Saturday, November 13, 2021

Book Blitz and Giveaway: Blood of the Lily (Clash of the Goddesses #1) by S.D. Huston

Title: Blood of the Lily
Series: Clash of the Goddesses #1
Author: S.D. Huston
Publisher: Literary Dawn Press
Publication Date: November 1st 2021
Print Length: 176 pages
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

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This debut novel from S.D. Huston is a partial fairytale retelling of Snow White & Rose Red mashed up with Irish mythologies!

Triplet sisters, one dead, one kidnapped. A vengeful leprechaun and a scheming goddess. Can Lily save her last sister?

When sixteen-year-old sisters Lily and Rose take it upon themselves to aid a tiny man with a long beard in distress, he curses them into a world of trouble. Lily contends with the grief that lies behind her while trapped in a suffocating silent world of her own design, and she must now face the threat of what might lie ahead.

Whether she believes it or not, leprechauns are real, and in Lugh she has made an unfortunate enemy. Now the race is on to save Rose from the deranged whims of an unscrupulous faery and find out what, or who, is behind this mysterious turn of events. To find the answers, Lily must face the darkness that plagues her: both inside and out. On the grand stage of this world and the Otherworld, an adventure bursts forth so chaotic perhaps even Lily can’t silence it.

Weaving lore, light, and the lush beauty of the Irish language into the wintery landscape of a mystical Ireland around its 3rd century, Blood of the Lily brings to life a world where even the most fantastical places and creatures can be corrupted by the realities of life. This first book in the Clash of Goddesses series transports you into the enchanting and masterfully crafted Otherworld of Éire as one may only see in dreams. Start your journey today!

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EXCERPT:
“I want my sister.” Lily held up the harp, ready to play, but Fintan put a hand on her arm.

“You can’t banish me this time, Lugh,” he said. “You must come back home. Your sister is worried about you. Ébliu will not stop pestering me.”

“You stupid oaf! Why get married?” Lugh tugged his gray beard. “My sister won’t leave you alone? Fine. We’ll fix that.” With a wiggle of his beard, he sent Fintan crashing past the entrance to tumble further back into the cave.

The sound of a grumbled roar sent chills through Lily. What monster hid back there?

“No pestering from Ébliu anymore.” Lugh laughed and yelled his words at the back of the cave. “Just watch out for the dragon!”

Suddenly, the bear roared forward, thinking to take advantage of the little man’s distraction. Lugh swung around and fluttered his fingers, his beard turning golden in a bright light. Cúig stopped in mid-leap. His paws ran in the air but made no progress.

“And you, my friend, wouldn’t be in your predicament if you hadn’t looked for my gold. For that,” Lugh wagged a finger back and forth, “you can go look at all the gold you want but no touching or the dragon will get you.”

Cúig flew back into the cave’s darkness, disappearing the same way Fintan had been dismissed.

Lily shook, her teeth ground so tightly together that she lost feeling in her jaw. She strummed the first chord of the sleeping song.

The leprechaun held up a hand. “Come Daur da Bláo, apple-sweet murmurer, come, Coir Cethair Chuir, four-angled frame of harmony, come summer, come winter, out of the mouths of harps and bags and pipes!”

The harp flew from her hands to his, ripped right out of her grasp. Only a second passed before she pulled out her spear, ready to hurtle the iron tip through him, but then she was blinded by a bright light. She blinked several times to clear away the spots in her eyes.

When she could see again, she was back home.

Right outside the wooden palisade of Ráth Bláthanna.

Now, how would she save her sister with the Samhain portals closed?
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
S.D. Huston grew up in several places across the United States, but now lives in Florida’s panhandle with her husband, her youngest son who is autistic, four cats, and one special Siberian Husky. Her oldest son is off serving the country in the U.S. Army.

She’s always had a love for the written word, asking for her first typewriter when she was nine years old (yes, a typewriter!). However, her multiple career paths meandered through seven years in the military, then working in administration, before completing her masters in Writing. She spent the next seven years teaching college English and Literature while also running her own business as a Writing Coach, helping students and writers all over the world.

Today she concentrates solely on her writing career and her family: human, furry, and faery!

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GIVEAWAY:
Win a $25 Amazon gift card!

(All the Ups and Downs is not responsible for this giveaway, its entries, or the prize. Xpresso Book Tours assume all responsibility for this giveaway.)

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26 comments:

  1. I love the colorfulness of the book cover.

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  2. This sounds like an interesting book and I also like the cover.


    abfantom at yahoo dot com

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  3. Replies
    1. It took me a year of research, then about two months to write the outline. Writing the book took a little under three weeks. Thanks for asking!

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  4. What a fun book and I know Leprechauns are real!

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  5. Promising book, cheers on the blitz.

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  6. David HolliingsworthNovember 13, 2021 at 6:18 PM

    Sounds like a great story!

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  7. Nice book cover and the book sounds interesting.

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  8. It sounds like a really interesting book. Thank you for sharing.

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  9. Looks like an interesting book.
    Thanks for the contest. 

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  10. Replies
    1. I could offer you a review copy in exchange for an honest review if you're interested! Contact me through my website.

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  11. I think re-telling of classic fairy tales makes them new again and I love it! Best of luck with the tour.

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  12. I have a friend who would love this book!
    Thank you for sharing it.

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  13. Great cover! Sounds like an interesting book. Adding to my TBR list.

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  14. The excerpt is interesting. Thank you for sharing it.

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  15. Please tell your son, Thank you for his service.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much for that, and I will pass on the message!

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  16. Love books that have a modern day twist on fairy tales.

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  17. Phew lawd.. Gotta watch out for those evil leprechauns!

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