Sunday, August 19, 2012

Guest Post with Colleen Houck


Photo Credit: Gabriel Boone

New York Times Bestselling author Colleen Houck is a lifelong reader whose literary interests include action, adventure, paranormal, science fiction, and romance. When she’s not busy writing, she likes to spend time chatting on the phone with one of her six siblings, watching plays, and shopping online. Colleen has lived in Arizona, Idaho, Utah, California, and North Carolina and is now permanently settled in Salem, Oregon with her husband and a huge assortment of plush tigers.
        


Age Range: 12 and up
Grade Level: 7 - 9
Series: Tiger's Curse (Book 4)
Paperback: 464 pages
Publisher: Splinter (August 4, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1454903562
ISBN-13: 978-1454903567

Praise for TIGER'S CURSE

“…a sweet romance and heart-pounding adventure. I found myself cheering, squealing and biting my nails-all within a few pages. In short, Tiger's Curse is magical!” ―Becca Fitzpatrick, New York Times bestselling author of Hush, Hush

"High adventure ensues. As in Tiger's Curse and Tiger's Quest, this story is part action-adventure and part romance…The novel will satisfy the saga's fans, who will be delighted by the prospect of a fourth volume.” ―Booklist

“Houck cranks the love-o-stat up another notch…Hypersteamy romance...'hot, melty, smoldering' (but still chaste) make-out sessions…” ―Kirkus Reviews

“Forget vampires and werewolves, tigers are the new hottest thing…a guaranteed page turner with a huge twist at the end that will leave you breathless.” ―RT Book Reviews


I’m so excited to participate in this blog tour! Believe it or not this is my first official online tour and it was so fun to put together. There are all types of interviews and exciting things for tiger fans to look forward to as we get ready to launch Tiger’s Destiny.

Tiger’s Destiny is my fourth book in the Tiger series and it picks up after one of my worst cliffhangers ever! At the end of Tiger’s Voyage, Kelsey has been kidnapped by Lokesh, Ren and Kishan are fighting a horde of modern day pirates, and Mr. Kadam and Nilima have disappeared into thin air. The tension couldn’t be thicker as we get started on this fourth roller coaster adventure.

Each book in my series is themed after an element and Tiger’s Destiny is the fire book. As my heroes race to end the curse, they face creatures in the dangerous fire realm called, Bodha. There Ren and Kishan will face the Lords of the Flame, two volcano gods who are seeking the beautiful Lawala. Believing Kelsey might be their long lost love reincarnated, they orchestrate an unearthly battle with Ren and Kishan to win her hand. The Rajaram brothers try desperately to defeat the Fire Lords and gain Kelsey’s freedom but the volcano gods are not only treacherous but powerful and they won’t give up Kelsey easily.

The idea for the Lords of the Flame comes from a northwest Native American myth that I adapted for the purpose of my story. In my version, I change the names from Wyeast to Wyea and from Sahale to Shayla. Repeating history, both braves fall in love with the same girl, but the one that she loves goes off to war. Believing he is dead, the lovely maiden, Lawala, marries the second brother and goes on with her life until the first man returns. Horrified that she can do nothing to remedy the situation, Lawala commits suicide and both men grieve the loss of the one they loved. As they kneel on the ground, mourning, snow begins to build up on their backs and they become Mt. Hood & Mt. St. Helens. I’ve romanticized the story somewhat for the purposes of my book in the same way I changed the story of Lady Silkworm but I think my readers will enjoy getting to know the twin Lords of the Flame in the fire realm of Tiger’s Destiny.

Tiger’s Destiny has all the action and adventure my readers expect along with the tender romance they like to read over and over. I think there is something for everyone in this fourth installment. Whether you’re a Ren fan, Team Kishan, or just like a good battle, I think you’ll want to pick up Tiger’s Destiny again and again.

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

What’s one thing that readers would be surprised to find out about you?
I asked my husband out first.

What was the greatest thing you learned at school?
That I had some talents.

For those who are unfamiliar with Kelsey, how would you introduce her?
She’s loving, stubborn, heroic, loyal, and loves chocolate.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating Kishan?
He wasn’t a bad boy at all.

Do you have a favorite quote that you keep visible in your work environment to help inspire you?
No, but I read an inspirational quote every day.

If you could introduce Ren to any character from another book, who would it be and why?
Romeo. I think Ren would like to speak with him.

Where is the best place in the world you’ve been?
Oregon. It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever been to.

When asked, what’s the one question you always answer with a lie?
My weight.

What's the worst summer job you've ever had?
Doing the deep fry in a Chinese restaurant.

When was the last time you cried?
Saying goodbye to my sister before she left.


With three of the goddess Durga's quests behind them, only one prophecy now stands in the way of Kelsey, Ren, and Kishan breaking the tiger's curse. But the trio's greatest challenge awaits them: A life-endangering pursuit in search of Durga's final gift, the Rope of Fire, on the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal.

It's a race against time--and the evil sorcerer Lokesh--in this eagerly anticipated fourth volume in the bestselling Tiger's Curse series, which pits good against evil, tests the bonds of love and loyalty, and finally reveals the tigers' true destinies once and for all.


The eagerly anticipated fourth installment of The Tiger Saga, Tiger’s Destiny, takes the series to new levels and excitement. Colleen Houck continues to shine through the remarkable story that she has weaved. As Kelsey, Ren, and Kishan maintain their pursuit on trying to break the tiger’s curse, they face new obstacles unlike anything they have ever encountered. As the number of prophecies thin out, the three are now closer than ever before while the evil sorcerer, Lokesh, will stop at nothing to make sure their mission is a failure.

Tiger’s Destiny continues the amazing story of two cursed brothers. The adventures laid out in this book are a notch above the intensity level of its predecessors. The characters readers have come to know and love have really grown this time around. Although readers have known them for three books now, they still manage to pull surprises. Lokesh steps up his evil manners and pits the protagonists with predicaments that seem inescapable.

One of the most compelling elements of this series is Colleen’s ability to grab her reader’s attention and hold on to it even long after it has been read. The mythology and the beautiful world that she has created for these unforgettable characters are simply amazing. Her writing style is unparalleled and unmatched. She knows how to put words together in a way that will have readers eagerly wanting more. The personality and emotions she puts in her characters are unlike anything readers have ever run into before. The characters are dynamically full of life and readers will find themselves investing a lot of their time wanting to know how their incredible story will conclude.

The ARC does not supply the final pages of Tiger’s Destiny. However, I am certain that Colleen has a big surprise for her readers. The Tiger Saga has proven to be a major player in the YA genre and come September 4, 2012, Tiger’s Destiny will continue to solidify that statement. 


You can purchase Tiger's Destiny at the following Retailers:
        


And now, The Giveaways.
Thank you COLLEEN HOUCK for making this giveaway possible.
1 Winner will receive One ARC of Tiger's Destiny, Book Plate, and signed bookmark.
1 Winner will receive One finished copy of Tiger's Destiny, Book Plate, and signed bookmark.
WEEK ONE
AUGUST 19th SUNDAY JeanBookNerd VLOG & INTERVIEW
AUGUST 20th MONDAY Rose's Book Corner MUSIC PLAYLIST
AUGUST 21st T
UESDAY Making the Grade EXCERPT
AUGUST 22nd WEDN
ESDAY Anne Brewer DREAM CAST
AUGUST 23rd TH
URSDAY JeanBookNerd CHARACTER INTERVIEW WITH REN
AUGUST 24th FRIDAY Dream Shadow Mundane Blog DREAM CAST
AUGUST 25th SATURDAY Beneath the Cover GUEST POST
AUGUST 26th SUNDAY Best Books SPOTLIGHT
AUGUST 27th MONDAY Tsk Tsk, What to Read? CHARACTER INTERVIEW WITH KELSEY

WEEK TWO
AUGUST 28th TUESDAY Paranormal Reads EXCERPT
AUGUST 29th WEDNES
DAY Shadow Mundane Blog SPOTLIGHT
AUGUST 30th THU
RSDAY Sassy Book Lovers THISOR THAT
AUGUST 31st FRIDAY
Dream TTC Books and More DREAM CAST
SEPTEMBER 1st SATURDAY Tiger's Curse SPOTLIGHT
SEPTEMBER 2nd SUNDAY Madsheep Reading FAVORITE THINGS
SEPTEMBER 3rd MONDAY Mundie Moms EXCERPT
SEPTEMBER 4th TUESDAY Two Chicks on Books SPOTLIGHT
SEPTEMBER 5th WEDNESDAY James Vallesteros ARTWORK
jbnpastinterviews

19 comments:

  1. this is my favorite series ever!

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  2. We all have our stories to tell . . .Colleen Houck's is one of the BEST. She spins an adventurous yarn with expert skill & finesse! Keeps you immersed in the world she's created for the Brother Tigers and all who enter . . . are consumed, left emotionally drained, yet still craving more! So . . . consider yourself forewarned! Enter with caution and proceed with passionate abandon! I invite you to get as lost in the worlds she creates as I do.

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  3. I am soooo excited!!!! Can't wait for the excerpt!!! :D

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  4. I love this series! Thanks for the great interview and giveaway.

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  5. This is without a doubt the best series Eva! It's not an understatement saying the Tiger's Curse Saga is epic!

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  6. This is an amazing series by an amazing author!! I am a huge reader and this is my favorite series!! I cannot wait for Tigers Destiny to come out and see what everyonesndestiny is!!

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  7. Thank you so much for the giveaway!!!

    -Enna P.

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  8. Thanks so much for this chance to win something from this amazing author! I absolutely adore her books and am literally sitting on the edge of my seat in anticipation!

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  9. I can't see the terms and conditions in my Ipad. Someone can say to me if this giveaway is for all the countries, or only for US?

    ReplyDelete
  10. 你好! 我來自台灣,我好愛你寫的書! 謝謝你讓我有機會可以贏得一些有關這本書的物品!!

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  11. Thank you, thank you , thank you! Copy that sentence a thousand times and it still wont be enough.

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  12. I love this series so much and can't wait to see what happens in Tiger's Destiny!

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  13. I LOVE this series!! Thank you for the giveaway! I hope I win!!

    ReplyDelete
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