Interview with Isabel Ibañez for Woven In Moonlight

Woven in Moonlight

by Isabel Ibañez
Publisher: Page Street Books
Release Date: January 7th 2020

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Synopsis:

A lush tapestry of magic, romance, and revolución, drawing inspiration from Bolivian politics and history.

Ximena is the decoy Condesa, a stand-in for the last remaining Illustrian royal. Her people lost everything when the usurper, Atoc, used an ancient relic to summon ghosts and drive the Illustrians from La Ciudad. Now Ximena’s motivated by her insatiable thirst for revenge, and her rare ability to spin thread from moonlight.

When Atoc demands the real Condesa’s hand in marriage, it’s Ximena’s duty to go in her stead. She relishes the chance, as Illustrian spies have reported that Atoc’s no longer carrying his deadly relic. If Ximena can find it, she can return the true aristócrata to their rightful place.

She hunts for the relic, using her weaving ability to hide messages in tapestries for the resistance. But when a masked vigilante, a warm-hearted princess, and a thoughtful healer challenge Ximena, her mission becomes more complicated. There could be a way to overthrow the usurper without starting another war, but only if Ximena turns her back on revenge—and her Condesa.

Can you briefly describe WOVEN IN THE MOONLIGHT and its characters?

The story follows Ximena, a decoy for the last royal in Inkasisa. In order to protect the Condesa (Countess in Spanish), Ximena ventures into enemy territory in order to discover the whereabouts of a weapon capable of summoning a ghost army. Her ability to weave moonlight allows her to send secret messages hidden in her tapestries. But her mission puts her on the path with people who would challenge and confuse Ximena’s worldview and her understanding of the truth. 

Who would you say is your favourite character from the story and why?

While I have many, I think the character I most enjoyed writing was Ximena. She is my total opposite—daring and brave, loves the outdoors and exercise (I’d much prefer to read and lounge), and her quick temper can be truly frightening. I’ve never been a yeller and so writing someone who lets her passion and emotion run away with her was fun to explore. I never tried to tamper with her personality, and I let her be as fierce and feisty as she wanted to be. 

How did the story occur to you? Did you find inspiration anywhere?

The story came slowly, and it began with the magic. A girl with the ability to weave moonlight, someone who can’t use her own name and volunteers for a dangerous mission. The messages within the tapestries came shortly after and suddenly I had the core of the story. The details and plot fit within the story I wanted to tell—Bolivia, my culture, and the current politics. 

If you could choose one song to describe your book, which one would it be?

This is a tough one as I wrote the whole book to a compilation of different movie soundtracks. All of them were epic songs that dropped me right into the middle of the action. If there was one song I played over and over again—especially when writing any of the romantic tension, it was a cover of Go Your Own Way by Lissie! 

If your book was going to be made into a movie, who would play your characters?

I love this question! 

Ximena: Natalia Castellar Calvani

Rumi: Vito Basso

Juan Carlos: Diego Boneta 

What drink and place do you think will go with your book to have a perfect book date?

What a fun question! In Bolivia, we drink A LOT of fruit juices. So to me, I think it’d be fun to be with a tall glass of maracuya juice, at a lively restaurant. 

Can you recommend your readers any other books in case they are left hungry for more once they finish WOVEN IN THE MOONLIGHT?

So, so many!

UPROOTED: Dark Fairytale, a favorite 

SKY IN THE DEEP: Viking Fantasy, enemies to lovers! 

ENCHANTMENT OF RAVENS: Romantic Fae Fantasy

ALL THE STARS AND TEETH: You’re going to want to preorder this bloody pirate book

SERPENT & DOVE: Witch + Witch Hunter in an arranged marriage 

WINTERWOOD: Delightfully creepy 

What’s next for you?

I’m hard at work on WRITTEN IN STARLIGHT, the companion to WOVEN IN MOONLIGHT! Aside from that I’m finishing up a secret project that I have very high hopes will sit on shelves one day. Fingers crossed!

Isabel Ibañez was born in Boca Raton, Florida, and is the proud daughter of two Bolivian

immigrants. A true word nerd, she received her degree in creative writing and has been a

Pitch Wars mentor for three years. Isabel is an avid movie goer and loves hosting family and

friends around the dinner table. She currently lives in Winter Park, Florida, with her

husband, their adorable dog, and a serious collection of books. Say hi on social media at

@IsabelWriter09.

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Book Blitz: Orenda (Orenda #1) by Ruth Silver

Orenda (Orenda #1)
by Ruth Silver
Publisher: Booktrope Publishing
Release Date: December 5th 2014
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Get a Signed Copy

Synopsis:

Join forces with a parallel universe.

Dark forces, magical creatures, and the world Lil thought she knew collide when a dream transports her to the strange world of Orenda. Stunned and terrified, Lil comes face to face with her doppelganger, Willow, who possesses the ability to travel between the two worlds. Everything Lil knows logically says that Orenda can’t exist, but a small clue may be proof that it was more than an ordinary dream. With the threat of her sister in danger, Lil crosses dimensions but it may cost her even more than she bargained for.

A sword wielding girl, the eternal suit, and a parallel universe come together in this action-packed Young Adult fantasy adventure that will keep readers of all ages turning the pages.

His dark locks fell into his eyes, and he pushed them aside. “We don't have much time. I need your help, Willow.”

Lil's eyes narrowed. “It's Lil,” she said, correcting him. “Why should I help you? Why should I even go with you?” She stood beside his car, her heart thumping in her chest as she crossed her arms.

“Jamey's in trouble,” Rawlie said.

“How do you know my sister?” Lil’s eyes narrowed.

“We don’t have much time.”

Lil was torn in two. She shouldn't go with Rawlie, but the thought of something happening to her sister was even more terrifying than any gruesome scene she could imagine landing in herself. “What happened?” She looked back as the main door to the school opened and the principal came outside to the lot. It was now or never. If they waited any longer, he'd be wondering why she wasn't in class.

“If we're leaving, now would be a good time.” Rawlie jumped into the car, not bothering to open the door. He unlocked the passenger side and Lil pulled the door open, glancing back at the principal before getting into the car. A moment later, Rawlie sped off and away from Twain High.

The drive was like nothing Lil had ever experienced. She secured her seatbelt, tightening it as much as possible. The wind burned against her flesh, tearing at her skin worse than the most painful sunburn she’d ever experienced. The forest shifted in waves around them. She opened her mouth to speak, to ask what was going on, but the words didn't come. The forest grew darker the faster they drove. The trees billowed overhead and though it was spring and there had been leaves on them, the dark forest looked dead. Lil glanced back behind them, seeing a shift and a ripple, the same odd glimmer she'd seen when Rawlie first appeared outside the school.

“Where are we going?” Lil choked out, gasping for air. A bird swooped down just above her head and she flinched, swatting it away. She’d never liked birds, and she definitely wasn’t a fan of ones with large, sharp talons coming at her face.

“Yeah, I don't like birds either. Getting to Orenda through the forest isn’t an easy drive. It’ll be okay.” Rawlie moved an arm to cover and protect Lil while he drove with the other.

“How is any of this okay?” Lil’s eyes widened with alarm as the dead trees closed in on them. The roar was as deafening as a lion's, causing the windshield to shudder and her heart rate to quicken. From a distance, she could make out the faintest hint of pink light streaming in from the edge of the forest. She doubted they'd make it in time. The forest was swallowing them whole. “I want out!” she screamed, fear overtaking her.

“If we stop, we're both dead.” Rawlie didn't let up on the gas. He pushed the pedal harder to the floor, his arm protecting Lil from anything that might attack as they narrowly escaped the forest. He should have put the top up on the convertible before they left, Lil found herself thinking. A moment later, they reached the clearing and Rawlie put both hands back on the steering wheel as they came to an abrupt halt.

by Ruth Silver

Teens swear. I think it’s naive to write a YA novel and use “dang”, “heck”, “shut the front door”, unless you are catering to an audience that’s twelve and you’re looking to capture that tween market. 

I don’t believe every words needs to be a swear word but I do feel like if it’s natural for the character to say, they shouldn’t avoid it either. 

Reading the Shadow Falls series, I was constantly annoyed by constant use of polite words for swearing (heck or dang). There were so many I felt pulled out of the story like I could be sitting there counting them. That series happens to be one of my favorites but I felt like the amount of “polite swear words” made the book geared towards twelve and up, instead of fourteen or fifteen and up. Overall, I felt like using “polite swear words” were probably overused and instead using the actual word once or twice would have been better and made the same impact.

I also feel it depends on the novel, the characters, and the situation. Are they just cursing because they’re a teenager not getting their way or are they in the middle of a post-apocalyptic war and about to die? To me the scene is important and what feels right should be expressed, to a certain degree. I don’t believe you should be needing to drop any F-bombs in YA fiction but there are other times that “dang” just doesn’t feel appropriate either.

Ruth Silver first began writing poetry as a teenager and reading heaps of fan fiction in her free time. She has written under three unique pseudo names and penned well over a hundred stories.

She attended Northern Illinois University in 2001 and graduated with a Bachelor's in Communication. While in college she spent much of her free time writing with friends she met online and penning her first novel, "Deuces are Wild", which she self-published in 2004. Her favorite class was Creative Writing senior year where she often handed in assignments longer than the professor required because she loved to write and always wanted to finish her stories.

Her love of writing, led her on an adventure in 2007 to Melbourne, Australia. Silver enjoys reading YA novels and sharing her favorite books with other readers. She runs her own book blog and also enjoys photography and traveling.

Her favorite YA genre is a mix of Dystopian & Fantasy which is evident in the upcoming release of her latest book, Aberrant. Slated for release April 2013 by Lazy Day Publishing, it is the first in a trilogy.

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Cover Reveal: Secret of the Sevens by Lynn Lindquist

Secret of the Sevens

by Lynn Lindquist 

Publisher: Flux Publishing

Release Date: 06/2015

Synopsis:

Everyone at Singer, a boarding school for underprivileged kids, knows the urban legend of the Society of Seven. Decades ago, the original members of the secret guild for elite students murdered the school's founder and then perished in the fire they lit to hide the evidence. Or so the story goes. 

Talan Michaels doesn't care about Singer's past. He's too focused on his future and the fact that he'll be homeless after he graduates in May. To take his mind off it, he accepts a mysterious invitation to join a group calling itself the Sevens. He expects pranks, parties, and perks. Instead, he finds himself neck-deep in a conspiracy involving secret passages and cryptic riddles about the school's history. Even worse, he's now tangled in web of lies someone will kill to keep hidden.

Lynn Lindquist lives in a suburb of Chicago with two overly-social sons and a mutt named Slugger who wisely hides under the bed most days. The hordes of teenagers that regularly frequent her house (think Panama City Beach during spring break) provide fodder for her young adult novels and growing anxiety disorder. Ever since her sons broke the Guinness Record for Largest-Rager-Thrown-While-a-Parent-Was-Out-for-the-Night, she enjoys spending her free time at home entertaining friends, cooking, reading, and writing. Thankfully, her favorite things in life are her sons, words, and kids, so she wouldn’t have it any other way.

She is represented by Katherine Boyle at Veritas Literary Agency.

Cover Reveal Organized by:

YA Spring Fling

From March 20th to April 3rd, over 70 authors come together to give away hundreds of books. The YA Spring Fling is an opportunity for readers to find new books, new authors and take part in something very special. Here is a sneak peek of some of the books involved in the giveaway. 

All are featured in the YA Spring Fling giveaway. Click here to win free books!

Fashion Fraud by Jamie Campbell

Find out more | About Jamie

The Fashion Series revolves around Truly Winx, fashion designer wannabe. When her dreams are so close to coming true, she commits fashion fraud with her new frenemy, Jane Davis.

Love Songs by Jamie Campbell

Find out more | About Jamie

Sixteen year old Kaley Thorne is invisible. Or she may as well be anyway. All her emotions, thoughts, and dramas go into her secret songbook. Music is her passion, her escape, and her hidden talent. Her songbook is her diary, singing everything she is too shy to speak.

Effie’s Senior Year and Lover I Don’t Have to Love by Tracy Marchini

Find out more | About Tracy

"Effie has a million reasons why her senior year hasn’t gone as planned — from the hideous bridesmaid dress at her older sister’s wedding, to a disastrous first kiss, to a complete lack of romantic attention from her boy-that-is-a-friend, Robbie. 

In this complete collection of all six Effie Stories, Effie Green tries to turn her oh-so-average high school existence into the perfect teen movie moment. "

Effie’s Senior Year and Lover I Don’t Have to Love by Tracy Marchini

Find out more | About Tracy

"Thanks to a runaway best-seller, the world thinks that Greg Hanlon fell in love with the beautiful Angeline while sailing the open seas, and lost her before they could marry on the beaches of South Africa. 

Though the book started out as a bet between Greg and his best-friend Darrin, the project has taken off like neither of them expected. As Greg's mother sees the money roll in, Greg starts to see nothing but Angeline - his fictional, dead fiancé. 

In this absurdist short-story, one young adult must come to terms with fame -- or infamy."

War Kids by HJ Lawson

Find out more | About HJ

When Jada wakes up in a hospital, the last thing she thinks is that her life has completely changed forever. But when the very real civil war forces her to flee from every open space, she must use the firearm skills her father taught her to reunite with him and protect herself.

American Girl on Saturn by Nikki Godwin

Find out more | About Nikki

When attempt has been made on the lives of Canadian boyband, Spaceships Around Saturn, during their USA tour, the guys have to go into hiding ASAP with a secret service agent's family, which includes two teenage daughters and a five-year-old fangirl.

Falling From the Sky by Nikki Godwin

Find out more | About Nikki

Sixteen-year-old Ridge McCoy’s summer plans take a turn in an unexpected direction when he meets Micah Youngblood, the guy who runs the carousel at the local mall and has a reputation for devouring straight boys’ heterosexuality for breakfast, alongside his chocolate chip pancakes.

Watermelon Summer by Anna Hess and Aimee Easterling

Find out more | About Anna and Aimee

A forgotten farm, an elusive father, and the blue eyes of a perfect boy are the perfect ingredients for an unforgettable watermelon summer.

The Fine Art of Holding Your Breath by Charity Tahmaseb

Find out more | About Charity

No one expects the girl who has mastered the art of keeping quiet to join the speech team. But Jolia does. When a crush-worthy rival offers to coach her in secret, she can't say no. But secrets have a price, and this one might cost Jolia everything . . .

The Fine Art of Keeping Quiet by Charity Tahmaseb

Find out more | About Charity

When MacKenna pursues an ROTC scholarship behind her father’s back, she inadvertently uncovers the secret behind her mother’s death in the first Gulf War. And secrets, like war, have their own casualties.

The See-Through Leopard by Sibel Hodge

Find out more | About Sibel

"The See-Through Leopard is an inspirational coming-of-age story set in the wilds of Africa. 

""If I had to sum this story up into one word, I think it would be fitting to say, ""Wow!"" This story was emotionally gripping from the very first page to the very last."" -- Night Owl Teen Reviews"

Right-Hearted: Finding What's Right With a Wrong-Sided Heart by Daniel Wallock

Find out more | About Daniel

"Standing before the sky I had little idea my next two weeks would be overwhelmed with wild love, lust, confusion, tears and a beautiful girl. She and I would share the stories of our hearts...our right-sided hearts.

Right-Hearted: Finding What's Right With A Wrong Sided Heart is the story of two lustful teenagers who together confront their life-threatening heart conditions and learn to embrace their broken hearts."

Gone by Stacy Claflin

Find out more | About Stacy

Macy Mercer’s supposed to meet the boy of her dreams who she met online. But he was a fake and she finds herself with a man capable of murder.

Miss Popularity and Fallen Leaves by Rachel Elizabeth Cole

Find out more | About Rachel

Plain and bookish Laura Wood is sure life at her new school won't be any different. Her older sister will slather on the makeup and charm and instantly become Miss Popularity while Laura will end up Loser Girl. Again. But this time she might pull off a new role: Shy New Girl. Will a chance encounter in the hallway ruin everything?

Miss Popularity and Fallen Leaves by Rachel Elizabeth Cole

Find out more | About Rachel

Fifteen-year-old Grace Sather can't understand why her mother would want her great-grandmother to move in with them. Great-Gran hates Mom. But before Mom can talk Gran into it, Gran has a bad fall and ends up in the hospital. Now a long buried-secret is about to reveal itself.

Idolism by Marcus Herzig

Find out more | About Marcus

Idolism is a delightful, quirky romp for the young adult religious skeptic, taking a tongue-in-cheek look at the differences and similarities between religion and stardom.

Cross My Heart by Katie Klein

Find out more | About Katie

True love can blossom in unexpected places. This is Jaden pretending not to notice. . . .

The Flirting Games Trilogy by Stella Wilkinson

Find out more | About Stella

The Flirting Games, More Flirting Games and Further Flirting Games, now come together in a Trilogy Edition. A British boarding school romp full of hilarious moments and romance.

How can readers enter the YA Spring Fling giveaway?

Head over to my website Sarahdaltonbooks.com and find the page for the YA Spring Fling (handy hint, it’s HERE). Once you’re there you can browse through the books on offer, or check out more information about the participating authors. 

You should see plenty of links prompting you to enter the giveaway. Simply fill out the Google document telling us which books you’d like to win, the format you prefer, and whether you would also like to win paperbacks and swag. It’s that simple. Pick the books you want and sign off. 

How will I know I’ve won?

There are so many books on offer that I’d be surprised if you didn’t win something! So you will be hearing from us. :)

After April 3rd, I will collate all the entries and pass them on to the participating authors. They will then choose the winners at random and Email the winners to let them know the good news. 

Will my Email or personal details be used outside the giveaway?

Absolutely not. We’re all against spam and promise not to use your Email for anything other than contacting you as a winner. If you joined up to the YA Spring Fling mailing list you will receive one Email telling you the giveaway is open, and another warning you it is about to close. That’s it! 

Is the giveaway open internationally?

Yes! But there are some paperbacks on offer that are region specific. Not all of our authors are sending paperbacks and swag internationally, purely because it costs us so much money and we ain’t made of it. ;) 

We will ask for your country of residence in the Google document. That’s so we can work out the winners for region specific paperbacks more easily. Everything else is open internationally.

I have a question, who can I contact?

Me! Send me a message on Facebook. My Email might be clogged by answering author queries, so Facebook might be the easiest method. 

Who can I tell about the giveaway? And what can I do to help spread the word?

You can tell everyone and anyone who might like YA books. If you’d like to spread the word it would be awesome if you could follow or like some of the authors and share their posts about the giveaway. You can find a full list of the participating authors and their social media links here.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE! MAY YOU WIN MANY BOOKS!