Palace of the Three Crosses

Tags

Chries Wiegand, fantasy, MuseItUp Publishing, Palace of the Three Crosses

Welcome back to fellow Muse author, Chris Wiegand. Today she’s here to tell us a little something about some of her characters in her latest book, Palace of the Three Crosses: Book Two. We have the pleasure of interviewing Prince Brandan and Prince Joachim.
My name is Joachim and I am Brandan. We are from the kingdom of Crato on Ramajadin. Short or Tall? Short about 5’3” Tall 5’9”

Pet Peeve:my brother’s holier-than-thou-attitude awe for Asha

Favorite color? Red
All of Asha’s colors excite Me
Mode of Transportation (both) on the back of a dragon
Most comfortable wearing? King’s crown and formal Dragon riding clothes

council attire
Favorite drink? A nice cold pitcher of mead
a warm cup of koali berry tea
Nemesis: Asha and his slaves (including Sidramah and anyone opposing Asha)
My brother, if he doesn’t change his ways

Best friend? myself

my beloved wife Maeve and the dragon Myrria

Blurb:
Brandan and Joachim have returned from the brink of Hell, but everyone questions if they are truly healed and one with Asha.
As each prince tries to readjust to life, they must face the funeral of their father and their missing mother.
They each take on the responsibility of ruling a country with new wives by their sides, but can they and the countries survive the trials that will ensue because of their choices?

Excerpt:
Outside the chapel, Waldrom, Brandan, and Joachim stood in a triangle. Waldrom laughed. “So nice to have you two in one place, makes my goal so much easier to achieve. Now I have both of you. Oh, did you know your mother rejoined me.”
Derdrom walked forward leading Lilia in chains.
“We could have been one happy family, but now, I have to kill the two of you along with Lilia. You brats have put me in disfavor with Sidramah, and the only way to regain his favor is to get rid of all three of you. I had hoped to spare at least one, but alas, that is now impossible. The only question is…who’s first? The time has come for a decision.”
Brandan stood beside Joachim, his face working with barely controlled rage. Brandan lunged toward Waldrom.
Waldrom sensed the presence of magic and glanced behind him. Rupert and Lukan stood behind him. He grabbed Lilia and pulled her close, placing his short sword at her throat. “I suggest you stop, or I will cut her throat,” he warned Brandan. To emphasize his point, he pressed the sword against her skin puncturing her flesh.
Brandan, with sword drawn, took another step.
“I wouldn’t do that, unless you want your mother’s corpse on your hands.”
Brandan advanced, as Waldrom muttered a spell to compel the king to keep moving and cut a little deeper drawing blood. He felt Lilia quivering in his arms.
A woman stepped out of the chapel, carrying a sword covered in blood. “Brandan, what are you doing? There’s a battle being fought. Why are you out here and not inside helping me?”
Waldrom glanced at the new arrival. He did not recognize her and turned his attention back to Brandan, who was still advancing. “Well, I see you’ve gone and made yourself right at home. You even found a strumpet to help warm the place up. I should have known you wouldn’t waste any time. Sorry to break up this little party, but it’s still my kingdom. I would greatly appreciate if you would all leave. But, since you won’t go, I’ll have to remove you myself. Where were we? I was deciding which of you to kill. I see, though, a few have been added to the numbers. All the more fun for me. Although it may be a little more painful for you, but that doesn’t matter. Should Lilia remain my first choice?”
* * * *
Magda grabbed Brandan’s arm. She recognized Waldrom and had as much against him as Brandan and her father. “Wait, Brandan, I will deal with this.”
She moved toward Waldrom, but a voice in her head cautioned her. “Don’t reveal yourself. This is not our battle. Walk away. Let Waldrom do what he will.” She glanced around. Whose voice did she hear? It sounded like Melvane, but he was nowhere in sight. Upon further consideration, she realized this wasn’t her battle. She had every reason to want Waldrom out of the way, and if she let him get rid of these humans and the Kningrad, then she could deal with him at my leisure.
The voice spoke again. “That is right, let Waldrom do what he may, and then we will take care of him.”
Magda dropped her sword arm. “Brandan I don’t know what’s going on here, but I don’t want any part of it.” She turned and walked back into the chapel. “Hurry up and finish out here. I’ve taken care of those in the chapel so we can begin the joining once you’ve ended things. we’ve a joining to conclude. I’ll be waiting.” She slammed the door behind her. Waldrom’s voice followed her into the echoing chamber of the chapel.
Waldrom laughed. “Brandan, I would say you haven’t made a very good choice. You should be grateful I am going to end your life so you don’t have to put up with her much longer. Now where was I?”
* * * *
Joachim wanted to run to Lilia, but his head whirled. Stars floated in front of his eyes, their motion making him sick with dizziness. He stepped up to stand beside Brandan. “Waldrom, I’m afraid you’re mistaken. First, you are seriously outnumbered. Second, what makes you think you can use Mother to blackmail us? Such childishness, using a woman to negotiate, instead of dealing on a man-to-man level. Let her go, and we will discuss your surrender. I don’t want to kill you.”
Brandan pushed Joachim aside. “You may not, brother, but I do. He will stop at nothing to destroy me, and I can’t let that happen.”
A group of Brandan’s personal guard came charging down the hall. Waldrom pushed the sword point a little further into Lilia’s throat. “I see you boys still don’t agree on anything. I suggest you stop the group of soldiers from attacking me. Rupert, I know you’re back there, trying to form a spell to stop me. That wouldn’t be a good idea either.”
The tableau unfolded before Joachim’s eyes. Waldrom, in the center of the circle holding Lilia with a short sword slicing her throat and Brandan, his long sword drawn, advancing on Waldrom. Rupert and Lukan stood motionless behind Waldrom. Lukan had his sword drawn. Conflicting voices rang in Joa’s head. “Kill them all. You don’t need them.” Other voices calling, “Joachim save them. They need you.”
Lukan yelled, “Sire, watch out behind you.”
Joachim started and turned as a Mantion rushed at him. He pulled his short sword from his scabbard and stood before the coming onslaught. As the attacker reached him, he swung his weapon cutting and angering the Mantion. The foe sliced at Joachim’s knees with his knife, leaving a gash in his thigh. When Joachim doubled over in pain, the Mantion leapt on his back and pummeled the king. Suddenly, the weight of the attacker lifted from his back. Joachim fearfully turned his head, expecting to see the Mantion standing over him ready to deliver the kill stroke.

Book Cover

author bio:
Christina Weigand’s a writer, wife, and mother of three grown children and a middle school daughter. She is also Nana to three granddaughters. She lives with her husband and youngest daughter in Pennsylvania, returning there after a short sabbatical in Washington. Currently, she’s working on fantasy novels and inspirational writing. Through her writing, she strives to share the Word of God and help people young and old to realize the love and mercy He has for everyone.

When she’s not writing, she’s active in her local Church as a lector, Bible Study, or with the church theater group, volunteering at her daughter and granddaughter’s school in the library as well as helping the children develop a love for reading and writing. Jesus fills her home with love as she shares Him through her writing.
author photo:

Buy links:
https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/new-releases/palace-of-three-crosses-detail

http://www.amazon.com/Palace-Crosses-Twelve-Pillars-ebook/dp/B00FAPW43G/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1379639529&sr=1-1&keywords=christina+weigand

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/palace-of-the-three-crosses-christina-weigand/1116894510?ean=2940045264068

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/356129

http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/palace-of-the-three-crosses

Here is the link to the video trailer:

Stalker links:
Blog: http://www.weigandchris.com
Twitter: @CAWeigand
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/caweigand
Email: palaceofthetwelvepillars@gmail.com
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/chris_weigand
Amazon: amazon.com/author/christinaweigand

I will be visiting Chris on her blog today as well. Stop in if you have a chance. http://www.weigandchris.com/http:/susan-royal-visits

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Elixir Bound and Katie Carroll

strong>a GREAT BIG WELCOME TO KATIE CARROLL

Katie L. Carroll began writing at a very sad time in her life after her 16-year-old sister, Kylene, unexpectedly passed away. Since then writing has taken her to many wonderful places, real and imagined. She wrote Elixir Bound and the forthcoming Elixir Saved so Kylene could live on in the pages of a book. Katie is also the author of the picture app The Bedtime Knight and an editor for MuseItUp Publishing. She lives not too far from the beach in a small Connecticut city with her husband and son. For more about Katie, visit her website at http://www.katielcarroll.com.

Now I’ve introduced you to Katie, let’s find out a little more about her, shall we?

How long have you been writing?

Well, I’ve been writing since I could pick up a crayon. My family and I used to write and illustrate (purely for our own enjoyment) stories about Sam the Billy Goat. In the very first one Sam helps a little girl get a kite out of tree. How did he do that? He can fly, of course! In every book there was a point where Sam would have to fly to save the day, and in the story it would say, “And voop whoosh up went the Billy Goat.”

What made you finally decide to get serious about writing?

When I was 19 and a sophomore in college, my 16-year-old sister unexpectedly passed away. I went through a whole period of reevaluating what I wanted to do with my life and came out the other end wanting to write novels. Later I would figure out I wanted to write books for teens and kids.

Describe what you consider your ideal writing conditions.

Really just my laptop and a nice view, whether that be the friendly visitors on the butterfly bush in my backyard, the ocean, or the view from the window outside my local café.

Describe your rituals for preparing to write.

I usually go back and read the last few pages of the manuscript I’m working on and then I’m off. I like to have a hot cup of tea and maybe a sweet snack at arm’s reach. Music optional, depending on my mood.

How often do you write?

I write pretty much every day, but not always on my WIP. I have an active blog that keeps me busy (and sane because it’s the place I go to think “out loud” about things) and I’m an editor, so I’m often commenting on other people’s manuscripts. As for writing on my mss, I try to get in a couple hours a couple days a week.

Are you a plotter, a pantser or some combination of both?

Hmmm…I guess a bit of both. I’m a very plot driven writer, so the main plot tends to work itself out in my head before I even begin writing a piece. (I like to think about a story for awhile before I put anything down on paper or in my computer.) For most stories, I don’t write out the plot in any form…it just sits there in my head. And things often change while I’m writing as the finer points of the plot work itself out.

Name one of your all-time favorite movies, the one you instantly recognize when it flashes across the screen, the one you stop and watch no matter how many times you’ve seen it.

I’d have to say The Shawshank Redemption. It tends to be on the cable channels a lot and I always stop to watch it.

Describe one of your favorite characters and tell us who you patterned them after and why.

Oh, they’re all my favorite characters…even the villainous ones! But if I had to pick one to mention, it would be Kylene. She is named after my sister and based on her as well. I tried to write Elixir Bound from her point of view originally, but it was too hard. I think it was too soon after her death when I was first writing it.

Where do you go for inspiration?

Anywhere and everywhere! Really, the whole world is full of it for me. From my 2-year-old son, to a song, to my dreams, to a scene from nature, to an overheard conversation. It’s all gold to this writer!

Name an author or authors who never fail to inspire you.

J.K. Rowling (haven’t read any of her adult books yet, but the Harry Potter books I read again and again for inspiration), Kristin Cashore, Suzanne Collins, Tamorea Pierce, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis…lots of fantasy writers. For some contemporary writers I turn to John Green, Jandy Nelson, and Melina Marchetta (who does both contemporary and fantasy).

Tell us about your current WIP.

Elixir Saved is a companion novel (not really a sequel) to Elixir Bound. It does feature Kylene as one of the point of view characters. Notice I said “one of” because there are two, yes two, other point of view characters. Here’s the working tagline: “Kylene, Zelenka, and Devon have each been saved by the Elixir, and now they must decide how much they are willing to sacrifice with their second chances at life.”

Elixir Bound blurb:

Katora Kase is next in line to take over as guardian to a secret and powerful healing Elixir. Now she must journey into the wilds of Faway Forest to find the ingredient that gives the Elixir its potency. Even though she has her sister and brother, an old family friend, and the handsome son of a mapmaker as companions, she feels alone.

It is her decision alone whether or not to bind herself to the Elixir to serve and protect it until it chooses a new guardian. The forest hosts many dangers, including wicked beings that will stop at nothing to gain power, but the biggest danger Katora may face is whether or not to open up her heart to love.

Buy Links:

MuseItUp – https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/young-adult/ya-fantasy/elixir-bound-detail

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Elixir-Bound-ebook/dp/B0093CL4OM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375212370&sr=8-1&keywords=elixir+Bound

Barnes & Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/elixir-bound-katie-l-carroll/1113575170?ean=2940045014328

Smashwords – http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/240854

iBooks – https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/elixir-bound/id567647311?mt=11

Katie, it’s been a pleasure to have you here today. I wish you great success.

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