Tuesday, 7 August 2018

#TEMPER by Nicky Drayden: All you needed to know about the Vices & more!


HAPPY RELEASE DAY!!!
#TEMPER 
by 
Nicky Drayden
@amazon : http://bit.ly/2MsqffI 
Barnes &Nobles @BNBuzz: http://bit.ly/2Mqeruf 
Or your local indie!

Help Spread the BUZZ! Retweet the below or tweet out your own using the Hashtags 



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The Virtue and Vice system in TEMPER:
  • One of the fantastical elements of TEMPER is that nearly everyone is born with a twin, and those twins split seven vices among them, each getting branded down their arms early in childhood. I’m a sucker for good twin/bad twin stories, but for this one, I wanted to tell the story from the point of view of the bad twin, Auben, who has six of the seven vices.
The vices are:
  1. Vainglory, or vanity and the consumption with one’s own beauty
  2. Envy, or the intense desire to have what others hold dear
  3. Duplicity, or the propensity to tell lies and otherwise deceive people
  4. Doubt, or the uncertainty of self
  5. Lechery, or the drive to indulge in sexual or mental pleasures (in this context, practicing science is seen as a form of lechery)
  6. Greed, or the desire to accumulate wealth and material goods past the point of need
  7. Temper, or the violent loss of self-control
Are the Vices like the Seven Deadly Sins? If so, does it relate to Christian Themes?
  • They are very similar, but I wanted to put my own spin on it. For one, these vices are literally branded upon your arm for all the world to see. They drive your actions, but if your twin is close by, they’re more or less diluted or tempered into something manageable. When twins separate for an extended amount of time or distance, those vices run wild, and someone with vainglory as a vice might find themselves consumed with their reflection in a mirror, forgetting to eat, forgetting to sleep. But virtues run wild, too, and a charitable person might be driven to give every bit of their life away, including the shirt off their back. Either extreme could mean death for one or both twins if they’re not brought back into proximity of one another.
List the virtues:

The virtues that run counterpoint to vices are:
  1. Humility
  2. Conscience
  3. Sincerity
  4. Diligence
  5. Chasity
  6. Charity
  7. Grace
  •  The chapters are named after Auben’s six vices and his one virtue, Charity.

Can a person have all vices & no virtues? Or vice versa, all virtue & no vices?
  • The number of vices a person has can severely limit their potential in society. It determines what jobs they’re eligible for, what neighborhoods they live in, and who they marry. Having four vices is common. Five, less so, about ten percent of the population, and those with six, like Auben, are fairly rare, about one in three hundred. No one has been born with all vices and all virtues since the original twins, Grace and Icy Blue, the deities that created humanity.
How does the "demonic possession" & "demons" tie in with the vices & the twin phenomenon in this version of South Africa?
  • The big horror element in the novel is that there are demons lurking around, and they particularly get up to no good when the weather turns cold, the Narrow Season in this book. People participate in rituals that will keep the demons away, like putting out cinnamon-scented candles and hosting feasts, so that family stays close and they can keep an eye on each other during this dangerous time of year.
  • Possessions are common enough that the local churches or sanctuaries offer buy-one-get-one-half-off exorcisms during the Narrow Season. Most possessions are an annoyance, but sometimes particularly strong demons can cause people to black out, to perform violence, and lose their minds. Auben is afflicted by such a beast, and must figure out a way to exorcise the demon before it destroys his life.
What do you think is the worst vice & the most common vice among people in or out of the book?
  • Well, it’s tempting to say temper, since so much violence is born out of it, but really the most damaging, in and out of the book, is doubt. Doubt kills dreams. Squashes hopes. There’s so much potential for good out there, but we are often brought down, and not by some nefarious villain, but oftentimes by our own family and friends. Tempers flare, but fade eventually. Doubt lingers. Burrows through your heart, steals away your happiness, and consumes you from within. 
If you could choose just one message this book would deliver to a reader, what would that message be?
  • That for better or worse, we are all connected. Our ties to family and friends can feel like both a burden and a gift, depending on the day, but we need to actively cultivate those relationships, or they’ll whiter away. Even relationships between people who are tied as closely together as twins.
Check out the Editor's Reasons to read #TEMPER Now:
Twitter {THREAD}
It's been on numerous "what to read" and "best of August" SFF lists, including @AndrewLiptak's article on @TheVerge: https://www.theverge.com/2018/8/1/17613652/sci-fi-fantasy-books-recommendations-august-2018 … 2/

The @BNSciFi, with the help of @JimLK, had it on their "Best of August" list: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/sci-fi-fantasy/the-best-science-fiction-fantasy-books-of-august-2018/ … "Nicky Drayden’s followup to the her gonzo science fantasy debut The Prey of Gods is just as delightfully out there." 3/

It is also an Amazon SFF pick of the Month! https://amzn.to/2Mrlums That's some pretty sweet company! 4/


TEMPER was also on @KirkusReviews' Best of August SFF list (via @sfsignal), saying of the book: "an enticing blend of science fiction, horror and magic combined with dark humor." https://www.kirkusreviews.com/features/augusts-best-science-fiction-fantasy-books/ … 6/

Not done just yet, because @SyfyWire ALSO included it on their Best of August list! http://www.syfy.com/syfywire/8-sff-book-picks-to-get-you-through-augusts-gross-hot-weather … @syfy 7/

Pretty sure there will be more (it's a really good book), but I wanted to be clear that it's not just me shouting TEMPER from the rooftops. Happy pub day, @nickydrayden! 8/8

#TemperCityTour - A 10 day virtual tour where you can win NEW RELEASES!

Announcing the start of a 10 day #TemperCityTour on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, where I'll be giving out prizes for tagging an image of TEMPER with the hashtag above and a message like "Losing my Temper in [City Name]" or "Temper spotted in [City Name]" or whatever else is book related.
It can be a picture of you reading the book, a picture of it on a library or bookstore shelf, a photoshopped image of the book cover with a city monument or attraction in the background, a cool "bookstagram" image, whatever!

Prizes include daily drawings for a 2018 release paperback of the book of your choice (under $20), with additional prizes chosen by me for funniest, cutest, and best overall post. If we get 50 cities, I will have bonus prizes!

Open Internationally, ages 18+.

SWAG BRAG!

Also thanks to everyone who's done swag brags! I've seen you out there! (These are just a few.) You are all amazing! Keep it up!

GET YOUR #TEMPER BOOK NOW!!!
@amazon : http://bit.ly/2MsqffI 
Barnes &Nobles @BNBuzz: http://bit.ly/2Mqeruf 
Or your local indie!
I; Enricoh Alfonzo; undoubtedly, vehemently, and whole-heartedly recommend this book!

© Enricoh Alfonzo ~ Alfonzo Words
  • I’d love to keep connected with you! 
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~Be Kind to One Another~ Ellen Degeneres
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19 comments:

  1. Elizabeth O8 August 2018 at 06:20

    Happy release day! This sounds like such an interesting book, I love the concept of the plot.

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  2. Lyosha Varezhkina8 August 2018 at 09:02

    Congrats! Release day is the happiest! It sounds very interestig, I think I might read the book

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  3. Unknown8 August 2018 at 09:38

    Happiest release day!! I absolutely loved Prey of the Gods and I can not wait to sink my teeth into this new book! I know it's going to be amazing :D

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  4. Jessica T.8 August 2018 at 10:45

    Congrats on the release! I love the idea of the twins and the vices/virtues! Such a cool concept.

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  5. Sue-Tanya8 August 2018 at 13:12

    Very nice! Congrats on your release day. Sounds like an interesting read.

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  6. Unknown8 August 2018 at 14:26

    Woohoo congrats on release day! This sounds really interesting, I am definitely going to go and have a look for it. Love a good book.
    Jackie

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  7. Sigrid Says8 August 2018 at 18:07

    Thanks for sharing. I am not into horror and thriller stories though. This reminds me of a funny story. My daughter doesnt know how to read yet. She was holding a devotional book but she was recalling how she is reading murder and stuff. Cray cray!

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  8. JNoteMusic8 August 2018 at 21:38

    This book sounds very interesting. You created a scene in my mind that reminds me of "I Am Legend" and "The Walking Dead." Best of luck with your book.

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  9. Monidipa9 August 2018 at 00:03

    Firstly Happy release day!The plot sounds interesting.. I will get my copy from Amazon..

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  10. mannymac9 August 2018 at 00:19

    Ummm seemed to missed release day yesterday. Shame on me. (Iextenuating circumstances 🤦‍♀️) but congrats!!! Looking forward to this. Woohoo!!!!!

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  11. Travel with Karla9 August 2018 at 07:00

    Wow! It looks like a great Twitter Party! Congratulations on the release of #Temper!

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  12. Everything on a plate9 August 2018 at 11:17

    It must be such an amazing feeling to hold your book <3

    Love and congratulations to you <3

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  13. Backpacking Series9 August 2018 at 12:23

    Congratulations on the release of Temper! Its a great feeling. We still remember when our book Backpacking North East India: A Curious Journey got published, not too long ago. Its a lot of hard work to come out with a book! Well done! The plot of the book is very reflective and interesting.

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  14. Ana9 August 2018 at 19:25

    Congratulations on the release of Temper! I bet it must be an overwhelming experience!

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  15. Cleverly Changing9 August 2018 at 21:14

    Congratulations. You've accomplished and 200,000 pageviews that is amazing and fantastic too.

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  16. Simple Indian Mom10 August 2018 at 00:55

    Happy release day <3 congratulations. May you achieve more heights in future

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  17. London Mumma10 August 2018 at 01:27

    Now this sounds like my kinda of book, I love a little twisted sci-fi horror. Major congrats on the release.

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  18. Jade Braham10 August 2018 at 03:36

    Congratulations on the release of Temper! You must be so happy! I love the sound of it, especially the twin dynamic. Being a twin myself it was interesting to read that the vices that are branded upon the twins arm drive their actions but when the other twin is close by these vices are somehow diluted or tempered into something manageable. I am fascinated by this! Thanks for sharing :)

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  19. cherrybang12 August 2018 at 16:30

    The plot sounds really interesting! Congrats on releasing your book. I've spent years going back and forth between writing and putting my pen down, so this is an amazing accomplishment!

    - Cassandra Rose

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