FEATURE AUTHOR EVENT 2/26/14 Series Spotlight, Reviews, Character Skit and Giveaway for... Kerry Schafer Hello everyone! LITERAL ADDICTION is very pleased to welcome Kerry Schafer back to our site today, along with some special guests! Kerry Schafer lives in Colville, Washington, with her family, which includes two cats, a rescue fish, and a preternaturally large black dog. A self-styled perpetual student, she earned an RN from Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta; a BA in English (Honours) from York University in Toronto, Ontario; and an M.Ed. in counseling psychology from Washington State University. Kerry is the proud creator of THE BETWEEN series, which was launched on 1/29/13 with Between. Book #2, Wakeworld, was just released on 1/28/14. You can connect with Kerry online at her Website, on Facebook, on Twitter, and on GoodReads! We’re here today to help Kerry promote and celebrate the release of the new book, but for those who aren’t familiar with Kerry and her work, here are the synopses, buy links, and our reviews to catch you up…
Wakeworld THE BETWEEN Book #2 Add to your GoodReads Shelf Buy from Amazon / B&N Vivian Maylor is trying to hold it together. But her attempts to build a life with the man she loves seem doomed by the dragon inside her yearning to break free. Vivian is a dreamshifter, the last line of defense between reality and the dreamworld, and the only one of her kind. Weston Jennings also believes he is the only one of his kind. He fears his powers as a dreamshifter, and resists learning to control them. After suffering a tragic loss, Weston heads deep into the woods of the Pacific Northwest to embrace a safe life of solitude. But when a terrible mistake leads to an innocent’s death, his guilt drives him to his former home, where he encounters what he never thought he would find: another shifter. Now Vivian and Weston must work together to defeat a new threat to the dreamworld. Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha - Chelle *ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review I said in my review of Between, book #1 of the series, that this was an Urban Fantasy unlike anything I had experienced before, and one that I wanted to get lost in again. When I got word that Wakeworld was available, I was excited to dive in. Wakeworld picks up right where Between left off, but I think if you were coming into this book as a first time reader you could catch on easily enough... Kerry broadened the scope of The Between series by introducing yet another dimension, some supe groups we hadn't encountered yet, and a really nasty new antagonist. She also brought in another hero, and his story allowed Vivian's story to evolve some more as well. Between felt very much like your favorite childhood fairytales turned on their head. Wakeworld felt less like that, but did stick to embracing the higher fantasy elements that I loved from book #1, and even took those to another level with the introduction of the new creatures, the continuing evolution of Vivian's dragon side, and more. Like the first of the series, the book doesn't start out like a bullet, it ramps up nicely and once it hits the plateau, all bets are off and it's an edge of your seat thrill ride until the end, whereupon you'll be wishing for the next immediately. The characters and world building of THE BETWEEN are fabulous, and the second book of the series made each stronger. Readers that enjoy their Urban Fantasy with some dragons and high fantasy elements, as well as a slightly ethereal edge will likely find Between and Wakewold enjoyable, especially if you're not looking for instant HEA's for your protagonists. :) Now that I’ve sufficiently caught you up and have you all adding more books to your TBR and scoping out your favorite book seller to see how and where you can get Between and Wakeworld, how about we get to the heart of today’s Event? I had a chance to sit down to talk with Vivian and Poe, and even got to say hello to Zee! Check it out… INTERVIEW WITH THE CAST OF THE BETWEEN: Hello my Literal Addicts, I have a special treat for you today. I had the extreme pleasure of sitting down to talk with Vivian Maylor, one of the world’s last Dream Shifters. Take a peek at the transcript of our meeting… I pulled up to A to Zee books and parallel parked in front of the quaint building. It was a wonderful place to conduct an interview, but part of me hoped Vivian would take me to the Between or Dreamworld just for a bit. I walked up to the front door and entered, the tiny bell above the door giving a cheerful little jingle. The store was amazing. Books from floor to ceiling giving that warm, comforting ambience only bookstores can give, and intermingled with the luscious scent of old and new tomes, a subtle lavender and vanilla scent from the candle in the corner. Hanging sculptures and wind chimes hung from the ceiling, catching the light as they twisted and turned. I didn’t immediately see anyone, so I walked up to the counter and rang the little bell there. In just a minute, a very pretty redhead came from the back room followed closely by, yes…the largest (and cutest!) penguin I had ever seen. O.K, the ONLY penguin I had ever seen.
Chelle: I am so sorry, I don’t mean to be staring *turns slightly* Poe, please forgive me, it’s just a bit of a shock to see you in person, and you’re just so darn cute! *laughs* Vivian: *Poe's feathers ruffle and Vivian laughs* I'm not sure he likes to be thought of as cute. More fierce and intrepid. He did save my life, you know, more than once. And he's forever walking through doors I'd prefer not to even have opened. The penguin crawled up a short bookshelf to our right, and took up vigil amidst some crystals and knickknacks. It was obvious why Vivian had named him Poe, there he was ever sitting, never flitting… Chelle: Forgive me. Again. *laughs* But I’m not sure where to start with the interview. There is just so much I want to ask you! Let’s start with the basics. What was it like when you first found out that you were a Dreamshifter? Vivian: I was totally lost for awhile. Couldn't get my mind around the whole thing. When I was a little kid I think I knew, but I'd talked myself around to believing it was all a dream, and that my mother was totally insane with her ramblings about Wakeworld and Dreamworld. Quite a reality shift for me, and there wasn't time to sit around and think about it. Chelle: *motions to the pendant of a dreamcatcher and penguin hanging from Vivian’s neck* Are the pendants strictly for protection, or do they serve another purpose in the Between or Dreamworld? And why do you think that the totems are what they are – birds? Is there a rhyme or reason why a certain one is attached to a Dreamshifter, for example, did you have a particular affinity for penguins before you knew about your history? Vivian: Protection? I wish. All the pendant really does is help to anchor me in what we call reality. I know I'm in a Dreamworld when the pendant is missing, not in Wakeworld or the Between. It helps to keep things straight. *Poe scoots down off his shelf and hops up on the couch to sit by Vivian and she rests one hand on his head* I'm not at all sure the pendants always have been birds. I think my grandfather's might have been a cat. But they are always creatures who are connected to the mysteries, who can shift between realities with ease. I did have a stuffed penguin as a child. Poe looks a lot like him. Chelle: So, you got the double whammy of having sorcerer background as well as Dreamshifter lineage. *glances to the scale markings just peeking out from the neckline of Vivian’s t-shirt* I’m a little awed at ALL of your gifts, but being able to shift into a dragon has to be a bit of a rush. Can you tell me a little bit about what it’s like when you make the transition, and the differences you note when in alternate form – besides the obvious of course. *laughs* Vivian: Not so fun at all, really, when you think about it. Zee is a dragon slayer, you know, so it's a bit of an issue between us. Besides that, I find shifting a little frightening – all that raw power – and I'm afraid it will get away from me and I'll eat somebody or something. I did almost roast Weston one time. In dragon form everything is all sharp angles, nothing is soft. The colors are brighter, the smells are – textured. Like the difference between two and three dimensions. But flight – now that is a glorious and wonderful thing. As Vivian talked about being a dragon, her eyes – already an unnerving clear amber, something like hawk eyes – started to glow, and the scale pattern spread up her neck to her jaw line. It was a little freaky and for a minute I had second thoughts about how smart it was to be up close and personal with a dragon shifter. But then Poe nudged up against her and she took a deep breath and was purely Vivian again. Chelle: *a little breathless* Were you ever a reader of fantasy? Your time in Surmise had to have been like walking through the pages of one of those books. What was that all like for you over there – being reunited with your mother, finding out that there are alternate versions of ourselves on the other side, etc? Vivian: I have always read fantasy. I always felt like something was missing, or that some magic was waiting just around a corner, maybe because all along I was meant to be in the Between, or in Dreamworld. So I immersed myself in fantasy books looking for that experience. When it really happened to me, though – that was different. Not like a book at all. Scary, and overwhelming. I was a little frozen for awhile there – couldn't make good decisions or do anything useful. It was all just – too much. You know? Chelle: I can imagine! Was it a relief to find out that you weren’t the last of your kind? And did you ever ask Weston why he didn’t name his Raven? I’m thinking “Moore” would have been cute. *laughs* Vivian: *laughs* I'll suggest that, next time I see him. Seriously though, Weston had convinced himself he hated the raven. Last thing in the world he wanted to do was name it – he just wanted it to go away. As for being the last of the Dreamshifters – technically I still am. Weston doesn't really want anything to do with the whole thing. Chelle: You and Zee have a relationship that literally transcends dimensions. You’ve danced around the finality of it for a while, but do you think that you guys will try to work on things and take what you have to the next level? Vivian: That's sort of personal. I'm not sure I want to answer. A man walked out of the back room and stopped to look me over. He was tall, and even through a casual fitting t-shirt I could see serious muscles going on. Long dark hair to his shoulders, half healed scars on one cheek, and these eyes you could get lost in… Zee: Company? He was wearing jeans and a t-shirt, but a leather sword belt was slung over his hips and his right hand rested on the hilt. His tone was easy enough but there was an intensity in the way he stood there that made me glad I had an invite. Vivian: *her eyes lock with his and there's no doubt how they feel about each other* Zee, this is Chelle. I'm pretty sure she's not secretly evil or harboring hidden powers. Zee's eyes scanned the store – doors, windows, all of the shelves, before he relaxed a little and came to sit beside Vivian on the couch, close, but not quite touching. Poe waddled over for a head scratching. I could pretty much feel the tension buzzing between Vivian and Zee. Chelle: *clearing her throat* So, Vivian - do you think you’ll continue working at the hospital, or are your responsibilities as a Dreamshifter and your upcoming work to protect The Forever too much for you to continue? Though those ‘jobs’ don’t pay the bills do they… Vivian: I loved my job as an ER doc, and maybe someday I can get back to it. Right now I just don't have time. Plus, I'd always have to be explaining about my eyes and the scales, which is a hassle Chelle: But what about finances? Vivian: *shrugs and exchanges a glance with Zee* We've got the bookstore here and my grandfather's cabin. He left me some money, enough to pay the bills. And there's always food to be found in Dreamworld, and even in the Between. Zee: We're hunter-gatherers of a sort. It works. Chelle: Gotcha. *glancing at Poe* I have to ask, how do you know what he’s thinking? Don’t you just wish you could cast a spell and allow him to just talk to you? And how in the world do you explain walking around here with a penguin? *laughs* Vivian: We do get strange looks if we take him out in public. We don't do that much - I'm worried somebody will try to steal him or something. I'm actually glad he doesn't talk – he'd be lecturing me all the time. Penguin stares of disapproval are bad enough Chelle: I asked about Weston’s raven earlier, but how IS Weston? Have you seen him lately? Vivian: Weston is Weston. He's a survivor. Chelle: What’s up next for the Maylor crew? Vivian: *a moment of silence and another look exchanged between her and Zee. His jaw tightens. She clears her throat * We're off in a few minutes, actually, just stopped back here for some supplies. We've got to stop Aidan from destroying all of the Dreamworlds. Somehow I'm going to have to get the Sorcieri to give up some secrets so we can get into the Forever. So if you'll forgive us, we really do need to be going. Chelle: *with a glint in my eye* Before you go - do you have a Dreamsphere that I can see, and what are the chances you can take me into the Between just for a bit? Vivian: Unfortunately, no. The ones we had were all lost, one way or another, and besides they're not safe right now. If you were in one of the Dreamsphere dreams and that sphere died – I'm not sure what would happen to you. Chelle: The Between then? Please? Zee: It's not safe. The Between isn't Disneyland. There are a lot of things in there that will kill you. Vivian: And it's very unstable right now. What with the dying Dreamworlds and all, it's even more dangerous than usual. Chelle: I understand the risks. Still – just for a minute at least? Vivian and Zee exchanged another long glance. Talk about people who can hold a conversation with their eyes - those two were pros. After a minute, Vivian closed her eyes. She looked like she was meditating or something. And then, just like that, a door materialized in the middle of one of the book shelves. It was just an ordinary looking green door with a brass handle. Ordinary if it hadn't just appeared, anyway. Poe waddled over to it immediately. If he'd had ears they would have been perked up – he reminded me of a dog who knows he's going out for a walk. Zee loosened the sword in its sheathe. Vivian: You sure about this, Chelle? I nodded, swallowing hard. I was both nervous and excited. Vivian stepped forward and opened the door. It was a strange sensation. There I was, standing in a bookstore, and through the door was the oldest, mossiest, most over grown forest I could possibly imagine. Three paths wound away into the distance, none of them straight, all overgrown with vines. Poe hopped through the door immediately and waddled off on the path to the right. Vivian: *follows Poe* Wait! You don't know what's out there… Zee: After you. *he gestures toward the door with his left hand and draws the sword with his right * With Zee right behind me, I stepped through the door. The air felt different, old somehow, and I could smell trees and decaying leaves and something else, a sharp acid scent that was unfamiliar. Vivian and Poe passed out of sight around a bend. Behind me the door was still open. Zee: Go back now, or go forward. The choice is yours… As you can tell I got back safely. :) So, how about I give away winner’s choice of book from THE BETWEEN series to celebrate? CONTEST: Again, because I want to give some of my mobile users who can't access Rafflecopter a chance for a bit, share about the new release (Wakeworld), the series as a whole, or Kerry on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc, etc and comment HERE with the URL to your post and your email address for a chance to win. We'll check the posts and pick a random winner at the end of the Event. Good luck, and as always… HAPPY READING!
