Women of Badassery... Having long since qualified as one of them, I was intrigued to meet fellow Soulmate author Zen Pietro who dedicates an entire blog to kickass heroines and the kickass writers who give birth to them.
Zen DiPietro is a lifelong bookworm, a
fantasy/sci-fi writer, a dancer, and a mom of two. Also red-haired,
left-handed, and a vegetarian geek. Absolutely terrible at conforming.
Particular loves include badass heroines, Star Trek, British accents, baba
ganoush, and the smell of Band-Aids. Writing reviews, author interviews, and
fun stuff at www.womenofbadassery.com.
Very active on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
She's here today to talk about her forthcoming novel Guardians of Terath-Seeking Sorrow.
Welcome, Zen! Can you tell us a little more about yourself and your writing inspirations?
When I was a kid, I was content to watch the same television
show or movie over and over, dozens of times. I also read the same books time
and again. Like most people, as I grew into an adult, this repetition became
tiresome. Now, I prefer to read or watch what’s new. There are two notable
exceptions. One is Little Women by
Louisa Mae Alcott and the other is Pride
and Prejudice by Jane Austen.
I first read Little
Women as a fourth grader. I identified with the little girls in the books,
though I had no sisters of my own. I imagined being Jo and having three beloved
sisters. I reread the book every few years, and found it never lost its charm.
However, over the years, its meaning to me has changed.
Now, as a mother myself, I identify more with the mother. I recognize
the silly exploits of children and the hopes and pains for their futures. The
book hasn’t changed. I’ve changed, and because of that, the book has become a
different thing to me.
Pride and Prejudice
is another that I re-read. I enjoy Elizabeth Bennet’s saucy rejoinders and
clever repartee on a yearly basis. So far, this book hasn’t changed for me. But
I know it will, eventually. Maybe when I’m middle-aged, or maybe when my kids
leave the nest.
Special books are versatile like this. They reveal different
things to you when you’re ready for them. I hope that someday, someone tells me
that upon multiple re-readings, they got something out of my books that they
hadn’t previously. I’ve tried to write them so that this will happen, but it
will be a long time before I know if I’ve been successful.
What books do you read over and over?
For me, Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier. I also read some Whitman Childrens Classics I recall from being a kid. How cool to find them at an antique show. My favorites were the Timber Trail Riders Series. And Cherry Ames and Nancy Drew books Not that I'm old or anything.....
Anyway, tell us a little about Guardians of Terath- Seeking Sorrow
An earth-like world of high-tech humans faces the reality
that their world is not as safe as they thought it was. Five people are thrown
together to quietly get to the bottom of an unfathomable mana event that must
stay quiet. If the population of Terath becomes aware of the truth, it will
spark a civil war. That war would pit the majority of the population against
the powerful minority with the ability to harness and manipulate mana. The
resulting cataclysm would decimate the population and tear apart the foundation
of society.
The five people
chosen for this must reconsider everything they thought they knew about mana, even
as they learn to trust one another’s abilities. They must embrace everything
they never wanted in order to prevent the devastation of their world. One of
them will be forever changed. Love will be denied, badassery will be unleashed,
and Terath will never be the same.
Even success comes at a price.
Wow, another cross genre writer (like me). This looks like science-fiction with a twist of historical and fantasy elements. Do I have that correct?
It's modern epic fantasy with science
fiction and romantic elements.
Is it part of a series?
Yes, this is Book One of at least four books. Book Two releases in
September 2015.
Okay, great. When do expect it to be released and how can we connect with you to find out?
It should be released very shortly, and Guardians of Terath: Seeking Sorrow is now available for pre order.
Now, women of badassery and the men that love them, what books do you read over and over?
My links:
Website: http://www.womenofbadassery.com
Twitter: @ZenDiPietro
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/zendipietro/
https://www.facebook.com/ZenDiPietroauthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24973127-guardians-of-terath?from_search=true
Posts
Thank you for hosting me, Carole!
ReplyDeleteA pleasure, Zen! Can't wait to read your book.
ReplyDelete