Book Giveaway and Author Interview: The Moon Coin by Richard Due

The Moon Coin by Richard Due

For Lily and Jasper Winter, the Moon Realm began with a single secret bedtime tale. As the children grew older, Uncle Ebb enthralled them with thrilling tales of the Dragondain riding horse-sized, catlike Rinn; mysterious tales of peerin-wielding lunamancers manipulating the magic that lies just beneath the surface of reality; exciting tales of flying dragons, swimming merfolk, stomping giants, and troublesome faeries. But as the magic of their childhood faded, so too did the tales. Eventually, they were just . . . good stories.
Or were they?
Now, nine years after it all began, Uncle Ebb is missing.
Lily and Jasper search for clues, but their uncle's mansion is full of distractions. A Tesla generator thrums in the basement. Prismatic electrimals flit around walls resembling underwater reefs. Then a most unexpected friend comes to their aid, leading them to a hidden room where they find a mysterious coin—the moon coin. Before the night is out, Lily is transported to the real Moon Realm. But the moons are in trouble. The Rinn of Barreth are under siege, and the lunamancers of Dain are beset by the very dragons they once loved. Most horrifying of all, the moon Darwyth has fallen to a villain named Wrengfoul, whose creeping evil now threatens to overshadow all the Realm.
Are Lily and Jasper too late to save the Moon Realm, or will they have enough time to write an ending of their own?
Featuring twenty-two stunning full-color illustrations by Carolyn Arcabascio. Volume One of the young adult fantasy adventure series The Moon Realm.

Thank you Richard for the interview and chance to read your book!

--The Twitter version: tell us about your book in 140 characters or less.

Lunamancers, talking dragons, swimming merfolk, stomping giants, and troublesome faeries. Life was easier when bedtime tales weren't true.

--How did you get the idea for the story?

I was racking my brain one night, trying to tell my daughter a new bedtime tale.I was exhausted, physically and mentally, and kept stumbling into that wonderland between dreams and sleep. My daughter kept elbowing me: "Wake up, Daddy, you're not making any sense!" But I kept drifting off. And then, all in one jolt, I brought back with me The Moon Realm. About nine books worth.

--Which character would you most/least like to have dinner with?

Oh, great question! From the cast of The Moon Coin, I’d most like to have dinner with Nimlinn. Hands down. Normally, I don't think she'd give the time of day to a foreign storyteller. But considering the things I know about her past, present and future . . . I think I could keep her entertained.

The least would be Curse. Curse gives me the willies.

--What are some of your favorite books? Do you still have much time to read?

Not in any particular order: The Princess Bride by William Goldman; The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins; the entire Tiffany Aching series by Terry Pratchett; Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson; The Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling (bit of a cheat there, since you'd have to have read the first two); The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas; Twenty-one Balloons by William Pène du Bois; and any short story collection by Lord Dunsany. Of course, if you blindfolded me, and pushed me into the P.G. Wodehouse section, I'd run out of the place laughing like a lunatic, holding as many books as one man could carry.

--Do you have any other works in progress? Any teasers or release dates?

The Dragondain, book 2 in The Moon Realm Series, is written and going through final edits with my editor. After which it's off to the illustrator, Carolyn Arcabascio. Currently, though, I'm working on the very first editing pass of book 3 in The Moon Realm Series, The Murk.

--If a fairy godmother told you your life could be like a favorite book for 24 hours, which book would you pick and why?

Oh! Please, please, please! Put me in a Wodehouse novel. Preferably in the company of Galahad "Gally" Threepwood during his prime. I want to visit the Pelican Club circa 1887-1892 and throw bread!

--Do you need anything to write (music, coffee, etc)? Are there any songs on your playlist- songs that inspired you or that were playing while you wrote?

I listen to a lot of movie soundtracks. Composers I have on my playlist include: Klaus Badelt, Howard Shore, Thomas Newman, Jonsi, Lisa Gerrard, John Williams, Hans Zimmer, Ira Davies, Christopher Gordon, Zbigniew Preisner, Harry Gregson-Williams, Nicholas Hopper, Richard Tognetti, Tan Dun, and Danny Elfman among others.

--If you could have any superpower what would you choose?

The power to solve any dilemma. Of course, I suppose it would be quite the dilemma solving all the world’s problems . . . no, wait, it wouldn't be a dilemma at all. ;)

--Besides writing, what do you like to do in your free time?

I don't get much in the way of free time these days, but I enjoy getting out for a family bicycle ride when the weather is nice. And I like to loiter in museums.

--Is there anything else you want to add or say to your readers?

If you value your life, never sneak up on a Rinn and pull its tail. It will be the last thing you do.

Lightning round: this or that?

Vanilla or chocolate?             Vanilla

Edward or Jacob?                   Erm . . . (That's okay, I guess I really shouldn't ask men)

Hockey or soccer?                   Cycling. :D

Ebook or paper?                      Paper

Salty or sweet?                        Salty

Beach or mountains?               Beach AND mountains (better known as islands)

Phone call or email?                email

Early bird or night owl?          Night owl

Dog or cat?                             Cat

Messy or neat?                        Neat

Ninjas or pirates?                    Arr!


Check out Richard's site here

And now for the GIVEAWAY: One ebook (amazon kindle version ONLY), open internationally, ends Dec 6th