Wednesday, February 5, 2014

The Hathor Legacy by Deborah A. Bailey - Interview and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Deborah will be awarding a print copy (US ONLY) of Hathor Legacy: Outcast to two randomly drawn commenters during the tour, and a Grand Prize of a $25 Amazon GC will be awarded to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

Why do you write in your genre? What draws you to it?

I've always enjoyed science fiction and fantasy. So when I get an idea for a story, it's usually in one of those genres. I grew up watching the Twilight Zone and Star Trek. With that type of setting, there are endless ideas for stories. But the best thing is that you can identify with the characters and their situations, no matter where the stories are set.

What world-building is required?

I think that depends on your genre. With fantasy you can create a world and make your own rules. But with science fiction things have to be plausible. As I was writing, I did a lot of research into different types of gadgets. Based on the technology we have now, how will things evolve? I'll give you an example. In my book, there are no conventional cars as we know them. The vehicles drive themselves using computerized traffic lanes. Well, something similar already exists today, though they're still being tested. My book also has aircars that fly short distances throughout the city. Well, I recently saw that a car that you can fly and drive home after landing does exist. It may go on sale as early as 2015. These things are not only plausible in a futuristic world, they're already being invented.

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

Nadira (my heroine) has taught me that working to make things better will always beat cynicism. She's passionate in her beliefs and she has a desire to improve things for people in her society. A lot of people around her are ambitious for power and status, and they expect her to be the same way. But she stays true to her beliefs and doesn’t lose focus. That's inspiring, especially at times when you might feel discouraged about reaching your goals.

Do you have any odd or interesting writing quirks, habits or superstitions?

I'm not sure if it's a quirk, but before I work on a story, I have to know the character names before I write about them. There's something about having a name that helps me to get a feel for who the character is. I don't bother with biographies because the character will tell me who they are as I go along. Most of the time, it starts with a conversation in my head that one character is having with another, then I go from there.

Are you a plotter or pantser?

Most definitely a pantser! For years I wrote short stories, so it was much easier to write without having a lot of plot points written down. But with this novel that wasn't going to work. So I created a synopsis to give me a roadmap of where the story should start and end. With the synopsis, I have something that keeps me on track when ideas pop up that might take me off course.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

My first computer! It's a Packard Bell from the '90's. And yes, it still works. It's got a huge monitor by today's standards, so that's on a table next to my desk. I'm not sure why I still have it, other than sentimental reasons. However, I do use it from time to time to play games that run on Windows 95. I was a computer programmer for many years, so might explain my attachment to it.

Anything new coming up from you? What?

I'm hard at work on book two of the Hathor Legacy series. It's called Hathor Legacy: Burn. It'll have a lot of the characters from the first book, and a few new ones. Jonathan and Nadira will be returning and their relationship will be continuing to grow - but not without a few challenges along the way. The story will fill in more backstory about the Guardians and Hathor.

Do you have a question for our readers?

When you're reading a romance, do you prefer that the H/H have an instant attraction? Or would you prefer that their attraction build over time?

Thanks so much for inviting me to stop by your blog and share my book with your readers!

On the planet, Hathor, a powerful group called the Guardians serves as the security force for Novacorp, the corporation that runs Hathor with its ruthless monopoly. Nadira, as one of the most powerful Guardians, is expected to use her intuition and telekinetic powers to keep the capital city safe from thieves and intruders.

Jonathan Keel, son of a mine CEO on the nearby planet, Astarte, is wealthy, privileged and used to getting what he wants. When his father goes missing after a robbery and explosion at the mine, he defies the authorities and heads to Hathor to search for him and for the robbers.

Struggling with their growing desires, and chased by company security, Jon and Nadira find that solving the crime leads them to endure betrayals from the people closest to them, as secrets are revealed that not only link their pasts but also threaten to destroy Jon's family and separate him from Nadira forever.

Enjoy an excerpt:

Nadira walked through the open doorway that led to the kitchen. It was empty, except for some instant food packs that were on the counter next to the deep, stone sink.

She examined one of them. Fish soup, not exactly appetizing. It was enough to make her miss Jason's cheerful house. Back in the dining room, she peeled off her damp jacket and draped it over the back of a chair.

Rain pelted the window, leaving streaks across the glass. Zina wouldn't be a threat while this kept up.

A boom of thunder shook the house, echoing through the empty room. "Jon?" she called out. No answer. "Jonathan!"

Her response was a thud, followed by another one. Nadira rushed up the stairs. Breathless, she checked the first room. It was empty except for a chair facing the window. Darting to the room across from it, she got there in time to see Jonathan wrapping a blanket around him, his boots on the floor.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Why didn't you answer?"

"My shirt's wet. Figured this was warmer." He climbed on the bed. "Worried about me?"

"No!" He was the most exasperating man she'd ever met. "You like taking your clothes off, don't you?"

"I thought you liked to see me naked." He chuckled. "But I still have my pants on."

Nadira sat down on the edge of the bed, her back to him. Kicking off her shoes, she drew her legs up and sat cross-legged. Though she could feel a desire to be closer to him, she pushed it away. She was not going to give him the satisfaction.

About the Author
As a little girl when Deborah A Bailey was watching Star Trek and Twilight Zone, she was writing and drawing her own superheroine comics. When she grew up, she continued to write and followed her love of technology into a career as a computer programmer and developer. But writing was never far away from her heart, so over the years she wrote and published stories set on other worlds and in Earth's future. Ultimately she fulfilled a lifelong dream and completed her first novel.

Her short stories have won awards from the Philadelphia Writers’ Conference and her work has been published in US1 Magazine and the Sun. And she recently published a short story collection, Electric Dreams: Seven Futuristic Tales. In her "other" life, she's a freelance writer who's published two non-fiction books and countless articles that have appeared in print and online. Visit her blog for writing tips, interviews and updates.

Blog: http://brightstbooks.blogspot.com/
Website: http://www.brightstreetbooks.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AuthorDeborahB

Buy the book at Amazon.

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11 comments:

  1. I don't like the H and H to have an immediate attraction. It doesn't seem realistic. I really enjoyed the excerpt. I am glad you are making this a series. It really sounds good.

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    1. So glad you enjoyed it, Mom Jane. You know, I've found the instant attraction unrealistic too. It can be a challenge to show the sparks flying between the H and H, while not making it seem forced. But it can be fun as well. Thanks for your comments!

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  2. Hi and thanks for hosting me! We've got more snow mixed with sleet and rain here in NJ. So I wanted to say hi before I go out to shovel!

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  3. I like the attraction to build over time.

    Kit3247(at)aol(dot)com

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    1. Building the attraction does add more tension. Though sometimes it's hard to be patient and wait for the H and H to finally get together. But I'm the type of person who will read the end of a book because I can't wait to find out what will happen! :) Thanks for your comment, Rita.

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  4. Congratulations on the publication of Hathor Legacy: Outcast! It sounds like a fascinating book. I enjoyed Jonathan's sense of humor in the excerpt. In a romance I prefer that attraction builds over time, because it makes the story much more interesting.

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    1. Thanks, BookLady! I like a man with a sense of humor, so I made sure that was one of Jon's qualities. He and Nadira will be returning in book 2, and their relationship will continue to grow.

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  5. Sounds like a great book and I am looking forward to reading it. Thanks for sharing

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    1. Hi Patrick! I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for your comments!

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  6. I hope ur blog tour was a great success!
    ilookfamous@yahoo.com

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So... inquiring minds want to know: what do you think?