Thursday 22 July 2010

Guest Blog Post: Rowena Cory Daniels + book giveaway (COMPETITION CLOSED)


Today I'd like to present Rowena Cory Daniels as the guest blogger.



Rowena has written a brilliant (well, the first book is brilliant. I'm presuming the rest will be as good as the first one) fantasy trilogy with over four engaging main characters who all have my interest. She kindly prepared a blog post for me....and is holding a giveaway of The King's Bastard! 

For the chance to win a copy, please answer Rowena's question! (I posted this a bit late in the day...and um yes forgot about the question!) Those who answered my question will also be put in the draw.

Please leave your answer in a comment to this post (I haven't sussed out google doc form yet. I'm working on it). 

You don't need to follow to enter. Please also leave your email. If you are under 18, please get the permission of a parent or guardian. 

The winner will be selected by a random number generator, and will receive a copy of The King's Bastard

Deadline is midnight GMT Thursday 5th August. 

On with the blog post! (the rest of this post is written by Rowena) 

Writers are born, not made.

Okay I admit there are writing craft aspects to learn, and I think everyone is born with an innate sense of story. As children we all crave stories. Many stories for children are cautionary - they contain a message about how the world works and what to watch out for. Don’t follow fairy lights into the forest. On a more serious note, they help us make sense of the world.

As we get older a lot of people put the wonder and magic of discovery aside and restrict their world to the every day. People with a certain type of mind keep looking. Creative people are always seeking stimulation and challenging themselves. There’s a difference between intelligence and creativity. Creativity is much harder to measure. Catherine Ahearn says:

 ‘To be intelligent one has or shows understanding, is
clever and quick of mind, whereas to be creative is to bring
something into existence, to give rise to something or to
originate.’ See her full article on Intelligence Vs Creativity.

Writers, painters, musicians … all creative people bring something into existence that wasn’t there before. Where does it come from?

I think it comes from the kind of mind that is able to cross-link information and make intuitive leaps. Even as children, writers are always looking at the world, observing people, trying to make sense of it. A lot of my writing friends were outsiders as children, looking on. As children they loved books and reading. (Still do).

I used to have a second-hand bookshop in my early twenties. I’d read a book before lunch, a book after lunch and a book after dinner. If I loved a book I’d read it once to enjoy it, the second time I’d read it to find out what worked and the third time to see what didn’t work, to find out where the pacing flagged. At this rate, even with new stock coming in, I soon ran out of books to read. (After all Georgette Heyer and Fritz Leiber only wrote a finite number of books. Sad, but true).

Once I’d read everything in the shop that interested me, I began to write. It was a natural extension of reading. I couldn’t find the books I wanted to read, so I wrote them.

King Rolen’s Kin arose from the same kind of feeling. This is the book that I’d want to read if I’d had a tough week at work and then on Saturday morning I’d done all the cooking and cleaning and washing. Come Saturday afternoon I’d be ready to reward myself. King Rolen’s Kin is that kind of book - it’s a grand rollicking read, designed to sweep you away to another world, rich in adventure and intrigue.

So … open the book, sit back and enjoy the ride!

The give-away question is – Can you name one of Rowena’s favourite authors?

(Rowena lives in sunny Queensland, Australia with her husband and varying combinations of her 6 children. The older ones keep leaving home and coming back).

19 comments:

Shy said...

As we get older a lot of people put the wonder and magic of discovery aside and restrict their world to the every day. People with a certain type of mind keep looking. Creative people are always seeking stimulation and challenging themselves. There’s a difference between intelligence and creativity. Creativity is much harder to measure.

I love this part of her post and I've to admit that I really wish that I have MORE of this creative side in me. Sometimes I wonder if it can be nurture, or it is something that someone has in them whilst the other don't?

I am not so sure if the giveaway is open for international readers also. But if it is, do count me in! I am totally into Byren after reading your review earlier so I'd totally love to have the chance to win this. Georgette Heyer is one of Rowena's fav authors.

Thank you so much!

Shy
shy8629(at)gmail(dot)com

Cherry said...

I couldn't help smiling when I read: "If you are over 18, please get the permission of a parent or guardian. "

I presume that it ought to be "under" rather than "over", 18.

Anyway, I'm in great excess of 18 and my parent gives consent. :)

Q: For the chance to win a copy, please let me know which out of the following characters (from the book blurb and my review) you are most interested in reading about.

a) Piro (I had to put her first. I was tempted to put Piro as the only character, but there are others).
b) Byren
c) Fyn
d) Lence


A: b.) Byren - What can I say? I am a sucker for angsty characters ;)

Q: The give-away question is – Can you name one of Rowena’s favourite authors?

A: I'm guessing: GAIL Z MARTIN, TRUDI CANAVAN, JENNIFER FALLON...

Re-posted your contest at: http://contests-freebies.blogspot.com/2010/07/win-kings-bastard-at-nayus-reading.html

Twitted: http://twitter.com/cherrymischivus/status/19280489209

Cherry Mischievous
mischivus101-warrior [at] yahoo [dot] com

joe57 said...

From your review, Piro definitely sounds like the more interesting character. I liked the part about the oddly undesirable suitor, very intriguing. Sounds like a good book.

jscanlon57 at gmail dot com

Amy Laurens said...

Not sure what the time is over there, whether I've squeaked in or not - also not sure if this contest is open internationally?

But entering anyway :D

I think some favourite authors might be Georgette Heyer and Fritz Leiber O:)

And after reading your blurb, I actually think I'm most interested in Fyn. He sounds intriguing :)

Also, yay Australian writers! :D

blot.of.ink(at)gmail [dot] com

Amy Laurens said...

...Okay, so it was Thursday AUGUST 5, not Thursday yesterday. Oops O:) :D hehe.

Kristen said...

One of her favorite authors was Georgette Heyer. THanks for the great giveaway! Seems like a series both the hubby and I would love!

dragonzgoil at gmail dot com

Nayuleska said...

Thanks everyone for entering!

I'm finding out if it's international (I think it is).

I've removed my questions because um yes posted it late and forgot Rowena had put her own question in.

I'm also editing the over 18 part - I do mean under 18!

buddyt said...

Oh well !

Here I am, another of those irritation International entries !

Seems she has read everything by Georgette Heyer and Fritz Lieber, so I suppose they are her favourite authors.

That would be cool because they are also two of my favourites.

Thanks

Carol T

buddytho {at} gmail DOT com

Giada M. said...

My guess is also Georgette Heyer and Fritz Leiber.
I'm an international entry.
Thank you for the interesting post and awesome giveaway!

Giada M.

fabgiada (at) gmail (dot) com

Curling up by the Fire said...

I'm guessing one of them would be Georgette Heyer. I really enjoyed this post as your writing style is really interesting.

Please enter me in the contest.

icewoman96 at gmail dot com

Mervi said...

Probably Georgette Heyer. Maybe even William Goldman.

I'm an international entry, too.
Thank you for the giveaway!

musmekipi at gmail dot com

Martha Eskuchen said...

How wonderful to have a second-hand book store and get to read all those books! One of Rowena's favorite authors would be Georgette Heyer - I like her too and they are now releasing the books which is cool.
The book sounds like a good fantasy.
Thanks for a chance to win.
mesreads ATgmail.com

EVA SB said...

Interesting post.

One of her favourite authors is Fritz Leiber.

I'm also an international

eva.s.black[@]gmail[.]com

doreen lamoureux said...

A couple of her faves are Georgette Heyer and Fritz Leiber.

I follow.....dor

Thanks

dorcontest at gmail dot com

Sharli said...

Some of her favorite authors are Georgette Heyer and Fritz Leiber.

I read your review of the book and now I am definitely intrigued! Thanks for the post!

entrelibros_blog at hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

Please count me in if this giveaway is open to the United States. After reading her post, I think a couple of her favorite authors are Georgette Heyer and Fritz Leiber.

peacelily_2006(at)yahoo(dot)com

throuthehaze said...

I believe Georgette Heyer and Fritz Lieber are some of her faves.

Count me in please if this is open to the US.

throuthehaze at gmail dot com

Anne R. said...

Hm, seems like one of Rowena's favorite author is Georgette Heyer and the another one, if I'm not mistaken, is Fritz Leiber :3

Thanks so much for the giveaway! The covers are kickas$<3

isabookwhore(at)gmail(dot)com

aamirnazir said...

Thank you very much for the post.
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