Friday, October 2, 2015

Q&A with Garrett Calcaterra, Author of Dreamwielder



 Dreamwielder
The Dreamwielder Chronicles, Book One

Garrett Calcaterra

YA Fantasy
Diversion Books
September 29, 2015

Amazon | B&N | Goodreads

In a world shrouded by soot and smoke, young Makarria has literally been forbidden to dream.

Legend has foretold the demise of Emperor Thedric Guderian at the hands of a sorceress with royal blood, and the Emperor has made it his legacy to stamp out all magic from the Sargothian Empire in favor of primitive coal fired smelters and steam powered machines. When Guderian’s minions discover a Dreamwielder on a seaside farmstead, a chain of events forces Guderian’s new threat—the young Makarria—to flee from her home and embark upon an epic journey where her path intertwines with that of Princess Taera, her headstrong brother, Prince Caile, and the northman Siegbjorn, who captains a night-flying airship.

Dogging their every step is the part-wolf, part-raven sorcerer, Wulfram, and Emperor Guderian himself, a man who has the ability to stint magic and a vision to create a world where the laws of nature are beholden to men and machines. Only by learning to control the power she wields can Makarria save her newfound companions and stop the Emperor from irreversibly exterminating both the magic in humans and their bond with nature.

DREAMWIELDER will be available in eBook and print editions on SEPTEMBER 29, 2015.


Inside The Dreamwielder Chronicles with Author Garrett Calcaterra 


So Garrett, Makarria and Caile meet up in this first book and start to bond—how much can you divulge about Makarria and Caile’s relationship in the next book? Do they end up together?

Ha! Nice try. No spoilers here. I will say this, though. They are much closer in Book 2, and the plot is, in part, directly tied in to their budding relationship. Just remember, new relationships are always hard. Compound that with the fact that Makarria and Caile have some new, very powerful, adversaries, and you don’t exactly have a great formula for a normal relationship.

It sounds like Book 2, Souldrifter, is going to have just as much drama and action as the first book.

It’s actually even more action packed. I worked really hard to make sure Souldrifter was better than Dreamwielder in every way, so the plot is full of action and twists, there are great new characters, and Makarria and Caile continue to grow as individuals.

How many more books do you have planned for the series? 

Just one more book after Souldrifter, to round it out as a trilogy. That’s the plan, at least. Who knows? I’m just now starting Book 3, so things could change. 


How long did it take you to come up with the world of the Five Kingdoms? And did you draw the map in the books yourself?

That’s a good question. I’m not entirely certain how long it took me to come up with the world. All said and done, I spent a good six months outlining Dreamwielder, developing my characters, and figuring out the world—which included coming up with the history and mythology of the Five Kingdoms and, yes, drawing the map myself. I’m not a horribly good artist, but if I take my time, I can put together a decent map.



Your novella, The Knight’s Dog, has blown up on Wattpad and frequently gets compared to George R.R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones. For readers who haven’t read your work before, would you say that The Dreamwielder Chronicles fall into the same vein?

Well, I hate comparing myself to other authors, particularly authors I admire, like Martin! How about this? Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire is definitely an influence of mine. It’s more apparent in The Knight’s Dog, but I imagine you can see the influence in the Dreamwielder novels, too. Since the series is aimed toward a YA audience, it doesn’t have quite as much, uh, “adult content,” but that’s not to say it’s not dark and complex.

Okay, last question. What made you decide to have a young female protagonist? And who would play Makarria in a movie?

Hey, that’s two questions! Ha! Okay, the second question first. I think Sarah Hyland would do a great job as Makarria in a movie. Or maybe Hailee Steinfeld. As for the first question, it’s pretty simple. My mom literally dreamt up Makarria! The opening scene in Dreamwielder is based on the dream she had. Once she told me about it, I saw all the potential in Makarria as a character and the world she inhabited, and I just had to write the novel. 

About the Author

Garrett Calcaterra is author of the epic fantasy novel DREAMWIELDER, available from Diversion Books. In addition, he is author of the horror collection UMBRAL VISIONS, and co-author of the mosaic fantasy novel THE ROADS TO BALDAIRN MOTTE. His humor titles include CODE BROWN and A GOOD BREW IS HARD TO FIND. When not writing, Garrett enjoys hiking with his two dogs and quaffing good beer. Learn more at www.garrettcalcaterra.com

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Thursday, October 1, 2015

New Release Alert: Fairy Tale Confessions Collection




Fairy Tale Confessions

Fairy Tales
Amber Leaf Publishing
October 1, 2015

Amazon | B&N | Goodreads


Fourteen bestselling authors twist up your favorite tales. Will your favorite have a happily-ever-after?

Get ready to meet some sexy, not-so-valiant princes, punk-rock princesses, villains turned heroes, and truly vile monsters wreaking havoc within our favorite tales.

Read about Dancing Princesses getting their groove on in a disco club, a seriously sexy Rumpelstiltskin, and one alluring Puss-in-Boots, plus many, many more captivating characters in these fourteen all new short-stories.

(This collection and its authors are being featured at RT 2016 at the Fairy Tale Costume Party in Vegas, hosted by Sarah J. Pepper and Tish Thawer. Be sure to get your copy and stop by if you're attending the event.)



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Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Curse of the Sphinx by Raye Wagner - Excerpt & Video




Curse of the Sphinx
Sphinx #2

Raye Wagner

YA Urban Fantasy/Mythology
August 9, 2015

Amazon | Goodreads

How long can a monster stay hidden in plain sight?

Seventeen year-old Hope Nicholas has spent her entire life on the run. But no one is chasing her. In fact, no one even knows she exists. With her mom, she’s traveled from town to town and school to school, barely staying long enough to meet anyone, let alone make friends. And she’ll have to keep it that way. It’s safer.

When her mother is brutally ripped away from her, Hope’s life shatters. Is this the fulfillment of Apollo’s curse, murder from the shadow monsters of the Underworld, or have the demigods finally found her? Orphaned and alone, Hope flees again, but this time there’s no one to teach her who to trust—or how to love.

Set in a universe where mythology is alive and well in the modern world, Curse of the Sphinx irresistibly blends action, suspense and romance.

Excerpt

She swallowed. “I thought I made it clear that I’m not. Interested, I mean. In friends, or dating.”

“But why not?” He took a step toward her, and his voice softened. “Will you just . . . let me be your friend?”

“I’m not looking for friends.”

“Well, I am.”

Hope snorted. “I’ve seen your parade of friendships over the last week.” She grimaced. “I’m not interested in cuddling in the library, or meeting you at my locker.”

He chuckled. “That is not what I meant. Besides, not one of those girls was looking for friendship.” He tipped his head at her. “For being so uninterested, you sure notice a lot.”

“Noticing and caring are hardly the same thing.”




Here are links to more fun videos by the author:


About the Author

Raye Wagner grew up in the suburbs of Seattle, the second of eight children, and learned to escape chaos through the pages of fiction. As a youth, she read the likes of David Eddings, Leon Uris, and Jane Austen. Inspired by a fictional character, Raye pursued a career in nursing, and thought to help the world one patient at a time.
One summer afternoon, a plot dropped into her head, and she started writing.
Raye enjoys baking, Tae Kwon Do, puzzles, and the sound of waves lapping at the sand. She lives with her husband and three children in Middle Tennessee.

Origin of the Sphinx is her first publication, and the beginning of the Sphinx series.

You can connect with Raye Wagner via her website: www.rayewagner.com , or on Facebook.

Author links:

Monday, September 28, 2015

New Release Alert: Hookah by Cameron Jace - Excerpt & Giveaway


Happy Release Day!

Hookah
Insanity #4

Cameron Jace

YA Fantasy/Fairy Tales
September 28, 2015

Amazon | B&N | Goodreads

Get Book 1 FREE
Amazon | B&N

A Plague Scarier than Death
Alice and the Pillar have to stop a Wonderland Monster who’d lashed out an incurable disease onto the world. Their biggest challenge is that the world loves this monster so much.

A Cure Larger than Life
The only way to save the world is to travel to the other side of the globe, and peek into one of Lewis Carroll and the Pillar’s darker pasts.

A Truth Madder Than Fiction
This time, the price of saving the world is too high. Alice will have to live with the consequences of the maddest logic of the world surrounding her.

Will Alice find who the Pillar really is? What he wants? Is she brave enough to handle the one Wonderland Monster she’d thought was a good friends? And even so, is the world ready the truth?

Excerpt

"Have you ever jumped out of a plane in a parachute, down to meet up with people who’d take selfies of your blood on their faces for breakfast?

I am doing it right now. And guess what, it’s nighttime, so not only am I free-falling, but I am also doing it in the dark. That’s what I call a bonus.

Throwing away the Pillar’s goggles, I hear the plane explode in midair above me.

Oh my god, this is for real!

“I’ve always wanted to blow up my employees,” the Pillar shouts all the way down. I am not sure how I can hear him. “But you’ll be fine. Just pull the red lever when I tell you to.”

In spite of all the madness, I feel unexpectedly fine up here in the air. Fine is an understatement. I feel euphoric. I want to feel like this every day. It’s ridiculous how much I am enjoying this, although I may get face-palmed by the earth in a few seconds.

Mary Ann, also known as Alice Wonder, 19 years old, dead and gone. I imagine the scripture on my grave says. But who cares? She was mad anyways.

Suddenly I realize that the madness hasn’t started yet. Not at all.

Down below, I can see something glittering. The vast land where we’re landing is nothing but an endless field of ridiculously over-sized mushrooms.

Big mushrooms growing everywhere, whitening up the black of the night.

About the Author

Insanity 4 is available for pre-order http://www.amazon.com/dp/B013JAUABG

Cameron Jace is the bestselling author of the Grimm Diaries and Insanity series. A graduate of the college of Architecture, collector of out-of-print books, he is obsessed with the origins of folk tales and the mysterious storytellers who spread them. Three of his books made Amazon's Top 100 Customer Favorites in Kindle 2013 & Amazon's Top 100 kindle list. Cameron lives in California with his girlfriend. When he isn't writing or collecting books, he is playing music.

Sign up for his mailing list here: http://bit.ly/1sxp3p1

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