Hey everyone! I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the blog tour for STEADFAST by Michelle Hauck!
I have an interview with Michelle to share with you today! And make sure to enter the giveaway below!
Haven't heard of STEADFAST? Check it out!
The final novel in Michelle Hauck's Birth of Saints trilogy, Steadfast follows Grudging and Faithful in telling the fateful story of Claire and Ramiro and their battle against a god that hungers for blood.
When the Northerners invaded, the ciudades-estado knew they faced a powerful army. But what they didn’t expect was the deadly magic that was also brought to the desert: the white-robed priests with their lethal Diviners, and the evil god, Dal. Cities have burned, armies have been decimated, and entire populaces have been sacrificed in the Sun God’s name, and it looks as if nothing can prevent the devastation.
But there are still those with hope.
Claire, a Woman of the Song, has already brought considerable magic of her own to fight the Children of Dal, and Ramiro, a soldier who has forsaken his vows to Colina Hermosa’s cavalry in order to stand by her side, has killed and bled for their cause. Separated after the last battle, they move forward with the hope that the saints will hear their prayers, their families will be saved, and that they’ll see each other once more.
A stirring conclusion to the Birth of Saints series, Ramiro and Claire’s journey finds completion in a battle between evil and love.
Now on to the interview!
Hi Michelle! First I want to say welcome back to Two Chicks on Books! I
am so happy that you could stop by for a visit!
For the readers:
can you give us a little recap of the GRUDGING series and the characters?
Recap. Hmm. I’ll try and condense it down to just the facts. A giant
army invades from the North, setting siege outside the desert city-states. A
young, untried knight named Ramiro is sent with a group to find their
traditional enemy the witches to enlist them as allies. The witches have a voice
magic that lets them manipulate minds, like a siren lures sailors to their
deaths.
A disaster befalls the mission and Ramiro is left with one witch girl
named Claire. The opening of the series is Ramiro and Claire working through
their hate for each other to stop the Northerners. Then Claire’s use of the
magic backfires in a huge way and a leviathan of darkness awakens.
Is this the end of the Birth of Saints series? And if so how was it
writing the finale? And what are you working on now?
Steadfast is the end of the
Birth of Saints trilogy. I’m not certain if there will be further books as we
haven’t really discussed that aspect yet. Anything is possible. So I’ll just
say we’ll see.
Writing the finale was probably the toughest challenge yet in my
writing career. I mean it’s the finale. You want the ending to be huge. Surprising.
Full of twists. It has to tie off all the threads created in the first two
books for six point of view characters. It was tricky. Especially as I don’t
outline or plot any of my writing ahead of time. But I think it all came
together perfectly!
Right now, I’m finishing the ending of an older epic fantasy that’s
been on the backburner on and off for a few years. Technically anyway. It’s
going very slowly because I’m basically letting myself be lazy for a few
months. Three years of dedicated effort deserves a break. J
Were any of the
characters in the book inspired by people from your real life?
Good question. I don’t think writers can resist borrowing from real
life. Julian, the former mayor of Colina Hermosa, and his wife Beatriz, the
current mayor, are somewhat based on my husband and myself. They’re the oldest
characters to offer points of view in the series, and the most established in
their lives. Their kids are grown, making them empty nesters—if their house
hadn’t been burned to the ground with their whole city. Empty nester is also my
situation.
Most of the other characters I write about are younger. It was nice
being able to give a perspective from different age groups, and also nice that
one of those age groups represents the state of my own life.
Who was your
favorite character to write? What about your least favorite?
I think the villains are the most fun to write. Though I also had fun
with some new characters: the elders of the Women of the Song. Imagine your
bossiest teacher or most opinionated friend and then put three people just like
that in the same room together and let them go at each other. It’s like writing
that scene.
My least favorite character to write might be when I had to insert
incidental characters. The sort that appear here and there, scattered through
the series, but don’t really play a part in the plot. Mayors of other cities or
bishops for example. It can be hard to remember how they looked or acted before
and I’d have to stop writing to go back to check.
What is your
favorite passage/scene in STEADFAST?
There’s a scene early on in Steadfast
where one of the major characters is dying. His wife and family are at his
bedside. Having recently lost my own father, this was a very emotional scene
for me. Despite the grief, this is the scene that sticks in my mind the most. Probably
because it’s something we’ll all have to deal with in our lives at some point. I
hope it leaves a lasting impression with the reader as well.
What kind of
research did you have to do for the story?
I was lucky in that most of the research had already been done with the
earlier books of the series. A trip to Tucson, Arizona before I even wrote the Birth of Saints series provided the
setting. We went hiking in the desert and also visited old Spanish churches. All
of that got used in the books. I learned a lot about armor and horses in the
earlier books. Found info on 14th century Spanish names. Talked with
ER nurses about collapsed lungs. And of course I found out a whole lot about
saints and the process of sainthood.
There wasn’t much left to research for Steadfast. I could pretty much just write, maybe stopping a few
times to check small details. Diagrams of medieval cathedrals being one thing I
remember investigating. I borrowed a few more saints from real history to add
into this book. That’s the kind of research I enjoy.
Who is your ultimate
book boyfriend?
Just one? Yikes. One of my first book boyfriends was F’nor from the
Dragonriders of Pern series. I’d say my current one is Kaladin from the
Stormlight Archives series by Brandon Sanderson.
What inspired you
to write fantasy?
I’ve loved fantasy since I picked up my first fantasy book when I was
about eleven. It was the Sword of
Shannara by Terry Brooks, and I took it on a family vacation to Iowa. I’d
say eighty percent of my reading has been fantasy ever since. There really
wasn’t any other genre of books I wanted to write. I’m drawn partly to the
escapism and imagination of fantasy, but also to themes of honor, duty, and
courage.
Lightening Round
Questions
What are you
reading right now? Or what do you have on your TBR that you’re dying to read?
I’m reading Words of Radiance
by Brandon Sanderson to refresh my memory of the series and before I jump to
the new book of the series Oathbringer.
Sometimes it’s so long between books that I need a refresher. Sanderson has had
a been influence on my own writing.
What Hogwarts
House would the Sorting Hat place you in?
Most likely Ravenclaw.
Twitter or
Facebook?
No contest. Twitter.
Favorite
Superhero?
Hawkeye. He’s calm, confident, knows who he is. Plus archery.
Favorite TV show?
Madam Secretary I’m a politics nerd. But I’m really enjoying The Good
Doctor this year, partially because I work with special needs kids, but also
because it’s just a great show.
Sweet or Salty?
Tie? I love them both, especially together. Popcorn and milk duds. Yum.
Any Phobias?
Heights. Standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon. Brrr. I conquered
the fear on that one.
Song you can’t get
enough of right now?
Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer? Nothing is coming to me right now. I
don’t tend to get hooked on songs. Binging TV series on Netflix is a different
story, however. J
2017 Movie you’re
most looking forward to?
The Last Jedi. The big year-ender! Also I haven’t had a chance to see
Justice League yet.
Thanks so much for hosting me!
Thanks so much Michelle for answering my questions! I can’t wait for
everyone to read STEADFAST!
About
Michelle:
Michelle Hauck lives in the bustling metropolis of
northern
Indiana with her hubbyand two teenagers. Two
papillons help balance out the
teenage drama. Besides
working with special needs children by day, she writes
all sorts of fantasy, giving her imagination free range. A
book worm, she
passes up the darker vices in favor of
chocolate and looks for any excuse to
reward herself.
Bio finished? Time for a sweet snack.
She is a co-host of the yearly contests Query Kombat and
Nightmare on Query
Street, and Sun versus Snow.
Her epic fantasy, Kindar's Cure, is published by Divertir
Publishing. Her short story,
Frost and Fog, is published by The Elephant's
Bookshelf Press in their anthology,
Summer's Double Edge. She's repped by Sarah
Negovetich of Corvisiero Literary.
Giveaway Details:
2 winners will
receive paperbacks of the first two books in the series, GRUDGING & FAITHFUL,
US Only.
Tour Schedule:
Week
One:
12/4/2017- Hooked To Books- Interview
12/4/2017- Lisa's Reads- Excerpt
12/5/2017- Bibliobibuli YA- Spotlight
12/5/2017- Adventures
Thru Wonderland- Review Book 1
12/6/2017- Cuz I'm A Nerd- Review
Book 1
12/6/2017- Always Me- Excerpt
12/7/2017- BookHounds- Interview
12/7/2017- Books and Ladders- Review
Book 1
12/8/2017- Spilling Words- Excerpt
12/8/2017- Myth! Magic! Mayhem!- Review
Week
Two:
12/11/2017- Book for Thought- Review
12/11/2017- Author Dan Koboldt- Interview
12/12/2017- Don't Judge, Read- Review
Book 1
12/12/2017- Literary Musings- Spotlight
12/13/2017- Two Chicks on Books- Interview
12/13/2017- K.T. Hanna – Author- Review Book 1
12/14/2017- Books at Dawn- Excerpt
12/14/2017- books are love- Review
Book 1
12/15/2017- Twinning for
Books- Guest Post
12/15/2017- Book Briefs- Review
Grab the first 2 books in the series now!
