Amaranth by Rachael Wade

Title: Amaranth
Author: Rachael Wade
Series: The Resistance Trilogy #1
Publisher: Rabbit Hole Press
Date Published: July 27th 2011
Genre(s): Paranormal, Fantasy
Rating: 5 stars

Goodreads Synopsis:
Knowledge changes everything…
Hoodoo-influenced Southern Louisiana seems like the perfect place for Camille to escape her abusive past and dysfunctional family. She doesn’t expect to fall in love with the handsome Gavin Devereaux and plummet into the world of Amaranth, a place of exile for reformed vampires.
Wrestling to escape a deadly ex-boyfriend while giving Gavin a chance, Camille is confronted with decisions that threaten not only her life, but the lives of her inhuman friends she has come to love. Entangled in her friends’ quest for freedom, she dives into their realm and faces the threats of Amaranth’s ruler—the mother of all vampires—and her own inner demons.
Now Camille must decide whether she will derail her life and make the ultimate sacrifice for the monsters that interrupted her bumpy path back to sanity—what she still wants so desperately—or escape with Gavin before it’s too late for both of them. 
Make sure to check out this Ah-May-Zing Book Trailer

Review
Are journey starts with Camille Hart and her struggle to leave behind an abusive past and dysfunctional family to start anew in Louisiana. Camille’s character she so easy to relate to. So many woman go through what Camille goes through on a daily basis (of course minus the supernatural aspects) and you can’t help but feel the pain and fears that she faces. Camille is very passionate and loving to a fault because when she falls she falls full force which is her weakness, but she is stronger than what she gives herself credit for. In the beginning she travels to Paris  for her birthday alone to do some thinking. Where she meets Gavin and they have coffee and she finds herself drawn to him but can not figure out why and she needs up telling him about her life, and then she goes back home to Seattle where she decides to escape her abusive relationship and dysfunctional family and moves to Louisiana where she meets and falls for Andrew which in turns puts her back into a abusive relationship to where to turns to Hoodoo Voodoo to get out of the relationship with several failed attempts. One day at work she runs into Gavin the guy she meet in Paris and from there them seem to pick up like it was just yesterday. This is where the story takes a turn and the vampires come into play Camille finds out about them. Ok guys can’t give any good spoilers all I will tell you is don’t wait go get your copy of Amaranth today. Rachael’s character are so solid and she gives wonderful description not to mention the world she creates for them it is fantastic.
Rachel is joining us today to answer a few question and is giving 5 lucky winners a e-copy of Amaranth all you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter.
Interview
First I would like to thank you for joining us today. How is everything been going for you?

Thanks for having me! Everything’s been going great. Keeping busy with a lot of reading and writing, which is pretty much my life. :)

I know you probably get asked the same questions all the time. So if I ask the same questions you have been asked by other bloggers I am sorry and thank you for answering them again.
(no prob ;) )


To start things off could you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Well, I live in sunny Orlando with my husband, two cats, and a black lab. I’m a full-time freelance writer and novelist by night, so my life consists of writing, writing, and more writing. When I’m not writing, I’m reading, watching movies, and listening to music.

1. Do you go by an outline when writing do you plan and plot or just write what comes to you?

I do always have an outline but I don’t always end up following it. I basically flesh out the plot and pivotal scenes I know I want to cover, and then just go from there. I use a storyboard in my office to cover the outline and work out plot points and character agendas.

2. How long did it take you to write Amaranth from start to finish?

A little over 2 years from start to finish. Writing out the story was the easy part, and then the real work began with the revision process. Once I was done with a few drafts, it went off to editing and went through a few more rounds of revisions until it was completely finished.

3. Would you be willing to tell us some of the pros and cons of being a self published author?

Oh, man. That’s a great question but a tough one because there is so much to say about indie publishing. It’s not for everyone. Personally, it suits me really well because I like having complete control over my art. That’s the biggest pro—you have a say over your covers, who edits your work, and how it will be marketed. The con is unless you have a very big bank account, you are limited in your marketing options. Advertising costs money and there is only so much you can do on your own or with very few funds. You have to work very hard on a daily basis to build and maintain a readership. As an indie author, you are a marketer first and a writer second, which is a definite con for many indies. I do wish I had more time to write instead of market, but I love interacting with my readers and being very hands-on with the process, so I am okay with that.

4. A lot of authors have a playlist while writing did you have a playlist?

Yes, I always have playlists. I sleep, eat, and shower with my iPod lol. It goes where I go. Music is a huge passion of mine, so it really influences my writing. The playlist for Amaranth can be found here. My biggest musical muse is Florence and the Machine. They’re my favorite band and inspire a lot of my writing. Oddly, though, they’re not on the first book’s playlist haha.

5. Do you have any quirks when writing like a certain time of day or where you write stuff like that?
I have to have my iPod and my storyboard nearby. I set up a storyboard and visual wall in my office where I usually write, which has pictures and posters of bands, actors and actresses, movie scenes, and pretty much anything that inspires me on it. Listening to music and being around my visual wall helps me get in the zone and I write better that way, usually at night.

6. How did Camille's story come to you?

The story was brewing for a while and I was actually in Louisiana, driving over the bayous, visiting the places that are in the book, and I immediately connected with her. Her name and her face just came to me. I could envision her living there, working at the bookstore, and then started imagining what brought her to Breaux Bridge by asking questions. Where did she move from? What was she after? Once I got to know her character, the rest of the plot spawned from her motives.

7. Did you design the cover for your book it is gorgeous?

I came up with the concept and my cover designer, Robin of Robin Ludwig Design, took it and brought it to life exactly as I imagined it. She did an awesome job and is doing the covers for the rest of the series, too. I get so many compliments on the cover, it’s unreal. Robin really nailed it.

8. Have you always enjoyed reading and writing or is it something that has just recently came about?

I’ve been an avid reader and writer since I was a kid. I wrote my first “script” in 1^st or 2nd grade and have been obsessed with storytelling—especially in film—for as long as I can remember. When I was little, I used to tell my friends that my mind was like a constant movie camera, always seeing scenes and stories playing out. They thought I was nuts and always looked at me funny when I told them that.

9. Are there any authors that have influenced you and your writing style?

Yeah, definitely. Sylvia Plath and Cormac McCarthy are two of my literary heroes and they really inspire me. I also love Florence Welch. She’s a singer and musician, but she’s a brilliant poet. Her song lyrics are absolutely genius.

10. In true twitter fashion with 140 characters or less have Camille describe her life?

Smart, flawed, passionate, and determined literature student with a goal to prevail and love despite the cards I’ve been dealt in life.

Now just a few random fun questions.

1. Chocolate or Vanilla?
Chocolate

2. Favorite candy? 

Sponge candy

3. Coffee or Tea (hot or cold)?

Hot coffee

xo
Rachael
Thanks again Rachael and everyone you can find Rachael at the following
Rachael Wade
@RachaelWade
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