My Tween/Teen Fantasy ARROW OF THE MIST was released March 2013. Read more about it under the My Books tab.
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Title: RAKSHA (Blood and Fire book 1)
Author: Frankie Rose
Genre: YA Dystopian
Blog Tour Dates: April 26 – May 10, 2013
***Hosted by Girls Heart Books and Lady Amber’s Tours***
Wow, last day of LAUNCH BLOG TOUR for my Indie-Visible Sister-Author, Frankie Rose, and her newly-released Young Adult Dystopian RAKSHA. I had the pleasure of reading an advanced copy of this one, and it’s pure and simple AWESOME!!
SYNOPSIS…
She has her knives, her training, and her halo.
The first and second give her the ability to defeat the opponents she is pitted against each month. The third frees her from pain and fear. From any kind of emotion at all. Everything is as it should be. Everything is as it should be, until…
Fear… Pain… Anger… Happiness… Desire… Guilt…
Love.
When a newly named Kit escapes the Sanctuary after killing her best friend, the last thing she needs is another knife in her hand. Or Ryka, the damaged, beautiful blond boy, whom she refuses to let save her. The sights and sounds of Freetown are new, yet one thing is familiar: the matches. The only difference? Where the blood in the Sanctuary landed only on the Colosseum floor, Kit will quickly learn that a river of red runs through Freetown’s very streets.
Without her halo, the inhabitants of Kit’s new home consider her saved, but is that really the case? Would she be better off free of the guilt associated with all the blood on her hands, or is the love of one boy worth living through all the pain?
Raksha is the call of the dead. It is the rumbling chant for fresh blood from the other side, the demand for sacrifice. The Colosseum is behind Kit. The fighting pits await.
~~~
I LOVED the settings and characters of this unique Dystopian. Kit’s plight hooked me immediately. Her cold, kick-ass persona comes on strong, creating a tension-packed contrast to the new feelings stirring within her. I can’t wait for the sequel slated to release the end of this year!
FRANKIE WAS KIND ENOUGH TO ANSWER A FEW QUESTIONS BURNING IN MY MIND…
What do you believe draws so many people to the dystopian genre? What drew you to it?
I guess people love the genre because there are so many possibilities in dystopia. And a lot of the imperfections in the dystopian world are a reflection of conflicts and power struggles that are happening today. It’s not a perfect future, and there are many injustices. In a dystopian novel, the hero or heroine generally overcomes the oppressive power, though, which isn’t always the case in real life. It’s kind of like sticking one to the man. I never consciously decided to write dystopia. It just happened to be what the book was classified as by the time I hit, The End!
What developed first for you, the intriguing story setting and/or plot or your kick-ass main character, Kit?
I had an idea for a culture in the first instance–a knife fighting culture, peppered with religious fanaticism–and the characters came next. I invested a lot of time into getting to know Kit, developing her from the ground up, mainly because we as readers get to see Kit develop into a person as the book goes on and I wanted her personality, her strengths and weaknesses to become apparent to the reader as they became apparent to Kit, herself. It was an interesting thing to do.
Ryka, on the other hand… I’ve been a bit cheeky with Ryka. I’m saving parts of his development for the second book. A lot happens with Ryka in Radicals.
Where did the name Raksha come from?
Well, I sat down and made it up. Or I thought I had, anyway, ha ha! I needed a word for the people of Freetown to chant, and Raksha sounded good. I loved the K and SHHH sounds together and thought it would work really well when repeated over and over, sort of flowing into itself, which is what happens in the book. It was only afterwards when I googled the word that I realised it already existed. Apparently Raksha is a Hindu festival, as well as a character from the Jungle Book.
What else do you like to do besides write?
I love reading, of course. I ski and snowboard, and do a lot of hiking and bushwalking wherever I am. I like learning to cook new things, and having friends over. I go to the movies a lot with my family here in Australia. I’m passionate about film, and I would love for one of my books to be on the big screen one day. That’s the dream!
You are dynamo creator, publishing multiple books in a matter of months. Can you give a one or two line blurb on each of your other novels, and also let us know what you have planned after Raksha?
Sovereign Hope
Eighteen year old Farley Hope is searching for her lost mother, but instead finds that she is prophesied to end a line of brutal soul reavers, intent on murdering her before she can fulfill her destiny.
Eternal Hope
Farley and Daniel are working on their relationship, a hard task when ancient reavers keep trying to kidnap them, and Kayden, Daniel’s tortured yet loveable nemesis, keeps showing up at the most inopportune times.
Raksha
Kit’s been battling her whole life, and yet when she escapes the Sanctuary and finds her way to Freetown, she faces her biggest fight yet when she must tackle her new emotions and the sinister priestesses head on.
Icarus Rise
Ashley Patterson figured college would be the perfect escape from her painful past and her dead father, the man who killed four people in cold blood. She didn’t count on running into Jake Stafford, however. The heartthrob of Breakwater High is now an NYPD cop, and has ideas about Ashley and her past that she won’t be able to ignore.
I have three other projects in planning at the moment, but I’m guarding them closely, since I haven’t yet decided on where I’m headed with each of them. I don’t want to jinx them! I can share their titles and genre, however. Stone is a literary fiction, Three Cameras is a contemporary romance, and The After is young adult paranormal fiction/romance!
MORE ABOUT FRANKIE…
Frankie Rose is a British expat, who is currently enjoying the perks of living in Australia- her awesome husband, sunshine, and vitamin D. She spends her time creating fictional universes in which the guy sometimes gets the girl, the heroes occasionally die, and the endings aren’t always happy. But they usually are.
LINKS…
I was so excited to get my “spring” package of bees on Friday and escort them to their new home. I was also happily surprised by how many people were acquiring bees at the beekeeping supply store. Evidently, bees in the news have encouraged more people to join in this important hobby. Our particular store is pretty cool, too, as the entire storefront is painted like honeycomb.
After a 45-minute car ride, I tucked the wooden box containing 3 pounds of bees in a nice dark corner for a couple of days. This gave them time to acclimate to their queen, who resided in an even smaller box dangling amid them. Come dusk on Sunday, eager isn’t a strong enough word to describe how much they wanted OUT of their temporary prison.
Preparation is key with keeping bees, and perhaps the trickiest part of introducing a new hive is getting the queen squared away. I recruited my husband to help and he bravely went “gloveless” for dexterity purposes, which landed him a sting on the arm. One sting was “nothing” and he was more concerned for the bee that gave her life in a fit of panic than for his own flesh. Gotta love my man! Once he helped me remove the little cork at the bottom of the queen cage and insert a tiny marshmallow in its place, I fit her cage between two frames of comb, and proceeded to pour thousands of troops into the hive. I knew that by the time the workers ate through the marshmallow and set the queen free, they’d be fully adapted to her pheromones and eager to tend to her every need.
I will never forget a couple years back when I installed a new hive. The queen cage at that time had come with 2 nurse bees along with the queen. This practice is no longer used by my supplier, perhaps because others had complications with the extra bees as well. Days later when I checked to make sure the queen was free and laying eggs, I found her still trapped in her cage due to a dead nurse bee blocking the entrance. Oh no! I tore the side screen off her cage and out she went, starving and frantic. The workers immediately surrounded her and pulled her into the hive, and all the while a high-pitched “trumpet” noise emitted from the hive. Somehow I knew it had to be coming from the queen, and upon further research, I learned she was piping–a sound queens emit during battle with other queens or when entering a new hive. Wow. Talk about the trumpets blaring for a royal entrance. I was honored to be able to witness a sound rarely heard by humans, and will never forget it.
I look forward to watching my newest hive flourish in the coming summer.
I’m thrilled to post this meshing-of-two-books-interview with fellow Indie-Visible author, Rebecca Lawton.
Arrow of the Mist by Christina Mercer and Junction, Utah, by Rebecca Lawton, novels just released by these indie authors, both star strong female protagonists. The characters negotiate worlds in different backgrounds and genres, but the wo-tagonists (woman protagonists) carry on a time-tested tradition in which the main character, female in this case, faces struggle and danger to triumph (or not).
Indie-Visible caught up with the authors in a conversation about what their leading ladies of literature have in common.
Q: Tell us briefly about your novels. Arrow of the Mist is a young adult fantasy tale, and Junction, Utah, is eco-fiction. Other than noting these separate genres, can you tell us what kind of story you set out to write?
Mercer: A hero’s quest that showcased nature as both the enemy and ally.
Lawton: A page-turner that highlighted nature as something worth fighting for.
Q: Both your wotagonists are tasked with heroic challenges. Did you set out to create a strong female character facing down the world, or did she evolve into that during the writing?
Mercer: I set out from the beginning to create a strong character with a good foundation of knowledge. But I also gave her an impulsive temperament and untapped magic, which required effort and sacrifice in order for her to master.
Lawton: I sensed early on that my lead character would be strong, but developing her heroic side evolved during revision. Madeline’s key attribute, reticence rooted in painful secrets, did not emerge until my next-to-last rewrite. My desire to set her apart from her colleagues in some fully tangible way brought about the change in her conversational style.
Q: Your protagonists undertake journeys, Lia to the forbidden land of Brume and Madeline to Junction, Utah. How did you prepare for the challenge of portraying changing landscapes and cultures throughout the arc of your novels?
Mercer: In a way, the trees led me. The story parallels a Celtic style tree calendar, so as Lia progresses through the landscape, it changes according to the next tree’s habitat and lore.
Lawton: I had the benefit of decades of familiarity with all the settings in the book, except for those in Germany. Therefore portraying the kaleidoscope of landscapes and people was a joy, like living in and with them again.
Q: Kelven and Chris, the men who pull your heroines’ heartstrings, accept your wotagonists just as they are. The same cannot be said about everyone in your novels. Can you fill us in a bit about the relationship dynamics and your intentions for them?
Mercer: Kelven depicts a love interest who is steadfast and calm, and whose love for Lia is enhanced rather than diminished by the strange physical changes she undergoes.
Lawton: Chris, too, has a strong, steady nature. I wanted him to balance Madeline’s impulsiveness and groundless nature. That Chris sees her beauty and potential compatibility in spite of their differences was something I wanted to explore.
Q: Lia and Madeline both have impressive experience in relating to the natural world, Lia with her herbalcraft and Madeline with rivers. Are their competencies based on anything in your lives?
Mercer: I hold a Certificate in Herbal Studies from Clayton College of Natural Health, as well as attended various workshops on herb foraging and herbal crafts. I also have an informal love of how mythology and nature are entwined.
Lawton: Yes, I was a white-water guide for many years, and some of Madeline’s background parallels my own. Her skill with boats, ropes, emergency medicine, and the outdoors in general is based on my life and in some cases the lives of my friends and colleagues.
Q: Who would play your heroines in the film versions of your stories?
Mercer: Bella Thorne with green contacts.
Lawton: This role as still uncast in my mind. The visualization of her appearance is up to the reader.
Q: Do you have more to write about these women in possible sequels?
Mercer: Yes, Lia will continue her quests to save the land, her loved ones, and her soul in the sequel Arms of Anu, to be released (fingers crossed!) by the end of this year.
Lawton: I’m not sure. I’ve only begun to consider the possibility of continuing to write Madeline’s story. Perhaps after my short story collection is done.
Q: How did you choose the names of your protagonists?
Mercer: In Gaelic, Lia can mean either “healer” or “stone,” both of which fit for an herb mage who wields magic from a stone. I chose her last name as Griene, which is a takeoff of the Gaelic word for sun.
Lawton: For the longest time, I had no idea what to name my protagonist. Was looking for a no-nonsense name that also had a ring of loveliness. I’ve always liked the name Madeline, and when I stumbled upon it while running through a mental list of my friends, it satisfied. Her last name, Kruse, pays homage to her nomadism.
Q: What do you think Lia and Madeline will be doing at age 40?
Mercer: Lia will be teaching the people how to search out herbs and craft remedies for themselves. She’ll continue to speak to the trees and fae for wisdom, and she and Kelven will enjoy riding through the woods and spending time with their grandchildren.
Lawton: Madeline will be just done with one of life’s biggest tasks, but I can’t share more without spoiling the ending. She will still be running rivers, loving nature, and standing up for it in her firm and gentle way.
Q: Do your current writing projects involve strong female protagonists?
Mercer: Yes. Arms of Anu continues to put Lia in all sorts of situations where she must take charge. My newest Young Adult manuscript also depicts a teen girl whose only hope for freedom depends on her inner strength and blossoming wisdom.
Lawton: Yes. What I Never Told You is a collection of short stories, all about water, and many with strong lead females.
Q: Do you have daughters or nieces or other young relatives who you think will be inspired by your wotagonists?
Mercer: I have nieces and perhaps someday granddaughters who I hope will be inspired by my protagonists. Girls can ride horses, shoot bows, and outwit adversaries as much as anyone. Plus, maidens have the added advantage of spotting unicorns.
Lawton: Yes, I have a twenty-three year-old daughter who has fallen in love with rivers, and she has a few seasons of guiding under her belt now. Whether Madeline strikes a note with her or not (Rose was a Beta reader), I don’t know. I also have a thirteen year-old niece, Phoebe, who I hope reads and loves Junction someday. Phoebe reads voluminously!
Q: Who do you think are positive role models for young women today?
Mercer: In the land of Hollywood, good role models are hard to find, but there are a few: Meryl Streep, Kate Winslet, and Celine Dion come to mind. And I believe J.K. Rowling proved just how much a single mom can overcome. In ancient times (more akin to the setting of my story), I’d have to choose Queen Elizabeth I. She kicked butt on the throne for 45 years.
Lawton: I just revisited old films of Gloria Steinem, and I’m reminded what a fantastic role model she remains to this day. Her recent work with a women’s writing retreat I’ve attended, Hedgebrook, is positive and laudable. In the world of rivers, many little-known women pioneered the profession of whitewater guiding and the majority are still going strong in their various second or third careers. Among writers, I find Barbara Kingsolver, Gretel Ehrlich, Terry Tempest Williams, and the late Ellen Meloy to be gentle leaders and inspirational figures.
More on Rebecca:
Rebecca Lawton was among the first women whitewater guides on the Colorado River in Grand Canyon and on other rivers in the West. Her essay collection on the guiding life, Reading Water: Lessons from the River (Capital Books), was a San Francisco Chronicle bestseller and ForeWordNature Book of the Year finalist. Her essays, poems, and stories have been published in Orion, Sierra, The San Francisco Chronicle Magazine, Shenandoah, THEMA, More, and other magazines. She blogs about writing and environmental issues at Writer in Residence.
Rebecca Lawton’s Junction, Utah is available at Amazon, Smashwords, and at various indie bookstores.
More on Christina:
Christina Mercer writes fiction for children and young adults. She earned a degree in Accounting from California State University at Sacramento and a Certificate in Herbal Studies from Clayton College of Natural Health. She took Writer’s Best in Show at the 2012 SCBWI CA North/Central Regional Conference and was a semi-finalist in the 2010 Amazon Breakout Novel Award Contest. Christina is the Reviews Director and an Author Member at Indie-Visible.
Christina Mercer’s Arrow of the Mist is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, and select indie bookstores.
VISIT MY BOOKS PAGE FOR ARROW OF THE MIST TO FIND PURCHASING OPTIONS.
I’ve been tagged by Chelsea Starling to join with her and some of our fellow Indie-Visible pals, Jordan Rosenfeld, Stephanie Naman, Eros-Alegra Clarke, and Sharisse Coulter who’ve published, or will be publishing books this year, to take part in “The Next Big Thing”.
ARROW OF THE MIST
The seed-thought for this book took root a little over seven years ago, though elements of the story have lived within me since childhood. It started out as a short story meant for a much younger audience, but kept on growing and developing into the novel for teens it is today. My formal studies in alternative healing and my informal studies in mythology inspired the world and facets of magic woven throughout the story.
Young Adult “YA” Fantasy
Bella Thorne as Lia
Alex Pettyfer as Wynn
Steven R McQueen as Kelven
Ian McKellen as Granda Luis
Bryce Dallas Howard as Ma
See all their pics on my Pinterest site http://pinterest.com/christinamercer/arrow-of-the-mist-book-character-look-a-likes/
Enchanted, barbed roots attack 15-year-old Lia’s father and other woodsmen in the Celtic inspired kingdom of Nemetona, impelling Lia to trek into the forbidden land from where the roots originate and seek out the cure.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
I worked on the novel off and on for three years before I got serious and joined my first critique group. And then the massive rewrites began. Fast forward another year and a half and I entered it into the Amazon Breakout Novel Award contest where it made the semi-finals!
This is a hard one. The story is set in a sort of “fairy tale” ancient Ireland, and the magic at play draws from both Celtic and Norse mythology. The medieval-fantasy world could perhaps be compared to the worlds of the Ropemaker and Graceling.
A lifetime love for all things fantasy, a passion to write, an inner child that won’t quit daydreaming, a solid belief in unicorns, and the magic my sons bring to my life each and every day.
In addition to a few ever-cool tropes us fantasy nerds are familiar with, my story delves into Celtic tree lore in a way I’ve not yet seen done. The pages are steeped in ancient tree magic and herb crafts. Lia’s journey actually parallels the Old Irish Ogham alphabet where each letter pertains to a tree, starting with the Birch or Beth which signifies the beginning of a quest and ending with the Yew or Idho which denotes death and rebirth.
TAG, YOU’RE IT: Frankie Rose, Elizabeth Beechwood, and Tomi Wiley James
