Born In Flames
Candace Knoebel
Red mirrored scales race up my arms as the haze of pain blurs my vision. My bones crack, breaking to realign. I scream. It is then that the realization of my unavoidable fate sinks in; I am of a dying race. I am dragon.
Aurora Megalos, orphaned and teetering on the edge of adulthood, thought finding her past would curb the sting of being an outcast. Having no memories of the time before she awoke on her foster mother’s doorstep, she yearns for the emptiness inside her to be filled. With her fellow orphaned best friend, Fenn, by her side, she has nothing to lose and everything to gain. But something powerful stirred within her that she couldn’t explain. Something wanted out.
In the dark of night, a crazed Seer, dubbed Mr.Creepy, erases everything she’s ever known with an impending prophecy. She now faces two paths. Return to her true home to protect a dying race against a growing evil, or stay hidden in the safety of our realm with a shot at a true love. With a vengeful Arch Enemy stopping at nothing to see her dead, she’s running out of time; a decision must be made. What would you choose?
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Interview
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Hey Candace! It’s a pleasure to meet you, thanks for taking the time to answer some questions today :0)
-Thank you for having me!
First, can you tell us about your book, Born In Flames?
-Of course I can! Born in Flames is a fast-paced fantasy that will catapult you into a world where you race against time to save the fate of two realms and an impending prophecy promising death. Aurora Megalos is the main character who discovers that she is not only a part of this prophecy, but part dragon as well.
How did you come up with the idea for this novel?
- I’ve always loved anything mythical and magical. When I first thought up the idea, I wanted to create something original. At the time when I started the novel, Vampires had taken over EVERYTHING. Don’t get me wrong, I am a Twilight fanatic (midnight premiers and merchandise bought), but I needed a break from it. Dragons have always been my go-to, so immediately I envisioned a girl with ruby red hair who had the ability to shift. And then one night, I sat down and started typing for the hell of it. It just kind of kept going until those two final words: the end.
Let’s talk Dragons for a moment. How hard was it to write a dragon shifter character?
-I believe writing a character is only difficult if you make it difficult. For every problem there is a solution. Once I had the story mapped out, everything else sort of fell into place for Aurora. I don’t find it hard to write her. Her fiery personality syncs well with the demeanor of the Draconta race I have written (though you won’t meet them until book two). There are endless possibilities, which is what I love the most about writing. I can be as fantastical as I please.
You are getting rave reviews on this book. Does that create more pressure for you, or relieve some stress?
-I think it relieves stress more than creates pressure. To know that my characters are being read and understood makes this all the more enjoyable. The pressure I feel is more from myself than anyone else. I have very high expectations and strive for the best. And so far, I am very pleased with the outcome and am excited to see what the future holds!
Candace, inquiring minds want to know! What’s life like for you when you aren’t writing?
-I suppose like any other life. I have two children: Logan (my five-year-old) and Scarlett (my two-year-old), so I’m pretty busy chasing them around as well as keeping up with my daily tasks. My friend and I also started up an art business, Fae Tis Moor, where we create jewelry, soaps, Fairies in a Jar, paintings…all geared toward, you guessed it, Fairies. We are still in the baby stages so when I’m not dreaming up worlds, I am trying to paint and craft.
When you aren’t writing, what kind of books do you like to read? Do you have any that you are always recommending?
-YA, anything Fantasy, Dystopian, things of that nature. It’s just finding the time right now which I have managed to read at least 20 minutes a day (when I wait in line to pick my son up from school every day), so I think I am doing better. As far as recommendations, Harry Potter, Twilight, Hunger Games, Stardust, Catcher in the Rye, Jane Erye. Those are books that have stood out for me. There are many more though, just not enough time to list.
If we go to your website we learn that your husband saves turtles (while barefoot and on the phone, no less!) and you have quite an artistic talent too. Do you have anything “weird” about yourself that you can share with us??
-Haha, yes, he grew up in the woods so barefoot is the way to go. He is a multi-tasker that one. As far as weird…I have a slight OCD problem. When I worked I had to park in the same row or I thought my whole day would go wrong. I also have to shower in a certain order and leave the bathroom light on when my husband works nights…for the same reasons. I know that it’s not true; my day won’t be screwed if I change the order, but I can’t seem to break the habit. Ah well J
If you could cast Born In Flames into a movie, who would you choose to play the main characters?
-I’ve always envisioned Hayley Williams (lead singer of Paramore) as Aurora. For Fenn, it’d have to be Logan Lermon (from Percy Jackson) and Alexis would have to be Lyndsy Fonseca. Pretty stellar cast I’d say!
What projects do you have coming up in the next year?
-This year and next I am wrapping up the third and final installment of the trilogy, From the Embers. The second, Embracing the Flames, is with my publisher so hopefully we will be working on getting that out by the beginning of next year. After that, a new concept I have been thinking about, but have been unable to devote time to I suppose.
Ok, time for a little of “This or That”. And you have to choose one!
- City or Country? - Country
- Pop (ok, Soda) or Water?- Water
- Zombies or Vampires?- Vampires
- Mountains or Ocean?- Ocean
- French Fries or Ice Cream?- French Fries
And lastly, where can we stalk you online?
My author page is: www.candaceknoebel.wordpress.com
My Twitter: @Candaceknoebel
Thank you so much for this. It was a lot of fun!!!
Thank you for coming by, Candace! It was a pleasure getting to know you a bit more!
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