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Indie Hoopla Gala (5/5) | Mary's Cup of Tea (5/6) | Foxylutely Book Reviews (5/6)
Siren's Dreamscape (5/7)
Njkinny's World of Books & Stuff (5/8) | Carpe Diem (5/8)
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My Fae-void Demon (5/15)
Laki Loves Indies (5/16) | Hell Fyre Risen (5/16)
We've returned Tracy A Akers to our interview hot seat so feel free to learn more about this YA fantasy author.
What books have influenced your life most?
As a child, I loved books about ancient worlds and archeology. I couldn’t get enough of them. As a writer, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy inspired me greatly. I read them for the first time as a middle-aged adult, and they changed my life in a very profound way. As a teacher, I would say The Harry Potter series was the most influential. Harry brought the magic of reading to many students who previously had had no interest in it.
What book are you reading now? What do you like, or not, about it?
I am currently rereading
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. I’ve read it twice before, but since it’s
being made into a movie series on Starz, coming this summer, I want to
refresh my memory. Reading it for a third time is by no means painful. I
have a major crush on character Jamie Fraser and am happy to curl up
with him any time.
What are your current projects?
I just finished writing Book One of a new series that I’m very excited about. It’s an offshoot of The Souls of Aredyrah Series, but the setting is many generations beyond where Souls left off. Readers familiar with the previous books will recognize events that lead to the current status of the world, as well as connections between earlier characters, but both are a stand-alone series, so being familiar with either one is not required.
(for more of the interview continue reading below)
Series: Souls of Aredyrah
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About the Series
Game of Thrones meets Narnia in this epic tale of two boys whose chance meeting leads them to a disturbing discovery: Not only are they bound by blood and prophecy, but their opposing beliefs are founded on similar lies. With adventure and romance, mysticism and cultural conflicts, this coming-of-age tales asks: What would you do if you learned everything you’ve been raised to believe is false—and those in power will do anything to stop the truth?
Book 1
In the world of Aredyrah, things are not what they seem. An ancient Purge has plunged the island into darkness, isolating its cultures by superstition and fear. Dayn lives in the northernmost region of Kirador and knows nothing of the great city-state of Tearia far to the south. All he knows is the Kiradyns are the only survivors of a god’s fiery wrath, and he looks nothing like them. Meanwhile Ruairi, a prince destined for greatness, resents his Tearian obligations, longing for a life he can never hope to have. But when tragedy takes his beauty as well as his name, he finds himself exiled by the very beliefs he once held dear. Both boys long for acceptance in societies that cling to religious ideals, but when fate throws them together, Dayn and Ruairi discover some unwelcome truths: not only are they bound by blood and prophecy, but the teachings they have been raised on are nothing more than lies. Will they reveal what they have learned, risking their lives and the security of those they love? Or will they keep silent, denying their destinies and the future enlightenment of their world?
Buy Book #1: The Fire and the Light
Paperback: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Book 2
The Prophecy has come to life in Tearia, and the Temple wants nothing more than to see it dead. Whispers say the Unnamed One walks amongst them, and there is little doubt as to who that person is. Reiv is oblivious to the hopes turning in his direction, just as he is ignorant of a plot being waged against him. He has no time for rumors or innuendos; he is too busy trying to build a new life for himself. But the life he longs for will have to wait. A rebel movement is growing, and Reiv’s cousin Dayn has joined the insurgents in their cause.Angered by Dayn’s involvement, Reiv reverts to his old self-serving behaviors. He wants nothing to do with prophecies or rebellions, and isn’t sure he wants anything to do with Dayn either. But when tragedy throws Reiv into new turmoil, he finds himself facing a dangerous choice. Someone he loves is dying, and there is only one chance to save him.
Will Reiv choose to be a Transcendor, fated to sacrifice his life for another? Or is he truly the Unnamed One, a hero destined for glory? One will save the life of an individual, the other that of an entire kingdom.
Buy Book #2: The Search for the Unnamed One
(Interview continued)
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
I write too slow!Do you ever have problems with writers block? If so how do you get through it?
I listen to music that can serve as a background to the scene I’m working on. Instrumental and soundtrack music is ideal, but any kind of music can work; it just depends on what you’re trying to write. I wrote an entire chapter to the soundtrack of Gladiator, a movie I still haven’t seen. Chapter 11: The Torch, from The Taking of the Dawn was inspired entirely by that soundtrack. It had a major effect on the course of the story.
(for more of the interview continue below)
Book 3
The saga of Aredyrah continues as Dayn and Alicine return to Kirador to find things very different from when they left. Their house has been ransacked, their parents missing, and evidence of spell work has put a price on Dayn’s head. Frightened, they go to the nearest place they know of: the homestead of Haskel, a man who has never been accepting of Dayn’s differences, and even less so of his own son’s.
Back in Tearia, Reiv has settled into the quiet life of a Shell Seeker. But while the rhythm of his routine is calm, the longings of his heart are not. He turns to Cora, an eye-catching girl who has also drawn the attentions of Lyal, a man whose hatred of Reiv goes far beyond jealously. But romance is the least of Reiv’s worries. A terrible plague is spreading, and Reiv’s brother, the King, is determined to burn it from the land—even if it means killing innocents along the way.While Reiv risks annihilation by Tearia’s increasingly brutal king, Dayn suffers challenges of his own. His disappearance from Kirador months before not only ended the existence he once knew, but started a witch hunt that threatens his safety and the survival of his clan.
Both Dayn and Reiv find themselves facing a difficult choice: Leave their homelands in order to save themselves and those they love, or stay and fight an evil they cannot hope to defeat.
Buy Book #3: The Taking of the Dawn
Book 4
In this final installment of the award-winning Souls of Aredyrah series, Dayn and Reiv find themselves facing an old foe and falling into the trap of a new one. Struggling to make their way home through a bitter landscape, they soon discover they are not alone. A tribe known as the Taubastets has captured them in a life-or-death scenario, and the tribe’s chief is determined that one of them must be sacrificed. When a young warrior named Tyym vows to see them home, they face decisions that will not only affect their survival, but the spiritual salvation of their world.
While Reiv, Dayn, and Tyym navigate a web of conspiracy and doubt, Dayn’s sister Alicine struggles with loss and the impending threat of invasion. The king of Tearia has not abandoned his quest to slay them, and his seemingly unstoppable army is nearly through the pass. But when Tyym enters the scene, hope is rekindled. Even Alicine cannot deny the charisma of the mysterious warrior who has wormed his way into their lives, and into her heart.The game is in play. A traitor is in their midst. Can the souls of Aredyrah hope to defeat a monster disguised as a king? Or will they succumb to a darkness beyond their understanding?
Buy Book #4: The Shifting of the Stars
Amazon | Smashwords | BN | Kobo
(Interview continued)
What do you do when you’re not writing/editing or thinking about writing/editing?
I
have three aging dogs that require my attention, plus a grandchild that
I tutor. I recently started drawing again. That’s an off and on thing
for me. I also enjoy attending science fiction and fantasy conventions,
putting together costumes, geeky things like that.
Any special appearances or events coming up that you want to mention?
I
attend DragonCon in Atlanta every year. This year it’s being held
August 29-September 1, (always Labor Day weekend.) As in the past, I
will be on several panels, primarily for the Kaleidoscope and YA tracks.
I will also be signing books in a booth with several other authors,
many New York Times Best Sellers, so look for me again this year at the
Tairen’s Lair/Authors Lair booth in the vendor room at the AmericasMart.
Tracy A. Akers is a former language arts teacher and an award-winning author. She grew up in Arlington, Texas, but currently lives in Florida with her husband, three naughty pugs, and a feisty chihuahua. She graduated with honors from the University of South Florida with a degree in Education, and has taught in both public and private schools. She currently divides her time between writing, lecturing, spending time with her family, and costuming at fantasy and science fiction conventions.
Ms. Akers has won numerous awards for her Souls of Aredyrah fantasy series for young adults. As a Florida Book Awards winner, she was acknowledged for her contribution to YA literature by the Governor of Florida during the 2008 Florida Heritage Month Awards Ceremony. Books One and Two of the Aredyrah Series are included in the Florida Department of Education’s 2008 Just Read Families Recommended Summer Reading List. In addition, Ms. Akers has been an invited guest author at major book events and writers’ conferences, a panelist at fantasy and science fiction conventions, and was on the steering committee for Celebration of the Story, a literary event held at Saint Leo University.The Souls of Aredyrah Series is Ms. Akers’ first series of novels for young adults.
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