Amy Kuivalainen's Blog - Posts Tagged "fantasy"
ThanksGiving Promotions
*Promotion Announcement*
'Cry of the Firebird' will be be on a Free Books Promo in all countries on 26th-28th of November.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00R...
'The Eagle Key' will be on a Free Books Promo in all countries on 26th of November.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Eagle-Key-A...
'Cry of the Firebird' will be be on a Free Books Promo in all countries on 26th-28th of November.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00R...
'The Eagle Key' will be on a Free Books Promo in all countries on 26th of November.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Eagle-Key-A...
Defending YA Round 3
Apologies everyone for not blogging as much as I should be at the moment, with the release of a book comes all sorts of interesting delays...but that doesn't matter because today boys and girls we are going to talk about the gorgeous Leigh Bardugo.
I really struggled with this blog because these are meant to be broad recommendations and not reviews and I want nothing more than to disseminate these amazing stories, write essays and find all the tricks used. It's the writer in me to want to pull a book apart that I love and see how it all works underneath.
For those who've read my Firebird Fairytales (hi guys!) it's pretty obvious how I feel about Russian fairytales so you can imagine my reaction when I stumbled on Leigh Bardugo, someone who feels as intensely about them as I do.
I have a really incredible partner who understands my interesting ways (crazy) so when I read my first Bardugo story The Witch of Duva, he was very understanding when I freaked the fuck out with excitement. I know I went a bit backwards with my first reading choice but I was a hardcore fan from that moment. Not only was it different enough to be a new fairytale but it's structure was familiar enough that it feels like it could slot into a canon of the original. It's ending was horrific and haunting in a way that only a good Russian fairytale can achieve.
The next day I went to Dymocks and cleared out their entire stock of Leigh books with enough enthusiasm and gesticulation that it was almost interpretive dance, much to the amusement of the sales staff.
Look at those covers...damn, I had no chance to resist them.
Okay so the first series I annihilated was the Grisha Trilogy. It draws you into the fascinating world of Ravka that Bardugo has created. There is a stark difference between the war ravaged lands and the lush Little Palace but the world building in this series is intense and in equal parts Russian derivative and original creation. The structure of the magic wielding Grisha is fascinating and I could've happily read a whole book all about magic lessons.
Our story begins with Alina, orphan and apprentice cartographer in the Ravkan Army. She saves her childhood friend Mal (more on him later) when a dormant magic deep inside of her flares to life in his defence. This rare gift is instantly scrutinised by the Leader of the Grisha, The Darkling. Here is, in my opinion, one of the greatest characters I've seen in a long time. The Darkling is magic incarnate with the ability to summon darkness as Alina's rare gift is to summon light, earning her the title of The Sun Summoner. Alina is taken back to the Little Palace in order to learn about her gift and the pale orphan that's always been overlooked is suddenly seen as the Saviour of Ravka.
The books move through a series of betrayals, love's and losses as Alina struggles with her power, her heart and her duty to bring peace to Ravka. It's really difficult for me to keep my mouth closed and not spoil the whole series for you but if you love fairytales I can't recommend it enough. Bardugo has created a world so rich that it almost outshines her protagonist. The stories are laced with symbology and theres iconic elements that give it its fairytale quality. What it also does really well is question the concept of power and magic and what it costs to claim both. Alina herself is not your typical likeable character either; I could've punched her in the face on more than one occasion. She can be a real whinger but rallies when she needs to, like a lot of people. She's not perfect, she has shit self esteem right to the end despite the things she achieves. There are a few things I really took issue with in the series so I've added a spoiler section at the bottom of this blog for those who've read the series and want to hear my rant.
This brings me to Bardugo's newest (and my favourite) Six Of Crows.
Part heist, part adventure, part street war - this two part series based in the Grisha world has everything.
The story starts with criminal protege, Kaz (I'm so in love with this guy) putting together a team to break into the Ice Court and retrieve a hostage, the creator of a drug that can enhance a Grisha's power but also ends with their death as the magic and addiction eats away at them.
The characters in Kaz's crew are all vivid and individual. They have a incredible chemistry in their interactions and the scenes between Nina and Matthias had me laughing uncontrollable.
As a writer Bardugo levelled up in this series. It seems easier, like she's more confident in her own magical ability of story telling. It carries less of the epic fairytale and more of the fantasy. It's written so visually that you could see it transposing easily into a tv series (a movie would not do it justice- seriously get onto it Netflix).
I can't wait for the second book (left) that cover alone! I'm loving what she's doing with the series and the extra layering of awesome world building.
Honestly, I think Leigh Bardugo is just getting going and if she ever decided to write for adults she would redefine whatever genre she decided to choose.
Also, I'm about 98% sure she washes her hair in virgin tears because it's kind of magical. Yeah, I got hair envy AND writer envy. In the best possible way. She seems like a really kick ass, scarily clever person and if she ever comes to Melbourne I'll be first in line with an offering of cake and cocktails. Read her. Buy her books here.
Keep reading ONLY if you have read the Grisha series...here there be spoilers:
.........
....................
...............................
Oh hi there, so glad you're still with me to read about the major issue I had with the Grisha trilogy. I've talked about this with a few people (my understanding partner had to pull me up because I was in full blown rant mode after book 3 was done) and before I begin I want to make something really clear....writing books is fucking hard. It's a long and involved process for a writer and decisions made in books, even if YOU, the reader, think they are wrong, have still been considered long and hard by the author. It's their story and ultimately your opinion doesn't really matter.
The following is purely my opinion as a reader. As you can tell I'm a huge fan of Leigh Bardugo and I respect her immensely so this one thing I take issue with doesn't diminish my over all love of the series.
As stated above I'm really blown away by the character of the Darkling. He's the rare type on antagonist that I could fear, love and respect. He is someone that has lived for hundreds of years, the only one of his kind, awaiting his opposite that can summon light to balance to his darkness.
Alina is that person, that balance and when she appears there is a relief in the Darkling that he doesn't have to be alone anymore. Alina is very young, immature and still holds a flame for her childhood friend and crush Mal.
I take MASSIVE issue with Mal as a character. I know this is the unpopular opinion and many ship him and Alina from the start but he made me grind my teeth in fury. Mal is that guy that you are mates with as kids who you have always been there for and then becomes the popular boy in high school that all the girls throw themselves at. As the best friend you have to put up with his womanising crap and be the mate and shoulder to cry on when it doesn't work out. You are the only girl that stands by him and he doesn't know you exist UNTIL suddenly someone else (in this case the Darkling) starts to treat you like you are special and important and then for the first time, the boy you have been waiting on, realises that you're desirable and only then decides you're worth his time. This is Mal in a nutshell. Until he goes to the Little Palace during a celebration and see's Alina, blossoming with power and beauty from her months away, standing with the Darkling, her equal in power, that he realises his epic mistake of not giving her the time of day. It was only when Alina is cut off from the sun that is Mal that she learns of her own value and starts to shine. I know, I know..they grew up together, Alina's always loved him, he's a good guy in many ways...all true but I don't think he's good for HER. She's been not worth his time until she's suddenly worth someone elses.
This is not to say that the Darkling doesnt treat her badly, he does but they are the only ones of their kind, they actually do belong together and its obvious (especially in the later books) that Alina has considerable influence over him. She's meant to be the light to his darkness, the only person that could (if she'd wanted to) sway him because they are equals, that could teach him another path. He actually says this in his comments about her being the one that could make him into a better man. But she chooses NOT to.
(Image courtesy of artist warika on Pinterest)
From a writing perspective the scenes between the Darkling and Alina are so charged that it hurts. They have a chemistry together that goes beyond physicality and beyond magic. Scenes between Alina and Mal are not like this. They are filled with guilt and regrets and hurt. Mal doesnt, will not, ever understand Alina the way the Darkling will- that's actually explained in the books.
Mal treats Alina like shit, especially in the second book. She reaches out to the Darkling because Mal being a selfish, self absorbed git, isolates her when she needs him the most. His actions are not the ones of a conflicted man in love. They are the actions of a man who is jealous that he's no longer the sole focus of Alina's world.
The Darkling, for all of his faults, is only really acting the way I imagine a hundreds year old person would act. There is a coldness, a focus on his goals and the lives he takes don't matter to him because a human life is a flickering candle flame to him because he's been so isolated and disconnected. He acts in many ways they way I imagine a vampire would act after hundreds of years (yeah a teenage girl wouldn't hold their attention, sorry but no). He's waited for Alina to appear and he needs her on a fundamental level. They are the only ones of their kind and he finally has a chance to alleviate his loneliness. The way Alina responds to him is intense as you imagine it would be. She tries to deny it for the rest of the series but he is the only one that doesn't make her feel alone. He even chooses to become her villain ('Fine, make me your villain') because he would be anything she needed him to be. He never wants her to hide her power, who she really is, unlike Mal who just wants her to 'normal' so he can be the special one again.
I would've been happy if Alina and the Darkling killed each other in their final battle. I half expected it to happen. But she ends up with Mal, running the orphanage, normal with her power gone. It was an ending that I could understand but really cut me sideways. Bardugo does comment about Alina missing her power though which is something, there is a part of Alina that will never filled, satisfied or happy. Maybe, like me, she wonders if she could've changed the Darling's mind and had an immortal love that shook the heavens.
I know, this is a rather intense opinion and it's a credit to Bardugo that I had such a strong reaction to it. I don't like it when women end up with men who make them feel less than what they are to make themselves feel better...I've been in that kind of relationship and so I fucking balk at it in a book.
I will read the series again, probably many times, and perhaps I will feel differently about Mal because I'm not so drawn to the Darkling. Maybe I will read the scenes between him and Alina differently, maybe I will stop feeling like she ended up with the shitty consolation prize.
Yeah, I know, I love the Darkling WAY too much. Which probably says a lot about me. It says even more about the prodigious talent of Leigh Bardugo. I wait to see what she does next with high anticipation. I hope its a book of fairytales. I know it will be stellar regardless.
I really struggled with this blog because these are meant to be broad recommendations and not reviews and I want nothing more than to disseminate these amazing stories, write essays and find all the tricks used. It's the writer in me to want to pull a book apart that I love and see how it all works underneath.
For those who've read my Firebird Fairytales (hi guys!) it's pretty obvious how I feel about Russian fairytales so you can imagine my reaction when I stumbled on Leigh Bardugo, someone who feels as intensely about them as I do.
I have a really incredible partner who understands my interesting ways (crazy) so when I read my first Bardugo story The Witch of Duva, he was very understanding when I freaked the fuck out with excitement. I know I went a bit backwards with my first reading choice but I was a hardcore fan from that moment. Not only was it different enough to be a new fairytale but it's structure was familiar enough that it feels like it could slot into a canon of the original. It's ending was horrific and haunting in a way that only a good Russian fairytale can achieve.
The next day I went to Dymocks and cleared out their entire stock of Leigh books with enough enthusiasm and gesticulation that it was almost interpretive dance, much to the amusement of the sales staff.
Look at those covers...damn, I had no chance to resist them.
Okay so the first series I annihilated was the Grisha Trilogy. It draws you into the fascinating world of Ravka that Bardugo has created. There is a stark difference between the war ravaged lands and the lush Little Palace but the world building in this series is intense and in equal parts Russian derivative and original creation. The structure of the magic wielding Grisha is fascinating and I could've happily read a whole book all about magic lessons.
Our story begins with Alina, orphan and apprentice cartographer in the Ravkan Army. She saves her childhood friend Mal (more on him later) when a dormant magic deep inside of her flares to life in his defence. This rare gift is instantly scrutinised by the Leader of the Grisha, The Darkling. Here is, in my opinion, one of the greatest characters I've seen in a long time. The Darkling is magic incarnate with the ability to summon darkness as Alina's rare gift is to summon light, earning her the title of The Sun Summoner. Alina is taken back to the Little Palace in order to learn about her gift and the pale orphan that's always been overlooked is suddenly seen as the Saviour of Ravka.
The books move through a series of betrayals, love's and losses as Alina struggles with her power, her heart and her duty to bring peace to Ravka. It's really difficult for me to keep my mouth closed and not spoil the whole series for you but if you love fairytales I can't recommend it enough. Bardugo has created a world so rich that it almost outshines her protagonist. The stories are laced with symbology and theres iconic elements that give it its fairytale quality. What it also does really well is question the concept of power and magic and what it costs to claim both. Alina herself is not your typical likeable character either; I could've punched her in the face on more than one occasion. She can be a real whinger but rallies when she needs to, like a lot of people. She's not perfect, she has shit self esteem right to the end despite the things she achieves. There are a few things I really took issue with in the series so I've added a spoiler section at the bottom of this blog for those who've read the series and want to hear my rant.
This brings me to Bardugo's newest (and my favourite) Six Of Crows.
Part heist, part adventure, part street war - this two part series based in the Grisha world has everything.The story starts with criminal protege, Kaz (I'm so in love with this guy) putting together a team to break into the Ice Court and retrieve a hostage, the creator of a drug that can enhance a Grisha's power but also ends with their death as the magic and addiction eats away at them.
The characters in Kaz's crew are all vivid and individual. They have a incredible chemistry in their interactions and the scenes between Nina and Matthias had me laughing uncontrollable.
As a writer Bardugo levelled up in this series. It seems easier, like she's more confident in her own magical ability of story telling. It carries less of the epic fairytale and more of the fantasy. It's written so visually that you could see it transposing easily into a tv series (a movie would not do it justice- seriously get onto it Netflix).
I can't wait for the second book (left) that cover alone! I'm loving what she's doing with the series and the extra layering of awesome world building.Honestly, I think Leigh Bardugo is just getting going and if she ever decided to write for adults she would redefine whatever genre she decided to choose.
Also, I'm about 98% sure she washes her hair in virgin tears because it's kind of magical. Yeah, I got hair envy AND writer envy. In the best possible way. She seems like a really kick ass, scarily clever person and if she ever comes to Melbourne I'll be first in line with an offering of cake and cocktails. Read her. Buy her books here.
Keep reading ONLY if you have read the Grisha series...here there be spoilers:
.........
....................
...............................
Oh hi there, so glad you're still with me to read about the major issue I had with the Grisha trilogy. I've talked about this with a few people (my understanding partner had to pull me up because I was in full blown rant mode after book 3 was done) and before I begin I want to make something really clear....writing books is fucking hard. It's a long and involved process for a writer and decisions made in books, even if YOU, the reader, think they are wrong, have still been considered long and hard by the author. It's their story and ultimately your opinion doesn't really matter.
The following is purely my opinion as a reader. As you can tell I'm a huge fan of Leigh Bardugo and I respect her immensely so this one thing I take issue with doesn't diminish my over all love of the series.
As stated above I'm really blown away by the character of the Darkling. He's the rare type on antagonist that I could fear, love and respect. He is someone that has lived for hundreds of years, the only one of his kind, awaiting his opposite that can summon light to balance to his darkness.
Alina is that person, that balance and when she appears there is a relief in the Darkling that he doesn't have to be alone anymore. Alina is very young, immature and still holds a flame for her childhood friend and crush Mal.
I take MASSIVE issue with Mal as a character. I know this is the unpopular opinion and many ship him and Alina from the start but he made me grind my teeth in fury. Mal is that guy that you are mates with as kids who you have always been there for and then becomes the popular boy in high school that all the girls throw themselves at. As the best friend you have to put up with his womanising crap and be the mate and shoulder to cry on when it doesn't work out. You are the only girl that stands by him and he doesn't know you exist UNTIL suddenly someone else (in this case the Darkling) starts to treat you like you are special and important and then for the first time, the boy you have been waiting on, realises that you're desirable and only then decides you're worth his time. This is Mal in a nutshell. Until he goes to the Little Palace during a celebration and see's Alina, blossoming with power and beauty from her months away, standing with the Darkling, her equal in power, that he realises his epic mistake of not giving her the time of day. It was only when Alina is cut off from the sun that is Mal that she learns of her own value and starts to shine. I know, I know..they grew up together, Alina's always loved him, he's a good guy in many ways...all true but I don't think he's good for HER. She's been not worth his time until she's suddenly worth someone elses.
This is not to say that the Darkling doesnt treat her badly, he does but they are the only ones of their kind, they actually do belong together and its obvious (especially in the later books) that Alina has considerable influence over him. She's meant to be the light to his darkness, the only person that could (if she'd wanted to) sway him because they are equals, that could teach him another path. He actually says this in his comments about her being the one that could make him into a better man. But she chooses NOT to.
(Image courtesy of artist warika on Pinterest)
From a writing perspective the scenes between the Darkling and Alina are so charged that it hurts. They have a chemistry together that goes beyond physicality and beyond magic. Scenes between Alina and Mal are not like this. They are filled with guilt and regrets and hurt. Mal doesnt, will not, ever understand Alina the way the Darkling will- that's actually explained in the books.
Mal treats Alina like shit, especially in the second book. She reaches out to the Darkling because Mal being a selfish, self absorbed git, isolates her when she needs him the most. His actions are not the ones of a conflicted man in love. They are the actions of a man who is jealous that he's no longer the sole focus of Alina's world.
The Darkling, for all of his faults, is only really acting the way I imagine a hundreds year old person would act. There is a coldness, a focus on his goals and the lives he takes don't matter to him because a human life is a flickering candle flame to him because he's been so isolated and disconnected. He acts in many ways they way I imagine a vampire would act after hundreds of years (yeah a teenage girl wouldn't hold their attention, sorry but no). He's waited for Alina to appear and he needs her on a fundamental level. They are the only ones of their kind and he finally has a chance to alleviate his loneliness. The way Alina responds to him is intense as you imagine it would be. She tries to deny it for the rest of the series but he is the only one that doesn't make her feel alone. He even chooses to become her villain ('Fine, make me your villain') because he would be anything she needed him to be. He never wants her to hide her power, who she really is, unlike Mal who just wants her to 'normal' so he can be the special one again.
I would've been happy if Alina and the Darkling killed each other in their final battle. I half expected it to happen. But she ends up with Mal, running the orphanage, normal with her power gone. It was an ending that I could understand but really cut me sideways. Bardugo does comment about Alina missing her power though which is something, there is a part of Alina that will never filled, satisfied or happy. Maybe, like me, she wonders if she could've changed the Darling's mind and had an immortal love that shook the heavens.
I know, this is a rather intense opinion and it's a credit to Bardugo that I had such a strong reaction to it. I don't like it when women end up with men who make them feel less than what they are to make themselves feel better...I've been in that kind of relationship and so I fucking balk at it in a book.
I will read the series again, probably many times, and perhaps I will feel differently about Mal because I'm not so drawn to the Darkling. Maybe I will read the scenes between him and Alina differently, maybe I will stop feeling like she ended up with the shitty consolation prize.
Yeah, I know, I love the Darkling WAY too much. Which probably says a lot about me. It says even more about the prodigious talent of Leigh Bardugo. I wait to see what she does next with high anticipation. I hope its a book of fairytales. I know it will be stellar regardless.
Free Books Forth of July Weekend
Hi Guys
Its my birthday on the 4th of July so I'm celebrating with a swag of Free Book deals on Amazon.
Nab yourself some copies today!
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...
Its my birthday on the 4th of July so I'm celebrating with a swag of Free Book deals on Amazon.
Nab yourself some copies today!
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...
Free Book Giveaway
The Eagle Key is now FREE !
Claim your copy here :
http://bit.ly/2ezALRZ
Love it? Please leave a review
Amy xo
Claim your copy here :
http://bit.ly/2ezALRZ
Love it? Please leave a review
Amy xo
Eastern Gods for Kindle Scribe
Hey Everyone,
Apologies from being away from the blog for so many weeks. My life has been super crazy wrapping up projects and job hunting BUT exciting news!
Eastern Gods , book one of new YA Fantasy series Western Wars, is up on a Kindle Scout campaign for your view and vote! I'm crazy excited about this one. It would be really good for fans who enjoyed Sarah J Maas' Throne of Glass series or MTV's Shannara Chronicles.
This series is the first lot of books I wrote as a teenager. I finished the whopping, originally titled, Eastern Gods and Western Wars when I was about nineteen. It landed at 180k words. I believed in the story, I wanted it out there, and so it has been through a massive reworking and editing for the passed year. Its now split into two books, Eastern Gods and The Golden Queen and I can't wait for you to read them.
I love this series. It helped me survive a really dark period in my life and taught me so much about storytelling, craft and helped create a safe place in my mind where I could hang out. I was reading a lot of fantasy as a teen; loads of Lord of the Rings, Stephen Lawhead and Ian Irvine's View from the Mirror Quartet (please check it out - its so freaking great) and it is these writers and stories that shaped my passion for writing epic fantasy.
This series is a big one, twisted up with family, war, love, faith and magic. It's a hero quest and a coming of age and the secrets that you discover about your family as you grow older. It's about sacrifice and blood and forgiveness at it's most brutal.
Please check it out here, there is a huge sample on the site for you to read too so bonus!
Eastern Gods
Description
Enter a world of forgotten magic, kings, gods and the woman who will dare to defy them.
Prince Haldirian’s safe world is shattered when he captures a spy from the silent and forgotten Eastlands. There is only one scholar of the East who could stop the fear of war spreading, Aláenor of Silandáe.
The first female heir in history, highly intelligent and carrying a warrior swagger Aláenor isn’t what Haldirian has learned to expect from royal princesses.
The eastern spy Hilkiah reveals that he was sent by Mordecai, Emperor of the East and powerful dark magician residing in the city of Rotech. The West has turned their back on magic for centuries and fearing that war is imminent, a spying party is sent back to the East to discover the truth.
Mordecai is burning for payback on the western king who destroyed his life. He needs Aláenor to fulfill his revenge, and he will have her…even if he has to kill the man she loves and destroy her soul to do it.
Blaise Release and Update
Hey Everyone!
December is going to be a massive book month here in Camp Amy so here is a brief rundown.
If you have been on my social media in the last few days you would have seen me FREAKING OUT about my awesome new cover for BLAISE, book 2 of the Blood Lake Chronicles. One more time with feeling....
December is going to be a massive book month here in Camp Amy so here is a brief rundown.
If you have been on my social media in the last few days you would have seen me FREAKING OUT about my awesome new cover for BLAISE, book 2 of the Blood Lake Chronicles. One more time with feeling....
YUP. I'm feeling it alright.
Here's a description :
‘The stories claim I was born from a union of a demon and nun…well, least they got half of it right.’
Eldon Blaise, magician and misfit, has arrived at Gwaed Lyn to turn Rosa’s life upside down. Not only is he claiming to be the lost son of Eli Vane and his human wife Deryn, Rosa’s ancestor, but that he also used to be none other than Merlin Wylt, the magician of legend who fought by King Arthur’s side.
The curse the Autumn Queen has placed over the Aos Si is breaking, but she isn’t prepared to go down without a fight, and releases the one person that brought the great Merlin to his knees…Nimue.
Her spirit broken from a lifetime imprisoned by the Autumn Queen, Nimue must convince the Vanes to trust her. She wants to be free of the Queen forever, but winning over Merlin is going to be no easy task. She broke his heart, and being together again will bring back a life of pain and passion that neither of them can fight.
To defeat the Autumn Queen and protect Gwaed Lyn, Merlin will have to stop running and become the powerful man he used to be…that includes having the fearless and formidable Nimue by his side.
OMG MERLIN RIGHT!
SO it is up for pre-order on all platforms for a special price of 0.99 so get in while it lasts. Click here for a universal link that will take you to any store you like. It is out on December 14th, I'm so excited to be able to finally continue the Vane family story and mash up some Arthurian mythology in for good measure. I always wanted to write Merlin, every since I was a brat who really loved the King Arthur stories. I'm not going to lie, I fan girled pretty hard researching this one and I'm so blessed I have the opportunity to write my own version of this amazing character.
NEXT!
Second Editions of Ashes of the Firebird and Rise of the Firebird will also be released across all ebook platforms on December 5th, so all you lovely readers who have been pissed that iBooks etc dont have the other books..well they are coming soon! As per the last post, my preorder plans for them didn't work so I'm just going to do a straight release.
ALSO,
In other book news my SECRET PROJECT is currently in structural re-writes (thanks to a structural edit from the awesome Hayley Stone) and will hopefully be tied up by the end of the month so I can focus 100% on KINGDOM, book 3 of The Blood Lake Chronicles. Fun times!
AND,
This December marks THREE YEARS since releasing my first book, Cry of the Firebird. I'm staggered at how quickly the time has flown by. There will be drinks to celebrate because lets face it you need to celebrate every fucking victory as a writer.
Amy out xo
Late September/ October Update
Hey Everyone!
I apologise for the update being so late this time around but I have been writing non-stop to keep myself on these deadlines that keep popping up to shout at me.
First of all, if you didn't see my previous post, I have a new series out next with BHC Press! This is the Secret Project that I've been working away on in the background for the last year and a half, and the trilogy is called The Magicians of Venice. I worked really hard to find it a home, and guys, seriously, it's in great hands with BHC and I couldn't be happier. I'm so pumped about this project as they are the kind of books I've always dreamed about writing; archaeology, magic, Venice, ancient history, romance, creepy Hannibal field kabuki style murders...it really has it all. It's also given me a chance to play around with my fave archaeology mystery of all time...Atlantis. Yep, it's going to great. I'm currently doing drafts and edits of book two so I'm not around on social media much...it's all head down butt up to knock it into shape. I'll be posting loads more about it soon but in the mean time, you can go here to the BHC Press website and read more about book one, The Immortal City.
In other news for Blood Lake Chronicles fans, I have just this morning, finished a final draft of Kingdom. It's going to be sent off to my editors soon so expect a pre-order announcement by the end of the month. This book guys, it's been crazy hard to get together and I had to delete 70% of the first draft I wrote back in April and rewrite it in the last month. I won't go into spoilery details but it's been a hell of job to work with three main character story lines and not have the whole thing dissolve into a mess of faerie you know what. In my mind I've kind of been calling it Rosa and Merlin's Awesome Adventures in Faerie, but you will also see Bleddyn step up and play a big role in this one.
That being said...here is a cover and a blurb for you to oggle! HURRAY!
Bleddyn is a man with secrets, but he can’t outrun his past any longer. With Balthasar and Nimue in the clutches of his greatest enemy, he’ll have to reclaim his birthright as the King of the Unseelie to save them. First, he’ll have to recruit the formidable general Eirianwen to stand by his side, but his ex-fiancé isn’t going to be won over so easily.
Eirianwen never thought she would see Bleddyn again and the woman he remembers died centuries ago. Only he can unite the scattered Unseelie in a final battle against the Autumn Queen, and as much as she hates it, Eirianwen knows she can’t keep fighting alone. Bleddyn promises to get revenge for everything that was taken from her, but when the doors to the past are opened, neither one will be prepared for what comes out.
Rosa will do anything to get Balthasar back, and when Merlin makes a plan to recruit the Wild Hunt to their cause, there’s nothing she won’t do to secure their alliance. Making a bargain with a god is never a good idea, and her deal with Gwyn ap Nudd might end up costing Rosa more than she’s willing to pay.
Oh yeah...this one has it all happening. I've been super excited about writing about Gwyn ap Nudd and the Wild Hunt as they have always been favourites of mine. There is also quite a lot of a good looking, sweet as hell guy called Arthur who tags along for some adventures. You will also get a sneak peak at the end of the Aramis and Soren book I'm drafting between other projects. Also, soooo much fun to be writing.
Speaking of books, I've read some great ones in the past month. I feel like I have a never ending battle with my To Be Read pile while I try and draft but these ones have crept through.
Stars of Fortune- Nora Roberts
Full Disclaimer: I only read Nora Roberts paranormal books and I'm always surprised how much her covers never look like they are paranormal. In saying that I loved this book. A bunch of supernatural strangers thrown together to hunt stars hidden by Celtic Goddess? Yeah sign me up. It has a bevvy of paranormal goodies including a magician and a seer and I won't tell you what else because I'll spoil it. But seriously, if you love a good treasure hunt with a supernatural twist, check it out!
The next one I'm going to try not to gush all over you about is Grace Draven's newest, Phoenix Unbound. Okay, you guys know how much I love Grace's books but I'm absolutely loving this book. Fire magic? Hot take on fantasy Huns? Gladiators? Dragon myths? There is so much that is awesome about it. Grace writes the best fantasy romance because her world building is always so stunning and believable that the romance compliments the story, but it's by no means the only thing going on. It's a great epic fantasy and you can check it out here.
The final book I'm currently working my way through is The Tigress of Forli by Elizabeth Lev.
This is a non-fiction work about the Renaisance Bad Ass Lady, Caterina Sforza. You might recognise her as the woman who takes on the Borgias in the TV series but the truth is always more fascinating than fiction. Elizabeth Lev is a lively writer so it's by no means a dull history book. If you are after a read about a woman taking on the patriarchy of the day, and beating them like a drum, look no further. Grab a copy here.
Okay, this blog is huge so I'm going to get out of here. A final heads up...The Blood Lake Chronicles box set is going to be free this weekend here on Amazon so if you have been thinking about giving it a go, the time is now.
Ames x
I apologise for the update being so late this time around but I have been writing non-stop to keep myself on these deadlines that keep popping up to shout at me.
First of all, if you didn't see my previous post, I have a new series out next with BHC Press! This is the Secret Project that I've been working away on in the background for the last year and a half, and the trilogy is called The Magicians of Venice. I worked really hard to find it a home, and guys, seriously, it's in great hands with BHC and I couldn't be happier. I'm so pumped about this project as they are the kind of books I've always dreamed about writing; archaeology, magic, Venice, ancient history, romance, creepy Hannibal field kabuki style murders...it really has it all. It's also given me a chance to play around with my fave archaeology mystery of all time...Atlantis. Yep, it's going to great. I'm currently doing drafts and edits of book two so I'm not around on social media much...it's all head down butt up to knock it into shape. I'll be posting loads more about it soon but in the mean time, you can go here to the BHC Press website and read more about book one, The Immortal City.
In other news for Blood Lake Chronicles fans, I have just this morning, finished a final draft of Kingdom. It's going to be sent off to my editors soon so expect a pre-order announcement by the end of the month. This book guys, it's been crazy hard to get together and I had to delete 70% of the first draft I wrote back in April and rewrite it in the last month. I won't go into spoilery details but it's been a hell of job to work with three main character story lines and not have the whole thing dissolve into a mess of faerie you know what. In my mind I've kind of been calling it Rosa and Merlin's Awesome Adventures in Faerie, but you will also see Bleddyn step up and play a big role in this one.
That being said...here is a cover and a blurb for you to oggle! HURRAY!
Bleddyn is a man with secrets, but he can’t outrun his past any longer. With Balthasar and Nimue in the clutches of his greatest enemy, he’ll have to reclaim his birthright as the King of the Unseelie to save them. First, he’ll have to recruit the formidable general Eirianwen to stand by his side, but his ex-fiancé isn’t going to be won over so easily.
Eirianwen never thought she would see Bleddyn again and the woman he remembers died centuries ago. Only he can unite the scattered Unseelie in a final battle against the Autumn Queen, and as much as she hates it, Eirianwen knows she can’t keep fighting alone. Bleddyn promises to get revenge for everything that was taken from her, but when the doors to the past are opened, neither one will be prepared for what comes out.
Rosa will do anything to get Balthasar back, and when Merlin makes a plan to recruit the Wild Hunt to their cause, there’s nothing she won’t do to secure their alliance. Making a bargain with a god is never a good idea, and her deal with Gwyn ap Nudd might end up costing Rosa more than she’s willing to pay.
Oh yeah...this one has it all happening. I've been super excited about writing about Gwyn ap Nudd and the Wild Hunt as they have always been favourites of mine. There is also quite a lot of a good looking, sweet as hell guy called Arthur who tags along for some adventures. You will also get a sneak peak at the end of the Aramis and Soren book I'm drafting between other projects. Also, soooo much fun to be writing.
Speaking of books, I've read some great ones in the past month. I feel like I have a never ending battle with my To Be Read pile while I try and draft but these ones have crept through.
Stars of Fortune- Nora Roberts
Full Disclaimer: I only read Nora Roberts paranormal books and I'm always surprised how much her covers never look like they are paranormal. In saying that I loved this book. A bunch of supernatural strangers thrown together to hunt stars hidden by Celtic Goddess? Yeah sign me up. It has a bevvy of paranormal goodies including a magician and a seer and I won't tell you what else because I'll spoil it. But seriously, if you love a good treasure hunt with a supernatural twist, check it out!
The next one I'm going to try not to gush all over you about is Grace Draven's newest, Phoenix Unbound. Okay, you guys know how much I love Grace's books but I'm absolutely loving this book. Fire magic? Hot take on fantasy Huns? Gladiators? Dragon myths? There is so much that is awesome about it. Grace writes the best fantasy romance because her world building is always so stunning and believable that the romance compliments the story, but it's by no means the only thing going on. It's a great epic fantasy and you can check it out here.
The final book I'm currently working my way through is The Tigress of Forli by Elizabeth Lev.
This is a non-fiction work about the Renaisance Bad Ass Lady, Caterina Sforza. You might recognise her as the woman who takes on the Borgias in the TV series but the truth is always more fascinating than fiction. Elizabeth Lev is a lively writer so it's by no means a dull history book. If you are after a read about a woman taking on the patriarchy of the day, and beating them like a drum, look no further. Grab a copy here.
Okay, this blog is huge so I'm going to get out of here. A final heads up...The Blood Lake Chronicles box set is going to be free this weekend here on Amazon so if you have been thinking about giving it a go, the time is now.
Ames x
Kingdom PreOrder is Live!
Very excited to announce that KINGDOM, book 3 of The Blood Lake Chronicles, will be out on the 23rd of November! Hurray!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Qz3zfT
ITunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id14...
Nook: https://bit.ly/2zFNops
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/ebook/king...
Forced back into a world of war, a reluctant king will return to take up his broken crown
Bleddyn is a man with secrets, but he can't outrun his past any longer. With Balthasar and Nimue in the clutches of his greatest enemy, he'll have to reclaim his birthright as the King of the Unseelie to save them. First, he'll have to recruit the formidable general Eirianwen to stand by his side, but his ex-fiancé isn't going to be won over so easily.
Eirianwen never thought she would see Bleddyn again and the woman he remembers died centuries ago. Only he can unite the scattered Unseelie in a final battle against the Autumn Queen, and as much as she hates it, Eirianwen knows she can't keep fighting alone. Bleddyn promises to get revenge for everything that was taken from her, but when the doors to the past are opened, neither one will be prepared for what comes out.
Rosa will do anything to get Balthasar back, and when Merlin makes a plan to recruit the Wild Hunt to their cause, there's nothing she won't do to secure their alliance. Making a bargain with a god is never a good idea, and her deal with Gwyn ap Nudd might end up costing Rosa more than she's willing to pay.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Qz3zfT
ITunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id14...
Nook: https://bit.ly/2zFNops
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/ebook/king...
Forced back into a world of war, a reluctant king will return to take up his broken crown
Bleddyn is a man with secrets, but he can't outrun his past any longer. With Balthasar and Nimue in the clutches of his greatest enemy, he'll have to reclaim his birthright as the King of the Unseelie to save them. First, he'll have to recruit the formidable general Eirianwen to stand by his side, but his ex-fiancé isn't going to be won over so easily.
Eirianwen never thought she would see Bleddyn again and the woman he remembers died centuries ago. Only he can unite the scattered Unseelie in a final battle against the Autumn Queen, and as much as she hates it, Eirianwen knows she can't keep fighting alone. Bleddyn promises to get revenge for everything that was taken from her, but when the doors to the past are opened, neither one will be prepared for what comes out.
Rosa will do anything to get Balthasar back, and when Merlin makes a plan to recruit the Wild Hunt to their cause, there's nothing she won't do to secure their alliance. Making a bargain with a god is never a good idea, and her deal with Gwyn ap Nudd might end up costing Rosa more than she's willing to pay.
The Immortal City - all the info
In the heart of Venice, a woman is sacrificed to a forgotten god,
sparking a mystery lost for thousands of years.
The Da Vinci Code meets Discovery of Witches in this story of murder and magic...
Welcome to The Immortal City, book 1 in the Magicians of Venice series
The Magicians of Venice is a fresh and exciting new treasure hunt series featuring magic, mystery, and romance in an exhilarating blend of history and dark magic. Set against the backdrop of the beautiful city of Venice, fans of Indiana Jones and Robert Langdon will find a new favorite in Dr. Penelope Bryne, an anxiety-riddled academic. She’s fascinated with the city of Atlantis, much to the chagrin of her father and the academic community, and has devoted her life’s study to unlocking its secrets.
In The Immortal City, book one in the series, an ancient and mysterious script is found at a murder site with possible clues to the lost city of Atlantis. Determined to learn more, she agrees to help the police before the killer strikes again, and she heads to Venice in search of answers.
There she meets the enigmatic Alexis Donato, who challenges everything she thought she ever knew about Atlantis. As Alexis draws her into a dark and seductive world of magic and murder, Penelope will have to use her heart as well as her head to find the answers she seeks. With Carnivale in full swing, and time running out, Alexis and Penelope must work together to stop the killer and prevent a dark magic from pulling Venice into the sea.
Look how pretty it is I am dying!!! Also that's not even the BEST news...DIGITAL ARCS (Advanced Reader Copies) and the pre-order are also available! Whoop whoop!
Book reviewers and bloggers interested in reviewing the book may request a digital ARC of The Immortal City. ARCs are available through NetGalley and at the publisher’s website .
The Immortal City releases on September 19, 2019 in hardcover, trade softcover, and ebook. Preorder is currently available from select retailers.
Now I can finally talk about it let's talk about the inspiration behind the Magicians of Venice Series (don't worry there's no spoilers):
The Magicians of Venice is a three-book series and is the culmination of many weird pieces of ancient history and personal passions finally coming together.
I’ve always loved characters like Indiana Jones and Robert Langdon, but I wanted to write a story that turned the adventurer archaeologist trope on its head. It was important to me to create a female character that is not an oversexualised, badass Lara Croft figure. My character, Penelope Bryne, is an anxiety-ridden academic refusing to give up on the impossible dream of discovering Atlantis and who continues to be brave despite her failings.
I’ve always loved the legends and theories behind Atlantis and continue to this day to follow any new discoveries that might pertain to it. I wanted to play with some of the legends and mash them up with my own ideas and love of magicians, creating a story about survivors who become close to immortal because of the powerful blast that destroyed the island kingdom.
If there was ever a place that is so impossible and beautiful and could make you believe it was founded by magicians, it’s Venice. Even though my Venice obviously has many fantasy aspects, I wanted to ensure current issues were correctly portrayed especially concerning global warming, the MOSE project, the problem with cruise ships, and the impact that tourism has on the city.
While The Immortal City (book one) is mainly a magical, murder mystery, Sea of the Dead (book two) and The King’s Seal (book three) have a treasure hunt feel. As a student of ancient history, I’ve studied the Dead Sea Scrolls, and I knew about the discovery of a new cave in 2017 and was determined to write it into my book. There is still a lot of mystery surrounding the scrolls, and I wanted to play into that while incorporating my own magical twist and theories of why the Essenes vanished.
I grew up on fairy tales and mythology, and wanted to not only write about a famous relic that I’ve always been fascinated with, but also one that mainstream entertainment hasn’t plundered, so Atlantis and other relics that pop up are going to be really unique.
Sounds amazing? Yes, it's going to be a hell of a ride and one that I'm sure many of you will get behind, and will fall in love with these new characters as much as I have! I'm so excited!
Don't forget to use this pre-order link, it's set up for you to just click on the link to your fave store so you don't need to go searching for it.
Ames x
sparking a mystery lost for thousands of years.
The Da Vinci Code meets Discovery of Witches in this story of murder and magic...
Welcome to The Immortal City, book 1 in the Magicians of Venice series
The Magicians of Venice is a fresh and exciting new treasure hunt series featuring magic, mystery, and romance in an exhilarating blend of history and dark magic. Set against the backdrop of the beautiful city of Venice, fans of Indiana Jones and Robert Langdon will find a new favorite in Dr. Penelope Bryne, an anxiety-riddled academic. She’s fascinated with the city of Atlantis, much to the chagrin of her father and the academic community, and has devoted her life’s study to unlocking its secrets.
In The Immortal City, book one in the series, an ancient and mysterious script is found at a murder site with possible clues to the lost city of Atlantis. Determined to learn more, she agrees to help the police before the killer strikes again, and she heads to Venice in search of answers.
There she meets the enigmatic Alexis Donato, who challenges everything she thought she ever knew about Atlantis. As Alexis draws her into a dark and seductive world of magic and murder, Penelope will have to use her heart as well as her head to find the answers she seeks. With Carnivale in full swing, and time running out, Alexis and Penelope must work together to stop the killer and prevent a dark magic from pulling Venice into the sea.
Look how pretty it is I am dying!!! Also that's not even the BEST news...DIGITAL ARCS (Advanced Reader Copies) and the pre-order are also available! Whoop whoop!
Book reviewers and bloggers interested in reviewing the book may request a digital ARC of The Immortal City. ARCs are available through NetGalley and at the publisher’s website .
The Immortal City releases on September 19, 2019 in hardcover, trade softcover, and ebook. Preorder is currently available from select retailers.
Now I can finally talk about it let's talk about the inspiration behind the Magicians of Venice Series (don't worry there's no spoilers):
The Magicians of Venice is a three-book series and is the culmination of many weird pieces of ancient history and personal passions finally coming together.
I’ve always loved characters like Indiana Jones and Robert Langdon, but I wanted to write a story that turned the adventurer archaeologist trope on its head. It was important to me to create a female character that is not an oversexualised, badass Lara Croft figure. My character, Penelope Bryne, is an anxiety-ridden academic refusing to give up on the impossible dream of discovering Atlantis and who continues to be brave despite her failings.
I’ve always loved the legends and theories behind Atlantis and continue to this day to follow any new discoveries that might pertain to it. I wanted to play with some of the legends and mash them up with my own ideas and love of magicians, creating a story about survivors who become close to immortal because of the powerful blast that destroyed the island kingdom.
If there was ever a place that is so impossible and beautiful and could make you believe it was founded by magicians, it’s Venice. Even though my Venice obviously has many fantasy aspects, I wanted to ensure current issues were correctly portrayed especially concerning global warming, the MOSE project, the problem with cruise ships, and the impact that tourism has on the city.
While The Immortal City (book one) is mainly a magical, murder mystery, Sea of the Dead (book two) and The King’s Seal (book three) have a treasure hunt feel. As a student of ancient history, I’ve studied the Dead Sea Scrolls, and I knew about the discovery of a new cave in 2017 and was determined to write it into my book. There is still a lot of mystery surrounding the scrolls, and I wanted to play into that while incorporating my own magical twist and theories of why the Essenes vanished.
I grew up on fairy tales and mythology, and wanted to not only write about a famous relic that I’ve always been fascinated with, but also one that mainstream entertainment hasn’t plundered, so Atlantis and other relics that pop up are going to be really unique.
Sounds amazing? Yes, it's going to be a hell of a ride and one that I'm sure many of you will get behind, and will fall in love with these new characters as much as I have! I'm so excited!
Don't forget to use this pre-order link, it's set up for you to just click on the link to your fave store so you don't need to go searching for it.
Ames x
