Welcome to my stop on the NBtM virtual book tour for Songs of Autumn by Lauren Sevier. This tour was organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. On my stop, I have an excerpt from the book as well as a great guest post. There's also a tour wide giveaway to win a $10 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card. Be sure to follow the rest of the tour for more content. Enjoy!
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Series: Songs Series #1
Author: Lauren Sevier
Publication Date: November 21st 2020
Print Length: 231 pages
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
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What if your entire life you knew the exact day you were going to die?
Liz does.
Magick in the Kingdom of Aegis has almost run out. When that happens, the seasons will stop changing, the tides will cease to turn, and the sun will no longer be able to rise and set. The only way to save the lives of her people is if Liz agrees to be a blood sacrifice in a brutal ceremony that will take her life.
The problem is… Liz isn't ready to go.
With the help of a mischievous wanna-be soldier, Matioch Steele, Liz dares to take her fate into her own hands. Defying a blood-thirsty sorcerer, her desperate flight teaches her how to truly live while Mat finds out what's worth dying for. Each other.
Love, Death, Magick, and Mystery come together to weave one girl's epic tale of self-discovery.
Her song will echo within us all.
Goodreads * Amazon * Barnes & Noble *
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EXCERPT:
Liz’s guilt coated her like an inky film, soaking deep into her skin. She was keeping so many things from Mat. Seeing him there, surrounded by his friends with an easy open smile, she couldn't bear to speak of her secrets now. What if, somehow, her words hastened his impending demise? As if speaking them aloud would spur the gods to action. Like a bad omen, she followed after him with a prophecy of her own. She would not wish such a fate on an enemy, much less someone she had grown to trust.
Tia tugged her inside the lodge, a familiar conspiratorial smile on her lips. Liz's heart ached beneath its beauty, evoking memories that had sharp edges. Pain and relief mixed together, indistinguishable from each other.
She missed her mother.
Somehow, innately, Liz knew she was dead. Perhaps the same way she could see through the mists and sense the threads of fate. All Liz knew was that she woke up one morning and the world was grey, her heart heavier.
Gone.
Now she only remained alive within Liz's memory, within her pain.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lauren Sevier lives a simple life in small town Walker, Louisiana with her family and two mischievous dogs. She’s a proud firefighter wife and mother to her miracle son, born through IVF after an eight-year battle with infertility. She works full-time for a non-profit hospital in Cardiology caring for the elderly and low-income families all over the state of Louisiana in satellite and outreach clinics. Writing and being in the service of helping others are her two passions in life.
She started writing song lyrics and poems on the front porch swing of her family home nestled amidst a 200-year-old pecan tree orchard that was once part of a Civil War plantation. She’s inspired the most by Shakespeare, the Bronte sisters, Jane Austen, and JK Rowling. Her background in Theatre introduced her to classic British literature, playwrights, and poets from a very young age. This helped her to understand story concepts, dramatization, and character development the way Shakespeare once did, as an actor.
Now her biggest inspiration for writing is her son who, like all children, learns by example. Lauren is determined to set a specific example for him; to live simply, work hard, and to never stop chasing her dreams. Because, one day, you just might catch them.
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GUEST POST:
- If you could have any magical power, what would it be and why?
I would love to have the ability to control time. To me, this is the most practical and all-encompassing super power. You can literally change events as many times as you need to in order to achieve the desired result. Also, I think as a busy mom, working full-time in Cardiology, and trying to balance social engagements and my writing career… it’s the one thing I always feel I don’t have enough of.
If I could stop time for a few hours and just write, without having to sacrifice in other areas of my life, I think that’s my definition of heaven. Essentially, I want to have my cake and eat it too. I love my job and the fact that it allows me to help people in a really significant way. People have asked if I would like to be a full-time author and while my answer is tentatively yes, I also don’t think I’ll ever be able to step away from my day job fully. Not if I want to feel fulfilled and purpose driven.
Who doesn’t want more time with their loved ones, too? I do struggle with a fair amount of mom guilt at times, even though I know I’m providing for my son and I make sure to prioritize him, making sure I don’t miss out on time with him would make me really happy. Getting the opportunity to make the most of every moment I have with my husband and son would be the biggest blessing.
I also really like the idea of being able to erase regrets and build a life that you love. With more time or the ability to turn back the clock, you could learn when it’s appropriate or not appropriate to do so. You can grow as an individual and see life through a lens that puts perspective into each decision you make and interaction you have. To live a life with intention and thoughtfulness, never feel rushed, and be able to indulge in all of the things that make you feel alive without restriction and time constraint, that’s what I would want. So, instead of shooting lasers from my eyes, being able to fly, or be invisible, this power is the most connected to what I feel it means to be recklessly human and that’s beautiful to me.
GIVEAWAY:
Lauren Sevier will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter after the tour. To increase your chance of winning, leave a comment at a different stop on the tour each day. Good luck!
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate getting to read about your book. With sisters and daughters who love to read, this helps so thank you.
ReplyDeleteMy dad was (and is) my biggest fan. He is the reason I fell so in love with literature in the first place. He gives me books all the time with little inscriptions on the inside cover. My first copy of Pride and Prejudice, The Hobbit (followed by all the others of course), and so so many more. They're so precious to me now. My library is full of books with notes from my dad. :)
DeleteGreat excerpt and cover.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! I hope you pick up a copy.
DeleteThank you so much for hosting me :) I'll be in and out all day answering any questions. <3
ReplyDeleteSounds like a very good book.
ReplyDeleteYou're so kind! Thank you!
DeleteThis sounds like a great book.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I hope you read and enjoy it.
DeleteI like the cover. It has nice artwork.
ReplyDeleteThank you! There's a sneak peek of the sequel's cover art on the hardcover dust jacket. <3
Deletethanks sounds like an exciting book
ReplyDeleteThank you! I would definitely consider it a page-turner. :)
DeleteYou are a new to me author which means more books for me to read.
ReplyDeleteYes! I have a ton of books in various stages of development. I hope you get to enjoy all of them! :)
Deletenice book cover and the book sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much!
DeleteReally great theme, I like YA books.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I hope you read and enjoy :)
DeleteI love the cover. The purple really caught my eye.
ReplyDeleteThank you! The purple is symbolic actually. There's a ton of symbolism in the cover. The color purple is representative of Liz being royalty. The white background is also representative of one of the main threats in the book, the onset of a winter that may never end. :)
DeleteHave a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteThank you Deborah! You have a wonderful day too! :)
DeleteHave a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteI don't know if it would be horrifying or of some comfort to know your entire life when you were going to die
ReplyDeleteI think its pretty terrifying. Living your life with a ticking clock over your head... but that could just be me. In any case, my main character Liz certainly isn't thrilled about it, as you can probably imagine.
DeleteCool cover
ReplyDeleteThank you! My artist really outdid herself. I'm so excited that she agreed to do the covers for the entire series.
DeleteNice cover. It sounds like an interesting book. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I really appreciate that.
DeleteHave a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing! Sounds great!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate that. I hope you'll grab a copy :)
DeleteHave a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteThe Song Series is a lovely name for a series of books. Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! 'Songs' is a reference to how the people of Aegis pray and how they view life and death. The title went through a few iterations until I finally landed on this one. But, I love it. <3
DeleteHave a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteThat is an interesting plant on the cover. Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteIt's a thistle. Important detail in the book, but also, I love Scottish and Highland culture specifically around the 17th century and used that as a basis for some of the world-building. So, I knew I was going to include a thistle somewhere. LOL!
DeleteHave a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteI love the cover. I really liked your guest post.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I hope you decide to pick up a copy <3
DeleteLike the cover and sounds like a good read
ReplyDeleteDolphinBaby1369@aol.com
Thank you so much! I've gotten great feedback from advanced reviewers. I hope you decide to pick up a copy. :)
Delete"Songs Series #1" sounds like a beautiful series.
ReplyDeleteI like the cover. This sounds like a book that fantasy lovers will love!
ReplyDeleteSounds magnificent! I love the cover as well!
ReplyDeleteThe cover is wistful in a way.
ReplyDeleteI love the cover it's so pretty love to read it.
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