Showing posts with label #AFairysQuest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #AFairysQuest. Show all posts

February 13, 2024

#TirgearrTuesday

Fairy princess Alina Lehrer sets out to reclaim the crown stolen from her family more than a century ago. In order to complete her quest, she must face her demons and win over the assassin Rylan Jackson assigned to eliminate her. Fate has placed Alina and Rylan on opposing sides, but fate is not set in stone.

Excerpt from A Fairy's Quest

I’m going to Paris, the city of love. Maybe I’ll even have a passionate love affair. 

“Bonsoir.”


Alina jerked her head up at the sound of the stranger’s lilting French accent. “Hello.” Hello, handsome. Did my imagination conjure this hunk?

 

“First trip to Paris?” His pronunciation of “pah-rhee” rolled off his tongue like honey.

 

“Yes.” Alina twisted in her seat to get a better look. Her perceptive eyes sized up her companion. He was a gorgeous specimen of a man. Dark brown, shaggy hair. Hypnotic brown eyes. Strong jawline. Just a hint of stubble, like he had shaved that morning. Stop staring. “What gave it away?”

 

“The guidebook in your tote?”

 

“Yeah. That’ll do it.”

 

“Business or pleasure?”

 

Alina flashed him a suspicious “you’re a stranger, I’m not telling you anything” look.

 

He threw his arms up in mock defeat. “I am Rylan Jackson.” He extended his hand.

 

“A—” Wait a minute. I don’t need to give him a real name. It’s a good time as any to try on a new persona. “Allie.” She picked an alias, not so different than her real name, before reaching out to shake his hand. His hand was warm, rough, like he used his hands to make a living. Touching him sent a buzz of awareness swirling through her body.

 

“Now, we are friends, oui?”

 

His sultry smile disarmed her objections to the friendly conversation. It can’t hurt to flirt a little while I wait for my flight. It’ll be good practice.



The Magicals Series:



September 26, 2023

#TirgearrTuesday

Trauma inspired A Fairy's Quest.

For those of you not familiar with this title... A Fairy's Quest is Book 3 in The Magicals Series. It continues from where we left off in Kurtis Warde's story (A Wizard's Choice, Book 2). Kurtis had realized that although he should like Alina—she was the safer and politically savvy choice—his heart had a different opinion.

I never felt right about leaving Alina the way I did. Standing on the sidewalk. Alone. Brokenhearted. She deserved a happily-ever-after too.

Unfortunately, the path to happily-ever-after is not paved with well-marked road signs. In Book 2, Alina was attacked (and nearly murdered) and this has left her with scars not visible to the naked eye.

A Fairy's Quest

New York had Broadway. LA had Hollywood. Chicago had magic.

During the Golden Age of Magic, descendants of The Anunnaki sought refuge in the City of Magic.

Five years ago, fairy princess Alina Lehrer played the role of dutiful daughter until, in a single act of rebellion, she broke her arranged marriage agreement with David Laurent and destroyed a powerful alliance between their families. She fears her mother will hold it against her until she fulfils her familial duty—to reclaim the fairy crown that had been stolen from them more than a century ago.

Now, the usurper to the throne is dead, thus ending the fairy-wizard feud. It is time to reclaim the throne, and ultimately the stolen crown. But happily-ever-after seems as far away as ever for Alina. She is still heartbroken after the rejection of her first love and is still healing from a near-death trauma. She must push aside her personal feelings and find a way to confront her demons in order for her to complete her quest.

Rylan Jackson, codename Orion, has an impeccable record as a trained assassin for The Royal Court of Fairies. As The Court's most trusted asset, he always gets the job done. Until his target is Alina, the one woman he can’t resist.

Fate has placed Alina and Rylan on opposing sides in a world of deception and betrayal. Where truth is ambiguous. Where loyalties war with affection. Where there are no coincidences.

But Alina has the power to change her destiny and soon learns Fate is not set in stone.

March 22, 2022

January 18, 2022

#TirgearrTuesday

Fairy princess Alina Lehrer sets out to reclaim the crown stolen from her family more than a century ago. In order to complete her quest, she must face her demons and win over the assassin Rylan Jackson assigned to eliminate her. Fate has placed Alina and Rylan on opposing sides, but fate is not set in stone.





December 21, 2021

Focus on Book Tropes for #TirgearrTuesday

An assassin and a princess make an unlikely couple, but A Fairy's Quest, The Magicals Series Book Three, is not your ordinary opposites attract storyline. Fairy princess Alina Lehrer encounters a handsome stranger Rylan Jackson at the airport on her way to Paris. Her trip is a quest to restore her family's heritage, but she's determined to enjoy her time in The City of Love. Alina entertains the idea of a holiday fling with Rylan, unaware that his job is to prevent her from completing her quest by any means necessary. You get royalty meets holiday romance in A Fairy's Quest.





October 19, 2021

An Excerpt from A Fairy's Quest for #TirgearrTuesday

Rylan polished off the tart and wistfully eyed the second one.

She held back a smile, watching him practically salivate over the sweet. “Go ahead.”

He didn’t even hesitate. Just popped the tart in his mouth, offering her an endearing smile with his cheeks puffed full. His long bangs flopped in front of his eyes, making him appear much younger, boyish even. She could picture him as a child. Even imagine what his son would look like. The thought caught her by surprise. She’d just met him, for goodness sake. Although—her cheeks reddened—I know him a lot better now.

As if he knew where her thoughts were headed, he scooted behind her and drew her into his arms. She rested the back of her head against his chest, close enough to feel the vibrations of his steady heartbeat. “What about you?”

“What about me?” He reflected her question nonchalantly, but she sensed an undercurrent of unease beneath his casual veneer.

“What’s your deal? You’ve listened to me babble out my whole life story—practically—and I know so little about you. Other than—” She made a point of counting on her fingers. “You’re from Paris, you love to travel, and you have three older sisters.”

“Oh, ma chérie—” He raised her fingers to his lips and placed gentle kisses on her fingertips. “You have seen into the deepest recess of my soul. You know everything that matters.”



“Somehow—”

The rest of her words were lost as he captured her lips in a bruising kiss. She opened her mouth to accept his probing tongue, and the rest of her questions flew out of her mind. He tasted intoxicating—an enticing combination of the sweet strawberry tart he’d just eaten and a spicy flavor completely unique to him. His artful command over her body sought her surrender and promised more pleasure in exchange. She wanted to lose herself again. And why not? This was her night to truly be free.


June 29, 2021

#TirgearrTuesday

 


#TirgearrTuesday will return in September. Have an amazing summer and follow me on social media to stay in touch (Facebook; Twitter; Instagram) where I'll check in and share sporadically...

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June 22, 2021

#TirgearrTuesday

 


For current subscribers, please note that the email subscription service offered through Blogger will be discontinued in July 2021. To keep up-to-date on all things Maya Tyler, please subscribe to my newsletter.


June 8, 2021

#TirgearrTuesday

 


For current subscribers, please note that the email subscription service offered through Blogger will be discontinued in July 2021. To keep up-to-date on all things Maya Tyler, please subscribe to my newsletter.

June 1, 2021

#TirgearrTuesday

 

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May 25, 2021

#TirgearrTuesday

I'm so excited to share another review for A Fairy's Quest with you. It's been seven weeks since release day and the reviews are still coming in... Have you read it yet?


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May 18, 2021

#TirgearrTuesday


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May 4, 2021

AFQ Review for #TirgearrTuesday

 


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April 27, 2021

#TirgearrTuesday

 


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April 9, 2021

Dimensions of Character

I am a beginner, a novice. No matter how long I write or how many books I complete, each experience is different. My process is very character-based. They are in charge, no matter what I think when I first sit down at my laptop, fingers poised over the keyboard. They never let me forget it. My goal is to help them fulfill their destiny.

Two-dimensional notes physical characteristics. Alina from A Fairy's Quest has blonde hair and green eyes. Three-dimensional includes personality traits. Words like independence and loyal describe Alina. But, four-dimensional... That's when you become immersed into the character. You become Alina. You sense everything she senses. I bring you into her world where her fears, hopes, and dreams become yours.

In this book, in particular, I relied on sensory input to present her flashbacks. Writing devices like dreams, flashbacks, and premonitions may seem confusing to the reader. Especially if the experience is confusing to the character. Alina couldn't understand or control her flashbacks.

***

Excerpt:


    Alina trailed closely behind, muttering softly to herself. They walked through the poorly lit tunnel, following its numerous twists. The dank smell of the unused passageway clung to her nostrils. Only the ceaseless, nagging fear kept her moving forward. Despite the dim light, her head continued to throb incessantly. Every part of her being wanted to stop, stomp her feet, and ask how much farther. She resisted the temptation. The faster they went, the closer she’d be to the exit and the fresh air she craved. The odorous space didn’t seem to bother Rylan as he trudged ahead. The silent trek gave Alina plenty of time to second-guess her decision to follow Rylan. And pretty much every decision she’d made since…
    A sharp pain sliced through Alina’s head. Her smile faded as the images invaded her thoughts like a shaky, poorly shot video. Oh no, not now. 

    She watched herself step outside the cottage and freeze as the unfamiliar sensation of a cold gun butt touched her temple. Everything around her slowed to a crawl. Her vision blurred as she scanned the yard for Kurtis. The sounds of clanging weapons and the thud of successful punches and kicks filled the air. She squeezed her eyes shut. 

    She gasped for air. Her chest vibrated with sharp pain. The darkness acted like a sponge, absorbing her energy, her very essence. She had the unpleasant sensation of falling through the sky. Falling, falling. With no end in sight. 
    “Alina?” 
    “I’m not good in dark places.” She licked her dry lips. “I don’t feel well.” 
    “Stay with me.” He reached for her hand. “If memory serves me right, it is not much farther.”

***

Through a series of flashbacks, I wanted to transport the reader into Alina's world. I hoped to convey a feeling of her helplessness and demonstration of her true strength.

Have you read A Fairy's Quest yet? It's available now. And you may enjoy the rest of The Magicals Series, also available now.

Buy Links:




March 26, 2021

What's in a Name?

I had a radio interview yesterday on What's Write for Me. One of the potential questions was about how I pick character names... We didn't get a chance to cover this one during the interview. Amazing how the time flies when you're talking to a fellow author and book lover.

My answer? Baby name websites are invaluable. I usually have a first letter in mind or, at least, a country of origin which makes searching much easier. Particular time period requirements (for instance popular in the 1960's) also narrow the search. Then I look at name meanings. And, finally, I google the full name to make sure it doesn't belong to a famous person. I prefer unique names so this isn't usually an issue.

My main character in A Fairy's Quest is Alina Lehrer. Alina means "bright, beautiful, noble" and is of Slavic origin. Variations of the name include Helena (Czech and Swedish) and Adelina (French).

Authors, how do you pick your character names?

Readers, do you prefer common or unusual character names?






March 19, 2021

Social Issues in Fiction

I've always maintained that fiction holds a lot of truth. I usually find out things about myself, and the world around me, like subconscious observations. This morning, I was thinking about A Fairy's Quest and what message I may have left myself this time.

The obvious answer is about trauma. Traumatic experience is personal for me, and I wanted to incorporate it into my story. The more I learn about trauma, and our human response to it, the more I feel that it is misunderstood. As are most mental health disorders. And I get it. "Invisible" diseases like chronic pain, mental health, cancer (before hair loss), neurological disorders (without physical impairment or "props" like wheelchairs or canes) are exactly how I described—invisible. A person can look perfectly fine from the outside, but that is just the window dressing. Inside the house may be a completely different story. You cannot really understand what a person is going through unless you walk a day in their shoes. That is the difference between empathy and sympathy.

In this book, I wanted to explain, through my character Alina, a little bit about how I feel. And it was hard to describe because I had to live through it again. The darkness. The unknown. How to quantify the agony, but at the same time, offer hope. If you feel like something is "wrong" with you, then follow your instincts. Our bodies were built for survival, but we often ignore the messages. When you face a health crisis—physical, mental—it impacts your life. You look at things differently. You are faced with the reality of your own mortality. Seriously. It places you at a crossroads, and you have a choice to stay the course or choose a different path. Remember, the old road is probably the reason you had a health crisis in the first place.

The less obvious answer is also about choice. It's a reminder about feminism and what it actually means. Advocacy of woman's rights. I am 100% about equality. I've often written about human rights. But, somewhere, along the way, feminism became the quest to "have it all" which included perfectly managing a family and career; and anything less than that was unacceptable. Only a housewife. Just a stay-at-home-mom. "Married" to the career. Feminism—equality in general—is the ability to choose your own path without constrictions of traditionally defined gender roles. More single woman climb the corporate ladder. More Dads become the stay-at-home parent. It's a new world.

Alina comes from a very traditional family—she was even betrothed at birth—but she wants to start her own business before thinking about marriage. Getting established in your career, especially becoming financially solvent, before starting a family is a valid plan. And so is starting a business and never getting married. My intention was to offer support for your plan. Any combination of career and family is a valid choice. And sometimes under the pressure to "have it all" we lose sight of what's really important. Making the best choice for yourself.

Personally, I always wanted to get married and have kids. I may have gotten some grief over the years from my more feministic friends about my old-fashioned life plan. But, in my mind, true equality is the ability to choose. And that's freedom at its core. I can have a career. Get married. Have kids. I can pick two of the three. And I understand the importance of being able to support myself. I have a practical university degree. You don't need to sacrifice your autonomy or independence to be with someone. The right someone will want you to be the greatest version of yourself. Whatever that looks like.


A Fairy's Quest is available for pre-order with automatic delivery on April 6, 2021.

Do you think about the potential lessons hidden in fiction books? Have you ever learned something from fiction?

March 12, 2021

First Review for A Fairy's Quest

 This week, I saw my first review for A Fairy's Quest...

5 Stars on Goodreads

"...I fell in love with The Magicals with the first book A Vampire’s Tale. The magic within each book just seems to get better and better. Once I pick up a book from The Magicals world I can’t put it down until I have read the last page. Once I opened A Fairy’s Quest I was pulled into its depths with all the vampires, fairies, wizards, and its magical world..." -- The Avid Reader

You can read the full review on Goodreads.

Pre-order Now