Take a piece of history and mix in a little mythology and what do you get? Our guest today, Shona Husk!
Lexi: Lord of the Hunt is out!!!! And for those of you who aren’t aware, Shona Husk has a great series that doesn’t deal with goblins. Court of Annwyn is a paranormal romance (because they should ALL be romance shouldn’t they?) spotlighting the fae. What led you to choose a series about these mythological beings?
Shona: I’ve always enjoyed the darker aspect of the fae, but I’m not sure it was a conscious choice to write about them. When visiting a maze with the kids we had a conversation about what mazes could be made of and Eldest Kid suggested glass. I said no as you’d be able to see through it…but then I started thinking how that would work when you could see what you wanted but not how to get there. In my mind it was then a small step to thinking that would be how a fairy court would work. I didn’t do anything with that idea for about six months then while I was sitting in an engineering conference about water quality in drainage systems and I decided to play with that idea instead of taking notes. Lord of the Hunt was the first book I plotted in the series, even though Caspian (the hero from book one, The Outcast Prince) had been in my mind for much longer—although I didn’t know he was part fairy, just psychometric, until it all started to come together.
Lexi: I have always adored any books dealing with this ancient race. There are so many versions and opinions, but they are always powerful and mysterious. The way you blend their existence with Taryn, the heroine in Lord of the Hunt, is fun. Well, maybe she wouldn’t describe it as fun since she doesn’t want to be part of the fairy. Can you tell our readers why you chose to give her a revulsion to them and therefore an aversion to Verden (the hero, gotta love Verden!)?
Shona: Because Verden is a Court fairy through and through he needed someone to make him realize there was more to life than Court. Taryn would never have gone back to Annwyn by choice, but at some point in her life she needed to learn more about what she was. She might be afraid (with good reason) of the machinations of Court but I put her in a place where she couldn’t run and hide and she had to face her fears. Verden is everything she feared about Court. The power, the ability to sacrifice everything to get to the top…in some respects even his courtship of her shows that same determination to gamble and win at any cost. Verden was also the fairy who could teach her what she needed to know to succeed.
Lexi: There may not be goblins but you still pack in plenty of action. Shona your writing has such a nice balance of romance and exciting/dangerous/changing elements that keep us hopping from one page to the next. How do you keep that up without any part feeling bogged down?
Shona: Thank you :) I wish there was a really nice explanation but I write the stories I want to read. I want action and adventure and danger…but I want romance. When I plot the story I make sure that there is other stuff happening and that the characters relationship is woven into that so the romance and the plot are intertwined and can’t be separated.
Lexi: When there is action there is also pain. Your characters also usually seem to get into trouble which leads to injuries. Have you had any broken bones or serious injuries to draw from?
Shona: Actually no. I’ve never broken anything—touch wood. However I have done martial arts since I was 10 so I’ve had a black eye, been winded, kicked in the groin (yes it still hurts ladies) and thrown many, many times. I think the way characters deal with pain (or not) helps define them. And sometimes it is just fun to shoot a main character and see what happens.
Lexi: Physical pain is temporary, unless you are living it and then it never ends. Now emotional pain can truly be forever up to that moment of freedom and the weight falls off your shoulders. Do you want to give our dear readers a hint about whether or not Taryn will get some relief?
Shona: Taryn grows a lot during the book. And while she ends up with a lot of responsibility she knows that it’s only temporary. I think she made a pretty good deal :) As for what happens in To Love a King…well everyone will be affected when the fae go to war.
Lexi: Lord of the Hunt. Out now people. And it is definitely a fun read! You do not want to miss out on this series! Thanks for stopping by Shona! Can’t wait for book three!
Shona: There will be a #2.5 novella out in June so keep an eye out for that too. Thank you for having me!
LORD OF THE HUNT BY SHONA HUSK – IN STORES JANUARY 2014 She Wasn’t Cut Out for His World...The realm of the fairies might be unbelievably beautiful, but its people are notoriously treacherous. Raised among mortals, Taryn hoped to avoid her fairy heritage her whole life. But now she must cross over to Annwyn and appeal to the King to pardon her exiled parents, or they're sure to die. And to get to the King, she'll first have to face the Lord of the Hunt...
He Can't Imagine Life Without Her...
Verden, Lord of the Hunt, is sworn to serve to King. But the moment he sees Taryn, the attraction is instant and devastating. How can he not help the beautiful, brave young woman who refuses to bend to the will of the court? Yet the power in Annwyn is shifting, its magic failing. No matter how much he may love Taryn, the Hunter knows that abandoning his duty could bring down the mortal world forever...
Praise for the works of Shona Husk:
“Romantic and intriguing.” —Publishers Weekly
“Enthralling.” —Booklist
“A great fairy-tale feel...dark, fresh, and tantalizing.” —Anna's Book Blog
To Purchase Lord of the Hunt:
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Three time ARRA finalist Shona Husk lives in Western Australia at the edge of the Indian Ocean. Blessed with a lively imagination she spent most of her childhood making up stories. As an adult she discovered romance novels and hasn’t looked back. Drawing on history and myth, she writes about heroes who are armed and dangerous but have a heart of gold—sometimes literally. She is the author of the Shadowlands Series and the Annwyn Series. You can find out more information about Shona and her edgy romances at http://www.shonahusk.com/ or follow her on Twitter, @ShonaHusk.
GIVEAWAY
Sourcebooks is offering up one copy of Lord of the Hunt to one of our readers! Yay for Sourcebooks! To enter leave a comment for Shona, what do you think about the fairy world or glass mazes? Then fill out the Rafflecopter (US and Canada only). Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway
i would love for them to be real
ReplyDeleteGreat interview! I have been wanting to read this author for quite some time!! I just love the sound of this series.
ReplyDeleteI've always been fascinited by the Fae. Probably because it's so connected to Scotland and highland romances <3 Those stories are what led me to paranormal romance and now I'm hooked =). Thanks for the interview and the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI would love to visit the fairy realm, but I don't think I would like to live theree!
ReplyDeleteTRUE mazes are scary... look at how the one in the Harry Potter series broke down those brave wizards and witches. I also think of the one in the Goblin King too... I do love stories about the fae. :-))) thanks for the giveaway.
ReplyDeleteIt would be interesting if they were real. I would love to visit the realm but I would definitely have to be careful while I maneuver it.
ReplyDeleteI love reading about them! A definite escape from reality :) Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI love reading about the fairy realm!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to win!
I love reading about the fairy realm!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to win!
I love them and wish they were real and that I could see them.
ReplyDeleteThank you.