Dagger's Sleep and Dissociate Blog Tour - Interview with Tricia Mingerink

Author Interview with Tricia Mingerink

It is my privilege to have the opportunity again to promote one of Tricia Mingerink's books. I have followed this woman since her very first book, Dare, in the Blades of Acktar series and it has been a joy to see her grow as an author through that series.  Sad as I was to see that series end, (and as much as I am "secretly" hoping there will be follow up stories with those beloved characters some day ;-) ) I was excited to hear that she was writing a new series, in a different type of world.  Dagger's Sleep is an allegorical retelling of the fairytale Sleeping Beauty, with a slight twist. Instead of a princess sleeping for a hundred years, it is a prince! Because life has been CRAZY lately, I am still in the middle of this story, so my actual review will come later. I will tell you that this book has a fantastic storyworld with beautiful descriptions, deep characters, and an intriguing plot. No surprise, of course.  I look forward to giving you even more information and sharing my thoughts on the whole story, once I have finished. In the mean time, I want the author herself to have an opportunity to introduce her creation.  For those of you who loved the Blades of Acktar series, and for those of you who are new to Tricia Mingerink's work, here is what you can expect from Dagger's Sleep. Please welcome again, Tricia Mingerink.

What was different about writing this story than writing The Blades of Acktar series?

The biggest difference is that Dagger's Sleep is allegorical while The Blades of Acktar has Christianity portrayed as it is in the real world. So while the Christianity part of The Blades of Acktar was fairly straight forward, I spent most of the time writing Dagger's Sleep double and triple checking that I wasn't accidentally stepping into blasphemous territory or saying something I didn't intend to say with the allegory. I'm sure there are ways any allegory can have more read into it than the author intended, but I can at least rest assured I did my best. 

What was your biggest surprise or most difficult problem to solve while writing this book?

Probably the ending, getting a certain romance to turn out not creepy. I can't say too much more than that without giving away spoilers. 

What did you have the most fun with?

The character of Berend. He wasn't even truly a character until the third draft when I figured out one piece of his character that really made him come alive on the page. I'm afraid I went a little crazy with the bear puns after that. 

If the characters from this story met the characters in The Blades of Acktar, who would be best friends and who would get on each other's nerves (and why)?

Pretty much everyone from The Blades of Acktar wouldn't like High Prince Alexander. Keevan might try to give him some good advice. Leith would grit his teeth and do his best to ignore him. Martyn would purposefully prod Alex into being arrogant just so he could internally laugh at him. 

Kayleigh, Brandi, and Rosanna would probably be fast friends. They all have a certain adventurous streak to them. Isi would bounce between them and Renna. Leith and Daemyn would probably get along well enough, though I think of the two of them, Leith is more willing to be lethal than Daemyn is. 

What is something (quirk, personality trait, interest, talent, etc.) that you have in common with a character in Dagger's Sleep?

I love mountains, trees, and the land the way Rosanna and Daemyn do. I love hiking and seeing new waterfalls.  

Thank you, Tricia! I hope that wets your appetite, readers. Keep reading for my review

****

I received this book free from the author for promotional purposes. No reviews, positive or otherwise, were required. All opinions expressed are purely my own.

****

 Thank you for stopping by my blog! If you would like to visit the other blogs on the tour and learn more information about Dagger's Sleep by Tricia Mingerink and Dissociate by  

Introducing The Story Peddler by Lindsay Franklin

Good evening, everyone!  Celebrating my last day of school by reviewing a new book, The Story Peddler by Lindsay Franklin, which just came out this month! I love discovering new authors and story worlds and I was privileged to be able to join the launch team for this awesome new story.  Lindsay Franklin is a delightful person, and I have really enjoyed being a part of her launch team. 

Goodreads Bio:
Lindsay A. Franklin is a best-selling author, award-winning freelance editor, and homeschooling mom of three. She would wear pajama pants all the time if it were socially acceptable. She spends a lot of time in made-up worlds, and she's passionate about sparking imagination through stories of infinite possibility. Her debut fantasy novel, The Story Peddler, releases in 2018. When she's not exploring the fantastical, she's exploring the Bible and encouraging young women through her devotional books.

Lindsay lives in her native San Diego with her scruffy-looking nerf-herder of a husband, their precious geeklings, three demanding thunder pillows (a.k.a. cats), and a stuffed wombat with his own Instagram following. You can find Lindsay on social media, too, if Wombatman hasn't hijacked all her accounts. She's @LinzyAFranklin on Instagram and Twitter, and she Facebooks at www.facebook.com/LindsayAFranklin.


And now for my review!!!

***Full disclosure***
I received an advanced copy of this book.  What follows is my honest review:

I had so much fun reading The Story Peddler! Tanwen is a Storyteller, gifted with the ability to weave beautiful glass ornaments from the stories she tells.  She dreams of two things: the family she does not remember, and the fame and fortune she one day hopes to obtain through her storytelling.  She is a hoot!  I enjoyed reading her quirky observations of the people and world around her.  She's a bit awkward, sometimes painfully so, but she knows that about herself and doesn't seem to worry about it too much.  She is a very honest person, both with others and with herself.  Though her goals in life are a bit misguided at first, she knows who she is, what she wants, and what her failings are.  She recognizes her feelings even when she acknowledges they are unfair. I think my favorite part was being able to experience her transformation as a character through her eyes.

Braithe is the daughter of a corrupt king, desperately trying to use her position to save as many subjects as possible from the wrath of her father. She is strong and holds fast to her convictions even when it means putting herself at risk to stand up to the king. I really look forward to watching her develop more in the coming books.

Speaking of honesty, I love how the author portrayed the truth, almost as its own character. "Art has a way of revealing the truth," one character says, and sometimes in spite of the intentions of the artist. For instance, Tanwen finds herself at odds with the king when one of her stories begins to tell a different tale than she had intended and reveals truths he would rather stay hidden.  Later, one of her tales speaks the truth about the one who they call The Creator, another being the king would like everyone to forget. There is a strong message that truth will always come out no matter what, which reminded me of two passages of scripture:

"As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

Luke 19:37-40

"For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light." Luke 8:17

If you enjoy quirky fantasies, with creative magic, fun characters, and thought-provoking dilemmas, this is the book for you! But don't take my word for it, check out the endorsements from these awesome authors:

“Traitors, rebels, and the most original magic system I’ve seen since Patrick Carr’s A Cast of Stones make Lindsay A. Franklin’s The Story Peddler a unique and engrossing debut! I read through the book in two days. Did not want to put it down.”

—Jill Williamson, Christy Award-winning author of By Darkness Hid and King’s Folly 

“Lindsay Franklin is a fearless storyteller. She weaves a colorful fantasy of light, darkness, and the many adventures in between. The Story Peddler is a perfect blend of humor, heartache, and healing.”

—Nadine Brandes, author of Fawkes

"The Story Peddler is like nothing I've ever read. Lindsay A. Franklin weaves a magical and one-of-a-kind tale packed with danger, treason, and forbidden stories. A girl who wants to escape her mundane life. A king who harbors dark secrets. A princess in search of truth. The Story Peddler has it all.

Filled to the brim with mystery and intrigue, this stunning debut will transport readers to a realm from whence they’ll ne’er desire to return. Save a spot on your TBR list for this beauty! The Story Peddler is a binge-worthy read sure to be treasured by peasants and kings alike."

—Sara Ella, award-winning author of the Unblemished trilogy

#TheStoryPeddler #TheWeaverTrilogy #CorsythCrew #FlyingFluffhoppers