VBT + #Giveaway: Dark Communion by CJ Perry @DarkCommunion @GoddessFish

Dark Communion

by CJ Perry

GENRE:  epic fantasy

BLURB:

The minotaurs have kept Ayla and Deetra's people in chains for 200 years. With nothing left to live for, and a death sentence in her womb, Ayla trades her soul for a chance to break the curse which holds her people in slavery. Armed only with her faith, she and Deetra start a revolution, and bring about the return of the Goddess of Darkness.

Excerpt:

The woman’s lips curved up in a smile but no lines formed in her cheeks. She looked like a living statue, and not one bit like her mother.

“Who are you?” Ayla asked.

The stranger leaned over Ayla, resting her palms on the altar. Her voice took on a hollow yet resonant quality. Her breath suffused the air with a heady fragrance like scented oils.

“I am the dark corner that hides those in need. The eternal ruler of the Abyss.”

“You’re a God?”

“I was once their Queen.”

“Am I dead?”

The Goddess kissed Ayla on the forehead with cold lips. “You are at His doorstep.”

“Where’s my mom?”

“The dead cannot hear your pleas. I have come in her stead, my child.”

Ayla never believed in the Gods. And if they did exist, she wanted nothing to do with any who would leave their people in chains.

“I’m not your child.”

The woman grabbed Ayla under the jaw, fingers digging into her cheeks. Her icy eyes remained impassive but her voice lowered threateningly.

“You are the daughter of Steelhorn, the grandson of Tor, who is my son. I am not just your mother, but the mother of every woman born from a breeding cabin.” The Night Goddess let go of Ayla’s jaw. The closest brazier’s flame shone blue in the Her black tresses. “I have waded through the River of Dreams to answer your call, and this is how you thank me?”

“I'm dreaming?” Ayla asked.

An Interview with CJ Perry

What inspired you to write Dark Communion?

I was inspired to write Dark Communion because I’ve been telling these stories with my friends for over 20 years. I started playing D&D when I was a kid and I was always in charge of the story, so it just evolved over time. I started writing one of my stories a few years back, but there was so much backstory that I had to start at the beginning with Ayla.

When or at what age did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I don’t think it was ever a question that I wanted to write, because I’ve always been a storyteller. I think it took me a long time to actually put it on paper, within the past 10 years, but I am always teeming with stories that I need to get out there.

What is the earliest age you remember reading your first book?

I remember reading The Smurfs when I was about six. I’ve always been independent and reading came very naturally to me. I was reading books like The Count of Monte Cristo since I was 8 years old or so.

What genre of books do you enjoy reading?

I love fantasy and I’ve read many authors with some great titles. I’ve read everything from Tolkien to R.A. Salvatore, Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman to C.S. Friedman. I think that because each author makes their fantasy worlds rich and exciting, it really gets my attention. But if I don’t like the first 10 pages, you can bet I won’t finish it. Quality work is definitely a requirement.

What is your favorite book?

My favorite book is Dragons of Autumn Twilight by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. It’s the first book of the Dragonlance series and one of my very first fantasy novels. I must have read it a hundred times, to the point that I can quote whole passages. I wrote an in-depth review of it on my blog, to celebrate its special place in my library.

You know I think we all have a favorite author. Who is your favorite author and why?

I have two favorite authors, actually. Stephen King has been my favorite for quite a long time and I think I’ve read nearly everything he’s written, with a few notable exceptions. He knows how to spin a tale and draw in the reader, and I’m a big fan of horror. But the writing team of Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman are also my favorite. I’ve read dozens of books by them, to include the entire Dragonlance series (Chronicles and Legends, etc.) and the Death Gate cycle. They set the bar pretty high for what I want my own writing to look like.

If you could travel back in time here on earth to any place or time. Where would you go and why?

I would go to England or France during the Hundred Years’ War. I think that war is most honorable with sword and shield, where you have to look your enemy in the eye, than it ever could be for modern warfare.

When writing a book do you find that writing comes easy for you or is it a difficult task?

It honestly depends on the day. I’m a stay at home dad, so sometimes I’m full of ideas without the free time to write, and other days, I have nothing but time and nothing to write. I write when I’m inspired, and as long as my wife doesn’t mind, I’m throwing myself into it whenever I have a free moment, whether it’s 11 am or 11 pm.

Do you have any little fuzzy friends? Like a dog or a cat? Or any pets?

I have two dogs: a boxer mix named Leila Ali and a Tennessee Brindle hound named Karish. Leila has been with us for 9 years already and she’s gone gray in the face since we had our second daughter in 2011. Karish (who was named by our daughter when she was just three) is a pain in the ass. But his growl keeps people away, so I’m glad to have him here to protect the family.

What is your "to die for", favorite food/foods to eat?

I’m a fan of food, in general. Sometimes I enjoy a plate of sushi, other days I just want a nice homecooked meal like my wife’s Chicken Marsala. She’s an amazing cook and when it’s not my turn in the kitchen, I love to see what she whips up, especially around the holidays.

Do you have any advice for anyone that would like to be an author?

Outline everything. The key to staying on track with your novel is the cohesiveness between the outline itself and the words on the page. It’s easy to write 20 chapters of a novel and get finished, only to realize it sounds like a bunch of short stories with no sense of a plot. I outlined both Dark Communion and my new book, Exorcism of Light, before I really got into the writing. It’s helped me keep track of where I want to go while also helping me plan out the novel into the right pace for the reader.

AUTHOR BIO:

My deep and abiding love of fantasy began when I was six when I first saw the 1981 film Dragonslayer on VHS with my father. He loved fantasy movies too, but didn’t have the courage to be a dork about it like I did. That movie was a gateway drug that led me straight to the hard stuff - CS Lewis. I was far too young for such potency but by the time I was ten I had read the whole series. That’s when I found my first Dungeons and Dragons group. When I started playing, my friends and I used pre-made campaign settings and published adventures, but I quickly grew restless with their limitations and trite story lines. I needed my own persistent world: something adaptable to my whim and that no one else owned.

Back in my day, there was no internet, so I took out every book about castles and medieval history from the school library and read them in Math class (I'm still terrible at math as a result). I came up with an entire world and brand new history. I read books on cartography and hand drew maps of my new world. I created a cosmology, a hierarchy of gods, and the tenets of their religions. I read the Dungeon Master's guide a dozen times, and every fantasy novel I could get my hands on.

Then, one day, I sat down and told my friends, "Hey guys, wanna try my story instead?"

Even 15 years after the original D&D campaigns ended, former players tell me that they share our incredible stories with their children. I'm honored to say that most of those players still have their original character sheets 16-20 years later, and a couple have even named their children after them.

Now, I'm 39 years old and a loving father of 2 girls, and I still play those games on occasion. My passion has evolved into putting those ideas and amazing stories on paper for the whole world to enjoy. My first novel took me and co-author DC Fergerson 10 years to write and topped out at 180,000 words. Being too long and too complex, I finally ended the project and took its lessons to heart.

I learned that Dungeons & Dragons did not translate well into a novel. D&D made for great times, but also for some meandering plot lines, pointless encounters, and poor character motivations. No matter how memorable some of the moments were, if I wanted anyone to read my story, I needed to learn a lot more about writing.

I threw myself into being a full time student of novel crafting. I read every book on writing by Dwight Swain I could find. I paid Chuck Sambuchino (Editor for Writer's Digest) to critique and edit my older work. I took James Patterson's Masterclass, went to college, and joined online writing communities. All the while, I read my favorite fantasy novels again, only this time with a mental highlighter. I reworked my stories, outlined them, and decided to start from the beginning.

Many, many years later, I am in the final edit and proofreading stage of Dark Communion, the first installment of the Shadowalker Chronicles. My role as a father of two girls heavily influenced the characters I’d known for over 20 years, shaping them into women that my own daughters could respect. My characters took on a depth and quality that brings them off the page and into the minds of readers, because they have become all too real. I was privileged enough to work on two careers at the same time to accomplish this feat - a fun-loving and involved stay-at-home dad, and a full time writer.

Author Links:

Blog ~ Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

Buy Link:

Amazon

Giveaway:

A $10 and a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to two winners
 

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