Last of the Firedrakes Promo Tour

About The Book:

The Last of the Firedrakes
By: Farah Oomerbhoy
Publisher: Wise Ink Creative Publishing
Pub Date: August 15, 2015
Pages: 488
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy

A fantastic adventure story that will transport you to a dazzling world of myth and magic.

16-year-old Aurora Darlington is an orphan. Mistreated by her adopted family and bullied at school, she dreams of running away and being free. But when she is kidnapped
and dragged through a portal into a magical world, suddenly her old life doesn’t seem so bad.

Avalonia is a dangerous land ruled by powerful mages and a cruel, selfish queen who will do anything to control all seven kingdoms—including killing anyone who stands in her way.  Thrust headlong into this new, magical world, Aurora’s arrival sets plans in motion that threaten to destroy all she holds dear.

With the help of a young fae, a magical pegasus, and a handsome mage, Aurora journeys across Avalonia to learn the truth about her past and unleash the power within herself. Kingdoms collide as a complicated web of political intrigue and ancient magic lead Aurora to unravel a shocking secret that will change her life forever.

Purchase Links:

Amazon | B&N | Apple | Kobo | Smashwords | Itasca Books | Goodreads

About The Author:

For Farah Oomerbhoy, writing is a passion and reading her solace. She is a firm believer in the fantastic and magical, and often dreams of living in Narnia, Neverland, or the Enchanted Forest.

Farah lives with her husband and three children in their family home in Mumbai, India. She has a Master’s degree in English Literature from the University of Mumbai. 

Farah’s first novel, The Last of the Firedrakes, Book 1 of the Avalonia Chronicles will be published worldwide August 15th, 2015.

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Follow The Tour:

August 14th – Reads All The Books – Review

August 15th – Dizneeee’s World of Books – Review / Guest Post

August 15th – Melissa Martin’s Reading
List – Review / Top 5/10 Post

August 17th – Ya Fiction Queen – Guest Post

August 17th – Christine Abee – Review

August 18th – Books, Stars, Writing. And Everything In Between – Interview

August 18th – EndlessReading – Review

August 19th – Motif by Tanya – Author Interview

August 19th – Ramblings of a Perpetual New Girl – Review / Guest Post

August 20th – Ramblings of a Perpetual New Girl – Review / Guest Post

August 21st – Book Addict – Guest Post / Author Interview

August 21st – Author of The Not So Public Library – Review / Interview

August 24th – Miranda’s Book Blog – Review / Guest Post

August 25th – BookishFever – Review

August 26th – The Reader and the Chef – Review / Top 5 or 10

August 27th – The Power of Three Readers – Promo

August 27th – Ashley Martinez – Review

August 28th – Bookish – Review

August 31st – The Renegade Zombie Reviews – Review / Author Interview

September 1st – Beauty’s Library – Review / Guest Post

September 2nd – Pixie Vixen Reviews – Character Interview 

September 3rd – Creatyvebooks – Review / Author Interview

September 4th –Cabin Goddess – Review and Recipe

September 7th – serenastone – Author Interview

September 8th –World of Books – Review/ Interview

September 9th – Read with Royella – Review 

September 10th – Reading with AngelaRenea – Review / Author Interview

September 11th – Atomic Pirate Girl’s Book Worm Booty – Review

September 11th – Triple T Tots tweens and teens – Review / Teasers

September 14th – Anything but Vanilla Book Blog – Playlist

September 14th – Rockin’ Book Reviews – Review 

Giveaway:

**Giveaway consists of a Kindle Fire HD 7 and a Firedrake Prize Pack. 

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Firedrake Facebook Party:

Don’t miss the 2-day Facebook Party to celebrate the release of THE LAST OF THE FIREDRAKES, featuring several guest authors, lots of prizes and even a few secrets. 

https://www.facebook.com/events/1005203076178206/

August 14th and August 15th 10am – 8pm Eastern Time.

Review

I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book from the start. I love discovering new worlds and different kinds of magic. This book had both of these in droves. I love the world and all the characters. Aurora grew with the story, but not quite quick enough for me, she kept making silly decisions that put herself and the others at risk. I know she is only 16 but she was quite immature and not making the best decisions, going against the advice of everyone that cared about her time and time again.

I found this a nice easy read which had enough depth to keep me happy. I loved learning about the history of the country and Aurora’s family.

I felt that Aurora was a little too special, without giving too much away, every way in which she could be special, she was, no matter how rare or unheard of it, was met the brief in every way. Yes I know it makes it interesting, but it can just feel a little too much at times.

I found Damian reminded me of Draco Malfoy, which was good because he felt familiar to me from the start. He just got meaner and meaner throughout the book and unlike Draco, he was a little two faced at times.

Rafe was mysterious for most of the book and I did not guess who he was, the big reveal was a big surprise to me.

The rest of the book was a little predictable but not enough to put me off. I am really looking forward to the next book in the series.

4 out of 5 stars

Author Interview (Questions asked by myself)

1. What inspired you to write The Last of the Firedrakes? Did the story change as you wrote it?For this particular book and series, it all started nearly ten years ago, with a tapestry in my grandmother’s house. One day I stood before it and wondered, what if I could step into the tapestry, where would I end up? And so the world of Avalonia sprang into existence.

From then on, the person who stepped into the tapestry was a young sixteen-year-old girl who didn’t know who she really was, her name was Aurora, and this is her story.

The story changed a lot, actually. As I wrote it the characters kept changing and having their own personalities. That influenced the plot in many ways.

2. Are there any parts of your book that you love and other people do not like or vice versa?

I’d have to say this would be Aurora’s character. I think her naivety and trusting nature is endearing. Some people find her silly and immature, but I don’t think she is. She does have a curious personality and that’s what gets her into trouble.

3. What kind of music do you listen to whilst writing or do you prefer silence?

Most of the time I prefer silence. But sometimes I listen to music. It can be a variety of songs, but wherever Rafe is in an action scene I like to listen to the Pirates of the Caribbean theme song. 🙂

4. Do you model your characters off of people you know, celebs or do you picture them in your head?

There are a few characters that are inspired by people I know and have met in real life, but they are not the same. Sometimes I may just take a character trait or a mannerism from someone I know and pair it with another personality. I don’t think any of the characters are a full representation of anyone I know, but there are similarities to some.

5. Do you need to be in a special setting to write at your best? Or can you write anywhere?

I can write anywhere as long as it is tranquil and peaceful. I usually write in my room when everyone is asleep, but I would love to sit and write in a beautiful garden too.6. How many hours a day do you write for? Do you often feel you could write for more but life just gets in the way?

At the moment I only write for 2-3 hours a day, because I never get enough time with my three small kids. I do intend to increase it to 5 hours and more soon.

7. Is there any character in another authors book you feel describes yourself very well?

No 🙂 I haven’t come across one as yet. But will keep a lookout and get back to you.

8. How do you sort out all your ideas for your story? Do you have notebooks or use the computer or are you good at keeping them in your head?

I really should have a system but I don’t. 🙂 The major part of everything goes on in my head. I do have a lot of full notebooks too. It takes a while for me to even start writing notes, I have to plan everything in my head first, until I can see all the scenes in my mind and then I write it into notes. It’s only after that that I start writing on my computer.

9. Other than read, what do you do for relaxation?

Yoga and meditation is a wonderful way to relax. I also love swimming and it is great exercise.

10. If there is one place, real or fictional you could visit, where would it be?

Always Narnia!11. If you were stuck on a desert island, which book would you like to have with you?

The Chronicles of Narnia.

12. Would you prefer to be fae or mage, from your books? And why?

Fae  I like their peaceful way of life. I don’t think I could handle all the mage politics.

13. Do you find it easier or harder to get sucked into a book since you started writing? Do you find you work out the plot twists easier?

It has become harder to get totally immersed in a story now, because I am constantly looking at other things in the story. The descriptions, the characters, the voice, the style of writing, everything seems to grab my attention.14. Which part of The Last of the Firedrakes was the most enjoyable to write?

I think that would be the magical midnight market in Pixie Bush. In fact my editor had me cut it down a bit, as it was a bit long. That whole scene is the first scene that came to my mind when Aurora entered Avalonia. It was only later that Oblek and his dungeons came into the picture.15. If you could rewrite any book and put your own spin on it, what book would it be?

That would be Enid Blyton’s Magic Faraway Tree series. The worlds on top of the faraway tree offer countless possibilities for a variety of stories.16. What’s your biggest distraction from writing?

My children  but they are lovely distractions all the same.17. Where do you find your biggest inspiration? Do you get inspiration from the world around you?

Yes! The world around us is full of wondrous things that do inspire me to write stories; like the tapestry in my grandmother’s house.18. Which author inspires you the most?

The two main authors who have shaped my writing and the way I think about magical worlds are J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. Unpublished for many years they were true writers, the kind you don’t find much anymore. They wrote for the love of literature and created what no one had ever created before, wondrous worlds that have shaped the landscape of fantasy literature today. Another author I greatly admire is J.K. Rowling, who despite numerous rejections went on to became a bestselling author, she never gave up and just went on writing and telling her story to the world. I found that very inspiring and I still do.
But lately an author who has really impressed me is Amanda Hocking, her self-publishing success is an inspiration to all indie authors everywhere, and she did it all through sheer determination and her will to keep writing. Now that I know how hard and time consuming it is to publish a professional book, and to actively market and sell it, I really admire her for doing it all on her own. A commendable achievement and I hope that with hard work and determination we all can achieve our author dreams.19. Do you like reading a series one after another or do you prefer savoring them and reading them a few months apart?

If I love a series I read the books straight through; if the next book is out of course. I actually hate waiting for the next book, but it does get me really excited when it is finally released.20. In your opinion what makes a good main character and what makes a bad one?

I think it is important to have the character be real and to have depth. Even if the character is a minor one, I always have a backstory for all of them. That is the only way I can create their personalities and decide what they do in the story. A story with two dimensional characters feels unrealistic.

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Snow Queen giveaway Winner

A couple of weeks ago, I set up a giveaway to win a copy of this fantastic book. The giveaway has now ended and winner has been selected by Rafflecopter.

The winner is:

Shannon Ainsworth

Congratulations Shannon. I have contacted the winner and asked them to reply to me in 5 days, if they have not a new winner will be selected.

Thank you to everyone who entered and I hope to host more giveaways very soon.

Happy reading

Emma

Giveaway: The Snow Queen

Five years ago, Cambridge Ballet’s Sugar Plum Fairy vanished after performing The Nutcracker. Despite extensive city and statewide searches, no traces of her, besides her ballet slippers, were ever found. Every year since, another member of the cast has gone missing after closing night: a Spanish Hot Chocolate, an Arabian Dancer, The Dew Drop Fairy, a Flower. Nieves Alba, who as a thirteen-year-old played Clara in the first ill-fated performance, is now cast as the Snow Queen. On closing night, every police officer in Boston surrounds the theater, determined to catch the perpetrator whom they’ve dubbed “The Nutcracker.” Can Nieves break the curse or will she be the next victim of America’s favorite ballet?

I have a paperback copy of this fantastic book to giveaway. Want a chance to win? Just enter the giveaway. Ends in 8 days time.

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Good luck and happy reading.

Emma

 

Alana Albertson: Author Interview and Giveaway

Alana Albertson, is an American author who likes dogs, watching T.V. and watching T.V. She used to be a professional dancer and it shows, in how she writes dance scenes, the passion shines through. She has written a number of romance novels including a few which are about dancing. I was lucky enough to get to review one such novel and she kindly agreed to do an interview and giveaway. Here’s the interview.

1. What made you want to be an author and what gives you inspiration?
I was an English major in college, and I always wanted to write a book. I get inspired by real life crime, celebrities’ stories, and literature.

2. When you are writing dance scenes, do imagine yourself doing the dance moves?
Yes! Sometimes I even choreograph the entire dance and try it out. My three-year-old son makes a great dancer partner.

3. Who is your favourite author and which author would you most like to read your books?
Great question! Hmm. Favorite dead author is Oscar Wilde. Living would be J.K Rowling. Most like to read my books: Anne Rice.

4. Where is your favourite place to write?
A coffee house. Lofty Coffee in Encinitas, California. My dream is to make a pilgrimage to Edinburg and write at Elephant House, where J.K. wrote Harry Potter. I have a painting of the café in my kitchen.

5. As you are a professional dancer, which is your true passion, writing or dancing?
Wow—these are so great and though provoking. Dancing. My soul is on fire when I dance. I miss it greatly. I did ballet from the time I was 3-19. And then Ballroom/Latin from 19-30. I love love love writing, but when that music plays and I put on my ballet or ballroom shoes, I am at peace.

6. Which of your characters is your favourite and why?
Hmm. Bret from Love Waltzes In because he is like my husband. From Snow Queen – it would be Mikhail. He’s misunderstood. He just wants to dance and have true love.

7. Do your characters change halfway through the book and have you ever had to go back and change certain parts?
Always. Yes. I write a horrible first draft. Then I go back and intensely edit my book.

8. What’s your ultimate goal with writing?
I want to write in many genres – YA, historical, Cozy mystery, paranormal, NA, romance. I hope that I can transport readers to a different world.

9. Do you become attached to your characters? And do you dislike writing about bad things happening to them?
Yes! I cry. My husband makes fun of me. He’ll say, “What’s wrong?” “It’s Nieves, she’s in trouble.” He will say, “Uhm you know she doesn’t exist, right?”

10. Have you ever written a character that you truly dislike?
Yes – the pimp in my new book, Invincible. But generally I try to have humanity for all of my characters, even the villains.

11. What’s the nicest comment/review from a fan you have ever gotten?
A nice lady on facebook wrote me the other day and said that she spent an entire day trying to find the first chapter of my book because she was obsessed with it. It made my day.

12. How long does it take you to write a book (roughly)?
I write fast. I can write an entire book in two weeks. Then edit it in two weeks.

13. Do you plan meticulously, or do a rough plan then start writing?
I plan but I never stick to it. My characters have minds of their own and don’t often do what I want them to.

14. Do you have trouble of letting your characters go, when you start another book/ series?
Yes. Which is why I plan series for all my books.

15. How many books do read a week and do read more than one at once?
I read a book a day usually. And yes I read more than one at once. Sometimes for pleasure and sometimes for research.

16. I saw on your blog that you are a coffee fan, is there any favourite types you like to drink whilst writing?
😀 Best question!!! I like to drink a non-fat Mexican Mocha. It has chocolate, cinnamon, chili powder, nutmeg and cayenne pepper. I get extra happy when they make the foam into a picture.

Alana I am proud to say that I can do that, I can make pictures in coffee, no foam, all from how I pour the coffee. Not perfect but getting there.

Would you like to know more about Alana? Why not head over to her blog and check it out 🙂 Here.

Ready for the giveaway? You can win a copy of The Snow Queen by Alana Albertson.

Five years ago, Cambridge Ballet’s Sugar Plum Fairy vanished after performing The Nutcracker. Despite extensive city and statewide searches, no traces of her, besides her ballet slippers, were ever found. Every year since, another member of the cast has gone missing after closing night: a Spanish Hot Chocolate, an Arabian Dancer, The Dew Drop Fairy, a Flower. Nieves Alba, who as a thirteen-year-old played Clara in the first ill-fated performance, is now cast as the Snow Queen. On closing night, every police officer in Boston surrounds the theater, determined to catch the perpetrator whom they’ve dubbed “The Nutcracker.” Can Nieves break the curse or will she be the next victim of America’s favorite ballet?

I am proud to say I have a copy sitting on my armchair and it looks beautiful.

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Happy reading.