Welcome to the book tour for Illusions: Ravens of Darkness by Elle Preston! Today you're going to get to know her and her book better in this exclusive interview. You can also read an excerpt over at Candrel's Crafts, Cooks, and Characters. Enjoy the rest of the tour and good luck in the giveaway!
Ravens of Darkness
Book One
Elle Preston
Genre: Young Adult; Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Lark Publishing Crew
Date of Publication: November 14, 2020
ISBN: 978-0578661230
ASIN: B08NGC23MS
Number of pages: 269
Word Count: 84,000
Cover Artist: Lark Publishing Crew
Tagline: Nothing is what it seems. Not even love.
Book Description:
An ancient cult. A supernatural addiction. A forbidden love. Sixteen year old Evie Willow is terrified of drowning but she's even more afraid of her own feelings.
When the charismatic and telepathic lifeguard, Talon Renwyck, suddenly turns his affections toward her, Evie’s ability to rein in her feelings is threatened. Talon knows a secret which plunges Evie into the deep waters of her hidden emotions. As she drifts away from the life she knows into Talon’s beckoning arms, Evie learns that Talon is much more than just the handsome guy she’s falling in love with. Caught in a dark and supernatural addiction and tied to a secret cult, Talon is crying out for help. Can Evie save him from himself?
Is their love the real deal or is it an illusion?
Nothing is what it seems.
Illusions is the first book in the Ravens of Darkness Series.
If you like character driven, paranormal romance sagas with supernatural elements, darkly dynamic love relationships, and a hint of magic and mystery, then you'll love the Ravens of Darkness Series.
Book Two, Reflections, to be released November 2021
Book
Trailer: https://youtu.be/EpJdxBUs4Ac
(affiliate link included)
What was the inspiration behind this book?
It sounds funny to say, but toxic relationships were the inspiration for this book. The story, at the character level, is about a relationship between an empath and a narcissist and how that plays out for each person. I didn't begin writing a paranormal story, but as I started researching the empath/narcissist dynamic, I thought it would be interesting to make Evie Willow’s empathy more like a super power. Sometimes this power is her greatest asset, but it can also be her biggest downfall -- like when she gets entangled with Talon Renwyck, the handsome narcissist who tries to tempt her into his supernatural world.
What kind of research did you have to do for it?
I read a lot of psychology articles about empathy and narcissism and the toxic nature of that pairing. I wanted to show how Evie and Talon have a codependent relationship, so I read a lot of case studies and online discussion forums to see what people were saying about this kind of relationship from their own experiences.
Which character was your favorite to write?
Alex Greyson was my favorite character to write in this book. He’s clever, snarky and brutally honest. He also has a crush on Evie and is constantly bugging her about her codependent relationship with Talon. His scenes were always the most fun to write.
Will we see these characters again?
YES!! Illusions is the first book in a series. Evie, Talon and Alex all come back in book two, Reflections, which is due to come out this November. I also just finished writing book three and have an outline for book four as well. I think this will be a five book series with plans to expand some of the side characters into a spin-off series.
How do you make yourself stand out in this genre?
Well, I think a big trend is having teenage female protagonists that are super strong, sure of themselves all the time, and ready to kick butt and take names and there’s nothing wrong with that. But I feel like maybe I’m doing something a little bit different. My MC is very strong emotionally, but she’s not sure of herself at first. She is new to her supernatural abilities and doesn’t know how to use them. She hasn't quite found her voice yet in her personal life and relationships. I think back to when I was a teen: I had nothing figured out, made a lot of mistakes and did stupid stuff. I think it takes time to find one’s voice. So I hope people will see Evie as a little more “real.” She’s figuring things out. It’s sometimes frustrating to see her make mistakes but also fulfilling to see her grow throughout the series.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
Teleportation. I hate driving and am always late. Being able to teleport myself somewhere instantly would be really great!
Let’s say I’m coming for a visit to your area. What are some must-see places?
The Indiana Dunes National Park. The beaches and walking trails are beautiful and inspirational. It’s always had a mystical, spiritual feel to me which is why I chose it as the setting for my books.
Well, I think a big trend is having teenage female protagonists that are super strong, sure of themselves all the time, and ready to kick butt and take names and there’s nothing wrong with that. But I feel like maybe I’m doing something a little bit different. My MC is very strong emotionally, but she’s not sure of herself at first. She is new to her supernatural abilities and doesn’t know how to use them. She hasn't quite found her voice yet in her personal life and relationships. I think back to when I was a teen: I had nothing figured out, made a lot of mistakes and did stupid stuff. I think it takes time to find one’s voice. So I hope people will see Evie as a little more “real.” She’s figuring things out. It’s sometimes frustrating to see her make mistakes but also fulfilling to see her grow throughout the series.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
Teleportation. I hate driving and am always late. Being able to teleport myself somewhere instantly would be really great!
Let’s say I’m coming for a visit to your area. What are some must-see places?
The Indiana Dunes National Park. The beaches and walking trails are beautiful and inspirational. It’s always had a mystical, spiritual feel to me which is why I chose it as the setting for my books.
About the Author:
Elle Preston is the author of the Ravens of Darkness series, a young adult,
paranormal romance saga. Illusions, Book One, is her debut novel. Book Two,
Reflections, is set to be released November 2021. She is currently working on
the third book in the series. Elle lives with her husband, five kids and
several fur babies near the shores of Lake Michigan and the Indiana Dunes where
she sets her novels.
No comments:
Post a Comment