Waiting for Daybreak Blog Tour - Review & Giveaway

Hi guys, I'm a lucky participant in the "Waiting for Daybreak" Blog Tour. Today, I'll be reviewing author Amanda McNeil's wonderful e-novel, "Waiting for Daybreak", which is a dystopian-meets sci-fi-meets zombies-meets romance-meets philosophical introspection, kinda book! Yeah, it's pretty awesome!

Title: Waiting for Daybreak

Author: Amanda McNeil 

Publication Date: June 4th, 2012

Links: Amazon / Goodreads / LibraryThing

About the Author

Amanda is an energetic, Masters Degree educated, 20-something happily living in an attic apartment in Boston with her shelter-adopted cat. She writes scifi, horror, urban fantasy, literary fiction, and paranormal romance. She has previously published short stories and a novella.

Make sure to check out her website: Opinions of a Wolf 

and the author's Twitter.

Book Blurb

What is normal?

Frieda has never felt normal. She feels every emotion too strongly and lashes out at herself in punishment. But one day when she stays home from work too depressed to get out of bed, a virus breaks out turning her neighbors into flesh-eating, brain-hungry zombies. As her survival instinct kicks in keeping her safe from the zombies, Frieda can’t help but wonder if she now counts as healthy and normal, or is she still abnormal compared to every other human being who is craving brains?

 

Review

 

  Let me first confess to a few things - I'm a bit wary of Indie books, and Indie authors! *Gasp* Yes, I hear your collective gasp, and trust me, I am appalled at myself, too - but I assure you it is not because I am a publishing snob of any kind, but because I am wary of if I would like the book or not, if I will find editing discrepancies, etc. You see, I mostly try to avoid putting books I don't care about on my blog - I believe they just don't deserve the time it takes to write up something special, even if it's antagonizing, about them. I cherish my creative license as a blogger and book reviewer to say anything I damn well please about a book - and if I do so, I might be leaving the carcasses of an indie author's dreams in my wake. So yeah, as a general rule, I limit how many indies I take up for reading/review. But when I spoke with author Amanda McNeil, I instantly knew I'd say yes to reading/reviewing and going so far as to be part of her blog tour. Are you wondering why? Because she appeared to be extremely charming, disarming and incredibly sweet - and I realized, this intelligent woman will not hold my opinions against me, even if they may not be in favor of her book. Knowing this, makes me feel at ease, knowing I'm not harangued by limitations.

Since I used the word "confessions" - confession #2: Before 2009, every time I heard the name "Frieda", I thought of Frieda Kahlo. After 2009, every time I hear the name "Frieda", I think of Frieda Pinto. The former was a remarkable woman...the latter makes me nauseous for being heralded as a starlet, when you and I both know she is just a talentless, cardboard bland actress with stunning looks. So, automatically, I have a distrust of characters named Frieda. Now, I know you are thinking, how in the world are either of those two things pertinent to the "REVIEW" for this book (that, or you are seriously wondering if I'm crazy, and that would make the two of us my friend!)? Well, here's how...

I'm blown away!

Simply put, I'm blown away by this indie author, and this indie novel. That entire fear being disappointed by this indie novel was completely unfounded, because this book is wonderful. And this Frieda, well, let me tell you I'd take this Frieda over Ms. Pinto any given day! (But seriously, if this novel is ever optioned for a movie,  and they chose Frieda Pinto to play Frieda...I'd slit my wrists!)

Frieda (not the actress) is a dynamic character, and an immensely interesting one, at that. She has Borderline Personality Disorder which means she dissociates into an angry and violent personality, from time to time, with no recollection of the things she says and does during those lapses. As most such patients with behavioral and mental health issues, Frieda also suffers from bouts of anxiety and depression, and having to deal with these issues often sends Frieda spinning into a world where she inflicts harm and pain upon herself, in order to refrain from facing the actual pain of her disability. Addled by these psychological hurdles, Frieda is constantly trying to asses "What is normal?", in her world. Her quest for the meaning of life, and her existential pondering and musings make her an unlikely, but ultimately quite perfect, heroine of our novel.

The first half of the novel reads like Frieda's journal as she navigates a new world - a drab, destroyed, post-zombie apocalypse world, where society has crumbled, and Frieda and her cat appear to be the lone survivors. As we explore the daily routines of our heroine and her trusted feline companion, the book opens up like a flower and introduces us to the innermost thoughts and emotions of a troubled, yet beautiful, mind. Those who are fans of zombies, and the gore and carnage that this genre usually bequeaths, don't worry, this book does not disappoint - the action is coming, just you wait. But understand, this book is not merely about zombies, and it is not merely about survival - it is about all that, and it is about what it means to be different in the world, and how that changes when the world you knew no longer exists.

The second half of the novel gets more interesting as we are introduced to Mike! Aha, the plot thickens! A post-apocalyptic, awkward romance ensues. Why is this romance awkward? Well, it's difficult navigating the uncharted seas of relationships in "normal" life...can you imagine how this changes in a world where you might be the only people left, with all norms and traditions out the window? Especially given our heroine and her "disease"? Well, in some ways Mike and Frieda connect on a personal basis, what with their struggles with mental illness - but, they are also thrust into a world where they didn't choose each other, but were thrust upon each other, by way of being out of choices. Ahhh... not an auspicious beginning for a romance, right? Well, trust me... you are going to want to read this novel to find out where this unique romance goes.

Finally, the book picks up it's languid pace, and hurtles forward into action and drama, resulting in a climax that is action filled and will keep you at the edge of your seat. And the ending...oh, the ending...well, it is safe to say this ending shall surprise you! This book may have gotten one less star than how many I have given it, because I think there are other aspects of this novel that could be better explored (or perhaps I just want to read MORE from author Amanda McNeil! LOL) - but the reason it gets FIVE STARS, is because I simply loved how well-realized, and well-developed author McNeil's characters were, ESPECIALLY Frieda. Amanda writes about mental illness with sensitivity, and yet never fails to make it interesting. All in all, Amanda McNeil has created quite an interesting world in her novel, "Waiting for Daybreak", and I assure you, you will be reading it all night and through daybreak, scurrying to try find out...what IS normal?


Rating: *****FIVE STARS*****

Giveaway Time!!!

Would YOU like to win a copy of "Waiting for Daybreak" by Amanda McNeil? Thanks to the generosity of the amazing author, now you have a chance to win an e-copy of "Waiting for Daybreak". Make sure to enter for your chance to win an eBook of "Waiting for Daybreak." CLICK HERE and it will take you to my previous post, and giveaway for this amazing novel. - Giveaway ends on July 17th, 2012 (so chop, chop, my friends!). Also, click on the BLOG TOUR BANNER at the very beginning of this post, in order to check out all the different blogs taking part in this blog hop!




Disclaimer: Although I received a copy of this book for review by the author, I was not compensated monetarily, or in any other way, for my opinion. The opinions stated in this review are solely mine, and are not representative of views of the author, or publishing company, of this book.

"Coming Up For Air" Giveaway

Due to popular demand for this book, and because the author and the publicist were kind enough to offer more copies of this book for a giveaway, I am hosting another giveaway for this title that is SO close to my heart!!!

Synopsis 

Ellie Calvin is caught in a dying marriage, and she knows this. With her beloved daughter away at college and a growing gap between her and her husband, she doesn’t quite seem to fit into her own life. But everything changes when her controlling mother, Lillian, passes away. Ellie sees her ex-boyfriend, Hutch, at the funeral, and learns that he is in charge of a documentary that involved Lillian before her death – and he wants answers to questions that Ellie’s not sure she can face.

As Ellie and Hutch start digging into Lillian’s history, and speaking for the first time in years, Ellie’s closed heart slowly begins to open. Using both a hidden diary that Ellie found in her mother’s things, and a trip to the Summer House, a mysterious and seductive bayside home, they gamble that they can work together and not fall in love again. But in piecing together a decades-old unrequited-love story, they just might uncover the secrets in their own hearts…

My Review

"Coming Up for Air" by Patti Callahan Henry is a beautiful story about reconciling your past with your present. Ellie's mother Lillian has passed away, and while Ellie is taking care of, and sorting through, her belongings she comes across her mother's journal locked away from the eyes of the world. This discovery raises many questions for Ellie who, in order to find answers for them, decides to leave her home and husband in Atlanta to travel to Alabama to stay with her mother's best friend, Miss Birdie. In the meantime, Ellie's ex-boyfriend, and her first-love, surprises her by showing up at her mother's funeral - it turns out that he is doing a documentary on ten women and Lillian, Ellie's mother, is one of them.

So together Ellie and Hutch try and uncover the real Lillian, before she was a mother and a wife, who she really was. And in trying to uncover the mysteries of her mother's past, Ellie learns a lot about her own self, her marriage and her life. It is this journey within her own self, and coming to the conclusions that she does, that results in Ellie's "Coming Up For Air".

Patti Callahan Henry is indeed, as the blurb suggests, a tour de force. When I won this novel, and looking at it's cover, I thought it would be a sugary sweet, rot your teeth out sweet, kind of a novel. But I was pleasantly shocked to find out that it is nothing of the sort. Although author Patti Callahan Henry sure knows how to spin a romantic tale, she knows its place in the narrative, and never forces the romance beyond its bounds. Although, I must admit, this author definitely knows how to characterize the dynamics between different relationships. And although the narrative deals with the Civil Rights Movement, ethics and social inequities, it never ends up being preachy or tedious. I also love that this tale is set in the South - anywhere else, and this story may have fallen flat. I love the dialect, the way of life, and the tales/stories that emerge from the South - they have a culture of their own down there, and it is absolutely beautiful to read about.

All in all, "Coming Up For Air" really was like coming up for air for me. My past few reads have been really fast-paced thrillers. This books incorporates some mystery into its narrative and is very well-paced, but it is far more about the characters within the novel, than it is about the mystery to be uncovered. I loved being able to connect with Ellie on various levels, and at times with Lillian as well. This book was a breath of fresh air, and I am really looking forward to more by author Patti Callahan Henry. It's a beautifully written novel, and one I would recommend to anyone who enjoys reading about family dynamics, family secrets, the Civil Rights Movement, or generally about "the South". Enjoy! :)

My Rating : 5/5 Stars

More Info

But before I go further into the giveaway, I wanted to tell you about a NEAT, NEW and SUPER AWESOME fact about the book - it has an app that was just recently launched that goes hand in hand with the book, "Coming Up For Air" by Patti Callahan Henry. Yes, you read correct...and APP, that co-relates to the book! How COOL is that, right!?!?!? It's a wonderful book, and I wanted to be able to remember which parts influenced the app, so here I am reading it again!

Just a little info on the app: it is called "Wildflowers" by Patti Callahan Henry, and is created by Wildflower Wishes LLC. The app is inspired by a gorgeous garden scene in the book, and was commissioned especially for this Patti Callahan Henry's novel "Coming Up For Air", as it was released on paperback on May 22, 2012 by St. Martin's Griffin. Here's a FUN FACT: If you buy a paperback copy of "Coming Up For Air" by Patti Callahan Henry, (click on the book cover below) it features the QR code to the app on the cover of the book!!!!

The FREE app comes with five special wildflower icons, each with a designated meaning (I'm sorry; I love you; Good luck, etc) which can be send to friends or loved ones via email, to fellow Wildflower Wishes users or to Facebook friends, along with a personalized heartfelt message - with ONE click, you could make someone's day. Additional wildflowers (icons) can be purchased for a mere $0.99. You can use it for birthdays, anniversaries, or (my favorite reason), just because! It's FREE, what have you got to lose? Just click on the shot of the app below, and it will take you straight to the app store on iTunes. 

 

 A screenshot of the cover of the main screen or cover of the app - isn't it beautiful?

A screenshot of the actual app - with a wildflower icon. Again, isn't it absolutely ADORABLE? 

Also, here is a list of flowers available to you through the app, and more will be added along the way, for special occasions, and such.

Infinite Love -- Bellflower

I Am Grateful -- Bluebells

Sending Encouragement -- Black Eyed Susan

Thinking of You -- Zinnia

A Mother's Love – Impatiens

Pure Loyal Love -- Daisy

Bond of Love -- Honeysuckle

I am sorry; Please forgive me -- Purple Hyacinth

Don't forget me -- Forget Me Not

I will never forget you -- Everlasting

Sending Protection -- White Heather

Sending Cheer -- Crocus

Sending Courage and Daring -- Edelweiss

Sending Good Luck -- Clover

Sending Perserverance -- Chicory

Farewell -- Sweet Pea

Secret Love -- Acacia

Love at First Sight – Gloxinia

Now, THE GIVEAWAY

Thanks to the immense generosity of the author Patti Callahan Henry, and the Emily LaBeaume of Wunderkind PR - I have 4 copies of "Coming Up For Air" up for grabs. 

That's right...you read that right... FOUR. AWESOME. COPIES!!! Which means FOUR. LUCKY. WINNERS!

Unfortunately, this contest is limited to US readers. Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~Summer Reads Giveaway Hop~

Hosted by I'm A Reader, Not A Writer and co-hosted by Rex Robot Reviews

Well, Summer is here, and I thought I really need to host a giveaway, and participate in a blog hop - I mean, I love sharing books that I enjoy with others, and I really wanted to be a part of a hop, since I've benefited so greatly from so many of them. Today I'm giving away a book that I absolutely LOVE and ADORE named "Coming Up For Air" by Patti Callahan Henry! Read my REVIEW of THE PERFECT SUMMER READ, with great depictions of lush greenery and nature playing a really important role in the narrative. It is a GREAT novel, and I hope whoever wins enjoys it as much as I did! 

Synopsis 

Ellie Calvin is caught in a dying marriage, and she knows this. With her beloved daughter away at college and a growing gap between her and her husband, she doesn’t quite seem to fit into her own life. But everything changes when her controlling mother, Lillian, passes away. Ellie sees her ex-boyfriend, Hutch, at the funeral, and learns that he is in charge of a documentary that involved Lillian before her death – and he wants answers to questions that Ellie’s not sure she can face.

As Ellie and Hutch start digging into Lillian’s history, and speaking for the first time in years, Ellie’s closed heart slowly begins to open. Using both a hidden diary that Ellie found in her mother’s things, and a trip to the Summer House, a mysterious and seductive bayside home, they gamble that they can work together and not fall in love again. But in piecing together a decades-old unrequited-love story, they just might uncover the secrets in their own hearts…

More Info

But before I go further into the giveaway, I wanted to tell you about a NEAT, NEW and SUPER AWESOME fact about the book - it has an app that was just recently launched that goes hand in hand with the book, "Coming Up For Air" by Patti Callahan Henry. Yes, you read correct...and APP, that co-relates to the book! How COOL is that, right!?!?!? It's a wonderful book, and I wanted to be able to remember which parts influenced the app, so here I am reading it again!

Just a little info on the app: it is called "Wildflowers" by Patti Callahan Henry, and is created by Wildflower Wishes LLC. The app is inspired by a gorgeous garden scene in the book, and was commissioned especially for this Patti Callahan Henry's novel "Coming Up For Air", as it was released on paperback on May 22, 2012 by St. Martin's Griffin. Here's a FUN FACT: If you buy a paperback copy of "Coming Up For Air" by Patti Callahan Henry, (click on the book cover below) it features the QR code to the app on the cover of the book!!!!

The FREE app comes with five special wildflower icons, each with a designated meaning (I'm sorry; I love you; Good luck, etc) which can be send to friends or loved ones via email, to fellow Wildflower Wishes users or to Facebook friends, along with a personalized heartfelt message - with ONE click, you could make someone's day. Additional wildflowers (icons) can be purchased for a mere $0.99. You can use it for birthdays, anniversaries, or (my favorite reason), just because! It's FREE, what have you got to lose? Just click on the shot of the app below, and it will take you straight to the app store on iTunes. 

 

 A screenshot of the cover of the main screen or cover of the app - isn't it beautiful?

A screenshot of the actual app - with a wildflower icon. Again, isn't it absolutely ADORABLE? 

Also, here is a list of flowers available to you through the app, and more will be added along the way, for special occasions, and such.

Infinite Love -- Bellflower

I Am Grateful -- Bluebells

Sending Encouragement -- Black Eyed Susan

Thinking of You -- Zinnia

A Mother's Love – Impatiens

Pure Loyal Love -- Daisy

Bond of Love -- Honeysuckle

I am sorry; Please forgive me -- Purple Hyacinth

Don't forget me -- Forget Me Not

I will never forget you -- Everlasting

Sending Protection -- White Heather

Sending Cheer -- Crocus

Sending Courage and Daring -- Edelweiss

Sending Good Luck -- Clover

Sending Perserverance -- Chicory

Farewell -- Sweet Pea

Secret Love -- Acacia

Love at First Sight – Gloxinia

Now, THE GIVEAWAY

Thanks to the immense generosity of the author Patti Callahan Henry, and the Emily LaBeaume of Wunderkind PR - I have a copy of "Coming Up For Air" up for grabs. 

Unfortunately, this contest is limited to US readers. Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below, and then check out the other blogs on the giveaway hop!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

"EXCLUSIVE" News...To Chase Away The Monday Blues...

So, you guys know I love you guys, right? Well, this here's the deal... you guys keep visiting my blog, and I'll keep getting you guys "EXCLUSIVE" and hot new bookish things to try. So, what am I harking on about? Without further delay, let me get into the nitty-gritty...

Almost exactly a year ago, I remember I did a ~Sunday Stew~ post that featured "DREAM", which was then a soon-to-be-released book site offering great book giveaways via authors and publishers. The sands of time stop for no one, and now, all this time later...not only is Dream and excellent book site for book-lovers/book-bloggers, authors and publishers alike...it has seen immense success, and decided to refresh, re-energize and extend the site to include exclusive book critic reviews, etc - that will help YOU find your NEXT BOOK for your reading pleasure.

Click on DREAM to go to the book site, and enter many of their amazing giveaways. But if you want an EXCLUSIVE look into their new site, with book critic reviews, and to explore many, many different books from different genres, click on the banner below.

But WAIT my lovelies, what is this!?!?! When you go on the site, it asks you for an ACCESS CODE! *gasp* Now what shall you do??? Well, you know me... I'd never lead you on a wild goose chase, and thanks to the "DREAM TEAM" - I have an access code that will give you access to the exclusive book critic site. 

All you HAVE TO DO is perform the mandatory actions of commenting on this post and being a blog follower on the Rafflecopter below, and you will unlock the option that contains the access code! :) You also have the option to follow @Dreamonus via Twitter, and Like the Dream Facebook page, as well as follow me on Twitter - I hope you'll perform those tasks, despite the fact that they have not been made mandatory! :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Also, make sure to sign up for their weekly newsletter, which will bring you exclusive and one-of-a-kind opportunities to hear about, and even win, new books! 

 

MORE EXCLUSIVE OPPORTUNITIES...

 

I'm currently re-reading "Coming Up For Air" by Patti Callahan Henry, as there was an app that was just recently launched that goes hand in hand with the book. Yes, you read correct...and APP, that co-relates to the book! How COOL is that, right!?!?!? It's a wonderful book, and I wanted to be able to remember which parts influenced the app, so here I am reading it again! 

Just a little info on the app: it is called "Wildflowers" by Patti Callahan Henry, and is created by Wildflower Wishes LLC. The app is inspired by a gorgeous garden scene in the book, and was commissioned especially for this Patti Callahan Henry's novel "Coming Up For Air", as it was released on paperback on May 22, 2012 by St. Martin's Griffin. Here's a FUN FACT: If you buy a paperback copy of "Coming Up For Air" by Patti Callahan Henry, (click on the book cover below) it features the QR code to the app on the cover of the book!!!!

The FREE app comes with five special wildflower icons, each with a designated meaning (I'm sorry; I love you; Good luck, etc) which can be send to friends or loved ones via email, to fellow Wildflower Wishes users or to Facebook friends, along with a personalized heartfelt message - with ONE click, you could make someone's day. Additional wildflowers (icons) can be purchased for a mere $0.99. You can use it for birthdays, anniversaries, or (my favorite reason), just because! It's FREE, what have you got to lose? Just click on the shot of the app below, and it will take you straight to the app store on iTunes. 

 

 A screenshot of the cover of the main screen or cover of the app - isn't it beautiful?

A screenshot of the actual app - with a wildflower icon. Again, isn't it absolutely ADORABLE? 

Also, here is a list of flowers available to you through the app, and more will be added along the way, for special occasions, and such.

Infinite Love -- Bellflower

I Am Grateful -- Bluebells

Sending Encouragement -- Black Eyed Susan

Thinking of You -- Zinnia

A Mother's Love – Impatiens

Pure Loyal Love -- Daisy

Bond of Love -- Honeysuckle

I am sorry; Please forgive me -- Purple Hyacinth

Don't forget me -- Forget Me Not

I will never forget you -- Everlasting

Sending Protection -- White Heather

Sending Cheer -- Crocus

Sending Courage and Daring -- Edelweiss

Sending Good Luck -- Clover

Sending Perserverance -- Chicory

Farewell -- Sweet Pea

Secret Love -- Acacia

Love at First Sight – Gloxinia

 

So there you have it folks... don't forget, you heard about it via ~Chronicles of an Enamored Soul~ and I hope you'll continue to visit! :D

~Tempest Blog Tour - Guest Post & Giveaway~

Hi guys, 

I know I've been MIA for a while now, but what better way to make a come-back than with an amazing book such as "Tempest" by the brilliant author Julie Cross. 

Title: Tempest (Tempest #1)

Author: Julie Cross

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Expected Publication Date: January 17th, 2012

Links: Website / Twitter / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads

"Tempest" by Julie Cross is a brilliantly constructed, and immensely thrilling, novel chronicling the life of Jackson Meyer who is a normal guy in all respects - except the fact that he can time travel. But unlike the time travel of movies, his time-tumbling escapades come without consequence. That is, until the day some strangers alight on him and his girlfriend, and in the struggle that ensues, his girlfriend Holly is fatally wounded.

Now Jackson travels back to the year 2007 in order to save his girlfriend, but finds himself stuck there, unable to travel back to the present. "Tempest" is story of his attempt to understand and actualize his abilities in order to save Holly from her fate, and in the process he comes to term with his abilities, learns secrets about his father, finds out about the "Enemies of Time" and discovers much about his own self.

~Teaser Quote~

September 15, 2007 (8:00 a.m.)

I attempted to look angry. "First you assume I want to go out with you, and now you're assuming I want  get in your pants."

Which I do and have.

~Five Facts about "Tempest"~

Have I piqued your interest, yet? If not, well, here are FIVE FACTS from Book#2:

• The setting takes place in more than one country.
• Chapter 5 contains a red dress and a card board cut out of Miley Cyrus (you don't want to miss this!).
• Something bad happens in a castle (how deliciously cryptic!).
• Jackson in a tux! (swoon-worthy)
•  Hollywood might not have gotten everything wrong about time-travel.

Don't forget to check out all the other blog posts in the BLOG TOUR for Julie Cross's "Tempest" - just click on the blog tour banner at the top of this post, and it will take you straight there. A big THANK YOU to all the other bloggers participating in this blog tour; not just for being part of the tour, but for also making this easy on me, and for helping me every step of the way. This was my second blog tour, and this book was a brilliant one to continue my journey with! :)

Would YOU like to win a copy of "Tempest" by Julie Cross? Make sure to enter for your chance to win 1 of 5 signed copies by Julie Cross. Fill the FORM to enter - Giveaway ends on January 6th, so HURRY! Also, you must leave a comment to enter...so get to it! :)

The "Immortal Beloved" Blog Tour - An Interview with Katie M. John

Hello darling readers, today we have a special treat for you. Today marks the 1st day of the "Immortal Beloved" Blog Tour, which starts today and runs all the way through August 24th. Don't even miss a DAY of this tour, there will be interviews with the author, character interviews, giveaways, reviews,a LIVE Twitter chat and SO MUCH MORE! :)

There are lots of blogs participating, such as Reading Away the Days, Secret Lives of Fiction Lovers, and Two Chicks on Books.

So, without further ado, let me introduce you to Katie M. John, the incredibly talented author of the Knight Trilogy, the first book of which was “The Forest of Adventures” and the second novel is called “Immortal Beloved”. Katie is an incredibly sweet and kind person, and an absolute joy to interact with, as a person. As an author, her books clearly showcase her immense talent which is at par with famous authors like Stephenie Meyer. She's also a doting mother and a loving wife...and an all around sweetheart! 

Immortal Beloved is set for release on August 25^th, 2011 – and I assure you that as far as sequels go, this one’s a HIT! I have read both the books, and am an IMMENSE fan of her writing, so it is my utmost pleasure that she has graced my meager blog with her presence. 

Make sure to check out My Review of "The Forest of Adventures" and check both the books out on Goodreads as well, by clicking the pictures below. 

  

Enamored Soul: Hey Katie, thank you very much for taking the time to answer my questions for this interview. I am so very glad you agreed to this interview, and it is a pleasure of mine to have you on "The Chronicles of an Enamored Soul" today.

Katie: Hi, Hira. Thank you for having me today.

Enamored Soul: Katie, my first and most important question to you is, why "knights" and "knighthood" - what led you to step away from the mainstream call for Vampire and Werewolf romances?

Katie: Good question because I so do love vampires lol! There are quite a few reasons why I decided to write a romance about knights. There are so many werewolves and vampire stories out there at the minute that I really didn’t think I had anything new to offer. I loved what Meyer did with the whole Vampire lore as it was so different from the traditional. I’m afraid I’m old enough to remember the last vampire craze as I was about fifteen when Anne Rice’s ‘Interview with a Vampire’ came out. Bram Stoker’s Dracula was my very first proper grown up reads at twelve and I can vividly remember bringing it home from the school library.

I do want to write a vampire story at some point, but I kind of want to write it on my own terms.

I’ve always been a romantic Goth at heart. When other girls had their Take That posters up on their bedroom wall, I had great big reproduction posters of pre-Raphaelite paintings. The one which hung above my bed was one of Queen Guinevere dubbing Sir Lancelot. Little did I know at that point what road I would be taking fifteen years later.

There has always been something incredibly attractive to me about knights: it’s that whole killer / gentleman thing going on. I find their duality completely fascinating – how one minute they would be out in the field literally tearing each other to bits, and the next they would be writing love poetry. In a way they hold a lot of parallels to vampires and hold the same kind of fascination of danger.

I love the shades of dark and light and the complex balancing of a knight’s moral nature. With vampires (pre-Rice and Meyer) they had a much defined nature towards evil.

 
Enamored Soul: Mina Singer, she's one of the most endearing characters I've ever read about - how much of Katie is in Mina's character?

Katie: Thank you. She’s quite a complex character. Not all readers find her easy or ‘endearing’. I didn’t want to write a heroine that was a crowd pleaser; I wanted her to be individual and flawed. I am very fond of Mina and I can relate to her because there is a lot of my own history in her. I always have a wry smile when some critics find aspects of her unbelievable which are actually based on my own, very real experiences.

Mina and I share the same traits in that we are quite introverted and don’t always connect with the way things ‘aught’ to be done – her feelings towards Sam’s illness is an example of this.

I’ve had somebody very close to me be very ill over a sustained period of time and, unlike the way it is often portrayed in films and books (or what we say to the public world) there is often a lot of anger and resentment. It doesn’t mean you don’t love that person deeply, but it comes back to the flaws of being human I mentioned earlier.

Her falling in love with Blake at first sight has also been criticised by a couple of readers. These are the comments that particularly make me smile because I did fall in love at first sight with someone in just the way that Mina falls for Blake. I used a lot of my own experiences of this time to write about their relationship.

Enamored Soul: What made you decide to place the sequel of the excellent debut novel "The Forest of Adventures" in Egypt, the beautiful land of the Pharaoh and Cleopatra?

Katie: I spent three years researching the ‘Secret History’, the Knights Templar, and the whole Grail myths and conspiracies. Through this research I became completely fascinated by the parallels in mythology across the European and Arabic cultures. The templar knights were very much a bridge between the two ‘worlds’ and it is sometimes easy for the ‘West’ to forget that Christianity as a belief system was actually born on the bridge between the two civilisations.

I chose Egypt because Egyptian belief systems were very much interwoven into early Christianity. For example, the Lords prayer shares parallels with the Egyptian prayer of the dead – some scholars even go far as to say that it is just a translation of the text. There are also parallels between Osiris, the Christ figure and King Arthur. They are all recognised as Sun Princes and are associated with light, resurrection and salvation.

So, Egypt became a natural choice because the whole myth structure fitted together beautifully. The belief in the underworld, Duat, also allowed me to  invert the Eurydice/Orpheus myth where he enters the underworld to bring back his true love Persephone.

Enamored Soul: I love that in this book, the knight isn't just saving the damsel in distress - the damsel is doing the saving as well. I think we definitely need more brave and adventurous heroines in literature - what are your thoughts on the subject?

Katie: I felt it important that it mustn’t always be Blake rescuing Mina because relationships are about saving each other. There was a real danger that because Blake is a knight, it might fall into the trap of him constantly sweeping her off her feet and coming to her rescue. There’s no denying that this element is slightly sexy – even the most independent and competent woman has moments in her life in which she would just love for somebody strong and capable to come to her aid. Being strong and capable all of the time is impossible and unhealthy, regardless of your gender.

There is still an issue in literature of heroines being placed into opposing sides – they are either passive and victim-like, or are hardened to the point of fierce (but lonely) independence. In a way this reflects the feminist dilemma. You see me engage with this idea in the way that Delta, Mina and Daisy are all different in their outlook and attitude. I wanted to try and avoid gender stereotypes (either way) as much as possible, and create characters that were just who they were without the politics.

Enamored Soul: In the beginning of "Immortal Beloved" Mina is left alone, while Blake has journeyed on in his quest - the sheer pain and emptiness that Mina experiences is gut-wrenching. Was it difficult writing about our beloved Mina going through this hardship?

Katie: It was a real challenge to try and get the balance right. I wanted to express her true sense of desolation and sadness but avoid making her over indulgent and slipping into moaner mode. Mina is a character who feels things acutely and I make no apology for that. We see her deal with a private pain, and the reader is invited into her heart and mind to share it.

I wanted to go beyond her just feeling sad and tackle the issue of teenage depression and self destruction head-on. For several years I was a Head of Pastoral Care at a secondary school (high-school). I saw first hand how deeply teenagers could feel, and how they often felt isolated and unable to articulate their varying emotions. I was able to empathise with them as I was quite a troubled teenager myself. Several of my close friends went through destructive periods, involving behaviours such as, getting drunk, taking drugs, anorexia, joy riding and self harm. I only included issues in the story which I actually felt qualified on both a professional and personal level to comment on, and have had experience of.

Sometimes these ‘teenage issues’ are dumped into television programs and books as a shock element or for ‘educational’ value. I think this can sometimes be clumsy and alienate young people more. Events aren’t always on a ‘dramatic’ scale which is not to say they aren’t to be taken seriously. But, there is a sense of norm in these behaviours: Most of us will feel these kind of impulses in varying degrees, at some point in our lives.

Writing Mina’s reaction to Blake leaving was very much a form of catharsis. It laid a lot of ghosts to rest. Mina, needed to go through this in order to move into her more ‘adult’ self, so although it was painful see her struggle through, I understood the value of it.  

Enamored Soul: Every girl needs a girlfriend like Delta! Smart, hilarious and ever-loyal, do you have a Delta in your life? And what can we expect for Delta's character in Book Three?

Katie: Delta is my favourite character too. I have a deep affection for her. When I started writing her, I had no idea how ‘big’ a character she would become. She was originally a very minor character and I thought it would be Daisy who would be Mina’s closest confidant.

I’m a detailed plotter and planner and yet Delta has managed to defy my plans at every point. I always smile when I talk about Delta’s behaviour – in a way I’m proud of her for bending the rules of my writing. I trust her character completely, and so when Delta tells me what were doing, and goes off on her own way, I’m happy to try and keep up on the keyboard. She makes me laugh when I’m writing and editing. In a way she kind of acts like a Shakespearean fool (often the cleverest character in the whole play. She adds a sense of grounding and insight into situations, providing a balance for Mina’s oversensitivity.

Delta has already decided how she wants the trilogy to end and we are now in negotiation with the other characters! As you can imagine, Blake has his own (very fixed) ideas. Blake and Delta clash quite a lot but he respects her. Delta challenges a lot of his very traditional notions and they are solid friends.

I was very fortunate to have a friend like Delta when I was a teenager and there is a lot of her in the character.

Enamored Soul: In some ways, my heart goes out to Sam far more than Blake - everyone needs a Sam in their life. Is your husband more of a Sam or a Blake?

Katie: Oh, my! How do I even begin to answer that one? My hubby is a combination of the two of them, but more on the side of Sam than Blake. He’s not as ‘broody moody’ as Blake, but is as romantic.

Sam’s a wonderful character in his own right. I was worried at the end of TFOA that he would become a bit pathetic and made a determined effort to ensure Sam shone in Immortal Beloved. Sam is good man and has a heart of gold. Mina loves him dearly and truly. Sam is full of integrity and honesty as well as a lot of fun to be around. He would make a wonderful husband – far better than Blake. He’d offer you security, friendship and laughter as well as being cute to look at. 

Enamored Soul: What more can we expect for Sam's character in Book Three?

Katie: Sam and Blake have an interesting relationship in that it isn’t the usual love triangle fall out. They both have enough about them to somehow elevate their acquaintance above that. They become unlikely friends and rely on each other tremendously in Book Three. They become more like brothers in the way that they don’t always like one another, or what they have done, but they are bonded by something bigger than petty squabbles. Sam has a significant role in Book Three but I can’t really say more than that without spoiling #2.

Enamored Soul: I love how steadfast and true Blake and Mina are in their love for each other - do you believe love as pure and strong as that can only exist in fantasy/literature?

Katie: No I don’t only believe it is the stuff of fairytales. True and steadfast love is totally attainable in ‘real’ life, but what isn’t attainable is ‘perfect romance’. I’ve been married for ten years to my hubby: we went to school together. I was about to write that I am lucky to have such a strong marriage, but then I stopped myself because it has nothing to do with luck and everything to do with a lot of hard work on both sides. The quests that Mina and Blake undertake are a metaphor for this.

Romance isn’t a natural state of being human; it has to be ‘made’ in much the way a writer has to craft and plan the romance in a story. In real life, ‘magical’ moments require effort and thought. 

Enamored Soul: Wow, I absolutely LOVED every sentence and every chapter of "Immortal Beloved" - but way to leave us on a cliffhanger! *bites nails* What happens next? *begs* Please, please, please tell us in which direction you will be taking our dear Mina, Blake, Sam and Delta?

Katie: Oh, clip yourself in for a rollercoaster ride. Book three is mental. I’m genuinely beginning to regret calling it the Knight Trilogy as Quartology might have been a little easier on me! Things take a very dark turn in Book Three. We return to Europe and to the really gothic fairytale stuff. There are three routes in Book Three, and the characters travel different paths in different combinations. We head back into the forests – this time in France and also into the icy mountains of Switzerland. There is a lot of drama and you are all going to be furious at me over some of the decisions I have made (hopefully in a kind of good way). Make sure you have a box of tissues ready – you’re going to need them. BTW only the first ninety percent of it is planned.

The absolute ending – well you’re guess is as good as mine. I was thinking about doing three endings and you get to choose in a sort of nineteen eighties style! (Only joking.) I almost have the ending in place – the question is; will it be happy ever after?

Enamored Soul: Katie, thank you for being SUCH a doll and taking the precious time to answer all my questions. Thank you, also, for writing such amazing characters, and such a beautiful and adventurous narrative. I'm truly a big fan - thank you so much! :)

Katie: No, really – thank you.  

So there you have it ladies and gentlemen, straight from the source, Katie has made you and me privy to details very few people on the planet know of, for which we are truly quite grateful. Make sure to MARK YOUR CALENDARS – the date is August 25^th, 2011 and “Immortal Beloved” is set to make waves, so make sure to go and get your copy. Also, Katie was generous enough to offer the readers of “The Chronicles of an Enamored Soul” some goodies, so time for a GIVEAWAY!

Here’s what we have for you today:

x 2 e-books of “The Forest of Adventures”
x 2 e-books of “Immortal Beloved”

= FOUR LUCKY WINNERS!

And since this is an e-book giveaway, it’s INTERNATIONAL! This one is as simple as it gets, in order to enter, leave a comment with your name, your preference of which ebook you’d like and your email address so that we can contact you if you win. For extra entries, tweet the giveaway; make sure to mention both @inluvwithbookz and @KnightTrilogy in your tweets, and leave a separate comment. Add an additional entry (each) if you follow Katie and Me via Twitter. And if you create a sidebar post/blog post about this giveaway, leave three additional comments for three additional entries. The contest ends August 30^th, 2011 and the winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen.

Also, come back on August 21^st for a review of “Immortal Beloved” on my blog, and make sure to visit Jaime and Patricia (say hi to them and Katie from my side, please!) of Two Chicks On Books who have Katie on their blog for a guest post TOMORROW  *GASP* - you can’t miss it! :)