Character Interview - Dai from KISS OF THE GOBLIN PRINCE

Today I'm interviewing Dai, the unforgettable hero from KISS OF THE GOBLIN PRINCE by Shona Husk.

Here's the story in a nutshell:

Trapped for centuries in the bleak Shadowlands, Dai clings to his humanity with a thirst for knowledge. But now he's free of the goblin curse, and some would say he knows too much- he can make nature bend to his will, influence the minds of others, and command magic. Yet love eludes him. Then he meets Amanda, a single mother with a sick daughter whom he feels compelled to protect. But could she possibly place her trust in the kiss of a goblin prince?

"Darkly Celtic, richly imagined, this is paranormal romance at its best." -Juliet Marilier, award-winning author of Daughter of the Forest praise for The Goblin King

What was your life like growing up?
I grew up in what is now Flintshire, Wales. That was the Decangli lands. When I was a child my life was much like everyone else’s. Even though my father was King, my brother and I weren’t allowed to place ourselves above the rest of the tribe. I imagined growing up and becoming a druid, but then the Roman’s pushed West, my mother died giving birth to my sister and everything changed. We resisted for several years, then they built a fort and at fourteen I was taken as a good behavior hostage. Things went from bad to worse rather rapidly, and not just for me but for every Decangli.
Before the action in the book, what were your plans/hopes for the future?
Honestly if the curse hadn’t broken, I’d planned to die. I was so close to succumbing and fading to goblin, another day and I’d have been gone, nothing but a grey skinned mindless beast. I didn’t want to live like that. No one should have to live like that.
Do you have a motto or code you live by?
Do what you will but harm none…sort of. If you’re rushing in to battle, you are expecting to get hurt. But seriously, when I studied magic and was initiated I made oaths not to use magic harm others. Those are vows I live by because the repercussions would be far worse than being cursed to be a goblin.
What is your most distinguishing characteristic?
I have scars and tattoos. I could pick one but without the rest it wouldn’t make sense. Most of the scars came from my time as a slave, a few happened later when fighting goblins. When I wasn’t fighting I was studying magic, which is how I got the tattoos. They are markings from various masters, most are more than skin deep and also mark my soul.
What is your major skill or talent?
Magic. I spent years studying all different kinds of lore in the Shadowlands. Once human and in the Fixed Realm again I found I was able to use it. Everything I’d learned (and remembered, I’m sure I’ve forgotten more about magic than I can remember—the human mind isn’t able to hold two thousand years of memories) about I can do. Travel across the globe with a thought, heal, create something out of nothing, stop time—except I’m not supposed to do that. Actually most magic I’m not supposed to use, but what Birch Trustees doesn’t know won’t hurt them, or me.
What’s your favorite color?
Gold? Joking, I’m not a goblin anymore. Blue, sky blue. Until it’s gone you don’t realize how important it is.
If you had to pick another career, what would it be?
If I wasn’t a mage, I’d be a scholar. There’s always something to study, language, history, occult law. You’d be surprised how much history got wrong. Of course it’s so deeply entrenched that those contradicting popular knowledge gets laughed at—I know that from first-hand experience.
What’s on your bucket list?
After living as long as I have I don’t really have a bucket list. I’ve travelled, seen history unfold, seen things I wish I hadn’t seen, seen creatures that no longer exist. I guess my priority now is family. Roan and I should get on better than we do. Amanda would like another child…Do ex-goblins make good parents? I suppose there have been plenty of books written about parenting so I can always look it up. I should probably spend less time reading.
Who do you love?
Amanda. She made my second chance worth living.

VS sez: KISS OF THE GOBLIN PRINCE is available at Amazon 
Also check out  GOBLIN KING, the first book in the Shadowlands series 

The Magic of Mothers, According To Our Authors

 In honor of Mothers Day, our Authors share ~ The magic of mothers is....

“...they love you even when you're behaving like an idiot.”  Janni Nell, DANCE OF FLAMES (Carina Press Presents: Editor's Choice Volume II)

“…the ability to read the minds of their offspring. Mothers know their children better than anyone can know anyone else in the world. So you may THINK you are getting away with something, but you never really know …  Tia Nevitt, THE SEVENFOLD SPELL

“In many ancient pagan faiths, women were considered sacred because they were seen as the gateway between this realm and the realm of spirit. Only women can create new life, and if that isn't magic, I don't know what is.” Barbara Longley, FAR FROM PERFECT/Fall 2012 MONTLAKE ROMANCE

"… is best expressed in a finger-painted masterpiece stuck to the fridge." Jenny Schwartz,  WANTED: ONE SCOUNDREL

“…Their love expands to cover every challenge.”  Shawna Thomas, ALTERED DESTINY

“...even when you drive them to the end of their rope, they get up the next day with a whole new cable.”  Cindy Spencer Pape  MOTOR CITY MAGE

"...unconditional love."  David Bridger, QUARTER SQUARE

“…their ability to do ten things at one time." Sandy James, RULES OF THE GAME

“…someone who can take the place of everyone else but no one in the world can replace her.”  Ruth A. Casie KNIGHT OF RUNES

“…..the unfathomable amount of forgiveness within their hearts.”  Annie Nicholas, OMEGAS IN LOVE

“…that only they know the secret formula for ghost spray, the magic words to banish monsters, and have kisses that can heal everything but a broken heart... for those they use hugs that shelter you
from the world.” Seleste deLaney, BADLANDS

“... their uncanny ability to know when their child is being 'too quiet'.” Nicole Luiken, GATE TO KANDRITH

"..that they hold their children's hands for a while, and their hearts forever." Angela Campbell, CRY WOLF

“... the ability to love you even when they (rightfully) want to strangle you.” Jax Garren,  HOW BEAUTY MET THE BEAST,  coming in November!

“…the way they connect all the generations and all the branches of even the most farflung family, with  their love.” Veronica Scott, WRECK OF THE NEBULA DREAM

“…a hastily given, sweet, sticky kiss. The magic of mothers is little arms pulling you close for a hug that's never long enough. The magic of mothers is a tiny hand resting trustingly inside yours. The magic of mothers is your heart walking beside you. “  Kaily Hart, POINT BLANK

We'd like to wish every Mother a magical and happy Mother's Day from Here Be Magic!

What's the most magical thing about your  mom?

Six Ways to Squeeze More Reading Into Your Day

I read 200 books a year.  Now I admit, I am a stay-at-home mom/writer, but even when I worked full-time I read over 100 books a year.

So how do I do it, and how can you, too?  Here are some ways.

1.  Carry a book and find opportunities to read. 

On public transit.  In the can.  (Okay, this one is more my husband than me.)  At lunch.  Waiting for appointments: doctor, dentist, hair salon, etc.  At the airport.  During TV commercials.  While exercising. (I read while jogging on the spot--though if you get motion sick reading in a car, I don’t advise this one.) While your computer boots up.  While you’re waiting for the microwave or the coffee maker to finish.

2. Get an e-reader.  Or put the app on your iPod or smart phone. 

If you can check your email/Facebook standing in line at the movie theater/bus stop/grocery store, you can read a few pages of a novel, too.

3. Try audio books.

While driving or working out at the gym or doing dishes or anything that busies your hands but leaves most of your mind free.  (Hint: the library has a large selection.)

4. Avoid channel surfing.  

There are many well-written, excellent shows out there.  Keep the ones you love, but don't automatically turn on the TV.  Veg out with a book on the sofa instead.

5.   Set aside reading time as a reward for accomplishing unpleasant tasks. 

Tell yourself, “If I do the dishes/vacuum the living room/wash the floor I’ll let myself read for ten minutes.”
Or, if you're a procrastinator, "I'll let myself read one scene, and then I'll do the dishes."

6. Read something you enjoy.

I really cannot emphasize this one enough. Pick a fast read that hooks you from the first page. Save the meaty, heavy prize-winning books for longer stretches of time (or never if you’re reading them because you think you should rather than because you actually enjoy them). Read (gasp) two books at once and switch between them if you hit a slow spot in one. Give yourself permission to not finish a book that isn’t to your taste and pick up one you’re eager to read.

Happy reading!

P.S. I currently have three books on the go.  Main read: paperback of Shadowborn by Alison Sinclair.  Ebook read: Quarter Square by David Bridger.  Basement read (while computer boots up): Costume Not Included by Matthew Hughes.

Here Be News

New releases this week

The Man of Her Dreams

He is like a prince in a fairy tale: tall, outrageously handsome, and way too dark for her own good. Amanda has been hurt before, though. And with her daughter's illness, the last thing she needs right now is a man. But the power of Dai King is hard to resist. And when he threads his hands through her hair and pulls her in for a kiss, there is no denying it feels achingly right.

In a Land of Nightmares

After being trapped in the Shadowlands for centuries with the goblin horde a constant threat, Dai revels in his newfound freedom back in the human realm. But even with the centuries of magic he's accumulated, he still doesn't know how to heal Amanda's daughter—and it breaks his heart. Yet for the woman he loves, he'd risk anything...including a return to the Shadowlands.

Links of Interest

TOR announces the 2012 Locus Awards Finalists.

Smashwords presentation from RT 2012: How Data-Driven Decisions *Might* Help Indie Ebook Authors Reach More Readers. 

The Sexual-Romantic Politics of Star Trek from Wonk-o-mance. (Which is a fantastically entertaining new site if you haven't checked it out.)

Funnies: SNL Amazon 50 Shades and Ellen DeGeneres reading.

Group Announcements

A big welcome to our new contributors: Kaily Hart, Annie Nicholas, Jax Garren, Sandy James, Kim Knox and Inez Kelley. 

And the winner is...

Congratulations, Nicole Luiken!

 You won 10 ebooks and an awesome compass key chain. You're set for summer reading, and you'll only have to worry about getting lost in a book.
' _ ' 

Yeah I know, but if you don't know it already, I'm a wee bit corny. ; )

Steampunk Chat

Hiya folks! All aboard the dirigible and be sure to buckle up ... no, Seleste, you do not need that handsome young steward to assist you with that particular buckle -- Cindy, did you just pinch his butt?!!

Ladies!

ahem, and gentlemen.

The Steampunk Writers and Artists Guild has invited me to host their weekly #steampunkchat on Twitter, tonight. At 9pm (New York time) we're all "Off to the Antipodes" -- which is this week's theme for the chat.

What do you think of when you hear "the Antipodes"? What is steampunk like in Australia? Are there kangaroos?

Well, bring your questions and your dreams to Twitter and join the party.

These weekly #steampunkchats are fun and very welcoming (and I am a very nervous first time host and would love some support). You can see transcripts of past chats here.

A twitter chat is simply a discussion organised around everyone including the same hashtag in their tweets. In this case, that hashtag is #steampunkchat . The chat will run for an hour and at the end of it, there'll be five minutes for a self-promo (because we're shameless steampunkers) tweet from everyone.

If I don't stuff up this hosting gig, I'll be back 25 May to host another #steampunkchat, this time on the theme "Steampunk and Romance". I can't wait for that one, either!

Meet the Here Be Magic Authors - Nicole Luiken

Continuing a new feature at Here Be Magic - periodic interviews with the Authors who create the magic. Our next interviewee is Nicole Luiken, whose most recent book is Gate to Kandrith. 

Tell us a little about yourself:

I wrote my first book when I was just 13 years old (on a manual typewriter, eep!) and have had eight YA novels published.  I'm a stay-at-home mom with three kids and live in Edmonton, Alberta.  I read a ton of books (about 200 a year) mostly romance and SF/Fantasy.

 What prompted you to start writing?

I wrote my first book when I was thirteen, mostly because of a library book--Guide to Fiction Writing by Phyllis A. Whitney.  I read the book cover-to-cover, got all fired up about writing and decided to write a novel.  What can I say?  It was summer vacation, I lived on a farm a two-mile bike trip from my nearest friend, and I was bored.  I wrote one page a day and 100 days later I had a novel.  I liked writing books so much I just never stopped.  I wrote through high school, college, full-time jobs and with a newborn in the house.  I often joke that it's impossible for me to go more than three days without writing.

 What’s your writing process? Where do you write?

 I usually spend about a month plotting out the novel, brainstorming scenes, writing down snippets of dialogue, developing the characters and eventually outlining.  The first draft takes me 2-4 months depending on whether I'm writing YA or adult and then I usually let the book sit for a bit.  When I feel I can come back to it with fresh eyes, I read the whole novel making notes on what I like and what isn't working, and then I replot it.  After that things get complicated, because I essentially do the 2nd and 3rd drafts at the same time.  I race ahead instituting the big plot changes, revising old scenes and inserting new ones in the afternoons, but do scene-by-scene polishing/honing/adding description (my bane!) in the mornings and evenings.

I write on my netbook on the kitchen table for first and second drafts.  Plotting and 3rd draft polishing is done by hand on printed double-spaced pages on a clipboard in the living room or sometimes while my child is at the playground.  (The mom version of writing in a coffeeshop.)

 Which five people (real, fictional, historical) would you invite to dinner and why?

Suzanne Brockmann, Lois McMaster Bujold, Patricia Briggs, Sarah Rees Brennan (real people)  They are all authors whose books I love.

Miles Vorkosigan (fictional character)  I don't crush on movie stars, but I am definitely a little in love with Miles.  Sigh.  Though perhaps I won't invite him to the same dinner as Lois as he may be a tad upset with her for complicating his life.

 How do you celebrate when you finish a novel?

Dance around with my four-year-old then go out to dinner.  (Mmmm, Italian...  Must type faster.)

 Quickfire :

Favorite TV Show: Fringe

Favorite Movie:  The Princess Bride

Morning person or evening person:   Afternoon.  I neither roll out of bed at the crack of dawn, nor stay up past midnight if I can help it.

Favorite food:  Spaghetti and meatballs, if you're talking main dish, otherwise chocolate, chocolate, chocolate.

Favorite time of the year:  Late spring, once things have greened up, but the mosquitos haven't hatched yet.

Favorite song:  Eye of the Tiger

 Finish this sentence  “I believe in the Magic of escaping into a good book."

 What are you working on next?  I am currently working on the sequel to Gate to Kandrith, tentatively titled Soul of Kandrith.

 What one question do you want to ask your Readers today?  How old were you when you first discovered your vocation/passion?

Where can your Readers find you online?  I have a Nicole Luiken facebook fan page and a Goodreads account, on twitter I'm NicoleLuiken, and my website is www.nicoleluiken.com

 You can find Gate to Kandrith at  Amazon  Carina