Eva Vanrell's Blog, page 4

Fringe Fiction GR Group: Where Indie Spirits Find Good Reads and Good Neighbours

evavanrell:

Hi all! This is an interview given by Courtney Wells, founder of Fringe Fiction, my favorite group on Goodreads. If you’re a Goodreads member, come on by and say hello, or check out Courtney’s blog, Libra Obscura, for her indie book recommendations!

PS – Sorry for the radio silence of late. A lot going on. I’ll be posting an update soon. Cheers!

Originally posted on Artsy Fartsy Copyediting:

It’s never been easier to be a self-published author.

At the same time, indie authors have to tread an extremely tough road to hawk their wares in an overstuffed market.

It’s a bit like looking down the rabbit hole.

Sad fact? Blatant reality you have no hope of overcoming?

Perhaps, but wherever there is despair, people will always find a way to fill the vacuum.

Goodreads (GR), for example, is a great place for authors to hang out with readers, promote their books and develop a community.

Of course, it’s also a place where you can quickly become lost in all the choice and discussion.

How do you separate the wheat from the chaff? And how do you get people to notice your novel amidst all the convos and topic threads?

For starters, you need to find a group you honestly like and make relationships with real people. One such GR group I’m a…

View original 1,155 more words

Happy news

Hello all! Just a quick status to share some fantastic news. I received word late last night that The Butterfly Crest has been selected as a finalist in the Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Contest! It made the cut in three categories (Fiction – Fantasy, Fiction – Paranormal, and Fiction – Supernatural), so please keep your fingers crossed for me and the little beasties!!

Oh, and if you happened to miss yesterday’s interview of the immodest Mr. Muse, you can take a quick look here.

Meet My Character Blog Tour

“Poppies” by Katsushika Hokusai.

Hello, and thanks again for tuning in! As I’d mentioned in my last post, I’ve been invited to participate in the Meet My Character Blog Tour. For this particular tour, authors interview a main character from a recently published or soon to be published work, and then tag other authors to keep up the chain of interviews the following week. It’s the perfect opportunity for readers to learn about these characters outside of the constraints of their stories, and for authors to promote not only their work but the characters that made their work possible.

Before we begin, I’d like to thank the authors who invited me to participate in this tour:

Lily Author writes mysteries and thrillers, and is the author of Eden Fell, a dark and modern fairytale that chronicles Eden’s life as she falls from grace. She is also a moderator of the Goodreads group Fringe Fiction. You can read Lily’s contribution to the Meet My Character Blog Tour here.

Sarah Roberts is the author of Rokula, a Contemporary Fantasy novel about monsters, magic, arena fighting, conspiracies, jealousy, betrayal, love, destiny, and madness. Rokula is the first installment of The Rokula Saga. For more information, check out The Rokula Saga website here. Like Rokula on Facebook. You can read Sarah’s contribution to the Meet My Character Blog Tour here.

Ryan Gladney is the author of Nine Lives of Adam Blake, a contemporary novel set in Minnesota that combines elements of speculative fiction, urban fantasy, philosophical fiction, coming-of-age, and literary fiction. You can read Ryan’s contribution to the Meet My Character Blog Tour here.

In a few seconds, you’ll be meeting the lead characters of my debut novel, The Butterfly Crest. When I was considering how to set this up, I decided it would be best to let the characters speak for themselves.  As a result, you’ll be reading an interview scene that exists somewhere outside the timeline of the novel.

And with that, onto our scene…

Meet My Characters – Interview Scene

Relief washed over Elena as she stepped out of the blistering summer heat and into the cool, air-conditioned atrium of a restaurant. Looking down at her watch, she was thrilled to see she was only five minutes late.

The moment the door closed behind her, the sounds of the street outside fell away and were quickly replaced by the clamor of patrons enjoying their lunch. There was always something frantic about the energy inside a New Orleans restaurant; a joie de vivre, as Cataline would say. It was impossible not to be swept up by it, and Elena couldn’t help but stop and take a moment to enjoy it.

Her moment, however, was cut short by the sound of an unfriendly, yet familiar voice.

“Ah, Ms. Vicens, you’re finally here. He’s been waiting,” the host called out to Elena in a brisk tone, raising his hand to wave her over from the entrance. “Come along,” he added, looking her over disapprovingly, before turning on his heel to lead the way.

Elena stared at the man’s back for a few seconds and then fell into step behind him, following along the familiar corridor to the private dining room reserved for the Callas family. Thankfully, the short walk was a quiet one this time, and the host didn’t linger once he showed Elena into the room; his attempt to walk her to their table had been met by a violent stare from the room’s only occupant.

Tall and slender, with pale blonde hair and ice-blue eyes, the man was dressed in an impeccably tailored suit, his hair worn short and perfectly groomed. He appeared to be in his late twenties but was much older than that, and his fair skin was so pale it reminded Elena of snow. Since the day they’d met, this was exactly how he always looked, except for the few times Elena had seen him lose his composure—and those moments were few and far between.

“Tell me you didn’t walk here,” he said to Elena as he met her in the center of the room and led her back to their table. After helping her into her chair, he took his seat across from her and waited patiently for her response, the hint of a smirk ghosting his lips.

“I did. It’s a beautiful day out.” Elena set down the piece of paper she’d been holding and reached for the glass of water on her side of the table; the walk had left her parched.

“You should have used the little trick I showed you,” he teased and followed her movements with quiet interest, his attention finally settling on the piece of paper she’d put down. “What’s that?”

“The reason I asked you to meet me,” Elena replied with a smile, “and you know I don’t like using that little trick of yours when I don’t have to; makes me super dizzy.”

“Give it time, Ele. You’ll get used to it,” he assured her, and with his eyes fixed on hers reached toward the piece of paper on the table and tapped his finger over what looked like the signature line of an email. “So what’s going on with our favorite little author? Here I was, hoping you were trying to wine and dine me.”

“Oh, I am. Just not for the reasons you want me to.”

Elena would have said more, but they were interrupted by a waiter who came to take their drink order. He seemed overly nervous, his hands shaking as he took their order and then quickly made his way out of the room once finished.

“Do you always have that effect on people?” Elena asked, watching as her companion read over the email which he’d snatched up from the table while the waiter had been doing his job.

“Depends, and don’t pretend not to know why. You should add that question to Eva’s interview. I bet she’d love that.”

“You realize this is probably why she’s asked me do the interview, right?” Elena said with a shrug, ecstatic when the nervous waiter returned with their drinks; a little alcohol would go a long way right about now, assuming the waiter didn’t drop his tray on account of his nerves.

“I have to say I’m a little offended she didn’t interview me herself.”

“Oh hush, you brought that onto yourself; you’re too demanding with her. Now hand me that email so we can get this over with.”

“I’m not demanding, Elena. I just happen to know she works best under pressure.” With a satisfied smile, he handed the paper off and reached for his glass of bourbon before settling back into his chair. “Where exactly is she posting this anyway?”

“I have no idea. Now, enough sidetracking. I’m never going to get back to the office at this rate, and your mother is going to kill me.”

“Did you sneak out?” he asked, amusement coloring his eyes. He leaned forward and watched her intently, resting his chin on his hand.

Elena fought the urge to throw a piece of bread at him. Ignoring his remark, she decided to jump right into the first question of the interview. “What’s your name? Are you a fictional or a historic person?”

“That’s a loaded question, isn’t it? I go by several names, and my nature would depend on your definition of fictional or historic.” Reaching for the glass of bourbon, he brought it to his lips and took a deep drink before continuing. “My name is Eiry Callas. To keep this simple, let’s just say I’m a fictional character.”

“Ok, that works. Now onto the next question,” Elena continued. “When and where is your story set?”

“Remind me again when we met.”

“Are you serious?”

“Ele, the years blend, so cut me some slack.”

“I figured you’d have a photographic memory or something.”

“That wouldn’t really help unless I’d seen the year, right?” Eiry offered Elena a warm smile—his version of a peace offering—and then stood from his chair. He reached into his pants pocket and retrieved a vintage cigarette case. Placing it on the table, he resumed his seat and began to search for the lighter in his blazer.

Elena watched him quietly, enjoying the way he went about things. His pace was never hurried, and his manner was always graceful and controlled. When he found his lighter, Eiry removed a cigarette from its case and then settled back into his chair.

“The story told in the book takes place in the spring of 2010, if memory serves me right,” he said, answering the last question. “It starts off here, in New Orleans, and then takes the reader to Kyoto, the underworld and beyond. Would you like one?”

For a minute Elena didn’t know what he was talking about, then saw him push the cigarette case toward her on the table. She shook her head and reached for her glass of wine instead. Looking over the email, she moved on to the next question. “What should we know about you?”

“I like pocket squares. I don’t like nicknames.”

“I think you’re leaving a few things out.”

Eiry lit his cigarette before answering. “A man should be entitled to a few secrets.”

“Fair enough. What’s the main conflict in the story? What messes up your life?”

“How long is this article going to be?” He lifted his gaze and watched her quietly, weighing his words. It felt like an eternity passed in perfect silence. The nervous waiter came in to refill their drinks and ask if they were ready to place their order. Eiry waved him off. He took another deep drink, and when he finally spoke his voice was thick and heavier than before. “The story is about a prophesied heir, a human descendant of the House of Thebes who will turn the tide in an ancient war between gods. For thousands of years, these heirs have been killed and the house was thought to be extinct, until we found you.”

Elena couldn’t keep his gaze. She ran a hand through her hair and looked down at the table. The second her eyes fell on the cigarette case, she reconsidered his offer. She downed what was left of her wine and reached for the case. It would be better to move on with the next question. “What’s your personal… goal?” Shit. She should have read the question first, before asking. It was like pouring salt on the wound. “Never mind, no need to answer that one.”

Eiry stilled and his features smoothed. “That’s probably for the best. I’m beginning to think Eva made all this up to torture me.”

“I doubt it,” Elena assured him. “There’s an email chain here with the questions. She added a few of her own, though.”

Eiry narrowed his eyes. “What’s a few?”

“Five or six; nothing major.”

“Fine,” he said grudgingly. “Let’s get this over with so that I can start plotting my revenge.”

“Where were you born?”

“In the deep south, in a small city that borders a river.”

“When’s your birthday?”

“December 21st.”

“What’s your favorite food?”

“Beignets.”

“What’s your favorite book?”

“It’s a play. ‘Antigone’ by Sophocles.”

“What’s your favorite movie?”

“Finding Nemo.”

“Really?”

“Next question.”

“What’s your favorite T.V. show?”

“I don’t watch T.V.”

“That’s a lie and you know it.”

“I’m not lying, Elena. You watch T.V. and I have no choice but to watch it with you.”

“Come on, let me tell them.”

“No, now move it along.”

“Fine. Have you answered the last six questions truthfully?”

“The world may never know.”

And there you have it, folks—an afternoon lunch with Elena and Eiry. The scene turned out a little longer than I anticipated, but I hope you enjoyed it. Without further ado, here are the four authors I’m tagging for next week. Meet their characters next Monday, July 21st!

Lisa Jones is the author of The Prophecy, a fantasy novel and retelling of the Arthurian legends. It is the first book in a trilogy. Lisa’s second book, entitled Redemption, will be available later this year.

Ben Starling is an Oxford grad who is passionate about marine conservation and boxing, both of which are central themes in his upcoming novel. He is currently Writer in Residence for Mirthquake Ltd., a production company that advocates for ocean health and welfare.

Patrick Wong writes Young Adult fiction with a paranormal twist. His debut novel, Balancer is about a teenager who has the power to balance Life. You can find Balancer on Amazon here.

Selah Tay-Song is the author of Dream of a Vast Blue Cavern, an epic fantasy novel that tells the story of Princess Stasia of Iskalon, who, in the aftermath of war, must keep the remnants of her kingdom intact, and her only hope is a prophetic Dream that may lead her to a new home for her people.

This week’s image is “Poppies” by Katsushika Hokusai, a Japanese ukiyo-e painter and printmaker of the Edo period, who is best known as author of The Great Wave off Kanagawa.

The Writing Process Blog Tour

“Bullfinch on Flowering Plum” by Ohara Koson

Hi all! Patrick Wong, author of Balancer, invited me to participate in The Writing Process Blog Tour.  For those unfamiliar with a blog tour, they are chained posts where authors answer a few questions and then tag other authors to keep up the chain the next week. For those unfamiliar with Patrick, he writes Young Adult fiction with a paranormal twist.  His debut novel, Balancer is about a teenager who has the power to balance Life. You can find Balancer on Amazon here.

And with that… here we go.

What am I working on?

I’m currently working on the follow-up to The Butterfly Crest. This will be the second book in The Protogenoi Series. It has a title already, but I’m going to wait a little while longer before revealing it (just in case). I’m three chapters into Book Two (as we’ll affectionately call it for now), and I’m waking up early in the mornings to get a few hours of writing in before I have to go into the office.

How does my work differ from others in its genre?

The Butterfly Crest is an epic fantasy set in modern times. Its storyline is heavy on mythology; different world mythologies in particular. What sets it apart from other works in the fantasy genre is its treatment of those mythologies. The story follows Elena, a human woman who suddenly finds herself in the middle of a Greek myth, in a world where human belief can create or alter the divine. It is a world where all faiths (past and present) are real, and their mythologies are weaved into one mythos.

My plan (and I sometimes deviate from plans, so please don’t hold me to this later) is to include at least three major mythologies in each book. In The Butterfly Crest, you meet the yōkai of Japanese myth, post-modern Greek deities, and the Tuatha Dé Danann. The appearance of yōkai in American fiction is pretty sparse, so including them as a major part of the story was one of the most enjoyable aspects of writing the book.

Why do I write what I do?

My characters compel me to.

How does my writing process work?

This one is a loaded question for the obvious reasons, but also because my writing process has changed from Book One to Book Two. I wrote The Butterfly Crest while I was on hiatus from my legal career. After doing the initial research and preparing a pretty detailed outline, I started to write. I would wake up every morning, dress comfortably, prepare my writing nook and make myself a pot of tea. I would then write for at least 8 hours. If I was having trouble, if Mr. Muse abandoned me, I would sit and stare at the screen until it came. I did this every day of the week. I took the weekends off in the beginning, but towards the end the writing started bleeding into my weekends.

Writing Book Two has been completely different. I’m juggling writing with managing my own law practice, so I can’t dedicate 8 hours a day, 5+ days a week to writing. Now, I wake up every morning at 5 a.m. and write until 7:30 a.m. I have an outline, but not nearly as detailed as the one I had for Book One. The process is much looser this time around, since all the groundwork has already been laid, but the allotted time slots bring their own brand of problems (you can read about my disgruntled writing elves here). Being “in the mood” to write wasn’t an issue before because I had the luxury of time, but now, if Mr. Muse acts up and his mood lasts more than two and a half hours, there goes my writing for the day. Stopping mid-scene (because of the allotted time) has taken some getting used to. The process is slow going, but I’m having a ball with it (when the writing elves are happy).

And with that, I’m passing the torch to author Ben Starling, an Oxford grad who is passionate about marine conservation and boxing, both of which are central themes in his upcoming novel. He is currently Writer in Residence for Mirthquake Ltd., a production company that advocates for ocean health and welfare. Check out Ben’s blog next Monday, July 7th!

Happy Reading!

This week’s image is “Bullfinch on Flowering Plum” by Ohara Koson. Ohara was a Japanese painter and printmaker of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and part of the shin-hanga (“new prints”) movement.

On the reality of fictional characters

Beauties Under an Umbrella by Utamaro Kitagawa.

Sometime last week, somewhere in the middle of My Adventures Post-Publishing, I read a blog post by Tracy Cembor that’s stuck with me ever since. In her post, Geek Week: How Real Is Fiction?, Tracy asks: Do fictional characters really exist?

In Tracy’s own words: “If readers know who characters are, what attributes and desires they have, and feel the emotions from their experiences, then how can we say in the way that our mind perceives things, that they aren’t just a little bit ‘real’?”

Tracy’s post stuck with me for two reasons: (1) my past experiences with literary characters (those created by other authors, as well as my own), and (2) it reminded me of something my Philosophy 101 professor said 16 years ago that would ultimately be the catalyst for my own creations.

Now, I’m going to paraphrase here, but my professor’s sentiment was something like this:

The question ‘Does God really exist?’ is misguided. The fact that people believe in something, live their lives in accordance with it, makes that *something* real. 

That sentiment stuck with me. It hovered in the back of my mind as I finished college and went on through my professional education. It gave birth to a premise that would ultimately become the foundation of my fictional writing. In Elena’s world, human belief alters the divine; what begins as abstract can have very physical manifestations.

I think the same can be said about characters. They may not be corporeal, may not exist in the physical sense, but their influence can be substantial. All I have to do is point to Atticus Finch to demonstrate just how powerful an influence a literary character can have. He is literally the epitome of a good lawyer. He is the standard to hold yourself to, and yet he does not physically exist. His influence is so strong that when I took the bar exam in 2004, you were not allowed to use his name as your chosen exam name (I’m presuming the reason was because that many people would choose it).

Tracy is spot on when she says: “The characters in our favorite stories are not two-dimensional paper cutouts; they are fully formed personas with hopes and dreams, wants and desires, strengths and weaknesses… When circumstances (and authors) conspire against them and the you-know-what hits the fan, readers worry for their safety. And when they experience the loss of friends and family, we are grieving right there beside them.”

I was working as a prosecutor when Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince was released. Several of my co-workers and I were reading it at the same time. One morning, everyone arrived at work with red swollen eyes and dressed in black. Without a word, we knew; we had all finished the book and were grieving for Harry’s loss. I have no problem admitting I was also grieving for my own loss.

So, do fictional characters really exist?

To me, 100%. I hold many of them in close esteem. Atticus Finch influenced my choice in career. Jane Eyre my view of passion and independence. Elizabeth Bennet my appreciation for integrity and wit. Simon from Lord of The Flies the importance of being comfortable in your own skin. Those characters might not exist in the physical sense, but their influence can be quantified and seen. They teach us lessons we might not otherwise learn, and inspire us the way historical figures might.

As for my own characters, the more I write about them the clearer they become. I know them as well as I know myself; can verbalize, in Tracy’s words, their “hopes and dreams, wants and desires, strengths and weaknesses”. A thought popped into my head last night while I was going to sleep. I saw the book sitting on my nightstand (Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations), and wondered what books, if any, my characters would have on their own nightstands. The answers came so fast that all I could do was laugh about it:

Elena: a vintage copy of Pride and Prejudice .
Mr. Muse: Sophocles’s Theban Plays (his favorite is Antigone).
Cataline: Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray.
Gavin: Machiavelli’s  The Prince .
Galen: Sun Tzu’s The Art of War.
Evius: Thomas Mann’s  Death in Venice .
Livia: Ovid’s Metamorphoses (as old a copy as money can buy).

One glance at any of my Pinterest boards and you’ll be able to get a clear image of their personalities; their likes and dislikes in ways I can’t expound on in my books. The more I explore those personalities, the more excited I get about sharing their stories with you.

I’ll be exploring those personalities further on July 14th, when I participate in a Meet My Character Blog Tour and answer questions as one of my characters. On June 30th, I’ll also be participating in a Blog Hop, which are chained posts where authors answer questions; this particular one is about our writing process. So please stay tuned!

Last but not least, this week’s image is “Beauties Under an Umbrella“ by Utamaro Kitagawa. Utamaro was an Edo period ukiyo-e artist, famous for his portraits of female beauties known as bijin-ga. I love the richness in color and detail of this particular piece.

The Butterfly Crest – A Book Review

Originally posted on Mama Bear Musings:

The Butterfly Crest (The Protogenoi Series Book 1)

by Eva Vanrell

AMAZON SUMMARY

Between the shadows of the human world, a war as old as time is being fought. Ageless pantheons scheme to obtain or keep control, provoked by the weight of human belief which has altered the realm of the divine.

An ancient prophecy speaks of a human woman who will alter the course of this divine war, a descendant of a Great House mired in misfortune and blood, whose history was shaped by the cruelty of the gods.

On a day as unremarkable as any other, Elena Vicens, a young woman living a seemingly ordinary life, receives a letter about a deposit box belonging to her mother, nineteen years after her mother’s death. When this letter sends her on a journey halfway across the world from New Orleans to Japan, Elena unknowingly comes into possession of a cursed…

View original 281 more words

On happy and unexpected occurrences

“Peonies in the Wind” by Sakai Hōitsu (1761-1828), Edo Period.

It’s been 16 days since The Butterfly Crest launched, and I don’t think I’ve stopped for even a second. I knew my plate would be full the second everything went live, but I couldn’t have guessed the full extent of it.

The work is never-ending. I had a game plan, but every time I finish a task three take its place. I’m learning something knew with every click of the cursor, and the process seems to reinvent itself every day. That being said, I’ve enjoyed every second of it. The pace might be a little insane, but connecting directly with readers, and other writers, has been a joy. I received my first reader email halfway through the week, and it was from the mountains of Turkey!

I’ve been thinking about what to write (it’s hard to pare down the experience), and the first thing that comes to mind is the incredible support I’ve received from friends and family. I’d given the book to less than a dozen people before its launch (to assist in the revision process), and all of them went out in full force to spread the word. They’ve shared and promoted the book through social media almost as tirelessly as I have. They are fully invested in the book’s success, and I’m in complete awe of them. There’s also the ones who are doing exactly the same thing, without having been part of that peer review group, and the ones who, in spite of not owning ereaders, downloaded apps, purchased the book, and are reading it on their phones (which I can tell you from experience is NOT an easy task) and spreading the news. There aren’t sufficient words in the English language to express my gratitude for their support.

And while I’m on the topic of supportive friends and family, I can’t leave out the unexpected gift I received in the mail. On Tuesday morning, I arrived at the office to find a package waiting for me. The box had the logo of a tea retailer and weighed very little, so I imaged someone had sent me some tea (which for me is like gold). When I opened the box and removed the tissue paper, what I found wasn’t tea. Staring back at me was a white butterfly crest, in a sea of black crepe silk. It was a haori, a kimono jacket, with a singular butterfly kamon at the nape of the neck. Kamon is the Japanese word for a family crest, and the inspiration for the name of my novel. One of my dearest friends had sent me the gift to commemorate the launch of my book. And once again, there weren’t sufficient words in the English language to express my gratitude.

Which brings me to the topic of butterflies. In the email I received from Turkey, the reader described an experience she had with a swallowtail butterfly while she was reading the book. In that moment, I realized how powerful a symbol it can be, that it had resonated with her in the same way it resonated with me. I have to admit that I’ve never quite looked at a butterfly in the same way again, since finishing my book. What’s incredible about it is that I didn’t set out with the intent of the butterfly becoming the symbol for Elena’s journey, or mine for that matter. It was just one of those happy occurrences while I was writing. Now, I can’t imagine this journey without it, and every time I see one (yesterday afternoon in my backyard or the photo of one a friend posted on Facebook this morning) I can’t help but feel completely at peace. The experience of writing my first novel, of fulfilling that dream, and publishing it has been transformative, and the butterfly, for me, has become a symbol of that transformation (in the same way it was for Elena, and in the mythos of different cultures throughout history).

Speaking of Elena, it’s been a huge relief to see the warm reception she’s received as our reluctant heroine. When you’re writing a story with a large supporting cast of divine creatures, who are forces of nature in their own right, you can’t help but worry that the voice of your human protagonist might be overwhelmed. Even in my head, the cast of beasties fight for room on the page while Ele usually just sits back, but it looks like that contrast resonated with readers. Both of the editorial reviews the novel has received have commented on Elena’s strength as the protagonist, and I’m thrilled about it.

Which brings me to the second editorial review—The Butterfly Crest has received another 5 stars! I can’t think of a better way to close out this post.

Reviewed By Kathryn Bennett for Readers’ Favorite:

The Butterfly Crest by Eva Vanrell takes us between the shadows of the human world where a war that is as old as time is raging. A long-told prophecy says one human woman will change the course of the divine war and one day Elena – a seemingly regular woman living a normal life – gets a letter about a deposit box in her mother’s name. This letter and the contents of the box are a cursed inheritance and send Elena on a journey that could only be considered mythical and unbelievable. She must make choices to see where destiny takes her.

This is a great story that merges two different realms almost seamlessly into one another and makes a complex story entertaining and compelling. The action was fast and the pace of the book was perfect. Elena is a fantastic character whom I found to be intelligent and strong, but who has to find her way in an impossible situation, giving her even more depth as well. Eva Vanrell has created a strong story with a beautifully strong female main character, in a world and with a story line that is imaginative and unique. I have read many fantasy style stories that offer a similar version of wars that have been going on for all time, but this has been by far one of the most well thought out and well put together plots. If you are looking for a read for the summer that will have you hooked within the first pages and hold your interest until the very end, leaving you wanting more … then this is your book.

On my first editorial review

This week continues to be a whirlwind of activity, but I wanted to take a second to share with everyone the first editorial review of The Butterfly Crest. Hope you find it helpful! It certainly put a smile on my face. What I found most encouraging about Ms. Madhavan’s words was that she was able to hear Elena’s voice over the demands of her supporting cast (deities can be a handful, trust me). And now, without further ado, here’s the review:

Reviewed By Mamta Madhavan for Readers’ Favorite – 5 stars

The Butterfly Crest by Eva Vanrell is a fantasy filled fiction that is contemporary and exotic. Elena Vicens’ life takes a turn when she receives a letter one day regarding a deposit box belonging to her mother. This letter comes to her nineteen years after her mother’s death and the letter sends her from New Orleans to Japan. She finds herself in possession of a cursed inheritance and the story takes off from there. Readers find themselves in the midst of legends and myths, the strangeness of everyday life, a human woman who will shape the outcome of the divine war and, amid all this, Elena must choose her own destiny.

It is an intriguing, imaginative and very original story with many layers and that makes it a compelling read. It moves between the tangible and intangible, giving the story a surreal feel and keeping readers guessing about the outcome. The narration is descriptive and gives more clarity to the plot. It is an exceptional read. Elena is an interesting character that has been portrayed vividly and wonderfully. Her presence dominates the story throughout, holding the plot together. There is a mysterious vibe in the theme, enhanced by the description of Elena’s character.

The shifts in the story that occur between the two locations and the afterlife give it a new dimension and make it an even more attractive and exceptional book to read.

 

On going public…

The Courtesan Ichikawa of the Matsuba Establishment by Kitagawa Utamaro

Truth be told, I don’t even know where to begin. My mind is a jumble of too many thoughts. That said, I’m just going to jot them down and hope they come out coherently. If they don’t, my apologies.

Moving onto the first thought…

After much toil and four proofs, it’s official — The Butterfly Crest is now published. It’s been distributed to the various eBook retailers and should be available at all of them within the next four weeks. It is available now through iBooks/iTunes, Amazon Kindle and the Bookshop. Barnes & Noble should have it listed in 2 to 4 weeks. It will also be available through Kobo, Oyster, Copia, Scribd, Gardners, Flipkart, Baker & Taylor, and eSentral. Keep an eye out for the Goodreads listing, which should be up soon!

If you’ve heard that announcement before, I apologize for the repetition, but I wanted to put it up as a regular post (not just a status).

Moving onto my second thought…

For the past 14 years, my cast of characters has existed in the aether. Their world was limited to the mind of the author and a single reader. That audience has expanded slowly these past 3 years, to include a few brave souls who took a leap of faith and believed me when I told them I could write (they knew my passion for it, but passion and ability are two very different things). Now, Pandora’s box is wide open. My cast of beasties (and trust me, you’ll understand why I call them that once you read) has gone public and there’s no turning back. They have shaped and colored my life these past 14 years, and if they can do a fraction of that for you, bring you the smallest bit of joy, then this journey was well worth it.

Which brings me to my third thought… how much we, as authors, put of ourselves into our books.

I never thought publishing would make me feel vulnerable, but I have to admit it did so immediately. A click of a button and suddenly (relatively speaking), your work is out there for the world to see. Yes, you expect and try to prepare yourself for criticism, but that isn’t really the flavor of vulnerable I’m experiencing right now. I poured my heart and soul into this book, and left a large part of myself in it. As you read, you’ll experience the obvious things, like my passion for mythology, my awe for Japanese culture, and my obsession with ancient Greece; but what about the not-so-obvious things? It was Plato who said, “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” In my case, you can substitute play with my writing. Just an hour of reading, and you’ll know more about me than you would have working beside me for five years. Of course, you won’t know which parts are me, exactly, but that doesn’t make the experience any less intimate. That intimacy might be almost entirely one-sided, but the act of sharing it is deeply personal, and a little terrifying.

What makes that deeply personal and intimate act worth sharing brings me to my fourth and final thought…

I love to be affected by what I read, and in writing I aim to do the same for my readers. As long as my words reach you, I’m satisfied. If you are able to escape, to laugh, to cry, to feel and connect with my characters, then my hope has been realized. Sales, numbers, platform—those things are necessary, but they aren’t the reason I write. The reason I write is made clear when my mother calls me defiant, refusing to read on because she can’t differentiate between me and a character; or when a friend calls to tell me he thinks of my book now every time he drives by the New Orleans Museum of Art; or when another friend uses my own characters to encourage me (“Cataline would approve,” indeed!). That is the reason I write, and those moments will be how I measure my success moving forward.

As a final note, today’s image is Kitagawa Utamaro’s “The Courtesan Ichikawa of the Matsuba Establishment.” Utamaro was an Edo period ukiyo-e artist, famous for his portraits of female beauties known as bijin-ga. His work reached Europe in the mid-ninteeth century, and even influenced the Impressionists. The reason I chose this image, other than the obvious fact that it’s quite lovely, was because of the detail in the fabric (it reminded me of a fusuma door I describe in my book).

 

On opening Pandora’s box…

The Butterfly Crest has officially been distributed to all eBook retailers! It is available now (for all eReaders) through BookBaby. It will be available through Amazon Kindle mid next week, and the iBookstore in 1 to 2 weeks. Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Copia, Scribd, Baker & Taylor, Gardners, eSentral, Oyster, and Flipkart will carry it in 2-4 weeks. I’ll keep you posted as the links go live. Your reviews are welcome!!