Songs of Autumn

A YA fantasy by Lauren Sevier

What if your entire life you knew the exact day you were going to die?

Liz does.

Magick in the Kingdom of Aegis has almost run out. When that happens, the seasons will stop changing, the tides will cease to turn, and the sun will no longer be able to rise and set. The only way to save the lives of her people is if Liz agrees to be a blood sacrifice in a brutal ceremony that will take her life.

The problem is… Liz isn\’t ready to go.

With the help of a mischievous wanna-be soldier, Matioch Steele, Liz dares to take her fate into her own hands. Defying a blood-thirsty sorcerer, her desperate flight teaches her how to truly live while Mat finds out what\’s worth dying for. Each other.

Love, Death, Magick, and Mystery come together to weave one girl\’s epic tale of self-discovery.

Her song will echo within us all.

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Excerpt

The sunset over the bay was the most beautiful Liz had ever seen, but perhaps it\’s because she knew it would be the last. It set the sky aflame, burning deep into her memory. She wore pearls in her hair and a crown adorned with so many shimmering diamonds it appeared to be made from seawater and starlight itself. Every inch of her porcelain skin had been cleansed and massaged with lavender oil. An extravagant lamb, headed for slaughter.

The silk and lace of her wedding gown clung to the curves of her body and flowed like water around her as she moved. Her figure, too curvy to be considered fashionable, was squeezed into an acceptable shape by a corset inlaid with whale bones. Never had she been more radiant, her flame-like hair mirroring the sunset outside.

A woman at the peak of her life, never more ready to begin, and it was her ending.

“Tell me again,” She said firmly, adjusting the pins near her left ear.

“Your highness, it doesn’t matter how-

“Tell me again.” She snapped, turning piercing blue eyes on Priestess Elba whose words fell away in an instant. Her breath hitched and her eyes fell to the mosaic beneath her feet.

“You’ll walk down the front steps of the palace to a boat waiting at the edge of the water. Your parents will walk behind you and all the people of Silver City will be there to witness your descent.”

Liz closed her eyes tight, imagining it in her mind, biting her lower lip hard enough that she worried she would break the skin. If she prepared herself now, perhaps she could retain some dignity in these final moments.

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An Interview with Lauren Sevier

-What inspired you to become a writer?

Well, quite frankly, the absolute badass that is Emily Bronte. She wrote recklessly with no regard for the accepted rules of society in her time. In doing so, she created an entirely new character archetype in Heathcliff as the very first Anti-hero who paved the way for others like Dumbledore and my beloved Kaz Brekker. Her boldness always inspired me to push my limits and try new things. She wrote about adultery and defying God (as a preacher\’s daughter) and made us fall in love at the same time. Words have always come easy to me. I\’ve always understood the gravity of them. To find a line like \”Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same,\” and not feel them all the way down to your toes is strange to me. It was through her writing I discovered my love of the written word and dared to do the writing myself.

-If you could visit your book’s world for a day, what one thing would you do?

I would definitely be attending one of Tia\’s infamous revels. They\’re mentioned several times but Liz never has the opportunity to experience one first hand. With all the opulence and grandeur that the palace has to offer there would be delicacies from the entire world, sunkissed courtiers smiling coyly in chiffon dresses and handsome knights off duty in linen shirts that show off their arms. Sparkling wines in a myriad of colors, seeming to float on driftwood trays laden with seashells and freshly shucked oysters. Then, after having entirely too much fun, I would spend the ENTIRE rest of the day lounging in the bathhouse. The inspiration for the bathhouse is Greco-Roman in origin but, my favorite thing to do is drink wine in a long bubble bath when I\’m stressed out. So writing the bathtub as a pool sized marble marvel of architecture with a view and all the creature comforts you could ask for… may have been a bit of wish fulfillment on my part.

-It’s two in the morning. What does your protagonist reveal in confidence? (Don’t worry, we won’t tell.)

Ha! Liz is so naive she would probably tell you all of the spoilers for book two. I feel like I would have to treat her the way Marvel treated Tom Holland on the set of Avengers and just NOT let her know anything important. She\’s quite guileless. In all actuality she would probably be up with Tia talking well into the night about crushes and court gossip. Tia would be wicked and Liz would pretend to be scandalized.

-Which of your characters would you go out for drinks with?

Definitely Smitty, no question. He seems rough around the edges, and he is for the most, but he\’s very particular about food and drink. He\’s a butcher and proud of his trade, so he\’s nearly obsessive about each precise cut of meat. He takes into consideration how it\’ll be cooked and what it\’ll be paired with. He\’s also really down to earth so I think of anyone he definitely knows where the best ale and wine and food is. So, I\’m definitely tagging along when he goes out drinking.

-You’re in a tavern, and a dwarf challenges you to a duel. What do you do?

Well, you don\’t disrespect the dwarf. You duel him, naturally. However, I would probably suggest that the duel take the form of a drinking game so that as the competition got more fierce, so did the potential for becoming friends. I would probably consider the loss one of my favorite nights ever.

-Is there a genre you could never write? Which and why?

You know, I thought I\’d never write a romance novel… And now I am. I\’m tempted to say a mystery novel, as I don\’t read much in the genre and don\’t particularly care for it. But, I also like the idea of testing my creative limits and there are elements of thrillers and suspense novels I find I\’m very drawn to. So, tentatively I\’ll say no cozy mysteries for me. Mostly because I don\’t feel knowledgeable enough to craft an engaging story right now.

About Lauren Sevier

Lauren Sevier lives a simple life in small town Walker, Louisiana with her family and two mischievous dogs. She’s a proud firefighter wife and mother to her miracle son, born through IVF after an eight-year battle with infertility. She works full-time for a non-profit hospital in Cardiology caring for the elderly and low-income families all over the state of Louisiana in satellite and outreach clinics. Writing and being in the service of helping others are her two passions in life.

She started writing song lyrics and poems on the front porch swing of her family home nestled amidst a 200-year-old pecan tree orchard that was once part of a Civil War plantation. She’s inspired the most by Shakespeare, the Bronte sisters, Jane Austen, and JK Rowling. Her background in Theatre introduced her to classic British literature, playwrights, and poets from a very young age. This helped her to understand story concepts, dramatization, and character development the way Shakespeare once did, as an actor.

Now her biggest inspiration for writing is her son who, like all children, learns by example. Lauren is determined to set a specific example for him; to live simply, work hard, and to never stop chasing her dreams. Because, one day, you just might catch them.

Find her online:
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Giveaway

Lauren Sevier will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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