Blaze of Glory
by M. Garzon
The author will be awarding the entire trilogy on Kindle or Kobo (winner's choice) to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Please be sure to leave a comment below along with your email address so you may be contacted if you win. To increase your chances of winning visit the other tour stops. You can find those locations here... http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2014/02/virtual-book-tour-blaze-of-glory-by-m.html
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Interview:
Crystal: Today as part of this Goddess Fish Promotions Virtual Book Tour, I have the chance to ask M. Garzon a few questions. Welcome, I'm so happy to have you here today. Would you share a little bit about yourself with us today?
M. Garzon: I grew up feeling rather rootless, part of a family that moved every two years (in the middle of the school year! Yeah, that didn’t suck). I think my obsession with horses is the only thing that preserved my sanity, so a career with horses naturally followed. Unfortunately an injury followed by back surgery in my early twenties put an end to competitive riding for me, so I got an education and went to work on Bay Street, which is the Canadian version of Wall Street.
After my kids were born I worked from home on a contract basis, until I was assaulted by the muse and became a writer. Now I’m a single parent writing full-time, and loving every second of it!
Crystal: Where did you come up with the idea for Blaze of Glory?
M. Garzon: I didn’t really have to think about it – the muse ordered me to write, I complied, and this is the story that emerged. The whole experience felt very much as if I were being guided along, but it’s no surprise that horses figure large in the end result.
Crystal: What are you currently working on?
M. Garzon: I’m still not quite sure how this happened, but I’m writing a kid’s horse novel with my children. It’s an interesting process, since my 7 year old son wants something to catch on fire in every scene, and my 9 year old daughter just wants everyone to be nice to each other and for the horse to get patted a lot.
Crystal: Do you have any special routine that you follow when you are writing?
M. Garzon: I put the kids on the bus at 7:20 am, walk our hyperactive, naughty, lovable Australian Shepherd, then I make coffee and plunk myself down in front of my laptop for the next six hours. A much more productive routine, I might add, than when I was scrawling on discarded envelopes in my car.
Crystal: Did you have to do a lot of research for this book or any other? If so do you have a fascinating fact that you have learned you would like to share with us?
M. Garzon: Blaze of Glory is set in the horse world, parts of which I’m intimately familiar with. In the story there are scenes in the jumper ring, at the racetrack, and involving natural horsemanship. However, I’d never played or even watched polo before, so I went and hung out at our local polo club one summer. From that I learned that the rumors are true: polo players are, in fact, hot.
Crystal: Who are some of your favorite authors that you like to read?
M. Garzon: It’s such a long list… right now it’s Laini Taylor and Cassandra Clare, but there’s always Elizabeth Gilbert and Khaled Hosseini, and occasionally Jodi Picoult. I recently enjoyed several of Harley Jane Kozak’s books. I’ve read everything that Robert Heinlein’s ever written. I’m always discovering new writers too.
Crystal: Is there a genre you haven't written that you would like to try?
M. Garzon: My first trilogy is a family drama, now I’m doing a kid’s book, and then there’s a spin-off novel planned for the trilogy (no idea what genre they’ll label it). After that I plan to write a fantasy series – here’s to stirring things up
Crystal: Do you have a favorite scene you would like to share with us?
Author's Favorite Scene:
Jaden came in as I was closing the door to Zac’s stall. He grabbed my shoulders; I thought he was going to shake me but he just spun me around to face him.
“Tea, have you looked in a mirror lately?” He said it with painful restraint, but his eyes were scorching.
“Um…” I was confused by his question, and his unblinking glower was making it hard for me to think.
“You—are—a—small—girl,” he bit off each word distinctly. “For you to attack a full‑grown man like that is insane.”
“Did you see what he did to Zac?” I demanded. My power of speech returned in a rush as my temper began to flare; small flames were erupting inside my chest, but they felt good. It had been too long since I’d felt anything.
“That’s irrelevant-”
“Not to me!”
“What if he had hit you back? Did you pause for one second to consider what would happen after your daring rescue?” His intensity was oddly intimidating, considering that he didn’t raise his voice.
I was saved from answering by Seth’s arrival. “Nice move, Sparky.” My brother grinned, shaking his head. For once I couldn’t blame him for using my hated nickname.
I couldn’t think of a witty riposte, so I settled for, “Shut up.”
“Seriously though, what are you going to tell Dec when we lose a boarder because he was assaulted by an elf?”
I’d been trying not to think that far ahead, but now I was gripped by worry. It eased a bit when Jaden answered, “I don’t think that will be a problem. For one thing, I pointed out to Marcus that he could be held responsible for any injuries to Zac. And honestly… can you see him admitting publicly that Tea was able to take him out?”
He and Seth both looked at me and howled with laughter.
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BLURB:
Some fires can consume you.
Last year, I had it all. Two jumpers on the show circuit, a lot of wins, and a lot of attention - the good kind. But now I have nothing. My life is circling the drain. The only spark of light that exists for me is my new, forbidden passion. If my stepfather finds out, he will kill me. My twin brother, my only blood relative in the world, has already begged me not to. But I can't help myself. If it can't be horses, it has to be this..."
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EXCERPT:
Prologue
I squished my way through the water-soaked grass to the pasture. The sudden downpour had cooled the air, and I shivered slightly in my wet clothes. The worst of the storm seemed to be over, and when I reached the pasture fence I paused, debating whether I needed to bring the horses in. The rain had abated to a fine drizzle, and there hadn’t been any lightning or thunder since I’d left the barn. It was such a relief to escape the tense atmosphere there that I lingered, leaning on the fence and watching the dark wet patches creeping down the horses’ coats.
I didn’t hear the footsteps until they were right behind me. I knew whose they were without turning; only Jaden’s presence would raise the hairs on my body like that.
“Tea,” he said my name like a caress.
I was about to duck away, but he knew me too well—his hands shot out and gripped the fence board on either side of me, though he didn’t touch me, of course. He was so close now that I could feel the heat from his body searing the back of mine, but this heat made me shiver all the more.
“How long are you planning on not talking to me?” His voice was subdued.
I shrugged. I felt, rather than heard, his sigh.
“You’re angry with me.”
He was wrong about that. It wasn’t anger that was making me avoid him, it was self preservation.
“I don’t blame you. I know I’ve made a mess of things. I came to give you a choice… I was planning to leave at the end of the season.” He paused, but my brain was already frozen. As though it couldn’t process the word ‘leave’. “But if you’d rather I left now, I’ll understand. I’ll find a spot for my horses closer to Toronto.”
My chest constricted painfully, and my breath started coming in sharp, raw gasps. Either way, he would be gone. My only option was whether to prolong my suffering. It was always the same impossible choice: the pain of his presence versus the torture of his absence. I didn’t say anything. I don’t think I could have spoken even if I’d wanted to.
“Let me know what you decide,” he continued quietly. He hesitated, then dropped his head close to mine; I felt the zing of current from my face down to my shoulder. He whispered his parting line in my ear.
“I miss you.”
I waited until his footsteps faded to surrender to the wracking sobs, and they shook me for a long time before I pulled myself together and went back to work.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Links:
www.mgarzon.ca
https://www.facebook.com/pages/M-garzon/217322391615168
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0081NXULY/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=B0081NXULY&link_code=as3&tag=revibycrys-20
(also available on Kobo, NOOK, and iBooks)
Thank you for having me here today!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your success and thank you for the giveaway!
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Thanks E.L.F. :)
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