Friday 12 September 2014

Chandrea: The Return of the Avatar Queen by Marlene Wynn + Interview




Chandrea: The Return of the Avatar Queen
by Marlene Wynn


Chandrea Averill thinks she’s just like any other normal young woman. But, on the day of her 23rd birthday, her life changes forever. Surrounded by magical creatures, dangerous sorcery, and insidious political intrigue,

Chandrea desperately wants to return to Earth and the only life she’s ever known. But, the longer she stays, the more she realizes that she may be the only one with the power – both magical and political – to save the people of Lyrunia.

Will she find the courage to remain and fight for her home world?


Available at BN   Smashwords    Amazon   Kobo   iTunes

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Marlene Wynn is a Utah native - fondly referred to as "Utonian" by a friend. She transplanted herself in 1992 from the majestic Rocky Mountains to the beachy shores of sunny Virginia Beach, Virginia and has been there ever since. Though she has worked in the benefits field for several years, she finally worked up the courage to chase her dream as an author.

Website: https://www.marlenewynn.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarleneWynn.Author


Q & A with Author Marlene Wynn
Tell us a little bit about your main characters.
Chandrea:  Chandrea Averill is born the crown princess of a royal, magical family. On the day she is born, her palace and homeland are attacked, and her parents brutally assassinated. To save her life, numerous spells are placed on the newborn princess, and she is sent through a magical portal to live in secrecy on Earth. On her 23rd birthday, the spell reverses itself and Chandrea suddenly finds herself once more on her birth world. Against her will, she is expected to take her place as queen of the ravaged kingdom of Averill, reunite the Triad, and gather an army to overthrow Leilah, the tyrant queen of Svara.

Leilah:  Queen Leilah of Svara has made it her life’s mission to obliterate the Averill line, and Chandrea is the only other remaining Averill alive. Leilah and her personal spies have spent the last two decades searching for Chandrea, killing thousands and overthrowing the major political structure of Lyrunia in the process. She has fully earned the title of the tyrant queen of Svara.

Who designs the covers for your books and what is that process like for you as an author?
I dearly love graphic design, and have self taught myself through YouTube video tutorials and trial and error how to work in graphic art programs. I would call myself an advanced beginner. LOL. I really, really wanted to design my own cover art for my book, but no matter how hard I tried, no matter what I did, it still looked amateurish. After the millionth rendition of my cover art, I finally decided that I wasn’t going to be able to do what the professionals do, and started researching cover artists. I was very lucky to find Fiona Jayde (http://fionajaydemedia.com/). She worked with me to come up with a much better rendition of the “child of two worlds” theme that I was trying for. Through lots of back and forth between the two of us, we finally reached a wonderful cover for my novel. Fiona was always very helpful and professional, even going so far as to let me know when my ideas might not work very well (gently and politely, of course!). That is a valuable asset to have in a cover artist. Someone who wants your book to look as good as it can.

What was your favorite scene to write?
It’s a tie between the scene in the jungle when Chandrea is small and is having a “payback” war with Shawn, and the scene where Chandrea realizes that Shawn saw her running through the jungle in all her…ah…naked glory. LOL

What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
Chaotic. “Mom…what’s for dinner?” “Mom, are you busy?” “Mom, there’s no food…you need to go shopping.” “Meow (my cats wanting love)” “Mom, I’m bored” “Meow (my cats wanting in my room)” “Mom, can you take me to so-and-so’s house?” “Meow (my cats wanting out of my room)”. Etc.

Describe your ideal writing spot.
Somewhere without kids or cats. LOL

How has your environment/upbringing colored your writing?
Leilah, my antagonist, was based off of a woman I knew whose mercurial mood swings could leave your head spinning. One minute she was your best friend, chatting you up, smiling and laughing. The next minute, she could turn on you and verbally cut you to shreds without hesitation or remorse. And, while she was always right (why wouldn’t she be…after all, the universe did revolve around her, didn’t it?), she was never at fault. Needless to say, I was very happy to leave her company.

If you could be any character from your book, who would you be and why?
I think I would be Denae, the hunter from La Shura. She is a dynamo, someone who takes charge and is a strong person. Oh, and she has great hair! J

What is the best compliment you have been given?
For over ten years, I sang barbershop in Sweet Adelines. While I was only in the first year or two, and really still learning how to sing, our chorus had a coaching session with an internationally renowned coach. When it was my turn to sing for her, she asked me to sing something…anything. As I didn’t know any songs in the voice part I had just been placed in, I couldn’t sing anything barbershop, so I chose “I Could Have Danced All Night” from “My Fair Lady”, one of my favorite songs. After nervously singing a few bars of this for her, she looked at me for the longest time, then asked me very seriously, “Why aren’t you on Broadway?”. I’ve never forgotten that. J

What do you do to unwind and relax?
Though I love people, I am an introvert at heart. I need to be alone with soft music and a good book to “re-charge my batteries”.

If you could be any supernatural creature, what would you choose and why?
I would love to be a fairy. Not only are they lovely, but they have great power and can fly. I can’t think of anything more thrilling than to be able to fly.

Which do you prefer: hard/paperbacks or ebooks?
Paperbacks. They are easier to hold and read, and they just feel right. I like to have a book in my hands…not an electronic device.

What book are you reading now?
Dean Koontz’s Odd Tomas series. I’m on the last one released, “Deeply Odd”.


 

September 1 Interview
Pembroke Sinclair. 
www.pembrokesinclair.blogspot.com

September 2 Spotlight
Mila Ramos - The Jade Mystique
http://jademystique.blogspot.com

September 3 Spotlight and review
Book Club Sisters 
http://bookclubsisters84.blogspot.com

September 4 Spotlight
Share My Destiny
http://sharemydestiny.blogspot.com

September 5 Spotlight
Deal Sharing Aunt
www.dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com

September 8 Guest blog
Urban Fantasy Investigation
http://urbanfantasyinvestigations.blogspot.com/

September 9 Spotlight
Sapphyria's Book Reviews
http://saphsbookblog.blogspot.com/

September 10 Interview
Butterfly-o-Meter Books
http://butterfly-o-meter.com/

September 11 Interview
Books and Tales
http://booksandtales.blogspot.co.uk

September 12 Guest blog
Ebook Escapes
http://ebookescapes.com
Guest Post: Introduce us to Chandrea and Lyrunia

September 13 Interview
Shut Up & Read
http://shutupandreadgroup.blogspot.com/

September 15 Spotlight
3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too!
 http://3partnersinshopping.blogspot.com

September 16 Interview
Roxanne's Realm
www.roxannerhoads.com

September 17 Guest blog
Fang-tastic Books
www.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com

September 18 Spotlight
Lisa's World of Books
www.lisaworldofbooks.net

September 19 Spotlight
CBY Book Club
http://cbybookclub.blogspot.co.uk/

September 22 Top Ten List
Darkest Cravings
www.darkestcravings.blogspot.com

September 23 Character Interview
Eclipse Reviews
www.totaleclipsereviews.blogspot.com

September 24 Interview
Author Karen Swart
http://authorkarenswart.blogspot.com/

September 25 Review
Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock
www.pratr.wordpress.com

September 29 Interview
The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom
www.creativelygreen.blogspot.com

October 1 Guest blog
Marsha A. Moore
http://marshaamoore.blogspot.com/

October 2 Spotlight
The Word at My Fingertips
http://ashjellison.blogspot.com

October 3 Guest blog and review
Illuminite Caliginosus
 http://darkwriter67.wordpress.com
 
 

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