Friday, October 4, 2013

Awakening: An Interview with Author Christy Dorrity!


You know what we need more of? Celtic fantasy! You can never go wrong with Celtic mythology or the magic, romance, and mystery that comes with it. If only there was more ... wait, what's this?

I just got my wish. Awakening, a new fantasy by Christy Dorrity!

A little magic has always run in sixteen-year-old McKayla McCleery's family—at least that’s what she’s been told. McKayla’s eccentric Aunt Avril travels the world as a psychic for the FBI, and her mother can make amazing delicacies out of the most basic of ingredients. But McKayla doesn't think for a second that the magic is real—it’s just good storytelling. Besides, McKayla doesn’t need magic. She just moved to beautiful Star Valley, Wyoming, and already she has a best friend, a solo in her upcoming ballet recital, and the gorgeous guy in her physics class keeps looking her way.

When an unexpected fascination with Irish dance leads McKayla to seek instruction from the mute, crippled janitor at her high school, she learns that her family is not the only one with unexplained abilities.

After Aunt Avril comes to Star Valley in pursuit of a supernatural killer, people begin disappearing, and the lives of those McKayla holds most dear are threatened. When the janitor reveals that an ancient curse, known as a geis, has awakened powers that defy explanation, McKayla is forced to come to terms with what is real and what is fantasy.


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Dang, that sounds like an awesome read. And to tell us more about it, let's beam in the author herself. Welcome to The Laire, Christy!

CD: Thank you so much David, I'm happy to be here.

DPK: Glad you could make it on short notice. Now, in Awakening, you bring Celtic mythology to Wyoming - quite the cool combination! What led you to using Celtic mythology with this setting?

CD: I grew up in beautiful Star Valley, Wyoming, a small community with big heart. I love the people and the mountains there and it was easy to set a mythic fantasy in a place that has cold water geysers and centuries old rock churches. As for the Celtic mythology, I started getting interested in all things Irish when I started taking Irish dance lessons. It was only natural to combine my love of both!

DPK: Nothing wrong with inserting life experiences with our fiction, I say. It'll likely make the read even more enjoyable and realistic!

This the start of a series, correct? How many books are you planning for The Geis?

CD: I don't really know for certain. I have at least three planned for now, but the world of AWAKENING is so large that I may do more. And I have toyed with the idea of giving Aunt Avril her own mystery series.

DPK: Awesome! If you're already playing with a spinoff in your brain, then I'd say this series will have no problem figuring itself out.

Tell us about your favorite character from Awakening? Anything he or she would like to say to us?

CD: That would be Aunt Avril. She didn't even make it into the early drafts, but she has been so much fun to write. She's quirky, and unpredictable. Aunt Avril would listen for her dead husband, Theron's input, and then say, "Answer the questions, my dear, you never know who might be out there listening."

DPK: HA! Crazy. I'm loving the sound of this already. Who are some of your favorite authors? What books inspired you to start writing?

CD: When I was young I loved books like A Wrinkle in Time, and the Narnia series. I also loved reading anything by Scott O'Dell. When I began writing fantasy I read a lot of Terry Brook's books. I love Amber Argyle's Witch Song, and Robison Well's Variant.

DPK: Well I'll be an astronaut stuck on an asteroid! I've read all those, too. Glad to know we have such good taste in books!

This is the most important question: where is your book!?

CD:  Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iBookstore

DPK: Excellent! I don't believe I've ever hosted a link from iBookstore before, but there's a first time for everything, right?

Anyway, it was great having you here! The next shuttle will be here to pick you up in about an hour, but the escape pods are warmed up and ready if you can't wait that long ...

CD: Thank you David! I hope you enjoy Awakening!

DPK: You're welcome, and I sure will. Already have it in my TBR list.

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About the Author:

Christy Dorrity lives in the mountains with her husband, five children, and a cocker spaniel. She grew up on a trout ranch in Star Valley, Wyoming, and is the author of The Geis series for young adults, and The Book Blogger’s Cookbooks. Christy is a champion Irish dancer and when she’s not reading or writing, she’s probably trying out a new recipe in the kitchen.


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Well, dudes ... It's been real, and I have me some Gravity to watch today. Looking forward to one of the most highly acclaimed films of the year to date. I'll tell you all about it next week. Until then, please enjoy your weekend and don't let anything shut down your writing!

I'm David, and did you see what I did there?

11 comments:

  1. Smart to plan early for the series, Christy. It's challenging when you don't, believe me!
    Seeing Gravity this afternoon. Almost a perfect one hundred percent on Rotten Tomatoes. (And I bet the two who gave it splats feel stupid now.)

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  2. It sounds like you've written a very interesting book, Christy! Congratulations! I will have to add it to my list!

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  3. Thanks for having me on your blog David, and thank you for the great comments, all.

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  4. I really have started to love books based on mythological characters. Sounds like a great read.

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  5. This sounds like an awesome read, it's going on my to-read list :)

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  6. Hopefully I'll catch Gravity this month. Heard lots of good about this book and still loving the cover.

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  7. Awakening and iBookstore; checking both of them out

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  8. Looks like an interesting book...I will add it to my list as well.

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  9. I love anything Celtic and add magic ... whoa... sounds amazing...

    ALL the best Christy!!!

    Hope you enjoy your weekend, too, David!

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  10. Congrats to Christy! I can't remember when I last read a Celtic fantasy. This sounds great.

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  11. Sounds incredible. And that cover...it's mystifying. All the success to you, Christy

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