Title:
The Monster of Selkirk - Book 1 "The Duality of Nature"
Author: C.E. Clayton
Synopsis from Amazon.com:
Monsters come in many forms, and not everyone knows a monster when they see one. Afterthree hundred years of monstrous, feral elves plaguing the island nation of Selkirk, everyone believes they know what a monster is. Humans have learned to live with their savage neighbors, enactinga Clearing every four years to push the elves back from their borders. The system has worked for centuries, until after one such purge, a babe was found in the forest. As Tallis grows, she discovers she isn't like everyone else. There is something a little different that makes people leery in her presence, and she only ever makes a handful of friends. But when the elves gather their forces and emerge from the forests literally hissing Tallis's name like a battle mantra, making friends is the least of her troubles. Tallis and her companions find themselves onan unwilling journey to not only clear her name, but to stop the elves from ravaging her homeland.
Amazon Link:
https://www.amazon.com/Monster-Selkirk-Book-Duality-Nature/dp/1546469680/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499321994&sr=8-
1&keywords=the+monster+of+selkirk
Goodreads Link:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34736540-the-monster-of-selkirk
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Spotify Playlist: https://play.spotify.com/user/121402516/playlist/5y7UnUZ
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
C.E. Clayton was born and raised in Southern California where she worked in the advertising industry for several years on accounts that ranged from fast food, to cars, and video games (her personal favorite). This was before she packed up her life, husband, two displeased cats, and one very confused dog and moved to New Orleans. Now, she is a full time writer (mainly in the fantasy genre), her cats are no longer as displeased, and her dog no longer confused. Moreabout C.E. Clayton, including her blog, book reviews, and poetry, canbe found on her website:
http://www.ceclayton.com
AUTHOR LINKS:
Website: http://www.ceclayton.com
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/chelscey
1.) Would you consider yourself a plotter, a pantser, or something in between?
I'm mostly a pantser though I do tend to be in between a bit. I've found that when I over plot, I get bored of my story and therefore, stop writing. Generally, I know what the conflict is and how the whole thing will end. From there, I let the characters shape themselves a bit as I go along. At most, I plot out a few chapters ahead as I get to them so I never lose the thread of what should be happening and what needs to happen in order to get to the conclusion. For me, I've found this approach really helps with the pacing so things don't drift into tangents and the action is lost, but it keeps me engaged and excited to see what my characters do next. I know that sounds like some abstract, frilly artsy thing, but it really isn't, I promise! :)
2.) Do you feel like you have control over your characters, following strict outlines, or do they tend to evolve over time?
They mostly evolve over time. I always know where they start, their background, the things they are afraid of or struggle to overcome, then I get the pleasure of watching them grow and change based on all the drama and characters I throw their way. I don't have kids, so I imagine this is a teeny tiny bit what parents must feel like when they are watching their children grow, and I love it!
3.) Can you give us some behind the scenes info about any of your characters that isn't mentioned in the story? For example: favorite music, color, food, celebrity crush, etc?
Tallis, the main character, hates the ocean! She can swim, but she gets extremely uncomfortable without solid land beneath her feet. It's a mild phobia of hers that she never manages to reconcile. Also, even though Selkirk is based off a medieval version of Scotland, if Tallis were to have a favorite band today, it would be Bastille though her favorite music would be more folk/americana.
Rosslyn's favorite color is bright pink but she never wears it, she feels like it makes her look too "girly", or innocent , rather, so even though she loves it, she won't own anything pink.
Tomas doesn't drink because he's afraid of losing control, especially around Tallis ;) He's not against drinking, so he may drink one day, but for now, he's afraid of what it'll do to him.
Donovan loooovveeesss Rosslyn and her families cooking, especially her lamb stew, but he can't tell her. He disapproves of Rosslyn's influence on Tallis too much to pay her that kind of compliment.
4.) Speaking of celebrities, who would you cast for your major characters in a film version of your story?
I'd cast Amanda Seyfried as Tallis, they look similar in my mind and she has the range to be both a bit insecure of herself but a total strong, badass woman at the same time.
Jared Padalecki would be Tomas, they have similar builds even though Tomas has blonde hair. Really, it's his Sam Winchester character that reminds me of Tomas most. An intellectual, wants to use violence as a last resort, wants to figure things out, is brilliant, but also extremely attractive ;)
Zoe Kravitz always reminded me a bit of Rosslyn, they are both strong, sassy, and fiercely independent women. She's just missing Rosslyn's signature freckles and honey brown eyes. If nothing else, I'd like to imagine the two would be friends!
Chris Evans would be Donovan, hands down, even though they have different eye color. They have a similar look but also, Chris Evans does a fantastic job as Captain America and a lot of those same characteristics are present in Donovan, they are honorable, loyal, and will do what's right at any cost.
All of these actors are a bit older now, and the look isn't 100% right on, so they may not be best suited for my characters who are between 19-25 for the most part, but they all fit well in my head!
5.) If you were stranded on a deserted island, which of your characters would you like to have by your side and why?
Oh that's so tough! It depends on the deserted island to be honest. If it were a tropical paradise, I'd have Rosslyn with me hands down. She's hilarious and exactly the kind of girl you'd want by your side for a good time. But if the island was dangerous, I'd want Tallis! She's still fun, but also pretty deadly so I'd trust her to protect us and help figure out how to get to safety.
This is also why Rosslyn and Tallis make such good friends, they compliment each other really well.
6.) Is there anything else you would like to share?
I love giving my characters complicated backstories and mild mental health issues they have to deal with. Tomas has social anxiety, Tallis deals with panic attacks, Rosslyn has a little brother with special needs, Donovan's mother died when he was very young... all of them are either flawed, or fiercely love someone with mental instabilities. To me, even though this is pure fantasy, it makes my characters relatable because they deal with very real things that so many others deal with on a daily basis. I believe that fantasy is not purely an escape from reality, but that it helps us deal with reality. I hope that when others read about Tallis and her friends, they feel that as well.
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Tour Schedule:
July 8th:Jen (http://www.happylilbooknook.com)
July 9th:Sarah (http://www.transientdrifter.blogspot.com)
July 10th:Paige S. (http://justonemorepaige.wordpress.com)
July 11th:Kira (http://thelonelybookclub.blogspot.com)
July 12th:Paige G. (http://www.popthebutterfly.wordpress.com)
July 13th: Priyanka (http://abooklionshideaway.blogspot.in/)
Jordan (http://www.readbyroe.com)
July 14th: Jess (https://xlittlebookwormx.wordpress.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.
As soon as I finish reading I'll be sure to post my thoughts on my Goodreads account and on Amazon. Hope to see you all again soon. :)