Blog Tour: Enlightenment by Reno Ursal @reno1107 @yaboundtourspr

Enlightenment
by Reno Ursal
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance/Magical Realism
Release Date: November 20th 2018

Summary:

Set in Las Vegas, 18-year-old Dorothy Dizon's life takes an unexpected turn when the alluring Adrian Rosario peaks her curiosity by his knowledge of obscure Filipino folklore.

Adrian keeps his Danag secret society hidden knowing she's embarked on a transformational journey tied to her Filipino ancestry. Together, they struggle through a supernatural ride that changes not only their lives, but of everyone they love.

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Barnes & Nobles  ~ Amazon 

Interview with Author Reno Ursal

Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in Enlightenment, Book One of the Bathala Series?

Enlightenment tells a story from the first-person perspectives of Dorothy Dizon and Adrian Rosario. Dorothy is inspired by various different people in my life, the most significant being my niece who was raised in America after immigrating from the Philippines at a young age. Her biological father was not in her life and she was raised by loving grandparents and her brothers and sisters in LA and Vegas.

In this story, Dorothy is humble and aware of self-perceived faults in what many may consider an impressive resume of achievements for an eighteen year-old. She is Filipino American through and through - she’s aware of her cultural heritage, but there is a disconnect in language and understanding of her homeland’s history.

Adrian is the epitome of an overconfident being who underestimates the human condition. He physically looks like a young Filipino American, but he is a warrior member of a long-lasting secret society in the Philippines. Without being a spoiler, his connection with Dorothy tests his beliefs and makes him question the reason he was sent to Vegas in the first place.

Can you tell us a little bit about your next books or what you have planned for the future?

We are currently editing “Atonement” Book Two of the Bathala Series. The release date will be whenever we feel it is ready. There are questions in Enlightenment that will be answered as the series moves along, so it’s my hope Atonement will be released sooner than later.

How long would you say it takes you to write a book?

Every book has it’s own background story and timeline. I started writing Enlightenment in 2009 and the manuscript became 600 pages over the years. The published novel ended up being 250+ pages and it was difficult when scenes were cut out. The bright side is I still have these scenes and I hope to incorporate them sometime in the later novels. I don’t think you can write a novel without soliciting feedback from editors, alpha and beta readers. For me, it took over 9 years until Enlightenment was published.

What is your favorite childhood book?

C.S. Lewis - The Chronicles of Narnia series and Jules Verne Journey To The Center of the Earth.

These books had my hooked to Fantasy & Adventure books and introduced me to other narrative worlds and the concept of magical realism.

If you could spend the day with one of the characters from Enlightenment who would it be? Please tell us why you chose this particular character, where you would go and what you would do.

I would love to hang out with Adrian in his secret society in the Philippines. This is a world that will be introduced to the public in Book Two: Atonement, so I’ve already spent a lot of time here as a novelist. But to see it all in person would be a dream come true (because this world has truly been in my dreams for years!).

What was the hardest scene from Enlightenment to write?

The hardest scenes to write in Enlightenment had to do with two antagonists, Aria and Dala. Don’t want to be a spoiler, but I struggled with Adrian’s regrettable choice, which epitomized my struggle with the fates of my female characters. As a male writer, I want my female characters to be strong and badass. However, my editors (1 male, 2 females) convinced me not to let my defaults hinder the story. I eventually reconciled this struggle with Dorothy’s decision when facing Sitan on the plane.

What made me want to be a writer?

As alumni of the Huron Shores Writing Institute in Northern Michigan while a a teenager, I began my writing journey. When I became an English major at The University of Michigan, I continued writing sloppy short stories. A pivot point for me was taking Professor Stephen Sumida’s Asian American Writing course at Michigan as a sophomore where I was introduced to Asian American writers like Maxine Hong Kingston, Amy Tan and Peter Bacho. I was blown away there were APA writers with their own published stories. I was used to reading stories from white male authors, so this class changed my trajectory and the tone of my inner voice changed. I wrote pop songs that eventually were produced, all the while writing short stories unknown to most people who know me. Over time, I realized my writing voice was Filipino American, a voice I thought was a hindrance to being published. Today, I realize my unique Fil-Am writing voice is shared by many in my community. It’s a voice all readers should be exposed to.

Just for Fun

Favorite Song: Viva La Vida - Coldplay, among many others

Favorite Book: The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown, among many others

Favorite Movies: A Walk To Remember & The Notebook - two Nicholas Sparks books

Favorite TV Show: Friends, among many others

Favorite Food: Sushi!

Favorite Drink: Guava juice

Favorite Website: Way too many to pick out one!

Thanks so much for visiting with us today! 

About the Author

Filipino American author and reader on a journey of self-discovery and reflection through the power of storytelling. No history, no self. Know history, know self.

Author Links: Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram

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