The countdown clock reads ten days until the end of the world. The citizens are organized. Everyone's been notified and assigned a duty. The problem is . . . no one knows for sure how it will end.
Energy-hungry Mages are the most likely culprit. They travel toward a single location from every corner of the continent. Fueled by the two suns, each Mage holds the power of an element: air, earth, fire, metal, water, or ether. They harness their powers to draw energy from the most readily available resource: humans.
Ashara has been assigned to the Ethereal task force, made up of human ether manipulators and directed by Loken, a young man with whom she has a complicated past. Loken and Ashara bond over a common goal: to stop the Mages from occupying their home and gaining more energy than they can contain. But soon, they begin to suspect that the future of the world may depend on Ashara's death.
Paperback, 291 pages
Expected publication: April 25th 2013 by Dragonfairy Press
Alicia Wright Brewster is a mild-mannered lady of average height and above average paranormal obsession. By day, she works in an office. At night she is an author, an electronics junkie, and a secret superhero. (Please don't ask what her superpower is; that's not very polite.)
In her virtually non-existent free time, she loves to read, watch movies, and eat food. She is particularly fond of the food-eating and makes a point to perform this task at least three times per day, usually more.
- What gave you the inspiration to write this book?
I never know what to do with this question. The answer is: I really don’t know what makes me want to write; I just do. It’s part of my soul. But books I read and adore inspire me to keep writing.
- Who is your favorite character in the book?
Aside from Ashara, her best friend Rey is my favorite. Ashara has a dry sense of humor and tends to be rather serious and intense. Rey, on the other hand, is fun and light-hearted. Of course, he realizes that all kinds of bad stuff is going down, but he’s determined to play his role while maintaining his generally happy demeanor. He makes me smile.
- Which came first, the title or the novel?
Ack, this question is harder than you might think!
The concepts in this novel have been incorporated into a few different manuscripts and partial manuscripts. Originally, I planned to write a novel titled Repeating, which included the time loop aspect of ECHO. (Yes, there is a time loop, but… that’s all I can say about that.) I trashed that manuscript about a quarter of the way into it and started a second manuscript, which was a step closer to the current version. Halfway through the first draft of that one, I came up with the title ECHO. I trashed that manuscript too, after finishing the first draft. I kept the characters names and their relationships to one another, as well as a lot of the concepts. When I started this final version of the novel, I already had the title.
So which came first? I really can’t say.
- What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?
I’m most proud of all the action scenes. I love the butt-kicking.
- Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?
From all the writing and rewriting I did (in my answer to Question 3), I learned to just keep at.
- What do you like most about the cover of the book?
Although I like everything about this cover, I think my favorite part is the two suns in the sky. They do a great job of representing my world. This was a tough cover to get done. Ashara is multi-racial, so we needed a stock photo of a racially ambiguous young woman in an appropriate pose. That was so much harder than I would have thought!
- What new release book are you looking most forward to in 2013?
The Rithmatist, by Brandon Sanderson. I love this man’s work. His world-building and magic systems are so unique and fully fleshed out. I’m really excited about this young adult book, coming out next month.
- What was your favorite book in 2012?
Let me preface this by saying that the answer to this question probably changes from one day to the next. It’s so hard to pick a favorite book. Today, I feel like my 2012 favorite was Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Taylor’s words are amazing, like she’s painting them on a canvas.
- What’s up next for you?
Thanks for asking! A few months from now, Dragonfairy Press is releasing the first novel in my adult urban fantasy series. Possession features a female fallen angel who has recently escaped from hell. She is broken in so many ways, and I look forward to helping her slowly put herself together as she builds a life on Earth.
- Is there anything that you would like to add?
I think that about covers it. I so appreciate your hosting me on your blog today. Thank you!
Tour Schedule
April 29th
Good Choice Reading - www.goodchoicereading.com Char
Curling Up with a Good Book, http://curling-up-with-
April 30th
Must Read Faster, http://mustreadfaster.
A Dream Within a Dream, http://
May 1st
Paulette’s Papers, http://
Frankie Blooding’s Bookshelf, http://
Zach’s YA Reviews, http://zachsyareviews
A Book Lovers Review - Teaser
May 2nd
Reads and Thoughts, http://
Bookish Things & More, www.
May 3rd
Finding Bliss, http://www.laurahoward78.
A Bibliophile’s Thoughts on Books, http://
May 6th
Cherie Reads, http://cheriereads.
Reading Under the Stars, http://
May 7th
The Solitary Bookworm, http://thesolitarybo
Smiling_Ina’s Bookish Corner, http://smiling-ina.
May 8th
Deal Sharing Aunt, www.dealsharingaunt.
Shortie Says, www.shortie-says.com: Ex
May 9th
Turner’s Antics, http://turnersantics.
Good Choice Reading: Interview
May 10th
Turning the Pages, http://www.
I’m Luvin’ Books, http://ya-im-lovin-
Musings of a Blodger, www.
Books and their Worldly Realm, http://
.jpg)
Love the cover and excerpt. I can't wait to read. Thanks for the giveaway!!!!
ReplyDeleteThis book does sound good and different than other paranormals that I have read (and I read a lot of paranormal stories). Thanks for the post. Btw, my fave book changes from day to day too :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for participating in my tour, Beth!
ReplyDeleteI realized after the fact that Daughter of Smoke and Bone was actually a 2011 read. Oops!