Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Guest Post and Giveaway: Robyn Bachar

 UFI is pleased to welcome Robyn Bachar, Author of Blood Smoke and Mirrors.

I'm a Shakespeare nut, and "A Midsummer Night's Dream" had a big influence on the faeries in Blood, Smoke and Mirrors. I even included a mention of troublemaking Shakespearean faeries in the warning for the book. I wanted to have faeries that wreak havoc and cause shenanigans in the human world, but only if they're left unchecked. Thus I created the role of Titania and Oberon in my setting—a political position held by a mortal magician, meant to keep the faeries from causing too much trouble in our world, and to keep magicians from abusing the magic in Faerie. My heroine Catherine Baker is a witch who tries to become Titania for the Midwest, spurred on by her faerie cousins Portia and Tybalt. Portia's character is also a bit of an in-joke for me, because in high school my freshman English teacher made us all memorize Portia's "the quality of mercy is not strain'd" speech from "The Merchant of Venice", so I made her bloodthirsty and vengeful. Portia also has a love of 80s punk fashion and game shows, but who doesn't?

To be honest, though, I didn’t do any research specifically for this book, because I’ve had a lifelong love of mythology and the paranormal. In college I took a course in ancient Irish mythology that was fascinating, and it definitely influenced my writing. In Blood, Smoke and Mirrors I wanted to include a little bit of everything that I love about urban fantasy, and I had a lot of fun doing it. I really enjoy working in this setting, and I have plans for more books in the series.


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Blood Smoke and Mirrors


Even a bad witch deserves a second chance.
  Wrongly accused of using her magic to harm, the closest Catherine Baker comes to helping others is serving their coffee. Life as an outcast is nothing new, thanks to her father’s reputation, but the injustice stings. Especially since the man she loved turned her in.

Now the man has the gall to show up and suggest she become the next Titania? She’d rather wipe that charming grin off his face with a pot of hot java to the groin.

Alexander Duquesne has never faltered in his duties as a guardian—until now. The lingering guilt over Cat’s exile and the recent death of his best friend have shaken his dedication. With the murder of the old Titania, the faerie realm teeters on the brink of chaos. His new orders: keep Cat alive at all costs.

Hunted by a powerful stranger intent on drawing her into an evil web, Cat reluctantly accepts Lex’s protection and the resurrected desire that comes along with it. Lex faces the fight of his life to keep her safe…and win her back. If they both survive.

Warning: This book contains one tough and snarky witch, one gorgeous guardian, explicit blood drinking, magician sex, gratuitous violence against vampires and troublemaking Shakespearean faeries.
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Find Robyn and her books
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Robyn is giving away a $10 Amazon GC to the host with the most comments and a $20 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter so make sure to leave a comment here and check out her other tour stops by clicking the banner above.



20 comments:

  1. It's awesome when authors include things they've learned into books, especially mythology! This sounds like my kind of read!
    lilazncutie1215[at]yahoo[dot]com

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  2. Really liking the sound of this book!

    Vivien
    deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com

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  3. Thanks for the excerpt! She did an interview on my blog yesterday. I love the cover of this book and the back blurb sounds promising too!

    I tweeted too BTW. :)

    rabidreads[at]gmail[dot]com

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  4. Thank you for the excerpt! I've had my eyes on Blood Smoke and Mirrors for some time, it was the breathtaking cover that caught my eye and made me curious to read the blurb :-)

    Thank you for the giveaway too! :-)

    stella.exlibris (at) gmail (dot) com

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  5. It sounds like the type of book i would enjoy reading. Will be checking it out! :)

    redfirewood888(AT)yahoo(DOT)ca.

    Ollie aka DarkBloodyVamp

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  6. Thanks for the insight into the book. I loved Blood, Smoke and Mirrors when I read it last year!

    Katie
    bigferret at email dot com

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  7. Sounds really cool! I share your love of folklore.I took all of the classes my Uni offers around folklore. Drove my parents crazy but i love it :) ...Have to say I'm not much of a shakespeare fan though...too hard for me to get into...I do like reading modernized versions of his plays though :D

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  8. Thanks for having me today! :) And don't worry, they may be Shakespeare-inspired, but my faeries are easy to understand. No iambic pentameter involved. ;)

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  9. I was glad to be part of this book tour, not only is Robyn really nice the book sounds wonderful and I am going to be getting it as we speak. Can't wait to read it.

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  10. I'm very interested in reading this as well. Maybe Robyn will love visiting my blog enough to send me a review copy ;)

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  11. Sound like a greta read!!!

    vidishamun@gmail.com

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  12. I was wondering if you were a big Shakespeare fan after reading the blurb and information you've put out about the characters and the story. Some of the names are very Shakespearean. This sounds like it will be a fun book to read with all the different things that have influenced it.

    karin.theisen[at]gmail.com

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  13. Cool cover, looks lika a great book.

    jessicamariesutton@msn.com

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  14. Look like it's something I'd enjoy.
    Thanks for the giveaway too!

    spamscape [at] gmail [dot] com

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  15. Very interesting to hear background from the author. TFS!

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  16. Just based on the synopsis of the book, this will be one I will check out!

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  17. This one sounds like a good read. Please enter me in the giveaway.
    marlenebreakfield(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  18. Intriguing cover!
    xlacrimax[at]gmail.com

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  19. Awesome!

    shakespeareanlover1215@yahoo.com

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  20. This book sounds great.. would love to read it.

    Doesn't say wether this giveaway is available internationally.. and I'm from the UK.. but thought I'd have a go anyway!

    Leannz0r@gmail.com

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Thanks for stopping by =)