Happy birthday to Em Shotwell and BLACKBIRD FALLING! As I've mentioned in the past, I loved the first book BLACKBIRD SUMMER and I'm super excited to get to read Delia's story! Hope you enjoy as well, and check out this interview by the author!
Meet Delia. Gifted. Magical. Broken.
Hell hath no fury like Delia Caibre—Gifted single mom with the power to make people love her, and a chip on her shoulder the size of the Mississippi.
When last summer left her broken by a monster, and abandoned by the man she trusted, Delia pulled herself up and vowed to never let anyone hurt her, or those she loves, again. So when Thomas Richard shows up, begging forgiveness and flashing his hundred-watt-smile, Delia lets him know that it will take more than dimples and promises to win her back.
Besides, raising her daughter, Genevieve—whose Gift is rare and stronger than anyone in the magical Caibre family—leaves little room for things like dating. But Thomas is persistent. And cute…and it would be nice to feel carefree and nineteen.
Until a masked-man from her past wields a Curse that leaves Delia’s beloved sister on her deathbed, and makes off with Genevieve. It will take the most powerful in the Caibre family to put things right. But bringing her broken family together may prove impossible, even if not doing so means their destruction.
Available everywhere October 30th. Be sure to ask for it at your local library and favorite book shop! Signed copies available through Conundrum Books: (http://www.conundrumbooks.com)
Em Shotwell invites you to help her launch her latest book, BLACKBIRD FALLING. The launch will be hosted on November 9th, 2018 by Conundrum Books in St. Francisville, Louisiana. Em will happily sign books and answer questions. Check out Conundrum Books online for more info (http://www.conundrumbooks.com). Em will be speaking about her writing process and answering book questions at the Zachary branch of the Baton Rouge Public library on December 12th. For more information, please contact the library at (225) 658-1840.
Interview:
Your stories all include women who can do magic in some form or another, but they are all very different. Is it hard for you to keep up with who can do what, as well as give each woman her own distinctive voice?
Yes and no. I am a list maker and sometimes do confuse myself when trying to remember who can do what power, and what this means in their world. It is harder to remember what each character can’t do, actually. As far as their voices and personalities, that really hasn’t been a struggle. Each character is so different in how she views and interacts with her world. It was fun to write Delia’s story after writing both her sister’s and her grandmother’s books. She is headstrong like Evelyn (her grandmother in Forget Me Not), but she is very different, too. She is a bit more cautious. And she and Tallulah (her sister from Blackbird Summer) are basically night and day.
And don’t even get me started on the Murphey sisters in the Enchanted anthology series. They are all so very different and a little over the top.
Do you have a favorite character in BLACKBIRD FALLING?
I really did enjoy writing Delia and getting inside her head—so in this book she is definitely my favorite. Although it was neat to see how she views Tallulah and Logan after telling Tallulah’s story in Blackbird Summer. It was fun to see how each woman views herself vs how they view each other.
I do have another favorite character as well. In BLACKBIRD FALLING, you get to meet Icarus, a very special crow.
What order should we read your books?
For the Murphey Saga (available in the Enchanted anthologies) it is pretty straightforward. You read These Roots Run Deep, This Hollow Heart, and then These Resting Bones.
With the Blackbird Series, you get to choose. Definitely read Blackbird Summer before BLACKBIRD FALLING. However, you can read Forget Me Not at any time—though when you read it will determine how you view the characters.
Will there be any more Blackbird books?
There will be at least one more. Maybe two more, depending. Something very interesting is about to happen to the Caibre family, and it depends on how long it takes me to finish the story.
Where can I find your books?
The Blackbird series: The ebooks are enrolled in Kindle Unlimited, so if you subscribe to that service then you can read them for free (for a limited time!) or you can purchase the ebooks on Amazon. The paperbacks and hard covers are available online wherever books are sold. If you’d like a signed copy, you can contact my favorite local book shopt, Conundrum Books, and the owner will get you fixed up. (All proceeds of my book, Forget Me Not, are donated to the military charity, Operation Homefront.)
The Murphey Saga: My stories are a part of a series with other authors. The titles of the anthologies are Magic Spark, Magic Ember, and Magic Flame, and the ebooks and paperbacks are available online through Amazon, Kobo, or Barnes and Noble.
About the Author
Em Shotwell is a mom, writer, cancer survivor, foster youth advocate, podcast producer, and a casual geek--among a million other things. Sometimes she writes books about misfits and the people who love them. When she’s not frowning at her computer screen, Em enjoys spending time outdoors hiking, or indoors daydreaming and wishing she could play the banjo.
Em is available for signings and book discussions. Please contact her via email or her website. She loves speaking with students and book clubs.
Previous Works: Blackbird Summer, Forget Me Not, The Chans, These Roots Run Deep, These Resting Bones, and This Hollow Heart.
Buy your copy (smart link): hyperurl.co/blackbirdfalling
Website: www.EmShotwell.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/EmShotwellAuthor/
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/14808943.Em_Shotwell
Praise for Em’s Work:
"Sweet. Magical. Heartbreaking. Healing. (In Forget Me Not) Em Shotwell delivers an engaging, romantic paranormal fantasy with a real-world message." -JD Horn, Author of the best-selling WITCHING SAVANNAH series.
“This magical romance (Forget Me Not) draws you in from the first page. What starts as a sweet romance with the appearance of a classic love triangle quickly breaks down into something much heavier--a fight to reclaim happiness after the inevitable scars of wartime.” – E.J. Wenstrom, Author of MUD and winner of the FWA book of the year.
“Fans of Sookie Stackhouse and Beautiful Creatures who are looking for their next fix from the sticks should look no further than Blackbird Summer. I can't wait for the next book in the series.”-Kchase, Goodreads Reviewer and Reader.
“This southern gothic paranormal blew me away. The take on magic was refreshingly new and the characters deep and well-developed. Fans of Beautiful Creatures who wanted something with a bit more of an adult feel to it will love this.”- Award Winning Fantasy Author, Heather McCorkle
“One of my favorite things about this novella (Forget Me Not) was that, while the story was engrossing and something entirely new, it still included some of my favorite aspects of Blackbird Summer. The large, close-knit family dynamics, for one - particularly the relationships between strong, passionate women. The rich, southern gothic atmosphere was equally well-developed, and I felt like I was escaping to another world every time I opened the book.” -Andrea Berthot, Author of The Gold and Gaslight Chronicles.
“It's unbelievable when you get dropped into an Em Shotwell world. As a writer myself, I must tell you that this is one of the biggest compliments I can give.”-Award winning author Randi Perrin.
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