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The Tower by Jade Varden

Welcome to the penultimate Book of the Day feature – we hope you’ve enjoyed Indie Author Month so far. Make sure you’ve entered the massive book giveaway from the featured authors, which is on our facebook page. Now let’s hand over to Jade Varden – our special guest today and friend of the blog 🙂

The Tower is the immediate sequel to Justice and the second book in the Deck of Lies series, but readers don’t have to read the first book to quickly pick up on what’s happening in this one. The Tower continues the story of Rain, who recently discovered that she was kidnapped as a child. Freshly returned to her biological family, Rain is trying to fit into her new school, learn more about who she is…and deal with the murder that happened recently. The murder has had far-reaching consequences that threaten Rain’s closest, and maybe only, friend. Things get even more intense when suddenly Rain becomes the target of a police investigation. She thought she discovered all her family secrets already — but there are many more deceptions lurking in the shadows. Could one of them hide a homicidal rage?

***EXTRA GIVEAWAY – Visit the Giveaway Site to Win The Tower – EXTRA GIVEAWAY***

The Tower also features in the Event Grand Prize Giveaway – so you have two chances to win!

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 Author Mini-Interview

Where do you find your inspiration? Everywhere! Sometimes I’m inspired by a show I’m watching or a game I’m playing. Even a line in a song might give me an unexpected idea.

What is your favourite aspect of The Tower? I really enjoyed re-visiting some of the characters I introduced in the first book of the series, particularly those in the main character’s immediate family. Everyone has been changed by the murder that occurred at the end of the first book, so it’s fun to sort of flip them all upside-down and show a new side to them.

Who is your favourite character from The Tower and why? Sawyer is my favorite in this book, maybe because he’s consistently the most present throughout the story, but there are several brand-new characters that I’m excited about as well.

I can see why – I really liked Sawyer…but my fave was RVR – What are you working on now? Now I’m getting started on the third book of the series, Death.

Oh-o – that sounds ominous! What do you love about most about writing? Doing the research, probably. I love researching the setting and discovering someplace new to take my characters.

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About the Author: Jade Varden is a teller of tales from Louisville, Kentucky. The Deck of Lies series is the first in several young adult series and stand-alone novels Jade will publish in 2012 and 2013.

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Want to know more? Check out the links!

Official site – http://www.wix.com/jadevarden/jv

@JadeVarden – https://twitter.com/jadevarden

Jade’s blog – http://jadevarden.blogspot.com/

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Note from Aside from Writing: From April 2012 we began featuring Jade’s fantastic ‘Writing 101’ guest posts – fantastic for all levels of writers – keep an eye out for them!

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Just Finished…Shadowland

Shadowland is a well-written, action-packed adventure story, set during the period of unrest in Britain that gave rise to the legends of King Arthur. Although I’d not read any fiction from this setting previously, it is happily familiar from film and history lessons; the writing style is very absorbing and you quickly find yourself wrapped up in the story.

At the heart of Shadowland is a buddy/road-trip tale of two young friends, who travel far from their homes and previous lives after their village is attacked and their families massacred. The relationship between them is really nicely drawn: dialogue is modern and accessible enough to read easily, whilst not detracting from the historical setting of the book. Action scenes are exciting, well-written and have some good comedic points for realism. The mystery surrounding the vicious attack on their village draws the story onwards throughout the novel.

Overall Shadowland is an accessible, entertaining and absorbing read, with great character relationships in an interesting setting. It works well as a YA because of the youthful protagonists, but I also think will appeal to a wider audience as well. 4* from Aside from Writing. 

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Book Synopsis: Shadowland is a story of Arthurian legend, however, rather than another story of Arthur and his knights, it tells the story of the years prior to Arthur’s birth.

An old storyteller entertains his listeners with a tale he claims is from his youth, a time when the Romans are leaving Britain and the Saxons are invading.

It is a dark and dangerous time for the tribes of Britain. Two boys, driven from their village join the efforts of their people to unite the tribes and drive the invaders from their shores.

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EVENT EXTRA*** 50% Discount this week for Shadowland at Smashwords: enter the code GN72D 

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Want to buy the book? 

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Shadowland by C M Gray

Shadowland is a story of Arthurian legend, however, rather than another story of Arthur and his knights, it tells the story of the years prior to Arthur’s birth.

An old storyteller entertains his listeners with a tale he claims is from his youth, a time when the Romans are leaving Britain and the Saxons are invading.

It is a dark and dangerous time for the tribes of Britain. Two boys, driven from their village join the efforts of their people to unite the tribes and drive the invaders from their shores.

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EVENT EXTRA*** 50% Discount this week for Shadowland at Smashwords: enter the code GN72D 

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 Gimme 10 – Mini-Interview

Please answer each question in 10 words or less – that’s what makes it tough but fun! 🙂

Where do you find your inspiration? Where I’ve lived, Asia, Morocco, India, China, with desert nomads

What is your favourite aspect of Shadowland? The dark (gloomy) ages of Britain! Druids, magic and Excalibur!

Who is your favourite character from Shadowland and why? Cal, he runs with wolves and visits the Shadowland.

What are you working on now? Editing/formatting ‘The Flight of the Griffin’ pure fantasy adventure!

What do you love about most about writing? Writing is like playing a video game with no rules.

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About the Author

I am an Englishman that has been privileged to live in many parts of the world. I now live with my Dutch born wife and two children Dylan and Yasmin in the hills that rise behind the city of Barcelona in Spain.

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Want to know more? Check out the links!