#Giveaway Interview THE PALADINS by JULIE REECE @JulieAReece @Month9Books 5.21

THE PALADINS (THE ARTISANS #2) BY JULIE REECE BLOG TOUR

The Paladins (The Artisans #2) by Julie Reece

Publication Date: May 3, 2016

Publisher: Month9Books

The Artisan curse is broken. Souls trapped in a mysterious otherworld called The Void are finally released. Now, Raven Weathersby, Gideon Maddox, and Cole Wynter can finally move on with their lives…or so they thought. If the ancient magic is truly dead, then why are mystical fires plaguing Gideon at every turn? What accounts for Raven’s frightening visions of her dead mother? And who is the beautiful, tortured girl haunting Cole’s dreams?

Last year, a group of lonely teens sacrificed secrets, battled the supernatural, and faced their own demons to set one another free. Yet six months later, the heart of evil still beats within The Void. And the trio is forced to face the horrific truth: that their only way out is to go back in.

The Paladins completes this eerie YA Southern Gothic where loyalties are tested, love is challenged, and evil seeks them on the ultimate battlegrounds—in their minds, their souls, and their hearts.

Link to Goodreads:

Purchase Links:

OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES:

They say death can be beautiful. But after the death of her mother, seventeen-year-old Raven Weathersby gives up her dream of becoming a fashion designer, barely surviving life in the South Carolina lowlands.

To make ends meet, Raven works after school as a seamstress creating stunning works of fashion that often rival the great names of the day.

Instead of making things easier on the high school senior, her stepdad’s drinking leads to a run in with the highly reclusive heir to the Maddox family fortune, Gideon Maddox.

But Raven’s stepdad’s drying out and in no condition to attend the meeting with Maddox. So Raven volunteers to take his place and offers to repay the debt in order to keep the only father she’s ever known out of jail, or worse.

Gideon Maddox agrees, outlining an outrageous demand: Raven must live in his home for a year while she designs for Maddox Industries’ clothing line, signing over her creative rights.

Her handsome young captor is arrogant and infuriating to the nth degree, and Raven can’t imagine working for him, let alone sharing the same space for more than five minutes.

But nothing is ever as it seems. Is Gideon Maddox the monster the world believes him to be? And can he stand to let the young seamstress see him as he really is?

Goodreads:

About the author

Born in Ohio, I lived next to my grandfather’s horse farm until the fourth grade. Summers were about riding, fishing and make-believe, while winter brought sledding and ice-skating on frozen ponds. Most of life was magical, but not all.

I struggled with multiple learning disabilities, did not excel in school. I spent much of my time looking out windows and daydreaming. In the fourth grade (with the help of one very nice teacher) I fought dyslexia for my right to read, like a prince fights a dragon in order to free the princess locked in a tower, and I won.

Afterwards, I read like a fiend. I invented stories where I could be the princess… or a gifted heroine from another world who kicked bad guy butt to win the heart of a charismatic hero. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that? Later, I moved to Florida where I continued to fantasize about superpowers and monsters, fabricating stories (my mother called it lying) and sharing them with my friends.

Then I thought I’d write one down…

Hooked, I’ve been writing ever since. I write historical, contemporary, urban fantasy, adventure, and young adult romances. I love strong heroines, sweeping tales of mystery and epic adventure… which must include a really hot guy. My writing is proof you can work hard to overcome any obstacle. Don’t give up. I say, if you write, write on!

PLEASE WELCOME JULIE TO BOOKHOUNDS YA

Thank you so much for having me here today. I’m excited to talk about YA books and everything related to it!

What is on your nightstand?

The Great Hunt by Wendy Higgins. : ) I’m very pleased about this fact.

What author would you totally fan?

You mean do fan to an embarrassing degree? Lol. Maggie Stiefvater, Wendy Higgins, Cassandra Clare, Leigh Bardugo, Jennifer L. Armtentrout, Katie McGarry, Kasie West … How many favorites am I allowed? I could go on a (long) while. I love so many!

What makes you cringe?

I assume you mean things that creep me out? That would be spiders. Or sharks. I don’t like sharks. I mean, I know they have to eat, but I’m team cute seal and penguin, so no, I’m not a fan of sharks. Nails on chalkboard will get me every time. I have been known to get on a chair when I see a palmetto bug (cockroaches in the southeast the size of your shoe) I have an aversion to bullies, or people who are rude or unkind. But that’s more than cringe, that behavior ether makes make me angry or really sad or both.

Do you obsessively plot out each point or just go with the flow?

I’m a flow girl. I write stories as they come to me. I’d love to be a plotter, though. I admire writers that are. I think I might write faster, and I’d definitely avoid so much editing at the end, but plotting has never worked well for me. I can’t stick to the script. A squirrel’s brain and mine have some similarities as far as focus, I’m betting.

Is there a word you love to use?

Hm. Yes. I’m a total word-bird!

I think every writer has go-to words. Then we swap the overused words out for something else during editing, so we’re not too repetitive. It’s easy to plunk a favorite phrase in a scene, even if it’s just to get the story down. I know I’ll have some cleaning up afterwards, but at least I can put a word in there as a ‘place holder’ until I think of something better.

My favorite place holder words seem to be: disturbing, shrug, gaze, just, shatter and stretch.

Words I don’t overuse, but love the sound of, are: specter, inglorious, revenant, phantom, reprehensible, and ethereal.

Thank you again for having me here today. I had a blast with these questions! I wish I could ask everyone who stops by what their favorite word is. Impossible to pick one, I know, but it’s still fun to think about. Have an awesome day! XOXO

Giveaway Information: Contest ends May 20, 2016