CBB Promotions Blog Tour, Interview, & Giveaway: The Lion's Pride (Natalie Crown)

Welcome to my tour stop for The Lion's Pride by Natalie Crown!  The tour runs August 3 - 14 with reviews, author interviews, guest posts and excerpts.  This is a YA Fantasy/Alternate World book that released on August 2nd. This is the second book in the The 4 The Lion’s Pride | CBB Book Promotions Semei Trilogy. Check out the tour page for the full schedule.

    

'She is the reason your friends are dead. She should pay the price for that betrayal.'Not long ago Kammy had led a simple existence, stuck on an island, with only her Gran and Jamie to care about. Now she knows she is half Semei and of royal blood, in possession of an item that could bring about a war that would destroy the world, and so the worlds within it. She cannot go back and, despite everything, she does not want to.But she is haunted by the man - the king - that shadows her.Bagor and his army wait. In three days he will march into Emire and he will take everything.Kammy and her friends have one hope. They must find Danorrah; a cursed city, lost to the memory of all. Bagor will hunt them, every step of the way, determined to claim the Key and to claim her. It is all well and good that Kammy does not want to go back to her old life, but she will need the blessing of the Mother if she is to elude Bagor and hang on to her new one.

Goodreads

Be sure to check out The Wolf's Cry, Book One of The Semei Trilogy

Amazon | Goodreads

I grew up in a village called Swilland, in the countryside of Suffolk, England. There wasn’t much around, other than farms and fields, but for the most part I loved it, and I still do. I’m a passionate person by nature. I don’t just LIKE things, I LOVE things. Whether it’s a book, a film, or a sports team. Once I decide to enjoy something, I enjoy it to the MAX.
I’m a terrible cook. I prioritise essential social media work over keeping my flat tidy, because I know best.
Onto my love of reading and, consequently, writing – it was my dad that played a big role in encouraging me to read. He didn’t push me towards books necessarily; he simply read a lot himself. Then I would pick up his books and read them after him. I was reading high and epic fantasy from a very young age. I guess that might explain why I have always loved adventure stories with magic and intrigue and princes and princesses in.
I was aware that I wanted to ‘be a writer’ from a very young age. I was convinced I would be the first best seller that hadn’t reached double figures in age yet! I wrote about the Danshees, furry creatures that lived through a mirror. I wrote about a Sand Bottle that transported a boy into a world of magic. I wrote about a sick girl finding a music boy that healed her, but transported her back in time. (Wow, I always have loved alternate universes…)
When I was eight I wrote my first novel called The Land of No Return. Despite the title, I am determined to return to it one day. I feel like I owe it to my past self. So, as you can see, I have always been writing. There have been times when I have gone weeks without scratching down a word. Then there are days where I churn out multiple chapters and only my body’s silly desire for sleep and/or food can stop me.
I write because I enjoy it. I write fantasy because I enjoy it. I try my hardest to put something of myself into my writing. I like to think my characters have depth, I like to think that my fantasy worlds reflect upon the real world in some way. You guys will be the judge of that but even if you don’t agree I know that I at least try and I can do no more than that.
6 The Lion’s Pride | CBB Book Promotions These days I live in North London and I love it. I work full time and London is a hectic city. Juggling work, writing and a social life is tough but nobody is forcing me to do it so I can’t complain. The dream is that writing will be my career one day but it doesn’t matter if I never quite make it. I love writing too much to ever pack it in.
I am desperate to get a dog. My mum suspects I miss my cats at home more than I miss her. I am a devout Arsenal/Ferrari/Rafael Nadal fan. I get all mad when confronted with a case of social injustice and then I get all mad when people take the fight for social justice too far. I mostly keep those thoughts to myself and simmer with rage. I watch good TV and bad TV, because I can. What I can’t do is enjoy bad books (subjective opinion of course). I just can’t.

Website/Blog |  Tumblr | Facebook | Twitter @Natalie_Crown | Goodreads

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1. What gave you the inspiration to write this book?

Finally finishing the first one!

Honestly, I can’t ever pinpoint any single moment of inspiration as this trilogy has come to me slowly since I was about fourteen. I guess, everything I ever read and loved has inspired it. That’s a very lame answer, I know. But my love for writing stems from my love of books in general. If I hadn’t read so many fantastic books as a kid, maybe I would have found another hobby!

2. Who is your favorite character in the book?

I always say Kammy is my favourite character and that’s definitely true. But I’m going to pick another favourite to talk about here, and that’s Tayah.

Tayah doesn’t feature as heavily as some of the others in The Wolf’s Cry, but in The Lion’s Pride we get to learn a lot more about her. I hope people fall in love with her as much as I love her. She’s flawed, but she tries really hard in this book.

3. Which came first, the title or the novel?

The title came before the novel had been written. However, the novel was planned out long before the title.

4. What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?

Oh, wow. This is a really cool question.

I can’t say too much without spoiling it, but I really like the whole sequence towards the end - particularly a scene with Bagor. That scene had been in my head for such a long time before I got around to writing it. It was really cool to finally get there.

Random fact - the music that I listened to on repeat while planning and writing that scene was ‘I Am Not Merciful’ from the Gladiator soundtrack.

5. Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you've learned as a writer from then to now?

To take my time. It’s something I’m still learning now, and trying to implement with my WIP. No rushing to get to the end, even though I’m desperate too.

6. What do you like most about the cover of the book?

The lioness. She’s badass!

7. What new release book are you looking most forward to in 2015?

QUEEN. OF. SHADOWS. (It’s so soon!!!!!!!)

8. What was your favorite book in 2014?

Not to be a S. J. Maas fangirl but...Heir of Fire!

9. What’s up next for you?

Some chill time. And by chill time, I mean working on my current WIP. I’ll step back from the Semei for a little while so that I can recharge on that front. My WIP is still fantasy, but it’s a whole new refreshing world for me to plunge into - full of all the swords and magic I’ve always loved.

10. Is there anything that you would like to add?

Not that I can think of! Only thank you for taking part in the book tour, and I hope everybody enjoys The Lion’s Pride.

$25 Amazon gift card & copy of The Wolf's Cry or The Lion's Pride in paperback (INT), two (2) additional winners will receive a copy of The Wolf's Cry or The Lion's Pride in paperback (INT)
Ends Aug. 18th
Prizing provided by the author, hosts are in no way responsible.

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This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.