Priya, a name that suggests beautiful. Amell, a name that suggests all powerful. One is a beautiful young lady; the other a beast. Their paths have crossed before, only Priya doesn’t remember Amell from her past. Or does she? And what does it all mean? The Amell she meets is part beast. So are the others at Castle Mutasim. Is she one of them, too? How can this be? What manner of creature would experiment on other living creatures, to mutate them into something bizarre and, sometimes, downright dangerous? Priya has to know. She wants to know. And she wants to make things right.
“Amell,” she screamed. “Amell. Help me.”
She was pinned in a hunk of metal, the world around her growing darker by the minute. And it was cold. Bitter. Bone-chilling. A soft tongue licked her cheek. Whines and a warm breath slipped into her ear. Bear. Her three-year-old mutt, a Border Collie-Black Lab mix. Black and white. Full of love and mischief. Her strength in a time of need. Like right now.
She had rescued Bear. A puppy tossed in a dumpster. Left to die. The two were inseparable. Now, she was failing Bear. And they would die.
One final scream, “Amell.”
“I’m so sorry, Bear,” she whispered.
As she slipped into oblivion, she felt a fog of confusion slither through her brain. Who is Amell?
What are four things you can't live without?
My family (including our dog), my books, my music and chocolate
What is your favorite television show?
This changes frequently, but I guess one of my all-time favorites would have to be “The Waltons”. Another favorite (not surprisingly considering the title and theme of this book) is the 1987-1990 series, “Beauty and the Beast.”
Where do you get your inspiration, information, and ideas for books?
Everywhere – what I read, the news I hear, random conversations, listening to music. Ideas are all around me. All I have to do is take my dog for a walk, or work in the garden, and I’m thinking up new ideas for stories.
Do you write full-time or around another job? If you have a full time job, does it ever play into your writing?
I’m a retired music teacher. I used to teach piano and music theory privately – full time. And, yes, writing had to take second place to teaching responsibilities and, at the time, my young family. Now that I’m retired, I guess I could say that I write full-time. When I’m not writing, I’m gardening, working on my art, walking the dog – all while thinking of my next treat story to write.
What books or authors have most influenced your writing?
The list is endless. Here’s a few authors who’ve inspired me: Diana Raab, Jean Little, Tracy Chevalier, Sharon Kay Penman, Charlotte and Emily Brontë, John Grisham, Trisha Faye, Genevieve Cogman, and many more. The list changes every time I’m asked this question.
What is your favorite writing snack and/or drink?
Chocolate
What was your hardest scene to write and why?
Action, I guess. Why? Because I don’t like violence.
What is a significant way your book has changed since the first draft?
Editing, of course. At first I thought I’d follow the previous writings of this fairy tale, with the beauty and the beast having a romantic attachment. Then I decided to make beauty and the beast siblings. Priya (beauty) looks up to her older brother, Amell (the beast), and the two share a special bond that only siblings can share.
Aside from writing, what is one thing you do for fun?
Reading, working in the garden, and working on my needle-art
What exciting projects do you have coming up next?
For me, everything I do is exciting. I’m working on another installment to my “Piccadilly Street Series.” In this book, the versatile resident ghost, Mrs. Murray, takes it into her head that she wants to follow Mary to high school. Mary’s growing up and she’s off to new adventures, new friends (and, unfortunately, new bullies), and a new evil entity. Where there is good, one always expects to find evil.
I think the important thing is that I have fun writing all my stories. It’s as if I live them, which, for the most part, I do, especially the “Piccadilly Street” series which uses some of my childhood memories of growing up in a haunted house.
Emily-Jane Hills Orford is a country writer, living just outside the tiny community of North Gower, Ontario, near the nation’s capital. With degrees in art history, music and Canadian studies, the retired music teacher enjoys the quiet nature of her country home and the inspiration of working at her antique Jane Austen-style spinet desk, feeling quite complete as she writes and stares out the large picture window at the birds and the forest. She writes in several genres, including creative nonfiction, memoir, fantasy, and historical fiction. http://emilyjanebooks.ca
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/realpeoplestories
Twitter: @ejhomusic
Amazon buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Beast-Emily-Jane-Hills-Orford-ebook/dp/B09TH1T6J6/
Thank you for hosting me and my book, "Beauty and the Beast". It's always a pleasure to reach out to readers around the world.
ReplyDeleteOf course - it was my pleasure to do so :) Thank you for taking the time to answer all of my interview questions (and for visiting my blog today) Emily-Jane
DeleteThanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteOf course! It was my pleasure to host "Beauty in the Beast" today.
DeleteThis so sounds like my kind of read and I love the cover too.
ReplyDeleteheather
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Yay! I hope you get a chance to read it. Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog today Heather :)
DeleteI love the cover and think the book sounds good.
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome - I hope you get a chance to read the book Sherry! Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog today :)
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