Blog Tour for Harmony Kent Author of Elemental Earth

 

 

If you saw my post on yesterday’s blog stop, you’ll know what an interesting time I’ve had, and how I got here. Well, today, I would like to share with you something of my writing process. You can find links to my other blog stops here:  4WillsPublishing Author Page.

 

When I first sat down to write, after years and years of abstinence, I had no idea what was going to appear on the page. Very soon, I saw I had some research to do. So, I got busy googling everything I could about Nordic Mythology, and Dutch names. Along the way, I found my most inspiring idea, quite by chance: Britain’s own ‘Atlantis’.

 

I found an old news story about a whole undersea landmass that had been found off the coast of England, which spread all the way from the south coast up to southern Norway. Wow. Up until this finding, it had been known there used to be a land-bridge between England and Europe (France), but that was all. It was seen as a crossing place, nothing more.

 

This new discovery opened up all kinds of avenues, and literally re-wrote our view of ancient history. The landmass was huge, and showed evidence of old settlements. This wasn’t just a crossing place, but had once been home to thousands upon thousands of settlers and hunter-gatherers.

 

There was no stopping me then! In my mind, the engulfing of the landmass by rising seas wasn’t the final demise. Bifrost was born. Protected by magic, it still existed beneath the ocean, and only a few knew of its existence. Those few, ‘Gatekeepers’, were charged with protecting its secret, and liaised between Bifrost and the world ‘up top’.

 

Before long, other bits of myth and history got involved, and my book became peopled by all sorts of creatures. Some good, some utterly evil. The two Main Characters embarked upon a journey of self-discovery along the way, as they attempted to deal with the sudden and unexpected life changes thrust upon them. A bit like my own story in a way, only much more magical.

 

Dirck, in particular, discovered how useless it was trying to living his life by his intellect alone. He realised how disconnected he actually was from life, and he embarked upon an internal journey that grew and evolved alongside the external travelling he had to do.

 

I tried something different with the timeline in this book. Some readers hate it, with a vengeance, while others love it. For me, it was the natural progression of how the book needed to be written. It allowed me to jump back and forth in time, and location, with ease. It allowed certain aspects of the story to be withheld until the ‘right’ time.

 

The Battle for Brisingamen, is a traditional fantasy fiction novel, and moves between the magical world of Bifrost, and the world as we know it. As well as travelling to Holland, the reader will find themselves in Dover, and under the sea meeting all kinds of beings. Best be careful who you trust, though.

 

A lot of writing experts would recommend that you sit down and make a plan of your book; identify the beginning, middle, and end. That is not for me. I just can’t work like that. I sit down at the computer, and I type. After a while, I come up for air, and take a look at what I’ve written. If ideas for other bits of the book come to mind, I open up a new document and record them there, ready for later referencing. At some point, I usually need to start researching this or that. Then, I immerse myself in the flow of the story once more, until it  is time to come up for air again.

 

I felt bereft once I had finished ‘Brisingamen’. I had been so totally consumed by the book, and it was like: ‘Now what do I do?’ What I did, was to begin a new book. The idea was there, waiting just on the side-lines, until I noticed it. I was like a woman possessed. Steam came off the keyboard, I typed so fast. But, that’s a story for tomorrow’s post . . .

 

(See 4WillsPublishng Author Page for tomorrow’s link.)

 

For more on my books, see below:

The Glade

 

Mystery, Thriller & Suspense.

 

You are being arrested for the murder of your husband …You have a secret you can’t tell …The evil is gathering …

 

The Wenstrops have it all: health, wealth and happiness. But then it all begins to fall apart. Helen is arrested for murder, yet is either unable or unwilling to give a defence. During her detention, vital evidence goes mysteriously missing and tensions are running high. Helen finds herself surrounded and yet alone: not knowing who she can trust or how she can tell her enemies from her friends. Helen has to work through her self-doubts and fears, in order to know whether her suspicions and misgivings are valid or simply products of an overwrought mind. There are those who would like to encourage her confusion, and those who would help her – but how to know one from the other? And then there are those who actively mean her harm. Meanwhile, malignant forces in the forest are gathering power, ready for a final assault. Helen finds herself in a battle of life and death, and faces having to lose everything in her attempts to thwart the evil that has insinuated itself into her very existence – but is she ready to make the ultimate sacrifice?

This sensational second novel by acclaimed author Harmony Kent will have you alternately laughing, crying and gripping the edge of your seat as this roller coaster ride of a plot unfolds. It will keep you guessing through its many twists and turns, and hijack your attention right up until you turn the final page. This book has it all: murder, intrigue, the supernatural, a broken marriage, a love affair, courage against impossible odds, suspense, and high drama.

 

The Glade is an IndieB.R.A.G.Medallion honoree!

 

 

The Battle for Brisingamen

 

Fantasy Fiction

 

There is a World not too Far Away …

 

Beneath the north sea a land of magic lies undetected. The lives of many are drawn inexorably closer together in a race against time, as both energy companies and evil beings attempt to destroy the magic which is protecting not just this land but all worlds. The unwitting protagonists have no idea of how suddenly and irrevocably their lives are about to change.

 

It is a race against time to try and recover the lost necklace, Brisingamen, which holds the ancient power of the Goddess Freya, and to prevent the undersea drilling from taking place. Are Aart, Matthias, Gemma and Dirck up to the challenges they now must face?

 

Here there be Dragons, and all manner of Creatures …

 

Elemental Earth (Book 1 of The Mysteries)

Young Adult Fantasy Fiction

 

“You turned the god of gnomes into a garden ornament?”

Sarah looked closely, but couldn’t tell if her dad was annoyed or amused—perhaps he was both …

Whilst 15 year old Sarah may be struggling to regain her feet, after being ripped from her everyday mundane life and ending up in a whole new dimension, she still knows how to have a bit of fun along the way. The Earth Elemental isn’t the only one whose feathers she manages to ruffle, and it’s only been four days. Meanwhile, her best friend is missing, and big trouble is brewing. She soon has a lot more to worry about than what happened to her phone or iPod, or even how much of an idiot Caleb obviously thinks she is.

Elemental Earth is the first book in The Mysteries series, and is aimed at Young Adults. Even if you’ve already reached an age where the young ones might call you ‘old enough’, if you’re still young at heart then you’re bound to enjoy these books just as much as the next—err—younger adult.

Age aside, perhaps we should be more worried about what further havoc Sarah’s antics might be about to wreak on the universe as we know it? We’d probably all be sleeping a lot more soundly if she’d only stuck to applied maths and the odd pillow fight. But no, sadly the lure of the proverbial rabbit hole proved just a tad too much. And now she’s taken the plunge, there’s no turning back.

 

Look out for tweets @harmony_kent, and follow my blog: http://harmonykent.co.uk to keep up to date with new book releases, promos, cover reveals and sneak peeks. Feel free to connect—I’d love to hear from you.

 

Find out more at: http://www.harmonykent.co.uk

Twitter: @harmony_kent

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/HarmonyKentOnline

4Wills Author Page: http://4willspublishing.wordpress.com/our-authors/author-harmony-kent/