Madhuri Blaylock is stopping by The Library as part of her virtual book tour with Goddess Fish Promotions. She is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card-- check out the Rafflecopter at the end of the post and click the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Full name:
Eudora "Darby" Cordelia Winthrop
Age:
too old for y’all to be asking
Occupation:
Dark Queen of New York, Vampire Extraordinaire, Southern Belle from Hell
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Not killing y'all. I'm already fed up with this malarkey.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
If I'm gonna be crass, an unlimited supply of fresh blood from a harem of hot, sex-starved 25 year-olds. If I'm being honest, Jedda. He's my happy place.
What is your current state of mind?
Conflicted. And don't ask about what cuz I'm not discussion' it. Suffice to say, I'm in a bit of a pickle.
What is your favorite occupation?
Sweetheart, do I look like I have a job? I’m the freaking Dark Queen of New York. That’s job enough for this chick.
What is your most treasured possession?
My family's furniture. I've had it for hundreds of years. It's impractical and does not match the decor of my townhouse one bit, but it reminds me of them and that's all this girl really needs sometime. A reminder of my roots, my people.
What or who is the greatest love of your life?
Jesus, are we back on this crap?
What is your favorite journey?
Those few steps I took that first time I woke up and realized I could once again walk in the sun. There was nothing quite like it and honestly, I don't think anything will ever top it.
What is your most marked characteristic?
(Silence. Hint of a dirty look and then she flashed her fangs.)
When and where were you the happiest?
Good lord, I have no idea. Didn’t y’all do any research before comin' over here? I am old as hell. I don't know my happiest moment anymore. Maybe that’s the ironic blessing in all of this mess. You live so long, you can’t remember much of anything, be it the good or the bad.
What is it that you most dislike?
Luc Arsenault. Don't ask. Just write that down. I hate that piece of work.
What is your greatest fear?
Those clowns running The Sanctum
What is your greatest extravagance?
Love
Which living person do you most despise?
Maxwell Breslin, which ain't answering your question properly since last time I checked, that nasty, little thing is dead as a doornail, but use it anyway.
What is your greatest regret?
Not spending more time with Jedda. The petty fights that would last years, that kinda stuff. Looking back, it all seems so silly. Life is too short, even when you're immortal.
Who is your favorite author?
I love me some Mark Twain. Perhaps it’s the Southern in me. Or maybe it’s the I-don’t-give-a-rat’s-ass in me. Either way, I love him. That Brit, Jane Austen, is a close second.
What is your favorite book?
Pride and Prejudice.
Who is your favorite hero of fiction?
Hermione Granger. She’s a bit of a badass.
Who are your heroes in real life?
Ryker Morrison and Wyatt Clayworth; once upon a time, they were two Sanctum angels of death
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Being all alone. Forever.
What is the quality you most like in a man?
Honesty
What is the quality you most like in a woman?
A sense of humor
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Being such a jealous bitch
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Duplicity
What do you most value in your friends?
Their laughter
Which living person do you most admire?
Ryker Morrison
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Honesty
On what occasions do you lie?
Whenever it serves my purposes. I’m a jealous bitch, but I’m also a crafty bitch. And a resourceful one.
How would you like to die?
Good lord, you’re thick. I am dead, sweetheart. Been that way for hundreds of years.
If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be?
[Silence.]
What is your motto?
Let ‘em bleed
In THE GIRL, Madhuri Blaylock introduced readers to the world of The Sanctum, one corrupted by greed and savagery and hellbent on achieving a single goal: destroying the prophesied hybrid. When one of its most celebrated warriors questioned his allegiances, age-old secrets were unveiled and violence erupted. The journey becomes more perilous and intense as the trilogy surges forward with
THE BOY
Can you cross the plains of death, collect every piece of your soul and make it back to the land of the living?
And if you complete the journey, will your loved ones welcome your return?
The Ramyan have been answering such questions since the creation of The Sanctum. A mysterious sect of Magicals, haunting the blank spaces of time and memory, they serve no one but themselves and their higher purpose. They exist on a plane removed from earthly matters, shifting easily between the living and the dead, moving in time to the beat of their own drummer.
At least they did. Dev and Wyatt change all of that when the prophesied hybrid lands on the steps of Rinshun Palace, seeking help for the wounded Class A Warrior. That decision alters lives and sets old agendas back on course. But at what cost to Dev and Wyatt? And does that really even matter?
“The characters in Madhuri Blaylock's novel...are well written and unique, and the story is just fantastic...I just loved every page of the story!” - Readers' Favorite
“We’re Sanctum, Ryker,” Dot replied as she began a sun salutation, “we do not become emotionally tied. To anything or anyone.”
Ryker remained silent.
Moving into a warrior pose, Dot continued.
“But I suppose you and Wyatt did not get that memo.”
Rather than engage Dot in conversation, Ryker joined her in a warrior II pose.
“Sam and Josiah should have never allowed you boys to become so dependent upon one another. Very few Sanctum have been so intertwined and when they have, the results have been disastrous. Now that he’s gone, you’re incapable of functioning and fulfilling your duties as a warrior.”
“He’s not gone,” Ryker insisted.
Dot heard the pain in her son’s voice and relented a bit.
“I don’t mean it like that, Ryker. I know you know Wyatt is still alive. What troubles me is how you’re handling his absence.”
Ryker broke his pose and sat on the floor, watching his mom go through her routine. He knew Dot was tough, but sometimes that toughness came across as plain, cold-heartedness. She didn’t mean it that way; she loved him and was just worried, Ryker simply wished her mode of conveying that concern was a bit warmer. He couldn’t remember the last time she hugged him, touched him affectionately.
“I’m handling his absence by helping Jools stave off a Sanctum-wide revolution, ma,” Ryker explained quietly, “I’m investigating violations of The Book of Peace by the Breslins, looking into Ava’s murder of Jasper and Kalinda Edwards at the last meeting of The Circle of Ten and speaking to other Founding Family members. So I think I am handling Wyatt’s temporary absence just fine.”
Dot looked down on her elder son and softened, despite the voice inside her head telling her to beware. That was The Sanctum speaking to her, always reaching out and cutting off the ties to her children. First taking them at such a young age and now, telling her to shut them out. But she had always been stronger than The Sanctum, and today was no different.
She reached down and caressed Ryker’s face, a gesture she couldn’t remember indulging in since he was small. He closed his eyes and bowed his head, as if ashamed by his need for her affection. Dot’s heart broke as she watched him, wondering over the years how many times he had craved her touch, needed her arms around him. He was a grown man now but Ryker would always be her baby, so she bent down and did what she hadn’t done in almost a decade: pulled her son into her arms and held him as he cried.
She's currently working on The Sanctum trilogy and hopes one day soon, everyone is walking around with copies of The Girl and The Boy in their pocket or on their Kindle.
She wants to get a goat and a burro, but since she lives in the city, will settle for some chickens.
To learn more about her, you can follow her blog at madhuriblaylock.wordpress.com, follow her on Twitter at @madhuriblaylock or like her on Facebook.
Buy The Boy at Amazon.
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteJudith, thanks for hosting THE BOY blog tour stop today. The interview with Darby was loads of fun. Hope your readers enjoy it. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteA fun interview.
ReplyDeleteGreat interview.
ReplyDeleteGreat character interview! Darby sounds alright to me!
ReplyDelete