Monday, August 16, 2010

Guest Author Interview: Tarrant Smith + Giveaway












Please welcome today's guest author Tarrant Smith!  Tarrant is the author of Enchanted Darkly.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?
 
Tarrant:
  I’ve been writing since my awkward middle school years, but I never took my scribbling seriously until my freshman year in college. After handing in my first creative writing assignment for freshman English, my professor accused me of plagiarism in front of the entire class. You can only imagine the mix of embarrassment and outrage it caused a timid new student. According to her, my whimsical short story about a temperamental freshman dorm washing machine hoarding and eating various student clothing was simply too good for a rank freshman. This same professor, who I later came to adore, warned me in my senior year of the difficulties of becoming a published author. She painted such a dismal picture of the publishing industry as a whole that I refrained from submitting any of my work for the next twenty years. Can you say impressionable?

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Tarrant: 
It’s a genre I love to read, especially works that have a romantic bent. Perhaps I am drawn to this genre because I’m pagan and the various shapeshifters, ghosts, fey, vamps, and witches stir my imagination while reaching back in time to the myths surrounding the ancient gods. What I truly enjoy, time and time again, is watching a talented author weave these supernatural events and characters through the lives of ordinary people.

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?

Tarrant:
  What I would not have is Enchanted Darkly’s heroine’s burden of being an empath. I would much prefer the ability to shift through time and space like the fey (fae). Imagine the freedom of moving not only through space in the blink of an eye, but also the ability to experience firsthand another period of time in human history.

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

Tarrant: 
I have always been fascinated with Celtic myth and it shows in this series. Not only are the fey present, both seelie and unseelie, but much of the series’ story line is dictated by the whims of the ancient Celtic gods. Enchanted Darkly is a combination of good Southern style storytelling and paranormal romance. While Jennifer Mackell struggles with what to do about Mr. Right arriving decidedly late in her life, the reader also witnesses Jen’s slow slide into the politically treacherous world of the fey as she learns to control her long-ignored inherited "gift".

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

Tarrant:
  I may be showing my age, but Clive Owen would make a perfect Hueil. He has the presence necessary to make a believable unseelie immortal. I’d pick Ioan Gruffudd for the role of the sexy and recently divorced Steven Dunne, a blonde Katherine Heigl would be my choice for Jen because of her ability to convey vulnerability alongside strength, and the role of Steven’s ex-girlfriend and partner would be cast with a too-thin Demi Moore.


















Enchanted Darkly (The Darkly Series, book 1) by Tarrant Smith

Jen Mackell knows the feel and texture of magick, but like her father and grandfather before her, she has suppressed her gifts in the pursuit of a normal life. But now at the age of twenty-seven, Jen finds herself leading a decidedly average existence filled with unending bills, a mentally-numbing job, and an uninspiring marriage.  After moving with her husband, Jim, to the picturesque town of Madison, Georgia, her world is turned upside down when she meets the darkly handsome Steven Dunne. Jen is drawn to him for reasons she doesn’t completely understand, and although she fights the attraction, the universe works against her and she finds herself working as a waitress in his cafĂ©. If fate's untimely intervention into her life were not enough, Jen has also caught the eye of Hueil, a banished Unseelie fey warrior with secrets of his own, who is intent on bringing her back into his world of enchantments and danger.  Both will force her on a quest of self-discovery as she questions her values, her hidden nature, and which fairytales are real. While navigating this uncharted world, she will need to master a witch’s spellcraft and learn the rules for dealing with the dark fey in order to protect herself and the man she is truly destined to love. In the end, Jen will have to choose wisely, trusting her heart and repressed empathic ability to discern truth from fantasy if she is to attain the happy-ever-after she so desperately wants -- but to do that, she must risk losing it all.

Thank you Tarrant for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

If you would like to learn more about Tarrant Smith and her books, please visit her website.

Now for the giveaway!

** Enchanted Darkly International Giveaway! **

To enter, please leave a comment on this post with your email address so that we may contact you if you win.  You do not need to be a follower to enter (though I always appreciate a follow!).  This giveaway is international.  Giveaway ends Monday August 30th at midnight EST.

66 comments:

  1. Great interview. I would love to read this book!

    twilightforever.edward at gmail dot com

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  2. It sounds interesting and the cover looks fantastic!

    isabookwhore(at)gmail(dot)com

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  3. The book sounds like it would be a good read so please enter me in the giveaway.

    Thanks.

    Carol T

    buddytho {at} gmail DOT com

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  4. Enchanted Darkly sounds fantastic! I would LOVE to read it! and what a beautiful and intriguing cover (love the font too)! Congratulations Tarrant and thanks for the nice interview!

    stella.exlibris (at) gmail (dot) com

    I'm an old follower

    Thank you! :-)

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  5. Sounds like an amazing book!

    teenbookblog (at) live (dot) co (dot) uk

    Thanks for the chance to win it.

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  6. Found you via BookBlogs. Adding you to my Follow list. :) Huge fan of anything that incorporates Celtic myth so I'm definitely curious about this book. I'd like to join this contest. There are so few international ones out there.

    Noelle, beautybedamned [at] yahoo [dot] com

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  7. Looks like a cool book!
    Jessy.Billings(at)gmail.com

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  8. E.J. Stevens,

    Thanks for having me on your site. I truly loved answering your questions.

    Tarrant

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  9. First time hearing about this one, count me in! tWarner419@aol.com

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  10. Hmmm, I don't know if you should've adored this professor. Dream-crushing is not a fine teaching attribute.

    The book sounds amazing. I hope I win it.

    tmilstein at gmail dot com

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  11. Sweet Giveaway!!

    moonlightbookreviews@gmail.com

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  12. Theresa Milstein,

    I was impressionable back then; not nearly as jaded as I am now. :)

    Tarrant

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  13. This sounds like a very interesting book!

    jlelliott08 [at] gmail [dot] com

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  14. Great interview! This sounds awesome.

    hewella1 at gmail dot com

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  15. Please enter me.I am already a follower. I would love to win the book.Thank you!
    Misha
    mishamary@gmail.com

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  16. Love the interview! And love your name!

    chidoryx AT hotmail DOT com

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  17. Hi EJ!
    A very interesting interview and a great site.
    From a new follower!

    calum@tinyworld.co.uk

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  18. Hi EJ,
    I love the interview, we always forget that authors are real people with real dreams. I really like your website so am a follower now at well.
    tlwlaw55@msn.com

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  19. Mary D
    zenrei57 (at) hotmail (dot) com

    *Love* that cover!!! Wonderful interview, too! I'd really enjoy reading this, thanks oodles for the chance to win :D

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  20. This book is on my wishlist!

    books (dot) things (at) yahoo (dot) com

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  21. Tarrant Smith is a wonderful young author who has a wonderful spirit and has found her writing voice. The books fit her personality perfectly-----they are wonderful reads and I can't wait for more.Paulette

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  22. Thanks for the great giveaway!
    cwilliams127 at gmail dot com

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  23. Thanks for hosting - please enter me - I am an old follower. bsharp88@gmail.com

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  24. Great interview! I haven't seen this one reviewed.

    meredithfl at gmail dot com

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  25. Great interview! I'd like to be entered into the giveaway! I am a follower.

    ipinedaav2012@epals.com

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  26. Count me in please.

    gmonica_024@yahoo.com

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  27. I am in! Great interview by the way.

    elmer22793@hotmail.com

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  28. Thanks for the great interview and giveaway. I would love to read this.
    peacelily_2006(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  29. Great interview!!! Clive Owen hmmm sounds nice:D

    novelsontherun@gmail.com

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  30. Looks like a good one! Thanks for the giveaway!

    VanillaMusic15@aol.com

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  31. Great interview! It sucks it took you so long to think about publishing. I've been wanitng to read your book since I saw it on Goodreads!

    xnzkisha17 at yahoo dot com

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  32. This sounds really interesting

    andtheplotthickens@y7mail.com

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  33. Great interview and I love the 'casting'. Clive Owen and Ioan Gruffudd are two of my favourite actors as well as being gorgeous man-candy :0)

    eva.s.black[@]gmail[.]com

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  34. Great interiew and the book certainly sounds intriquing!
    ksg_amg(at)yahoo.com

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  35. Ooh! Ooh! I could give it to my mommy (having already bought the Kindle edition for myself). She loves finding great new authors.

    ayanlang@gmail.com

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  36. Thanks for the fabulous opportunity!

    amydelrosso@gmail.com

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  37. Great interview. I would love to read this book!

    vidishamun@gmail.com

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  38. Oh, this sounds like a nice book! I really like the summary! Thanks for the opportunity!

    amaterasureads@gmail.com

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  39. I love giveaways!

    kateva11(at)yahoo(dot)com(dot)ph

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  40. This book sounds good. Count me in the giveaway. juliecookies(at)gmail.com

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  41. Thanks for the giveaway!

    ashleysbookshelf@gmail.com

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  42. adrianrfaith@aol.comAugust 20, 2010 at 11:33 PM

    ambermoonglow says, I love celtic storylines and I can't wait to read your book! I am so grateful for the giveaway!!

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  43. I would love to be entered- thank you.

    baychriz@gmail.com

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  44. This book sounds interesting, I would like to be entered:-)

    forceofstars(at)yahoo(dot)dk

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  45. New follower here! Tarrant Smith sounds absolutely wonderful, and I'm sure her book is too!

    My email is at readingcouture@gmail.com
    and my blog is here:
    Tina @ Book Couture

    ●▬▬▬ŕą‘۩Tina۩ŕą‘▬▬▬▬●

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  46. Sounds fabulous! :) Thanks so much for making this international! I am a follower and you can reach me at luvpinkpanther@gmail.com

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  47. This book sounds excellent. Great interview as well! I would love to be entered to win. Thank you! :)

    lostforwords.cl(at)gmail(dot)com

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  48. Great interview! The book sounds really good! Please enter me and thank you for making this international :)

    crimson_haze(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  49. Thanks for making this international.

    k_anon[at]hotmail[dot]co[dot]uk

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  50. Good interview, the book sounds really interesting! Thanks for making this an international contest :) ...I'm only in Canada, but we still get the short end of the stick most times.

    And I agree with the author -- being an empath would be awful...!

    phoenix_writing [at] yahoo [dot] ca

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  51. Thanks for the interview and the giveaway!

    joanna_102693(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  52. Thanks!
    amber@untamedbookreviews.com

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  53. Thanks for the giveaway, the interview and for making this an international contest :D

    i-love_horse@hotmail.com

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  54. Very interesting cover and story.

    regards: maidenhealer@hotmail.com

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  55. Thanks for offering this giveaway!

    Jennisis (at) comcast (dot) net

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  56. This book sounds great -- I'd love to be entered in the giveaway. Thank you!

    audra
    thesibylqueen at gmail.com

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  57. Great giveaway. I would love to read this book. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com

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  58. Awesome giveaway!
    Please enter me?

    mayarend (at) yahoo (dot) com (dot) br

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  59. Wow, never heard of this book but this interview totally made me wanna read it!

    casadelanoche@hotmail.ES

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  60. The book sounds interesting.
    Thank you for the giveaway!

    musmekipi at gmail dot com

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  61. Sounds like an interesting book. Thank you for the giveaway.

    themagicfaerie(at)gmail(got)com

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  62. Great interview! This book sounds awesome -- it's in my tbr now. :)

    angelmistress[at]hotmail[dot]com

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  63. This is my kind of book! I'd love to read it

    bmweida at yahoo dot com

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  64. I'd love to read this book!

    aikychien at yahoo dot com

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