Devorah Fox's Blog, page 48
February 5, 2013
Blog tour goodies
Author Alesha Escobar is running a little contest. Enter for a chance to win an Amazon gift card, an iTunes gift card, or books 1&2 of The Gray Tower Trilogy.
My sweepstakes is also still running. Click on the link and enter for a chance to win an amazon.com gift card.
And author Samantha LaFantasie was the featured guest on Reader Radio, blog talk radio, last night. Click on the link to hear the interview. Like going to a book chat without leaving the comfort of your home.
February 4, 2013
Name Your Dragon
The authors of the Addicted to Heroines Blog Tour are conducting contests and sweepstakes.“Name Your Dragon” is one way to enter the The Lost King sweepstakes. Follow the link for all the instructions and chances to enter the Name Your Dragon sweepstakes. It’s free to enter this sweepstakes which is void where prohibited.
As always, comments to this blog are subject to review by the administrator and once published are public. There are other ways to enter The Lost King Name Your Dragon sweepstakes besides leaving a blog comment. Follow the link for details and terms and conditions.
Then follow these links to enter other events on the Tour:
Addicted to Heroines Blog Tour Giveaway http://bit.ly/WIShCX
Samantha LaFantasie’s Favorite Heroine contest https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.589129871101430.147157.196389220375499&type=1&comment_id=7425395¬if_t=photo_album_comment
What is a fantasy?
Hope you’ve been enjoying the Addicted to Heroines Blog Tour. You’ve had a chance to interview the heroines of our novels and ponder what it would be like to be in their shoes—or boots or magic slippers, as the case may be.Today you’re invited to participate in a discussion of just what is a fantasy novel, anyway?
And don’t forget to enter the sweepstakes for a chance to win an amazon.com gift certificate. (You can use it to buy a copy of The Lost King for yourself or, if you’ve already read it, for a friend!)
February 3, 2013
If I Were the Lead in a Fantasy Novel…
Here’s your chance to join the ranks of legendary fantasy novel heroines. Think of some of the audacious, brave, sword-wielding women with brains, beauty and humor you’ve met between the covers of books you’ve read. Maybe you’ve been enchanted by Liliha of Still Rock Water, Ana of Reaper’s Novice, Relena of Heart Song or Isabella of The Tower’s Alchemist not to mention Empress Alexandra of The Lost King. Or maybe your favorite fantasy heroine is the likes of Hermoine Granger, Lyra Belacqua, Morgan le Fay or Claire Randall. What if you could be in their world?
I, of course, would be younger, more energetic, athletic and quick-witted. It would be awesome to be able to dispatch the day’s challenges with an encantation or a well-placed swish of a magic wand. Can’t squeeze into my skinny jeans? Whoosh, I’ve dropped a size! Got a backorder to fill? Whoosh, the warehouse is full and books are on their way to customers! Dead battery or flat tire? Who needs a car? Whoosh, I’m where I need to be. Need Sago, the old cat, and Shumba, the new kitten, to stop hissing and spitting? Whoosh, peace on earth, they are best of friends.
Oh, of course I wouldn’t squander my magic or my swordsmanship on silly things like scything my junk mail to confetti with a broadsword, although wouldn’t that be fun? Once I got my life under control I would look for ways to use my special gifts to make the world a better place. I think I’d like to share my powers. So many people languish and suffer abuse because they feel powerless to change the situation or themselves. I’d endow the beleaguered with just enough courage and confidence to take that first step toward changing their lot.
So, tell me, what would it be like for you if you stepped out of your everyday routine into a fantasy universe? What would you most want to do that you can’t do right now? Share by leaving a comment.
Want more inspiration? Follow the link to other answers to “If I Were the Lead in a Fantasy Novel…”
February 1, 2013
Empress Alexandra holds court
Welcome to the first of 1o days on the Addicted to Heroines Blog Tour. Today we feature an interview with Alexandra, Empress of Sea Gate Fortress and heroine of The Lost King, a novel of fantasy, intrigue, survival, self-discovery, romance and the spirit of investigation and invention that lends strength and inspiration.
Hear ye, hear ye. Empress Alexandra is now ready to hear questions and concerns from her loyal subjects.
Barbara asks: Who is your father and did he relinguish the throne to you?
Alexandra replies: As it happens, my father was not royal born, nor did he have great lands and riches to pass on to his children. What he did bequeath to his children was more on the order of spiritual riches. He passed along talents, values and a high self-esteem. That enabled me and my sister to create our own kingdoms.
Dee Dee asks: How many people does it take to run a kingdom?
Alexandra replies: It takes hundreds, even thousands of people. Food has to be grown, harvested and milled; animals raised and butchered; clothing, furniture and tools crafted; structures built, maintained and staffed. Our defenders must be trained and supplied. The people have to be taught a skill, entertained, treated when they are ill. It’s all the challenges of having a family, running a household. A very large household.
Barbara asks: How did you learn to fight?
Alexandra replies: I must say that learning to fight was not high on the list of skills deemed necessary for a young girl to perfect. However, I’ve been interested in it for as long as I remember. As a child I jousted with shadows and imaginary opponents. I mimicked the great fighters that I saw at tournaments and picked up tips and tricks from them. As an adult I took formal training from several masters and I practiced. A lot!
Barbara asks: Have you been married? Do you have children?
Alexandra replies: I was married for many years. The Emperor was an awesome man. Together we laid the foundation for the empire that Sea Gate is today. Sadly, we never did have children. Thus, when he died, I inherited the empire.
DeeDee asks: You developed quite an affection for King Bewilliam. Was he not husband material? What could you have done to keep him in your empire?
Alexandra replies: I thought he was, but in his heart of hearts, I don’t think he felt worthy. Of course I could have commanded him to stay. I could have kept him captive, forbade him to leave. I could have bribed him with gifts of land and wealth. But I wanted him to stay with me because it was what he wanted, not because he was compelled.
Barbara asks: Have you traveled?
Alexandra replies: I have visited other lands and other kingdoms, met other rulers. It’s always worthwhile because I get inspired for ways to improve Sea Gate. But I’m always happiest at home.
DeeDee asks: Will your serfs ever be free?
Alexandra replies: Some are already free tenants who pay rent for their land and villeins who provide labor for the empire on a seasonal basis. I suppose from a certain perspective, serfdom looks like a form of slavery, since the serfs are required to work the empire’s land such as the roads and forests, as well as their own plot. However, in return we do offer them legal and military protection. We certainly do not overwork anyone. What would be the point of that?
Barbara asks: Do you like being a monarch? Are neighboring kingdoms friendly, or are you in a state of war?
Alexandra replies: Most of the time I do like being the Empress. I have the ultimate responsibility for the smooth operation of so much and the welfare of so many, and sometimes it’s a heavy burden. There’s never a time when I’m free from it. However, the Emperor and I built it together and it’s as much mine as it was his. When he died I didn’t think for a single minute of abdicating. I will say having the Emperor to share the load made it easier and more enjoyable.
As for the neighboring kingdoms, well, I would be ingenuous if I thought that the other rulers didn’t covet Sea Gate. After the Emperor died, one ruler did make an offer to take over the Empire. I believe he thought I was an easy mark, that I was vulnerable and not interested in or able to run it myself. However, I turned him down and since then I have pretty much been left to myself.
Do you have questions that you would like to put to Empress Alexandra? Simply enter them in the comment window below. Then get acquainted with other equally memorable heroines:
Isabella George, The Tower’s Alchemist
January 31, 2013
Addicted to Heroines Blog Tour starts tomorrow
Friday, Feb. 1, 2013 is Day One of our 10-day blog tour.Meanwhile you can get a glimpse of what’s to come at Luis Escobar’s blog. Mr. Escobar is an storyboard artist for The Simpsons TV show. At the end of his blog post today, Thurs., Jan. 31, about developing a unique drawing style, he sends a shout-out about the upcoming tour. Thanks, Luis.
Be sure to check in with the tour every day to get in on contests, giveaways, discussions, interviews and more. Find us here where tomorrow, Empress Alexandra of The Lost King will give a guest interview.
You can also find usat www.heroinestour.blogspot.com and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/heroinestour
January 26, 2013
Hear ye, hear ye…
The Addicted to Heroines Blog Tour officially gets underway on Feb. 1. To celebrate, Alexandra, Empress of Sea Gate Fortress and heroine of The Lost King will be holding court that day. She’ll take questions from loyal subjects and those new to her realm.To ask a question, post a comment or send me an email at devorahfox@aol.com. Then return here on Feb. 1 to see the answer.
January 24, 2013
Get ready to win
The authors of the Addicted to Heroines Blog tour are giving away a chance to win— one, or more! in some cases—books. To enter the giveaway, visit : http://bit.ly/WIShCX. I’m one of the authors and there are two chances to win a copy of The Lost King ebook.The giveaway is a great way to win a book by your favorite author on the Addicted to Heroines blog tour, or to discover a new favorite. Entry and participation in the giveaway are free.
And keep watching this space for news about a fun contest to enter. You can also keep up with the Blog Tour on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/heroinestour or on Twitter. Just search for the hashtag #addictedtour.
January 21, 2013
The Next Big Thing
I’ve been tagged by Jaq D Hawkins and Hannah Andronic whom I met through goodreads.com. Ms. Hawkins is a fantasy writer, author of Dance of the Goblins and Demoniac Dance and has a third goblin book in progress. Checkout her Goblins and Steampunk blog at http://indiewritenet.com/jaqdhawkins/ for more about her books. A book reviewer and writer, Hannah’s work-in-progress is Finding You, part one of the Sith Souls Trilogy . Visit her blog for more information about the forthcoming book and to read a heap of book reviews.They invited me to answer some questions about “The Next Big Thing,” in other words, my latest work in progress.
What is the working title of your book?
It’s called The King’s Ransom.
Where did the idea come from for the book?
It’s a sequel to The Lost King which I started in 2010 and finished in 2011. That came out in paperback and as an ebook in December, 2011. Fans have been wanting more and indeed, The Lost King has more lessons to learn and more trials to undergo.
What genre does your book fall under?
Like The Lost King it’s a literary fantasy. I’ve seen literary fantasy defined as “works that will stick with you long past the first time you read them. A lot of that has to do with the characters, who are unique, interesting, convincing. They are complex, and this allows the plot to develop in a more complex, yet intuitive way. The themes of the books and their development are compelling, and could be called uplifting, seeming to carry meaning beyond the story itself.” (bestfantasybooks.com) That describes The Lost King to a “T.”
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Sean Astin could play King Bewilliam. Astin’s been playing a much younger man in The Lord of the Rings but I saw him on a Law and Order episode some years ago where he played more to his own age, early 40s, which is the King’s age as I imagine it. As for the Empress, if I could roll back time I’d pick a younger Karen Allen or Margot Kidder for their ability to portray strong, independent but nonetheless charming women.
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Stripped of his power, land, and riches, the former King Bewilliam, now just Robin, braves deadly beasts and duplicitous men to reestablish his kingdom.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
Self-published, unless some savvy agency recognizes the potential.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
I’m still working on it but I wrote 50,000 words of it during the month of November, 2012, as my National Novel Writing Month writing marathon project.
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Hard to say since I’m still writing it, and it’s already gone off in an unexpected direction. I’d love to hear from readers about what fantasy book is comparable to The Lost King.
Who or What inspired you to write this book?
Although the story is set in the Middle Ages, it was actually inspired by the plight of contemporary people who have been ”pink-slipped” right out of their lives.
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
I continued to be surprised and delighted by the facets of The Lost King that captivate people. Some fell in love with the hero’s cat. One reader was fascinated by the details about sword-making and another was so enthralled with the story that he couldn’t wait for me to write a sequel so he wrote his own. Others wondered what happened to the Empress. Her fans can learn more about her, and meet other engaging fictional heroines on the Addicted to Heroines Blog Tour, Feb. 1 through 10.
I’ll be interested to see what elements of The King’s Ransom captures readers’ imaginations.
Now, I get to tag other authors so that you can learn more about them. May I introduce you to:
Michael Stephen Daigle, http://www.michaelstephendaigle.com/
Alesha Escobar, http://www.aleshaescobar.com
Cecelia Robert, http://cecereadandwrite.blogspot.com
Francene Stanley, http://francene-wordstitcher.blogspot.com/
Samantha LaFantasie, http://samanthalafantasie.com/
January 18, 2013
Meet the author
Allow me to introduce the fifth member of our Addicted to Heroines Blog Tour: Cecelia Robert.Cecelia’s the author of Truly, Madly, Deeply, You and the newly released Reaper’s Novice, a young adult urban fantasy. Originally from Kenya, Cecelia now lives in Austria. She just introduced me to a useful acronym: HEA.
Meanwhile, I’ve been researching book giveaways. Yes, we’ll be giving away books on our tour. Who would have thought that giving a book away could get this complicated? Obviously, not I!
