Blog Tour Interview & Giveaway - Syphon’s Song by Anise Rae

Syphon’s Song

Mayflower Mages

Book One

Anise Rae

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Lyrical Press/Kensington

Date of Publication: March 3, 2014

Number of pages: 359

Word Count: 98,000

Cover Artist: Renee Rocco

Book Description:

Legends say a syphon can drain a mage dry. He’ll brave the danger. Will she?

Someone’s playing pranks. The body of the late Casteel patriarch has been stolen and gifted to the family’s enemy, the powerful Rallises. As far as Bronte Casteel is concerned, they can keep it. She hasn’t spoken to her family in thirteen years, not since they exiled her from society for her lack of mage power. But she’s a syphon mage, able to drain another mage’s power. Syphons’ destinies are always the same: death by fiery stake. She hides her secret by living among the Nons--powerless humans and the lowest class in the Republic. When her family orders her to go plead for the body’s return, she comes face to face with the one man who knows her secret.

Colonel Vincent Rallis isn’t letting his syphon get away this time. Not when she’s under suspicion of body-napping and aiding anti-mage terrorists. He’ll prove her innocence whether she wants him to or not, and then convince her they belong together...forever.

Vincent’s help comes with a steep price: Bronte must reveal her power. The inevitable ensuing witch-hunt and trial would be bad enough, but even a tough girl might buckle if her prosecutors are her own parents.

CONTENT WARNING: Hot, steamy nights with the colonel’s magic touch.

A Lyrical Press Paranormal Romance.

Buy Links:

Amazon ¦ iTunes ¦ Kobo ¦ BN

Author Interview

1. Tell us a bit about your writing background. How did you get started in writing?

I’ve had stories in my head since I was a kid. They were always love stories with a touch of magic and a hefty dose of adventure. I dabbled in writing from high school through college right up until I was out in the real world. When my second child went off to elementary school, I decided it was time to get serious. It took me four years and three novels before I finally sold. I consider the first two novels practice. Maybe someday I’ll drag them out so I can shake my head at how bad I was! 

2. Who/What were your earliest influences?

Anne of Green Gables is the first book I read that had a real taste of romance. I was a big fan of the entire series. In high school, I moved up to romance novels. I started with Victoria Holt’s books and moved quickly on to Bertrice Small, Johanna Lindsey, and then Jayne Ann Krentz and Nora Roberts. I started with the big dogs and never looked back. I found Laurel K. Hamilton in 2002 and devoured every paranormal romance I could get my hands on. From that point on, I knew that was what I wanted to write.

3. Did you face any early challenges to finding success in writing?

I think my biggest challenge was myself…feeling guilty that I was wasting so much time on this dream that was going nowhere fast, or, conversely, feeling like I wasn’t spending enough time or I wasn’t working hard enough or that I’d never be good enough. 

In those weak moments when I’d wonder if I should give up, my thoughts would always circle back to my kids. They knew I’d been working on this for years. What kind of role model would I be if I gave up on my dream? They certainly saw me struggle to make it happen—from days when I didn’t make my word count goals to rejection after rejection. I was definitely an example of the fact that success doesn’t happen to everyone overnight, but it’s worth it to work hard to make your dreams come true.

4. What are your favorite books as a reader today? What qualities in them appeal to you?

I read a lot of series. Two of my favorites are Ilona Andrews’ Kate Daniels series and Patricia Brigg’s Mercy Thompson series. I love these heroines because they’re strong, but they’re not perfect. They have flaws and those flaws are highlighted in their stories. Plus they have totally sexy leading men. How could one resist Curran or Adam? On top of that, I love the worldbuilding in these series…the elements of magic, the settings, the societies. I want books that will take me to another world and these two series do just that.

5. What do you do outside your writing life?

When I’m not writing or working, I’m spending time with my kids or reading a book. Oh dear, I think I might need to acquire some hobbies! There’s a belly-dancing studio just down the street. Pardon me while I go pop in.

6. What encouragement helped you along the way?

I had a great little writers’ group when I first officially dedicated myself to this path. They were so encouraging and held me accountable to my word count goals. They were not very critical of my work and at the time, that was exactly what I needed. They were my cheerleaders. 

7. What advice do you have for beginning writers?

1. Write. I have a little poster in my kitchen, right next to the kitchen table. It says ‘dreams don’t work unless you do.’ Dreaming about winning the Nobel Prize for Literature is a vastly entertaining pastime, but isn’t going to get you on that stage. Work. Write. Keep writing.

2. Once you start a story, set word count goals and hold yourself to them. Post your goals in a visible spot so that every else who lives in your house can see whether or not you’ve made your goals. Peer pressure. It works.

3. Get in the habit of finishing stories. Don’t let your computer fill up with half-finished manuscripts. Getting to the end is a skill. Practice it.

4. Choose your first readers wisely. If Aunt Sally is the most critical person on Earth and you’re not ready for criticism, choose someone else. This dream is your baby and if it needs protecting and coddling and sweet words until it grows up a little, that’s okay. You’ll eventually get to point where you can handle helpful criticism, though it’s never fun and you might always dread getting your manuscripts back from the first readers. 

5. Accept that this is a journey and enjoy it. Because it’s a long one, whether you get published right off the bat or you wade through years of rejection. 

8. What's up next for your fans?

Next up is Enchanter’s Echo: Mayflower Mages, Book Two. It’s Edmund’s story. He’s the brother of Syphon’s Song’s hero. I’m so excited about this book. I’m totally in love with all of the characters. Right now, the manuscript has come back from my editor for the second time and I’m tackling round two of edits. I don’t have an official release date, but I’m hopeful it will be in winter or spring of 2015.

9. What has been your biggest compliment?

My biggest compliment came from my editor, who’s working on the second book, when she told me she loved the story and that she loved it more and more every time she read it. Then she asked what’s next and how long will it take me to write it. Magic words for a writer!

10. Is there anything you'd like to say to your fans and readers?

Thank you! Thank you for taking a chance on a new author. Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoy Syphon’s Song and if you like it, I hope you come back for Enchanter’s Echo!


Excerpt from Syphon's Song

Bronte stood by the front door, her profile to him. The sun shone through the glass of the windows, highlighting her slender silhouette. She wasn’t tall, but her composure and the quiet way she carried herself lent her the illusion of height. He’d never seen anyone with such pale skin and dark hair. Those red lips had tempted Vincent at nineteen. They still did.

“Bronte.” His voice sounded louder and harder than he’d intended, echoing in the marble entryway. She turned. Her lips parted. Her dark blue eyes went wide. Edmund was right. She was terrified. He wanted to see her lit up with joy and happiness. Someday soon, he promised himself.

She donned her hat. Its low brim concealed most of her face. With long, graceful fingers, she tamed any errant strands of hair, tucking them in place. He couldn’t remember ever noticing a woman’s hands. Hers were delicate and slender.  

“Stay.” An order. “Please.” A small improvement, but it made no difference.

“No.”

“Thirteen years ago—”

She cut him off. “We were kids. Ignorant kids.”   

“No. We weren’t.” He’d already spent a year under Wilen’s command. He hadn’t been a kid. Considering the family she’d been born into, her childhood hadn’t lasted long either. “We deserve a chance—”

“I deserve a chance to keep my head on my shoulders.” Her whisper crackled with fury. “Hanging around you isn’t going to help me achieve that goal.”

“You’d be safe here.”

She lifted her chin. Blue eyes peeked out from beneath the hat. “Goodbye, Colonel.”

He took a quick, short breath. “Hand me your purse, please.” Somewhere in his mind, a red flag waved a vicious warning. He ignored it and held out his hand.

“What?”

“Your purse.” He crooked his fingers.

“There is nothing in my purse except my keys and my identification papers.” Her voice retained its cultured, proper timbre.

What would it take to make her lose that composed shield? What had it taken for her to build it? He would regret this, but it would keep her by his side for a little longer. He needed that time.

For a moment, she stood her ground. Her gaze drilled into him. He admired her determination, but it worried him as well. Defiance was dangerous for a Non-mage, even if she only pretended to be a Non.

Finally she held out the small bag. Her chin dropped. That hat once again hid her expression, but he’d bet anger lurked beneath.

He flicked the purse open and pulled out the red leaf. He’d watched from the window. He’d sensed her presence the instant she’d pulled through the gates. “What’s this?”

“That is a leaf.” She didn’t look up, but he could see her lips tighten.

“Is there a problem, Colonel Rallis?” The territory’s chief enforcer approached with pounding feet, a rhythmic warning that reverberated through the quiet foyer.

“Chief Masset.” Vincent nodded at the older man. Masset knew him well enough not offer his hand. They’d worked together after the first Double-Wide bombing. The chief’s son had died in the explosion.

Bronte lifted her chin, revealing her stubborn expression to the enforcer.

That red flag inside him waved another warning.

She stared right into the chief’s eyes. “I stole a leaf, Chief Masset.” She was calling Vincent’s bluff.

“Colonel.” Masset’s voice boomed through the house. “Would you like me to arrest the Non? She has confessed to stealing from a mage.” 

About the Author

Anise Rae grew up among the cornfields and soybeans of Ohio, dreaming of being a ballerina, an astronaut, and a romance writer. Thanks to her soul deep love of chocolate and a lack of natural grace, her ballerina dreams floated away as high as the moon, equidistant with the astronaut aspiration. She stuck with writing. 

Now transplanted to the south, Anise lives in the suburbs of Atlanta with her kids and a dog gifted with the power of finding dirty socks.

Syphon’s Song, a 2012 Maggie Award of Excellence finalist, is the first book in the Mayflower Mages series.

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***GIVEAWAY***

2 e-copies of Syphon's Song  and $50 Amazon gift card up for grabs.

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