Giveaway: The Talisman of El and Author interview with Alecia Stone

The Talisman of El by Alecia Stone

One Planet.Two Worlds.Population: Human ... 7 billionOthers ... unknownWhen 14-year-old Char­lie Blake wakes up sweat­ing and gasp­ing for air in the middle of the night, he knows it is hap­pening again. This time he wit­nesses a bru­tal mur­der. He's afraid to tell any­one. No one would believe him ... because it was a dream. Just like the one he had four years ago - the day before his dad died.Char­lie doesn't know why this is hap­pen­ing. He would give any­thing to have an ordi­nary life. The prob­lem: he doesn't belong in the world he knows as home.He belongs with the others.

 Our Interview:

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

Charlie Blake is an orphan who is trying to find his place in the world. One dream changed everything. It was never supposed to be real.

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

In short, I have no idea where the story came from. It was unexpected. It was only when I finished the first draft that I read over it and released what it was I had written. It was a great experience for me, as it felt as though I was reading the story for the first time. Of course, a few factors influenced Talisman Of El but that was after I had written the first draft. The first draft became a guide in the sense that I saw where I wanted to go and where I didn’t. After a few research into some strange real life events, one in particular about an archaeologist by the name of Colonel Percy Fawcett, who disappeared in 1925, I started on the second draft. I have a great fascination for all things supernatural, so it wasn’t hard to open my mind to a world where anything was possible. Talisman Of El features mythology, magic and adventure.

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

From my book, I presume. The character I would most like to have dinner with would be Candra. She is a very complex character who holds many secrets. Her life certainly hasn’t been easy, and she has the scars to prove it. I would like to get inside her head and see what goes on inside her mind. I have a feeling I would encounter a maze.

The character I would least like to have dinner with would be Jacob Willoughby. There’s something quite cunning about him. He doesn’t give anything away, which leaves you wondering just what he is up to. He’s also quite attentive, which means you most likely wouldn’t get away with anything. He always seems to be one step ahead. I just wouldn’t know how to get around him.

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

Some of my favourite books are Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie, 1984 by George Orwell, The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, The Perks of being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, The Green Mile by Stephen King and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, to name a few.

I’d like to say I still have a lot of time to read, but that wouldn’t be true. My free time has been greatly reduced, but I still manage to worm some book reading time in there, especially if it’s a book I’m longing to read.

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

I have two other books to write for the Talisman Of El trilogy. I’m currently writing book two, which will be released in 2013.

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

The book I would choose would be Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. I’m not a chocolate person, but I would love to win a golden ticket so I could enter the factory and experience all the strange happenings that go on inside. I’d sing and dance along with the Oompa Lumpas. It would be an exhilarating adventure to explore the world inside the factory. I could come back out looking like a pancake or an elephant. You just never know. Therein lies the fun.

--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 don’t necessarily need anything in order to write, but a little music does give me a push now and again as I am reliving scenes from the book. I posted a playlist on my site recently of songs that I was listening to while writing Talisman Of El.

Here’s the Talisman Of El Soundtrack:

1. Evanescence – Bring Me To Life
2. Adele – Set Fire To The Rain
3. Coldplay – Viva La Vida
4. Owl City – Fireflies
5. Katy Perry ft. Kanye West – E.T.
6. Nickelback – Hero
7. McFly ft. Taio Cruz – Shine A Light
8. Linkin Park – Numb
9. Snow Patrol – Run
10. Ed Sheeran – Lego House
11. The Fray – Over My head (Cable Car)
12. Brandon Flowers – Crossfire
13. Take That – Rule The World
14. The Fray – How To Save A Life

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

There are a few. I often choose a different answer for each interview so I can spread out my preferences evenly, so on this occasion, I would love to have the ability to read minds. Who wouldn’t want to know what’s going on inside someone’s head? You’d always be one step ahead of everyone else. You probably wouldn’t make so many mistakes, and even if you did, you’ll always know how to make up for it by giving people what they want because you know what they’re thinking. It’s a win win.

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

Listen to music, travel, go to the beach and going to the movies. I love films.

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

Yes. I would like to thank everyone who has supported me along this journey. I hope you enjoy my debut novel and I cannot wait to start interacting with you all. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me via twitter, facebook or by using the form on my website: www.aleciastone.com

Lightning round: this or that?

Vanilla or chocolate?

Vanilla.

Edward or Jacob?

I’ve become quite the fan of Robert Pattinson, so it’s Edward for me. Go team Edward!

Hockey or soccer?

Hockey.

Ebook or paper?

Paper.

Salty or sweet?

Gotta be sweet.

Beach or mountains?

Beach.

Phone call or email?

Email.

Early bird or night owl?

Night owl.

Dog or cat?

Dog.

Messy or neat?

Definitely neat.

Ninjas or pirates?

Not a fan of either, but as a Johnny Depp fan, I have to go for pirates. “Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.”

Giveaway: One paperback open Internationally

Ends 7/26

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