In Pain and Blood: An Interview and Giveaway with Aldrea Alien

Lisa: We’re so pleased to have author Aldrea Alien joining us today to introduce us to her novel In Pain and Blood. Welcome, Aldrea!

Let’s start with a question about the book: what’s your favorite scene in In Pain and Blood, and what makes it a fave?

Aldrea: Has to be the bit where Dylan is dancing largely naked through lavender. The entire chapter is my favourite, but I loved being able to just have him be a little carefree and happy after all the grief I’d already put him in.

Lisa: Would you care to share an excerpt from the scene with us?

The Excerpt: Eventually, both his undertunic and robe were clean. Or at least, as much as they could hope to get outside of a proper laundering. Standing, he squeezed the excess water from the robe before shaking it out and setting his magic to work on drying it. In the hot air surrounding him, the scent of lavender thickened.

He breathed deep, growing giddy on the fumes, and stretched. How he’d missed the scent. He would have to remember to pick a few of the sprigs later to carry with him. It might even help ease the bad dreams.

His ears had grown tired of the old lullaby and, as he spun about with the drying robe twirling along with him, he switched to the drone of a chant taught in the temple, one that the priests would often call upon him to lead during prayer.

The tale woven by the lyrics spoke of a departed lover drifting on the river, denying the Seven Sisters’ judgement as they lingered for their heart.

His voice started off as a mumble, but soon rose to its limits as he belted out the crescendo. Picking up the sleeves of his robe as if it were a partner, he danced in the middle of the lavender patch with the scent of crushed flowers invading his nostrils. His singing drifted on the air, all alone for once in a very long time.

It wasn’t an entirely happy tale. Years passed in the mortal realm whilst the lover sat in silence. Boats bearing the lovers of other hearts would come and go, but never the desired one. And yet, there was a sort of wistful delight in waiting, for as long as they stayed, as long as they needn’t move on, their heart still lived.

But even the longest life must come to an end and in the mortal lands, people battled. There, the lover’s heart faltered and—

Dylan suddenly became aware that his voice wasn’t the only one shaping the song. He spun, finding the hound leaning against a tree.

Tracker smiled. “Oh, do not stop on my account.”

“I…” he squeaked. His gaze dropped to the now-clean robe he clutched to his chest, his face burning furiously. “I didn’t even hear you approach.” He’d been so caught up in just being free to do as he pleased with the morning that he hadn’t considered anyone hearing him.

Lisa: If you could spend some real-life time with one of the characters in the book, who would you choose and why?

Aldrea: Probably Marin. She’s a bit of a gung-ho person and would be up for anything, although I’d have to watch out taking her into heavily-populated places just in the off chance that some insults anyone we’re with… Actually, I change my mind. Katarina! She’d be happy just going to a library and wouldn’t try to hurt anybody over a slight.

Lisa: On the flipside, which character would you probably least get along with? Why? Aldrea: Barring, the lieutenant and sergeant in the army camp… Authril. She’s a bit too in your face for my liking and rather stubborn. Heh. Sounds terrible, but that was the way she needed to be written.

Lisa: Let’s take off your author cap and put on your reader cap for a moment: what do you look for in a book, what sort of protagonists do you love, and do you have a favorite genre?

Aldrea: Fantasy is easily my favourite, if it also has romance and adventure, then you’ve got me sold. No romance and I’ll imagine up some. My favourite type of protags are generally the sarcastic, sometimes slightly cynical, types. Even better if their love interest can go toe-to-toe with them in banter.

Lisa: What books and authors would you say influenced you to become a writer yourself?

Aldrea: A lot of the oldies: Anne McCaffrey with her Dragonriders of Pern series and David Eddings with the Elenium Trilogy are the top two who nudged me into writing. Other influences like Andre Norton, Robert Jordan and Terry Pratchett came a little later.

Lisa: What are your least and most favorite things about being an author?

Aldrea: Editing has to be the worst. I will fight anyone who says it’s not necessary, but I can’t be alone in the desire to have the right words leap onto the screen the first time. On the other hand, fleshing out the characters and world are my favourites. It makes it very hard to leave some characters behind when their story has been told.

Lisa: Let’s talk tropes: do you have a few favorites that you enjoy both writing and reading? If so, what are they and what makes them your faves?

Aldrea: Do I ever! Badass Bookworm is my topmost favourite! If a character is kicking butt and then showing they’re seriously learned in the academic sense, you’re going to get me every time. If that person is part of a Battle Couple, then I’m likely to fangirl over it for a good long while. Characters having Dark and Troubled Pasts, especially the roguish type ones, is also a favourite of mine.

Lisa: If you could choose one of your books to be adapted for the silver screen, which would you choose? Why do you think it would translate well to film?

Aldrea: Hehehe. As much as I’d like to see it, I don’t think they’d dare make In Pain and Blood into a movie, not without cutting or taking some liberties with a few scenes. On the other hand, Dark One’s Mistress would likely translate well.

Lisa: What’s the one book you’ve read in your lifetime that you wish you’d written? Why did this particular book leave such a lasting impact on you?

Aldrea: The Gryphon’s Eyrie by Andre Norton. The male protag didn’t seem so sure of himself, didn’t know if he could trust his magic or if he even deserved the woman who loved him. I had to be about 16/17 and, whilst there’d been a number of strong women secure in their beliefs and abilities, I’d not read a lot of fantasy where the guy was in the uncertain position.

Lisa: If I were to interview Dylan or Tracker, what would they say about you?

Aldrea: Probably that I’m a terrible human being for putting Dylan through so much.

Lisa: If you could sit down to dinner with any author, past or present, who would you choose, and why? What are some things you’d want to chat about?

Aldrea: Andre Norton. I just love her work, although… to be honest, I’d probably just sit there in awed silence, if not go into full-out fangirl mode.

Lisa: If you could be any animal in the world, what would you choose? Why?

Aldrea: Cat. Mostly because dragons aren’t real and my furry babies are spoilt balls of fluff. Also, sleeping all day sounds good.

Lisa: If you could travel back in time, with all your years of experience and wisdom intact, what advice would you give to your teenage self?

Aldrea: In all seriousness? I would’ve told myself to suck it up, take that risk and kiss her already.

Lisa: If you were to sit down and write your autobiography today, what would the title be?

Aldrea: I Am Me.

Lisa: Star Trek, Star Wars, both or neither? Explain.

Aldrea: Both! You cannot make me choose between the Darth Vader of my childhood and the Seven of Nine of my teen years. Nope. Won’t do it. No. Nononono. I like them equally.

Lisa: Thanks so much for stopping by, Aldrea, and thanks for sharing the excerpt!

About the Book

Book Title: In Pain and Blood (Spellster Series Book 1)
Author: Aldrea Alien
Publisher: Thardrandian Publications
Cover Artist: Aldrea Alien
Genre/s: Epic Fantasy M/M Romance
Length: 309000 words/740 pages
It’s a standalone story and first in a series of standalones.
Goodreads Link
Buy Links ~ Available on KU: Amazon US || Amazon UK
Blurb: It wasn’t meant to be like this.

Dylan’s life in the spellster tower has everything he should want: magical knowledge, safety from the King’s Hounds and frequent clandestine affairs with women. All at the cost of his freedom. So when the chance to leave the tower—even as a leashed weapon for the King’s Army—arises, he seizes it.

When his first scouting mission goes awry, Dylan is left alone in a hostile world with the tower a distant beacon of safety. Only the flirtatious Tracker, an elven man whose very presence awakens Dylan’s long-repressed desire, can help him return to his old life before the crown discovers his unleashed status.

But the risk of being branded a deserter may be the least of his concerns as whispers of an armed presence in the North threatens his home. Dylan must rely on Tracker to protect him even as everything he thought he knew begins to unravel around them.

About the Author

Mother. Animal Lover. Vampire. Fangirl.

Aldrea Alien is a New Zealand author of romantic speculative fiction of varying heat levels. She grew up on a small farm out the back blocks of a place known as Wainuiomata alongside a menagerie of animals, who are all convinced they’re just as human as the next person (especially the cats). She spent a great deal of her childhood riding horses, whilst the rest of her time was consumed with reading every fantasy book she could get her hands on and concocting ideas about a little planet known as Thardrandia. This would prove to be the start of The Rogue King Saga as, come her twelfth year, she discovered there was a book inside her.

Aldrea now lives in Upper Hutt, on yet another small farm with a less hectic, but still egotistical, group of animals (cats will be cats). She self-published the first of The Rogue King Saga in 2014. One thing she hasn’t yet found is an off switch to give her an ounce of peace from the characters plaguing her mind, a list that grows bigger every year with all of them clamouring for her to tell their story first. It’s a lot of people for one head.

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