempts at feathers that did absolutely nothing to disguise the bareness or aid in balance. The quills on his wings started sprouting barbs. You could almost watch the bird growing, it grew so fast! It was utterly fascinating.

9 days oldWe'd kept the little bird and its next in an ice cream bucket, but now it had begun lurching about. Sometimes it got stuck between the "nest" and the bucket. My darling Husband had also grown tired of digging for worms and stopped at the grocery store for a container of night crawlers. Those things are huge (at least when you're talking baby birds!). They had to be cut in pieces.
EW.
Hubby got that job, which was a little more than I could handle, though I had no trouble feeding the Worm Parts to the baby with a set of surgical tweezers. The little fuzzball was quite hilarious. All you had to do was touch the bucket, and he'd go from quietly snoozing to Full Alert, beak open, neck craning upward, cheeping like crazy.
11 days old (love the eyebrows!)Since he was getting fed extremely well, and seemed content, we lengthened the times between feeding. Every half hour until dusk was taxing enough. We moved him into a large laundry hamper and introduced some sticks for him to start learning to perch. Unable to figure out how to get down, he'd sit there until we felt sorry for him and put him on the floor. About a day and a half later he was hopping up and down from the branch like a pro. We'd put a board over the hamper to prevent an unexpected escape, but he still surprised me when I lifted it up one day and he hopped up onto the rim like he knew what he was doing. We thought he'd never learn to peck bugs from the floor, and my husband got frustrated. But, like all the other incredible things our little guest learned, pecking and feeding himself came quite naturally, and swiftly. It took him about a day and a half to figure it out, but he didn't like us watching. (Again, hilarious.) We started putting him out on the back deck to acclimate him to the weather, then we let him run around a bit. Mostly, he just stuck close to me. Except when he ran under the deck where we have motorcycles and the lawnmower stored under a tarp. Getting him out of there was interesting...
But I confess, I was enchanted. He knew my voice, and he let me pick him up, even though I stoically resisted petting him and playing with him, knowing that he needed to be on his own in a matter of days.
14 days oldA little more than a week after taking him in, he was spending his days and nights outside, though we still fed him some. The weather was chilly and wet. I worried about him. Talk about being soft-hearted... On Memorial Day he helped me in the garden. I kid you not, it was just like having a little toddler underfoot. As I was bent over, using a digging tool to uproot weeds, he was running back and forth underneath me or perching ON my tool. He was quite happy about all the bugs I disturbed for him. He also took a fancy to the diamond on my wedding ring. Oo, shiny! I warned him that he was going to get himself whacked in the head—and sure enough, he ran into my hand as I was pulling a weed free. I thought for sure he'd fly away, but he just shook his head and looked a little cross-eyed for a minute, then went right back to what he'd been doing.

16 days old - posing for a portraitOur neighbors took a shine to him. They brought worms they were digging up in their yard while they worked. Their dog chased the bird, who by this time we'd dubbed "Waldo" because we had trouble seeing him. He was awfully well disguised with his speckled breast. And no, we don't actually know if it was a he or a she.
19 days oldHe joined us for breakfast at the picnic table. When my husband sat on one of our deck chairs, Waldo took a seat in the one next door. If we walked across the yard, he followed. If we left him alone for awhile, he scolded us severely when we returned (scolding before eating, even!). When it was time for a little extra worm supplementation, all I'd have to do was go out on the deck and call him, and he'd crash his way up to me. He actually liked snuggling. He'd nestle right down in the palm of my hand—and take a snooze. He'd been doing his flight practice and bug hunting in our back yard, but on Wednesday I walked over to a friend's house, and when I came back he was waiting for me in a bush by the front door.

On Thursday—Well, he never showed up. I've looked for him several times today, but alas, no Waldo. There are no tell-tale feather poofs in the yard indicating an untimely demise via kitty, so I have decided that he is off for greener, wormier pastures.
I hope he comes back to visit....
÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷So guess what????
The virtual book tour for As the Crow Flies begins this Monday, June 3rd! Tune in for interviews, reviews, guest posts, and a giveaway!
And if there is anyone who would like to help out by providing a slot on your blog, it's not too late. I've been meeting some awesome writers and bloggers, promoting them and their books as well as mine—and I'd like to get to know you, too! Please drop me a line or comment here. It's a win/win situation! What are you waiting for?

Following her dream to study the law, Patricia (Trish to her friends) finally met her goal, then spent the next years trying to juggle husband, children, home and career—and to fit in time for her hobbies like, performing in musical dramas, gardening, cooking, reading, and.... With her oldest having flown the nest and the two younger coming closer to doing so by the day, Trish turned her attention to new endeavors—specifically, to creating new worlds. Oathtaker, Trish’s first published work, began as a challenge, but Trish discovered along the way the joy of storytelling. Currently, Trish is working on Select, the first sequel to Oathtaker (when not taking care of her home or practicing law, or trying to figure out how to create a world in which she can be in two places at once).

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Hello, Patricia! It's always fun to have another fantasy writer join me here on my blog, and an interview is a great way to get to know a little more about the person behind the books. Let's start with your writing experience. When and why did you begin writing?

Back in the day, I wrote a great deal. I was young—and had time on my hands. But life intervened and so I gave it up for many years. What prompted me to start back again requires the telling of a story that I am not all that proud of—but here it goes!

I stumbled upon a fantasy series a few years ago that positively grabbed me. It ran about 8000 pages, but I read it, back to back, four times. I was enthralled, enchanted, entertained. Frequently, I would stop to ponder: how did he do that? Did he know in Book One that some little bit of a story would take on such significance later? How did he manage to keep me on the edge of my seat, constantly begging for more and moved to tell everyone I knew that they simply had to read these books? Well, the long and short of it is that once done, that series had become my new standard and as a consequence, I had a very difficult time finding things that spoke to me, that made me beg for more. I picked up book after book. This one had no character development—that one had no characters with any redeeming value that I could cheer for—the next one was—well, you get the picture. I know there are fabulous books out there as I’ve ready a great, great number of them, I just seemed to be having difficulty in finding them at the time. So, I started to complain. The truth is, I complained a lot! I complained so much that one day, as I was watching my young teenage daughters watching me—I realized that I was speaking about something about which I knew nothing. So, I decided to put my money (time is money, you know!) where my mouth is.

I learned so much in the process of writing Oathtaker. Of course, I learned the joy of storytelling. But I also learned how very difficult it is. I’ve never juggled, but I compare writing to juggling in that a writer is working with numerous—sometimes thousands—of little facts bouncing around in her head, all at once. The writer must be aware at every moment of what the character is doing, thinking, what motivates them, whether something is fitting with their past and whether it will fit in with what the writer knows is coming, and so on and so on. I also learned that it is an enormous undertaking and, as a consequence, I have a whole new respect for those who write. Needless to say, I don’t complain in quite the same way I did when I was speaking out of ignorance. . . .

I have had that same experience with a few books—reading them and then using them as the standard to judge others. I've had to set up some classifications in my mind to keep me sane (and hungry!): there are the normal books, and then there are the excellent books that are above and beyond average, in a class of their own. I also understand about coming back to a story you've written and being surprised by it. "I wrote that? Really?" It's crazy! Is being a writer anything like you thought it would be? How is it different?

I never really thought about what it would be like to be a writer, so it is difficult to say. However, I find that what most writers seem to dislike the most is the part that I seem to like the most: editing! I know, that sounds odd, but getting the words down is difficult for me. Polishing them—or attempting to, at any rate—is satisfying somehow. Perhaps it is my legal training. I’ve spent years writing and revising things of a legal nature. It trained me for finding the holes in things and gave me the skills to wrap them up tightly.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging about writing?

Yes—writing! Sometimes when I sit down to write I have to tell myself to just get words on the page.  Let the story take over. Let the characters decide for me where they want to go. Let events unfold and mysteries be revealed. Just—let it happen. (Then, I get to do the fun part—the editing!) It is interesting how, when I go back to read, I do not remember the events. I don’t know where they came from or how they got through my fingers and to the page. It is a great mystery!

I do that, too! How funny... So what gets your creative juices going? Music? What are some of your favorite songs to write to?

I am a huge Broadway fan. I am mesmerized by the music of Phantom of the Opera, Aida, Wicked, and more. Also, I think some of the most beautiful music ever written is presented to consumers behind pictures that move across the screen. Think for a moment of the atmosphere created by the music for the Lord of the Rings series, or Harry Potter, or Out of Africa, Sophie's Choice, All the Pretty Horses. Most of my iTunes library is made up of these works. I also use Pandora regularly. There, I created my own “movie scores” station that provides me with a steady diet of terrific movie scores, and the sounds of Enya, the Celtic Women, and so on. They help set the mood for me.

We think a lot alike! I have my playlist of "Writing Music" that is made up almost entirely of soundtracks. (FYI, Spotify is another great resource.) Music inspires scenes and emotions—and those give us stories. Tell us about your latest book. Why did you choose to write this particular story?

When I set out to write Oathtaker, I only knew a couple of things about the story. I actually thought that the opening chapter (or a portion of it anyway) was the prologue. But the characters demanded that I stick with them and that I tell their story. I am glad that I did!

I knew at the outset that I wanted to tell a story about someone who was willing to give up what they desired in order to abide by their word—and I wanted to show the glory that could come from doing so. I seem to have childhood memories of people who said what they meant and meant what they said. I suppose that was a naïve view, but it was one I longed for and one I tried to pass on to my children over the years. (Indeed, I told my children regularly when they were young: “Yes, I am a mean mom. I mean everything I say.”) The world has changed and not always for the better. Sometimes I grow weary of being disappointed in finding how rare it is to find someone who will honor his word. That idea grew on me and became one of the central themes of Oathtaker.

That's a sentiment that often plagues me, and so I enjoy seeing the examples for "good character" set in enjoyable fiction. Speaking of character, who is your favorite character in Oathtaker and why?

I have to say Velia. She has spunk. My favorite exchange is when she tries to break free from a guard. She demands he let her pass. He refuses. She asks “What will Lilith do to you if you allow me to pass? Really? What harm could it cause?” “She’d kill me, that’s what,” he responded. “So, let me get this straight. If you don’t let me pass, I’ll kill you. If you do let me pass, Lilith will kill you.... I rather like the sounds of that.”

She sounds intriguing. Characters like that can often inspire more stories—at least for me! Do you have anything new in the works and can you tell us a bit about it?

I am working on Select, the first sequel to Oathtaker. I have been so busy working with getting Oathtaker out, that I am sorry to say that my writing time has been—nonexistent.  I am making a new commitment to get back to work! Like Oathtaker, Select will have a “theme.” The theme is about discovering one’s call—what is it one is meant to do? What purpose is this person intended to fulfill?

Those journeys of discovery can make for some excellent tales. If you could take a physical journey into any book, which one would it be?

This is difficult. There are so many wonderful worlds that others have created. Some of them intrigue me—but they are harsh, or for some other reason I wouldn’t want to be “caught” in them. So, I’ll go for something unique and relatively harmless. I’ll say Hogwarts. Yes, I think it would be fun to spend some time there!

Yes, the circumstances or political climate in a setting can be a little off-putting when you're considering a vacation, can't they? The writers that can make a setting equally exciting and frightening are amazing. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?

I am not sure I can say what others have influenced my writing, but many have influenced me personally. I adore Victor Hugo. I don’t even care about what happens in Charles Dickens’s stories—I just want to read his descriptions! As to what writers influenced my decision to write—Terry Goodkind is at the head of the list. He is positively genius.

Goodkind is one of my favorites, too. Besides writing (and reading!), what do you like to do with your free time?

Yikes! Free time?  Is there such a thing? Hmmmmm. Free time, free time.... Oh, yes! I remember now! That is the time one has that is not previously committed to something else. I’m not sure I have any, but what I do when not writing could fill a book. There is, of course, my family. I also garden, cook and perform in musical dramas....

Finally, I have to ask: Chocolate or vanilla?

If we’re talking ice cream, neither. If we’re talking “scents” (which would mean something to readers of Oathtaker), it’s a toss up. When it comes to taste in general, I have to say—chocolate. Smooth, creamy, milk chocolate. Hmmmm. It’s breakfast time. Chocolate croissant, anyone?

Me! Me! (But I want dark chocolate in mine!) Thanks, Trish, for being such a fun and interesting guest. I hope we see a lot more of you and your work! 




An Oath Sworn.A Struggle Engaged.A Sacrifice Required.
When Mara, a trained Oathtaker, is drawn by the scent of the Select to battle beasts of the underworld that were summoned by powers of evil to destroy the guardians of life, she swears an oath for the protection of her charge.

Armed with a unique weapon, her attendant magic and that of her Oathtaker cohorts, the knowledge of ancients and the assistance of a spymaster, Mara seeks safety for her charge from one who would end Oosa’s rightful line of rule and from assassins who endeavor to bring ruin to the land.

As Mara puzzles to decipher ancient prophecy concerning her charge, as she is haunted with memories of her own past failings, she discovers the price her oath will exact.

To renounce her word would be treasonous; to fail, ruinous; to persevere, tortuous.

Abiding by an oath requires sacrifice.


Praise From Reviews
I have never been able to get into a fantasy book before BUT Patricia Reding opened my eyes to a brand new world!  I found myself falling in love with the characters... To me it goes on my top 10 books of the year of 2013. — A. Gooch

I was hooked before the end of the first [chapter].  There’s magic and secrets, prophecy and discovery, and a fierce heroine you can really root for. . . .  — Madeline

A riveting tale that keeps you turning the pages. A great story from start to finish.  — Jad2013

The Oathtaker is a beautiful and fantastic epic adventure filled with all the things I love most – a captivating storyline, edge-of-your-seat suspense, thought-provoking characters, and never-ending twists and turns. I would enthusiastically recommend this...­ Patricia Reding has created a wonderfully enjoyable story filled with a spectacular array of characters that are so rich and vivid that you will wonder if you can still hear them talking to you even after you have finished reading this book. . . . Patricia Reding is a marvelous new author that you simply have to discover for yourself! — Amber

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GOODREADS GIVEAWAY!

Nastasia Peters is an illustrator and the author of Altors, the first book in the Zinc Trilogy, an epic tale of two friends forcefully separated after their legal guardian is killed. She was born in the Netherlands to a Dutch father (illustrator) and French mother (photographer), and moved to France when she was fourteen. Clearly, creativity runs in her blood. Recently, her drawings have been published in an Adobe MasterClass art book, and she is hard at work on Regius and Seers, the remaining books in the series.

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Originally I wanted to write a post about Regius, the second installment in the Zinc Trilogy, as it's to be published soon, so I figured, awesome timing and good pre-promo! But it turns out it's very hard to do this without spoiling both the first and second book. It ended up looking something like this:

Regius picks up right where Altors left off, when Solenum is ___ by ___ and she ___ and he ___. The Narrator's identity is revealed, so you are introduced to ___ at this section of the ___. But before that, you will learn what happened to Datura, whether or not he ___ after he got ___.

I should make a list of funny words now and hope people will use them to enter the blanks and see what hell and chaos is created.

As you can see it wouldn't have been a very informative post, holding great information. For those who have a wordpress website without a spam bot, the previous sentence would have been slightly amusing. I thought I'd share some random information about reading experience, writing, publishing and then I will share a completely new excerpt from Regius, never seen anywhere else before (except hidden away on mine and my editor's computer).

Random share number one: I have never read Harry Potter (Blasphemy, I know). I did read Twilight. I say one out of two major franchises makes me a decent human being. Although, I did snort coke out of my nose when I read the part where Vampires sparkled. Coke as in the soda.

Random share number two: There is an italicized sentence in Altors that literally refuses to un-italicize. Seriously, I have tried everything I know, it will not undo. Which is ironic because the ebook version of Altors has no italics whatsoever as it, again, literally refuses to remain italicized the minute I upload the file to the distributor.

Random share number three: The key to making your editor's heart beat faster (I have many, many skills in that area—write me an email if you need help terrorizing yours). I'd finished Altors, handed it over to Amber to read it, tell me if I'd missed obvious plot holes, technical stuff, etc. I don't think I even gave her time to read the first chapter. I called her and told her to stop what she was doing as I had decided to scrap the ending and attach two more books. She let out a 'WHAT?' so close to the pitch of a person who'd just inhaled helium, I nearly died of laughter.

Random share number four: I sometimes read in my car. This habit stuck last year when I went to waitressing school (yep, that's a real thing). During my lunch breaks I'd hide away in my car on the parking lot and read. One afternoon I was sitting quite comfortably, trying to read I am Legend (I never finished it, I was too scared—even with daylight and fellow classmates smoking special herbs and laughing at nothing across the yard), and I lean back. Now, I have an old car, some stuff doesn't hold as well as it should when under pressure. My environment is moving, I'm confused, set the book down and sit up. By the time my car's behind gently crashes into the car parked behind me, I realize that I was leaning down on the hand break.

Random share number five: It was recently discovered that I turn into a mad scientist wielding a marker and white board when I need to re-write certain parts of a story. After finishing all plot related edits with Regius, I decided to look over Seers. Amber warned me. She told me "Don't look at it yet, you'll only get frustrated." Of course I didn't listen. The next day I went out, bought a white board and a set of markers and spent an entire afternoon trying to figure out what was wrong with Seers. Turns out it's a very simple error that  does not require me to re-write a lot of scenes, my moment of insanity/melt down/internal apocalypse was entirely unnecessary. Amber got such a kick out of it (she's not mean, she just likes to tell me “I told you so”), she recorded me. I'm assuming she'll show it to me whenever I go near that state again and need a clear “no.”

Random share number six: This post turned out longer than I thought it would. Thank you so much for having me, Robin. I can't wait to host you and your stories in return over on zincuniverse with Amber!

Last share: The never before seen Regius excerpt, a little scene taken out of one of Solenum's chapters, one of the main characters. In Regius she gets to spend time with the not-so-pleasant characters. Enjoy!


~ Excerpt ~
As we continued on our way, I noticed a change in scenery. Everything became darker, the blue tones vanishing with each step down the passage. Pale bricks turned dreary and there was a draft coming from the small gaps between them that smelled terrible. When we reached the end, Maya unlocked a rotten wooden door and then nudged me inside. I wrinkled my nose at the horrid smell assaulting me, blinking my eyes at the darkness. I turned around quickly, eying Maya.
"Take this." She handed me a... flashlight? "And this." A bottle of water. My stomach fluttered in warning and my Altor Vision came violently to life. "I bid you luck." She added before swinging the wooden door shut, not leaving me time to actually process anything or try and make my way out. Staring for a split second, my heartbeat picked up in speed and I slammed one of my fists against the wood as hard as I could.
"Wait!" I shouted. "What's going on?!" There was no answer though. "Let me out!" I screamed.
Leaving my fist where it was, I dropped my forehead against the door, sighing heavily before taking a step back and knowing full well nobody was going to let me out. I turned the flashlight over in my other hand, trying to locate the switch with my fingers. Once it was on, I turned around to see what my surroundings were. This was a dungeon. The stench came from the stream of water running in between a small gap that was centered and following the ground. It was just large enough to get my foot stuck were I to misstep. There were no windows here but there was a breeze flowing through the stone corridors. One I appreciated as it offered some freshness, making the bad smell hanging around in this place less horrid. There was the occasional stone arch opening, some were closed with bars.
I didn't walk too far, wanting to know where the only exit known to me was and remember it. I walked back the small distance I'd gone, digging out some chalk from one of my many pockets Galax had sewn onto my pants. Thankfully, they hadn't forced me to change my clothes or stripped me from all the things I had. Although I carried no weapons, a screwdriver could do damage.
As I drew a cross on the door to mark it, momentarily thinking of tying a rope to the doorknob but realizing it would be too short, I was interrupted by a low growl coming from the far right. Turning towards the sound, my Altor vision allowed me to detect two red glows. I couldn't tell what they were though.
Pointing the light in that direction, my eyes widened and I fell back against the door in fear as I saw two large dogs crouching down threateningly, showing me their teeth as they continued to growl. They were still quite far away but there was nothing that blocked their passage to come get me if they wanted too. And boy, did they want to.
"You're going to want to run now." A voice said, coming from somewhere above the door. Looking up, I pointed the flashlight in the same direction. A loud speaker. "It's called technology."÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷Look for Nastasia here:Amazon • Website •  Twitter

I am so pleased to be taking part of a blog tour for A.E. Marling’s newest book, Gravity’s Revenge. I have been a fan since I first got my hands on the excellent Brood of Bones, the first book set in the Lands of Loam, and look forward with eager anticipation to each new release—and he is a remarkably prolific, chalking up four books in the space of two years. Lucky for us, he keeps getting better and better. If you haven’t yet paid a visit to the Lands of Loam, it’s just a short flight away, and the journey is well worth your time.


In the Mindvault Academy, magic imbued within the stone reroutes the flow of gravity. The school’s enchantments allow for architectural wonders that inspire the empire’s next generation of great minds.

Now those minds are falling. The Academy’s spells are collapsing, its keystone jewels stolen. Saboteurs have invaded the magic school in a political heist a year in the planning. The attackers make but one mistake: Getting between Enchantress Hiresha and her research.

Hiresha, Provost of Applied Enchantment, endures her own pathological sleepiness to study unorthodox magic. Now twelve warriors have invaded the Academy, the only home she has ever known. Hiresha plans to expel them with the help of a dangerously charming illusionist, her loyal bodyguard, and spells by no means in the approved curriculum.


My Review:

Gravity's Revenge is easily the most intense of Enchantress Hiresha’s three books. What begins as the innocuous introduction of a student to the Academy swiftly turns into white-knuckle reading. Hiresha is thrown into an untenable situation when the Bright Palms choose to hold her beloved Academy hostage—and their actions threaten to rip her entire world apart. The Bright Palms are a truly terrifying enemy. They are devoid of emotion and unaffected by physical duress. The leader in this foray, Sheamab, is frighteningly relentless, and learning more about Bright Palm magic was a treat. They're every bit as awful as Feasters.

Lord Tethiel is one of the most compelling supporting characters I’ve ever seen. A victim of tragedy and betrayal (though we’re only given hints about his past), he struggles with the burden of the power he holds. He can be at once charming and dreadful, and his relationship with Hiresha is never clear-cut. Is it a case of impossible romance, or is he masterfully manipulative? His slithery ambiguity keeps me guessing.

Hiresha herself remains a wonderful anti-hero. The tension and sheer speed of events seems to help her stay awake, but the constant fatigue brought on by her condition is another enemy she battles. While she is fiercely determined to save the Academy and its residents, things don’t always go the way she plans, and sometimes she makes mistakes. Those set-backs heighten the tension and increase the sense of jeopardy. I love the way her mindset—as seen from the beginning of her story in Brood of Bones—is inevitably altered by her experiences, and she has some doozies. It makes me wonder if all the other enchantresses at the Academy really lead the sedate, proper lives we’re led to believe.

In the midst of the intense action and drama, Marling finds time to paint vivid pictures of the truly unique setting that is the Mindvault Academy. Twisting towers, rotating buildings, tentacled structures, and gravity-defying walls and bridges… all in the middle of a blizzard, no less. Gravity’s Revenge is a rich tapestry of the senses sure to amaze and delight.


Author Links:
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P.S. Time for another shameless plug. I am celebrating the print release of my novel, As the Crow Flies, with a blog tour in early June. There will be a giveaway! If you can donate a spot on your blog, please sign up here: As the Crow Flies Blog Tour. Your tweets and Facebook announcements are also much appreciated!

Friends and fans of Crow, I have a treat for you today! Are you lovin' the cover of As the Crow Flies?Then you'll love getting a FREE wallpaper to decorate your computer!

Standard:1024x768 | 1280x1024 | 1600x1200Widescreen:1280x800 | 1440x900 | 1920x1200
We're moving closer and closer to the date when the book will be available as a paperback edition. I'm so excited! I've been a busy little bee, proofing the final copy and setting up a virtual book tour to celebrate. There is a lot more work involved in that than I expected, but I am meeting some really awesome folks and learning new things. I also have a short story in the works slated to appear as part of a collaboration coming out this summer.
(Hint: Crow + Orcs = !!!)

There are still slots open for the June 3-9 tour—I'd like to have at least two blog stops per day. If any of you bloggers can help Crow take flight, please jump over to the announcement post and sign up. The more, the merrier! I'm so grateful for the support I'm getting and for the opportunity to make new friends.
What an awesome, exciting experience...

Did I mention there will be a giveaway?
What other kinds of loot would you like to see?

Ladies and Jellybeans! We have today an interview with guest author Omon Hart, author of fantasy novel The PureLights of Ohm Totem (Book I of The PureLights Fantasy Series).

"Two children from a forgotten land, ancestors of the Island of Ohm Totem, one being of the night walkers and the other of the sacred heart, will purify the energies, bring back the old ways, and unite the PureLights once again, putting an end to the coming Shiver." ~ Windstorm Prophecy





Let's just jump right into this... Omon, when and why did you begin writing?

I began writing when I was a kid. I'd tear off a paper towel from the rack and grab my dad's pen. I'd then write  a short but silly adventurous story and leave it on the dining room table. When my parents would sit down at the table they'd read it and chuckle. My dad would usually say, "What a nut!" That meant dad was entertained.

Then came my first year in college when I took my first creative writing course. After my fourth short story, my professor stood in front of the class, pointed at me and said, “I would not be surprised if in two years he writes a best seller.”

That stunned me. One, because I never thought of writing as a career. And two, because I didn't think I was that great of a story teller. He thought the opposite—along with the rest of the class. To them, I was that quiet kid in the back of the class with the great stories.

How awesome to have a teacher set you on such a course! What books have most influenced you?

It's very eclectic. I love Lord of the Rings, Warrior Cats, Journey to the Other Side: A True Accounting of a Death Experience, and Mists of Avalon.

Variety is the spice of life! What gets your creative juices going?

Everything! For example, I live in Portland, Oregon where the beauty of forests surrounds us. When I walk through the forest I create entire worlds, naming giant trees things like, “Elder Friend” or “The Wise Oak”. Those names aren't clever, but the world of life I create around them is.

I also get inspiration from good, epic movies. They get my juices going big time.

Do you have any writing quirks or rituals?

No.

Well, hmmm...

Yeah, I do. Sometimes I close my eyes before I write and take deep, calming breaths. I ask myself, the universe, the writing God or gods, to please help me write. I hope that works!

I think it's important to focus on effort of writing and try to keep the distractions to a minimum. Not everyone is lucky enough to have the time or space to dedicate solely to writing. Are you a story architect (plotter) or a discovery writer (pantser)? (Tell a little about WHY you work that way!) 

I'm a plotter, since most of the story erupts in mind in a brief flash, making me sit down and write out the summary of what I just saw. Then, throughout the day, more elements show themselves.

How does your environment or upbringing influence your writing?

The characters in my books seem to have the personalities of friends, family, and acquaintances. No one in my family or in my circle of friends know about this, but now they will. Now, they'll read my books trying to figure out who is who. Hey, Josh! You're in The PureLights of Ohm Totem, buddy. Try to find him!

That is fun to know! Why did you choose to write this particular book?

I wrote this book simply because it exploded in my mind when I walked in my room after a long day of work. It was pure fantasy and fun. I was so intrigued by the characters and situations that I saw, such as why they became Spirit Animals, the life lessons they had to go through, and their quest to find their home while stuck between a raging war and their own survival.

Sounds intriguing. What was the hardest part about writing this book?

The hardest part of writing this book was showing it to my friend, Deborah B. Gregg. Much of the lessons are things I've learned from her Near Death Experience and from the book she wrote about it. She died, went up a tunnel, then talked with a “guide” who gave her great insights and incredible spiritual and physical instructions for life. I wanted to incorporate those into my book and I didn't want to get it wrong. When she read the book, she loved it, fixed any errors I had, and gave me two thumbs up.

I can see where that would have been both nerve-wracking and encouraging. "Trying to get it right" can often lead to self-doubts and difficulty writing. How do you deal with writer’s block?

My creative writing professor once told me that writer's block is a block in NY where writer's live. Otherwise, it doesn't exist. I don't know if that's necessarily true, but what he told me to do when I feel blocked is to just write and write. Write anything and everything, even it if has nothing to do with what you're currently writing. Why? Because inspiration will come once you are in motion toward your goal. Effort and action can move any block. It works well for me.

I love that philosophy! I think that as writers we can always write something. Anything. Spending a little while scribbling isn't a waste of time, especially if we know it will eventually free the "clog." So, after finishing your novel, how did you decide how to publish your books?

I decided to self-publish. I heard many horror stories about the “Big 6” publishing companies and about all of the rejection letters authors receive when trying to get published. I've also heard of authors who had been rejected time and time again, then went the self-publishing route and became a big success. Plus, it's nice to have freedom to do with your book what you want.

Being able to have more control is great—It's also a lot of work! What do you most wish you had known when you first set out on this path?

How much work it is. I'm marketing almost all day, either with clients from my full time business as a sports massage therapist or on the internet, figuring out how to get my book to the masses.

Exactly! Is being a writer anything like you thought it would be?

It's nothing like I thought it would be. I never knew how much fun it really was. It's my true joy and inspiration. It's a way to move my mind and heart like none other.

After the writing and initial editing is done, do you use critique partners or beta readers? Why or why not?

I use a lot of critique partners. I've found that community is much better than having no community at all. It truly takes a community to help me out. They have been a life saver for me with my most recent book. They keep me going, driving me to my ultimate goal—being a best seller. When I need them, they come and help.

Those "first readers" are, to me, an invaluable part of the process. Not only do they help catch errors, but they often give us little nudges of inspiration that make our work sparkle.

If you could take a journey into any book, which one would it be?

Good question! My favorite so far. I'd probably choose Warrior Cats, but I'd put a little twist on it, since I like magic so much. I'd be a cat in one of the clans that had magical powers, but used magic for only good.

That's good to hear. No Evil Mage lurking in the corner over there... What about you? What do you do to relax? Do you have any hobbies?

I don't relax much. My time is spent with my partner and kids. My hobbies include getting peed on by my two year old while potty training her; mediating my 11 and 13 year old from their daily arguing routine; getting bear hugged by my 13 year old son; begging a kiss on the cheek from my 11 year old daughter; getting strange looks from my partner when I say my strange and quirky things; then at the end of the day laughing with them all, kissing them goodnight, and getting back to my writing.

Chocolate or vanilla?

Tough choice, but I would choose vanilla.

Apparently we can't be friends any more...

Just kidding! Thank you so much for sharing with us, Oman. Dear readers, be sure to check out Omon's book, just recently released:

"Two children from a forgotten land, ancestors of the Island of Ohm Totem, one being of the night walkers and the other of the sacred heart, will purify the energies, bring back the old ways, and unite the PureLights once again, putting an end to the coming Shiver."
~ Windstorm Prophecy

Zoey and Coda are like everyone else in their small town of Gladstone, but that's about to change - forever.

Zoey has a dream, one that feels far more real than it should. A strange wolf with a beautiful, violet crystal embedded in his forehead visits her. "Please help us," the wolf implores with sad eyes. "Remember, Zoey, who you truly are." Zoey wakes up, dismissing it as a silly dream. However, she soon realizes that it was far more real than she could've ever imagined.

Coda is Zoey's older brother. Like many boys his age, he has a craving for adventure and a loathing for his younger sister. He can't stand it that she constantly gets in his way, joining in on all his fun, and ruining it in the process. The worst, according to Coda, is that Zoey gets all the attention from their parents. A big drag in his mind.

Then destiny arrives, one that Zoey and Coda must face together - if they want to survive.

Together, they journey to a place deep in the Cornell Forest, beyond the Snow Tree, through a patch of blackberry bushes concealing a secret portal that leads them to an ancient world called Ohm Totem - to the place of the PureLights, the race beckoning for their help. There, Zoey and Coda discover something so unique, so magical, and so sacred within themselves, that even those who called for them could not have known how powerful these two children really are.

Caught between an age old war and finding their way back home, Zoey and Coda go on an amazing adventure, taking them beyond the veils of everything they once knew, and into the terrifying grasp of the unknown.

With the storytelling creativity of authors like C.S. Lewis of the Chronicles of Narnia and the writing acumen of Erin Hunter of theWarriors and Seekers series, Omon Hart offers a captivating novel showcasing his skill and ingenuity as a storyteller. He's an author to watch.

The PureLights of Ohm Totem is Book I of an ongoing series. Book II, The PureLights & the PureLight Order, is soon to arrive on Amazon.
Biography:
Omon Hart was born in Portland, Oregon and grew up on the outskirts of the city in a little town known as Gladstone, where he graduated high school and moved on to college. After studying Therapeutic Bodywork at East-West College of the Healing Arts, he excelled in his field, becoming one of the Pacific Northwest's leading Therapeutic teachers and bodywork professionals. After several years, the love for writing tugged at his heart so much that he decided to put things aside and live his passion - write. He's now fashioning story after story, creating imaginative worlds of inspiration and art. 


Website * Twitter * Amazon

Ladies and Jellybeans! We have today an interview with guest author Omon Hart, author of fantasy novel The PureLights of Ohm Totem (Book I of The PureLights Fantasy Series).

"Two children from a forgotten land, ancestors of the Island of Ohm Totem, one being of the night walkers and the other of the sacred heart, will purify the energies, bring back the old ways, and unite the PureLights once again, putting an end to the coming Shiver." ~ Windstorm Prophecy





Let's just jump right into this... Omon, when and why did you begin writing?

I began writing when I was a kid. I'd tear off a paper towel from the rack and grab my dad's pen. I'd then write  a short but silly adventurous story and leave it on the dining room table. When my parents would sit down at the table they'd read it and chuckle. My dad would usually say, "What a nut!" That meant dad was entertained.

Then came my first year in college when I took my first creative writing course. After my fourth short story, my professor stood in front of the class, pointed at me and said, “I would not be surprised if in two years he writes a best seller.”

That stunned me. One, because I never thought of writing as a career. And two, because I didn't think I was that great of a story teller. He thought the opposite—along with the rest of the class. To them, I was that quiet kid in the back of the class with the great stories.

How awesome to have a teacher set you on such a course! What books have most influenced you?

It's very eclectic. I love Lord of the Rings, Warrior Cats, Journey to the Other Side: A True Accounting of a Death Experience, and Mists of Avalon.

Variety is the spice of life! What gets your creative juices going?

Everything! For example, I live in Portland, Oregon where the beauty of forests surrounds us. When I walk through the forest I create entire worlds, naming giant trees things like, “Elder Friend” or “The Wise Oak”. Those names aren't clever, but the world of life I create around them is.

I also get inspiration from good, epic movies. They get my juices going big time.

Do you have any writing quirks or rituals?

No.

Well, hmmm...

Yeah, I do. Sometimes I close my eyes before I write and take deep, calming breaths. I ask myself, the universe, the writing God or gods, to please help me write. I hope that works!

I think it's important to focus on effort of writing and try to keep the distractions to a minimum. Not everyone is lucky enough to have the time or space to dedicate solely to writing. Are you a story architect (plotter) or a discovery writer (pantser)? (Tell a little about WHY you work that way!) 

I'm a plotter, since most of the story erupts in mind in a brief flash, making me sit down and write out the summary of what I just saw. Then, throughout the day, more elements show themselves.

How does your environment or upbringing influence your writing?

The characters in my books seem to have the personalities of friends, family, and acquaintances. No one in my family or in my circle of friends know about this, but now they will. Now, they'll read my books trying to figure out who is who. Hey, Josh! You're in The PureLights of Ohm Totem, buddy. Try to find him!

That is fun to know! Why did you choose to write this particular book?

I wrote this book simply because it exploded in my mind when I walked in my room after a long day of work. It was pure fantasy and fun. I was so intrigued by the characters and situations that I saw, such as why they became Spirit Animals, the life lessons they had to go through, and their quest to find their home while stuck between a raging war and their own survival.

Sounds intriguing. What was the hardest part about writing this book?

The hardest part of writing this book was showing it to my friend, Deborah B. Gregg. Much of the lessons are things I've learned from her Near Death Experience and from the book she wrote about it. She died, went up a tunnel, then talked with a “guide” who gave her great insights and incredible spiritual and physical instructions for life. I wanted to incorporate those into my book and I didn't want to get it wrong. When she read the book, she loved it, fixed any errors I had, and gave me two thumbs up.

I can see where that would have been both nerve-wracking and encouraging. "Trying to get it right" can often lead to self-doubts and difficulty writing. How do you deal with writer’s block?

My creative writing professor once told me that writer's block is a block in NY where writer's live. Otherwise, it doesn't exist. I don't know if that's necessarily true, but what he told me to do when I feel blocked is to just write and write. Write anything and everything, even it if has nothing to do with what you're currently writing. Why? Because inspiration will come once you are in motion toward your goal. Effort and action can move any block. It works well for me.

I love that philosophy! I think that as writers we can always write something. Anything. Spending a little while scribbling isn't a waste of time, especially if we know it will eventually free the "clog." So, after finishing your novel, how did you decide how to publish your books?

I decided to self-publish. I heard many horror stories about the “Big 6” publishing companies and about all of the rejection letters authors receive when trying to get published. I've also heard of authors who had been rejected time and time again, then went the self-publishing route and became a big success. Plus, it's nice to have freedom to do with your book what you want.

Being able to have more control is great—It's also a lot of work! What do you most wish you had known when you first set out on this path?

How much work it is. I'm marketing almost all day, either with clients from my full time business as a sports massage therapist or on the internet, figuring out how to get my book to the masses.

Exactly! Is being a writer anything like you thought it would be?

It's nothing like I thought it would be. I never knew how much fun it really was. It's my true joy and inspiration. It's a way to move my mind and heart like none other.

After the writing and initial editing is done, do you use critique partners or beta readers? Why or why not?

I use a lot of critique partners. I've found that community is much better than having no community at all. It truly takes a community to help me out. They have been a life saver for me with my most recent book. They keep me going, driving me to my ultimate goal—being a best seller. When I need them, they come and help.

Those "first readers" are, to me, an invaluable part of the process. Not only do they help catch errors, but they often give us little nudges of inspiration that make our work sparkle.

If you could take a journey into any book, which one would it be?

Good question! My favorite so far. I'd probably choose Warrior Cats, but I'd put a little twist on it, since I like magic so much. I'd be a cat in one of the clans that had magical powers, but used magic for only good.

That's good to hear. No Evil Mage lurking in the corner over there... What about you? What do you do to relax? Do you have any hobbies?

I don't relax much. My time is spent with my partner and kids. My hobbies include getting peed on by my two year old while potty training her; mediating my 11 and 13 year old from their daily arguing routine; getting bear hugged by my 13 year old son; begging a kiss on the cheek from my 11 year old daughter; getting strange looks from my partner when I say my strange and quirky things; then at the end of the day laughing with them all, kissing them goodnight, and getting back to my writing.

Chocolate or vanilla?

Tough choice, but I would choose vanilla.

Apparently we can't be friends any more...

Just kidding! Thank you so much for sharing with us, Oman. Dear readers, be sure to check out Omon's book, just recently released:

"Two children from a forgotten land, ancestors of the Island of Ohm Totem, one being of the night walkers and the other of the sacred heart, will purify the energies, bring back the old ways, and unite the PureLights once again, putting an end to the coming Shiver."
~ Windstorm Prophecy

Zoey and Coda are like everyone else in their small town of Gladstone, but that's about to change - forever.

Zoey has a dream, one that feels far more real than it should. A strange wolf with a beautiful, violet crystal embedded in his forehead visits her. "Please help us," the wolf implores with sad eyes. "Remember, Zoey, who you truly are." Zoey wakes up, dismissing it as a silly dream. However, she soon realizes that it was far more real than she could've ever imagined.

Coda is Zoey's older brother. Like many boys his age, he has a craving for adventure and a loathing for his younger sister. He can't stand it that she constantly gets in his way, joining in on all his fun, and ruining it in the process. The worst, according to Coda, is that Zoey gets all the attention from their parents. A big drag in his mind.

Then destiny arrives, one that Zoey and Coda must face together - if they want to survive.

Together, they journey to a place deep in the Cornell Forest, beyond the Snow Tree, through a patch of blackberry bushes concealing a secret portal that leads them to an ancient world called Ohm Totem - to the place of the PureLights, the race beckoning for their help. There, Zoey and Coda discover something so unique, so magical, and so sacred within themselves, that even those who called for them could not have known how powerful these two children really are.

Caught between an age old war and finding their way back home, Zoey and Coda go on an amazing adventure, taking them beyond the veils of everything they once knew, and into the terrifying grasp of the unknown.

With the storytelling creativity of authors like C.S. Lewis of the Chronicles of Narnia and the writing acumen of Erin Hunter of theWarriors and Seekers series, Omon Hart offers a captivating novel showcasing his skill and ingenuity as a storyteller. He's an author to watch.

The PureLights of Ohm Totem is Book I of an ongoing series. Book II, The PureLights & the PureLight Order, is soon to arrive on Amazon.
Biography:
Omon Hart was born in Portland, Oregon and grew up on the outskirts of the city in a little town known as Gladstone, where he graduated high school and moved on to college. After studying Therapeutic Bodywork at East-West College of the Healing Arts, he excelled in his field, becoming one of the Pacific Northwest's leading Therapeutic teachers and bodywork professionals. After several years, the love for writing tugged at his heart so much that he decided to put things aside and live his passion - write. He's now fashioning story after story, creating imaginative worlds of inspiration and art. 


Website * Twitter * Amazon

I am so pleased to share with you a new release from my writing partner, Kristie Kiessling. I am such a fan of her work! This one, as you can see from the cover, is a book of poetry:

Love trips the heart to wild beating. Breathless ecstasy threatens to stop it. Tremendous suffering tears the body or rends the soul. Emotions both glorious and horrendous produce sweat, tears and blood. They engage all sides, joy and pain, light and dark. They encompass the very essence of what it is to be human. All this wide array, this life experience, comes together in one intricate word: passion.

I hope you will take the time to read, to review (Yes, you too can affect a writer's career!) and to give her some support. You can find Kristie online here:

Amazon
Facebook
Twitter
Smashwords