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Albert Camus

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Interview, Excerpt and Giveaway: Lucifer (Sons of Old Trilogy, #1) by Annabell Cadiz

Description:

Have you ever wondered what could be hiding in the shadows?

Well, for eighteen-year-old Zahara Faraday, she doesn’t have to wonder. You see she comes from a lineage of Light Witches, those who have chosen to help protect and serve between the supernatural world and the human world. The only problem is Zahara, like her father Solomon, is as human as a human being can be whereas her mother, Mia, and her Aunt Catalina, were born as Light Witches. As a family they hunt down rogue supernaturals—creatures who harm humans or who have committed an act against their kingdom. 

Zahara’s hunting skills are usually kept dormant since her parents would prefer she live life as a normal human girl without knowledge of the supernatural world. She plans on doing just that—except when she finds a couple being attacked by fairies, she has no choice but to step in. Before she can return to pretending to be blissfully ignorant, Zahara encounters a problem she isn’t the least equip to handle: Bryan Hamilton, the good looking new co-worker she has to help train. In a heartbeat, her best friend, Becca King, has set her up on a double date with herself and her new crush, Rekesh Saint-Louis, who happens to be the most powerful leader of the biggest Imago Coven in South Florida –supernatural creatures with the ability to control water . . . and suck out human souls. 

Zahara has no time to focus on how she’s going to explain her double date with her best friend and the enemy they have a tentative truce with to her parents because soon one of the members of Mia and Catalina’s coven is found murdered with a strange tattoo of a snake with wings carved into his arm.

Zahara is then thrown into a whirlwind battle with an angel determined to have revenge against God, an Imago coven she doesn’t think they should trust, and slew of dream-eating fairies and powerful Nephilims, hybrid children of angels and humans, more than happy to rip her to shreds.

Normal just got a deadlier definition.

MB's INTERVIEW
Thank you, Mrs. Annabell Cadiz
In what measure reviewing books of other authors was an advantage or an obstacle in writing your own books? 
Reviewing books for other authors while being an author myself has never made me feel weird or a conflict of interest or anything like that. I am a book lover first and an avid reader since I was a child. Like I always say, I can adore the author but I can still hate the book he/she writes. To me they’re both separate. Even though all authors are emotionally connected to their books—me included—once it’s out into the universe, the book no longer belongs to you and you have to find a way to detach yourself to a certain point so you can handle taking in criticism and reviews. It’s tough and it sucks so I know how authors feel when they don’t get reviews they want or how excited they get when they do. That being said, I can be close to an author and be friends with an author and still not like his or her book for a variety of reasons and tell him/her why. I don’t expect all my author friends to like my books just as I don’t expect all readers to. Everyone, including authors, has their own taste in content, characters, plot and so forth hence why every author writes what he or she likes and relates to. 

Reviewing books has been an advantage because I learned from early on how to separate story from author and to offer criticism of the ACTUAL story not the author him/herself. I also learned reviews can be HARSH and TOUGH to read (not just mine), so when I published my first book I knew to expect some of those to come in. 

Does reviewing books make reading reviews for your own book any easier? Not really lol. You still wince when you read one that’s negative. Does that I mean I’ll stop reviewing books? No, because I LOVE books and I would be just as honest in person with the author as I would be as a reviewer.

You declared yourself “Jesus Freak”. What does that mean and how influences your writing? 
LOL Well, Jesus Freak, at least for me means someone who ACTUALLY lives the Christian life and doesn’t just pretend to. It’s about honoring my faith in God and making sure I stay genuine to it. I love being a Christian. I love what Christianity represents and who Jesus is. Am I always that good at it? No, I tend to veer off course sometimes or downright suck at other times lol. But I think that’s human nature and that’s the beauty of following Christ. He’ll always welcome you back home no matter how many you screw up. He’ll always embrace you with love and acceptance and forgiveness. 

With the Sons of Old Trilogy, there are many elements that show how my faith has influenced my writing. First of all, the trilogy is loosely based from the fall of Lucifer from the Bible. There’s also the family aspect. Zahara and Becca have both their parents and the parents are deeply involved in their lives and the story. Friendship, faith, perseverance, courage and forgiveness are all elements explored throughout the trilogy as well. There is one scene where the girls go to church. There isn’t any worship singing or praying or sermons from the pulpit; just a small moment. The strength Zahara and Becca and the others have to keep moving forward despite how dangerous and deadly the battles they have to face are is what I’ve also learned from my faith. You have to keep faith and hope and love alive. They are the three strongest ingredients to save and change lives. 

Is Lucifer always evil? 
In the Sons of Old Trilogy and the coming soon, Fallen Angel Series that features Lucifer, yes, he is ALWAYS evil. I wouldn’t be able to think of him any other way. Lucifer betrayed Heaven and legions of angels with him. He wanted power and when he could not have it, he sought revenge. Lucifer chose hate over love and hate is always rooted in evil. Betrayal, vengeance, un-forgiveness, pride, greed all attributes I correlate with Lucifer and his fall from grace, so I couldn’t ever see him as anything more than evil. 

Why do you think the impossible love attracts readers? 
This is a great question! I often wonder this myself when I’m reading books *smiles* I think as human beings we are attracted to what we cannot have because it represents a challenge and a temptation for us. Forbidden love is one of the biggies in that regard. Plus, I think all humans are innately stubborn. We are all fighters to one degree or another and nothing strengthens the flame of determination more than love, whether it’s a love that’s forbidden or a love we can actually have. I think readers are attracted to forbidden love because they want to believe that love can conquer all things. They want to believe in the power that love possesses and how it changes the characters. I think readers can relate to fighting for love and for losing love, so they enjoy cheering characters on who are fighting against the impossibilities to be together because they want that kind of love too. 

Shoot, what girl wouldn’t be swooned by a guy willing to lay it all on the line for her no matter the odds? *dreamy sigh* 

When the cliffhangers are welcome? Do you like (to used) them? 
I’m not gonna lie, I do love me a good cliffhanger! I only love them though if it’s used in a trilogy or series because I can understand why authors use them. I like the suspense cliffhangers produce and the desperate need to know what will happen next that stays with the reader. I love using them as well as an author in my own books, so fair warning to future readers *wink* (Hint: I use them in the Sons of Old Trilogy) Cliffhangers are a good way to create anticipation for the next book and send readers thoughts reeling to try to figure out how the next book will open. I think cliffhangers can be a lot of fun *grins*

EXCERPT:




TOUR SCHEDULE

“Is that blood?” Zahara asked eyeing the ground a few steps in front of them.

Becca looked down toward the ground and moved closer to the gloopy stain of red. She bent down and tilted her head to the side. “Looks like blood.”

Zahara kneeled down beside the blood and looked down the hall on the left, which led outside to where all the dumpsters where found. “There’s more down that way,” she directed with a thrust of her chin. 

“Oh no, you don’t!” Becca said grabbing onto Zahara’s arm. 

“Becks, we have to check out what it is; someone could be hurt.”

Becca was already shaking her head no. “Are you stupid? Follow the path of blood down the dark hallway into the back alley where there can possibly be a body and some killer. It’s too cliché horror movie for my taste. We are not those stupid girls. Let’s go get your parents.” She yanked Zahara back toward the food court, but Zahara pulled her back. 

“By the time we get to my parents, explain what we found and they come to investigate, the person in the back alley could be dead and it’ll be our fault for not helping when we could.” Zahara turned around and started walking down the hallway, taking out the dagger from her back pocket. She unclipped the can of pepper spray from the keychain clipped to her pants and tossed it to Becca. “You coming or am I going in alone?”

“Stupid best friend is gonna follow the stupid trail of blood down the stupid hallway with a stupid can of pepper spray and a stupid dagger and she expects us not to get killed,” Becca mumbled through tight teeth as she followed Zahara.

They walked slowly, sticking to the wall so as not to step on the blood. The door leading out to the dumpsters was shut. Zahara leaned back against it and looked at Becca. Becca swallowed hard and gave her a quick nod, shaking the can of pepper spray. Zahara threw the door open and twisted around on her heel as fast as she could. Becca ran outside with the can of pepper spray held high, but they found nothing more than blood on the ground. 

Zahara tiptoed around the drops of blood on the ground, walking farther back into the alleyway and stopped as she heard voices.

“Tell us where you’ve hidden it!” a man snapped. Skin slapped against skin and another man cried out.

“I told you, we do not have it!” 

Zahara felt her heart bang against her ribcage. She recognized that voice. She moved closer, staying beside one of the dumpsters, and knelt. Becca knelt beside her and took a deep breath.

“That sounds like Eric,” Becca whispered.

“You have one last chance to tell us where you’ve hidden the arrow, Jacobson,” the same male voice threatened.

Zahara had no doubt he meant what he said. She knew she would probably regret this later, but she jumped up and ran around the dumpster, hearing Becca’s faint curse as she did. Three sets of eyes turned to look at her. Eric, one of the members of Mia and Catalina’s coven, was on his knees, arms bound by the grip of another man standing behind him. 

He was tall and slender, enough muscle to show he wasn’t lazy, but he didn’t look strong enough to be able to hold down Eric’s six-foot, four-inch frame, which was nothing but toned, hard muscle. Eric, on the other hand, looked to be in pain. He had slices across his face and his bottom lip was split open. Blood slithered from the open wounds onto the ground.

“Let him go, now!” Zahara demanded. She gripped the dagger handle more tightly, holding it pressed against her thigh.





Book #2
Zahara Faraday looks like a normal eighteen-year-old and lives in a quiet neighborhood with her overprotective parents. She works at a bookstore and hangs out with her best friend Becca King on a daily basis. But underneath the normal lies a secret life filled with dangerous supernaturals. Zahara belongs to a world made of Light Witches, rogue Imagoes (supernatural creatures with super strength, speed), fallen angels, and Nephilim (hybrid children born half-human, half-angel). Where her father Solomon Faraday is human, her mother Mia and her Aunt Catalina are Light Witches. They help protect the human world by hunting down rogue supernaturals who commit heinous acts against humans.

Lucifer is on the move and he will stop at nothing to get his hands on Zahara and complete the first act of his plan.

A battle is about to begin. 

One that may cost the Faraday family everything they hold most dear.

About the author:
Annabell Cadiz was born in the sweltering heat of South Florida. She was raised surrounded by Puerto Rican chefs and band of siblings that weren’t all related to her. A self-proclaimed nerd and book-a-holic (her room does hold much evidence to prove her claims are justifiable), she created TeamNerd Reviews to showcase her EXTREME love for novels where, along with her best friend, Bridget Strahin, she hosts book reviews, interviews, giveaways and much more. She also had the pleasure of being published in three separate issue of Suspense Magazine. She is currently attending Trinity International University to attain her B.A. in Psychology. She also adores Cinnamon Teddy Grahams, has an addiction to Minute Maid Orange juice, and is a proud Jesus Freak. Her debut novel, LUCIFER (SONS OF OLD TRILOGY, #1) was published January 2013 and the second book, MICHAEL, will be out Fall/Winter 2013 and the third book, NEPHILIM, will be out Spring 2014.


6 comments:

Anonymous said...

The creatures: Angels, Nephilims, Shape-shifters, Feas, Necromancers etc. and the atmosphere.

Kai said...

It's the good vs evil concept. Sometimes things are not what they seemed to be. I love the twist in the ending as well.

Meghan said...

I just like the unpredictability of it all.
Thanks for the giveaway!

TeamNerd Reviews said...

Thank you so very much for featuring me on your great blog and taking the time out to interview me! The questions were really good and I had fun with them ;) Hope your week goes well! God Bless! ~Annabell Cadiz

Unknown said...

Shapeshifters.. and all that it can portray. ;)

Unknown said...

The creativity.. the drama.. the suspense.. ;)