Hey everyone!
This is just a short message to let you know that The Lost Heir is FREE on Kindle today, Saturday, June 8th!
Check it out HERE! Happy Reading!
Good morning everyone! I was recently interviewed by Joyce Strand, author of the Jillian Hillcrest mysteries, On Message, and Open Meetings! She asked me some great, thought provoking questions, and I had a blast answering them! It was refreshing to be asked something other than the ‘standard’ interview questions, and I hope you will find them (as well as my answers) quite interesting! We discussed different aspects The Lost Heir, including its villains and heroes and what is actually on the cover. I was also able to share my thoughts on the importance of credibility in the fantasy genre (and to my delight) explain the reasoning behind my slightly unhealthy obsession with elves! Go Here to read the full interview!
Don’t forget that you can download the prologue and first 2 chapters of The Lost Heir for FREE! Simply check out the ‘Free Downloads’ box on the left! You can also pick up your copy in paperback or eBook at Barnes & Noble or Amazon and in paperback at Books-a-Million.
As always, I love to hear your feedback and answer your questions! Leave a comment here or on Facebook , or send me an email!
Sláinte!
Also, be sure to check out Joyce’s books, available in paperback and Kindle!
So last evening, as I was writing a scene for my fantasy novel, Awakening, I was quite shocked to realize that I despise one of my characters so much that I wished he was alive so I could disembowel him with a potato peeler.
Don’t get me wrong, it has nothing to do with his contribution to the plot or the role he plays. Nor is it dissatisfaction regarding my writing that I often experience and is accompanied by phrases such as - This doesn’t flow at all or I don’t know what it is, but this just isn’t right..time to start over, or What was I thinking? Was I on drugs when I wrote this?
No, this is personal.
I despise Garenth as a person. I hate every single thing about him and everything he stands for. I hate his total disregard for the lives and well-being of his people. I hate his lust for power and control over others. I hate the despicable things he has done to his family and others close to him. I hate his drunkenness. His laziness. His selfishness. But most of all, I hate his passionate belief that women are inferior. That they exist solely to give pleasure to men and birth sons to carry the family name and the family blood. That they have no rights and are jabbering fools. That they are property. That they are nothing.
Yet, in spite of all of that, there is not a single thing that I would change about him, nor do I wish I had never created him. Yes, he is quite a despicable being. Yes, he does and says things that people might find disturbing. Yes, he may make readers uncomfortable. And yes, readers might agree with certain things about him, like some of his views of women, and may be infuriated with me for writing a person with those beliefs in a negative light.
But all of this is what I love about reading! It is why I think reading is so important and why I believe books are the most powerful weapons in our world. Books invoke thought and promote discussion. They bring awareness to important issues and allow us to better understand those with differing opinions. They help us to face our troubles and overcome our fears. They can be the spark that ignites a reason for action or a call for change.
They conjure such intense and passionate feelings that an author has admitted to wanting to disembowel one of her own characters with a potato peeler.
Now that’s pretty powerful.
~Andi
Have you ever come across a character that made your blood boil? Did you have thoughts of performing an operation on them with a kitchen utensil? Did it add to the story or take away from your enjoyment? Share your thoughts and experiences!
Happy Tuesday, everyone! This is just a quick note to let you know about a giveaway of a print copy of The Lost Heir! The giveaway runs from today (May 7th) to May 31st! Click HERE to enter and be sure to check out all of the great things on Momma Says Read! There are many more awesome books in the giveaway, as well as great reviews and bargain/free books!
Slainte!
Hello everyone! I’m sorry I’m a bit late in sharing this, but check out the short excerpt from The Lost Heir that was featured on Jamie Marchant’s blog! It starts Chapter 13 and takes place about a third of the way through the book. Following the events in the beginning, you are introduced to a softer and more vulnerable side of Mionee. Check it out here and let me know what you think! I hope you enjoy it! Happy reading!
Jamie Marchant is the author of The Goddess’s Choice, and Demons in the Big Easy. Check out more about her and her writing here!
Have you finished The Lost Heir? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Write a review, leave a comment, or send me an email! Don’t forget to check me out on Facebook and feel free to sign up for my email newsletter here! Slainte!
Happy Friday, everyone! I was recently interviewed by Jamie Marchant, author of the epic fantasy novel, The Goddess’s Choice. I had a wonderful time with this interview, and I want to thank Jamie for this wonderful opportunity. Check out the interview HERE! Come back tomorrow for a short excerpt from The Lost Heir!
Slainte!
I have received some wonderful questions from all of you, but one that has been asked quite frequently is the age old question of ‘why’. Why do I do what I do? Why do I write?
I suppose the simple answer would be to say that I enjoy it. I love the freedom that I am granted when writing, especially fantasy. I do not outline, and I do very little planning or development of the basic idea, so it is an extremely exciting process for me. I have already had people ask me what happens in book 2 of The Dragonath Chronicles, and I have told them, quite honestly, that I do not know. When I write, I am essentially taking the same journey as my readers do when they read the finished work. My imagination joins forces with my characters, and I let them take me where they want to go. I just write and build one scene upon another. Sometimes, I am actually quite surprised with what happens in a particular chapter or how a character evolves. It really is a wonderful feeling when I read over a scene and think, wow, I have no idea how I thought of that, but it is completely awesome! There are no limitations or restrictions to the worlds and beings I create. Yet, what I find truly magical about writing fantasy is that a completely fictitious world riddled with fanciful beings and nonexistent powers can be totally believable.
Like a painter or sculptor, I am creating a piece of art that will mean something completely different to each person who reads it. But the desire to write goes beyond enjoyment and simply 
wanting to share the stories I create. I am a firm believer that books remain the most powerful weapons in the world today. They harbor ideas, beliefs, and theories. They give us insight into what was, what is, and what can be. They bring awareness to different cultures and sensitive issues. They spark the need for change and awaken the desire for action. They open our minds and allow us to grow, both as individuals and as a society. They do all of these things…and more. But what heightens the power of books, is that all of this is not limited to a specific genre.
I am not one who follows the belief that ignoring difficult or uncomfortable issues will make them disappear, and I do not shy away from including controversial topics in my writing. Through my various short stories and fantasy novels, I have covered subjects such as female equality, rape, racial discrimination, the discrimination of people with disabilities, and the empowerment of women. People may agree or disagree with my views, that is not important. What is important, is that they are confronting the issues. That is what will allow humankind to develop and improve. It is one of the key ingredients for a healthy society, and it is why I do what I do. There is something to be gained from every book, if only we take the time to listen.
Do you have a question you would like to ask me? Send me an email at andi_oconnor@yahoo.com or contact me on Facebook! Just want to say ‘hi’ or share a comment? Don’t be shy! I’d love to hear from you! Check out the Contact page for more ways to get in touch with me! Slainte!
Happy Friday, everyone!
This is just a quick note for all of you who were waiting for the e-book. It took a bit longer than expected, but The Lost Heir is now available on the Nook and Smashwords! The Kindle edition will be available within the next day or two, so if that’s your eReader of choice, don’t fret! It’s coming! And don’t forget that you can download the first 2 chapters for free over on the left if you want to check it out 
As always, I love to hear your thoughts, so don’t be shy! Enjoy!
Slainte,
Andi
Signing a copy of The Lost Heir.
Happy Monday, everyone! I hope all of you had a wonderful weekend!
Although The Lost Heir has been out for a few weeks, the release party was on Saturday. It was my first official event, and I was absolutely terrified! I imagine that I am not the only author who feels much more comfortable barricading themselves in their office than being on public display. At least I hope I’m not! But once I got to the bookstore and spent a few minutes with my wonderfully supportive husband and friends, I began to relax and enjoy the moment. Ten years ago when I began writing The Lost Heir, the idea of being published and signing copies was nothing more than a distant dream. Much like the story I was creating, it was simply a fantasy that would never become reality.
Reading an excerpt from ‘The Lost Heir’.
So as I sat at my little table with a stack of books and purple pen, it was totally surreal. And despite the photographic evidence, I still have a difficult time believing that it actually happened. I think we all have moments like that in our lives where we simply cannot believe we accomplished what we set out to do. I am sure that as I continue to hold signings and readings, I will become much more at ease with appearing in public. Let’s just say that I really don’t want to find myself huddled in the car again, completely wide-eyed, tears streaming down my cheeks, and shaking uncontrollably from fear. But no matter how many signings I may hold in my lifetime, I hope I continue to feel as though I am walking through a blissful dream.
Thank you to everyone who came out in support of me and the release of my book. You made the day perfect, and I will cherish the wonderful memories to the end of my days.
Slainte!
Andi
