The Duality of Nature
C.E. Clayton
(The Monster of Selkirk, #1)
Publication date: April 18th 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Monsters come in many forms, and not everyone knows a monster when they see one. After three hundred years of monstrous, feral elves plaguing the island nation of Selkirk, everyone believes they know what a monster is. Humans have learned to live with their savage neighbors, enacting a Clearing every four years to push the elves back from their borders. The system has worked for centuries, until after one such purge, a babe was found in the forest.
As Tallis grows, she discovers she isn’t like everyone else. There is something a little different that makes people leery in her presence, and she only ever makes a handful of friends.
But when the elves gather their forces and emerge from the forests literally hissing Tallis’s name like a battle mantra, making friends is the least of her troubles. Tallis and her companions find themselves on an unwilling journey to not only clear her name, but to stop the elves from ravaging her homeland.
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The Heart of the Forest
C.E. Clayton
(The Monster of Selkirk, #2)
Publication date: October 17th 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Tallis is learning how to deal with loss and violence as she and her friends traverse the forests of Selkirk trying to find the reason behind the elven uprising. Not to mention why they keep hissing her name. But the further into the forests they go, Tallis is finding that the elves’ depravity can still surprise her, and thoroughly test the bonds of friendship, family, and love.
Tallis’s journey eventually leads to answers they’re not prepared for. Now Tallis begins to wonder just who she really is, and if she’s the evil that will end up destroying Selkirk. But she cannot stop to process these revelations, as an unforeseen betrayal lands those she loves at the feet of the very monster responsible for all the hurt, and heartbreak.
Coming face to face with her foe, Tallis discovers all too late she has no idea how to deal with this level of pain, and death. One way or another, the monster’s path ends here, and all Tallis can hope to do is bring those she loves safely out of the heart of the forest.
Interview with C.E. Clayton
As a writer, what would you choose as your
mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
I’ve adopted a Great White Shark as my spirit animal, for my life in
general but it fits with my writing. Great Whites are these fearsome and
misunderstood animals, and yes they can do some major damage, but they also
need help and protection and are these massive, mysterious creatures. That
really resonates with me, so much so that I have a tattoo of a Great White on
my hip! But it also fits with my writing. I love telling stories about
people/creatures that, on the surface seem scary and monstrous, but in reality
are far more complex then what we give them credit for. Where people may be
blamed for being a monster, but are actually these powerful and terribly
misunderstood creatures just battling for survival.
How many hours a day do you put into your writing?
As many as I can, but I do have a part-time job and fur-babies to take
care of. Being an author is what I do pretty much full time, so even if I’m not
actively writing new words, I’m still doing something related to writing, so I
still count that as writing time. It takes a lot of time and research to world
and character build prior to crafting a new story for me, and sometimes I need
to read great books and explore the world around me in order to spark new ideas
for current projects. And some days are spent editing/revising. So, I’m
“writing” a good 4+ hours most days when you look at it that way.
Do you read your book reviews? If yes, do they
affect what you write in the future?
I do read them, though I’ve
been told I probably shouldn’t! Perhaps one day I won’t anymore, but as my
first book is still only a few years old, a lot of this still feels new for me.
The reviews won’t affect my future writing as I am well aware that reviews are
people’s opinions and not everyone will like certain elements, while others
will love what I’ve done. Where I do take into account what reviews say is if
multiple reviews point out the same thing. Then it becomes less of an opinion
and more of a tangible issue I can address (maybe) in future books.
Do you leave hidden messages in your books that only
a few people will find?
Oh, yes! I am a huge Dragon
Age and Mass Effect fan (they are role play video games made by Bioware) so I
occasionally use names or references from those games and place them in random
places throughout my books and world, often in places that don’t fit the
original game characters!
Can you tell us a little bit about the characters
in The Duality of Nature?
Sure! I’ll stick to the major
players though, as the land of Selkirk is full of colorful characters. Tallis
is the main character and she’s never quite fit in with the people in her
little town. She struggles with feeling comfortable in her own skin and
following her dreams even though her society, and even her family, have carved
out another path for her in hopes she’ll have a nice little life living within
her humble means. But she loves to read and learning the art of combat too much
to sit by and be a pretty bauble.
Then there’s Donovan, Tallis’s older cousin. They treat each other more
like siblings; Donovan is honorable and loyal to a fault when it comes to
Tallis. He’s a serious young man with a strong desire to protect the innocent
and do what’s right, which makes him a great knight! He’s a bit like the
classic “strong and silent” type, but he’s also very patient and willing to
listen to others; he has all the makings of a great leader.
Rosslyn is Tallis’s best friend and she’s a bit of a rogue. She lives by
her own code, doing what makes her feel good, always living in the moment and
not looking much beyond the present. Rosslyn is snarky, and fun, and even with
her mildly chaotic lifestyle, she’s got a generous heart and is a staunch
friend, as long as you can keep up with her wit, and don’t rat her out for
cheating at cards!
Then there’s Tomas, an orphan who was raised in the monastery and was
groomed his whole life to serve their god. He’s a shy man, not used to being
around others outside of his order but one of the most brilliant men you’ll
ever meet. He whiles away the lonely nights inventing things and studying, all
with the goal of making life better or easier for others. His pure faith and
strong moral compass always keep him on the honorable path, which often puts
him at odds with Rosslyn, and Donovan has a hard time trusting a man who
appears so uncertain about life outside the monastery walls, but at least
Tallis appreciates his intellect, and he adores her for it.
Can you tell us a little bit about your next books
or what you have planned for the future?
I am working on a new
cyberpunk fantasy that I am in the beta reader phase of and I have a
contemporary family saga that I am looking for an agent for.
Do you allow yourself a certain number of hours to
write or do you write as long as the words come?
I write as long as the words
come, so sometimes that’s a lot longer than others. I hate being interrupted
when I’m in a writing zone, it’s so hard getting back in the flow of things
when that happens!
Do you have a certain number of words or pages you
write per day?
I’m a pretty fast writer when
I’ve got things planned and I have a destination in mind for my characters. On
days like that, I can hit 7k words pretty easily. When I’m not writing
something inherently exciting, but vital, it’s a little more of a struggle so
those days tend to be about 2k words.
What inspires you to write?
Lots of things! Clever books
and stories, mysterious and dark locations I visit, people I encounter… But a
lot of times, I’ll be watching or reading something and I’ll just stop and
think “well, wouldn’t it be interesting if this happened instead” or “why do X
always have to be the bad guys?” And from that little nugget, new stories are
born! That’s why I always have something to write on near me at all times!
Would you
rather
Read fiction
or non-fiction?
Fiction!
Unless it’s a true crime novel about serial killers…
Read series
or stand-alone?
Series,
all day everyday
Read Science
fiction or horror?
Love
science-fiction, I have to be in the right mood to read horror
Read Stephen
King or Dean Koontz
Dean
Koontz, I’ve never actually read any of King’s novels…
Read the
book or watch the movie?
Read
the book first, then watch the movie, of course!
Read an
ebook or paperback?
Ebook
if I am traveling or reading while eating, otherwise, paperback’s as I have so
many good bookmarks I love using
Be trapped
alone for one month in a library with no computer or a room with a computer and
Wi-Fi only?
If
I’m not on a schedule for a project, or if I’m in between projects, then trap
me in the library!
Do a
cross-country book store tour or blog tour online?
If
money were no object? Cross-country book store tour, I love meeting people!
Author Bio:
C. E. Clayton was born and raised in the greater Los Angeles area, where she attended the University of Southern California (Fight On!) for both her Bachelors and Masters, and then worked in the advertising industry for several years on accounts ranging from fast food, to cars, and video games (her personal favorite). After going the traditional career route and becoming restless, she went back to her first love–writing–and hasn’t stopped. She is now the author of “The Monster of Selkirk” series and her horror short stories have appeared in anthologies across the country. When she’s not writing you can find her treating her fur-babies like humans, constantly drinking tea, and trying to convince her husband to go to more concerts. And reading. She does read quite a bit. More about C.E. Clayton, including her blog, book reviews, social media presence, and newsletter, can be found on her website: https://www.ceclayton.com/
1 comments:
Thanks for being on the tour! :)
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