I
am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the HUNTER by Nicole Conway Blog Tour
hosted by Rockstar Book Tours.
Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
About The Book:
Author: Nicole Conway
Pub.
Date: November
24, 2020
Publisher: Broadfeather Books
Formats: Paperback,
eBook, Audiobook
Pages: 352
Find
it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, TBD, Bookshop.org
Read for FREE with
a Kindle Unlimited Membership!
One boy must earn the trust of a blind dragon and hunt down an elusive sorceress before she can rekindle the war that nearly destroyed their world.
As the Kingdom of Maldobar emerges victorious from the brutal invasion of the Tibran Empire, much of the land is left in utter ruin. With his home destroyed and family gone, 16-year-old Thatcher Renley has no one left to turn to. And when he’s mistaken for a Tibran soldier and banished to a wartime prison camp, Thatcher knows his only hope for freedom lies in appealing to Queen Jenna directly.
But getting out of the prison camp might be the
least of his worries— especially after he stumbles across a feral dragon locked
in an iron cell.
As far as dragons go, Fornax is a lost cause. The battle that killed his rider also left him blind and too aggressive for any knight to control. But Thatcher can’t deny feeling drawn to the beast. Does he have what it takes to calm Fornax and join the proud ranks of Maldobar’s dragonriders? Only time will tell. And with a bloodthirsty Tibran witch threatening to rekindle the chaos of war, everyone’s time may be running out.
Interview:
Two Chicks Interview
Hey Nicole! First I want to say
welcome to Two Chicks on Books I’m glad you could stop by for a chat! HUNTER sounds
AWESOME and I can’t wait for everyone to read it!
For the readers: can you tell us a little bit
about the HUNTER and the characters?
Well, there’s a lot of new faces in this book, but a lot of familiar
ones, too. Thatcher, the lead character, has ties to the cast of the very first
series but presents a completely new “feel” for a lead protagonist in this
world. Murdoc, his best friend, is the polar opposite. They’ve been a very fun
and entertaining bunch to write for!
What are you working on now?
A LOT. Probably too much, honestly. But since I’ve had a major shift in
the trajectory of my career from mostly trad to mostly indie, I’ve had to
restructure a lot of my series and chart a new course for them. It’s been an
exciting challenge, honestly. I’m getting to explore things in many of my books
I wouldn’t have before sheerly out of the interest of time and trying to keep
my series more condensed and “trad-friendly.” Currently, I’m blasting through
the next book of the Dragonrider Heritage, book three of my Spirits of Chaos
series and my Mad Magic series, while also launching an all new sci-fi pen
name!
Were any of the characters in the book
inspired by people from your real life?
A few. But, as strange as it sounds, several characters in this book and
series are inspired by some of my pets. Phoebe is a human personification of
one of our dogs, also named Phoebe. It was really fun designing her character
that way—so much so that I did it again with our other dog, Joey. A not yet
seen dragon character was modeled after him.
Who was your favorite character to write? What
about your least favorite?
Oh, Murdoc has by far become my favorite in this series. He narrates a
lot of book two, and while I was initially afraid he’d been too serious and
grim—his dry sense of humor and sarcasm are a lot of fun. If it can go wrong
for him, it probably will. And he’ll have something snarky to say about it. I
don’t really have a least favorite, but there are a few that are more of a
challenge. Isandri is still so mysterious to me, and her backstory makes me so
sad. I’m really hoping to see her find peace at last in later books.
What is your favorite passages/scenes in HUNTER?
“You know, you’re probably the worst friend in the entire
world,” I added. “Terrible. I mean, you’ve almost gotten me killed, what, like
a dozen times now? You run away whenever I try to have a real, heart-to-heart
conversation with you. Not to mention you lied to me about who you really
were.”
His expression fell into an exasperated scowl. “I really hope
there’s a point to this little speech you’re making.”
I stood, straightening my collar with my one good arm before I
swaggered to the door. “But I’m the worst fighter in the world, and now you’re
stuck following me into battle against an enemy I stand no chance of defeating.
So, I’d say we’re about even.”
His mouth scrunched sourly. Murdoc glared at me like he was
trying to weigh the risk of drawing attention from the dragonriders in the
rooms nearby against how much he might like to hit me.
“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to reserve one of the bathing
stalls for you because, honestly, you smell awful and you look like you just
got scraped off the bottom of someone’s shoe,” I announced.
“Thatcher,” he growled in warning.
I waved a hand dismissively. “Relax, I’ll be stealthy about it.
I’ll even guard the door so no one comes in.”
“You’re about as stealthy as a cat with a string of tin cups
tied to its tail.”
“Yep. And you’re about as nice as a rabid jackal. It all evens
out.”
It happened so fast I almost missed it.
One second Murdoc was leering at me as though trying to decide
how many of my fingers he was going to break, and the next … a broad, genuine, actual
smile spread over his face.
It only lasted a second
or two before he turned away and resumed his usual, brooding frown down at the
floor.
______________________
I really love this scene
between Thatcher and Murdoc. It cements their friendship and really shows the
balance of their personalities. Murdoc’s seen himself as a sort-of babysitter
for Thatcher until this moment, but that dynamic has now shifted to a much more
equal blend of give-and-take between them.
What kind of research did you have to do for
the story?
Since this is the third
series in the same world, there wasn’t too much to research at this point. I
did do a lot extensive world building, however, since I’m now able to stretch
the story beyond the borders of Maldobar and Luntharda. It’s been really fun to
get to open things up!
Who is your ultimate book boyfriend/girlfriend?
Oh. Phox Kellus from
Renegade Runner. Without a doubt. He’s just the right mix of bravery, awkward
romance, and sarcastic humor for me.
What inspired you to write fantasy?
My love for fantasy
started really young. My mother read to me out loud a lot when I was little,
and when she read The Hobbit, it sort of kindled that fire. I began reading
fantasy on my own. After reading Bruce Coville’s Jeremy Thatcher Dragon
Hatcher, I was totally hooked. That book was what made me want to write
stories of my own. In fact, it’s the reason I named the main character in this
book Thatcher—in honor of Bruce’s book and how it changed my life.
Lightning Round Questions
What are you reading right now? Or
what do you have on your TBR that you’re dying to read?
Right now? Edgar Rice Burrough’s A Princess of Mars. And loving
it! Next, I’ve got a stack of Dragon Age books by David Gaider that I’ve been
dying to read.
Instagram, Twitter or Facebook?
Instagram and Facebook. I’ve been trying to get more into
Twitter, but it’s always so political, and I hate watching other people argue
so I tend to stay away.
Favorite Superhero?
Probably Gamora from Guardians of the Galaxy. She’s so complex,
but brutally honest—hard and fierce, but also soft and compassionate. To me,
she’s felt more genuine than a lot of the other Marvel characters.
Favorite TV show?
The Office
Sweet or Salty?
Salty
Any Phobias?
Heights – ironically, since I rock climb a lot.
Song you can’t get enough of right
now?
Fallin’ (Adrenaline) by Why Don’t We
Winter 2020 Movie you’re most looking
forward to?
TOP GUN!!!! Say what you will about Tom Cruise, but I don’t
think he’s ever made a movie I didn’t enjoy. And since my husband’s a fighter
pilot, we are both really pumped to see this one! Talk to me, Goose!!
Thanks
so much Nicole for answering my questions! I can’t wait for everyone to read HUNTER!
About Nicole:
Nicole is an award-winning, #1 international bestselling author from North Alabama. With a passion for relatable, authentic characters and exciting, fast-paced plots, Nicole is best known for her series, THE DRAGONRIDER CHRONICLES. Other published works include THE DRAGONRIDER LEGACY SERIES, SPIRITS OF CHAOS SERIES, MAD MAGIC SAGA, and THE DRAGONRIDER HERITAGE SERIES (Coming Winter 2020).
Subscribe to Nicole’s Newsletter!
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Tumblr | Pinterest | BookBub | Amazon | Goodreads
Giveaway Details:
1 lucky winner will win a signed finished
copy of HUNTER & swag, US Only.
Tour
Schedule:
Week
One:
|
11/16/2020 |
Interview |
|
|
11/16/2020 |
Instagram Stop |
|
|
11/17/2020 |
Excerpt |
|
|
11/17/2020 |
Instagram Stop |
|
|
11/18/2020 |
Review |
|
|
11/18/2020 |
Instagram Stop |
|
|
11/19/2020 |
Guest Post |
|
|
11/19/2020 |
Review |
|
|
11/20/2020 |
Review |
|
|
11/20/2020 |
Instagram
Stop |
Week Two:
|
11/23/2020 |
Interview |
|
|
11/23/2020 |
Instagram
Stop |
|
|
11/24/2020 |
Review/Instagram
Stop |
|
|
11/24/2020 |
Review |
|
|
11/25/2020 |
Review |
|
|
11/25/2020 |
Review |
|
|
11/26/2020 |
Excerpt |
|
|
11/26/2020 |
Guest
Post |
|
|
11/27/2020 |
Review |
|
|
11/27/2020 |
Review |
I enjoyed the interview.
ReplyDelete