This post is part of a book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Michael Haddad will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Click on "read more" below to read an excerpt or sign up for the GIVEAWAY.
The Frostborn—the one destined to end the war, the one blessed by the magic of Aether—was supposedly nothing more than a hopeless fairytale, a myth lost to time...
But as the centuries-long war between the kingdoms of Eljud and Surtrol forces Elias Jökull to evacuate his village, a run-in with the fearsome Gjallarhorn army awakens within him a dormant power long since forgotten by the people—a power signaling the existence of the Frostborn.
With such critical news, hope of victory against Surtrol becomes contagious, yet Elias's former life of slavery leaves him apprehensive about lending a hand to his own flawed kingdom. Even still, knowing the world will soon be in search of him, the newfound Frostborn must choose his allegiances quickly. And after encountering a ranked Surt captain, he does just that.
But while acting as a double agent, feeding intel to Eljud's southern enemy and working both sides of the same border, his conflicted self struggles to anchor his loyalty to a single kingdom as buried secrets begin to unearth.
The incessant clash between the north and south is soon coming to an end and Elias will have to find a side to stand on. The hard question is: which side? Everyone wants the Frostborn for themselves, but for how long can Elias let the world string him along?
read an excerpt...
She holds the child close to her chest, cradling the head with a mother’s delicate touch. The other infant is nestled in a crib only a few feet away. Winds rattle the glass panes of the cracked window and some of the winter air seeps through. The rough and tattered curtains dance with it—the only movement in the room besides the woman’s near-chattering teeth. She does her best to keep the children warm, but for some reason they sleep soundlessly, soothed by the whistling of the wind.
The woman brushes a gaunt, wrinkled finger along the pudgy cheeks of the bundle in her arms. The shackles on her wrist jangle, anchored down by a bolt at the centre of the room. The tight, unrefined metal leaves behind blisters, but to her it is worth it. The young child’s skin is stone cold to her touch, but soft and full of colour. He breathes evenly and she can feel his pulse just fine when she moves her finger to the child’s neck. He feels dead, yet is as alive as anyone.
“Freezing cold. Ah, but look at these pudgy cheeks. You remind me of those statues in the hall,” she whispers, pinching his face until it is ruddy. “I’d be scared if you weren’t so adorable.”
The woman lifts her head as the sound of rushed steps echoes in the hall outside the door. She hears the jiggle of keys and a mechanical click releasing the lock. The knob turns and the door swings open...
Hardworking university student and recent John Abbott College graduate, Michael Haddad doubles as a fiction author of the fantastic who throws himself into his own writing—who can't stop imagining new worlds, new ideas, new characters. His passion for roleplaying games has earned him his fair share of teasing, but he'd be lying if he said it didn't open his imagination. When not at his computer, typing away, Michael is often with his friends and family, losing terribly at tennis, hunkering down for movie marathons, and trying to get a good night's sleep. As someone born and raised in Montreal, he is no stranger to having ice rinks for streets and snow up to the knee—but that's nothing a warm cup of coffee can't beat.
CONNECT WITH MICHAEL HADDAD
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Michael-Haddad-Author-106283484884430
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/mhaddad_author/
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21313196.Michael_Haddad
PURCHASE LINKS
AMAZON.CA
https://amazon.ca/dp/0228849640
AMAZON.COM
https://amazon.com/dp/0228849640
BARNES & NOBLE
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/frostborn-michael-haddad/1139075432
BOOK DEPOSITORY
https://www.bookdepository.com/Frostborn-Michael-Haddad/9780228849643
more personal "stuff" about Michael Haddad...
Does this book have a special meaning to you? i.e. where
you found the idea, its symbolism, its meaning, who you dedicated it to, what made
you want to write it?
This book is my first published novel. I’ve always had this idea that being an author was almost impossible. I felt I wasn’t talented enough and no agencies would want to offer me a contract. As a result, I took a turn toward the self-publishing route. Publishing was more to accomplish a personal goal than to create a career out of it. Although a career would be fantastic, I’m still quite young and at the age of 21, I have no idea where my path is going, but I do know I want my options open. Perhaps I complete my education, I’ll be able to dedicate more time to writing.
Frostborn was
entertaining to write. I took inspiration from online platforms where I
roleplay and I channeled a lot of that into the narrative. I think it all
started with my main character and from there the world around him sprouted. I
knew his personality and his power much before the names of cities or even
kingdoms. I also had a great interest for Norse mythology at a young age and
this is made clear in the symbology.
On the first page, I dedicated this novel to my late
grandmother who passed not too many years ago. She was super involved in
raising me and helping me be the person I am today. I know she would be
incredibly proud and I just wanted to use that dedication as a means of remembering
her.
Where do you get your storylines from?
I would love to think that all of this comes from my head,
but truth be told, I pick up pieces of inspiration from anywhere and
everywhere. From the television series I watch to the books I read to the video
games I play, it all coalesces into one big storyline. I brainstorm a lot with
close friends of mine. Even if they don’t have many ideas of their own, just
talking out loud about it helps turn those inner gears of mine. For some
aspects of Frostborn, I can’t even
remember from where that idea originated. All I know is I’m glad it did and I’m
glad it worked out.
Was this book easier or more difficult to write than others? Why?
I’ve written other novels in the past, but never with the
intent to publish. When I wrote those, I was still a young teenager, and I
didn’t have the skillset yet to pull off something of this magnitude. I would
say those were more difficult to write only because I wasn’t as developed as a
writer. I was still trying to figure out my style while trying to keep my ideas
original. It’ll be interesting to compare my future novels to this one, seeing
as Frostborn is my first.
Do you only write one genre?
I love fantasy and can’t get enough of it. I delight in the
idea of escaping to other worlds and living through characters with
unimaginable magic. However, I’m also dabbling a bit in dystopian action &
adventure, but nothing beats fancy sword fights, glorious kingdoms, and
devastating magical power. And building entirely new worlds with new cultures,
new creatures, new borders, and new practices? That’s the cherry on top for me.
Give us a picture of where you write, where you compose
these words…is it Starbucks, a den, a garden…we want to know your inner sanctum?
Hand me a laptop, give me a cozy space, tell me to write,
and I’ll write! Okay, maybe a little beverage or two. But seriously, as long as
I’m seated and comfortable, I’m not picky. However, if I had to mention something,
I would prefer writing at home on my own computer just because I’m familiar
with the keyboard. I prefer laptops because of their portability since, at
often times, sitting in one spot for hours can be rough and monotonous. I try
to switch it up by moving from my desk in my room to the couch in my living
room (the corner spot of course). A question I get often is: am I bothered by
the noise around me? It depends, but most of the time I can tune out
conversations if they don’t pertain to me. I can also tune out television or
radio, but only if I’m not a fan of what’s being played.
And finally, of course…was there any specific event or circumstance
that made you want to be a writer?
These are such amazing questions. Unfortunately, if there was a specific event, I don’t remember it. When I was around fourteen or fifteen, I started reading a lot more. This was when my interest in novels picked up and I began buying books for my shelf. As I was reading through them, I thought it must be awesome for an author to have their story be loved by so many. I wanted to be that author someday. And now, I am an author! I just hope that readers will love my book as much as I loved creating it.
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great read.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for hosting and offering a platform to showcase my debut novel. I'm excited to be here and open to answering any questions in the comments!
ReplyDeleteVery glad to have your book here. Best of luck with it.
DeleteI really like the cover and the excerpt.
ReplyDelete