Thursday 14 June 2012

Interview & $25 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway: The King Must Die by Gemini Sasson

Original Title: The King Must Die
Author: N. Gemini Sasson
Publisher: Cader Idris Press
Published Date: April 4th 2012
Genre: History



What is done cannot be undone.

England, 1326. Edward II has been dethroned. Queen Isabella and her lover, Sir Roger Mortimer, are at the pinnacle of their power.

Fated to rule, Isabella’s son becomes King Edward III at the callow age of fourteen. Young Edward, however, must bide his time as the loyal son until he can break the shackles of his minority and dissolve the regency council which dictates his every action.

When the former king is found mysteriously dead in his cell, the truth becomes obscured and Isabella can no longer trust her own memory . . . or confide in those closest to her. Meanwhile, she struggles to keep her beloved Mortimer at her side and gain yet another crown—France’s—for the son who no longer trusts her.

Amidst a maelstrom of shifting loyalties, accusations of murder propel England to the brink of civil war.

In the sequel to Isabeau, secrecy and treason, conspiracy and revenge once again overtake England. The future rests in the hands of a mother and son whose bonds have reached a breaking point.



INTERVIEW WITH GEMINI SASSON



1.      Tell us something about your book that is not part of the book description (blurb).

It really happened.

2.      Who is your book cover designer and what do YOU think about the cover?

Graphic artist Lance Ganey has done all my covers. The King Must Die is my absolute favorite so far. The knight on the cover has an intensity behind his eyes that commands attention. Makes you wonder what he intends to do with that sword he’s pointing at you.

3.      What are your current literary works?  Any sneak peeks?

Right now I’m revising a novel set in the early 15th century about the last Welsh prince of Wales, Owain Glyndwr. His story has a lot of similarities to that of Robert the Bruce, but his nemesis turns out to be a much shrewder commander than the Bruce faced and outside alliances are tenuous. Since it will be out before the end of the year, I suppose I ought to come up with a title.

After that, I’m considering writing a book that incorporates one of my Scottish ancestors, who died at the Battle of Flodden Field in 1513. It will deal with past lives and the age-old question – do we have soul mates?

  1. What movie and/or book are you looking forward to this year?
Snow White and the Huntsman! I love movies based on fairy tales, but with a dark twist to them.

  1. If you could invite any 5 people to dinner who would you choose?
Well, if they have to be living people, I’d probably just invite five of my closest friends for an evening filled with gut-splitting laughter. Now if I could resurrect the dead: Queen Isabella, Edward III, Robert the Bruce, James Douglas and Owain Glyndwr. Since I can’t/couldn’t do that though, I wrote about them.

  1. What's the craziest writing idea you've had?
The first book I ever wrote was a fantasy . . . sort of. There wasn’t any magic in it. Epic fail.

  1. Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book. 
Because you may actually learn a few things about the Middle Ages, but you’ll be so wrapped up in the characters you won’t even realize it. The early 14th century was a very tumultuous time in England and Scotland. Iit’s a period that hasn’t been novelized a lot, so much of it will be fresh, even to avid readers of historical fiction.

  1. Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.
I’d say the very first piece of fan mail I ever got. In the past two years, I’ve papered the wall behind my desk in my office with letters from devoted readers. Recently, I got an e-mail from a reader who said she’d devoured all five of my books – and learned afterwards that she was a direct descendent of Queen Isabella. She said that must have been why she felt so compelled to read about the period. Connecting her with her past was an unexpected thrill.

  1. What's one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors?
Don’t be afraid to join a critique group, but know when to trust your gut. Critique groups can be fantastic if you have insightful writers who can gently point things out that will improve your writing, but they can also contain people who are overly harsh or just plain wrong. I’ve come across both. You learn how to recognize valuable advice and politely ignore those who miss the mark entirely. You have to have confidence in your writing voice to recognize when advice is worth taking, but always be open to making your work better. It usually takes a pair of outside eyes to help with that.

  1. If you could jump into a book, and live in that world, which would it be?
Doctor Doolittle. I’d love to be able to talk to animals. For one, I’d ask my dogs why they bark at our own cat when it has lived here longer than most of them have been alive.

  1. If someone wrote a book about your life, what would the title be?
1001 Things You Thought You Needed To Do, But Really Didn’t (a how-not-to live book for those who over commit).

  1. What is your favorite scene in the book and why do you love it?
When Edward III sneaks into Philippa’s room on their wedding night. Their wedding was close to Lent, so they were supposed to abstain, but . . . Anyway, he’s suddenly got butterflies, which makes him seem very vulnerable. They repeat their wedding vows and you get the sense that these two were meant for each other.

  1. What TV show/movie/book do you watch/read that you'd be embarrassed to admit?
The Bachelorette/Bachelor. (Guess I just said it out loud, didn’t I?)

  1. What is one book everyone should read (apart from yours)?
The Five People You Meet in Heaven, by Mitch Albom. It gets you thinking about how we’re all connected and how one action or exchange can change not only your life, but someone else’s.

  1. What is your favorite way to spend a rainy day?
Reading, working out and watching TV.


QUICK ANSWERS


Favorite place? 
My yard. The view is incredible.

Best Christmas present? 
A record player when I was 10. I played my Perry Como record until the needle wore out.

Favorite book? 
Bruce Cameron’s A Dog’s Purpose.

Favorite author?
Mitch Albom.

Favorite smell?
Freshly cut grass.

Favorite series? 
TV series? I’m a reality TV junkie.

Nickname? 
Gemi.

Favorite writing spot? 
My office desk.

Favorite movie? 
Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Favorite dish? 
Olive Garden's Ravioli di Portobello

Favorite color? 
Orange! (I even base my car purchases on whether or not they come in orange.)

Favorite quote? 
“If you would hit the mark, you must aim a little above it. Every arrow that flies feels the attraction of earth.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

A bunch of small gifts or one big expensive one? 
One big one. Not necessarily expensive.

Your best trait? 
I’m self-motivated. No one needs to light a fire under me to get me going.

Your worst trait? 
The fact that I am so goal-oriented. Sometimes I have to remind myself that distractions like family events are reminders to slow down and value what’s really important in life. 



GIVEAWAY


The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour.


In order to enter this $25 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway, please comment in this post WITH your email ID.  Anonymous comments are also accepted, as long as you put your name and email ID in your comments.  

Open INTERNATIONALLY!  Giveaway ends June 29th, 2012!

PLEASE SHARE THIS GIVEAWAY WITH YOUR FRIENDS!


23 comments:

  1. Excited for the giveaway!

    iambigred AT mail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hello Ms. Sason! (and Vidya :D)
    I love old English politics and court life: it's very thrilling, despite how boring it may seem on the outside, with tea parties and stuffy dresses. Hehe, it was a rather hard time for England and Scotland, and I've read and seen dozens of books and documentaries on the time period. I can't WAIT for that story on the Welsh prince :) Wales and Scotland were pretty oppressed by the English at the time, I believe, and hearing even a fictionalised version of what their life was would be fascinating.
    I hope to join a critique group one day, thank you for the advice!

    What a generous giveaway! Thank you very much :)
    -Kirthi (raokiki6(at)gmail(dot)com)
    P.S. I love the scent of freshly cut grass. So does Hermione Granger, haha.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great giveaway!

    Harsha -- harsha_8418@yahoo.co.in@gmail.com (weird? But, that's my mail id :))

    ReplyDelete
  4. "It really happened". This is why I read Historical novels. It should be part of the book description.

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Great giveaway!
    barbarapalermo at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  6. Everyone gets up so early here! Thanks again for having me, Vidya, and for hosting the giveaway.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I don't know if I asked you this question before (What was the most romantic thing any of your characters said or did?) and I think you just answered it with your response to interview question #12. That is a very romantic scene.

    Thanks for a wonderful book tour. I'm glad I got to know you and I will definitely be putting your books on my list of books to buy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's been lovely getting to know you, too, Karen! Romance takes many forms. Sometimes it's steamy (Roger and Isabella), but sometimes it's tender. Edward III and Philippa did, by all accounts, have a deep fondness for one another. It's good to know that some arranged marriages did work out for the best, isn't it?

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  8. Orange cars? Weird! I do agree about Dr. Doolittle though. How fun would that be--to be able to talk to our cats and to the birds and to the little lizards outside and our koi. It would be nice to know that everyone is happy.
    catherinelee100 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree 100%, Catherine Lee. We could help them so much more if we understood them better.

      Delete
  9. thanks for a great interview and giveaway! Definintely going to have to check out this book ;)

    efender1(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks for the giveaway

    darkmotive@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  11. Somehow, it seems appropriate that Holy Grail is your favorite movie! Great interview and Q&A...

    vitajex(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  12. This was a great book tour, Gemini! Thanks for all the great posts ( and the giveaway too ;)

    sirwilliamssquire@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thank you for the international giveaway!
    Kristia Miltiadou
    milkristia@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  14. sounds awesome:

    alyssabubbleteax3@gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  15. Would love to win.

    terryguitardad@gmail{dot}com

    ReplyDelete
  16. Thank you.

    sethrich AT hotmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  17. CelticsDraftee29 June 2012 at 16:24

    Awesome giveaway! celticsdraftee(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  18. I dig the cover! Thank you!

    cacheorcash(at)mail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  19. thank you for the giveaway. my email is jaspersjunk08[at]yahoo[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  20. Love to read. Thanks for this. My email: iambigred(at)mail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  21. I imagine it would be cool to do a book tour...
    gacfrosh AT aol DOT com

    ReplyDelete

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