As part of the Sereyna's Song Blog Tour, I am pleased to once again have the fantastic Mysti Parker on my blog. Those who follow my blog may remember that I did a review of Serenya's Song a few months ago (see HERE ). Well today, I have a very special interview with her talking a little about Serenya's Song and how the reaction has been to it so far. Let's not waste any time and get to the interview! There's a little special something at the end of it to!
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Firstly, can I start off by saying what a pleasure it is to have you on my blog once more!
~Nah, the pleasure’s all mine. Thanks for inviting me!
1) So, for those who may not know who you are already, can you tell us a little about yourself?
I’m a wife, mom of three (four if you count my husband), and a writer. Somewhere, long ago and far away, I earned a biology degree, which I draw from now to recreate the natural world of Tallenmere. I live in the beautiful state of Kentucky in the USA, and though I love to travel, I couldn’t imagine calling anywhere else home.
2) The first book in your Tallenmere series was A Ranger’s Tale. Can you explain a little about that book?
A Ranger’s Tale is a coming of age story, even though the heroine is a 100-year-old high-elf. Caliphany Aranea decides she wants more out of life than being forced to follow in her father’s footsteps to lead the Mage Academy. However, the great wizard, Sirius Aranea, already lost one wayward child to death by letting him follow his dreams. He’s not about to let Caliphany wander around on her own, so she isn’t allowed to leave the high-walled elven city of Leogard without an escort. One morning, she decides to explore Leogard Harbor alone and is almost kidnapped. Luckily, a half-elf sailor and ranger by the name of Galadin Trudeaux comes to her aid. Not long after, Caliphany devises a plan: Galadin can train her to defend herself so she can finally set off on her own.
Easier said than done…little does she know that her plan will evolve into a harrowing adventure with more danger, more love, and more heartache than she ever thought possible.
3) Without giving away too many spoilers, what can readers expect from Serenya’s Song?
This story follows the life of Jayden Ravenwing, a prominent male character from A Ranger’s Tale. He’s a wood-elf and the lead scout of the Leogard Intelligence Organization, but after his marriage ends, he leaves Leogard to start over again in a small town called Summerwind. That’s where he meets the enchanting half-elf, Serenya Barnaby-Crowe. She’s his perfect match in every way.
For anyone who’s read ART, they’ll be rooting for Jayden to have a chance at a happy ending in this one. Unfortunately, Serenya’s Song is longer, darker, and the stakes are even higher. Though it’s obvious Serenya and Jayden are made for each other, a few things stand in the way. She’s married already, to the cruel and manipulative Sebastian Crowe, Earl of Summerwind. Oh, and one other little thing…she just might be the trigger for an apocalypse. No one ever said love was easy.
4) How long did it take you to write this one?
A little over a year, from start to finish. I’d like to thank my critique partners who stuck it out through each draft and encouraged me when I hit a slump. Without them, this book wouldn’t have gotten off the ground.
5) How do you feel about the reaction to Serenya’s Song so far?
Reactions have been extremely positive so far, with higher praise than I ever could have imagined. I mean, you get a book out there, and you never know how people will react to it. You’ve been so close to the thing for so long, it starts to get as monotonous as a series of re-runs. It was like a roller-coaster ride, with me loving and then hating things about it, but the reviews have validated my hard work.
6) Do you prefer Sereyna’s Song to A Ranger’s Tale?
That’s a hard question. I love different things about both of them. Like headstrong Caliphany in ART, who was a bad-ass fire mage and ranger, but had to grow up and accept responsibility for her actions along the way. But I like Serenya too, in that she starts out rather weak and intimidated, then grows stronger and more capable as the story progresses.
I loved both my heroes—Galadin, tough ex-pirate and ranger who wants so badly to right his past wrongs; and Jayden, a meticulous secret agent with a broken heart and a few tricks up his sleeve.
I must confess that I’m proud of Sebastian’s character in Serenya’s Song. I credit the book-turned-movie, Water For Elephants, for his development. In early drafts, he was mostly a big, mean brute. After I saw that film and Cristoph Waltz’s portrayal of the manipulative, cruel, and sometimes desperate August, I knew exactly how Sebastian needed to evolve.
7) Where do you go from here?
From Serenya’s Song, another male character, Sir Robert (Igrorio) Everlyn, a high-elf paladin who helped Jayden and Serenya in the fight to save Summerwind, sails off for a routine crusade. But, fate catches up with him…
Here’s the blurb for Book Three, Hearts in Exile, which I’m hoping will be out in the spring of 2013.
Somewhere, hidden in the waters of the Southern Sea, lays an island unlike any other. Within the amber glow of its pyrogem-laden cliffs, legend says the very heart of the dragon god Drae keeps the island, and its occupants, alive.
Loralee Munroviel, daughter of Leogard's High Priestess Arianne, had no idea what she would face when she arrived by boat ten years ago and was left alone for an indefinite exile. All she knew about Draekoria's inhabitants was written in one tattered notebook. Now, her life revolves around keeping Drae's descendants happy. Never in her life did she imagine being a dragon keeper.
Captain Igrorio Everlyn, known as Sir Robert to his unit of Holy Paladins, has faced his share of hell, battling the evils of Emperor Sarvonn's tyranny and the dark god, Tyr's abominations. But none of that compares to the ten years of hell he's been without Loralee, presumed dead, struck down by a minor version of the Great Plague that took his mother and countless others years ago.
One freak storm changes everything. Now the two of them must fight to reestablish the delicate balance of the island before the dragons take things into their own hands. Through it all, they discover the secrets that kept them, and their hearts, exiled for a decade.
8) What would you say is the best advice you can give to anyone who wants to be a writer?
Writers write, and they read. You have to do a lot of both to become better at it. Discouragement is an easy trap to fall into, yet you have to have patience, and a LOT of it. Like any other art, writing takes practice. The more you do it, the better you’ll get. And don’t write in a vacuum. While I don’t think a literature degree or MFA is necessary, you should at least find some fellow writers online or in person and give each other feedback. You’ll learn a lot from each other, I guarantee!
Mysti, thank you very much for your time today!
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But wait! We're not done yet! As a special treat, Mysti has very kindly donated THREE ebook copies (in any format) of her book as part of a competition. So for those who haven't got a copy yet, this is your chance.
All you have to do to be in with a chance to win is this very simple task - just leave a comment below! Up to three winners will be randomly selected after the tour ends in 22nd July and will be chosen at random. So best get your comments in quickly! Only ONE comment per person - say whatever you like, but just keep it clean!
Thanks to Mysti for visiting my little blog once more and I'd like to leave you with a special message from the hosts of this blog tour, Page Turner Book Tours, who also have a special compertion they'd like to tell you about!
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Page Turner Book Tours are hosting an exclusive competition where you can win one of two stunning handmade bracelets that have been created with aspects of Serenya's Song in mind. To find out more about the competition and to enter please click HERE .
(To see this in Rafflecopter visit: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/YzIxMjZkNjdjMTM3NDJjY2VlZGY1YWE2OTBmOGMzOjk=/)
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About Page Turner Book Tours:
Page Turner Book Tours is fronted by the face behind Read2Review Kate. Page Turner Book Tours has been put together to help promote authors and give something back to the writing world. Kate has put together a team of incredibly talented people to help with the project by incorporating their individual skills into making new, fresh and exciting promotional plans that we hope you agree are amazing. If you would like to book a tour with Page Turner Book Tours please check out their tour packages . If you would like to become a tour host with Page Turner Book Tours please check out their Tour Host page. You wont be disappointed!
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Regards
Pandragon
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