Emblaze Blog Tour: Author Interview & Review

Emblaze (The Violet Eden Chapters #3)
Author: Jessica Shirvington
Genre: YA Paranormal/Fantasy/Romance
Release Date: March 5, 2013
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Description:

Once again Violet Eden faces an impossible choice ... and the consequences are unimaginable.

Violet has come to terms with the fact that being part angel, part human, means her life will never be as it was.

Now Violet has something Phoenix - the exiled angel who betrayed her - will do anything for, and she has no intention of letting it fall into his hands. The only problem is that he has something she needs too.

Not afraid to raise the stakes, Phoenix seemingly holds all the power, always one step ahead. And when he puts the final pieces of the prophecy together, it doesn't take him long to realise exactly who he needs in order to open the gates of Hell.

With the help of surprising new allies, ancient prophecies are deciphered, a destination set and, after a shattering confrontation with her father, Violet leaves for the islands of Greece without knowing if she will have a home to return to...  

1. What was your inspiration for writing the Violet Eden series?

First and foremost it was just the idea of Violet's character. That she be flawed, destined for greatness but not already great, have to make life changing choices and live with unkind consequences. I wanted to use biblical folklore and mythology so that led to the angel hierarchy and from there the story grew.

2. Do you have to do any special research for the series (locations they visit or angel mythology)?

Yes. The research is endless and such a small portion ends up in the books but you need to do it anyway. Sometimes it is more about what not to include as well. I have done a fair bit of travel for the research and am about to depart on my final research trip next week for the last book in the series (book 5).

The mythology is researched in various ways. i try to use a combination of many mixed religions and ancient mythology. i have my preferred sources and I also do a lot of internet trawling too.

3. How many books do you have planned for the series?

Five.

4. Is Violet or any of the other characters based off of people you know?

No. I mean, there are certainly qualities that she has that remind me of people I know but I always keep my characters completely fictional - that way I feel confident that they belong solely to the story.

5. Can we expect any big surprises in the next book?

Yep. Emblaze is a book of revelations and will finish with a very big surprise. But I'm not telling ;-)

6. How did you become a writer? Was there a person or situation that prompted you to start writing?

I fell into it. I had never considered writing as a career. I owned a successful company in the United Kingdom and it wasn't until I moved back to Australia and had my second child that I started to write. Even then, I didn't realise I was writing a book, but one year later Embrace was on the shelves. I've been very lucky.

7. What tips do you have for aspiring writers?  

Just to give it a go. Write what you are passionate about. If you can inject your emotion and your heart into a story, then you will find your audience.

8. Biggest question! Are you Team Lincoln or Team Phoenix??

I'll never tell ;-)

A huge thanks to Jessica for stopping by and answers my questions today! Although I'm seriously intrigued by her question to number 8...

Emblaze is the third book in the Violet Eden Chapters, a young adult paranormal/fantasy series that continues to follow Violet Eden as she grapples with fate - only this time Phoenix is trying to kill her and resurrect his mother, Lilith, from Hell. With the fate of the world in her hands (along with her friends and backup from the Academy), Violet must push aside her volatile emotions toward her partner and soul mate, Lincoln, and prepare to face the biggest and baddest exile yet. Will Violet have what it takes to stop Phoenix before it's too late? Will she be able to contain Lilith and save thousands of innocent lives? And what will all this cost to Violet and her friends?

I just have to note first off that I am a HUGE fan of this series and I've been impatiently waiting for this book to release since I finished the last one (which feels like forever ago). This is one of the most thrilling, action packed, amazing series I have ever read - and it only seems to get better. Most series seem to fizzle out over the course of their books, with the characters getting boring and the plot lines getting old. NOT the case with this series! Emblaze lived up to my high hopes and then flew right past them all. I love Violet as a main character. She's strong - both physically and emotionally - but she has serious issues. She knows it and everyone else knows it. She struggles a lot with her feelings and desires for Lincoln - there are parts in the book that my heart really went out to her about their situation. Then there's the whole weight of the world on her shoulders thing - she's trying so hard to manage this special destiny that nobody really knows about but won't let her forget either. Shove a gorgeous yet deadly exile named Phoenix into the mix - one that has the ability to mix up Violet's emotions and use them against her - and the fact he wants her dead and they have a strange yet undeniable attraction... things get complicated fast. The characters in the book continue to develop and mature, along with their messy relationships with one another. We see them grow and become stronger yet more damaged - just like in real life. The plot to the story simply blew my mind. I love the mythology that continues to run deep throughout the series and I wasn't disappointed with the amount put into this book. I love learning the history of the exiles and the Grigori - it's really intriguing to me. We learn a lot in this book and there's more ancient prophecies and trips to stop the gates of Hell from being opened - you know, the usual. I loved reading all the special abilities that Violet is only starting to discover about herself and although we don't know her true abilities or her destiny - it's going to be huge and I can't wait to find out what will happen. Sadly, this book had to end (like they all do) and now I'm left to impatiently await the next book to release sometime next year. UGH. The worst part about finishing an amazing book is the fact that it has to end. At least I can take comfort that there are two more books in the series - that's something. Overall - the writing is fantastic, the plot is wonderful - this book is flat out awesomely amazing! READ IT NOW. If you haven't read this series yet, READ IT NOW. You'll thank me.

ONE OF THE BEST OUT THERE!!

 

Jessica Shirvington is the author of THE VIOLET EDEN CHAPTERS also known as THE EMBRACE SERIES. An entrepreneur, author, and mother living in Sydney, Australia, Jessica is also a 2011 finalist for Cosmopolitan’s annual Fun, Fearless Female Award. She’s also one of the lucky few who met the love of her life at age seventeen: Matt Shirvington, a former Olympian and current sports broadcaster for FOXTEL and Sky News. Married for almost eleven years with two beautiful daughters, Sienna and Winter, Jessica knows her early age romance and its longevity has definitely contributed to how she tackles relationships in her YA novels. Previously, she founded a coffee distribution company, Stella Imports, in London, and before that was involved in the management of restaurants Fuel Bistro and MG Garage in Sydney. Jessica is now a full-time novelist and living her dream.  

http://www.jessicashirvington.com/