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Albert Camus

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Monday, November 11, 2013

Interview and Giveaway Portents (Amanda Ryder, V.I., #2) by Shanyn Hosier

Description:

Amanda Ryder's determined never to fail her coven again. Next time, she won't hesitate to pull the trigger to defend her friends. If only they'd trust her enough to let her set foot outside the Academy… 

Frustrated and itching to prove herself, Amanda snags her first Academy mission: she and Toby Laboyteaux, fellow teen witch who "kinda sorta sees the future," must work together to track down a local swamp monster stirring up trouble in the sticks. But overturned suburban garbage cans and blurry tabloid pictures aren't the only problems—strained relationships with her new colleagues, a growing guilt-complex, and the waxing moon all add to Amanda's stress. Add to that the pressure of being hunted by a psychic psychopath, and Amanda's got plenty on her mind. 

Meanwhile, Hamilton Nash swears Marian Dupree and her Academy of bumbling do-gooders have thwarted his plans for the last time. Convinced Amanda's the subject of his mother's recent prophecy and the key to his future success, he redoubles his efforts to obtain the mystery girl. But when Amanda proves too slippery a quarry, Nash sets his sights on the next best thing. When a valuable member of the Academy coven is kidnapped, Amanda and her friends are in a race against time. Is a tragic future destined to come to pass?

MB's INTERVIEW
Thank you, Mrs. Hosier

You said about yourself that you are “fascinated by the relationship that shouldn’t work but somehow does”. Can you, please, develop this idea and also tell us if we’ll find such relationship in Amanda Ryder Series?
Great question! I can tell you that a romantic arc is developing within the series, but it's still a good while before it'll be resolved. Amanda has a fair bit of maturing to do before she's truly ready for a relationship. She's quite young—only 18 years old—and has led a very sheltered (but not pampered) life. She's also surrounded by a group of eligible, attractive, yet off-limits males. I don't envy the poor girl's upcoming romantic travails! 

Amanda is presumed to be part of a prophecy and this is important for Hamilton Spencer (the story’s bad guy… or not?). Does he believe also that the destiny is not written in the stone or he’s your exception?
Hamilton Spencer Nash is, at his core, a consummate opportunist. He's a man who forever hedges his bets, willing to use any and all tools at his disposal (often regarding fellow human beings as those tools). While experience has taught him his mother's visions aren't always reliable, they're close enough, often enough that he won't discount them, either. 

The Academy of St. Joan of Arc VS Hamilton’s crime organization? There is everything white and black or is room for shadows and grey? 
Oooh, I love this question! Amanda is also wrestling with this, too. She's been raised in her father's world, where the possibility of grey was unacceptable: people were either righteous or evil, end of story. She experienced firsthand how wrong that outlook could be. She's now discovering the world is a preponderance of grey, unsure whom she can fully trust, if anyone. Alternately, Hamilton's actions, via thwarting governmental and religious authority, illuminate the delusion and hypocrisy in our world. 

Is there a special significance in the Academy name (I had in view also that Joan was kill by the ones in the name she fought)? 
Yes! I wanted to tap into the Catholic heritage of New Orleans by picking a saint name for the Academy. Legend says Joan of Arc was a dynamic, charismatic young woman led by her own sense of right. She was also accused of sorcery and burned at the stake as a heretic. Plenty of parallels to explore… 

What was your source of inspiration for the characters special powers? 
Would you believe quantum physics, zoology, anatomy, and occult mythology? I've long been fascinated by how humans invent ways to understand, cope with, and rationalize what we don't yet understand. We make up myths, imagine supernatural powers, invent religions and scientific disciplines, all in an attempt to deal with the unknowable. In Amanda's stories, I've tried to weave folklore about witches, stories about ESP, monster myths, and some of the amazing natural abilities of the animal world.

About the author:
Born and raised in small-town, rural Indiana, I now live in metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona with an intimidatingly smart and devastatingly handsome husband, two hyperactively cute and talented sons who will one day be Earth's Overlords (never underestimate the power of Legos), and an emotionally needy, neurotic chocolate lab. I enjoy cooking, traveling, gardening, sewing, quilting, and embroidery but only when I'm in the right mood and seldom concurrently (I'm kind of streaky when it comes to hobbies). I adore reading and writing in the same way that I love breathing and eating, gaining a similar nourishment from each.

Author's Giveaway:
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