"The Kingdom of Nereth" by TJ Amberson ... and a GIVEAWAY! (SLB tours)

Thursday, November 8, 2018

"The Kingdom of Nereth" by TJ Amberson ... and a GIVEAWAY! (SLB tours)

2018 11 - Blog Hop Ad - website 2 completed

About the Book

Series: Nereth Trilogy
Genre: Young Adult, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Historical, Medieval
Publisher: Indie
Publication date: March 1, 2016
Blurb: Dark times are upon the land of Nereth. Centuries have passed since the rightful heir to the throne was banished. The people are losing hope in ancient legend, which foretells of one who will rise up, overthrow the evil king and queen, and restore peace. Like all others in Nereth, Edlyn has suffered greatly. Orphaned as a child, Edlyn grew up as the serf of a drunken lord. Now a spirited seventeen-year-old, Edlyn works to buy her freedom while fighting off the unwanted advances of Sheriff Hurst. One morning, Edlyn discovers a young man hiding in the stable. He is fleeing from Sheriff Hurst and inflicted with a sword wound that will surely be fatal without her help. In a split-second decision, Edlyn conceals the young man from Sheriff Hurst and begins nursing him back to health. As the young man's strength returns, Edlyn learns that his name is Maddock, and she is stunned to find that he has come from the mysterious land to the north. Maddock soon comes to Edlyn's aid, rescuing her from Sheriff Hurst. Suddenly declared outlaws, both Edlyn and Maddock must escape for their lives to enchanted Ravenshire Forest and then the desolate mountains beyond. As their adventure unfolds, Edlyn and Maddock discover that their meeting may have been more than chance, for their lives prove bound by a fate that neither of them could possibly have imagined.

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About the Author

TJ Amberson hails from the Pacific Northwest, where she lives with her husband and nutty cocker spaniel. Her most recent novels include The Kingdom of Nereth, The Council of Nereth, Fusion, and Love at Lakewood Med. When she's not writing, TJ can probably be found enjoying a hot chocolate, pretending to know how to garden, riding her bike, playing the piano, or surfing the Internet for cheap plane tickets. With a love of writing in multiple genres, TJ Amberson strives to provide well-written, age-appropriate, and original novels for tweens, teens, and new adults.

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Author Interview

Q: Who are some of your favorite authors and why?
A: I'm glad that you asked for "some" favorite authors, because I have too many to list, and they're of quite different genres and time periods! So, in no particular order, here are a few: L.M. Montgomery introduced me to Anne and the world of Avonlea when I was a young girl, for which she remains a favorite author of mine. Shakespeare, Shakespeare, Shakespeare. Victor Hugo wrote my favorite novel, LES MISERABLES. Jane Austen because, well, Jane Austen. Charles Dickens. Sophie Kinsella. Alexandre Dumas, especially for THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO. Dan Brown. Beverly Cleary. I could go on and on!

Q: What does a day in the life of TJ Amberson look like?
A: It varies! On the days when I'm not at work, I am typically doing immensely glamorous things like laundry, grocery shopping, or other errands. From spring through early fall, I spend time in the garden. If it's not raining, I'll go on a bike ride; on rainy days, I'll exercise on the elliptical while watching re-runs of GILMORE GIRLS. Most days, I make time for author-related activities - it may be early in the morning, mid-day, or the last thing that I do before heading for bed.

Q: What inspired the idea for The Kingdom of Nereth?
A: The concept for THE KINGDOM OF NERETH started when, out of nowhere, the opening scene began playing through my mind. I saw a medieval farm. It was sunrise. A young woman—strong and intelligent—was carrying water toward the barn. The visual impact of that scene struck me so much that I immediately began writing a story around it.

Q: What did you as an author take away from writing The Kingdom of Nereth?
A: Awesome question. Some years ago, I made the decision to write and publish professionally because I wanted to provide tween and teen readers with new, well-written, original novels that were also age-appropriate. I believed (hoped!) that there were young readers out there looking for novels that didn't contain swearing, sex, drug use, extensive violence, or other more adult-type content. What I have taken away from writing THE KINGDOM OF NERETH is that there are young readers out there looking for this type of novel. I can't articulate how gratifying to hear from a reader - or a parent - that they loved THE KINGDOM OF NERETH and appreciated that the story was age-appropriate. Giving young readers wonderful stories like the ones I grew up with is the reason that I write.

Q: What is your current WIP? What can you tell us about the project?
A: I'm thrilled to announce that THE COUNCIL OF NERETH - the sequel to THE KINGDOM OF NERETH - is coming out in December of 2018! I'm also in the middle of tidying up another young adult novel, BETWEEN, which I intend to release in 2019. It's an exciting, paranormal story of a young woman who winds up in limbo between heaven and earth. On the adult side, I am also working on my next romance novel, THE BEST MAN, which I also hope to release in 2019. Wish me luck!

Snippet

Edlyn noticed the blood-stained tear in Maddock's dirty shirt. "You are hurt, sir." Covering his abdomen with one hand, Maddock took a step toward the stable door. "I will leave. I..." Maddock trailed off when the chickens outside suddenly began clucking loudly. Edlyn jumped at the unexpected clamor, over which she heard the sound of horses approaching fast. After another glance at the young man, Edlyn rushed by him, opened the stable door, and looked out. Six men on horseback were galloping across the meadow toward the stable. Five of the riders had swords drawn, and the rider in front held a flag aloft—a flag, Edlyn realized with a shudder, which bore the symbol of the infamous Sheriff Hurst. Edlyn slowly turned to Maddock. "I presume this is about you." Maddock did not respond. Wincing, he reached out with one arm to brace himself against the wall while keeping his other hand pressed on his abdomen. "I could be imprisoned for helping a fugitive, or killed," Edlyn went on frankly, shutting the stable door. "It depends on what you have done." Maddock found his voice, "I will not put you in danger." He made another move to leave but swayed and began to fall. Edlyn lunged forward, catching Maddock in her arms. Staggering under the weight of his limp body, she lowered him to the dirt. From the sounds outside, Edlyn knew that the riders were nearly upon them. She also saw that Maddock's breathing was growing shallow and the life in his dark eyes fading. He would not escape those who hunted him. For one moment, Edlyn hesitated, looking between Maddock and the stable door. Then she spoke upward, as if to the sky: "This young man might be an outlaw, but may the spirits of Ravenshire Forest curse me for eternity if I ever help Sheriff Hurst."