Today I’m hosting author Brendan Bell as part of blog tour for his new book, The Missing Heir of Mandraly. Check it out!
How did you get started in writing?
In a sense, I don’t really remember. I’ve enjoyed writing and the idea of being a writer for as long as I remember. I really started, though, about twenty years ago when I went through an extended illness. I wrote a book to sort of keep sane and give myself something to do. The story was good, but it’s quite rough in terms of the writing. I’d like to go back and polish that one up some day.
Who is your favorite character?
Probably Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot, or possibly Sherlock Holmes.
Who is your favorite author?
I love Agatha Christie. I really like Charles Dickens as well.
When do you usually write?
I’m a school teacher, so my writing tends to be dictated somewhat by what is happening. When I have a big play coming up (I teach choir and theatre), I tend to not do as much. During the summers, or holidays, I do more. I try to get in 1000 words a day, usually at night.
Do you listen to music while writing? If so what?
No. I don’t listen to much music, honestly. I’ve talked to some other music teachers I know and they don’t listen to a lot of music either. I think because we do it as job, it’s sort of the last thing we want to do in the off-hours.
What books have most influenced your life?
Les Miserables, The New Testament, Death of a Salesman, A Tale of Two Cities, A Doll’s House
What are you passionate about these days?
Being kind. Learning to listen. Trying to develop empathy, and teaching children to do the same. Also, I love old movies and am on a kick reading a lot of biographies of some of the stars, directors, and producers from the Golden Age of Hollywood.
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Blog Tour ~ The Missing Heir of Mandralay
Author: Braden Bell
Genre: Young Adult/ Fantasy
Dates: 20th – 24th of Feb
Hosted by: Ultimate Fantasy Book Tours
Blurb:
A heartless monster. An innocent girl. He holds her life in his paws, but she holds his soul in her hands.
Thirteen-year-old Tallie has a strange new power. While experimenting with this power late at night, she is discovered by Mother Kyraisa, the ancient nun who runs the orphanage where Tallie lives. Terrified of something, Mother Kyraisa evacuates the orphanage and burns it to the ground. The pair flees into the desert with only a wagon and a lead-lined coffin to protect the girl from the unspoken danger that pursues her.
With no memories, no heart, or even a name, X is a monster. Fiercest of the Bestials, his predator’s instincts are controlled only by powerful spells binding his life to the regent’s will. When a flash of apostate magic betrays the hiding place of the late queen’s daughter, the regent dispatches X to kill the child—her niece and the long-hidden heir to the throne.
Following the child’s magic, X tracks Tallie to her hiding place. He prepares to kill her, until Tallie surprises him with a sincere request for help.
Tallie’s innocence and trust awaken a small spark of humanity inside X, and he tries to help her. But he remains a monster, bound by instinct and unbreakable oaths. Helping Tallie triggers a ferocious battle, as X fights his primal nature for her life—and his only hope of redemption.
Meanwhile, Tallie grapples with the tragedy of her past and her identity as crown princess. As royal heir, Tallie finds access to immense power—enough to destroy her enemies, but possibly her own soul as well, turning her into a monster far worse than X.
↓Buy Links↓
Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/Missing-Heir-Mandralay-Soulbound-Book-ebook/dp/B01MU7V87Z/
Author Bio:
Braden Bell (who writes Young Adult novels under the name Brandon Gray) holds a Ph.D. in educational theatre from New York University. He and his family live on a quiet, wooded lot in Tennessee, where he teaches middle school theatre and music. An experienced performer, Braden enjoys reading, gardening, and long summer afternoons writing in his hammock. To read about his YA novels, check out: amazon.com/author/brandongray
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