BLOG TOUR: Traitor (Dragonrider Chronicles #3) by Nicole Conway - Guest Post + GIVEAWAY!

Good morning! We're really excited today to be hosting Nicole Conway as part of the blog tour for the final book in her Dragonrider Chronicles series, Traitor! Nicole took time to give us her favorite dragons, and we also have a giveaway for you so be sure to enter via the Rafflecopter form at the end of this post!

There are a bunch of other great posts - reviews, guest posts, and interviews - on the rest of this tour, and you can find the complete tour schedule by clicking the banner above.

Before we get to the playlist and the giveaway, here's a little bit more about the books and Nicole!

About the Book

Title: Traitor (Dragonrider Chronicles #3) 

Author: Nicole Conway

Release Date: May 10, 2016

Publisher: Month9Books

Synopsis: Can anyone survive being lost in Luntharda?

No amount of training has prepared Jaevid Broadfeather for the frontlines of battle. Now facing the true horrors of war, with Luntharda looming on the horizon, Jaevid has begun to question everything he thought about his heritage. The only thing keeping him going is his oath to protect his dragonrider brothers. But in an instant, even that slips through Jaevid’s fingers as he steps from the safety of his dragon’s saddle into the depths of his mother’s wild homeland—the kingdom of the gray elves.

Stranded in Luntharda with his partner, Lieutenant Jace Rordin, Jaevid must finally confront the demons of his own past as he uncovers the truth about a war that began before he was ever born. Armed with a new appreciation for destiny, and flanked by his trusted friends, Jaevid moves to make the final strike against an enemy that has hidden in plain sight for far too long.

One kingdom’s traitor will become the world’s last hope.

Purchase Links: Google Play | BAM | Chapters | Indies | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | iBooks

About the Author

Nicole is the author of the children’s fantasy series, THE DRAGONRIDER CHRONICLES, about a young boy’s journey into manhood as he trains to become a dragonrider. She has completed the first two books in the series, and is now working on the third and final book.

Originally from a small town in North Alabama, Nicole moves frequently due to her husband’s career as a pilot for the United States Air Force. She received a B.A. in English with a concentration in Classics from Auburn University, and will soon attend graduate school.

 She has previously worked as a freelance and graphic artist for promotional companies, but has now embraced writing as a full-time occupation.

Nicole enjoys hiking, camping, shopping, cooking, and spending time with her family and friends. She also loves watching children’s movies and collecting books. She lives at home with her husband, two cats, and dog.

Find Nicole Online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

Nicole's Top Dragons

Mavrik – The Dragonrider Chronicles

Okay, so of course he’s my favourite. I created him! Besides that, I modeled his personality after my cat, Mr. Darcy. He’s loyal, affectionate, a little sassy, and definitely has an opinion of his own about things. But when the chips are down and you just need someone to be there for you, he’s there and ready to snuggle – or fight!

Festus – The Lost Hero 

Leo Valdez’s mechanical dragon from the Percy Jackson series will always have a soft spot in my heart. I thoroughly enjoyed their quirky relationship, right to the end. Festus was truly unique.

Tiamat – Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher

This was, by far, my favourite book as a child. Other girls wanted to be princesses. I wanted a pet dragon like Tiamat. She was Jeremy’s best friend and partner in crime – not to mention the coolest way to get to school!

The Giveaway!

Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of Traitor by Nicole Conway (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

RELEASE DAY BLITZ: A Hole in the Sea (Weather Casters #2) by McCallum J. Morgan - Guest Post + GIVEAWAY!

We're so, so excited to be a part of the Release Day Celebration for McCallum J. Morgan's newest book, A Hole in the Sea! This is the second book in the Weathercaster series, and the sequel to A Hole in the Ice.  We've been waiting for this book and are so happy that it's finally here!

McCallum stopped by to talk a little bit about some mythology related to the book and the series and we've got a giveaway for you so be sure to enter via the Rafflecopter form at the end of this post. But before we get to all of that, here's a little bit more about A Hole in the Sea!

About the Book

Title: A Hole in the Sea (Weather Casters #2)
Author: McCallum J. Morgan
Publication Date: January 28, 2016
Publisher: Little Bird Publishing House

Amazon | Little Bird Bookstore

Synopsis: Parsifal and Balder are trapped on the arctic ice after Lady Vasille and Lord Keazund vanish into the Sea. The magical Compass shows Parsifal dire warnings of storm and mermaid. Unable to resist the hole in the ice, the two friends find themselves cast adrift on an otherworldly Sea. A Sea filled with myth and dangerous monsters. Guided by Dioktes, a strange old man of doubtful motives, they come to the Port, a floating city of wreckage ruled by a desperate rabble. Lady Vasille has designs upon the Port and upon all of the Sea. If Parsifal isn’t careful, he and his friends will be caught up in her schemes once more. But it’s hard to be careful when you’re trying to survive.

About the Author

As a child, McCallum always wanted to write a book. He scribbled in notebooks, drew pictures, and lived largely in a world of make-believe. Into this fertile field a seed was planted. Notebooks began to fill and they didn’t stop. It was a soaring waltz with words among the silvery clouds and he loved it. He was thirteen.

It became his first novel, A Hole in the Ice, published when he was nineteen. He is now twenty and working on the third book in the Weather Casters Saga.

McCallum still draws and occasionally attacks an unfortunate piece of fabric with a sewing machine. He may be spotted around his home town of Bonners Ferry, Idaho, sporting his collection of bizarre clothing items, singing ‘Totale Finsternis’ or at the bakery near his home, drinking a caramel macchiato. His day job is log home finishing. He lives with his parents in a house perched on the hillside twenty miles south of the Canadian border and takes his tea with milk and sugar in a cup and saucer.

Find McCallum Online: Website | Facebook | Twitter

Myths & The Weather Casters Series

I’ve always loved myths and legends. From Greek mythology to the old folk tales of Europe, the kind of everyday stories about the goblin hauntings and changelings. I really love the book by Pierre DuBois called The Complete Encyclopedia of Elves, Goblins, and Other Little Creatures. It is full of fascinating stories from all over the world. It’s where I found the names Tan Noz (they were sort of dwarf sirens who used lights on the shore to wreck ships and then devoured the crews) and Lutins (essentially the mischievous elves of France, though their name literally means goblin). It’s also where I got the idea of Davy Jones as a sea monster (although I’m sure The Pirates of the Caribbean still had some influence on me).

Davy Jones is one of the many personifications of the sea, English in origin. Mostly, it seems the legends focus more on his locker and not so much the being himself. He is described as an old sailor who comes on land and can be recognized by his spongy green hands. According to DuBois, he seems to be a mass of tiny entities with a hive mind and devours an entire ship’s crew four times a year. In A Hole in the Sea, he was once the Weather Caster Dévid, cursed for rebellion.

Mermaids represent the sea and its changes. I prefer to separate them from Sirens, the bird headed singers and flesh eaters. I think mermaids should be dark and mysterious. My mermaids don’t have souls, like a lot of the elven creatures in many stories. They’re rather like the seductive Huldres of Norway, seeking to lure away young men who consequently lose their souls. Mine vary in form, having an exotic array of teeth, from fangs to baleen, and strange hair, eye, and skin colors. They are invariably beautiful but terrifying. They have cities and an entire subaquatic culture that we will get to see more of in book three.

My Weather Casters are down the line of nymphs or minor deities. They age slowly and are unnaturally beautiful with the ability to warp the wills of mortals. They aren’t entirely immortal, however, they can be killed and will eventually die of old age. They wield the traditional sea god powers over the weather (some mermaid stories actually have the mermaids granting fair or foul winds). I’ve even named the leader of the Weather Casters after Poseidon (I rebelled at first, but couldn’t come up with anything better or more fitting). The idea of weaving the weather came to me rather arbitrarily while I was gazing at a painting of a ship. Weaving is a universal art, practiced all over the world, and has its place in mythology, most notably the story of Athene and Arachne. Wikipedia says that in Scandinavia, Orion’s belt is known as Friggjar rockr, or Frigg’s distaff. Frigg was Odin’s wife and associated with the art of weaving (spinning was done with a distaff and spindle before the advent of the spinning wheel). And of course when you include spinning, there’s Rumpelstiltskin and Sleeping Beauty.

I’m playing fast and loose with the term mythology here, but a lot of the modern fairytales have older versions…more like legends, stories that people once believed were true. I have another book, A Field Guide to the Little People by Nancy Arrowsmith and George Moorse, that contains what I can only assume is the original tale of Snow White, without the magic apple and ending in death and destruction for the dwarves.

Fascinating.

I think I’ve strayed from my point, if I had one…Mythology, Legends, Fairytales. They’re delightful, weird, horrible, completely entrancing, and most importantly, inspiring. They’ve fed my imagination from the beginning, and will continue to so. I hope you’ve enjoyed my dissertation (or enraptured gushing?). Thank you, Ashley and Paul, for having me on again!

The Giveaway!

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Congratulations and Happy Book Birthday again to McCallum! 

--Ashley & Paul

BLOG TOUR: Up for Forever (Up for Grabs #2) by Heather Young-Nichols - Playlist + GIVEAWAY!

Happy Friday! Today, we're so excited to be participating in the blog tour for Up for Forever by Heather Young-Nichols, presented by Chapter-by-Chapter & Swoon Romance! We've got Heather's book playlist for you, as well as a giveaway, so be sure to win your very own copy of Up for Forever by completing the Rafflecopter form below! 

Also, make sure you visit all of the other incredible tour stops by clicking the banner above. There are all kinds of fun guest stops and great excerpts waiting for you, so don't miss them! 

About the Book

Title: Up for Forever (Up for Grabs #2)
Author: Heather Young-Nichols
Publisher: Swoon Romance
Publication Date: September 1, 2015

Synopsis: For Kendra Roberts, love is for fairy tale princesses who don’t live in the real world. Mr. Right? What a joke. It’s more like Mr. Right Now.

But imagine her surprise when she realizes it’s been two whole years, and Mr. Right Now has become something more. How the hell did that happen?

Panic sets in when Kendra finds out that Adam Burger might be planning a future for them and making her his “Mrs.” Mrs. Burger.
Not. So. Fast.
Kendra ends things with Adam, feeling bad for letting things go this far.

After months of trying to convince herself she made the right decision, a mutual friend’s wedding throws them back together again.

In one mind-blowing moment, Kendra comes to the crushing realization that she’s been in love with Adam all along.
But when Adam seems to have already moved on, will Kendra fight for their forever after? Or will she let her once Mr. Right Now go and become someone else’s Mr. Right?

Purchase Links (Up for Forever): Amazon

Purchase Links (Up for Grabs): BAM | Chapters | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes

About the Author

Heather Young-Nichols was born and raised in Saginaw, Michigan and graduated from nearby Saginaw Valley State University with a degree in sociology. The only thing that rivals her love of reading is her love of baseball. When not with her husband and three kids or the cat that likes to bite, she is working to bring the characters in her head to life.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Heather's Up for Forever Playlist

I don’t listen to music while I write most of the time. Too distracting. But I have songs for each book that I listen to when preparing to write. And if it’s a tough scene or something that I need to push myself through, then I will put one song on repeat until it becomes background noise.

1. Irreplaceable by Beyonce

2. Glitter in the Air by Pink

3. With a Little Help From My Friends by The Beatles

4. 1, 2, 3, 4 by Plain White T’s

5. Therapy by All Time Low

6. Young Volcanoes by Fall Out Boy

7. Don’t Speak by No Doubt

8. Blank Space by Taylor Swift

9. I Don’t Care by Fall Out Boy

10. We Are Broken by Paramore

11. Home by Phillip Phillips

The Giveaway!

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BLOG TOUR: Strange Country Day by Charles Curtis - Guest Post + GIVEAWAY!

Hello! Today, we're happy to be hosting Charles Curtis as part of the blog tour for his new book, Strange Country Day. Charles stopped by to give us his Top Ten Superheroes, and we've also got a giveaway for you, so be sure to enter via the Rafflecopter form at the end of this post!

Don't forget to visit all of the other stops on the tour as well - you can find the tour schedule by clicking the banner above.

About the Book

Title: Strange Country Day

Author: Charles Curtis

Publication Date: August 18, 2015

Publisher: Tantrum Books/Month9Books, LLC.

Synopsis: Alexander Graham Ptuiac, the son of an inventor, wants to play for the school’s football team. During tryouts, and under the watchful eye of the team’s coach, he suddenly manifests mysterious superhuman powers. Alexander makes the team, but not before the some ill-intended adults take notice, putting his life in danger.

Alex struggles to suppress and control his strange new abilities, worried about exposing his secret and being kicked off the football team. Then he befriends Dex, a diminutive classmate who can somehow jump as high as ten feet in the air. Seems Alex isn’t the only one at school with a secret.

As the school year unfolds, Alex will find himself the target of bullies, holding hands with his first crush and discovering the shocking truth about himself and his parents.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | BAM | Chapters | Kobo | TBD | iBooks

About the Author

Charles Curtis is a writer and journalist based in New York City. He has reported and written for publications including NJ.com (where he is currently the site’s sports buzz reporter), The Daily, ESPN.com, ESPN the Magazine, Bleacher Report, TV Guide and Entertainment Weekly. Charles has covered the NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, golf, tennis and NASCAR. He has also written about television, film and pop culture.

In addition, Curtis has also written, produced and was featured in videos for ESPN.com and The Daily. He has made radio appearances on stations including 92.9 The Ticket in Bangor, Maine, WLIE 540 AM in Long Island and on morning shows across Canada via the CBC.
He can be reached on Twitter: @charlescurtis82.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Charles' Top Ten Superheroes

Full disclosure: Up until a few years ago, I had a collection of comic books that numbered in four figures, all neatly stored in pristine clear bags and acid-free white boards (I sold them to make room in my New York City apartment for my now one-year-old son). I also spent much of my teenage years reading science fiction and fantasy along with re-watching “Star Wars.” It turned out investing all that time and money wasn’t a waste – they became part of the inspiration for my new novel, “Strange Country Day,” a middle grade sports/fantasy/science fiction novel about a group of seventh graders who suddenly find out they have special abilities. So I’d like to share with you a list of my top ten favorite superheroes. Why mine? You’ve read enough lists that end with Superman at No. 1.

Feel free to reach out to me on Twitter @charlescurtis82 to discuss and debate!

1. Wolverine: What isn’t there to love? A fantastic power (super-fast healing), razor-sharp claws that pop up at the moment you know he’s about to kick butt, some of the best one-liners of all time and a murky origin story to add an air of mystery.  A near-perfect combination.

2. Luke Skywalker: Not a superhero, you say? Here’s a kid who turns out to have the powers of the Force and who is brave enough to take on a galactic empire. Works for me.  

3. Jean Grey: You’ll notice some similarities in “Strange Country Day” to the X-Men, my absolute all-time favorite series. That’s no coincidence. I especially loved Jean Grey, whose telepathy and telekinesis were awe-inspiring, but who had the greatest character arcs (she died and was reborn for crying out loud!) of any superhero. 

4. Batman: An obvious choice. Who doesn’t love the tale of a really strong, really rich, really smart superhero with the best gadgets his endless cash can buy?

5. Spider-Man: Another obvious choice, but he’s especially close to my heart because he’s a fellow journalist.

6. Doctor Manhattan: “Watchmen” isn’t just a comic book series, it’s a piece of literary fiction. And the god-like being at the center of it is one of those rich, intricate, once-in-a-lifetime characters whose unique perspective (he can see the past, present and future simultaneously) becomes a commentary on human life.

7. Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law: I spent a lot of time in college watching and re-watching early animated Adult Swim shows like this one, which transformed Hanna-Barbera cartoons into sarcastic, side-splitting dark comedies with a bizarre sense of humors. The voice actors included Gary Cole and some guy named Stephen Colbert.

8. Ninjak: I was so blown away by the cover of Ninjak No. 1 that I became a stuttering fanboy when I met the artist, Joe Quesada, who is now an executive at Marvel Comics. Just look at it and tell me it doesn’t belong in a museum. Oh, and as for the superhero himself, I don’t remember anything about him. But the cover is just that amazing that he belongs on this list. 

9. The Terminator (AKA: T-800): No special powers here except for being a really, ridiculously cool time-traveling cyborg in human clothing (and skin) that helps fight the Resistance. A different kind of superhero whose story had a huge influence on me as a teenager. 

10. The Incredibles: “Strange Country Day” focuses on some of the same themes: How hard is it to be a parent of a kid with special abilities? Can a teenager lead a “normal” life with powers? This legendary Pixar flick did it first. 

So, who is your favorite superhero? Let us know in the comments! 

The Giveaway!

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BLOG TOUR: The Contrary Tale of the Butterfly Girl (The Peculiar Adventures of John Loveheart, Esq. Volume Two) by Ishbelle Bee - Guest Post

Hello! We're really excited today to be hosting Ishbelle Bee, who took the time to stop by and talk to us about classic fairy tales, as a part of the blog tour for her upcoming book, The Contrary Tale of the Butterfly Girl. Her book will be out tomorrow in the US & Canada and Thursday in the UK from Angry Robot, and we can't wait to read it! Plus, the cover is gorgeous and matches perfectly with the cover from The Singular and Extraordinary Tale of Mirror and Goliath, and we can't wait to have it in on our shelves!

Also, be sure to check out the interview we did with Ishbelle last time, for Mirror and Goliath!

About the Book

Title: The Contrary Tale of the Butterfly Girl (The Peculiar Adventures of John Loveheart, Esq. Volume Two)

Author: Ishbelle Bee

Publication Dates: August 4, 2015 (US/CAN), 6 August 2015 (UK)

Genre: Fantasy

Synopsis: A dark and twisted Victorian melodrama, like Alice in Wonderland goes to Hell, from the author of The Singular & Extraordinary Tale of Mirror & Goliath.

Two orphans, Pedrock and Boo Boo, are sent to live in the sinister village of Darkwound. There they meet and befriend the magical and dangerous Mr Loveheart and his neighbour, Professor Hummingbird, a recluse who collects rare butterflies. Little do they know that Professor Hummingbird has attracted the wrath of a demon named Mr Angelcakes.

One night, Mr Angelcakes visits Boo Boo and carves a butterfly onto her back. Boo Boo starts to metamorphose into a butterfly/human hybrid, and is kidnapped by Professor Hummingbird. When Mr Loveheart attempts to rescue her with the aid of Detective White and Constable Walnut, they too are turned into butterflies.

Caught between Professor Hummingbird and the demon Angelcakes, Loveheart finds himself entangled in a web much wider and darker than he could have imagined, and a plot that leads him right to the Prime Minister and even Queen Victoria herself …

UK Print & Ebook

Amazon.co.uk | Book Depository | Waterstones | WHSmith

North American Print & Ebook

Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | BarnesandNoble.com | IndieBound.org

Global DRM-Free Epub & Mobi Ebook

On-sale 4th August 2015 from the Robot Trading Company

About the Author

Ishbelle Bee writes horror and loves fairy-tales, the Victorian period (especially top hats!) and cake tents at village fêtes (she believes serial killers usually opt for the Victoria Sponge).

She currently lives in Edinburgh. She doesn’t own a rescue cat, but if she did his name would be Mr Pickles.

@IshbelleBee on Twitter

How my favourite classic fairy tales impacted my books

by Ishbelle Bee

Illustration by Gustave Dore

My favourite fairy tale is BLUEBEARD but I am inspired by elements of all fairy tales, especially in their uses of metamorphoses and symbolism.
BLUEBEARD appeals to me because it explores forbidden rooms, locked doors and temptation. It’s a lure that entices characters to move into secret enclosed spaces; spaces with are exotic- that are horror rooms.
Bluebeard’s wives are often put on display dangling by their necks or with their heads on pedestals. Mr Loveheart also has an obsession with chopping off heads and is fond of dangling his from trees in his garden or occasionally placing them by a vase in the hall.   The house of Bluebeard is exotic and rich- Mr Loveheart too has a beautiful ancestral home stuffed full of strange and priceless artefacts. The similarities between Bluebeard and Loveheart are notable: the main difference, however is paramount- Loveheart is more than capable of love and being loveable.
Fairy tales are landscapes of the macabre, with sadistic and grotesque players.  My books are set in a strange alternate Victorian London with a cast of eccentric and colourful characters who all echo fairy tale roles to some extent. Fairy tales evoke awe and wonder, metamorphoses and magical transformations.
Marina Warner (acclaimed historian and writer) believes fairy tales ‘remake the world in the image of desire, ’and identifies this as their essence. We can link this idea to the wish fulfilments of masochistic and sadomasochistic fantasies in BLUEBEARD and we are witness to physical, sexual, material, spiritual, and psychic destruction within a masculine landscape of the perverse. In Cinderella the ‘pure’ female or ‘good woman’ is pursued by an aggressive collection of grotesque characters, with sinister motivations, resulting in the stripping of her wealth and status before her final resurgence. In Red Riding Hood there is alienation from her family and the sanctuary of the home and sexual abuse at the hands of a predator. The fairy-tale is a portal for transformation, and reflects what we wish or fear to become. They are provocative and occasionally dystopian, with motifs of brutality and sadomasochism, which have sadly subsequently been sanitized.

BOILING THE BLOODIED SHEETS: SANITIZING FAIRYTALES

Fairy tales due to their dark folklore origins and storylines that explore incest, patricide, infanticide and cannibalism have sadly been sanitized, domesticated and simplified by (to name a few) the Brothers Grimm, Nazi propaganda to recruit children into the Third Reich, and Walt Disney.

Even with new adaptions of fairy tales with ‘modern twists,’ the tales remain mostly ‘clean’ and ‘fun for all the family.’ The problem lies in this need to make them family friendly texts. Originally fairy tales were not meant to promote a ‘healthy and fun family experience’ as they often depict poor parentage, child abuse, families divided and bartering one another for power, food or sex. The tales reveal Ogre parents chopping up their children to eat when starving; fathers intent on marrying their daughters, skin wearing, and serial killings of women.

To add insult to injury in the case of Disney, not only are the tales ‘washed clean of the inappropriate,’ they make them into musicals and have characters break into song. To quote one of my own characters on his opinions of musicals-

“HAND ME MY GUN. I would rather take a bullet to the brain than submit myself to this LUNACY!” (Rufus Hazard)

The Disney adaptions lack any understanding of the origins of the tales, creating a disinfected product with singing automatons. Underlying their glossy façade, a sinister archaic and patriarchal world exists.

Despite the sanitized versions there are some wonderful modern retellings of fairy tales; especially those of Angela Carter and Margaret Atwood, both of whom approach the subject matter with great intelligence and originality.  These are two qualities often lacking in the modern regurgitated fairy tale.

Disney domesticates the fairy-tale, removes its pagan origins, and reduces it to something infantile and vacuous. 

Thanks so much to Ishbelle for taking the time to talk to us about fairy tales, and thanks to you for stopping by to check out The Contrary Tale of the Butterfly Girl!

--Ashley & Paul

BLOG TOUR: Cities & Thrones (Recoletta #2) by Carrie Patel - Guest Post

Happy Saturday! Today we're super excited to be participating in the blog tour for Carrie Patel's newest book, Cities and Thrones, which also happens to be the second book in her Recoletta series. Carrie stopped by to talk about how her travels have inspired and influenced her writing, and we hope you enjoy reading about it as much as we did!

Before we get to Carrie's guest post though, here's a little bit about Cities and Thrones and Carrie! Also, don't forget to check out the interview we did with Carrie last year for the first book in the Recoletta series, The Buried Life.

About the Book

Title: Cities and Thrones (Recoletta #2)

Author: Carrie Patel

Publication Dates: 2 July 2015 (UK)
July 7, 2015 (US/CAN)

Synopsis: In the fantastical, gaslit underground city of Recolleta, Oligarchs from foreign states and revolutionaries from the farming communes vie for power in the wake of the city’s coup. The dark, forbidden knowledge of how the city came to be founded has been released into the world for all to read, and now someone must pay.

Inspector Liesl Malone is on her toes, trying to keep the peace, and Arnault’s spy ring is more active than ever. Has the city’s increased access to knowledge put the citizens in even more danger? Allegiances change, long-held beliefs are adjusted, and things are about to get messy.

Purchase Links:

UK Print & Ebook

Amazon.co.uk | Book Depository | Waterstones | WHSmith

North American Print & Ebook

Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | BarnesandNoble.com | IndieBound.org

Global DRM-Free Epub Ebook

On-sale 2 July 2015 from the Robot Trading Company

About the Author

Carrie Patel was born and raised in Houston, Texas. An avid traveller, she studied abroad in Granada, Spain and Buenos Aires, Argentina.

She completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Texas A&M University and worked in transfer pricing at Ernst & Young for two years.

She now works as a narrative designer at Obsidian Entertainment in Irvine, California, where the only season is Always Perfect.
You can find Carrie online at www.electronicinkblog.com and@Carrie_Patel on Twitter.

There and Back Again: Travel and Cities and Thrones

 Writers get inspiration from a lot of sources, and travel is often chief among them. New places spark our imaginations and awaken our minds to many of the details we often overlook in everyday life. They enchant and intrigue us, and we can come to see new patterns in their shadows and skylines.

This kind of stimulation is especially important for speculative fiction, which often features cities and cultures made from scratch.

The Buried Life was a book about an insular, isolationist city called Recoletta. The people who live there rarely (if ever) leave it, and they spend much of their time in a complex social dance designed to maintain the city’s strict hierarchy and its stagnant sense of self.

With that in mind, it should not come as a surprise that the city of Recoletta was largely inspired by a cemetery.

The Cementerio de la Recoleta in Buenos Aires is beautiful in a grand, sober kind of way. Walking through its narrow, cobbled lanes and admiring its stately mausoleums got my imagination cranking about lamplit streets and underground cities, but that wasn’t quite enough. The ideas needed more time to marinate.

That’s where the rest of my trip to Argentina came in handy. The downtime of bus rides and plane trips gave me the time that I don’t often set aside from my normal routine. Meanwhile, the Pampas of the countryside and the streets of Buenos Aires provided more enriching and less distracting surroundings while I spun daydreams into stories.

While The Buried Life centers on Recoletta, Cities and Thrones draws in other locations, too. In fact, much of the story takes place in Madina, a city northwest of Recoletta. Yet even though the two cities are only a few hundred miles away, they feel like different countries. Technically, they are.

Cities in the world of The Buried Life and Cities and Thrones originate from extensive underground bunkers that sheltered humanity during a global catastrophe many centuries before the events in the books. They develop in isolation over their first few hundred years, which gives minor differences time to develop into deep cultural gulfs.

From a world building perspective, this creates the need and opportunity to establish different civilizations side by side.

Readers may note that Madina is located roughly in the area of modern-day Detroit, a city with a large Arab-American population. The culture of Madina reflects that to a limited degree. Most residents have recognizably Arabic first names. The city is led not by a council, but by a (secular) judge known as the “Qadi.” Local customs reflect the importance of hospitality, which contrasts with Recoletta’s preoccupation with distance and privacy.

Of course, Madina isn’t supposed to represent a real, present-day culture any more than Recoletta is; both cities are “what-if” scenarios of societies grown in a Petri dish. But just as Recoletta took some inspiration from Buenos Aires, Madina was partially influenced by a trip to Jordan.

I visited Jordan a few years ago when one of my sisters was living there. It was a beautiful country, and what struck me most was the warmth of the locals. People were gracious and seemed genuinely pleased to see foreigners visiting their country. The phrase we heard more often than any other—from shopkeepers and traffic cops alike—was, “You are welcome in Jordan.” Jane has a similar experience in Madina and finds it easier to get along as a foreigner there than as a low-caste domestic worker in her home city of Recoletta.

In a broader sense, travel becomes important to the characters and story of Cities and Thrones. Travel forces people (happily or otherwise) to confront new possibilities and to see themselves and the places they come from in a new light. One of the most poignant experiences of travel is returning home to appreciate (or not) things you’d barely noticed before. Most of the characters of Cities and Thrones have lived their entire lives in one place. When they venture beyond it, it’s either to flee and survive or to wrangle and bargain with people they barely understand, let alone trust.

Travel changes the characters, and it shows them how the places they’ve come from have changed, too. In that sense, it’s a vital catalyst for the key arcs and developments in Cities and Thrones.

What are some of your places to travel? Let us know in the comments! 

Thanks to Carrie for taking the time out of her busy schedule to write this post for us, and thanks to you for stopping by! 

--Ashley & Paul

BLOG TOUR: Vessel by Lisa T. Cresswell - Guest Post + GIVEAWAY!

We're really happy to be a part of the blog tour for Lisa T. Cresswell's latest book, Vessel, out now from Month9Books, LLC! Lisa is here today to share her book playlist and her dream cast, and we love all of her choices.

There's also a giveaway for you, so be sure to enter via the Rafflecopter form at the end of this post. And don't forget to check out all of the other amazing stops on this tour by clicking the banner above!

About the Book

Title: Vessel
Publication date: May 2015
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Lisa T. Cresswell

Synopsis: The sun exploded on April 18, 2112. It exploded in a Class X solar storm the likes of which humankind had never seen.

They had nineteen minutes.

Nineteen minutes until the geomagnetic wave washed over the Earth, frying every electrical device created by humans, blacking out entire continents, every satellite in their sky.

Nineteen minutes to say goodbye to the world they knew, forever, and to prepare for a new Earth, a new Sun.

Generations after solar storms have destroyed nearly all human technology on Earth and humans have reverted to a middle ages like existence, all knowledge of the remaining technology is kept hidden by a privileged few called the Reticents and books are burned as heresy.

Alana, a disfigured slave girl, and Recks, a traveling minstrel and sometimes-thief, join forces to bring knowledge and books back to the human race. But when Alana is chosen against her will to be the Vessel, the living repository for all human knowledge, she must find the strength to be what the world needs.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks

About the Author

Lisa, like most writers, began scribbling silly notes, stories, and poems at a very young age. Born in
North Carolina, the South proved fertile ground to her imagination with its beautiful white sand beaches and red earth. In fifth grade, she wrote, directed and starred in a play “The Queen of the Nile” at school, despite the fact that she is decidedly un-Egyptian looking. Perhaps that’s why she went on to become a real life archaeologist?

Unexpectedly transplanted to Idaho as a teenager, Lisa learned to love the desert and the wide open skies out West. This is where her interest in cultures, both ancient and living, really took root, and she became a Great Basin archaeologist. However, the itch to write never did leave for long. Her first books became the middle grade fantasy trilogy, The Storyteller Series. Her first traditionally published work, Hush Puppy, is now available from Featherweight Press.

Lisa still lives in Idaho with her family and a menagerie of furry critters that includes way too many llamas!

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Lisa's Vessel Playlist

Because Vessel is a dark, dystopian the playlist is rather on the dark side. If you’ve ever listened to Linkin Park’s album A Thousand Suns, you’ll know what I’m talking about. Two early tracks on the album, The Requiem, and Burning in the Skies, fit the novel perfectly. It’s just the right amount of creepy, eerie oppression. Here’s a sample of lyrics from The Requiem: 

God save us everyone

When we burn inside the fires of a thousand suns

For the sins of our hand

Sins of our tongue

The sins of our fathers

The sins of our young

The song wasn’t the inspiration for the Reticent religion in Vessel, but it hits the mark pretty darn close. In Vessel, the oppressive Reticents convince most common folks that Mother Sun will burn them if they commit any further sins against her.

Burning in the Skies has the same mournful feel and fits the story well.

But Alana’s theme is more hopeful. It’s a piece by Yo-Yo Ma, the famous cellist, and the Silk Road Ensemble called Distant Green Valley.

It’s a beautiful string instrumental piece that evokes Alana’s Asian background and reminds me of her longing to return to her homeland in the novel.  I also love Enchantment by Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble, but it’s terribly short. I guess I just love that Eastern sounding music for this book. Think Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon sound track. :)

The Evanescence song Bring Me to Life evokes the love between Alana and Recks perfectly, as he awakens hopes and passions in her she’s never dared feel before and brings her back to life with his love. 

So there you have it! My Vessel playlist is all over the place! I hope readers let me know what songs they think should be added too.

Lisa's Vessel Dream Cast

I guess I’m kind of unusual, but I don’t really imagine actor’s faces when I write my characters. They come from my imagination, so they don’t always look like anyone I’ve ever seen. 

Alana is about seventeen, of unknown Asian descent, with half her face severely burned. Here in America, we just don’t have that many Asian teen actresses that I’m familiar with. The actresses that do come to mind are too mature for the role. 

I asked my KPop loving daughter to help me out. She recommends BoA Kwan for Alana. She’s a South Korean singer and very lovely. 

Recks is also an Asian teen. He’s attractive and entertaining. South Korean singer/actor Taecyeon really fits the part.

Kinder is kind of a crazy old European man with long, wild hair. I’m sure a longer, grayer- haired Daniel Day Lewis could handle it and do a fabulous job. He always does.

Anders, the villain, I always imagined as very British and rather terrifying. Someone like Bill Nighy

or Christopher Lee.  Yikes!

You should visit my Vessel Pinterest page if you’d like to see my inspiration pics. Enjoy!

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks to Lisa for her great posts, and thanks to you for stopping by! 

--Ashley & Paul

BLOG TOUR: Unseemly Science (Fall of the Gas-Lit Empire #2) by Rod Duncan - Guest Post

Hello! Today, we've got a really great treat for you - Rod Duncan has stopped by to talk about the connections between science and writing as part of the blog tour for his newest book, Unseemly Science, out now from Angry Robot Books. We've been looking forward to this book since last year's The Bullet Catcher's Daughter! Since we both also majored and work in science/engineering fields, we also really enjoyed Rod's post and hope you find it as great as we do.

But before we get to that, how about a little bit about Unseemly Science and Rod?

About the Book

Title: Unseemly Science (The Fall of the Gas-Lit Empire #2)

Author: Rod Duncan

Published by: Angry Robot Books

Publication Date: May 5, 2015
Cover Art: Will Staehle

Synopsis: In the divided land of England, Elizabeth Barnabus has been living a double life - as both herself and as her brother, the private detective. Witnessing the hanging of Alice Carter, the false duchess, Elizabeth resolves to throw the Bullet Catcher’s Handbook into the fire, and forget her past. If only it were that easy!

There is a new charitable organisation in town, run by some highly respectable women. But something doesn’t feel right to Elizabeth. Perhaps it is time for her fictional brother to come out of retirement for one last case…? Her unstoppable curiosity leads her to a dark world of body-snatching, unseemly experimentation, politics and scandal. Never was it harder for a woman in a man’s world… 

Purchase Links:

UK Print & Ebook

Amazon.co.uk | Book Depository | Waterstones | WHSmith

North American Print & Ebook

Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | BarnesandNoble.com | IndieBound.org

Global DRM-Free Epub & Mobi Ebook

Available now from the Robot Trading Company

About the Author

Rod Duncan is a published crime writer. His first novel Backlash was shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey Dagger, and he has since written three other novels (all Simon & Schuster UK), and had his first screenplay produced.

His background is in scientific research and computing, and he lives in Leicester.

You can find Rod online atwww.rodduncan.co.uk and follow him@RodDuncan on Twitter.

Five Shared Qualities of Scientists and Writers 

by Rod Duncan

I’m often asked how I came from a science research background to become a novelist. I could answer with a history of my somewhat chaotic career but none of those jobs really pushed me towards novel writing. Real science is not a collection of factual information. It is a drive and a way of thinking about the world. Viewed in this way, scientists and writers are not so different.

So by way of a tangential answer to the question,  here is my countdown of the most important qualities that writers and scientists share. 

5) Iconoclasm. Or to put it another way, a willingness to throw away the rules and beliefs of the past. If scientists had always swallowed the established truth, we would still believe that the sun and  planets orbit the Earth. Scientific method demands that we carry out experiments designed to try to disprove our hypotheses. The best writers constantly challenge themselves to see the world and their craft with new eyes. 

4) Restlessness. To be content is a great gift. But it is not a state that usually drives people to wrestle with the world and question the nature of the universe. One of Hemmingway’s characters is asked what the best early training might be for a writer. “An unhappy childhood,” is the reply.

3) Imagination. Writers constantly imagine themselves into the minds of fictional characters to see with a different point of view. Scientists also use this quality.  It is said that Einstein developed the Theory of Special Relativity after imagining what it would be like to be someone riding a beam of light. 

2) Intensity of observation. Great writers have the ability to observe the world around them with dizzying intensity and to pick out those telling details that will make their writing come to life. Great scientific theories often begin with a period of intense observation. Examining the beak shapes of finches in the Galapagos Islands helped Darwin to crystallize his theory of evolution. 

1) Insatiable curiosity. In the Venn Diagram of scientist and writer, this is the most important overlap. This is the driving force for both. It is to be in the state of continually asking questions. It is the desire to unlock the secret treasures of reality.