Saturday, January 7, 2012

Interview and Giveaway with Elizabeth Marx


I had the honor of reading and reviewing Elizabeth Marx's book, All's Fair in Vanities War. I also had the privilege to interview her and she's been more than generous to provide a copy to giveaway here on the Blair Book Project. Thank you Ms. Marx! 


CLICK HERE TO SEE REVIEW


**If you're wondering where the book pile on the photo above came from, since this book is only available electronically, those are just 3D models I created and did a mock-up back and spine art for the purpose of this blog post alone. No copyright infringement intended.
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Blair Book Project (BBP): Describe All’s Fair in Vanities War in 3 words.

Elizabeth Marx (EM): Confusion, Acceptance, Mastery

I think all three of the main characters go through this same character arc, confused about who they are now, a slow and sometimes bitter acceptance of who they are meant to be, and finally they try to control and command who they’re becoming. 

BBP: What was the inspiration behind All’s Fair in Vanities War?

EM: I started out writing a story about hereditary witches and I was toying with the location of Salem, but the only hereditary witches that I could find research on were Italian, and that didn’t fit with the largest group of settlers in that area, who were from English descent and then the Irish in the Boston area. The English and Irish led me on the path to the druids and Celtic mythology. While researching that, I came across a Seer, and she wouldn’t leave me alone, she kept poking me and telling me what to do. Finally, I gave up and let her run the show and once you’ve read the book you know she has a lot to say.

You can like The Seer on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TheSeers7DeadlyFairyTales
BBP: How much research did you go into regarding the lore presented in this book?

EM: I did a lot of research on witchcraft, Celtic mythology, magical creatures, symbols and magic, druids, paganism. The fun part was traveling to Salem and going to all the locations in the book, especially American’s Stonehenge which is in Salem, New Hampshire (about 45 minutes from Salem, MA), as well as the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. I love history and mythology so it was a lot of fun to tie so many things together with the sinister history of Salem.

BBP: If you were one of the characters in your book, who would you be and why?

EM: Because all the characters live in my head, I feel that I’m part of all of them, even the not-so-nice ones. It’s kind of like asking a parent who their favorite child is, but if I had to decide on one, I’d have to choose Ilithyia, she’s the mother, and like the mother in most families she directs what’s happening even if it’s from behind the scenes. There is much more about Ilithyia that you don’t know than you do, and you’d be wise to keep an eye on her. I know I am.

BBP: All’s Fair in Vanities War is Book I of the series, when will we be expecting the second one and is there a title already set?

EM: Book II will be out sometime in 2012, I’m not sure exactly when, most of the research is already done, but I have two adult titles closer to completion than Book II. As far as a title, all I know at this point is that it will have one of the deadly sins in the title. If anyone has any suggestions you can email them to me at elizabethmarxbooks@gmail.com and I’ll send them an autographed All’s Fair in Vanities War bookmark.

BBP: Could you give us a little hint about what we’ll see in Book II?

EM: Book II will be loosely based on another fairy tale and its theme will be one of the deadly sins. The book will reveal more about Keleigh’s mother, Darby, she’s the key, along with Keleigh to how we ended up here in the first place. Of course Locke will be supporting Keleigh’s druidic education, but I wouldn’t count Lynx out of the picture by any stretch of the imagination, and we still don’t know who the guy is in the hooded cloak. Do we?

BBP: I’m rather curious, have you always pictured yourself becoming a writer?

EM: I’ve always been a huge reader. When I was in elementary school I won a writing contest and I wrote mostly bad poetry in high school. In college, I put my writing away for other pursuits, but after working as an interior designer for years I’ve come back to my first love, writing.  I think like so many things in life sometimes we squash our natural talents with other pursuits, but many times what we were naturally attracted to, was what we were meant to do all along. I guess I always pictured myself as a writer, not becoming one, if that makes any sense.


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And now for a giveaway. Get a chance to win an Ebook copy of All's Fair in Vanities War. 
Contest Information:

  One winner will receive an ebook copy of All’s Fair in Vanities War

  Open internationally

  Entrants must be 13 years old or above

  Winner will be informed and will receive an email

- Giveaway is now CLOSED-
Thank you to all those who've entered.
Good Luck!