Interview and Giveaway! Janalyn Voigt

I'm delighted to
welcome Janalyn Voigt to Living the Write Life. It is an honor to be one of the blog stops in her
promotional tour introducing her debut novel, DawnSinger - and a wonderful scene from that book is included in the interview below. Be sure to leave your comment for a chance to win a copy!

 



 

 

1.             
It’s a delight to have you as a guest on Living
the Write Life, Janalyn! I’m always excited to find out more about other
Christian authors. But before we delve into the subject of writing, please tell
us about yourself. Who is Janalyn
Voigt, the gal next door?





That’s a fun question,
Delia.  I was born and raised in the
‘burbs and even put in a stint working in a Seattle skyscraper as a cog in the
wheel of big business. But my heart is that of a country girl. If time allowed
me the privilege, I’d bake my bread, grow all my vegetables and sew curtains
for my windows. I’ve had to give up part of that idea because of the demands of
writing. Besides writing, I sing, draw and enjoy photography. I love to explore
new places, especially out-of-doors.


 


2.             
DawnSinger
is your debut novel—a fantasy of epic proportions, if I’m not mistaken. J Tell
us a little about the storyline.





DawnSinger is written in the epic fantasy subgenre, so your guess
would be correct. Here’s the back cover copy:





 The High Queen is
dying… At the royal summons, Shae mounts a wingabeast and soars through the air
to the high hold of Faeraven, where all is not as it seems. Visions warn her of
danger, and a dark soul touches hers in the night. When she encounters an
attractive but disturbing musician, her wayward heart awakens. But then there
is Kai, a guardian of Faeraven and of Shae. Secrets bind him to her, and her
safety lies at the center of every decision he makes. On a desperate journey
fraught with peril and the unknown, they battle warlike garns, waevens,
ferocious raptors, and the wraiths of their own regrets. Yet, they must endure
the campaign long enough to release the DawnKing—and the salvation he
offers—into a divided land. To prevail, each must learn that sometimes victory
comes only through surrender.





3.             
What was your inspiration for this book?





My Tales of Faeraven series, of which DawnSinger is
book one, began as a story to entertain my little girl during a drive. For the
main character of my story, I twisted the name of her doll, Cinda, and came up
with "Syl Marinda," a half-breed princess in a divided land.
 Long after my daughter had forgotten that first story, the world of
Elderland took shape in my mind. I could picture its trees, creatures, and
landscapes. As time passed, the characters deepened and grew, and so did the
struggles of the alliance of Faeraven, a group of kingdoms unified under a High
Queen in Elderland. Through several attempts, I tried to record the story as it
unfolded for me, but I kept backing up in time because much of the history in
the story demanded to be told.  Syl Marinda doesn't even enter the scene
until close to the end of WayFarer, book two in the series. She is
the heroine of DawnKing, book three.





4.             
What
is your favorite scene from DawnSinger?
Would you mind sharing it with us?




My
favorite scene isn’t the most dramatic. When Kai, the hero of DawnSinger, returns home to deliver the
High Queen’s deathbed summons to Shae, the heroine, he visits his mother to
tell her of events. The scene that transpires explores the relationship between
mother and son.





Kai
and Shae entered the ancient fortress through the gatehouse archway beneath the
raised iron portcullis. Following the graystone path along the sward, they
skirted the great hall, which rose to impressive heights.





As
they neared the stables, voices, thuds, and the rustlings of crisp straw
reached Kai. He dismounted and lifted his arms to Shae. Light as she was, he
had to step backward when she leaned into him. He steadied them both, and then
turned to instruct the groom. When Kai looked for her again, Shae was gone. A
smile touched his mouth as he went through an archway in the inner curtain
wall. He would keep his knowledge of Shae’s morning activities to himself.





His
mother’s voice carried past her maid, Tahera, at her parlor door. “Let us start
with soup of boar sausage and wild greenings dressed in sweetberry vinegar,
then follow with smoked whitefish in savory sauce and—“





“I
hope you have enough for one more.” Kai entered the snug room.





A
gold-edged mirror above the ornate mantle reflected his mother, Aleanor of
Whellein’s surprise and delight. She rose and pressed her slight frame into his
swift embrace.





Kai
held her at arm’s length to gaze upon her. How long had it been since he’d seen
her calm gray eyes and basked in her smile? He marked, with sadness, the
progress of time across her face. Furrows marred a brow once smooth, and lines
fanned from the corners of eyes that sparkled. His mother wore a simple woolen
tunic of blue, girt with an embroidered sash. Her silver hair coiled in braids
about her head.





She
smiled. “We have stores aplenty for a Son of Whellein. But how come you by morn
and not by eve?”





“I did not stop the night. I couldn’t contain my excitement
at nearing home.” His gaze drifted past her to the muscular Cook garbed in a
brown tunic, who smiled at their exchange.





Mother met Kai’s look.
“I think we shall continue later, Maeric,” she said without seam. “I won’t
detain you from your duties longer. Tahera, please bring cider, cheese and
bread.”





The door to the
raelein’s parlor closed with a click behind Maeric and Tahera, and they were alone.


 

Kai went to the fire,
grateful for its comfort as he steeled himself for what he would say.





“You must sit.” His
mother gestured in invitation as she resumed her seat on the bench. “Now tell
me what has brought you on such a difficult journey.”





“I’ve come for Shae.”





Mother let out her
breath in a long sigh. “And so I am to lose another child.”





“Lof Raelein Maeven
sends for her while on her deathbed.”





Her hand flew to her
throat. “The time has come, then.”





“It nears, yes.” He
ignored a frisson of uneasiness. Of course, he spoke of more than Maeven’s
death. “It’s long past time Shae learns her true identity as Raena Shaenalyn of
Rivenn. On her dying bed, Lof Raelein Maeven yearns for her daughter.”





His mother squared her shoulders as if recovering from a
blow. “I thought I had prepared myself for this, and yet…” Her voice faded to a
whisper.





“You’ve raised her well.”





She looked down at the hands clasped in her lap. “I wish I’d
done more to treat her as one of my own.”





Kai knelt at her feet. “You did your best. Ever since I brought her to you as a babe in arms, you’ve kept her
hidden from those who would destroy her.”





Aeleanor raised eyes
shiny with tears. “She’ll return to danger at Torindan.”





“You have my promise
to protect her.” Each word fell from his lips by its own weight.





“When do you leave?’





He spoke with
reluctance. “At first light.”





She arose and took the
place at the fire he had vacated, putting her arms about herself as if cold. “I
will not say goodbye to her. It is better so.”





Kai stood. For Shae’s
sake, he wished his mother would look beyond her own needs. But he cut short
the reply that rose to his lips. How could he censure her when he did not know
her pain? He hesitated, and then lowered his voice. “Have you word of Daevin?”





Mother lifted her
head, and he read in her face what he should have already known. He need not
have worried his question would quicken his mother’s pain. She carried her
missing son in her heart as surely as she had once carried him within her womb.






She shook her head and
turned toward the fire. “None.”





The word echoed
through his mind. Kai shouldered its weight, but wished again for the freedom
to search for his brother.





He crossed to one of
the tall windows overlooking the inner ward with its herb garden. New growth
burgeoned in all its beds, ready to erupt with life. His hands clenched into
fists. He wanted to rejoice in such things. He wanted to comfort his mother. He
closed his eyes, shut in by his own dark thoughts.





A touch on his arm,
feather light, called him back. He turned and read the plea in his mother’s
face. “The Lof Raelein’s death will free you to return to Whellein, as your
father wishes.”





He met her gray gaze
and told her what she already knew. “My duty at Torindan calls for my pledge of
service to Elcon when his mother dies.”





“Surely Elcon would
not rob the House of Whellein so.” She clasped her hands together so hard the
knuckles showed white.





“Mother, let us leave
this conversation.” He put his hands over hers to still them. “You know I must
decide my own course, for good or ill.”





Tahera returned,
bearing on a tray a tankard of steaming cider, a selection of cheeses, and a
fragrant loaf. Kai cleansed his hands in the laver the servant provided and
fell upon the repast.





His mother sat silent while he
ate. She would not try again to win his promise, but he knew she ceded the
battle only.






 5.             
What can we expect from you next?





My publisher and I are hard at
work on WayFarer, book two of my Tales of Faeraven trilogy. This story
focuses on Elcon, the new High King of Faeraven, who learns that saving his
people requires him to find his own redemption. Kai and Shae’s story continues
as a subplot in WayFarer and resolves
in DawnKing, book three.



6.        As a reader, do you have a favorite author? Favorite book?






My favorite author, hands down,
is Mary Stewart, author extraordinaire of romantic suspense. Some of her titles
are Airs Above the Ground, This Rough Magic, and The Moonspinners. In a sense, growing up
reading her novels taught me to write. I love that her stories blend history, suspense,
romance and whimsy. I just naturally do the same.





7.        Who (what human being) has been the greatest influence on
your life, and why?





My sixth-grade teacher noticed my
story-telling ability and influenced me at the tender age of twelve to seek a
writing career. It didn’t happen for many years, but I’ve never forgotten that
teacher’s encouragement.





8.        Do you have a favorite verse of scripture?





1 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul
pants for you, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? Psalm 42:1-2 (NIV).





This verse reminds me of my total
dependence on God for living water.





 9.        Where can we find your books? And do you have a website or
blog, where readers can keep up with you and your writing activities?





 

DawnSinger is available at Amazon in paperback
and for kindle,
at Barnes
and Noble, Smashwords,
and other venues.





 

Readers can find out more about
me as an author and my books at the author site for Janalyn Voigt and my Creative Worlds blog.












ABOUT JANALYN:

Janalyn Voigt's unique blend of adventure, romance,
suspense, and fantasy creates worlds of beauty and danger for readers.
Beginning with DawnSinger, her epic fantasy series, Tales of Faeraven, carries
the reader into a land only imagined in dreams.





Janalyn also writes western romance novels, and will publish
in that genre under Janalyn Irene Voigt. She is represented by Barbara Scott of
Wordserve Literary. She serves as a literary judge for several national
contests and is an active book reviewer. Her memberships include ACFW and NCWA.





When she's not writing, Janalyn loves to find adventures in
the great outdoors.