I'm so so so thrilled to be participating in the Crest Release Tour! Crest is the third book in Emma Raveling's Ondine Quartet Series and will be releasing very soon! I LOVE this series and I ADORE Emma and I'm always so excited when she stops by Word Spelunking! AND today, Emma has brought along the awesome heroine of this series, Kendra Irisavie, for an interview. Plus, there's a pretty fab giveaway too...
Crest
by Emma Raveling
Releasing Soon
Illusion. Power. Identity.
Tensions are reaching a fever pitch everywhere Kendra Irisavie turns.
Darkness settles over elementals as a new threat stirs suspicions of a betrayal from within.
Details of recent events spread through Haverleau, prompting doubts over Irisavie leadership. The mysterious Selkie Kingdom finally opens its doors, but the gesture only fans the flames of division. And despite the perils involved, Kendra finds it difficult to ignore the demands of her heart.
As the body count rises, pressure also grows to shift the tides of war. The sondaleur is on the hunt, but tracking the Aquidae leader is the greatest challenge she’s ever faced. With the Shadow playing a deadly game of obsession and horror, Kendra’s best chance to win is to unravel a tangled web of deception spanning back to the origins of the elemental world.
Nothing is what it seems and the closer she gets to the truth, the more dangerous her pursuit for answers becomes.
When the unthinkable happens, Kendra must decide if survival is worth the sacrifice.
Conflicting loyalties, fierce passions, and irrevocable choices ignite in the electrifying third installment of the Ondine Quartet.
Other books in the Ondine Quartet series
(click each cover to learn more)
First of all, many thanks to Aeicha for having us over today! I sat down for a conversation with Kendra Irisavie, the heroine of my Ondine Quartet series, and discussed questions she received from Aeicha and readers.
Here’s what she had to say.
Emma: Kendra, you have supportive readers who wanted to ask you a few questions…um, do you have to do that?
Kendra: What?
Emma: Play with your dagger like that.
Kendra: Puts it down. I’ll answer as long as they don’t get too personal or nosy.
Emma: Fine. You’ve been through a lot lately…
Kendra: Glares. You think?
Emma: Sorry. *Actually doesn’t sound sorry at all* Conflict is at the heart of every story. Besides, even though you’ve found yourself in a few sticky, dangerous situations, you’ve still managed to walk away from them alive.
So given your experience, what THREE things would you say are essential to have to survive any situation?
Kendra: First, you have to think clearly. This is probably the most important thing. Fear is a nasty emotion. It can cause panic or rage, both of which cloud your ability to find a solution. It can also dramatically affect your ability to fight or survive. Learn how to control fear.
Second, you need information. This is crucial. Assess everything. Your opponent, your surroundings, the resources and tools you have available. Gather as much information as you can because each piece helps you construct a plan that minimizes risk of injury.
Third, you should know your strengths and weaknesses. This is the final layer for surviving just about anything. If your strength is in dialogue or negotiations, figure out some way to use that to talk your way out. If your weakness is hand-to-hand combat, then whatever you do don’t start throwing kicks and punches.
Look at everything with objective eyes. Know yourself, your opponent, and your surroundings.
Emma: How long has it been since you’ve entered elemental life?
Kendra: I moved to Haverleau almost a year ago.
Emma: And it’s been almost two years since your mother, Naida, was killed.
Kendra: Nods.
Emma: That must’ve been very difficult.
Kendra: Long pause. Shifts. It’s war.
Another pause.
Emma: If you could ask her anything, what would it be?
Kendra: I’d ask her why….clears throat…I’d ask her why she didn’t tell me about the prophecy, about her past.
Emma: Would it have changed anything if she did?
Kendra: Shrugs. Maybe, maybe not. Maybe it could’ve helped make my adjustment to Haverleau a little easier.
Emma: Why do you think she arranged for Prince Belicoux to bring you there?
Kendra: Because he’s the best. Pauses. Mom was like that. She didn’t have a high tolerance for mistakes or failure and only dealt with people who were the best at what they do.
And Tristan is the Warrior Prince.
Emma: You didn’t really get along with his father, King Ancelin Belicoux.
Kendra: Scowls. King Bully treated his son like he was second-best to Eric. Someone needs to teach him he can’t boss people around.
Emma: Raises brow. And that would be you.
Kendra: If LeVeq hadn’t stopped me, I….stops.
Emma: You what?
Kendra: Tilts chin. I would’ve told him he was a coward who didn’t understand the sacrifices Tristan made over and over again for his people.
Emma: You sound like you care about Tristan a lot.
Kendra: Eyes slightly narrow. That’s none of your business.
Emma: You care about him even though you can’t be with him.
Silence.
Emma: And now you’re in New York with Julian.
Kendra: Reluctant nod. Yeah.
Emma: And?
Kendra: Irritable. What do you mean “and”? And we’re working.
Emma: And how do you feel about him? Shifts. Can you stop with the pointy blade?
Kendra: Sighs. Dagger drops with clatter. Look, LeVeq’s a pain in the ass, but he’s my partner. A good one, too.
Emma: Nothing else?
Kendra: He’s…my friend.
Emma: You sound hesitant.
Kendra: Shakes head. It’s just… I don’t call too many people that.
Emma: You don’t trust very easily.
Kendra: Leans back. Hard to do when your magic shows you all the lies people hide.
Emma: Nods thoughtfully. So life has been less than fun for you lately. If you could have one day to do ANYTHING you wanted ANYWHERE, where would you go and what would you do?
Kendra: Small smile. I’d go to Hawaii and spend most of the day alone, in secluded places away from the crowds. I’d swim in the Pacific, warm sand coating my feet. Breathe in the trade winds and rich floral scent. Eat shaved ice under the hot sun.
I’d end the day with an outdoor night concert, something intimate like gentle Hawaiian music or maybe even a classical instrumental recital.
And then I’d watch the moonlight dance over water.
Emma: Final question. Aeicha has some great fill in the blanks for you.
I’m really awesome at ___.
Kendra: Taking action.
Emma: I’m really embarrassed to admit that ___.
Kendra: I’m addicted to a soap opera, Restless Passions. But I blame Nexa, my magic mentor, for that.
Emma: The last awesome book I read was ___.
Kendra: Sabriel by Garth Nix. My friend, Aubrey, recommended it to me and I read it during our flight to New York.
Lots of cool, complex magic, an amazing fantasy world, plus the heroine was great. Tough as hell but she had heart.
Emma: The Kendra Irisavie motto in life is ___.
Kendra: Get back up. Work hard. Live by the blade.
Emma: The Kendra Irisavie inspired cupcake would taste like ___ and be called ___.
Kendra: Dark, decadent chocolate with a rich creamy center. It’d be called Fusion.
Thank you so much, Emma and Kendra, for stopping by today!
Emma Raveling
Emma Raveling writes urban fantasy and fantasy books for teens and adults. Hopelessly addicted to coffee and diet coke, she is currently working on completing her young adult series, Ondine Quartet.
To celebrate the release of Crest, I'm giving away one Ondine Quartet ebook Collection (from Amazon or B&N), which includes books one and two and the two novellas, to one winner. AND I'm giving away 4 extra swag packs, which include signed Whirl, Billow, and Crest bookmarks and Whirl and Billow stickers. So that's 5 winners!
DETAILS
-open INT
-one winner will win the ebook collection and a swag pack
-4 winners will win a swag pack
-will end 9/6
-must be 13+, one main entry per person
-winners will be emailed and must claim prize within 48 hours
-these prizes are being provided and shipped by Word Spelunking
Fill out the Rafflecopter form:
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