From Me to You ... Video, Photography and Book Reviews: Blog Tour - Feasted On: The Vrykolakas Deviation by Sherri Lackey

Today I'm turning my blog over to Sherri Lackey, who I interviewed about her latest novel "The Vrykolakas Deviation," which is the 1st book in The Narcissus Legacy Series!!

ALSO -- Be sure to comment on this post to be able to sign up for this tour's GIVEAWAY (listed below)!! [Blog Tour will run from January 7 - 25, 2013]

My Q&A with Sherri Lackey :

Jess : Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Sherri : Sure! I’m a bit of a scifi/fantasy dork. I always have been and always will be. I wanted to be a writer when I grew up and here I am. I like to crochet and make my own jewelry too. I love hot and spicy Mexican food; I subscribe to the Chile Monster Facebook page just so I can look at the pictures of food layered with green chiles and cry because there are no fresh green chiles in Montana where I live.

Jess : What do you like most about being a writer and being a jeweler?

Sherri : I like being able to pour out on paper or electronic files all of these stories I have pent up inside me. It makes me happy to tell a story to someone. It makes me even happier when they like the story and ask for more.

I like making my own jewelry because wearing a piece I’ve designed myself is more meaningful than wearing jewelry I’ve bought at a store. It’s a unique piece that reflects who I am.

Jess : Please describe your heroine, from "The Vrykolakas Deviation," in one to two sentences.

Sherri : Keeva looks like a young woman but is over two thousand years old; she is lonely and depressed because aside from her father, there is no one on Earth like her. She wants to know who and what she is, so she captures an evil vrykolakas named Severin hoping he might have the answer.

Jess : Which of your characters would you most & least like to invite to dinner, from which book and why?

Sherri : I would like to invite Sandor, Keeva’s father, to dinner. No, that’s not quite right. I would like to have him invite me over for dinner. He is an excellent cook. Keeva says that when Sandor prepares a meal for you it is the greatest of gifts you can receive.

I would least like to invite Delius, Keeva’s paternal grandfather, over to dinner. He is a sneaky psychopath. His greatest delight in life is found in causing pain to others. Still, I like him well enough to have him reprise his role in the second book. I’m sure he’ll make an appearance in the third, and he’ll definitely be in the fourth book.

Jess : Is there one particular scene in "The Vrykolakas Deviation" that you’re dying for readers to read? Can you tell us anything about it?

Sherri : For some reason I like the scene where Keeva has captured Severin and is trying to figure out how to drag his unconscious form into her apartment. She is a small woman and Severin is a tall, muscular vrykolakas. He’s tied up and wrapped in a blanket. Can she drag him inside? Her questionable neighbor, Darrin, steps in to lend her a hand. That’s my favorite scene, even though what follows when Severin wakes up is a good scene too.

Jess : If "The Vrykolakas Deviation" were to be made into a film, who do you see playing the main characters and why?

Sherri : I’ve always pictured Ian Somerhalder from Lost and The Vampire Diaries playing the role of Severin. Nina Dobrev from The Vampire Diaries could pass for Keeva. Really any actress who is small in stature and brunette could play the role of Keeva.

Would it be too weird to have Paul Wesley, also from the Vampire diaries, to play the role of Keeva’s father? Probably. So someone who looks like him should play the role of Sandor.

Jess : In regards to "The Vrykolakas Deviation," if you could write it all over again, would you change anything about it?

Sherri : There are always things I second guess on, but overall, no, I wouldn’t change anything about it.

Jess : Out of all of the secondary characters within "The Vrykolakas Deviation," do you have one or two favorites so far? If so, who are they and can you tell us why?

Sherri : Egan, Keeva’s youngest brother, emerged as a favorite character. He’s an imaginative and inventive kid who unknowingly gives Keeva a clue about what she is. She completely misses the clue however and has to find out the truth the hard way.

My second favorite secondary character is Aspasia, Keeva’s paternal grandmother. Keeva can’t stand to be around Aspasia and for good reason. While it’s true that Aspasia has her flaws, there is something endearing about her at times. The fact that Aspasia survives being the romantic interest of Delius tells me that she is a strong woman.

Jess : How many books have you written? Which is your favorite and why?

Sherri : I wrote my first novel titled "The Winds of the Molornu" back in 2007. Shortly after that I went through a painful upheaval in my life. My writing got way off track, but in October of 2011 I began writing "The Vrykolakas Deviation." My writing is back on track and I have resolved to never again let anything stop me. So far, "The Vrykolakas Deviation" is my favorite book. I grew as a writer while writing it.

Jess : Do you have any other projects in the works? If so, can you share a little of your current work with us?

Sherri : "The Vrykolakas Deviation" is the first book in my Narcissus Legacy series. I’ve written the second book "The Darkness Below" and it’s currently in the revision and editing stage. I want to release it no later than August of this year. Two more books will follow the second book.

"The Darkness Below" introduces Keeva’s daughter, Kaie, whose name means combat. I chose that name for her for a reason. Kaie gets mad and runs away from home at the age of twelve. She doesn’t intend to be gone for very long, but she accidently gets stranded in another realm called Subtenna. When she arrives she notices that she is no longer twelve years old and has no idea how old she really is. She accidentally sets fire to a temple upon her arrival which causes her to be arrested and beaten severely. This is her first taste of Subtenna, the realm of the dark elves, and things don’t get any easier for her after that. Her only goal in life is to return home. But that’s going to be hard to do, because Subtenna is a prison. The gateway that let her enter that realm is one-way and won’t allow anyone escape from there.

Jess : Do you prefer ebooks, paperbacks or hardcover? Any specific reason why?

Sherri : I have a Nook HD and I love ebooks. I can carry it with me wherever I go. I have access to my entire library and can choose any book I want to read at the spur of the moment.

Jess : If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title should be?

Sherri : "Quirky: The Life and Times of Sherri Lackey"

Jess : Have you ever gone out in public with your shirt on backwards, or your slippers on, and when realizing it, just said screw it?

Sherri : Sure. I was recently caught wearing my fuzzy slippers that my daughter says make me look like an elf. The lady who caught me wearing them gave me a funny look. Of course, even when I purposely wear some outfits, people sometimes give me a funny look too. For an explanation of why they do that, see the title above for my biography - "Quirky."

Jess : List 3 books you just recently read and would recommend?

Sherri : I’m currently reading "14" by Peter Clines. I haven’t read the entire book but so far I’m enjoying it immensely. One reviewer compared it to the TV series Lost. I agree but would say it’s more like a combination of Lost and The Office at times.

"Tick Tock" by Dean Koontz. I love Koontz’ novels, some better than others. "Tick Tock" is definitely in my top ten list of his books which I’ve enjoyed over the years.

"The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss which is book one of the King Killer Chronicles. If you want a grownup adventure similar to the Harry Potter series (but way better - in my estimation), this is the series for you. I’ve read the first two books and I’m anxiously awaiting the third.

About the Author :

Sherri Lackey, born in Carlsbad, New Mexico, now lives in Montana where the cold northern climate inspires her to write. She writes science fiction and fantasy with dashes of speculative fiction, a pinch of steampunk, and a touch of urban fantasy. She lives with her husband, Paul, and their three children. She also has a faithful dog named Raymond who likes to sit by her side while she writes.

- This is an ARC book - Available Formats through Amazon.com: Paperback - Pages: 215; Kindle Edition - File Size: 402 KB | Expected Release Date: October 2012 | Publisher: Self-Published | Obtained: Goddess Fish Promotions

"The Vrykolakas Deviation" [The Narcissus Legacy Series, Book 1] by Sherri Lackey

My Book Summary : Caoimhe (Keeva) is over two thousand years old and has no idea what she truly is. Keeva's grandparents (on her father's, Sandor, side) were both vrykolakas' (vampire-like creatures that drain the life-force of their victims) yet when her father was born he somehow became the opposite of them, yet still immortal and not human at all. Therefore, Sandor has never fully understood what he is and as his biological daughter, Keeva certainly doesn't know what she is either. It a conundrum that has riddled her for centuries. However, when Keeva is given an opportunity to kill her best friend's murderer, who happens to be a vrykolakas named Severin (the first one she's ever met and the "person" who happens to be one of Sandor's greatest enemies), she doesn't take the option. Instead, Keeva goes about capturing Severin in hopes of learning more about vrykolakas' and herself. Yet in doing so she abruptly changes her life forever, now if that a good thing or not still remains to be seen...

My Book Review : 4.5 out of 5 stars, follow the life (or parts of it) of Keeva, a woman hoping to find out what she is yet she finds out more about herself then she expected. This is a unique portrayal of the paranormal/fantasy genre while throwing in some romance too so it has a little spice. A thrilling adventure that keeps you on your toes. In addition, if you liked it as much as I did it you'll be laughing in one chapter, cringing in another, teary eyed not long after, then laughing again.

My one and only problem with this novel was that it was written in journal-type of format so it skipped around SOO much, which was a bit annoying at times. After saying that, I will admit that YES I know skipping around happens frequently while we write journals, especially if someone wants to get all the facts in there and they have to backtrack in able to do so. However, it was hard to follow at times when it switched scenes suddenly and then when Ms. Lackey was describing the back history of Sandor through Keeva's journals she switched POVs so often that it was hard to understand why it was still portrayed the way it was. =0/

Overall, I would recommend this unique novel to anyone who likes fantasy novels that have a bit of romance and mystery thrown in too.

Author's Novel/Series Extras : Pinterest : The Vrykolakas Deviation | Cover Image for The Vrykolakas Deviation | The Vrykolakas Deviation Now Available on Kindle | I See Monsters | Meet My Monsters: Keeva | The Vrykolakas Deviation for Nook | Meet My Monsters: The Vrykolakes | Meet My Monsters: Severin | Meet My Monsters: Sandor | It Just Occurred to Me | Meet My Monsters: Delius | Meet My Monsters: Aspasia | Virtual Book Tour – The Vrykolakas Deviation | Fantasy, My Door to Reality

Author's Book Trailer :

Book Teaser(s) :

Teaser #1 ~ within Chapter 1 - titled 'Sandor's Daughter'

In his bedroom he stripped off his wet clothing and fell into his bed. Two days later he felt well enough to travel to Caldwell to try to find me.
At last I said, "I don't have any answers for you, Severin. I don't know how I changed you. By everything that you told me, it does seem like you have become whatever Sandor and I are. But I think you already know that much. You know that I don't even know what I am. Why did you seek me out?"
I wondered if he was angry with me for taking away his vampirism. Did he blame me for what Aspasia did to him? Did he want revenge? If he did he had a funny way of showing it, if the kiss he gave me earlier was any indication of his current state of mind. ~ within Chapter 7 - titled 'Aspasia's Anger'

For more information on this book, series, and/or any other books by Sherri, then please check out her website.

Book Excerpt :

I answered, "Hello again, Sweets. What important detail did you forget to tell me about in our previous conversation?"

A familiar voice said, "Where are you, Keeva? I need to see you, and Sweets here won't give me your address."

I sat up, heart racing. "Severin?" Had he returned to kill her – again? "Why do you have Mandy's phone? Where is she?"

"She's sitting on the couch across from me. I took her phone and found your number because she wouldn't just give it to me when I politely asked for it. I'm in her house."

"What are you doing there? I told you to stay away from Caldwell."

"I told you already; keep up with the conversation. I'm trying to find you!"

"You'd better not hurt her, Severin. Or I swear, I will hunt you down and kill you!"

"I didn't hurt her and I have no intension of doing so. I just want to see you. I need to see you. Tell me where you are and I'll come to you. That's all I want."

His silken voice caused my stomach to flutter despite my panic. “Why do you want to see me?"

This is what I had wanted, right? I wanted him to come back to me, except I wasn't there when he finally returned. Was I getting what I deserved by being so foolish to fall for him in the first place? Sickening dread fell over me because I had left Mandy alone in Caldwell.

Giveaway!! :

A $25 Amazon Gift Card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour

To Enter : Please leave a comment on this post, with a valid email address included at the end of it.

Soo .... COMMENT, COMMENT, COMMENT on this post!! And you could WIN!! =0)

ALSO -- Be sure to follow the tour around the other blog sites! Commenting on the other stops on the tour will also increase your chance of winning!

Find Sherri Lackey :