Meet the Characters: Exclusive Interview with Gonzalo González from SEVEN NOBLE KNIGHTS

Eduardo Verastegui captures the rakishness
of young Gonzalo. 

Seven Noble Knights is coming out in only two days! Amid all the hubbub, I've somehow managed to pin down young Gonzalo González, known to his family as Gonzalico. He's recently had a busy time, too, preparing for the wedding of his uncle Ruy Blásquez to Doña Lambra, but now, in late summer 974, he's relaxing in Barbadillo with his brothers, mother, uncle, and new aunt. We sit by the fire while maids, pages, and brothers go in and out. Although he's young and a bit quick on the draw, I can tell he's a good guy.

JKK: How did you end up in Barbadillo with your aunt, Doña Lambra? You killed her cousin Álvar Sánchez and, admit it, overreacted when her page threw a blood-soaked cucumber at you.

GG: Don't get me started on that bloody cucumber. But Count García ruled Álvar's death an accident, and my uncle says Lambra forgave us for everything.

JKK: She was pretty upset.

GG: Yes, Lambra can really throw a fit! But I mean, we're here with her now, so everything must be all right. We're family!

Doña Lambra in one of her rages. 

JKK: You've got quite a family. Tell me about your uncle.

GG: I've known Ruy Blásquez forever, and my brothers have known him even longer than I have. He's a great uncle. He taught me a lot of what I know about warfare.

JKK: You seemed a little impatient with him at the siege of Zamora.

GG: Well, no, if it hadn't been for the incident with the child, I would've followed my uncle's measured, considered, experienced advice—orders.

JKK: Does he seem that old to you? He's only 35.

GG: You're even older than that. Would you have left that brave child to fend off the Moorish host all by himself?

JKK: Yes, Gonzalico, everyone knows you're about as young as it gets. You were only knighted last year. But honestly, I can't imagine myself in a situation like siege of Zamora, so who knows what I would do? I might stick with my principles, like you, or I might err on the side of caution, like your uncle. How has your uncle been enjoying his time in Barbadillo?

GG: I really haven't seen much of him since we got here. I'm not sure what we're doing here, anyway. I've been pacing the entry road on sentry duty just for something to do. My uncle Ruy Blásquez stays away all day and doesn't say much in the evening. I think he's planning something big for us to do.

JKK: Any idea what it could be?

GG: Well, my uncle recently sent our father all the way to Córdoba to collect a debt from Almanzor. Ruy Blásquez might have amazing plans to make an incursion to the south. Maybe it's all leading to retaking Toledo, the ancient Visigothic capital, for Castile!

JKK: I truly hope for all the best for you and your six brothers. It's been a pleasure.

The crest of Salas de los Infantes shows 
Gonzalico and his family. 

Seven Noble Knights, the only novel with Doña Lambra and Gonzalo González, is available for preorder now. The Grand Book Launch Blog Tour has already kicked off, and be sure to attend the Facebook launch party on December 15 for fun and prizes.

Remember to throw your name into the Goodreads hat to win one of three first edition softcovers. Giveaway ends tomorrow—December 14. The softcover edition won't be released until January 16, so get it early!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Seven Noble Knights

by Jessica Knauss

Giveaway ends December 14, 2016.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Character Interview with Sorcha Faye from Cara McKinnon's Fay of Skye Series

Q: Tell us a little about where you live.

A: I have spent nearly my entire life on the Fay House grounds on the isle of Skye in Scotland. The house sits up on the cliffs above Loch Fay, near the village of Kinlochfay on the River Fay.

Q: That’s a lot of Fays!

A: My family has lived there for over a thousand years, although the name “Fay” is a recent addition, brought in by a French ancestor. But that was long enough ago that everything in the area bears our name.

Q: What is your family like?

A: Large, and loud! When we get together for clan gatherings, births, weddings, and wakes, everyone talks at once and we sound like a barnyard. We squabble sometimes, but we love each other very much. I don’t spend much time with them, though, as they live all throughout the Highlands and I am almost always on Skye. Recently one of our far-flung members, a distant cousin, returned to us from America. Her name is Etta.

Q: If you could have anything in the world, what would it be?

A: At the moment, I would like to have money to help improve Fay House. While there was no Duchess of Fay, the funds for the house were tied up by solicitors and trustees. While they’d release money for major repairs, the house has very few modern amenities, and I would like to refurbish some of the ancient furniture and repaint and paper several of the rooms.

Q: Do you have any special magical talents?

A: I have very strong magical intuition. I can often tell what other people are thinking and feeling, and I get hunches that warn me not to do some things, or help me decide to do others. I also have frequent visions of the future.

Q: Last question—You can see the future. Is there anything you can tell us about what is coming?

A: Magic visions don’t need to come true. There is no such thing as fate, or destiny. My visions are based on possibilities—things that might happen, or are likely to happen. But I can say that what worries me are the choices we make for dark reasons, for jealousy or envy, for hate or anger. Those lead to dark futures. Love, acceptance, understanding, and empathy are the ways to the light, and peace.

Q: That’s good advice. Thanks for answering!

A: You’re welcome. Thanks for having me!

ABOUT CARA

Cara McKinnon wrote her first fantasy romance at the age of six, about a unicorn couple that falls in love and has adventures (there is also pie). Now she writes about humans falling in love and having adventures, but she can't quite stop including magic.

She loves history and historical romance, so she decided to set her books in an alternate Victorian era where magic is not only real, but a part of everyday life.

Cara attended the best writing school in the world, Seton Hill University, where she received an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction and found her writing tribe. She lives on the East Coast of the United States with her husband, two kids, and an oversized lapdog named Jake.

Visit her on her website caramckinnon.com, where you can find more information about the Fay of Skye series, writing and romance, and ways to get in touch!

Character Interview with Alex from Jennifer Loring's What's Left of Me

WHAT'S LEFT OF ME by Jennifer Loring

The Firebird Trilogy, Book #2

Publisher: Limitless Publishing

Release Date: July 26, 2016

Recovering from years of living the superstar hockey life wasn’t easy, but now Aleksandr Volynsky finally has everything… 

He’s married to the love of his life, expecting a daughter, and has a new job as an assistant coach with his old team, the Buffalo Gladiators. His happiness is short lived, however, when a sexual assault allegation surfaces, and Alex is forced to cooperate with an investigation for a crime he didn’t commit. 

Stephanie Hartwell is juggling her dream job with marriage and motherhood, but she’s not convinced she’s doing any of it well… 

Stephanie’s stress level goes from bad to worse when she’s diagnosed with a serious illness. Battling declining health and the critics who question her commitment to Alex in light of the allegation, she makes a decision that could change their relationship forever. 

Alex is afraid he’s about to lose everything—especially when he sees Stephanie’s friend kiss her… 

Devastated that his life is spiraling out of control again, Alex turns to his friend, Natasha, a Russian pop star. Convinced that Stephanie and her friend Brandon are having an affair, Alex resumes his self-destructive behavior. 

What Alex doesn’t know is Stephanie has been conducting a secret investigation of her own. She learns the truth behind the sexual assault—a truth no one, especially Alex, expects. 

With everything now out in the open, can Stephanie and Alex commit to a fresh start for the sake of their daughter, or will the ghosts of their pasts finally tear apart everything they have left? 

THE FIREBIRD TRILOGY — 

BOOK 1: FIREBIRD

BOOK 2: WHAT’S LEFT OF ME

Author Jennifer Loring interviewing Aleksandr 

Interview with Aleksandr Volynsky –Model, Singer, Former Hockey Star

1. What’s your favorite color?

Really? That’s what you’re asking me? Khristos. For the record, it’s blue. Also for the record, I hate interviews.

2. Sorry. Can I ask you what your family is like?

My family is amazing. My wife, Stephanie, is the most incredible woman in the world for putting up with me. And my baby girl, Anya…she leaves me speechless every time I look at her. I still can’t believe I get to be her father. My parents live in Russia, so I don’t get to see them very often, but it’s because of everything they did for me that I was able to become the hockey player I was. So da, I have the greatest family in the world.

3. What do you most want in the world?

I already have it. My two girls. And I want Anya to have the best life I can possibly give her. The things her mother should’ve had growing up.

4. If you could change something about your past, what would it be?

It’s tempting to say I’d change what happened the night of my injury, which ended my career. But if that hadn’t happened, maybe I wouldn’t be where I am now. So the only things I’d really change are the times I’ve hurt Stephanie, although I guess those sort of led us to where we are now, too. In that case, maybe I wouldn’t change anything, no matter how hard it’s been.

5. What do you most admire about your wife?

She doesn’t realize how strong she is. She’s overcome so much, but she doesn’t always see it. I’m just so in love with her, every day is like I’m sixteen and seeing this beautiful American girl for the first time all over again.  

6. What drives you crazy about your wife?

I hope she doesn’t read this. She thinks she’s weak if she has to ask for help. She thinks she can and should be able to do everything herself. No one can, but she’s been doing it for so long, it’s a hard habit to break.

7. What do you most like about yourself?

I didn’t like myself for a long time, and neither did a lot of people. Now, I think the best thing about me is that I’m completely devoted to those I love, and I’ll do whatever it takes to protect them and provide for them.

8. What do you least like about yourself?

I don’t like having bipolar disorder. I’ve learned to accept it, although certain aspects have been hard for both Stephanie and me to deal with at times. I just have to keep telling myself it’s a part of me, but it doesn’t define me.   

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR — Jennifer Loring has been, among other things, a DJ, an insurance claims assistant, and an editor. Her short fiction has appeared in numerous magazines, webzines, and anthologies, including Crystal Lake Publishing’s Tales from the Lake vol. 1 and Black Mirror Press’s Snowpocalypse. Longer work includes the novella Conduits (DarkFuse, 2014) and the novels Those of My Kind (Omnium Gatherum, 2015), Firebird, and What’s Left of Me (Limitless Publishing, 2015 and 2016). Jennifer’s novella No One on Earth (After Glows Publishing) will be released in late 2016. She lives in Philadelphia, PA with her husband, their turtle, and two basset hounds. 

LIMITLESS PUBLISHING: http://www.limitlesspublishing.net/authors/jennifer-loring/

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1493991.Jennifer_Loring

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferTLoring

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/JenniferTLoring

WEBSITE: http://jennifertloring.com/

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