During her
virtual book tour, Meg will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble
(winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky, randomly drawn winner. To be entered
for a chance to win, use the form below.
To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit
her other tour stops and enter there, too!
Bio:
Meg Benjamin is an
award-winning author of romance. Her newest series, the Folk, is a paranormal
trilogy from Soul Mate Publishing set in Colorado. Meg’s Konigsburg series is
set in the Texas Hill Country and her Salt Box and Brewing Love trilogies are
set in the Colorado Rockies (all are available from Entangled Publishing).
Along with contemporary romance, Meg is also the author of the paranormal Ramos
Family trilogy from Berkley InterMix. Meg’s books have won numerous awards,
including an EPIC Award, a Romantic Times
Reviewers’ Choice Award, the Holt Medallion from Virginia Romance Writers, the
Beanpot Award from the New England Romance Writers, and the Award of Excellence
from Colorado Romance Writers.
Welcome back to Reviews and Interviews,
Meg. Please tell us about your newest release.
Unseen is the second book in my Folk series. The Folk are
descended from European fairies and living in the Rocky Mountain region. In Unseen my hero, Teran Richter, has been hired
to find possible members of the Folk living in a remote mountain town, Animas,
Colorado. Teran is half Seelie and half mortal, just leaning to accept his Folk
heritage. He and his assistant, Reynard, arrive during Animas’s annual Fall
Festival, which involves a lot of parades, some beer drinking, and a ritual
burning of a straw man as the festival climax. However, what seems like a
routine assignment soon becomes dangerous as Teran and Reynard are attacked by
unknown enemies. Teran gets some help from the locals, including Marika Sager,
a talented weaver who becomes a lot more than just his local contact. The final
confrontation with their attackers brings help from an unexpected source. Can
Teran prevail? Well, of course, but at what cost?
What inspired you to write this book?
This is the
second book in the Folk Trilogy, so it picks up some of the threads from Book 1
and that’s a major influence. But I was also inspired by one of my favorite
mountain towns, Crested Butte, Colorado, and their annual Vinotok Festival.
Vinotok always struck me as the kind of festival supernatural beings would
enjoy, so I had a great time bringing the festival and the Folk together.
The third
book in the Folk series, Found, will
be released in March 2019. It features many of the characters from the first
two books, as well as the ongoing mystery of who’s trying to undermine the Folk
and their leaders.
What is your biggest challenge when
writing a new book? (or the biggest challenge with this book)
It’s always a
challenge getting the story worked out. I’m a plotter—I need to know where I’m
going when I get started, so I have to work it out in advance. That’s pretty
dreary, but it has to be done. Once I’ve got a road map worked out, I can feel
free to take detours and scenic routes because I know there’s always a main
road I can come back to.
If your novels require research – please
talk about the process. Do you do the research first and then write, while
you’re writing, after the novel is complete and you need to fill in the gaps?
My research
for Unseen was largely into fairies
and their traditions. I used Anna Franklin’s Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Fairies, which was a font of
information as well as being a lot of fun. I read Franklin before I started
working on the Folk series, and then used the notes I made to flesh out the
Folk world.
What’s your writing space like? Do you
have a particular spot to write where the muse is more active? Please tell us
about it.
I write in my
study, which is on the second floor with a great view of the neighbors’ back
yards. It’s not as scenic as our bedroom, which has a view of the mountains,
but that’s sort of a plus since it keeps me from daydreaming too much. I have
my beloved MacBook set up on the desk with my UE Boom speaker on the bookcase
behind me. I can’t write and listen to music at the same time, but occasionally
it’s great to take a break.
What authors do you enjoy reading within
or outside of your genre?
I love
reading thrillers, mysteries, and regency romances. Right now I’m working my
way through Karen Rose’s Baltimore and Cincinnati thrillers, with occasional
stops at Grace Burrowes regencies for relief.
Anything additional you want to share
with the readers today?
I hope your
readers will enjoy the Folk. It’s not a traditional paranormal series in a
sense—Prince Bertie is a regency hero and Teran has some resemblance to a classic
cop. But it’s got enough of the
supernatural to appeal to readers who love fantasy. Plus it was a lot of fun to
write!
Links:
Thank you for coming back to Reviews and
Interviews!
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6 comments:
Thanks for hosting!
Congrats on this tour and thank for the opportunity to read about another great book out there to read. It helps out so I can find books I know my family will enjoy reading. Thanks as well for the giveaway.
Thanks for hosting me today!
Love the cover and the excerpt!
Happy Friday! Thanks for sharing the great post :)
Sounds like a good read.
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