Two Chicks On Books: Blog Tour- LOOKING FOR DEI by David A. Willson With An Interview & Giveaway!

I am happy to be hosting a stop on the blog tour for LOOKING FOR DEI by David A. Willson! I have an interview with David to share with you today check it out and enter to win the giveaway below!

About The Book:

Title: LOOKING FOR DEI

Author: David A. Willson

Pub. Date: March 22, 2018

Publisher: Seeker Press

Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook, audiobook

Pages: 346

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Audible, B&N, TBD

Read For Free With Kindle Unlimited!

Fifteen-year-old Nara Dall has never liked secrets. Yet it seems that her life has been filled with them, from the ugly scar on her back to the strange powers she possesses. Her mysterious father refuses to say anything about her origins, and soon, she and her best friend must attend the announcement ceremony, in which youths are tested for a magical gift.

A gifted youth has not been announced in the poor village of Dimmitt for decades. When Nara uncovers the reason, she uses her own powers to make things right. The decision sets her on a path of danger, discovery, and a search for the divine. In the process, she learns the truth about herself and uncovers the biggest secret of all: the power of broken people.

Now on to the interview!

Hey David!! First I want to say welcome to Two Chicks on Books I’m glad you could stop by for a chat! LOOKING FOR DEI rocks and I can’t wait for everyone to read it!

For the readers: can you tell us a little bit about LOOKING FOR DEI and the characters?

Looking for Dei is a young adult fantasy novel, but it’s a very different sort of read. First, it’s set in a world with a rich religious history, has thorough world-building, and a unique magic system in the spirit of an epic fantasy novel. Second, the story is told from the perspectives of multiple characters, including the antagonists, providing for a more comprehensive storytelling experience. That’s a lot to ask of some of the younger readers, but since so many YA fans stick with the genre far into adulthood, I think it offers the reader something special.

The characters are very different from one another, and easy to differentiate. I often find that when I read a book, I get a bit confused between characters that are similar in appearance, profession, or personality, and that lack of distinction can be difficult for me. I therefore took special pains to make very different characters, in both age, appearance, personality and roles for this story.

The main character is Nara. She’s fifteen, she’s adventurous, passionate, a bit naïve, and somewhat rash. It’s her boldness that gets her into trouble, but also makes her interesting.

Nara’s best friend is Mykel, a sixteen-year-old boy who absolutely adores her, but struggles with family issues. Together, they form the hero-pair through which the adventure reveals itself.

Other characters include Nara’s fascinating adoptive father, Bylo, a kind-but-crazy old woman, a conflicted bodyguard, and some not-very-nice villain-type folks that cause all sort of problems.

So what’s next for you? What are you working on now?

I’m currently working on a sequel to Looking for Dei, which continues Nara’s adventures in the Great Land. I hope to release it sometime in 2020.

Were any of the characters in the book inspired by people from your real life?

Actually, yes. Nara shares many traits with my younger sister, Laura, including her kind heart, love of people, and unfortunately, her chronic headaches.

Who was your favorite character to write? What about your least favorite?

My favorite character was Bylo, by far. Bylo is a scholar, a quiet old man who gets swept up in an adventure beyond his control when he would much rather have been hiding in a warm library, reading a book, or practicing illustration. It was fun to imagine him so far outside his comfort zone, frustrated with circumstances beyond his control, and yet contributing is so many important ways. An unsung hero, for sure.

What would we do? I suppose, if he trusted me enough, I would have him tell me about his illustrations and his ancient manuscript. I’d let him prattle on about runes and secret magic, and he would probably chat endlessly about how delighted he is to have Nara in his life. She was something he never expected, for sure.

What is your favorite passage/scene in LOOKING FOR DEI?

My favorite scenes are the dialogues between Nara and Bylo, as she learns about herself and her history. These father-daughter scenes are somewhat tender, and as a father of two daughters myself, it was easy to imagine the profound love that Bylo feels for Nara during these interchanges.

What kind of research did you have to do for the story?

I researched geography, but since it is loosely based on that of Alaska, where I live, that part wasn’t so hard. I researched hand-to-hand combat, painting techniques, horses, coral and how to make armor. There was more research and I was dancing around the web, guided by Google almost every day to learn about something new, much of which didn’t make it into the novel. Writing is such a journey!

What inspired you to write YA?

While Looking for Dei is an exciting sword and sorcery tale, it has at its core some very important themes. The value of human life is one such theme that I hope to impress upon my readers and rests at the core of Looking for Dei’s magic system. Another is the fact that it’s never too late to make the right choice. No matter what errors we’ve made in life, we can always choose a better path and this message of redemption is an important one. Lastly, I wanted to show my readers that even the antagonists in our society were once little babes, full of potential. When things go horribly wrong, these children can grow up in pain, and often spread that pain around. But it didn’t have to be this way, and child abuse affects more than the child; it affects us all. I wanted to tell that story as well.

Young adults are the hope of our society, and I believe that they are listening. They are thinking. They want to do the right thing, they are asking the questions that will form the basis of their worldview, and their decisions will dictate the future of our nations. It’s an exciting, scary, emotional time, with passion a-plenty and the opportunity for great success if the right decisions are made. Owing to this dynamic, there is no more fertile ground for positive themes than the minds of YA readers and that is why I chose to write this story for them.

Lightning Round Questions

What are you reading right now? Or what do you have on your TBR that you’re dying to read?

Dragon’s Trail by Joseph Malik. It’s a portal fantasy technothriller, fast-paced, and lots of fun. The amount of research and real-world knowledge that Malik invested in this novel is nothing less than extraordinary.

What Hogwarts House would the Sorting Hat place you in?

No clue, but hopefully not Slytherin. I was never one of the cool kids, and all the cool kids were in Slytherin or Gryffindor. That being said, and with me being somewhat nerdy, I’d probably fit in well with Ravenclaw.

Twitter or Facebook?

A wee bit of both, but mostly Facebook. We have a family page, and use it to communicate with our kids. Twitter is a great place to interact with other authors, and see what kind of cool books are hitting the shelves.

Favorite Superhero?

Batman. Passion and pain all rolled up into one dysfunctional man who didn’t even have any superpowers. Beautiful character.

Favorite TV show?

West Wing. Loved the camera work, the fast-paced dialogue, and the way all of the characters were really trying to do the right thing. They often had great intentions and managed difficult situations, so watching the show felt like real life.

Sweet or Salty?

Both! Sea-salt dark chocolate for the win!

Any Phobias?

Being late. To anything. So skeered. Gotta be early.

Song you can’t get enough of right now?

New remix of “Sound of Silence” from Disturbed. OMG, the power of that tune!

2019 Movie you’re most looking forward to?

Captain Marvel. Toughest superpowered woman ever, and I can’t wait to see what they do with her. Plus Brie Larson is one of my favorite actresses. Loved her in “Short Term 12.”

Thanks so much David for answering my questions! I can’t wait for everyone to read LOOKING FOR DEI!

About Davd:

David A. Willson has worked as a restauranteur, peace officer, and now, author. Taught by his mother to read at a young age, he spent his childhood exploring magic, spaceships, and other dimensions. In his writing, he strives to bring those worlds to his readers.

Much of his material is inspired by the "Great Land" of Alaska, which he has called home for over 30 years. He lives there with his wife, five children, and 2 dogs. He is passionate about technology, faith, and fiction--not necessarily in that order.

Looking for Dei is Willson's debut novel, set in a land where many more adventures will take place. Stay up to date with his ongoing efforts through the Looking for Dei Facebook page or visiting the website at davidawillson.com.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Giveaway Details:

One lucky winner will receive a one hoodie and one mug from the Looking for Dei Facebook shop., US Only.