Showing posts with label new release. Show all posts
Showing posts with label new release. Show all posts

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! 
Follow on Twitter | Like on Facebook | Join my Instagram community | Watch me on Pinterest | Subscribe to blog post Updates |

~Be Kind to One Another~ Ellen Degeneres
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Tuesday, 13 June 2017

Release DAY: The Prey of Gods by Nicky Drayden


Buongiorno
Today marks a ✨Special & Momentous✨ day here on the AlfonzoWords blog, as we announce the Release Day of this highly anticipated book, THE PREY OF GODS by Nicky Drayden.

Woooohooo! I'm beyond excited for the release of this book & cannot wait to share the amazing Sci-Fi & Beyond book with you. This journey began almost a year ago when Nicky found my blog online & wanted a reading down from a South African's perspective as that was the location of her book. I was immediately hooked by the story concept & flow of the book. And by the very first page, I became a fan of not only the book but Nicky's amazing writing style.


Order your copy of THE PREY OF GODS
🌟💙✨HERE🌟💙✨
or on Barnes & Noble✨

Book Birthday With Oreo Cheescake & Fudge YUM!!


Nicky joined us for a very special & very awesome Interview on Monday, 29 August 2016 titled:

🌟💙✨Hello! THE PREY OF GODS!!!🌟💙✨

The Prey of Gods

Artwork by Brenoch Adams, cover design by Owen Corrigan.
WOW! Epicness! Legend...Wait for It....DARY!
All I want to do is turn the page and begin reading.

I've read the book and let me tell you something, you've never ever read a book like this before. It's a one of a kind, truly marvelous book with spectacular twists & turns. Nicky has created such a vividly fascinating world. The artist & designer did an unbelievably brilliant job of envisioning the book on its cover.

Publication Date: June 13, 2017, from Harper Voyager
Genre: Fiction / Fantasy / Contemporary
Description:
In South Africa, the future looks promising. Personal robots are making life easier for the working class. The government is harnessing renewable energy to provide infrastructure for the poor. And in the bustling coastal town of Port Elizabeth, the economy is booming thanks to the genetic engineering industry which has found a welcome home there. Yes—the days to come are looking very good for South Africans. That is, if they can survive the present challenges:

A new hallucinogenic drug sweeping the country…
An emerging AI uprising…
And an ancient demigoddess hellbent on regaining her former status by preying on the blood and sweat (but mostly blood) of every human she encounters.

It’s up to a young Zulu girl powerful enough to destroy her entire township, a queer teen plagued with the ability to control minds, a pop diva with serious daddy issues, and a politician with even more serious mommy issues to band together to ensure there’s a future left to worry about.
***
Fun and fantastic, Nicky Drayden takes her brilliance as a short story writer and weaves together an elaborate tale that will capture your heart, even as one particular demigoddess threatens to rip it out.

Harper Voyager Trade Paperback Original
A new voice in the tradition of Lauren Beukes, Ian McDonald, and Nnedi Okorafor comes a fantastic, boundary-challenging tale, set in a South African locale both familiar and yet utterly new, which braids elements of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and dark humor

Add THE PREY OF GODS to your GoodReads TBR now

Order your copy of THE PREY OF GODS
🌟💙✨HERE🌟💙✨
or on Barnes & Noble✨

Nicky Drayden has the COOLEST Book Swag Around!!😱😍

Check out these character cards made

Arm Bands!

Coloring Images!


Blimey! I love how extra this author is. 
She truly inspires. 










My Review:

Be prepared for the book you'll never want to put down and the one you'll never want to stop talking about.
A divergently devious plot work of suspense & mysticism filled with captivating characters & twists.
The Prey of Gods may just be the Sci-Fi story we've all been waiting for!

It's such a once in a lifetime, one of a kind Sci-Fi Novel that transcends any preconceived notions of the genre. It's compelling, jaw-dropping, heart-warming. heart-crushing, frustrating, awe-inspired, adrenaline pumping, pulse racing, fear inducing, and altogether Magical. I loved, 💙 loved reading every single word, sentence & page. So much so that for the First Time ever, due to a hectic schedule, I actually read the book on my phone. I was so enthralled and utterly hooked to the story that the smaller text and awkward-ity barely registered, all I cared about was getting to the next page and the next chapter and the next. I am flabbergasted by Nicky Drayden's flawless ability to write such a vividly unique & entirely new type of story. Any writer who can transport me out of reality has my vote & Nicky brings this in spades. I was instantly dissolved into the world of the characters, the locations, the spirit.

I feel so privileged to have read this book. It's truly a brilliant read.

I; Enricoh Alfonzo; undoubtedly, vehemently, and whole-heartedly recommend this book to everyone.

Especially those looking for a great science fiction read.

© Enricoh Alfonzo ~ Alfonzo Words
  • I’d love to keep connected with you! 
Follow on Twitter | Like on Facebook | Join my Instagram community | Watch me on Pinterest | Subscribe to blog post Updates |

~Be Kind to One Another~ Ellen Degeneres
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