Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Reading Clean - and Heartless!!

Hosted by Clean Teen Fiction, One Librarian's Book Reviews & I Am A Reader, Not A Writer.


Which of you came up with the baby in the picture?  Babies drool, man!!  Please be careful with those books!!!

My book for this giveaway is not baby material. (I'm sorry!!) But it is pretty clean. Writing fantasy for a Christian publisher sounds almost daunting and a lot intriguing. I've been watching this series since I found the author last spring and I can't wait to read -n- review her newest book coming out this fall.  BUT FIRST... let's check out the first in the series!!!

Heartless
by Anne Elisabeth Stengl
Paperback, 363 pages
Published July 1st 2010 by Bethany House Publishers

Premise:

The Dragon King Seeks His Princess—
Who Dares to Stop Him?

Princess Una of Parumvir has come of age and will soon marry. She dreams of a charming prince, but when her first suitor arrives, he's not what she'd hoped. Prince Aethelbald of mysterious Farthestshore has travelled a great distance to prove his love--and also to bring hushed warnings of danger. A dragon is rumored to be on the hunt and blazing a path of terror. 

Una, smitten instead with a more dashing prince, refuses Aethelbald's offer--and ignores his cautions with dire consequences. Soon the Dragon King himself is in Parumvir and Una, in giving her heart away unwisely, finds herself in his sights. Only those courageous enough to risk everything have a hope of fighting off this advancing evil.

A Tale of Goldstone Wood
Timeless Fantasy That Will Keep You Spellbound


Anne Elisabeth has offered a print copy of her first book, Heartless, for an international giveaway. PLUS, she agreed to come by for an interview!!!

I have since found (and downloaded) Heartless for FREE on my Nook!!  So this is the best giveaway ever... you get a FREE book plus a chance to win a print copy from the author herself.
First.... I give you... Anne Elisabeth


1. Where did your story start from? What idea sparked it all?

My PhotoMy debut novel, Heartless, emerged from a desire to write a fairy tale . . . a new fairy tale, but with all the trimmings we know and love from the stories we read as children. And what fairy tale is complete without the pretty princess, the noble prince, and, of course, the evil dragon!

But I also wanted to take my fairy tale a new direction. Oh, Princess Una is very much your classic, Disney-esque princess, altogether too focused on finding her Prince Charming! But where this girlish dreaming leads her is a sometimes funny, sometimes dark, and often surprising adventure . . .

My hope is that readers will sink into a world that feels as familiar to them as Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty, but then walk away with a whole new tale in their hearts, remembering characters as vivid as any they'll find in Grimm.

2. What was your favorite scene to write? Do you have a favorite character?

Oh, dear, I have to be careful here! Don't want to give away any spoilers!

Well, all of you can see that Heartless is a dragon-story, and the Dragon King is the great nemesis. In the first draft I wrote the climactic battle sequence and loved it . . . loved writing it, loved reading it, loved dreaming of it. Although Heartless went through a good eight drafts before it reached publication, that final climactic scene hardly changed at all.

I also really love a particular scene where the princess's brother, Prince Felix, haphazardly practices fencing in the soldiers' yard. That scene, inadvertently, led to me meeting my husband! I decided that, in order to write it effectively, I'd better take fencing lessons . . . and lo and behold, who was studying fencing with the same club? Mr. Right himself! So, yeah, I have a special fondness for that scene. (Thank you, Felix!)

My favorite character, however, would have to be the princess's pet cat, Monster. He's also the fan favorite about whom I get the most emails! But you'll have to read the book to find out why . . .

3. Please share something about YOU!  What do you do when you're not writing?

I drink tea. Lots and lots and lots of tea. Good, strong, black tea with a little cream and sugar (British style). Tea, I have found, solves a great deal of life's little problems.

I'm a consummate crazy cat-lady, so I have a kindle of kitties all my own, and I also do fostering. I rescue wild kittens from around this area, teach them to be people-friendly, and find them homes. It's always great to see a wild, snarling, mini-tiger turn into someone's adored fur-baby!

I used to teach art classes to kids and adults, and I still paint and sketch now and then. But these days, I'm working fulltime at writing, so the art has had to go on the back-burner!

And I REALLY love to interact with my fans, so if you decide the Tales of Goldstone Wood are the books for you, do come over to my blog (www.anneelisabethstengl.blogspot.com) and participate in the various ongoing conversations we have over there! Always something new and fairy-tale related!

Thank you for a fun interview, Laura. I love a chance to be featured on your truly gorgeous blog!


*Blush* Thank you!!  I love so many things about your answers. I can't believe you met your husband fencing for your book!!  That is seriously the most romantic way to bump into a husband!!  I love tea, too. We shall have to have you back to Colorimetry for tea sometime. :-)  It's amazing that you can rescue wild kitties. I have seen the "snarling" variety up close and that's just literally amazing.

Thank you for sharing so much fun stuff!!

Find & Follow:


The Tales of Goldstone Wood Novels:

Heartless
Veiled Rose
Moonblood
Starflower - coming Nov 2012

Get your eCopy of Heartless while it's available!!

Barnes & Noble
Amazon:


& pick up Veiled Rose while the e-Price is reduced!!

Nook for $7.55
Kindle for $5.99:

Available to WIN:

A print copy of Heartless. Maybe we can ask Anne Elisabeth to sign it? :-)

UPDATE:  Yes, indeed, I can sign the copy of Heartless . . . and I'll send along pencils and bookmarks and all sorts of fun paraphernalia as well! :)

Woohoo!!

Open internationally. See About Me for my giveaway rules.


a Rafflecopter giveaway