Frigid: Frost Boarding House 1, The Lilac Plague, and The Lord of Dreams, are coming together for my last book bundle giveaway of this summer!
Find out more about the USA Today author Frigid, Joanna Reeder, with this fun Q&A:
#1: What fantastical creature would you rather have for a pet: miniature dragon, brownie, or a pegasus?
Joanna: My first answer was a dragon, because dragon!! But when I thought about it, I’d like a brownie to help around the house and give me more time for writing! 😀
CJ: A pegasus! Although the miniature dragon is a very close second. Honestly, the dragon would probably be more convenient than a full-size pegasus. Hm. Perhaps I should rethink this.
#2: What is the inspiration behind your novel?
Joanna: It’s a part of a larger universe so the world was already built, but I’ve always loved books that are set way in the past and have fun connections to the books set in the present. Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments/Infernal Devices come to mind. And you really don’t see many shifter books set in the Victorian era, so it was a breath of fresh air and so much fun to write!!
CJ: The Lord of Dreams actually began with a fascination with the Labyrinth movie with David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly. I wrote a blog post on what a great character Jareth is. I wanted to write an homage to the weird, upside-down logic of the movie and the magic of Jareth and his goblin kingdom. I wanted to write a romance between a powerful Fae king and an immature, human girl that made sense on a character level. And, as in most of my books, I wanted to write about heroism, about sacrifice, and about selflessness. So Tuathal is the villainous Fae king… but nothing is as it seems. Claire is a bit selfish and spoiled… but she can’t remain so, because too much depends on the courage she doesn’t know she has.
#3: Tell us about the magical system in your book?
Joanna: All kinds of shifters. Dragons, phoenix, weres (wolves, bears, cats) etc. We have over 10 kinds of shifters. Each type of shifter has a different set of magical powers and abilities. For instance, dragons and phoenix can conjure fire, but dragons can also affect the emotions of those around them. Ursa (weres who are bears) are extremely strong, but can also be very volitile and quick to anger. Harpies manipulate light. Wolves have an intense sense of smell. Alicorns create ice and can heal with their horns.
CJ: It’s Faerie… things make sense, but the logic isn’t the same as that of the human world. Intention and determination are just as important as strength. Magic is a bit capricious, and nothing is as it first appears.
#4: Which is your favorite: Star Wars or Marvel?
Joanna: Ooh… that’s a hard one. I’m gonna go with Star Wars. I recently read a fantastic Star Wars novel by Claudia Gray that took place in the Star Wars world (not my genre and the only Star Wars novel I’ve ever read) and it was fantastic. Also, Star Wars is just classic!! (But I also like Marvel)
CJ: Marvel. Because Captain America. That’s why.
Be sure to enter to win this fantastical paperback bundle giveaway (including all the swag you see below)!
