Guest Blog by author Christine Amsden:
How I Met Cassie
Cassie
came to me, I didn’t go to her.
I
finished The Immortality Virus late in the fall of 2008, and though I
took pride in my second novel, I felt worn out (creatively). When the
new year came, bringing with it the opportunity for all kinds of
writerly resolutions, I decided I needed to take the year off. I
would read, blog, journal, but otherwise give my muse time to heal.
I
didn’t make it a year. It turns out, I really am a writer. Writers
write. We can’t not write. Taking the pressure off my muse did turn
out to have been a great idea, but putting a time frame on it was a
bit naive.
Cassie
came to me in mid-February, as I played on the floor with me (then)
9-month-old daughter. I won’t go so far as to say she popped into
my head fully formed, but it was close. I sat bolt upright, my eyes
probably doing that cartoon bulge, as a light bulb appeared over my
head.
What
if… What if the hero of a fantasy story was the only one in it
without magic?
I
wrote the first line of the story as soon as my daughter went down
for a nap. It read: “My parents think the longer the name, the more
powerful the sorcerer, so they named me Nicolas Merlin Apollonius
Roger Scot. You can call me Nick.”
Okay,
so it needed work. It didn’t take me long to realize I wanted a
female heroine. Nicolas (who does not go by Nick and might set you on
fire if you tried) became the oldest of Cassie’s siblings.
After
that, Cassie told me new things about herself every day. I had a
rough draft by the end of June.
About The Author:
Christine
Amsden has been writing science fiction and fantasy for as long as
she can remember. She loves to write and it is her dream that others
will be inspired by this love and by her stories. Speculative fiction
is fun, magical, and imaginative but great speculative fiction is
about real people defining themselves through extraordinary
situations. Christine writes primarily about people and it is in this
way that she strives to make science fiction and fantasy meaningful
for everyone.
At
the age of 16, Christine was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, a
condition that effects the retina and causes a loss of central
vision. She is now legally blind, but has not let this slow her down
or get in the way of her dreams. (You can learn more here.)
In
addition to writing, Christine teaches workshops on writing at Savvy
Authors.
She also does some freelance editing work.
Christine
currently lives in the Kansas City area with her husband, Austin, who
has been her biggest fan and the key to her success. They have two
beautiful children, Drake and Celeste.
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Twilight Times Books
Release Date: November 15, 2013Book Description:
Cassie
Scot, still stinging from her parents’ betrayal, wants out of the
magical world. But it isn’t letting her go. Her family is falling
apart and despite everything, it looks like she may be the only one
who can save them.
To
complicate matters, Cassie owes Evan her life, making it difficult
for her to deny him anything he really wants. And he wants her.
Sparks fly when they team up to find two girls missing from summer
camp, but long-buried secrets may ruin their hopes for happiness.
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Twilight Times Books
Release Date: May 15, 2013
Book Description:
Cassie
Scot is the ungifted daughter of powerful sorcerers, born between
worlds but belonging to neither. At 21, all she wants is to find a
place for herself, but earning a living as a private investigator in
the shadow of her family’s reputation isn’t easy. When she is
pulled into a paranormal investigation, and tempted by a powerful and
handsome sorcerer, she will have to decide where she truly belongs.
Praise
for the Cassie Scot Series:
From Publisher’s Weekly:
“In this entertaining series opener, Amsden (The Immortality Virus) introduces readers to the eponymous Cassie, a decidedly mundane member of a magical family. …Readers will enjoy Cassie’s fish-out-of-water struggles as she fights magical threats with little more than experience and bravado.”
Kim Falconer, bestselling author of The Spell of Rosette, Quantum Enchantment Series, had this to say:
“When sorcerers call the shots, what’s a girl without powers to do? Get ready for a ripper of a murder mystery full of romance and intrigue, where magic potions bubble, passions spark and vampires are definitely not your friend. Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective grabs you by the heart and won’t let go until the very last page. Well written, immersive and unputdownable. This is urban fantasy at its best. More please!”
Thanks so much for hosting!
ReplyDeleteFYI, Cassie Scot is on sale for $1.99 today and tomorrow only. :)
Thank you for posting this!
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