Huntsman's Prey (Kingdom, #7) by Marie Hall: Interview & Giveaway

Huntsman's Prey 

(Kingdom, #7) 

Marie Hall

Publication Date: February 10, 2014

Genre: Fantasy Romance

BLURB:

Rumors abound in Wonderland, of a dark princess named Chrysalis who bears the Moon's curse. Her beauty is beyond compare, and her madness... even greater than her father's, The Hatter. Death follows wherever she roams, and Danika--fairy godmother of all villains--knows this task is too great for her to handle on her own. She has no choice but to seek out the one they call Huntsman, his mission is simple: Find the creature, and destroy it.

But nothing is ever so simple in Kingdom. The moment the hunter Aeric steps foot in the mad, twisted realm he's enveloped in a reality that is neither wholly true nor fantasy. The key, the Cheshire explains, to ending the madness is for one to become mad themselves. The Huntsman has one chance to figure out the riddle before the beauty destroys them all...

Danika, in human form, paced the length of the Hatter and Alice’s quiet cabin. The two were in the back bedroom, discussing (none too quietly) what to do about their daughter. Sighing, Danika flitted almost absentmindedly toward the delicious aroma of yeasty baked bread filtering from out of the kitchen. Her stomach growled, Alice’s food was ambrosia and had become her kryptonite. She’d had no idea what that word meant first time Gerard’s Betty had uttered it, but the adorably geeky nerd had, with great patience, explained the mythos of a man called Superman, who Danika had to admit sounded deliciously scrumptious. Next time she met with Jericho she’d have to ask him to try on a pair of tights, apparently it was the epitome of male masculinity to wear them. At least so far as Betty was concerned, though Danika had a hard time picturing it. Alice’s crying finally stopped. Sniffing, Danika wiped her nose and the corners of her eyes. She hated to hear the lass cry, seemed like that was all she did anymore. Ever since Chrysalis ran away Alice had turned into a quiet, sullen woman. The vivacious beauty rarely left her home and Hatter was clearly at the end of his rope. Alice, and now Chrysalis, were the only things holding that poor man’s sanity together. Without their strength he’d quickly devolve back into a quarter sane male bordering on permanent lunacy. Danika hadn’t wanted to come and share the news of the bloody massacre she’d come across in the woods, but she’d had no choice. The three of them had to game plan a way to stop this soon before the fairy council took steps to end Chrysa themselves. And whatever method they devised to do it, would be ten times worse than what she hoped to concoct. The Blue’s hatred of Danika and her boys had grown to legendary proportions, she knew Galeta was just chomping at the bits to dig the dagger in deeper. Hurting Danika through Hatter’s child would definitely do it. Danika hadn’t shared with the couple her fears of the council yet, mainly because each time she did she felt like more of the villain than Galeta. Watching the pain filtering through Alice’s eyes, the love of a mother for her daughter, it was akin to a physical blow for Danika. Through the years Danika had grown to love the bad five and their mates as if they were her own. Ever since becoming a godmother she’d only ever developed this type of intense bond rarely. So when they hurt, she hurt. She’d had every intention of telling Alice and Hatter that the only way to ensure Wonderland’s safety was to put down their daughter. But the moment she’d stepped foot into their home, she knew there had to be another way. Jericho always told her to believe in him, to have more faith in her ability as a godmother, to believe in herself too. So that’s what she’d do. She’d figure this out, the cat told her to be mad. Well, how did one do that? By going to the source of course. Together, they must be able to come up with something.

Marie loves books that make you think, or feel something. Preferably both. And while she’s a total girly girl and loves glitter and rainbows, she’s just as happy when she’s writing about the dark underbelly of society. Well, if things like zombies, and vampires, and werewolves, and mermaids existed. (Although she has it on good authority that mermaids do in fact exist, because the internet told her so.)

She’s married to the love of her life, a sexy beast of a caveman who likes to refer to himself as Big Hunk. She has two awesome kids, lives in Hawaii, loves cooking and occasionally has been known to crochet.

Connect with Marie:

Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

Interview:

I would like to thank Marie Hall for taking the time to answer the following questions about herself and her latest book, Huntsman's Prey.

What is your favorite part of the story, Huntsman's Prey? 

My favorite part of the book was actually Caterpillar's bar, when I wrote the scene it was so vivid in my mind that I had no problem visualizing it as a movie!

If you were stranded on a desert island which of your characters do you want by your side?

I think Danika would be the best bet. She's magical, funny, and has a harem of hot boys she calls her godsons, really, I think she's someone you'd want to be on your good side.

If you could be best friends with one of your characters, who would it be?

Oh, toss up between Cheshire and Danika. Cheshire because he's just so mad, you never know what he's going to do, so it would always be an adventure. Danika, well… she's Danika. 

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

Growing up my favorite author was Piers Anthony, most especially his Xanth series. Which, if you've read it, you'll note the similarities between Kingdom and his series. I love whimsy and fantasy together and that's what I hope you think of when you read Kingdom.

What is your typical day like?    

Typical day consists of me eating a good breakfast, watching an episode of Dr. Who and then jumping onto my treadmill desk and writing for the next 2-3 hours. I get my workout in and write a huge chunk of change each day, can't beat that.            

How do you overcome writer’s block?

At this stage in the game, I don't really get it anymore. I think because I'm an Indie author now, if I don't 'feel' a particular plot I'll write something else. By the time I'm done writing the other book that sticky plot will usually reveal itself to me and then I can sit down and work on that one. I have 3-4 series I'm working on at any one time, and because I'm a fairly fast writer, it gives my brain ample time to rest between fantasy and reality, which helps get the creative juices flowing again.

Can you share a little of your current work with us?

I'm actually wrapping up Rumpel's Prize in fact, the next book following Huntsman's Prey. I'd be happy to share a little excerpt here:

Somewhere in Kingdom was a woman who’d end his curse, it seemed impossible to believe that she might possibly come from the loins of one Gerard Caron, but if she was, there would be nothing and no one that would prevent him from doing any and all manner of vile things to possess her. 

No matter how, he meant to see this nightmare come to an end.

“The devil’s come to collect his due, Caron,” he laughed and his bike roar 

As you can tell from the title this book is about Rumpelstiltskin and Gerard and Betty's daughter, Shayera Caron. (For those of you not following the Kingdom Series, Gerard and Betty were book 2 and their story along with their daughter's follows a Beauty and the Beast theme)   

a Rafflecopter giveaway