Welcome Marie Bilodeau/VBT Stop & a Contest

Marie's Blog Tour Contest: Marie will give away a signed eBook copy of Destiny's Blood (the first book in the series) to one randomly drawn commenter at every stop, and an autographed set of Destiny's Blood and Destiny's Fall in print (US and Canada only) or eBook (International) to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. She'll also give an autographed set of books to the host with the most comments.

The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here:  http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/04/virtual-book-tour-destinys-fall-by.html

Now onto the interview with Marie....

Welcome to my Reading Nook,  Marie. Please make yourself at home and let my cabana boys/girls get you a drink.

 Thanks!  That’s sweet!  Um, that’s an interesting coloured drink.  I’ll, um, try it later. Yes.

Comfortable? Wonderful. Now let's get started.

 Woo!

For readers who may not know about you or your work, please tell us a little about yourself.

 I write fantasy and science-fiction.  I have one fantasy trilogy, the Heirs of a Broken Land (Princess of Light, Warrior of Darkness, Sorceress of Shadows).  My latest book is Destiny’s Fall, second book in the Destiny series. I love adventure stories with lots of depth and world building. 

How long have you been writing?

 I’ve been writing seriously since 2000.  That year, a friend told me: “If you’re going to be a writer, you should try writing something.”  I thought: “Hey, good point!” So I started writing.  My first book, Princess of Light, came out in 2009.

Where do you get your ideas for your stories, characters?

 Everywhere. Everything.  From the silent mornings to the bustling crowds, from breezy forest trails to sweltering city streets, from exuberant happiness to reflective sadness.  I’m also lucky to be surrounded by good friends and family who foster very little drama, leaving me a lot of headspace to create my own drama on the page.

So tell us a little about your latest book. What inspired this masterpiece?

 My latest book, Destiny’s Fall, is the sequel to Destiny’s Blood.  It’s a rollicking space adventure story, as we follow Layela Delamores’ simple desire to see her daughter safe and free.  Well, not that simple, maybe.  Her people rebel against her, neighbouring systems move in on her territory, and her daughter’s cries shake the very core of her planet.  The desire may be simple, but getting it done certainly won’t be!

If you had any super powers, what would they be and why?

 The ability to eat chocolate without consequences, especially without gaining loads of weight.  Not super enough? I beg to differ. And I doubt I need to explain why. Well, I hope not…

What genre haven't you tried yet but want to in the future?

 Horror!  Some of it looks like ridiculous fun to write, especially the ones of the big monster chasing people variety.  I’d love to try my hand at that.

What is one thing readers might be surprised to know about you? 

 If you read my blog or follow me on Facebook, not a heck of a lot.

If we asked your muse to describe you in three words, what do you think they might say?  

 Destructive, insane, fun!

What authors can be found in your library of books? 

 So many.  I’ve in fact been asked by my roommate to get rid of some books before my room and the entire third floor collapses under the weight of my bookshelves.   Some noted favourites: Jim C. Hines, Marion Zimmer Bradley, John Scalzi and a slew of zombie books (it’s a nasty addiction). 

Have any guilty pleasures you want to share with us? 

 Zombie books.  I already mentioned them, but how I love them so.

Is there anything you're currently working on that you can give us a taste of?

 I don’t know that this will ever go anywhere, but here’s a tidbit of a fantasy story:

When she woke up, she was alone.

She stayed still for a long time, her chest rising and falling, each breath punctuated by the rhythm of an old, irregular clock.  Her limbs sparked with pain and she gasped, threw her eyes open, and realized in horror that the cocoon had not split open.

She was trapped.

What is your favorite way to relax after a hard day working and writing?
 

A marathon of one of my favourite shows, since I’m a horrible TV watcher and miss most episodes when they air.  Some of my faves include Doctor Who, Merlin and a bunch of 80s cartoons. (Nostalgia, how I love thee.)

What is the one era you would love to go visit and why? 

I’d shoot for the future, sparing myself the agony of choosing from so many intriguing historical eras.  Of course, going for the complete unknown may not prove the wiser choice.

What is one historical figure you would love to chat with and why?

 It’s not a historical figure per say, but it’s my great-grandmother, Mary Grant. We have so many legends surrounding our family that I’d love to hear the truth (more or less) from her, as well as hear some other legends that are now lost. I have her wedding ring – she was married more than one hundred years ago. If I could reach across time with that gold band, I certainly would.

Would you care to mention any upcoming or WIP projects that readers can look forward from you in the future? 

I have a short story coming out in the Dragon Moon Press anthology, When the Villain Comes Home, edited by Gabrielle Harbowy and Ed Greenwood.  My story is called Happily Ever After, and I’m really proud of how it turned out.  The third book in the Destiny series should also be coming out next year.   

Out of all your books, do you have a favorite one? If not, then which one is closest to your heart? 

That’s a toughie.  I love them all so very much.  Right now, at this very present moment, I’d have to say that the two Destiny books are closest to my heart, especially as the story is coming to its closure in book 3.  I’ll miss those characters!  I love them so.

What character out of all your books is the closest to your personality?

 I think writers take up multiple personalities when they become writers, and put a piece of themselves in each of their characters.  My favourite character right now is Avienne Malavant, from the Destiny series - she’s more insane than even I am!

Anything else you want to mention?

 Thank you so much for hosting me today!

Destiny's Fall by Marie Bilodeau

A broken tradition. A hunted child. A rebellion that threatens to topple the very fabric of the universe. 

When Layela Delamores gives birth to her first child, the ether immediately rejects what should be its only heir. A wave of destruction sweeps the ether races and sparks Solaria’s ire and rebellion on Mirial. A new heir rises to take the throne of Mirial, one who wields tainted ether.

Unable to access the flow of ether, Layela is left with little choice but to flee Mirial, seeking answers that may no longer exist, prepared to sacrifice everything to free herself and her daughter from the clutches of the First Star.

Teaser Excerpt:

 “Cap’ain!” her second-in-command, a short man named Larod, screamed.

 “Gun the engines, get us out!”

 “Solariers are telling us to stand down,” said Jaru, her systems analyst.

 “And I’m saying the docks need redecorating. Gun the engines!”

The two moved quickly to obey her order. The engines churned to life, the scent of rotten cabbage pumping through the entire ship. The ship jerked once and the engine popped, and her hull vibrated, resonating in Avienne’s skull.

 “Come on, you useless piece of crap!” She kicked the tactical controls and half the panel lights blinked out.

 “Blood and bones, I need to steal a better ship!” The engines sputtered and the ship stopped vibrating.

 “Engines online, Captain!” Jaru screamed. Avienne whooped and switched the viewport on. The entire metal structure of the docks buckled as they pulled free without first de-clamping, ripping great chunks of metal. The Dessicate’s engines kicked in full blast, throwing Avienne back into her seat. The docks swayed for a moment when the engine’s jet of hot hair struck them, then buckled sideways, and seemed to be righting themselves before suddenly collapsing in a heap of smoke and metal, dragging a few of the smaller ships down.

Avienne hissed. That made a nice, round ten worlds on which she would no longer be welcome. She was running out of planets to do business on.

“Where to, Captain?” Larod asked from navigations.

“Mirial. I believe it’s time to pay my brother a visit.”

Marie Bilodeau is an Ottawa-based science-fiction and fantasy author. Her space fantasy novel, Destiny’s Blood, was a finalist in the Aurora Awards and won the Bronze Medal for Science-Fiction in the Foreword Book Awards. She is also the author of the Heirs of a Broken Land, a fantasy trilogy described as “fresh and exciting” by Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo award-winning author of WAKE. Her short stories have appeared in several magazines and anthologies, including the recent When the Hero Comes Home, edited by Ed Greenwood and Gabrielle Harbowy.   

Marie is also a professional storyteller who’s told adaptations of fairy tales and myths, as well as original stories, in venues across Canada. More at www.mariebilodeau.com.