BLOG TOUR: The Shadow Prince by Stacey O'Neale

Welcome to Jenuine Cupcakes, this is my stop on The Shadow Prince Blog Tour! 

Sixteen-year-old Rowan has spent most of his life living among the mortals—learning to control the element of fire, impatiently awaiting the day his vengeful mother, Queen Prisma, will abdicate her throne. When he finally returns to Avalon for his coronation, his mother insists he must first prove his loyalty to the court by completing a secret mission:

Kill Kalin, the half-human, half-elemental daughter of the air court king.

Willing to do anything to remove his mother from power, he agrees to sacrifice the halfling. He returns to the mortal world with his best friend, Marcus, determined to kill the princess. But as he devises a plan, he starts to question whether or not he's capable of completing such a heinous task. And what price he will pay if he refuses?

Available for FREE on Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Also available in PRINT from Amazon

Interview

1. Why did you decide to write a series about elementals? 

I was researching faeries when I kept coming across the word elemental. I googled the name and happened to stumble upon the sixteenth century works of an alchemist named Paracelsus. He identified the four types of elementals, even giving them names. My brain started spinning with ideas, and eventually, the characters came to life. 

 

2. Is THE SHADOW PRINCE part of a series? If so, tell us about the series. 

Yes, THE SHADOW PRINCE is the prequel novella to my MORTAL ENCHANTMENT novel series. After TSP releases, there will be three full-length novels in the series. TSP is written in Rowan's point of view. His story is what ignites the conflict in ME.  

 

3. Why did you decide to give the novella away for FREE? 

Because I'm a new author, I thought I would get more readers to give it a chance if it were free. I hope they fall in love with Rowan the way I have and want to know more about his role in the series. I also thought it would be fun to introduce Kalin (my series heroine) through his eyes.  

 

4. Where do your ideas come from? 

Everyday life. I've gotten ideas while watching television, driving, showering, conversation with family/friends, etc. For that reason, I always carry a small notebook so I can write them down. I have a spreadsheet on my computer I keep them on. Not all of my ideas are paranormal. They are all over the place. 

 

5. Can you tell us a little bit about Rowan? 

Rowan is the heir to the fire court throne. He is a powerful elemental who's spent most of his life away from the court. He's got tons of family drama, but also good friends who help him through it. At times he can be a bit arrogant as most princes are, but he's also thoughtful and loyal to the people he loves.

 

6. Is Rowan based on anyone you know? Is there a famous actor you could compare him to? 

I think Rowan is made up of four or five people. It's small facets of their personalities embellished, then fused together to make one person. As far as physical appearance, I think he looks a bit like Luke Grimes on True Blood. 

 

7. What has surprised you most since you published THE SHADOW PRINCE? 

The way readers have reacted to Marcus has been the most surprising because the novella is in Rowan's point of view. I've had so many people ask me if he will be in MORTAL ENCHANTMENT, if he's "okay", and a few requested I write a novella about Ariel and Marcus. As an author, it's so awesome to see people emotionally invested in one of your characters.  

 

8. What was one of your favorite scenes to write in THE SHADOW PRINCE? 

Any scene with Rowan and Marcus together was a favorite. They come from vastly different circumstances yet they depend so much on each other for survival. It's a true male/male friendship from the jokes to the genuine love they have for one another. It's really special. 

 

9. What was the hardest scene to write in THE SHADOW PRINCE? 

It's difficult to answer this without giving anything away. I will say there's a scene where a character is forced (literally) to do something horrible to someone they love. It has a deep impact on both characters in different ways. Because I love both of them so much, it was really hard to go through it with them.   

 

10. What are you working on next? 

I'd like to finish the first book in an adult science fiction romance series I started last year. I'm about halfway there. Afterwards, I have to write the second book in the MORTAL ENCHANTMENT series. Needless to say, 2014 will be a busy year for me.  

 

 

About the Author

Stacey O'Neale lives in Annapolis, Maryland. When she's not writing, she spends her time fangirling over books, blogging, watching fantasy television shows, cheering for the Baltimore Ravens, and hanging out with her husband and daughter. 

 

Her career in publishing started as a blogger-turned-publicist for two successful small publishers. Stacey writes young adult paranormal romance and adult science fiction romance. 

 

Her books always include swoon-worthy heroes, snarky heroines, and lots of kissing. Stacey loves hearing from readers. Follow her on Twitter @StaceyONeale, look for her on Facebook, Pinterest, and Goodreads. You can also visit her blog at http://staceyoneale.com/. 

 

 

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