Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Wednesday, July 9, 2014 - 2 comments

Author Interview: Erin Eveland

Hello everyone! 

I'm really excited to bring you an interview with Erin Eveland, the author of Darkness. Darkness is a dark-fantasy novel that was recently published on July 1st of this year and let me tell you, it's really good! I had the privilege to read an advanced ready copy and I really enjoyed it. In case you missed the review I published, you can either click here or click the link I will provide at the bottom of the page. 

What's even more exciting is that Erin has provided me with a physical copy for a giveaway, which will be posted below the interview. So lets get to it, good luck and happy reading!


1. What made you start writing?

It was one of those freak mornings when I thought, “Well today I should write a story.” Really, that’s how it happened. Thirty years old and had zero clue. Not afraid to admit it. I didn’t know what I was going to write, where to begin, and no idea how to get there. I should have had that little voice of reasoning saying, “You know what dear, don’t think about writing, just go make some pancakes or something…” Instead, I must have had the shark in the kitchen sink talking me into it.
Writing is mean.
I’ve told people before I had to learn how to write, which is true. It takes time. Time. But the honesty that goes into sleepless nights, sacrificing and destroying everything you worked on to do it again, and again, yep and again – it’s all a part of the process. Then, for all the work, you get that suspenseful moment where you ask someone to read it. I swear it’s like running around with a trench coat, flashing people and asking them if they like it or not. Some do, some don’t.
The very first “critique” I received was, “Show me, don’t tell me.” That was it, end of story. At the time, I didn’t exactly know what they meant, but I knew whatever I was writing was not working. Disclaimer: that phrase is used widely and should be put out of its misery.
But I guess, it’s not the how I started writing, but why I continued. Not only was I hooked, but I was fascinated by an art I always took it for granted. When you’re a writer, it’s something that continually grows inside, changes and sometimes just spits itself out.       

I'm really impressed with the preservation and outcome, because Darkness was extremely well written. 

2. What are your favorite books to read and did you draw any inspiration from these?

Being I love fantasy, it’s honestly strange for me to think that before I started writing, I spent the past years mostly reading how-to-books and biographies. Life stories intrigue me like education or a hands on skill. I strayed from novels because time is a luxury, life is busy, and I can’t seem to put a book down even if I’m not emotionally invested. I will admit I managed a few books a year in reading gluttony, but when I started writing and wondering what stuck with me all these years, I had to revisit my top favorite author all over again. That was Clive Barker. I love horror – not necessarily the tent-camping, bikini-slashin’, screaming blood in your face terror – but the kind of fear that won’t let you feel safe when you lock your doors at night. It’s the kind of story which snuggles you into bed and gives you a cold kiss. To be fair, Barker is more a fantasy writer than horror. As a master storyteller of the worlds and characters he weaves into them, he can create horrific creatures that can be good in nature, aside deadly goddesses. I’m sure I’ve taken something of him with me. Be leery of what’s on the inside – not the out.                    

I haven't read any of Clive Barker's books, but from what you described I can certainly see some resemblance. By the way, the "cold kiss" stories are the ones that really freak me out, much more so than normal horror!

3. Why Darkness?

In that blissful morning when I thought about writing a story for the first time, I wondered what the hell I was going to write about. I loved horror, but I started dissecting what that word meant to me. What drove me to like fear and its adrenaline spike? I’m driven for creative monsters and normal people with warped minds. But ultimately, I thought a true fear everyone understands, the fear of the unknown. It’s like the dark. It keeps us in suspense wondering what’s in the shadows even as we have one eye closed.
For some reason, the simple word darkness was spawned. I thought, “What if darkness was like an element – something known but unknown and yet could be wielded. Ok, well, what do I do with it?” As the idea developed, I needed a tool, a world and character to center this idea around, and Catherine was born.     

I love reading a good warped-mind story, who doesn't? To me it's really neat how you took something like fear, which like you said is  fundamental to everyone, and turned it into a really good story.

4. Why write an interactive novel?

Maybe because writing is such an emotional beast, it draws the tendency of inspiration through other creative arts that writers want to share. Some authors do this by reciting lines of music, poetry and adding artwork into their stories. After writing Darkness, I thought about the idea of incorporating art and music into the chapters. The Quick Response code was my best solution. Not only did I want the reader to see or listen to the artist, but I wanted the biography and information of the artist available to them. I’m so honored by the people who have allowed me to share their work and for their faith that I would represent them well. 

It wasn't until after we talked that I was able to experience the interactive part of Darkness, but after I figured a way to do so, I was really impressed with the simplicity and creativity of its incorporation. The QR codes were not compatible with my Kindle Keyboard (it simply expanded the image), but the Kindle reading applications on my computer and iPhone did the trick. 

5. Given the opportunity, would you accept an apprenticeship from of a master of Darkness? Why or why not?

Maybe I’m twisted but I’ll say yes. I think it’s only human for one to think they could manipulate this dark supernatural power. I am human – I would be one of them. Even though Darkness is an unseen natural element, it’s not exactly evil or malevolent. It would be like someone offering you power over water, but guess what…you might just create a tsunami.        
     
I would SOOOO become an apprentice. Maybe we're both a little twisted. 

6. Who do you side with, Jorgen or Artros? Why?

I love this question, but for me it’s like asking a mother which son she likes better. They both come from different backgrounds and more of their history and reasoning is revealed in the next book, Shadows. I feel for Jorgen’s internal struggle and his return from solitude, but I also love a true villain, Artros, one we might learn to understand.  

Come on!! Even a mother has a favorite, right!? Just kidding, I guess I’ll have to wait for Shadows, but for now I’m definitely siding with Jorgen.

7. Can you give any hints about what’s to come in the next installation of Darkness?

I set the stage and the characters roll by themselves. That happened with Nathan and Artros. Even Esa wasn’t supposed to appear in Darkness, but there she was, walking down the street. In Shadows, we leave the town behind, meet new characters and even have a certain infamous woman resurface. The world becomes lighter, as the internal grows darker, and the characters are the ones who drive Shadows into its hair puling finish. I’m glad. Without their stubbornness, I wouldn’t be so excited.

Oooooooh my gosh that sounds awesome! My guess would be Kathy, but I’m not even sure she’s gone. So, I guess I’ll just have to wait and see :D!


Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email notification.  Failure to do so will result in an automatic forfeit and another winner will be drawn. 


More Information: 
Erin's website: http://www.erineveland.net
Darkness website: http://www.erineveland.net
My Review: Click here
GoodReads: Click here
Amazon: Click here






Monday, July 7, 2014

Monday, July 7, 2014 - , , No comments

Darkness

Rating: 4 Stars
Author: Erin Eveland
Version: NetGalley eBook
Goodreads:
One Girl. One Boy. And the Masters of Darkness. See the Shadow Creatures. They are everywhere. But you can't run from the shadows or the Masters who control them.

Catherine has been born with a supernatural power called Darkness. The Masters of Darkness have found her and it's just a matter of time before someone claims her.

An Interactive Novel
A QR Code starts the beginning of each chapter connecting the reader to specific art or music that ties into the mood and setting of the novel. Using the quick response code in print and eBook formatting, Darkness incorporates visual and sound to heighten the reading experience.

Review:
I was browsing through some NetGalley titles and saw this book called Darkness that just called to me. The cover looked interesting - yes, I do partially judge a book by it’s cover, that’s why they’re there - and the plot summary had enough hook for me to take the bait. 

It seems that lately that I’ve been reading books whose protagonists are suffering through everyday life: Eleanor from Eleanor and Park, Avery from Steel Lily, Liesel from The Book Theif, and now Catherine from Darkness. I swear I’m not actively searching for these stories like a sadist, but it’s just a general observation I’ve noted. Anyways, back to the review: 

I can’t say I really enjoyed following Catherine’s story, because she was living under such terrible conditions and it seemed that everyone was literally out to get her (minus two people). Even her mother, an extreme alcoholic, wanted absolutely nothing to do with her, besides the welfare check she was receiving for “child support”. I mean honestly, she slapped her six year old daughter across the face for calling her “mommy”. Also, despite Catherine’s story being extremely depressing, it was also very frustrating. It seemed that every time someone tried to help her, she would fight to remain in whatever crappy situation she wanted to escape from 50 pages ago. I can recall at least two instances with different characters where she could/should have “escaped” the situation, but remained. For example, Nathan is a character she spends many pages fantasizing about, but when the opportunity to runaway with him appears, she decides to stay with her abusive mother instead (for his sake). Nevertheless, Catherine’s struggles are a major factor in why she is who she is - a child born of Darkness. Another minor qualm I had with the book was that some scenes came across as overly descriptive and I found myself either skimming or thinking “just get to the point.” Yet, despite what I’ve mentioned above, the story was extremely well written and I really did enjoy it, overall.

As for the plot, I found it to be extremely unique and I really liked it's creepiness/darkness (if you will). Furthermore, the peculiar rules and abilities of the Masters of Darkness, coupled with the mystery behind Catherine's fate, kept me wanting to read more and fueled my desire to finish the book.

I just realized I had forgotten to mention the interactive capabilities of this novel. I downloaded a scanner app from iTunes - one that was highly rated - but was unable to get it to scan the code on my Kindle screen. I don't know if the fault was mine or the app's, but either way I was unable to experience what sounds like a really cool concept.

Would I recommend Darkness? Yes, yes I would. Especially to those who like reading well written, dark-fantasy material. 

Thursday, July 3, 2014

Thursday, July 3, 2014 - , , , No comments

Steel Lily

Rating: 5 Stars
Author: Megan Curd
Version: eBook

 Goodreads:
AVERY PIKE is a commodity. No, more than a commodity. Her existence is guarded at all costs.

She’s a water Elementalist, the strongest of her dwindling kind. She creates steam to provide energy to fuel Dome Four: the only thing standing between humanity and an earth ravaged by World War III. No steam, no Dome. No Dome, no life.

Or so she thinks.

That is, until a mysterious man offers her a way out of having to donate steam. A way to escape the corrupt government of Dome Four. While the offer seems too good to be true, Avery is intrigued. But when she arrives to her new home, she realizes the grass isn’t any less dead on this side of the fence. Instead, the lies are just hidden better.

…Which means digging deeper.


When Avery enlists the help of her friends to uncover the truth, she learns that while some secrets are better left concealed, humankind was never meant to live in a cage. And when you can control the most sought after resource, you can learn to control anything…including the fate of your world.

Review:
This book was honestly amazing. I went into it not expecting much and boy was I blown away. The story just had everything I wanted: a lot of action, a bit of mystery, a huge plot twist, and just enough romance so that it doesn't become overbearing. 

For starters, the plot of Steel Lily was just so unique - WWIII, radiation mutations, zombie like soldiers, and elementalists!! Wait, let me take a second to explain since The GoodReads summary doesn’t mention much about what I just wrote. The setting is post World War III, where radiation levels are so high that human kind is forced to live in Domes. Avery, the main character, is a rare kind of elementalist who resides in Dome 4.  Her parents were taken from here, she has very few friends, people seriously take advantage of her power for personal use, and the government cannot afford to lose her. 

In terms of elementalist, I kept relating their abilities to that of Avatar the Last Airbender, which is a show I use to love when I was younger. As the name suggests, elementalists are those who have the ability to manipulate the element(s) of earth, air, fire, and water. Those lucky enough to have that ability are coveted by the government, while ordinary humans, termed Traditionalists, are treated poorly. 

As for the war, I was never really clear on what the alliance and resistance wanted. I remember reading pieces about a universal government, but it’s definitely something that I wanted clarified. I also encountered a bit of confusion towards the end of the book, but I can’t explain without giving away some spoilers. However, at it’s vaguest, I don’t understand how an organization can treat it’s people terribly in the beginning, then be shown as the “good guys” in the end. 

On the other hand, I loved the characters! I thought the bond Avery, Alice, and Sari had, as well as their survivor personalities really made the story. Similarily, I enjoyed reading Jaxon’s sarcasm, which in my opinion was done better than Jace’s from The Mortal Instruments Series. Even more so, I really enjoyed reading the witty banter between Alice and Jaxon and found it funny how Avery struggled to stay on their level. 


In short, I LOVED this book and it’s definitely become one of my most favorite reads this year. Be aware that the story does contain a minimum amount of typos, but its nothing to distract the reader from the story. After all, I did give Steel Lily 5 Stars!!

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