Today for Hidden Gems we have an interview with the wonderful Tricia Mingerink, author of THE BLADES OF ACKTAR, which many of my reader friends are so fond of! *grins* I myself love these books, and I hope that this post will convince you to give them a try, if you haven't already!
Reasons I Think This Author Is One You Need To Discover:
- Book are Christian Fantasy - Non-magical and Unique
- Poignant, Encouraging, and Thought-Provoking Faith Themes (caution: can get very intense & some violence/gruesomesness)
- Awesome Characters - the Kind that You Love, and Squeal Over, and Claim as Your Friends
- Action-Filled, Humorous, Heart-Touching, Amazing-ness! *grins*
- And Leith Torren ... Renna and Brandi ... and Jamie *hugs them all*
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Introducing ... Tricia Mingerink
TRICIA MINGERINK is a twenty-something, book-loving, horse-riding country girl. She lives in Michigan with her family and their pack of pets. When she isn't writing, she can be found pursuing backwoods adventures across the country.
***
~ THE BLADES OF ACKTAR Series ~
Courage could cost him everything.
Third Blade Leith Torren never questions his orders or his loyalty to King Respen until an arrow wound and a prairie blizzard drive him to the doorstep of the girls whose family he once destroyed.
Their forbidden faith and ties to the Resistance could devastate their family a second time.
Survival depends on obedience, but freedom beckons. How far does he dare go to resist the king and his Blades?
No matter what Leith chooses, one thing is certain.
Someone will die.
All lies have consequences.
Promoted to the top rank among King Respen’s assassins, First Blade Leith Torren hides his involvement with the Resistance. How many lies will it take to protect his secret?
Renna Faythe has done nothing but survive for the past four years, but now Leith’s courage inspires her to try to be something more. If only she could figure out what that duty might be.
When the unthinkable happens, faith wavers. Friendships tear. What else will they be forced to deny?
But this time, Leith faces his greatest fear.
He can’t save everyone.
The war for Acktar has begun.
With his betrayal revealed, former Blade Leith Torren flees into the Sheered Rock Hills, pursued by King Respen’s vengeful Blades.
Left behind at Nalgar Castle, Renna Faythe tries to find her purpose, yet that purpose isn’t what she expected.
Brandi Faythe has been torn from her sister, and that isn’t all right. If Leith can’t rescue Renna, Brandi will take matters into her own hands.
War demands sacrifice. Courage falters. Who will find the strength to defy King Respen?
Acktar rests on one hope:
The Leader is ready.
(mock cover)
Can something broken ever heal?
Coming Soon ... !
A Prequel Short Story to The Blades of Acktar Series. Sign up for Tricia Mingerink's newsletter, and receive a free e-book copy of Deal!
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Author Interview
What
genre(s) do you write?
Tricia: I
write fantasy for the most part, though I have ideas for books in other
speculative genres, such as steampunk.
Do
you have a release date for your next book?
Tricia: Not
yet, though I know my readers are rather anxious for The Blades of Acktar #4.
What
impact do you hope your books will have on readers?
Tricia: I
hope that my books make readers think about what they believe and why they
believe it. I hope they finish the books feeling uplifted and challenged.
Of
all your books, do you have a favorite cover?
Tricia: Personally,
the cover for Deny is my favorite. I
love the look of the horses and Walden in the background, and the scenery is so
Acktarian I can’t help but adore it.
Are
there any fellow authors who inspire you?
Tricia: I
am inspired by my fellow authors all the time. Nadine Brandes is a huge
inspiration (not to mention she’s my editor). She’s an example of the kind of
author I want to be. Jaye L. Knight is so good at helping new authors along,
and her books are amazing! Not to mention, she’s one of the few making a living
at her writing and creative pursuits, and that inspires me that keep dreaming.
What was your hardest book to write, and why?
Tricia: So far, that has been Deny. I’ve mentioned this before, but that book was seriously a problem child. It was a hard first draft. A hard second draft (which was basically writing a whole new book). And a hard third draft. Because of the things that happen in the book, it was also a hard audiobook to proof.
That book was hard because of the subject matter, but it was also hard because it was the middle book (at least, in the trilogy I originally planned). When I get ideas, I tend to get ideas for the beginning and the end of projects. I knew the beginning and end of Dare and I knew the beginning and end of the series (Dare and Defy). But I really had no idea what happened in Deny besides where I had to end up. It took a long time to hash out exactly where that book had to go.
I still struggle with writing the middle of books. The only book I haven’t had to struggle with the middle was Defy.
That book was hard because of the subject matter, but it was also hard because it was the middle book (at least, in the trilogy I originally planned). When I get ideas, I tend to get ideas for the beginning and the end of projects. I knew the beginning and end of Dare and I knew the beginning and end of the series (Dare and Defy). But I really had no idea what happened in Deny besides where I had to end up. It took a long time to hash out exactly where that book had to go.
I still struggle with writing the middle of books. The only book I haven’t had to struggle with the middle was Defy.
What
do you do for fun?
Tricia: Read.
Duh. I love going on camping trips and doing lots of hiking. I spend time
riding and brushing my horse. He’s pretty much Maximus from Tangled. He’s only
happy when he has been properly admired.
By
the time this interview goes live, I will probably be also busy remodeling the
fixer upper house I’m in the process of buying.
Thanks so much for being here, Tricia! Always a pleasure to have you, and I hope this post helps your books reach even more readers! ^_^
Connect Further with Tricia Mingerink:
Additional Blog Stops:
Giveaway:
Mon. ~ Soleil @ ReviewsbySoleil: Book Review(s)
Mon. ~ Faith P. @ Stories by Firefly: Book Review of Dare
Wed. ~ Faith P. @ Stories by Firefly: Book Review of Deny
Thurs. ~ Claire Banschbach @ The Overactive Imagination: Book Review/Spotlight of The Blades of Acktar Series
Fri. ~ Faith P. @ Stories by Firefly: Book Review of Defy
Enter the rafflecopter form below for a chance to win a signed paperback from Tricia Mingerink! Winner's choice! One winner. USA ENTRIES ONLY.
Fun interview and giveaway! :) My favorite fantasy series is definitely The Blades of Actar. :D
ReplyDeleteI agree, Faith! :D Ah yes, The Blades of Acktar certainly ranks high up on my "favorite fantasy series" list as well! ^_^
DeleteI enjoyed reading the author interview! :)
ReplyDeleteA friend recommended this series to me and I read it over the summer. :)
So glad you enjoyed, Rebekah! :) Ah, wonderful!!
DeleteI love this series so much!! It's definitely my favorite fantasy series. :)
ReplyDeleteMe too, Krystal! ^_^ Yay for Leith, and Renna, and Brandi, and Shadrach ... ! <3
DeleteI love her books.... when I saw the cover for Deliverer I thought of the Moses by Disney, "Deliver us!"
ReplyDeleteI do as well! ^_^ Oh yes! :D I love the title of Deliver!
DeleteAbsolutly love these books! From the moment I picked up Dare I just didn't want to stop reading about these characters:)~Moriah
ReplyDeleteDare certainly had that captivating quality, didn't it, Moriah? ^_^ Yes, the characters!! <3 Now we just have to wait and wait for Deliver! ;D
DeleteI still need to read these. XD
ReplyDeleteFavourite fantasy series...The Knights of Arrethtrae and then The Ilyon Chronicles.
Yes, you do indeed, Raechel!! :) Oh yes, I LOVE the Ilyon Chronicles! And the one book from The Knights of Arrethtrae that I read, Sir Dalton and the Shadow Heart! ^_^
DeleteThis is SO Awesome!!! I can't wait to read these books!!! They look SOoooo cool!!! Um...I love fantasy... so its hard for me to chose. But maybe... The Books of the Infinite series, and the Dragon Quest series? Oh! And Legends of the Guardian-King series!
ReplyDeleteYes, Polaris! :) I can't wait to see who wins a paperback from Tricia Mingerink!! They are definitely amazing!
DeleteLove The Books of the Infinite series! I haven't read the Dragon Quest series, but I think I have one on my bookshelf. :) Ooh, I've been wanting to try out the Legends of the Guardian-King; glad to hear a good recommendation! :)
Same here!
DeleteThe Books of the Infinite are AMAZING!!! I love them SO much! And I just got Exiles through Valor! I can't wait to dive back into the Infinite series!
I love the Dragon Quest series, but there is some magic in it. However, it is presented more like superpowers than magic (that's why I'm okay with it;).
As for Legends of the Guardian-King series... it really is amazing, but it is definitely for older readers due to some of the content (if you want more specifics I can email you), and the writing style itself.
I really need to read Exiles!! Glad you enjoying that series, Polaris. :)
DeleteHmm, I'll have to see what I think when I get the chance to read the Dragon Quest series!
Okay, thanks for the heads up! :) I just started the first book of the Legends of the Guardian-King series. So far it's been really slow to me, but I'll have to see what I think. :)
this is sooo cool!!! thank you for doing this giveaway. I just can't wait to read these books. Umm....I don't think I have a favorite fantasy I like so very many...its to hard to pick
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Odette! :) Tricia Mingerink was so gracious as to give away a paperback book!! I hope you can read them soon! :D
DeleteAh, I know! So many great fantasy novels! <3
I need to read these already! :)
ReplyDeleteMy favorite fantasy series would be the Ilyon Chronicles, and either The Books of the Infinite series or the Eyes of Everia series. :)
Yes, you do, Natasha! :D I hope you can soon!!
DeleteAll three favorites of mine! ^_^ Yay for those beautiful series!
This was a really cool interview, Shantelle! I love Tricia's books - and I'm so excited for the fourth one to be released! :D
ReplyDelete~ Savannah
scattered-scribblings.blogspot.com
Thanks, Savannah! :) Eeee! I'm so excited for Book Four too!!! :D
Delete*whispers* also, I tagged you :).
Deletehttp://scattered-scribblings.blogspot.com/2016/10/the-q-tag.html
~ Savannah
scattered-scribblings.blogspot.com
Thank you for the tag, Savannah!! :) I'll plan to do it once Hidden Gems is over! :D
DeleteI loooove Tricia's books!! They're my favorites!!! And, I sadly don't have the third for my collection ... yet.
ReplyDelete(Also, on the second GR one, my little sister came over and pushed enter, so, yeah. :) )
Don't we all? ^_^ <3 I don't have the third on my bookshelf yet either!! Eek! Need to remedy that, don't we? :D
DeleteOkay, I understand! :D
I really want to read this series!!!! Thank you so much for doing this awesome giveaway and blog post!! =)
ReplyDeleteOh, and my favorite fantasy series is The Companions of Arcrea.
DeleteYou're welcome, Deborah!! :D So glad you guys are enjoying! Thanks to Tricia Mingerink for hosting the wonderful giveaway! ^_^ And yes, you must read these books soon!
DeleteYES! The Companions of Arcrea ... Hebbros!!! *huggles book*
Loved the first one! It was soo good! I thought this was a trilogy. So excited to learn there's more.
ReplyDeleteWonderful, Gabriellyn! :) :) Yes, the author decided to add a fourth book ... THANKFULLY! :D <3
DeleteYet another series I need to look into! The Blades of Acktar sound VERY interesting, indeed! :D
ReplyDelete~Liv
oliviakfisher.blogspot.com
Yes, Olivia! They're so good! :D
DeleteOH MY GOODNESS I 100% ADORE THE BLADES OF ACKTAR!!! The best fantasy/book series ever! Thanks you so much Tricia for writing my all time favorite series! If you haven't read this series, go buy it RIGHT NOW!!! I love these books!!!
ReplyDeleteI love them too, Bethany!!! :) :) So, so good! Isn't Tricia a fabulous writer? ^_^
DeleteThis series is already at the top of my to-read list, and I can't wait to read it soon! From everything I've heard about these books, they are absolutely amazing, and I'm sure I will love them. ;)
ReplyDeleteOh, and my all-time favorite fantasy series is Lord of the Rings, no contest - but there are so many others I love as well!!
DeleteI hope you do, Mary! They are amazing, indeed! ^_^
DeleteGreat choice! I haven't read the Lord of the Rings series, but I did watch the movies! :D
The Blades of Acktar is one of my favorite fantasy series ever!!
ReplyDeleteMine too, Sam! Yay!! :D
DeleteSo fun! I think my favorite fantasy series is Ilyon Chronicles. Well, that's hard. It's between Blades of Acktar and Ilyon. :)
ReplyDeleteI would agree, Sarah Grace! Except I love fairy tale-ish fantasy too, so I have a few more series tying for first place! ;D
DeleteI haven't read this series, but now I really want to! I don't read much fantasy, so I don't have a favorite series. Unless The Green Ember counts as fantasy? :) From what I have heard, this could become my favorite! :)
ReplyDeleteI've never read The Green Ember, so I wouldn't know, Abigail! :) But I hope you can give The Blades of Acktar a try! It's really, really good! ^_^
DeleteAh, I can never pass up an opportunity for free books, can I? ;)
ReplyDeleteHaha, I usually can't either, Emily! :D
DeleteEEEKKKKK! How I love this series!
ReplyDeleteYay, Gabriela! It's sooo good, isn't it? :D
Delete