Exiled from Faerie when her father dies, half-Fae Ember is surprised by how much the human realm has changed since she was there last. She takes a dangerous job on a merchant airship, hoping a life on the move will keep her well-hidden. Sure, she misses her brother, but years of apathy have numbed her emotions.
When the optimistic and naïve Reilley follows her, it’s annoying to say the least. But when she starts feeling responsible for him, long-stifled emotions crack the ice around her heart.
Faeries, pirates, and traveling players meet in this steampunk fantasy adventure as Ember tries to cope with feelings long forgotten and a past that pursues her.
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EXCERPT:
Clutching my new tambourine, I walked to a clearing to have more room to dance. Reilley grabbed the drum and started a beat. Like before, I moved to the rhythm. This time, my red skirt danced with me, and I shook my tambourine appropriately. We discovered that as long as I let Reilley choose the pace, we could improvise an entertaining performance.
We fed on each other’s energy and ended at a natural breaking point, exchanging smiles as the last beat echoed off the trees.
“You’re enchanting,” Reilley complimented smoothly.
“I’m only expressing your music and following your lead.”
He flushed with pleasure at the high praise.
“Could you do me a favor?” I asked him.
He nodded.
“Would you unplait my hair? It should be dry by now.”
His eyes gleamed like I’d given him a gift, and I turned my back to him. With long, deft fingers, he gently unbraided my hair. Undone, he ran his hands through the soft waves to separate them. I shivered.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
As his hands gently stroked the dark locks, I became aware that we were very alone. We’d been alone before, but this time was different. An air of anticipation settled between us. His hands stilled. Neither of us knew what should happen next, and the pressure quickly became uncomfortable.
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AUTHOR INTERVIEW:
Who is your intended audience and why should they read your book?
The Exiled Otherkin (and all of my books for that matter) are aimed at new adult audiences, though I do have a lot of readers older and younger than that. I say new adult because my books have sexual content. I would say if you are a fan of faerie stories or steampunk, then this book is for you. If you like strong female characters and recognize that male characters don’t have to be overly masculine, then you will like this book. If you like fast-paced adventure stories sprinkled with magic and romance, then you will like this book.
How did you come up with the title of your book or series?
So the protagonist of the story is an exiled fae. I stumbled upon the term otherkin a few years ago. It’s an interesting subculture where people identify as not entirely human. Generally, they believe themselves (or their souls) to be “mythical” creatures, such as, elves or fairies. Well, since Ember is a half-fae, I thought that this term would certainly apply to her. I didn’t go into the otherkin belief system in the story. I just used the term.
Tell us a little bit about your cover art. Who designed it? Why did you go with that particular design?
My cover art was designed by Dave King. He’s the graphic artist with my publisher, Black Rose Writing. We wanted the cover to say this book has faeries and steampunk. I think he did that rather well.
Where did your love of reading/storytelling/writing/etc. come from?
My love for writing certainly stemmed from my love for reading. But I also found the written word to be empowering when I was overwhelmed growing up. As far as where my love for reading came from? I guess it’s just been there as long as I can remember. Strangely enough, I wasn’t a huge fantasy fan as a child. I preferred to read the classics. Even though I was the same age as the characters when it came out, I didn’t even read Harry Potter until I was in college. I can’t remember the first fantasy book I read, but I do remember that it was Pillars of the World by Anne Bishop that got me hooked.
How can we contact you or find out more about your books?
What can we expect from you in the future? What are you working on now?
I have a paranormal romance coming out June 21, 2018 entitled Intended Bondmates. Here’s the blurb:
No one said guarding a faeling from bloodthirsty vampires would be easy. In fact, Runa trained all her life to protect her intended bondmate, Konner, until he could awaken his full magic.
She was looking forward to her time with the young fae until tragedy shattered her plans. For the last thirteen years, she’s been bound with Mikhail. Neither of them was happy with the arrangement, but she never thought he’d request to unbind from her early.
When all hope of Runa fulfilling her rite and joining werewolf society is threatened, Konner comes through and agrees to become her bondmate.
But Konner hasn’t forgiven her for abandoning him. And Rowan, bound with Konner’s brother, is hostile toward the fellow werewolf who left him to protect two faelings alone.
As Runa tries to make up for her past betrayals, forbidden thoughts and urges imperil all of their futures.
What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?
Share it. Talk about it. Put a review on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Goodreads. And if you really love it and want to promote it, you can join my literary street team. There’s a description and signup form on my website at www.dlieber.com/street-team.
Do you have any tips or advice for other writers trying to get published?
If you’re trying to get an agent or publisher, check out Writer’s Market (www.writersmarket.com). You can subscribe to their online database, which has a list of agents and publishers. It’s even searchable by genre.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
D. writes stories she wants to read. Her love of the worlds of fiction led her to earn a Bachelor’s in English from Wright State University.
When she isn’t reading or writing, she’s probably hiking, crafting, watching anime, Korean television, Bollywood, or old movies. She may also be getting her geek on while planning her next steampunk cosplay with friends.
She lives in Wisconsin with her husband (John), retired guide dog (Samwise), and cat (Yin).
Links:
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GIVEAWAY:
D. Lieber will be awarding a fancy homemade bookmark (US ONLY) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
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