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Book-Fiction Virtual Book Tours

Whispers from the East by @amietheauthor Virtual Book Tour Interview by #thetoiboxofwords via @RABTBookTours #historicalnovel

Greetings readers, bloggers, geeks, and authors and welcome to The ToiBox of Words. I’m your host Toi Thomas, author of Eternal Curse, and today I’m sharing a special interview with author, Amie Ali, about her fiction book entitled, Whispers from the East. Enjoy!

Amazon

Where did the idea for Whispers from the East come from?

I am a part of a support group for Western women who are born to non-Western born Muslim men. The stories I hear from the women who pass through and my friends who have committed to the group are amazing. Some are wonderful, some are terrible, and some are just like any other relationship that doesn’t cross cultural and religious barriers. I felt like these stories needed to be heard. None of the characters are based on any one person or experience. I think every woman I have spoken with that is in this type of relationship will see a bit of herself in all the characters.

How did the title of this book come about?

The title was the result of a huge amount of brainstorming. Plays on words and phrases that are catchy and memorable, in the hope it might entice a reader to look closer. Whispers from the East was a title that I was excited about the moment it was presented to me. This is the story of three women with ties to South Asia, a land they have been drawn to through their experiences and love lives. One was born there, and two were gently coaxed. There were no loud sirens or declarations to the East…just the whispers of their hearts.

What genre is this book and why did you choose to make it so?

The book is Literary Fiction under the sub-genres of Historical Fiction and Women’s Fiction. I didn’t choose the genres, the genres chose me!

What would you say is the overall message or the theme of this book?

The overall message is that there are many, many different kinds of love. It doesn’t fit into a box. People have different expectations on what a relationship and a marriage should be like, and no matter where you are in the world, ultimately we are all looking for love.

Tell me about the experience of writing this book; how long did it take.

I’ve actually only been asked this once before and even I find the answer to be quite shocking. I wrote Whispers from the East in under 90 days. Once I started, it just poured out of my soul.

Who is the protagonist of this story?

There are three women in this book who all share the role of protagonist, and they are Ammi, Carolyn, and Ivy. Ammi is the Pakistani mother of three sons, two of whom immigrate to America and eventually marry Carolyn and Ivy. The story is told from the point of view of each woman.

Who is the antagonist of this story?

The antagonists are misconception and miscommunication. All of the protagonists have their own internal battles to fight, and their inner struggles are the only antagonists in Whispers from the East. And those demons are fierce!

Where and when is this story taking place?

There are three distinctive time settings and three locations the stories take place. Ammi is a migrant in the 1947 Partition of India, so we see her move during that time from New Delhi, India to Lahore, Pakistan, where she raises her family. We then meet Carolyn in the 1970’s San Francisco Bay, followed by Ivy, in 1980’s Florida.

Who is your favorite character in this book?

Ammi is central in the story and, as their mother-in-law, in the lives of Carolyn and Ivy. She’s definitely the one who pulls at my heart strings the most.

Are there elements of your personality or life experiences in this book?

You know, it’s almost impossible to not have bits of yourself in what you write. Where Amie Ali is in Whispers from the East is in the scenery. I have traveled pretty extensively and that tends to translate onto the pages. It would be hard to write about a place I have never experienced first hand, but thankfully, I don’t have to!

What is one thing from this book you wish was real or could happen to you?

I wish I could buy canned chickpeas instead of uncooked, but my husband wouldn’t go for that!

Let’s say your book is being turned into a feature length film; quick- cast the main two characters and pick a theme song or score.

I have THREE main characters and I’d give them to: Mahira Khan (young Ammi), Amanda Seyfried (Carolyn), and Anna Kendrick (Ivy).

As for the score, I’d have to leave that in the expert hands of Hans Zimmer.

Do you have any special plans for this book in the near or far future?

While Whispers from the East is a stand alone and not the start of a series, I do have a tie-in to follow it that will be out next year. Exciting!

~

Okay readers, bloggers, geeks, and authors, that’s all for today. Be sure to follow this blog to see who will be visiting next time. To obtain your copy of Whispers from the East, a Reader’s Favorite, please visit the links provided.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

ReadersFavorite.com

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Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

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A Dewdrop Away by @c_a_allen Virtual Book Tour Interview by #thetoiboxofwords via @RABTBookTours #fantasy


Greetings readers, bloggers, geeks, and authors and welcome to The ToiBox of Words. I’m your host Toi Thomas, author of Eternal Curse, and today I’m sharing a special interview with author, C.A. Allen, about her fiction book entitled, A Dewdrop Away. Enjoy!

Amazon.com

Where did the idea for A Dewdrop Away come from?

I can’t remember the where or when of it, really. The world just popped into my head one day, and I built it up until I just had to write about it.

How did the title of this book come about?

The title of this book is based on one of the last things the main character Rupert’s mother says to him before she dies at the beginning of the novel- that though everyone is different in the divided world in which they live, their souls are “only a dewdrop away” meaning they’re essentially similar in the ways that really matter.

What genre is this book and why did you choose to make it so?

Fantasy. It’s really all I write (apart from poetry) and at the time I had the idea for this book, it was all I read as well (I’ve since branched out with reading, but fantasy is my first and best love).

What would you say is the overall message or the theme of this book?

I don’t really write with a message or theme in mind- I’m much more story and character-driven as an author. But I would have to say the core of the book goes back to the title and to the fact that it’s when we focus only on our differences instead of what we have in common- even if it’s just the experience of being a living creature- that we grow truly, hopelessly divided and lost. Also, think for yourself and give your intuition more credit than it usually gets- it’s often right (so much so that in Dewdrop, it’s considered a form of magic).

Tell me about the experience of writing this book; how long did it take.

From conception to finished, edited book this took me about ten years- though there were a LOT of breaks in there.

Where and when is this story taking place?

A Dewdrop Away takes place in the fictional, squirrel-run land of Arborand, in which there are six major territories: Oakwood, Pinewood, Firwood, Maplewood, Ashwood and Beechwood. Arborand is surrounded on all sides by water and it is unknown what other lands- or creatures-  lie across the water, if any.

Who is your favorite character in this book?

I really like Rupert, I’ve put him through a lot and he’s been an amazing sport about it. Kyan was amazingly fun to write. I also love Perris the chipmunk, he’s a really genuinely good soul and someone I would like to know in real life. His interactions with Theo were some of my favorite parts to write, in turns touching and funny.

As you can see, I can never pick just one.

Are there elements of your personality or life experiences in this book?

There are probably elements of my personality scattered about through all of my characters.

What is one thing from this book you wish was real or could happen to you?

I sometimes wish that magical artifacts like the golden chestnut actually existed, though it might cause a lot of trouble- being immortal would be an experience. Also, running around in trees without breaking my neck sounds like a good time.

What is something you wish wasn’t real and hope doesn’t happen to you?

I am really glad mind-control doesn’t operate on the same level in real life as it does in this book.

Do you have any special plans for this book in the near or far future?

Not at the moment. I would love if this book were someday made into an animation of some sort, that would be baller on so many levels, but right now there’s nothing to report. I’ve already written a prequel trilogy to Dewdrop, consisting of the books Flight, Fall and Overworld, all available on Amazon as well. No further books in the land of Arborand are currently planned, but that could change.

~

Okay readers, bloggers, geeks, and authors, that’s all for today. Be sure to follow this blog to see who will be visiting next time. To obtain your copy of A Dewdrop Away, please visit the link provided.

Amazon.com

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Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

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Of Gods and Madness: The Faithful by @justindherd Interview & #Giveaway by @RABTBookTours #NoirSummer

Greetings readers, bloggers, geeks, and authors and welcome to The ToiBox of Words. I’m your host Toi Thomas, author of Eternal Curse, and today I’m sharing a special interview with author, Justin D. Herd, about his fiction book entitled, Of Gods and Madness: The Faithful. Check out the giveaway at the end and enjoy!

Where did the idea for Of Gods and Madness: The Faithful come from?

It originally started as a story about a man that has migraines but his pills keep him from slipping into another world. Then it became a story about a religious society that worshiped all these gods in the streets, not realizing that they still lived amongst them. The problem came in that my detective character wasn’t able to connect the dots when he was interacting with these gods. So, it became an atheistic society where the mob family is the only one that believes.

How did the title of this book come about?

For the longest time, the book was simply titled The Faithful, named after the mob family in the novel. A big issue throughout the story was that the gods were slowly introduced, filling in the fantasy as the story progressed, but now with Of Gods and Madness: The Faithful, you know exactly what you’re getting into.

What genre is this book and why did you choose to make it so?

This is one that blends a lot of genres, taking what fits and getting rid of the bits that don’t. On a top level, it’s Fantasy. But it’s got a crime element in an urban environment, so it’s Urban Fantasy. But, you hear of that and you think devils and deep magic systems and it’s not quite that. So, long and short of it, I consider it Fantasy Noir. This is a genre that focuses more on the setting, the feel of the prose, and stoic heroes. Overall, it doesn’t even quite fit that, but it’s the closest I’ve found.

What would you say is the overall message or the theme of this book?

Honestly, I’m not one much to talk about theme or any underlying messages. A lot of the imagery might string together to give some unintended context, but it’s always fun to hear what people read into it.

Tell me about the experience of writing this book; how long did it take.

The book took roughly nine months. I honestly don’t remember when I started it, but I finished it in 2008. I started with an idea for three books, opened a world building document, and wrote 22 pages (almost 12,000 words) describing the society, its gods, the characters and their history, as well as a six page treatment of the story. It ended nothing like it. I got caught up for about six months, trying to avoid using any of the ideas for the last two books, but ultimately gave in and finished the book in two weeks.

Tell me about the main storyline within this book.

A mobster becomes a god, only to discover they die too.

That’s the elevator pitch. The longer one involves mobsters, artists, cops, multiple gods, divine civil war, and coups. But hey, at least I’ve got it distilled down to eleven words!

Who is the protagonist of this story?

The main character is Raine Morgan, the right hand of the dominant mob family. He’s the mobster with a heart of gold, paying off his marks debts rather than have the family kill them. He’s not necessarily a believer, but it’s been ingrained into his past. When he accidentally kills someone, much less someone he was trying to protect, he spirals out of control in an effort to get revenge and, ultimately, redemption.

Who is the antagonist of this story?

For the humans, it’s Carrick Uren. He’s a greedy middleman in Na Creidmhigh and hates Raine for not killing people, for being able to surpass him. He takes his opportunity once Raine is caught out after his first murder. As a result, Na Creidmhigh is divided and ultimately becomes a slaughter house.

Then, there’s Theon the Trickster for the gods. As you might expect, he’s always up to no good.

What is the major conflict in this story?

The initial conflict is that Raine is set out to hunt down a couple miscreants, only to come on them assaulting a woman. He charges in, but ends up killing their victim and letting them escape. So he sets out to hunt them and perhaps gain some redemption. Little does he realize that the incident triggers godhood and he catches the attention of the gods. They come together to try to deal with another immortal joining them, only to discover they can die too. That sets off a divine civil war where no one is safe.

Where and when is this story taking place?

I took the amalgamation approach to writing this. It’s a near future technology, but with the clothing and music of the 1920s. It’s a grimy, gritty harbor town where the mob family rules the town. In general, the genre is Film Noir.

As for location, I took old maps of 1800s Boston and used the general locations of things. There are no cars in the world. Instead of trains, they use water trams.

Who is your favorite character in this book?

I’d have to say it’s probably the Shade. But I think people will really latch onto Theon. One of the things I like so much about him is that he pushes the envelope at every chance. Hell, even when he finds out he could actually die, he still screws gods over and toys with humans. He’s out to have a good time, damned the consequences.

Are there elements of your personality or life experiences in this book?

I’ve made sure to weed out anything that would be too much like me. At the end of the day, there’s some allusions to migraines, but not anything that’s explicitly stated. I have chronic migraines, almost every one of them starting with an ocular migraine where I lose my vision for about thirty minutes, then the pain starts.

The only other thing is that Raine is supremely clumsy. I have fallen up stairs, I have tripped over nothing, and would regularly drive my ex-wife crazy with how I would find anything and everything to trip over.

What is one thing from this book you wish was real or could happen to you?

I absolutely love Oki’s Veins. They are this architectural feature, essentially glass channels of backlit water. They run up and down the streets, up walls, connecting the city in a giant art display. It’s impractical and impossible, but it would just be amazing to see that, to have every structure just commit wholly to this feature.

What is something you wish wasn’t real and hope doesn’t happen to you?

I think the limited immortality would be a huge bummer. I mean, it’s one of those things you grow into that you realize immortality isn’t all it’s meant to be. But then to have it and suddenly be told, “Just kidding . . .” I try to explore that in the book, where the disparate gods react to it differently, but I just think that would be the worst.

Let’s say your book is being turned into a feature length film; quick- cast the main two characters and pick a theme song or score.

Raine Morgan – Michael Pitt
Theon – Christoph Waltz
Theme Song: End of the Line by Murder by Death

Do you have any special plans for this book in the near or far future?

Nothing too spectacular. I am already looking at its sequels. My plans are to split the story into two different storylines: one that follows the gods, the other the mob and see where that takes us. It would be a different take for those that love the mortal stuff, but not the gods, they have their series, or those that adored the god stuff, but not so much the mortals . . . well, they can be satisfied too.

~

Okay readers, bloggers, geeks, and authors, that’s all for today. Be sure to follow this blog to see who will be visiting next time. To obtain your copy of Of Gods and Madness: The Faithful, please visit the links provided.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Smashwords

iTunes | Google Play | Kobo | Createspace

Visit this author at the following links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Patreon | Amazon

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This has been a
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Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords