Hey everyone! I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the blog tour for CRYSTAL BLADE by Kathryn Purdie! I freaking love this series and can't wait for book 3!
I have an interview with Kathryn to share with you today! And make sure to enter the giveaway below!
I have an interview with Kathryn to share with you today! And make sure to enter the giveaway below!
Haven't heard of CRYSTAL BLADE? Check it out!
The peace is unsustainable.
Sonya and Anton may have brought about a revolution, but can they protect their homeland—and their love—with so many forces threatening to tear them apart?
The empire has fallen, Valko faces trial, and Sonya is finally free from her fate as Sovereign Auraseer. But Sonya's expanding abilities are just as unstable as the new government of Riaznin—and her relationship with Anton. Not only can she feel the emotions of others but, unlike other Auraseers, she's learned to make others feel her emotions as well. And Sonya isn't immune to dark temptations.
Now, as Sonya fights to contain her own darkness, she senses a new evil lurking in the shadows of the palace. Someone from Sonya's past has returned. And that someone won't be satisfied until Sonya pays for the mistakes she's made.
Now on to the interview!
Hey
Kathryn!! First I want to say welcome back to Two Chicks on Books I’m glad you
could stop by for a chat! CRYSTAL BLADE was freaking AWESOME and I can’t wait
for everyone to read it!
Thanks
for hosting me! I’m so happy you loved CRYSTAL BLADE!
So… Book 3? Any news on that front? Like a title maybe?
I can’t
share the title yet, but I have finished the first draft. It’s very different
from the other two books, and a big chunk of the story takes place in a
completely new setting with a new castle. I loved writing this conclusion to
Sonya’s story!
Were any
of the characters in the book inspired by people from your real life?
No, I’ve
honestly never based a character off of a real-life person, but I do steal lots
of traits, quirks, phrases, mannerisms, etc. from people I know in order to
make my characters more authentic.
Who was
your favorite character to write? What about your least favorite?
Valko
was my favorite to write in CRYSTAL BLADE! He did this one bizarre thing to try
to claim ownership over Sonya that was so surprising and fun to add in. I love
to hate him! Anton, although I swoon over him, was the hardest to write in this
book. I had to do a lot of revising to get his journey right. I’m very happy
with how he turned out--and where he’ll go in book three!
What is
your favorite passage/scene in CRYSTAL BLADE?
There
are two scenes in CRYSTAL BLADE where Valko goes on trial for his crimes as a
tyrannical emperor, and Sonya is called to testify as a judge of his character
with her ability as an empath and from her experiences with him in BURNING
GLASS, and she really does a 180 in each of those scenes, especially the second
scene. It was so exciting to write the build-up to those moments and then
execute them.
What
kind of research did you have to do for the story?
I
researched a lot about Roma and nomadic people, since they are much more on the
page in this book compared to BURNING GLASS. Sonya’s best friend, Tosya, is
Roma (“Romska” in my book), and Sonya was raised by the nomads, so I wanted to
make sure I was both sensitive and authentic when writing about a very
marginalized people like the Roma.
Who is
your ultimate book boyfriend?
The
Darkling in SHADOW AND BONE. I love him, I hate him, I feel bad for him. Leigh
Bardugo is brilliant. That is all. Swoon!
What
inspired you to write YA?
There
was no YA category in bookstores when I was growing up, and I went through a
long spell as an adult reader where I was super disillusioned with fiction.
Then YA popped up out of nowhere, and I found myself devouring books and being
so in love with reading again. I just connect to writing about teenagers so
much more. I still feel seventeen at heart, and I love writing about
firsts--first love, first loss, first experience with death, etc. Teenagers
also feel things so much bigger than adults do, and I love that extra drama
when I read and write.
Lightning
Round Questions
What are
you reading right now? Or what do you have on your TBR that you’re dying to
read?
BEFORE
SHE IGNITES by Jodi Meadows. LOVE! I’m totally invested in Mira and her
journey.
RISE OF
FIRE by Sophie Jordan is next on my TBR list. I finally read REIGN OF SHADOWS
(book one) this year, and I love it so much! It’s like Rapunzel meets THE
FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH. I can’t wait to see what happens in the sequel.
What
Hogwarts House would the Sorting Hat place you in?
Hufflepuff.
I’m a total softy at heart.
Twitter
or Facebook?
Facebook!
Twitter can be overwhelming for me if I’m on too long.
Favorite
Superhero?
Wonder
Woman! She’s so empowering.
Favorite
TV show?
TURN.
It’s about a spy ring during the Revolutionary War. So awesome!
Sweet or
Salty?
Both.
Bring on the kettle corn!
Any
Phobias?
Crickets.
They jump. Hard to catch. Still trying to forget the nights I woke up as a
child and found crickets on my bedspread. Oh, the horror!
Song you
can’t get enough of right now?
“Feel It
Still” by Portugal. The Man
2017
movie you’re most looking forward to?
MURDER
ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS. It has an awesome cast, and I love a good mystery!
Thanks
so much Kathryn for answering my questions! I can’t wait for everyone to read
CRYSTAL BLADE!
You’re
welcome! Thanks again for having me and for all your fun questions!
About
Kathryn:
My love of storytelling began as a young girl when my dad
told me, in his own words, the story of To Kill a Mockingbird while we listened
to the film score together. Enchanted, I began my own attempts at storytelling,
which usually led to home video productions featuring my younger sister as the
nerd or maid, while I reserved the role of the glamorous movie star or
princess.
In high school, I focused on acting and won first place in
monologues at a prestigious statewide Shakespearean competition. When I wasn’t
on the stage, I spent my time composing sappy poetry and completing at least
ten pages in my journal every night. My author dad edited my school papers and
taught me the art of writing. I went on to study acting in college and at The
Oxford School of Drama in England. (All that character analysis transferred
nicely to writing!)
The writing bug bit me when I was in recovery from donating a
kidney to my older brother. I found my old stash of short stories, and the
inspiration for my first novel struck. I’ve been writing ever since.
A lover of art in all forms, I also enjoy singing and playing
the guitar. My husband is equally artistic. We keep busy raising three
rambunctious and creative children.
I am represented by Josh Adams of Adams Literary.
Giveaway Details:
1 winner
will receive a signed finished copy of CRYSTAL BLADE, US Only.
5 winners
will receive a signed ARC of CRYSTAL BLADE, US Only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Tour Schedule:
Week
One:
8/7/2017- Mundie Moms- Interview
8/8/2017- YA and Wine- Review
8/9/2017- The
Fearless Reader- Guest Post
8/10/2017- The Book Nut- Review
8/11/2017- Two Chicks on Books- Interview
Week
Two:
8/14/2017- Seeing
Double In Neverland- Review
8/15/2017- Arctic Books- Guest
Post
8/16/2017- Ex Libris- Review
8/17/2017- YA Books Central- Interview
8/18/2017- A Perfection
Called Books- Review
Go back to where it all began! Grab the first book in the series!
