Showing posts with label Ramona Wray. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ramona Wray. Show all posts

Sunday, May 1, 2011

GIVEAWAY WINNER: Hex, a Witch and Angel Tale

And the winner is...

JINKY

The winner* has been notified and will receive their copy of Hex, a Witch and Angel Tale from Ramona. :) Thanks to everybody who participated!

*Jinky was chosen using Random.org
Posted by Emi at 8:43 PM Comments
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Sunday, April 24, 2011

Author Interview with Ramona Wray + Giveaway

Greetings, witches and wizards! Please join me in welcoming Ramona Wray, author of Hex, a Witch and Angel Tale, to Oktopus Ink! Ramona's agreed to stop by and talk about her book (among other things) as part of the Hex Blog Tour.

What was your inspiration for writing Hex?

Hi Emi, and thank you for having me. First of all, I need to say that the idea for Hex first hit me while I was watching Bewitched. Which should explain the cover -- it was my way of paying homage to the source of my inspiration. But writing a story about witches was something that HAD to happen. I'm Romanian, I grew up in a very superstitious country where witches are thought to live among the God-fearing folk. According to legend, they tend to be gypsies (but not always). And they're very powerful. They can get rid of or bring forth illnesses. They can cast hexes. They tell fortunes. They consort with the Devil. Romanian folklore is brimming with stories about witches. So, naturally, I had to write about one.

I've seen books that deal with angels and books that deal with witches, but never books that deal with both at the same time. What made you decide to combine the two? Were you ever worried about one kind of magic overpowering the other?

I don't know. I came up with the hex first and I needed a supernatural creature to fill Lucian's slot. Research pointed me to that Bible passage, and then I made the rest up. The whole halfling concept. I thought it would fit well with the hex. And, no, I never worried that one would overpower the other because there's a distinct mythology behind each of the concepts. The trick was to bring them work together in one setting and make that work.

Lucian, as a villain, easy to hate, yet lovable at the same time. Did you plan for him to turn out that way?

Actually, no. In the beginning he was going to be all-evil. Irredeemable. A lost cause. But, as it happens sometimes, I got to a point where the characters got fed up with my plans and decided to tell the story their own way. And, somehow, I ended up with a lovable/hatable villain. I like to think some magic was involved there.

If you were stuck waiting for the love of your life to be reincarnated, what would you do with your free time?

Try to hang on to my sanity somehow. Probably doing what Ryder did, get invested in causes. Try to make a difference. Focus on NOT counting the days.

If you could travel back in time, what time period would you visit?

I don't know. Maybe the 16th century, Italy. Experience the High Renaissance. Watch Michelangelo paint The Creation of Adam on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel...

Tell us a little bit about your writing process. How often do you write? Do you have a favorite writing spot? A favorite food that you eat or drink when you write?

I write every day, whenever I get a spare moment. I fill many, many pages that don't actually go in my books. But I think it's important to write every day. Before I start working on a new story, I spend a couple of months getting to know my characters. During this time I write all kinds of little things about them on post-its which I stick all over the house. The writing happens pretty fast once I get going, but then I spend much longer editing. No favorite spot, I usually go where the quiet is. I listen to music in between but never when I write. I drink tea and eat lots of fruit. Because I'm boring like that.

How long have you been writing?

All my life. I started by keeping a journal when I was six. Had my first short story published in a local newspaper when I was eleven.

Did you do any research while writing Hex?

Yes. I didn't know much about angels so I read as much as I could. I also did some research on Wicca, to understand what spells are and how someone could, hypothetically, cast one. Research is a big part of the creative process. You can only make up so much; there has to be some truth behind it, some facts to bring the whole thing together and hold it in place.

What was your favorite part of the book to write? Least favorite part?

I think I enjoyed every moment of it. I'm not sure I could write anything otherwise.

What's it like to be an author participating in a blog tour?

Pretty amazing. I get to meet a lot of wonderful people. Some of them become dear friends. Hex receives a great deal of exposure and, with it, comes the feedback from readers which is, by far, my favorite part. It's great.

Are you working on anything now?

Yes, I'm working on a dystopian fiction. It's called "Echoes" and I hope to finish it in a couple of months.

Awesome! Now, before we wrap up this interview, is there a specific message that you wanted readers to take away from Hex?

Only that happiness is, to a point, a matter of perspective. Even if her social status didn't change, Lily found happiness in the end. Because it's not about being accepted by everyone; it's about deciding who is worth seeking acceptance from. Sometimes one person, if it's the right one, is all it takes. I have a special love for quirky characters; I think the odd ones, the lonely, those who don't fit in are often very special. Given the chance, they can surprise you. I'd be happy if Hex convinced readers to consider this angle.

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Awesome answers, Ramona! Thank you so much for stopping by to chat about Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale. It's been lots of fun. :D

In addition to stopping by the blog, Ramona's offered up a copy of her book. You have one week to enter. The giveaway will be closed on Saturday, April 30th. To enter, just fill out the form below. The giveaway is only open to US residents. (Sorry international readers! But if you're dying to get your hands on a copy of Hex ASAP, the Kindle edition is currently on sale for .99 cents. ) I will announce the winner on Sunday, May 1st.

For more details about the book, you can visit Ramona's website, blog, or chat with her on twitter.

Thanks, and gooooooood luck!

(P.S. OMG I FINALLY FIGURED OUT HOW TO USE GOOGLE DOCS. In the always wise words of Mr. Sheen, now I finally feel like "I'm winning.")

GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED--WINNER TO BE ANNOUNCED SUNDAY
Posted by Emi at 12:41 PM Comments
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Friday, April 22, 2011

Hex, a Witch and Angel Tale by Ramona Wray

Title: Hex, a Witch and Angel Tale
Author: Ramona Wray
Series: -
Published: Feb. 1, 2011
Publisher: CreateSpace
Pages: 254 (paperback)
I received this book from Ramona as part of the Hex Blog Tour.

Like most girls at Rosemound High School, seventeen-year-old Lily Crane is acutely aware of Ryder Kingscott. Hands down the cutest guy in school, Ryder is cool, mysterious, and utterly untouchable…especially for Lily. For when she touches someone, Lily instantly learns all about their lives. And while such a skill might seem nifty, in truth it is wrecking Lily’s life.

So she is shocked when Ryder asks her out — and even more shocked to discover he has a rival. Lucian Bell is the gorgeous new kid who can’t take his eyes off of Lily. Being pursued by two hotties should make a girl happy, but Lily is skeptical. The boys act as if they’ve met before, hating each other with a passion that could only be rooted in a dark, dangerous past. A past full of terrible secrets. The kind of secrets that could get a girl killed. --Goodreads

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I never would have guessed that angels and witches could be combined without inserting a nauseating level of cheese into the writing, but Ramona Wray pulls it off, merging the two in such a way to produce an epic romance that that--literally--transcends time.

Enter Lily, your typical seventeen-year-old girl, except for one thing--she's a witch. Lily has the unusual ability to see into somebody's past with a single touch, but her visions come at a painful price. Which is why when she touches Ryder without the painful aftershock, you know that they're destined to be together. Even though I thought that Ryder was your typical paranormal romance ‘heartthrob’ (good looks, dark secrets, and a patient nature), Lily was a fabulous and unique protagonist. She's sarcastic, intelligent, loyal, pragmatic, brave...all of the qualities I hope to see in a heroine, and the way she narrated her story had me laughing, swooning, and cheering on almost every page. But most important, by the end of the book she was just as strong of a character as she was in the beginning. I can't tell you how many times I've read a paranormal romance only to find that the Strong Heroine in the beginning melts into a puddle with little more backbone than a blob of pudding at the first sight of her White Horse Hero. Thank you Ramona, for reminding us that it IS possible to write a teen romance novel without sacrificing the main character's strength and personality!

Actually, to be honest, the romance of this book surprised me. I figured it was going to be the typical two-boys-fighting-over-one-girl-who-can't-make-up-her-mind sort of deal, but it was far from it. Lily doesn't waste time figuring out which man in her life will be good for her, but there are curve balls along the way that make her question her intuition. Lucian played his part well. Half the time I couldn't tell if I wanted to strangle or hug him. Yes, even though he initially comes off as the third corner of the oh-so-familiar YA love triangle, he turns out to be so much more, with a deeper connection to Lily AND Ryder than I saw coming. The three of them share a terrible burden, victims to a past and a curse that can't be revoked. The magical elements of the story were very down to earth, with less wand waving and more Wiccan-based rituals. It's been such a long time since I read a book where the magic involved in a story was pseudo-realistic and based off actual religious practices. It was a wonderful change of pace, and made Lily's interaction with the angelic elements of the book interesting and almost plausible since they're backed by religious and historical fact.

Though the book did lag in some parts, overall, I found Hex, a Witch and Angel Tale to be a surprisingly fun read. It was cute, it was deep, and above all else, compared to the other paranormal romances out there, it was different. It offered a unique blend of magical and religious lore that created a very intelligent romance. So don’t be fooled; the book is not as fluffy as the cute cover makes it seem! Pick it up if you’re looking for a read that combines two very different kinds of fantasy--and combines them well.

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Posted by Emi at 12:20 AM Comments
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Thursday, April 21, 2011

OI News: Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale Blog Tour


Hi everybody! First, I'd like to apologize for the lack of updates and reviews. I only have two weeks of school left, which means that I haven't had much time to do anything but work on what has been a pretty rough semester. Anyway, that's not what I want to talk about. What I wanted to announce is soooo much cooler. So, without further adieu...

I'm excited to announce that a while ago I was contacted by Ashley from What's Your Story to participate in a blog tour for the book Hex, A Witch And Angel Tale by Ramona Wray. I agreed, so tomorrow I'll be continuing the tour by posting a review followed by an epic interview with Ramona. Oh, and I did I mention the giveaway? No? Well, there will also be a giveaway that you can enter to win a copy of her book! More details will be released tomorrow.

Needless to say, I'm pretty excited. The book was fabulous, and Ramona is such a sweet lady. If you're interested in checking out the other blogs participating in the tour (which I highly recommend--all are fabulous!), below is a schedule of the tour.
Posted by Emi at 12:46 PM Comments
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