Friday, June 19, 2015

Cover Reveal: Water Princess, Fire Prince

Today I got to interview Kendra E. Ardnek, author of the upcoming book, Water Princess, Fire Prince!


Author Interview

What was your favorite scene to write? 

This book ended up with over 130,000 words, which made for a lot of fun scenes that I loved writing, so it's kinda hard for me to pick a favorite. I suppose, if I must, I really liked a scene in chapter 3 of part 3 where she's ascertaining his skills and . . . kinda showing off. It was fun to write. 

Is this book connected to others you've written? 

Pretty much all of my books are connected at some level or another. Of my published books, the short story Saffron's Big Plan has the most direct connection, but even that's difficult to explain at this moment. Although, there is an Bookania Easter Egg or two hidden in part 1 . . . 

Where did you get the idea to write Water Princess, Fire Prince? 

From the shower, oddly enough. I'd been looking for doors to Narnia for several weeks, when, while showering, the thought occurred to me that it'd be really neat if I closed my eyes, and when I opened them, I was standing under a waterfall, and was declared a Water Princess. I later moved her to a swimming pool, added a Fire Prince, and decided it was part of my Rizkaland legends. It grew from there.

Book Description


When the Lady Dragon does come,
Hold fast, do not fear, do not run. 
Your Water Princess will fight, 
Fire Prince will set all to right. 
Each shall come from a Fall, 
Their union will save you all. 

Despite the fact that she's on track for competing in the Olympics, and he's practically raised his younger brothers since they lost their mom in a car accident, Clara Mandras and Andrew Stevenson are pretty much normal teens. They have normal hopes, normal dreams, and they live in a normal world. 

All this is torn away from them when they are thrust into another world and declared Water Princess and Fire Prince. With no experience ruling a country, meeting each other for the first time, and being expected to fight the Lady Dragon – an evil sorceress plaguing the world of Rizkaland – Clara and Andrew are underprepared and inexperienced. Unless they learn to work together despite their standing opposition, Rizkaland's hope will be lost. 

What is to come will change their lives forever. 

Author Bio

Kendra E. Ardnek loves fairy tales and twisting them in new and exciting ways. She's been practicing her skills on her dozen plus cousins and siblings for years, "Finish your story, Kendra", is frequently heard at family gatherings. Her sole life goal has always been to grow up and be an author of fantasy and children's tales that also glorify God and his Word. You can read more about her on her blog, knittedbygodsplan.blogspot.com. 



 Available for kindle preorder: $2.99 the 19th and 20th ONLY (regular price: $3.99) 



Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Character Spotlight: Harrison Vane from Dare by Tricia Mingerink


Today we have a guest post from Tricia Mingerink, author of an upcoming book, Dare


Character Spotlight: Harrison Vane


Occupation: First Blade in the King’s Blades
Appearance: Twenty-two years old, 5’10” with brown hair and blue eyes. 

Image found on Yahoo.com
Character: He enjoys his powerful position in the Blades. He likes to have power over others, especially the power of life and death. The more helpless his victims are, the more powerful he feels. 

Author’s Note: Harrison Vane even gives me the creeps. He is a villain who truly enjoys being a villain. Developing his backstory proved difficult because he isn’t the type of person to have a normal conversation with anyone. Or tell anyone the one thing that makes him feel vulnerable. I hinted at a few things, but most of his backstory isn’t fully revealed. I like the mystery surrounding his backstory. It  leaves a lot up to the imagination of the reader. 

First Draft Trivia: Harrison Vane wasn’t the main antagonist. In fact, all of the scenes with him except for the scenes leading up to the climax weren’t in the first draft. I didn’t even have a name for him. When I reached the climax, I realized that Vane had pulled a fast one on me and claimed the spot of antagonist. It took a lot of revisions to add in all the earlier scenes and develop what turned into a duel between Leith and Vane that extended all the way back into their childhoods. Now it’s hard to imagine the book without his creepy sneakiness.

About the Book

Courage could cost him everything. 

Third Blade Leith Torren never questions his orders or his loyalty to King Respen until an arrow wound and a prairie blizzard drive him to the doorstep of the girls whose family he once destroyed. 

Their forbidden faith and ties to the Resistance could devastate their family a second time. 

Survival depends on obedience, but freedom beckons. How far does he dare go to resist the king and his Blades? 

No matter what Leith chooses, one thing is certain. 

Someone will die. 

About the Author
Tricia Mingerink is a twenty-something, book-loving, horse-riding country girl. She lives in Michigan with her family and their pack of pets. When she isn't writing, she can be found pursuing backwoods adventures across the country. 

You can connect with her on Facebook, Pinterest, Goodreads, and her blog

Giveaway!

Enter to win a Grand Prize giveaway to celebrate the release of Dare! Prize includes an autographed paperback of Dare, a necklace like the one Renna has in the book with a sterling silver cross pendant, a medieval dagger (not sharp) like the one Leith carries, and Dare-themed bookmarks! (Due to the difficulties in shipping weapons across international borders, this giveaway is open to US residents only). The winner of the giveaway will be announce at the end of the Facebook party on June 10.