Release Party for Heart Song by Samantha LaFantasie

Samantha LaFantasie is the author of Heart Song (now available on Smashwords and Kindle). Friday, September 28 is her release party on Facebook. In honor of the party, and to introduce the book and author to you, here is a quick blurb about the book and an interview with the main character, Relena.

"There once was a world filled with magic and immortals. To protect the immortals the world was torn into two realms, one of mortals and one of magic. For centuries Jiren has been one of the leaders of the immortal realm, but his power is now put at risk when it is said that the heart song between a mortal, Relena, and a werewolf, Marren is fated to bring both the mortal and immortal realms together once again before the world is forever shrouded in darkness.

The shape-shifting, ethereal vampire, Jiren, will stop at nothing to prevent the realms from rejoining, even killing another Ancient—the most unforgivable crime. In addition, Relena and Marren are put through one of the greatest tests of their relationship just to prove their love for one another, putting the future of both realms in jeopardy; solely to appease the other Ancient rulers of the immortal realm.

With both realms doomed if they are not together, will Marren and Relena be able to prove their heart song or will Jiren have his way and throw the world into complete devastation?"


Questions for Relena:


1. What was it like for Samantha to write your story?

Frustrating at times. Samantha kept wanting to make the story more complicated than it was, and she
kept trying to add things in that didn’t really happen. There were even some things that happened that
she didn’t put in. But for the most part, when she did listen, she was able to capture the right words and
translate what happened to me in ways that matched what I saw and felt. Those times were the best.
Those are the times we worked very well and accomplished the most.

Other times, I felt like tapping the blade of a sword on her shoulders—just to get her to listen…

2. What was your most trying experience?

Besides working with an author like Samantha? There are a number of times that were just as hard to
deal with as any other but the most difficult period of my life was going through the test of the Ancients.
I didn’t know when it was happening and with the whole circumstance surrounding it, the test was
just the most difficult thing to go through. Not only did I have to face the fact or possibility that I was
not Marren’s heart song, I had to come to terms with myself in other ways as well. Such as learning to
surrender and give in, and not being in control of everything. That was really difficult for me.

3. What is the one thing that you would change about your story?

I think that, with the story the way that it is, even with some events missing, there really isn’t anything
that I would change. Because all those events added to who I am now. They say the destination isn’t
what is important, but the journey. In my case, it rings the truest of all.

4. What do you feel like is your greatest weakness/flaw?

My greatest weakness and flaw? Uh…you first. Just read my story and make that decision for yourself.
I’ve had people say that I was too selfish. I’ve had people tell me that I was too stubborn. I’ve even had
people say that it was uncharacteristic in the way that I fell for Marren.*shrug* It is what it is; in the past
and a part of my history.

5. Taking into account what a heart song is, is it a blessing or a curse?

Hmm…There was a point in time, right after getting rescued from the Cyrs, where I felt that it was a
blessing and a curse. It truly isn’t an easily explained feeling or emotion that could come close to what
it is. In ways it was a curse because, as Enid had said, whether I wanted to choose Marren or not, I
belonged to him. And anything that forced me to do anything I didn’t choose to do on my own was not
okay with me in any way. Then again it was certainly a blessing because I was at one of the upmost
darkest points in my life at that time and the magic and enchantment was so uplifting and powerful that
it made that darkness fade away.

6. If there was one person in your life you could bring back from the dead with absolutely no
consequences, who would it be and why? You don’t have to choose just someone in the story either, you can choose anyone who you may have known before the story!

Danst. No thought required.

What you didn’t get to see was how incredibly close we were. And Marren even pointed out to me
afterwards, just how much I meant to him and it nearly made the pain of his loss, the empty space that
was left with his absence, so much bigger. There are just so many things that I would do differently with
him if I had the chance to.

7. What would you change about your author if you had the power? What I mean is would you have her relax a little more? Would you want her to eat more cotton candy?

Definitely relax a little more. If she just sat down and listened to me, I wouldn’t have had to give her
the cold shoulder. I thought heavily about handing her a sword and dueling it out that way, but she’s so
clumsy…I was more concerned about her accidentally impaling herself and leaving me with no one to
write my story! And they say I’m stubborn.

8. Oh no! Marren is about to undergo a transformation and you can only pick one aspect of him to save! What will it be? His hot body? His devotion? Quick! Choose!

*laughs* What kind of transformation? *bobs eyebrows* Honestly, there isn’t a thing that I could single
out to keep. It’s like asking me to choose which limb or vital organ to live without. Marren is just as
much a part of me as I am him. It’s what the heart song does. It makes it to where you are no longer two
separate people, but one entity. Yeah, I know human marriage does that too, but human marriage is
symbolic whereas the heart song is much more literal.

9. This is a two part question: Firstly, you had a pretty rough upbringing. What do you think contributed most to that? Secondly, if you could change whatever it was that had the biggest influence on your childhood, would you?

Though I did have a rough early life, I think that it turned out quite well and so that part of me no longer
is thought of. But if I had to say what had to have contributed to it the most, it would be what started
how rough my life was. And that was my mother running away with another man.

No, to the second one. Because I wouldn’t have met Danst and I can’t even bare to think what could’ve
happened if Marren didn’t come into my life when he did.

All in all, my life has been pretty great. Despite the fact that I can live theoretically forever, my
experiences has done nothing but shape who I am and I’m comfortable with where I’m at.

10. Jiren is a pretty despicable person/vampire/entity. Through the entire story he does nothing but try to bring destruction to the world and to you and Marren. Despite all this, do you believe there might be some good in him? Do you think he has his reasons for wanting all of this or do you think he’s just an old bitter bigot who is too narrow minded to see opinions other than his own?

Despite the fact that he tried to kill Marren, Naloud, and me, I think Jiren’s intentions were honorable. He
wanted to save what was left of him and his people’s ways. He just let fear of losing his control over his
races control his actions, and let his greed become who he was instead of who he was meant to be. As
sad as it was for him to do the things he had done, I think his intentions were good.

11. Where do you see yourself in sixty or seventy years?

From now? There’s no telling. I’ve lived such a long life and seen so many changes in the world. Marren
and I were thinking about one last adventure before letting ourselves move on from this realm. Can
you imagine a couple of centuries old werewolves showing up in the desert out east and scarring some
people? And no one thought we had a sense of humor…

12. What traits do you most admire in a man? A woman? Why?

This is an interesting question. I don’t think that I look for any specific traits. With Marren, one thing I
love about him is his persistence. He knew he had to do whatever it took to get me to open up to him and
he did. And with Naloud, her strong will and compassion. I love Enid’s protection and wisdom. Raden’s
wit. Nyr’s loyalty. Each person in my life is there for a reason, but not just specifically based on their
traits.

13. What do you admire most about yourself? This can be anything from physical appearance to a
particular part of your personality that you think you like best.

I think the thing I love the most about me is my werewolf side. The side that Marren gave to me. I find
that I miss it the most during dark nights and it makes me remember the time we spent on the immortal
realm.

14. Sometimes we wonder what would’ve happened to us had a certain event not occurred. What
is that certain event for you? What do you think your life would’ve been like had that event not
happened?

I wonder, but I do not dwell. But it is what could’ve happened to me if Marren didn’t make it in time to
take me from the Cyrs. I’d like to think that he would’ve hunted them down until he found me, but it’s
such an unnecessary unknown that I smile when I think back to that night. I’m grateful he came when he
did.


1 comment:

Unknown said...

You are awesome! Thanks for hosting me and Relena today!