Title: The Last of the Firedrakes
Author: Farah Oomerbhoy
Genre: Young Adult - Fantasy
Series: Book 1 in
Pages: 488
Release Date: August 15, 2015
Publisher: Wise Ink Creative Publishing Pub
Summary: A fantastic adventure story that will transport you to a dazzling world of myth and magic. 16-year-old Aurora Darlington is an orphan. Mistreated by her adopted family and bullied at school, she dreams of running away and being free. But when she is kidnapped and dragged through a portal into a magical world, suddenly her old life doesn’t seem so bad. Avalonia is a dangerous land ruled by powerful mages and a cruel, selfish queen who will do anything to control all seven kingdoms—including killing anyone who stands in her way. Thrust headlong into this new, magical world, Aurora’s arrival sets plans in motion that threaten to destroy all she holds dear. With the help of a young fae, a magical pegasus, and a handsome mage, Aurora journeys across Avalonia to learn the truth about her past and unleash the power within herself. Kingdoms collide as a complicated web of political intrigue and ancient magic lead Aurora to unravel a shocking secret that will change her life forever.
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About The Author:For Farah Oomerbhoy, writing is a passion and reading her solace. She is a firm believer in the fantastic and magical, and often dreams of living in Narnia, Neverland, or the Enchanted Forest. Farah lives with her husband and three children in their family home in Mumbai, India. She has a Master’s degree in English Literature from the University of Mumbai. Her first novel, The Last of the Firedrakes, Book 1 of the Avalonia Chronicles will be published worldwide August 15th, 2015.
Author Interview:A warm welcome to the lovely Farah!Let's start with some inspiration, Who or what inspired you to become an author?
I have always enjoyed great literature, and the range of authors that have inspired and influenced me throughout the years is quite vast. From Homer, Shakespeare, and Milton to Jane Austen and Enid Blyton, I’ve enjoyed them all. But in the past few years I’ve been fascinated with the prospect of creating fantasy worlds and exploring them with the characters I have created. Books like The Chronicles of Narnia, Lord of the Rings, The Earthsea Quartet, The Magic Faraway Tree series and Harry Potter with their wonderful worlds and fascinating stories really influenced the way I looked at storytelling.
Which authors would you say have influenced you most and how?
Enid Blyton, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and J.K Rowling. All their books have a magical wonder to them, and at the same time the worlds are so beautifully crafted that you feel like you want to live there. Creating the world of Avalonia was how I started writing this book, I wanted to create a world that readers would love to live in. The characters and plot grew from there.
How long do you generally let a story idea ‘marinate’ in your brain before you start the book?
A while, it needs some time to change and grow. So I write down notes first, and then start writing.
What's your biggest challenge as a writer? How did you overcome it, or how are you working to overcome it?
My biggest challenge is trying to find enough time to write. Now I’ve recently started keeping a fixed time to write everyday.
How do you come up with the characters names/personalities?
I love creating names of characters and places. I just write down a list of names I like and then cut them, expand on them or join two words to make another. For their personalities, I do draw inspiration from real life and the people I know and meet. But no character in my book is completely one person. I take character traits and personalities from a mixture of people to build my characters into what I want.
Ok let's get off topic for a few questions! If you could be one of the Greek Gods, which would it be and why?
I think I would like to be Athena. She’s smart and powerful at the same time. The Goddess of War and Wisdom, she’s also the goddess of art and inspiration, and Plato even calls her “she who has the mind of God.” As the myths say she was born fully armed, springing out of Zeus’ head. Excellent at war strategy, she was also a mentor to many heroes like Perseus and Hercules helping them to complete their quests. She’s quite fantastic!
Who is your Favorite historical person?
Cleopatra
If you could choose only one time period and place to live, when and where would you live and why?
I think the 15th and 16th centuries in England would have been a wonderful time to live in. The birth of the English literary renaissance was the most exciting time in the history of literature. I would have loved to meet William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, or Phillip Sydney and just sit and listen to what they have to say. The Golden Age of Elizabeth 1 was also an age of castles, chivalrous knights and courtly romance and I think I would have loved to be a part of it.
If you could take over the world, would you?
No! ☺ I couldn’t handle the responsibility.
Ok let's talk about books! What is your favorite scene in the book? Which scene or characters were the most difficult for you to write and why?
I think my absolute favorite is when Aurora finally meets Morgana. When I wrote this chapter even I was surprised at how it turned out. I wasn’t expecting things to happen the way that they did, I just let Aurora do what she thought was right. I don’t think I can tell you much more without giving away the ending. I also love the scene in the midnight forest market. It was such fun to write and is wonderfully magical. Aurora was definitely the most difficult to write, because readers are seeing things only from her point of view and our knowledge is restricted to what she sees, learns and finds out. It is difficult to keep a balance while revealing things.
Can you see yourself in any of your characters?
I can see myself in Aurora sometimes, a few characteristics are similar. But there are many things that I would have done differently that would not have suited her character, so I let her evolve as the book progressed.
Dream casts are becoming very popular, what would your dream cast for your book be?I don't really have one for Aurora—I still have to find someone who could play her, a fresh face would be nice. But a young Henry Cavill as Rafe, Jeremy Irons as Gabriel Silverthorne, Michelle Pfieffer as Serena Silverthorne, Ian Somerhalder as Damien and Angelina Jolie as Morgana.
What book do you love that doesn't get a lot of hype?
Scarlett by Alexandra Ripley. It is the sequel to Gone with the Wind and is written so well, perfectly echoing Margret Mitchell’s style of writing. Anyone who loved reading Gone with the Wind and wants to know what happens to Scarlett and Rhett must read this book. You will not be disappointed.
How many books are in your TRB pile?Too many! Lately I don’t have much time to read. But I hope I will be able to get to them soon. I think the count is at 139 right now on my to-read list.
Ok, to finish off, last question! Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book!
The Last of the Firedrakes is a fantastical adventure story that will transport you to a dazzling world of myth and magic.
Thank you so much for your time Farah! Check out the links above to get your copy of The Last of the Firedrakes today!
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This looks beautiful! Thank you so much for your participation! x
ReplyDeleteAmy
Thank you so much for this wonderful post Angela, I really appreciate all your support.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes
Farah