Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Susan Royal, author of In My Own Shadow

     Welcome to my guest author, Susan Royal!


   Thank you so much for having me here today, Vicki. It’s a pleasure to get the chance to talk about something I love, writing.  It’s hard to believe all the work involved in getting In My Own Shadow ready is done!! I have to say I’m almost as excited as I was when Not Long Ago, my time travel/romance/adventure debuted in June 2012. The entire process went as smooth, if not smoother than it did the first time, probably because I knew what to expect this time around.

    
     Now, let me give you a little peek at In My Own Shadow, a fantasy, adventure/romance.
     Talk about the worst day ever! Lara lets her friend Carrie talk her into a blind date, only it turns out the handsome stranger waiting for Lara after work isn’t Carrie’s cousin after all. And, when they’re chased through a portal to another world, Lara realizes Rhys really is out of this world.
     Lyra, her alternate in another dimension, has left clues to the whereabouts of the Book of Secrets that explains the mystery of time travel in Lara’s subconscious. Or so Rhys thinks. Power-hungry telepaths pursuing them will stop at nothing to get it, even if it means breaking Lara’s mind. To complicate matters, Lara gets tangled up in her feelings for Rhys while exploring her connection with Lyra.
     With Rhys as her guardian, a bear of a man named Azle to guide her, and the spirit of Lyra haunting her dreams, Lara must find the Book of Secrets before it falls into the hands of those who want its power. Only then can she return to her world safely.
     I had so much fun writing the scenes between Rhys and Lyra. At first she’s furious with him for ripping her away from a perfectly ordinary existence. Never mind that Rhys has saved her from the crazies in the parking lot and the nut job that appeared at her front door. Everything he says sets her teeth on edge, and sometimes he acts like he can barely stand to be around her. Every time it looks like they’re going to come to an understanding, something happens and it’s back to square one. Your typical love-hate relationship.
     Here’s a little sample:
     Rhys seemed to have a hard time answering a simple question. “This is all too bizarre for words. You can’t…I don’t…” With an unsteady breath, I threw my hands up, fingers splayed. “You’re out of your mind, and so am I for trying to make any sense out of this.”
     Rhys rubbed his hand across the back of his neck. “I know someone who
might be able to explain things to you better than me. And he can be trusted. I know where to find him, but it’s a long, hard journey.”
     I raised my eyes to the sky. “Sure, why not? I’ll just cancel my dental appointment this afternoon. No biggie.” Above the trees, the constellations glittered in the evening sky, but the moon was ringed like Jupiter, and the stars were spinning. “What’s wrong with the moon…and the stars…?”
     He stared up into the darkness.“We’ve stepped through a portal into an alternate universe—”
     I snorted laughter. “Sorry, I didn’t bring my passport. I wasn’t planning on leaving the country, let alone the damn planet!” His blank expression told me either he didn’t get my joke or else he didn’t think it was funny.

    My supporting characters almost always threaten to take over the story. In this book we have Azle, Chief Historian for the Council. He’s the stabilizing influence on the group, always the diplomat, sensible and patient to a fault. Then, there’s Cobal, the dark good-looking ladies’ man who manages to look polished even while traveling cross-country on foot. Some of my best supporting characters not even people. Nyah and Nigan are burdahs, large creatures that exist in the alternate world where Lara travels. They look like a cross between a draft horse and a llama, with turquoise eyes and long lashes.
     I hope you’ll enjoy Lara’s story as much as I enjoyed writing it. And for those of you who read Not Long Ago, I’m working hard on the sequel. Looks as though I’m about 2/3 of the way done…depending on whether or not my characters cooperate. Also, my thanks so much for your
reviews, comments and encouragement. It’s been music to my ears.

Buy link for In My Own Shadow: http://tinyurl.com/bqbxm4l
Buy link for Not Long Ago: http://tinyurl.com/85vgye3

     Thanks for inviting me, Vicki. It’s been great.

15 comments:

  1. So glad you joined us Susan. Blind date, The Book of Secrets, and power-hungry telepaths oh my! In My Own Shadow sounds fascinating.

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  2. Congrats on your second novel. How exciting. Blind dates - yikes -you never know what to expect. What inspired the plot? Looking forward to it.

    Heather G - author of 'Natasha's Dream'

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  3. Nothing more interesting than a blind date, especially when you get shoved in a portal. This sounds amazing! Congratulations!

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  4. Thanks Victoria. Good to be here! I had the idea for this years ago, Heather. I was inspired by the 'quest' novels I read way back when. Thanks, Suzanne. It was great fun getting Lara into all kinds of hot water and then figuring out how to get her out of it.

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  5. Very interesting, Susan. In My Own Shadow sounds like a book I would enjoy. Love the idea of entering another dimension Thanks for sharing.

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  6. I love stories that fringe on the edge of sci-fi. And Rhys seems like a great character. Looks like a fun read and a winner.

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  7. I will have to add this to my "must read" list

    Nancy

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  8. Intriguing story line, Susan. Congrats on your second book's release. Like the title and cover is super. Good luck.

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  9. Sounds like a great book! Wishing you the best with it, Susan. :o)

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  10. There are days when we all want to 'escape' to another dimension, aren't there, Mary? You hit the nail on the head, Lorrie. I love to skirt on the fringes. And Rhys? He's one of those 'still waters run deep' kind of guys. Thanks for coming Nancy, Marsha and Deb. I appreciate all the good wishes.

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  11. Good stuff :) Congratulations on the release! This sounds like it might especially appeal to Dr. Who fans, though I've only caught a few episodes.

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  12. How funny! That's what someone told me just recently, Beth. I'm like you. I've only watched it a few times. One of my sons is a big fan, though.

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  13. Nothing more exciting than the debut of a novel. Congratulations, Susan.

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    1. Thanks Mark. You are so right. This has been as exciting as my first book. And thanks for letting me visit, Vicki. It's been great.

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  14. It was a thrill to have you visit, Susan. I hope you'll come back again and share your next novel with us!

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