The Bad Seed Blog Tour

Just in time for October and all things spooky, I read this dark fantasy story The Bad Seed by Michael Lackey. This book hearkens back to the epic tales of Tolkien and other such writers were the characters must go on a quest to rescue the kingdom from darkness. As a fun added twist, several of the characters were sent to Earth for protection. I would have liked to have seen a bit more of their interactions with the people of Earth, as it could have added a little comic flair, but the story did deal with some of the issues involved with hiding a magical past. Here is a bit more about the book.

Title: The Bad Seed (Battle for the Heavens Book 1)
By: Michael Lackey
Summary from Amazon.com:
On the day Zachery Morely's mother asks him to fetch herbs from the garden, he never expected to find himself face to face with a demon. A demon who has planted the seed of a sinister tree that feeds off the living. Zachery and his father George request the help of the King to figure out what this tree means. Only when the tree consumes its first human being and takes it true, human like form, and hear its warnings do they realize their world is in serious danger. Zachery sets off on an epic journey with the King and the kings guard through lands of men, dwarves, and elves. He confronts elven wizards and dragons, and acknowledges he is more powerful than he thinks, in order to help protect the champion of light and save his world from evil. The Light shines brightest, when the world is at its darkest.- Michael Lackey
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/Bad-Seed-Battle-
Heavens/dp/1518697801/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1476067512&sr=8-
1&keywords=the+bad+seed+michael+lackey
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28110405-the-bad-seed
________________________________________________________________________________

This is a hand drawn map that you'll find in the first few pages of "The Bad Seed." The map details the world that author Michael Lackey has built and that displays his true commitment and
dedication to this world he has created.
Below is a short excerpt from the book that will definitely get you hooked:
Whitehold was the center of the commonwealth in the realm of Cyreus. Ruled by King Gabriel, filled with lush farm lands surrounding a large castle that housed a city within itself. As the morning dew burned off the leaves and birds sang the arrival of a new day, we find a house in the corner of a little farm, just outside the city of Whitehold. A quiet farm brimming with crops, and livestock to bedelivered to the people. This particular farm is home to the Morely family.
As the warm sun peaked over the treetops, the Morely family started their morning routine.
”Zachery. Will you place gather me some of the herbs from the garden? Your father is bringing me the eggs?" Elizabeth asked.
Zachery, was the eldest child to George and Elizabeth Morely. He walked from the house, bag in hand, to do as his mother asked. A young man on the brink of adulthood. Broad shoulders carried a head full of dark hair that shimmered in the morning light. Eyes full of wonder and expectation of a life he longed to live. He had recently celebrated his fifteenth season day, and stood nearly as tall ashis father. As he made his way to the garden, he grabbed his wooden sword and wrapped his dirt stained cloak his mother had made him around his neck.
"I understand, sire. A mission to the garden sounds like you need a King's Guard!" He pretended he was a member of the King's Guard, protecting the King and going on adventures. Zachery could always be found carrying that wooden sword, and his makeshift cloak with the King's colors on it. Zachery always knew he was not destined to be a poor farmer. He longed for the time he could leave his humdrum days behind. This was no usual day for his as it turned out. As he rounded the hedges to the open garden plot, there in the back he saw a dark figure. Zachery ducked behind the hedges, hoping not to be seen. He watched the gloomy silhouette fade in and out of the shadows.
"Was father expecting someone? That doesn't look like anyone I know," Zachery said softly to himself.
He held his breath, listening to the pounding beat of his heart as if it tried to escape his chest. With every second it grew louder until Zachery thought for sure the dark one would hear him. The skies darkened. The wind picked up and start to swirl around the shadowy individual.
________________________________________________________________________________

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Michael Lackey (1973-) was born and raised in the heart of Dixie, Alabama. Always a dreamer and believer in things that most found silly, Michael loved to pretend as a child. He imagined himself in a land of monsters, where he was the only one who could save the world from utter destruction. He mapped out stunt courses for Hollywood. Raised his sword high and proclaimed himself the champion and slayer of the mystical beasts that plagued his land.
Like most over imaginative children, life set in for Michael. Work. Adulthood. Family. He never really grew out of his imagination. Now in his forties, his stories and love for fantasy spring forth onto pages.
AUTHOR LINKS:
Website: http://michael-lackey.weebly.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/supes23
Instagram: http://instagram.com/mikelackey23
________________________________________________________________________________
GIVEAWAY:
a
Rafflecopter giveaway

TOUR SCHEDULE:
October 10th:
Jen (http://www.happylilbooknook.com)
October 12th:
Elizabeth (http://www.instagram.com/throneofshatteredbooks)
October 14th: Sarah (http://www.transientdrifter.blogspot.com)
October 15th:
Suhani (https://nicheofabooknerd.wordpress.com)
Meredith (http://www.meredithreads.wordpress.com)
October 16th:
Jordan (http://www.readbyroe.com)
Blog Tour Organized by: Happy Lil Book Tours
*Hosts were provided with a copy of the book for review purposes in exchange for their honest
reviews and opinions.*


Author Interview:

1. Would you consider yourself more of planner or a pantser (taking it as it comes) when you write a novel? I don't plan a lot in my writing. I kind of fly by the story. I get the primary idea for the story and write it down. That might be a title, a main character, an antagonist or plot line. Then I let my imagination do the work. I always ask what would happen if...


2. You use a variety of different languages in your story, did you model them off actual languages or off those created by writers like Tolkien in the past? The languages are my own creation modeled after those created by the likes of Tolkien.

3. Can you give us any behind the scenes information about your characters that isn't revealed in the book? For instance, did the Earth exiles develop a fondness for anything not available in Amundiss? ) a behind the scenes look. Well, we will use the example you asked about. Natallia and Zachery didn't take much from their time on Earth. They were more homesick for Amundiss. Tradan on the other hand was born on Earth, he is really an Earthling by birth. He grew up with Earth as his home and I actually play on that in book two.


4. If you could spend a day with one of your characters who would you choose and what would you do together? Benzoete, the wizard, because of the stories he would have. I would ask him if he could teach me a little magic and read over the Book of the Ancients.

5. Your book title includes the note that this is book one, have you planned out more books in the series? If so, when do you plan to release them? ) I am planning to do a trilogy. Book 2 is started, but I am currently finishing a steampunk inspired novel. It is the first of a completely new series. I hope to have book 2 of the Battle of the Heavens series finished by the end of 2017. The title is Shadow Gate.