Quick Q&A on The Prisoner of the Castle of Enlightenment

Just wanted to respond to a few questions that potential readers have asked about my new book, The Prisoner of the Castle of Enlightenment, which releases Feb. 4 - and I'll keep questions open for a while on the book's Goodreads page in case anyone else has others!

Q. Is this a Beauty and the Beast retelling?

A. I intended the book to weave together a number of folklore and mythology elements to form its own original story. My jumping off point was the Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche. This myth in turn became the basis of the first literary fairy tale versions of Beauty and the Beast ("La Belle et la Bete" in French) back in the 1700s, which, much much later, inspired the popular Disney movie. So, for those who recognize elements of the Disney movie in the book, that's why ...

Q. Is this a Cupid and Psyche retelling?

A. Yes! Though you'll also see elements of other myths, fairy tales, and folklore traditions.

Q. Is this a romance?

A. There are romantic themes and storylines in the book, but I intended it as a broader story.

Q. Is this part of a series?

A. No, it's a stand-alone story.

Q. Will there be an audiobook?

A. Yes! I learned from the publisher just yesterday that the audiobook edition is currently in production.

Q. Is this a YA book?

A. Nooooo. It has some very adult themes and content and I intended it for an adult audience.

Thanks to everyone who's added the book to their to-read shelves, and happy reading!