Do you like to walk on the dark side? Check out Forbidden Things:  Dissident by Nikki McCormack and get a taste of how bad things can get.

I love finding out about the covers of books. Do you choose a book by its cover?

INTERVIEW

Can you describe your dream home?

My dream home wouldn’t need to be too extraordinary. I would have a few special spaces, including a cat room or dedicated outdoor cat enclosure, a two or three story tower with a spiral staircase (the door to which would be hidden behind a movable bookcase) which would house my writing office, and I wouldn’t mind a movie theater. An ocean view would be a nice bonus.

That doesn’t seem to be too much to ask for. LOLIf we were to come to your house for a meal, what would you give us to eat?

I would make seared ahi tuna in wasabi butter sauce. I love making this for dinner guests because it means I get to eat it too.

That would be great, because I don’t cook. I’ll do the clean up, though. Tell us about the absolute BEST fan letter you have received.

I’ve gotten some great fan mail from my book, The Girl and the Clockwork Cat, but I think my favorite bit of fan mail is still from a ten-year-old girl regarding the short story, Beyond the Twilight Zone, published in the November and December 2007 issues of Cricket magazine. The letter reads:

“I absolutly love love love your magazine! my favorite story so far has been beyond the twilight zone, November-December. Way to keep the suspence going!”

The next sentence says that her favorite books are the Harry Potter series. Yeah, that one made me smile a lot.

It’s wonderful that you are able to reach a young audience and help them appreciate the love of a good book. Say your publisher has offered to fly you anywhere in the world to do research on an upcoming book, where would you most likely want to go?

I would be tempted to go back to Ireland. One of my other books in progress begins there and I would love to see so much more of that country. Alternatively, I might ask to go to Malta to visit some of the ancient ruins there. I often find inspiration when I’m in any place where I can be surrounded by history. The older the better.

They both sound like a wonderful place to absorb the feel of a setting you are writing about. Who designed the book cover for the book you are touring?

Raquel Neira (http://kellieart.deviantart.com) did the cover art for Dissident. She was selected by my publisher to do the cover art for The Girl and the Clockwork Cat. I thought she did a great job on that project so I approached her to do the art for the Forbidden Things series when I decided to self-publish.

It is fantastic that the cover designer appeals to you so much, you are able to keep a working relationship going into the self publishing world. Congratulations and thanks so much for sharing your thoughts.

Add me to Goodreads now.

Forbidden Things: Book One – Dissident

by Nikki McCormack

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB

Ascard power can strengthen, heal and create. It also has great potential to destroy, enough to topple entire governments. Indigo’s country places strict limitations on the use of ascard so she must channel her talents into the healing arts or risk severe punishment. An orphan from a disgraced family, trapped by her father’s treason, Indigo struggles to reclaim her place in a society that has driven her into an abusive engagement.

Then a mysterious stranger from a neighboring country contacts her using ascard. He needs help escaping his prison so he can bring an end to his emperor’s oppressive rule or die trying. His unshakable devotion to his cause and the passion hidden behind his cool arrogance move her to help him at the risk of being branded a traitor herself.

When the politics of society bring them together a second time, Indigo decides to use her growing powers to help him fight his war. If only she dared fight for her own future with such passion. Perhaps she can find the courage to do so by helping the man she has fallen for win his revolution. She might have exactly the power he needs to succeed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT

Her attention wandered to the fountain sprouting up in the center of a nearby courtyard, simple and elegant like a great stonework lily. A man stood by the fountain, watching water droplets falling with the shimmer of multicolored gems in the bright sunlight. Long silver hair hung to the middle of his back like a frozen waterfall. His smooth pale skin and unusual hair marked him as Lyran, but his regal bearing and rich attire didn’t befit a slave or merchant.

Curious. “Have you seen him before?”

Andrea turned, following her gaze. “Who?”

“The man beside the fountain.”

“There’s no one by the fountain.”

Andrea’s reply tugged at her awareness, but the silver-haired Lyran was turning toward them now. His pale eyes met hers and the air pressed from her lungs as if a corset were being pulled too tight. The buildings lurched and spun in her vision.

“Indigo?”

She sank to her knees. Andrea crouched down with her, her eyes wide and frightened. She held Indigo’s shoulders tight, her lips moving. Indigo heard only the pounding of blood in her ears.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ABOUT NIKKI MCCORMACK

Nikki started writing her first novel at the age of 12 (which is still tucked away in a briefcase in her office). Despite a successful short story publication with Cricket Magazine in 2007, she treated her writing addiction as a hobby until a drop in the economy left her with an abundance of free time to focus on making it her career.

Nikki lives in the magnificent Pacific Northwest tending to her awesome husband, two sweet horses, three manipulative cats, and a crazy dog. She’s a wine and tea fanatic who loves sitting on the ocean in her kayak surrounded by open water or hanging from a rope in a cave, embraced by darkness and the sound of dripping water. She also enjoys horseback riding, archery, PC gaming, dancing, good anime, etc. She studies Japanese and practices Iaido because she believes we should never stop learning.

Twitter handle: @Author_NikkiMc  I  Facebook  I  Goodreads  I  Blog  I   Amazon  I   B&N

Elysium Palace: http://www.elysiumpalace.com/dissident

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY

The author will award a $50 Amazon/BN GC to one randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

 ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

Follow the tour and comment, the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.

Follow the tour HERE.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.

If you have a problem commenting, look for the twitter, facebook…buttons.

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!