Mystic by Alyson Noel

Author: Alyson Noel

Title:Mystic: Soul Seekers #3

Publication: May 7, 2013

Publisher: St. Martin Griffin

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Native American, Latina/Latino

Pages: 321

Audience: 16 and up

Rating:  3 out of 5

Source: Public Library

Synopsis (from the cover): When a made prophet and his beautiful daughter arrive in Enchantment determined to destroy all the Richters by the end of the week. Daire knows she had to stop them. Cade and her beloved Dace are so deeply connected that if one dies, the other will follow. But Dace has been missing for days, and his soul is in danger. Relying on the help of her friends, a Mystic with dubious motives, and powers she can't always trust, Daire sets out to find Dace, restore his soul, and end this deadly new threat before the final count down beings- all while keeping the Richters from claiming total world domination. But will it prove enough to win the most important fight of her life?

My thoughts:
I was so excited for this book, the audiobook to be exact. Echo left us on on huge cliffhanger that only this book could resolve. The library was not able to order the audiobook so I decided to read it. I realize now that I cannot stand the author's writing style. It was my problem all along. That is why the characters sound so annoying.
After the cliff hanger was resolved, it was really hard to continue on with the novel, but I managed. I felt this book was a bit weak compared to the others. There was plenty of action, but it felt like there was a lot going on and some of it was not resolved and we were rushed to the end. I believe the author will answer some of the remaining questions in the next book, maybe. I don't want to ruin the story line but, there is a part where a character has the potential to become possessed by demons, and I felt there was no need for that. We understood the urgency of that character's situation, and the whole possession bit could have been left out. 
As always, I feel the storyline is what saves this novel. This novel does have some redeeming qualities. We are able to read from several different character's perspective. My favorite character is back and stronger than before- Xochitl. There is more drama and action than the others contained, but as I said it seemed a bit much. However, the storyline is great and I will read the final book that is supposed to come out in November.

 

Review & Excerpt: Black Caesar by Ron Chepesiuk

Black Caesar: The Rise and Disappearance of Frank Matthews, Kingpin

by Ron Chepesiuk

on Tour July 1 - August 31, 2013

Book Details:

Genre:  True Crime Published by: Strategic Media Books Publication Date: June 1, 2013 Number of Pages: 210 ISBN: 098524401 // 978-0985244019 Purchase Links:

Synopsis:

In 1973, 29-year old Frank Matthews jumped bail and disappeared with 15-20 million and beautiful mistress and has never been seen again. The book chronicles the meteoric rise and fall of Frank Matthews, history's biggest African American drug dealer and one of history's biggest manhunts to apprehend him.

Read an excerpt:

Prologue

Jumping Bail

“Mr. Deary, am I going to get that life count they've been talking about?”

Frank Matthews

JULY 2, 1973—a typical hot, muggy day in New York City. Frank Matthews, alleged drug kingpin, is scheduled to appear in a federal court in Brooklyn, New York. He is already facing six charges of drug trafficking and conspiracy, but the new indictment will add charges and supersede the first one. On December 20, 1972, federal prosecutors swore out a warrant for Matthews’ arrest, accusing him of possessing 15 kilos of cocaine worth an estimated $3.6 million at street prices. About two weeks later, the authorities finally arrested Matthews in Las Vegas, one of his favorite haunts, as he prepared to leave the city and fly to Los Angeles for the Super Bowl VII game between the Miami Dolphins and Washington Redskins. After being extradited from Las Vegas to New York City, Matthews had managed to secure bail despite the claim of the federal government that he is the U.S.’s biggest drug trafficker. Federal prosecutors and law enforcement officials who investigated the Matthews organization considered the bail of $325,000 a bad joke, and they worried that Matthews would skip town. After all, investigators had evidence that Matthews may be been quietly stashing $1 million a month for the past several months. So why, they wondered, would the drug kingpin be doing that unless he was preparing for his imminent flight? All Matthews had to do to meet the bond requirements was to report regularly to the U.S. Attorney’s office and stay within the jurisdiction of the Eastern District of New York. Being short of manpower, law enforcement had no way of keeping tabs on Matthews. The suspect’s attitude and demeanor reinforced the authorities concern. The charismatic and handsome Matthews swaggered into the federal courthouse and greeting everyone he met with a broad smile and a friendly nod, while flirting with the ladies. Law enforcement officials could only look on and marvel. “Frank looked and acted like the King of New York City,“ said Ray Deary, the Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District who had served in the Appeals Division since 1971. “He walked around our turf like he owned it.” Deary was right. Frank Matthews is no ordinary criminal. On the mean streets of the urban jungles of America Matthews’ exploits have earned him the moniker of “Black Caesar.” He is charismatic as well as dangerous and even his adversaries, the authorities, have a grudging respect for him. Matthews seemingly unconcern about the serious charges that could put him in jail for several decades baffled the authorities. They could not tail him, but they had received reports that Matthews has been conducting business with his associates even before securing bail. Sources within the West Street Detention Center, where Matthews had been detained after his arrest, observed that top lieutenants of his organization, as well as his lawyer, Gino Gallina, were visiting him frequently, and it seemed to the sources that Matthews was giving instructions and orders. After his release on bond, Black Caesar was seen in the company of several leading drug dealers and gamblers. Moreover, Matthews was in the constant company of Cheryl Denise Brown, a beautiful light skinned black woman who turned heads wherever she went. It should have been an embarrassment to the alleged drug kingpin since he had a common law wife, Barbara Hinton, and three kids waiting for him at home. But Hinton, herself an attractive woman, did not seem to be bothered or embarrassed by Matthews’ apparent public infidelity, even after the family was forced to leave their luxurious surroundings for a more modest apartment at 2785 Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn. In better days, Matthews had used the Ocean Parkway apartment as a getaway and a place to stash his many paramours. In their effort to nail Matthews, prosecutors hauled Hinton before a grand jury, offering her immunity if she would cooperate with their case against her husband. Hinton refused, even though she faced a possible conspiracy charge herself. Then a few days before his scheduled court appearance, Matthews arrived in the Brooklyn federal court building with his lawyer, Gino Gallina when he bumped into Federal Prosecutor Raymond Deary as Deary was leaving a room. Matthews said to Deary, “Mr. Deary, am I gonna get that life count they been talking about?” Matthews was referring to part of section 848 of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970: “Any person who engages in a continuing criminal enterprise shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment which may not be less than 20 years and which may be up to life imprisonment.” The thought of Section 848 terrified many traffickers because they feared that, if convicted under the statue, they would spend the rest of their lives in prison. Deary looked at Matthews and said, “It’s very possible Frank….very possible.” Later, Deary said he was joking, but for Matthews, spending his life in jail was no joking matter. “Frank knew what the 848 could do to him,” recalled Liddy Jones, a former drug kingpin and an associate of Matthews. “No way was he going to spend the rest of his life in jail.” Inside the steamy courthouse on this sweltering July day in 1973, the electric fans whirred as the judge, federal prosecutors and the defense team waited patiently for Frank Matthews to appear. But he never did. Instead, he became a fugitive from justice. In the coming weeks, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the lead agency in the investigation of Frank Matthews, is confident they will apprehend the fugitive. After all, don’t law enforcement officials always get their man? The weeks turned into months and the months into years, and law enforcement did not catch him. The U.S. Marshal Service took over the hunt for Matthews from the DEA. There were alleged sightings of Matthews in more than 50 countries. Cheryl Brown, Matthews’ mistress disappeared the same time he did, and her whereabouts were just as mysterious. No informant stepped forward. No bodies were ever found. No fingerprints were discovered. No solid leads appeared. Nothing. With time, law enforcement moved on to other priorities. New generations of law enforcement officials replace the old guard and they knew little about Matthews. Periodically, Matthews’ story appeared briefly in the press and rekindled speculation. Is he alive or is he dead? The public wondered. But then the reports faded from public consciousness and people focused on other crime stories. What follows is the remarkable story of the legendary Frank Matthews, one of organized crime’s most original gangsters. It is the story of the biggest gangster mystery of all time. It is a story with an improbable beginning and a story with no conclusive ending.

My Thoughts: This is a great read. I have always loved the True Crime genre but Ron Chepesiuk has taken it to a new level. The mystery surrounding Frank's childhood and his disappearance drew me in. Chepesiuk's causal writing style made me feel as if I was talking with a friend. While reading I developed my own theroies of what happened to Frank and I enjoyed reading Chepsiuk's. If you know a true crime lover pick this up for them. 

Author Bio:

Ron Chepesiuk is an award-winning author and a publisher, screenwriter and documentary producer and director. He’s a two-time Fulbright Scholar to Bangladesh and Indonesia and a consultant to the History Channel’s Gangland TV series. His books include Sergeant Smack, Gangsters of Harlem, Gangsters of Miami, among others. He is also Executive Producer and co-host of the popular radio show Crime Beat (www.artistfirst.com/crimebeat.htm). For other books by Ron Chepesiuk go to www.strategicmediabooks.com.

Catch Up With Ron:

Tour Participants

*This book was provided by the author and/or publisher for Partners In Crime Tours in exchange for an honest review*

Review & Excerpt: Fire by T.G. Ayer

Title: Fire (A Hand of Kali Novel)

Author: T. G. Ayer

Publication: July 23, 2013

Publisher: T.G. Ayer Books

Source: Author

Genre: Ya Fantasy, Paranormal

Audience: 12+

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Synopsis: Normal people sneak out to a party and have fun. Maya Rao ends the evening by incinerating the guy who attacks her. 

Nik Lucas, sexy, new in town and totally forbidden, happens to walk in on her. Normal guys would run for the hills. Nik knows a whole lot more than he's telling.

Maya doesn't believe the gods are real, doesn't waste her time with mere mythology. But when gods, demons and hellhound's become the new normal and wielding fire becomes her new skill, she must decide what it is she really believes. 

Can Maya accept that normal is something she will never be because it isn't normal to be ...the Hand of Kali.

My Thoughts: Maya is a normal girl but that all changes after she attends a party she never expected to be invited to. Once Maya learns of her destiny she avoids it, like she has always done when her parents talk about the God and the mythology surrounding them. Maya is forced to face what and who she is. She must decide to do what she can to save the world or be taken by evil demons. 

Ayer has has made the world of mythology real for me.  Having no previous background on the Hindi religion I did a little research when each god was introduced just to help me know more about them. This extra step was not necessary as Ayer did an excellent job of introducing each God and what they happen to be the God of. I can't wait to read the next book, Blood, in the series when it is released late this year. In the meantime I'm going to read Ayer's other works. Her writing style keeps you engaged and wanting more. 

Excerpt: 

Fear spun Maya around on stricken feet. To defend her back perhaps. She just felt less vulnerable facing her attacker, where she could see his next move. He barreled straight at her. And for all her training in martial arts, she did the one thing her dad always said never to do. She ducked her head and hid her face with her hands. Hands out, as if she could fend off this vicious attacker merely with the soft skin of her palms.

Maya felt the heat before she saw it.

Byron was on fire. A living column of shimmering orange flames. She couldn't breathe. Was afraid to breathe. How did that happen? She glanced around the bathroom as panic filled her veins, her fear taking on a whole new level of hysteria. She had to put the fire out. 

She turned to the faucet to fill her hands with water. And froze. In the mirror she saw the burning reflection of Byron disappear. Byron was there one moment and gone the next. Only a few burnt shards of fabric left to say he was ever there. But she remembered the last thing she'd seen before Byron became nothing: brilliant blue eyes turning a frighteningly blood-red.

And Nik, holding the doorknob, staring at the empty space on the floor behind her.

Author Bio: 

I have been a writer from the time I was old enough to recognize that reading was a doorway into my imagination. Poetry was my first foray into the art of the written word. Books were my best friends, my escape, my haven. I am essentially a recluse but this part of my personality is impossible to practice given I have two teenage daughters, who are actually my friends, my teamakers, my confidantes… I am blessed with a husband who has left me for golf. It’s a fair trade as I have left him for writing. We are both passionate supporters of each other's loves – it works wonderfully…

My heart is currently broken in two. One half resides in South Africa where my old roots still remain, and my heart still longs for the endless beaches and the smell of moist soil after a summer downpour. My love for Ma Afrika will never fade. The other half of me has been transplanted to the Land of the Long White Cloud. The land of the Taniwha, beautiful Maraes, and volcanoes. The land of green, pure beauty that truly inspires. And because I am so torn between these two lands – I shall forever remain cross-eyed.

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Excerpt & Giveaway: Repossession by Rachel Wade

Title: Repossession

Author: Rachael Wade
Series: The Keepers Trilogy #1
Publication: June 21st 2013
Genre: New Adult Science Fiction/ Romance

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Synopsis: Skylla only knows that she has been kidnapped and held prisoner by the foreign invaders and their human allies. And that the world is ending. Or so the humans think. The invaders have made it clear that their arrival is one of hostile intent, and as their takeover spreads, so does the panic across the globe. No one knows how to defeat them, or if it’s even sane to try.

Jet, Skylla's human captor, is up for the challenge, though. A traitor in Skylla's eyes, he is working with them. But Jet has his own agenda; one that doesn't include babysitting Skylla or helping the enemies. And as the human race struggles to keep the invaders from achieving their goal, Jet and Skylla's paths collide to reveal the truth behind Skylla's abduction.

The invaders are headed for the water. Jet is headed for the water. But that’s the last place Skylla wants to be. That’s where the future of humanity lies, and where the bridge to their yesterdays was burned. On a mission to take back what is rightfully theirs, Earth’s population is determined to make sure this isn't the end. But some endings were never theirs to begin with.

Excerpt: 

The quiet drone of a train’s chugging grew louder as it approached but was still eerily muted, a graceful ghost passing in the night. Minimal light shone from the front car as Jet stepped forward to align himself with its path.

“How do we know where it stops?” I asked, positioning myself next to him.

“We don’t.”

“So …”

“So we have to make a run for it.”

“You mean jump?”

“Yup.”

“As in … jump onto a moving train.”

“Yup.”

“This is crazy.”

“A dangerously disturbing level of crazy. No worries, baby.” He patted my shoulder with a smartass grin. “It’s just your area of expertise.” I narrowed my eyes at him, storing that one away for a future retaliation jab of my own.

Adrenaline spiked as the train grew closer, every nerve ending a live wire to the heart pounding violently in my chest. Jet grabbed my hand, glancing at my gun. “I’ll go first. Once I get a good grip, I’ll haul you up. Whatever you do, don’t stop running. And don’t let go.”

“I should go first,” I raised my voice to speak over the rumbling of the track. “You’re hurt. You’re going to need upper body strength.”

“I’m fine. Don’t fight me on this.”

Blood pounded hot in my ears, my heart rate jumping and hair blowing wildly around my cheeks as the train began to whizz by. The rush in my veins propelled me forward the moment I spotted an opportunity, and I launched into a controlled sprint. Springing upward, I lunged forward and latched on to the side of the car, the metal handle slipping beneath my sweaty grip. I shrieked and latched on harder, hearing Jet’s voice thunder behind me. The train’s vibrations rattled against my chest, sending my senses on high alert.

Clenching the handle until my knuckles hurt, I bit down on my lip to ease the tension and yanked hard to the right, feeling a heavy latch click and shift beneath my fingers. The door slid open and I hauled myself up and inside, grabbing onto the side of the frame to steady myself before flipping around to reach for Jet. He was running full speed after me, his arms pumping tight and sharp at his sides as he tore forward.

“Come on!” I yelled, extending one arm. It only took him a few seconds to catch up, his agile form sending his body off the ground and up onto the car before I could blink. With a loud shout, he clamped onto my arm, his other hand flying over his chest to cradle his gun. I was thrown onto my back with a thud before I knew what hit me, his body covering mine with a crash that left me seeing stars.

“Fucking crazy woman!” he shouted over the rail’s relentless roar, louder now that we were level with it. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” His heat pressed into me, his arms caging me in as he stared down into my eyes, his nose aligned with mine.

“Fulfilling my sole purpose to drive you mad, it seems.” I couldn’t help it. The rush sent me sky-high and an explosive laugh escaped my lungs. I shook beneath him, my breath heaving against his chest.

“Damn it, Skylla!” He dropped his head as he gasped for air. “Seriously!” he added for effect, but there was nothing serious in his voice now. He was laughing too, just as deep, just as euphorically as I was, and I decided right then that the sound of Jet’s laugh was almost as sexy as his full lips and ripped body.

“Wanna go again?”

“You’re reckless. I can’t even look at you.”

“You’re crushing me.”

His head lifted, those blue eyes settling on me as his laughter slowed. “You deserve it.”

My hand shifted and found his injured hip; my fingers brushed the bandage through his shirt. He flinched. “And you need to admit when you need help.”

Pushing himself up, he rolled off me and sat back on his heels, wincing and gripping his side, his lips pulling back and teeth visibly grinding with the motion. I sat up and scooted forward, mindful of the gaping railcar door. I reached up and slid it shut, slamming it with a loud grunt until I felt it lock into place. The loud rumble of the wheels hitting the track was muted now, but the rattling hum still thumped away from outside, filling the dimly lit car with a shaky buzz.

“I’m fine,” he said.

“Fine. Play it your way. I’m going to see if I can find you some medicine.”

I helped push him backward to prop him against the wall, peeling his backpack from his shoulders first. “Try and rest, I’ll see what I can find out.”

“I’m not letting you wander around these cars alone. Not fuckin’ happening.”

“If you don’t rest and get medicine for that wound soon, I’ll be stuck wandering everywhere alone. That ointment won’t cut it. You’re going to need antibiotics. It’s starting to get infected.”

His gaze snapped up to mine and held my stare. “Finger on the trigger.”

“Fire on your mark.” I smirked.

Author Bio:

Rachael Wade is the Amazon bestselling author of The Preservation Series, The Resistance Trilogy, and the upcoming sci-fi series, The Keepers Trilogy. When she’s not writing, she’s busy learning French, watching too many movies, and learning how to protect animals and the environment. Visit her at www.RachaelWade.com and www.LightsOnOutreach.com, or come chat with her on Twitter via @RachaelWade.

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Playlist: 

For many writers, myself included, music plays a massive role in the writing process. I need music before and while I write. Music inspires all of my storytelling, so I always make a playlist for each of my books to share with readers. Here’s a list of the songs that inspired the first book in my New Adult science fiction series, The Keepers Trilogy. Happy listening!

1.    Lux Aeterna – Clint Mansell (Requiem for a Dream Soundtrack)

2.    Somewhere I Belong – Linkin Park (Repossession theme song)

3.    Breath of Life – Florence and the Machine

4.    Running up that Hill – Placebo

5.    Fix You – Coldplay

6.    Spem in Alium – Harry Christophers (Lucenta arrival scene)

7.    Fugees – Ready or Not

8.    Missing – The xx

9.    Meant – Elizaveta

10.    Sober – Tool (San Francisco base station arrival scene)

11.    Heavy in Your Arms – Florence and the Machine

12.    Drumming Song – Florence and the Machine

13.    Skyfall – Adele (Final scene)

14.    Alive- Krewella (Abyss scenes)

15.    Cherry Cherry Boom Boom – One and Only (Abyss scenes)

16.    Gold – Spandau Ballet by Basto – (Abyss scenes)

17.    Aqualung & Lucy Schwartz – Cold

18.    Hallelujah – Brandi Carlile version

19.    Raise Hell – Brandi Carlile

20.    Hearing Damage- Thom Yorke

21.    Lithium – Evanescence

22.    Disturbia – Rihanna

23.    Russian Roulette – Rihanna

24.    Titanium – David Guetta

25.    Sweet Dreams – Marilyn Manson (Train scene)

26.    Beautiful People – Marilyn Manson (Train scene)

27.    We Found Love – Rihanna (Sky and Jet dance scene)

28.    Excess – Tricky

29.    Before I’m Dead – Kidney Thieves

30.    Going Under – Evanescence

31.    In the End – Linkin Park

32.    What I’ve Done – Linkin Park

33.    Porcelain – Moby (Lucenta scenes)

34. End of the World – Ingrid Michaelson

Giveaway: The author is giving away an ebook copy of Repossession. This giveaway is open internationally. Please use the Rafflecopter form below to enter. 

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Interview, Excerpt & Giveaway: Brillant Darkness Series by A.G. Henley

Title: The Scourage

Author: A. G. Henley

Publication: January 1, 2012

Series: Brilliant Darkness (# 1)

Genre: Dystopia, Young Adult

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Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Groundling, Fennel, is Sightless. She's never been able to see her lush forest home, but she knows its secrets. She knows how the shadows shift when she passes under a canopy of trees. She knows how to hide in the cool, damp caves when the Scourge comes. She knows how devious and arrogant the Groundlings' tree-dwelling neighbors, the Lofties, can be. 

And she's always known this day would come—the day she faces the Scourge alone. 

The Sightless, like Fenn, are mysteriously protected from the Scourge, the gruesome creatures roaming the forests, reeking of festering flesh and consuming anything—and anyone—living. A Sightless Groundling must brave the Scourge and bring fresh water to the people of the forest. Today, that task becomes Fenn's. 

Fenn will have a Lofty Keeper, Peree, as her companion. Everyone knows the Lofties wouldn’t hesitate to shoot an arrow through the back of an unsuspecting Groundling like Fenn, but Peree seems different. A boy with warm, rough hands who smells like summer, he is surprisingly kind and thoughtful. Although Fenn knows his people are treacherous, she finds herself wanting to trust him. 

As their forest community teeters on the brink of war, Fenn and Peree must learn to work together to survive the Scourge and ensure their people’s survival. But when Fenn uncovers a secret that shatters her truths, she’s forced to decide who and what to protect—her people, her growing love for Peree, or the elusive dream of lasting peace in the forest.

Title: The Defiance

Author: A. G. Henley

Publication: July 29, 2013

Series: Brilliant Darkness (# 2)

Genre: Dystopia, Young Adult

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Synopsis: Suspicion Trust. Fear Compassion. Hate Love.

It hasn’t been long since Fennel, a Sightless Groundling, and Peree, her Lofty Keeper, fell in love and learned the truth: the Scourge, and their world, are not what they seem.

Fenn and Peree are determined to guide their people to the protected village of Koolkuna, but first they must convince them that everything they believe is a lie. An impossible task, especially when someone seems hell-bent on trying anything—even animal sacrifice and arson—to destroy the couple’s new bond and crush the frail truce between the Groundlings and the Lofties. Not everyone wants to uproot their lives in the forest, and those who stay behind will be left terribly vulnerable.

Fenn and Peree’s resolve to be together, and the constant threat of the Scourge’s return, push both groups to the breaking point. Unable to tell friend from foe, Fenn must again decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice to ensure the future of the people of the forest.Only this time, the price of peace may be too high to bear.

Excerpt: 

Only the odd snore rumbles from the other shelters as I crack the door open and slide out. The forest isn’t so quiet. Crickets hum hypnotically, leaves shift and sigh in the breeze, and frogs and bats keep the time with their cries. If the greenheart trees offer the forest its scent and flavor, then its animal inhabitants provide the tune.

I slink like prey from dark spot to dark spot, minding the sound of my steps. There’s probably a Groundling guard somewhere. The moon illuminates the path, so I walk under the shade of the tree branches. There’s a luster ahead.

For a long time I thought the water hole glowed. Calli finally told me the moon—which I’ve heard can be as slim as a curled-up leaf or as spherical as a stone—reflects in the water hole below. It seems unfair, somehow. The sighted see not only the fickle moon, they see two.

The water sweeps softly onto the shore, then recedes, dancing with itself, careless who hears it. I hold under the cover of the forest, soaking in the sounds and scents of the night.

After a few minutes, I hear more deliberate movements in the treetops: the low thump of quiet footsteps along the walkway overhead. They stop above my head. A soft birdcall greets me. I wave, letting them know it’s safe.

The rope ladder dives toward me, bumping against the tree trunk as it falls, and I steady it as Peree descends. My heart pulses in my chest as he draws near. I feel like I’ve stolen these moments with him, moments we’ll have to eventually give back. I don’t want to steal time with him. I want it to be ours to keep.

Author Bio: 

A.G. Henley is the author of the BRILLIANT DARKNESS series. The first novel in the series, THE SCOURGE, was a finalist for the 2013 Next Generation Indie Book Award.

A.G. is also a clinical psychologist, which means people either tell her their life stories on airplanes, or avoid her at parties when they’ve had too much to drink. Neither of which she minds. When she’s not writing fiction or shrinking heads, she can be found herding her children and their scruffy dog, Guapo, to various activities while trying to remember whatever she’s inevitably forgotten to tell her husband. She lives in Denver, Colorado.

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Interview: 

1) What is The Scourge about? Did you have any interesting moments while researching the book?

In The Scourge, Sightless Fennel must face terrifying, flesh-eating creatures called the Scourge, in order to gather water for her people, the Groundlings, as they hide from the creatures in caves near their forest homes. Fenn’s Sightlessness is supposed to mysteriously protect her, but she hasn’t been tested. Until now.

I did learn some interesting things while researching The Scourge. I can’t tell you the most interesting thing I learned, because it is a big spoiler. It had to do with how the Scourge became the way they are . . . But, I recently had the opportunity to do some hands-on research into archery (Peree, Fenn’s Lofty Keeper and the male protagonist of the series, is an archer.) My fingers are still red and a little sore from releasing the arrows!

2) As I read The Scourge, I thought it was refreshing for Fennel, the heroine, to have a physical disability. Where did the idea to make her Sightless come from?

I can’t remember exactly when the idea came to me, although it was before I started writing the manuscript. I thought it would be cool to feature a protagonist with a disability. I’d read widely in the YA genre and couldn’t think of many books that had a disabled main character. As for making her blind, I was influenced by Ivy in the film The Village. I love the way Ivy and her family and friends seem to accept her blindness as just a part of who she is. It is a challenge to be sure, but it doesn’t define her. The film often gets a bad rap, in my opinion. I loved it—especially the setting and atmosphere.

3) I know this may be a tough one, but which character is your favorite?

Oh, that’s not too hard. I love Fennel. She’s who I wish I could be: strong, brave, intelligent, responsible, concerned about others, family and community oriented, non-judgmental. And yet still fully human, I think, with as many insecurities and small concerns as any seventeen-year-old.

I also had a blast developing Moray’s character in The Defiance. He’s an antihero—deliciously self-centered and arrogant—while still adhering to his own code of ethics and values. They just aren’t the values most other people share (thankfully.)

4) The character names are unique and refreshing, how did you come up with them?

I wanted the character names to reflect something about the groups they came from. In my series, there are two main groups of people—the Groundlings, who live on the ground, and the Lofties, who live in the tops of the trees. They are locked in an uneasy, sometimes violent, symbiotic relationship. The male Groundlings have animal names (Bear, Eland), the female Groundlings have plant names (Aloe, Rose), the male Lofties have bird names (Peregrine, Petrel) . . . and then I ran out of steam for naming the female Lofties. I eventually decided they would be named for something in their environment (Moonbeam, Dusk). The Groundlings make fun of the female Lofty names, which was really me making fun of myself for not being able to think of anything better!

It occurred to me much later that by giving the characters these types of names, I also gave readers a sense of what the characters either look or act like. It’s a little heavy handed, but I think it’s also helpful when you write in first-person from the perspective of a blind main character who can’t describe the way other characters look.

5) If you were a character in the series, would you choose to live on the ground or high up in the trees?

I think I’d choose to live in the trees, where I could have a view and catch the breezes. But mostly I would want to have the choice, unlike the characters in my books.

6) The Defiance—the second installment in the Brilliant Darkness series—released on July 29th. Did you plan the novel before writing The Scourge, or did you wait to see how the first installment faired?

I published The Scourge last year without being at all sure I would write another book of any kind. It took me months to decide to write a sequel. I am a pantser (meaning I don’t outline or plot books before I write them) so I had only a vague idea of where I would take the plot of a sequel. I actually had a much better idea about what a third book would include. But usually when I let my mind wander the ideas start to flow, and that’s what happened with The Defiance.

7) Speaking of The Defiance, what can fans of The Scourge expect in this second installment?

Fennel and Peree are determined to be together in the protected village of Koolkuna, and Fenn feels strongly that it’s their responsibility to bring their people, the Groundlings and Lofties, back with them. When she receives a frightening message—a pair of dead, bloody animals gutted and nailed to the wall above her bed—she realizes that not everybody is willing to go along with her plan.

8) Tell me three things that you loved about writing The Scourge and The Defiance.

• Allowing my imagination to run wild
• Spending time with my book children, especially Fennel and Peree
• Learning about the craft of writing fiction and the business of publishing

9) Post-apocalyptic and dystopian fiction are popular sub-genres in the literature world right now. Why do you think people enjoy them so much?

I think it’s intriguing to read about and imagine how you would react if you were put in these kinds of dire situations. Would I make the same decisions the heroine does? Would I feel the same way she does? Or would I decide to do something wildly different? Reading gives us a safe (and fun) way to explore those decisions.

10) Finally, what’s on your summer reading list?

Ooh, good question. I agree with the scores of other people who have said writers should spend almost as much time reading as they do writing. I love reading, so it’s been a treat to turn a hobby into something I have to do for “work” ; )

I recently devoured the first two books and the novella in Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me series. SO good. I also read and loved Mary Robinette Kowal’s Glamourist Histories series. I have an affinity for historical fiction already, but write in the style of Jane Austen and throw in some magic, and I’m utterly hooked. Now I’m starting on indie author Chelsea Fine’s The Archers of Avalon series. Her books won a bunch of awards at the utopYA convention where I was a panelist in June. I try to read a mix of both traditionally published and indie-published authors. I also mix in a few classics. I re-read Oliver Twist and The Great Gatsby in the last few months.

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