Straight Chatting with the Library: Jonathan J Michael
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by
Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
READ THE INTERVIEW
What are your favorite TV shows?
This highly depends on the genre I feel like watching on any given day. Cosmos with Neil deGrasse Tyson is always a good fallback for me if I’m in the mood for exploring the wonders of science and the universe. Big Bang Theory is a favorite comedy of mine. The characters, the comedy, all of it is brilliant. Game of Thrones was a favorite fantasy series when it was on. I sure wish the books would have been finished prior to the HBO series. I love the Netflix shorts, Love, Death, and Robots. Creative, thoughtful and entertaining. There are too many great shows to list, so I’ll leave it at that.
What is your favorite meal?
My favorite meal is a tossup between a barbeque with all the must-haves and soft tacos. For the barbeque, it would be homemade burgers (none of the frozen variety) on an onion bun with Miracle Whip (yep, I’m a Miracle Whip guy), ketchup, a touch of mustard, dill pickles, lettuce, onion, and any variety of cheese. Sides would include potato salad, steak fries, or both, corn-on-the-cobb, and pasta salad. For the soft tacos, I prefer double-decker style, inspired by Taco Bell. Layer a tortilla with refried beans and insert a hard taco shell. Fill it with taco meat, lettuce, shredded cheese, sour cream, and hot sauce. No tomatoes for me. Two of those, and I’m good to go.
If you were to write a series of novels, what would it be about?
Weird…it just so happens I am writing a series of novels. I don’t know if I’ll ever write a standalone. Any series I write will likely include exploration, action, some musings, and a fantasy or sci-fi element. I haven’t dabbled in sci-fi yet, although I want to. I’m rather intimidated by it because I feel like I would actually need to know something about science. With fantasy, I can pretty much make sh-tuff up.
Is there a writer you idolize? If so who?
I don’t know if I idolize anybody. Idolize is a strong word, and I tend to relate more to worshiping. But I do admire several authors and what they’ve produced. Brent Weeks and Brandon Sanderson are two who’ve inspired me to start worldbuilding and producing my own stories. They are both amazing writers.
How did you come up for the title of this book?
Blood of Azure is the name of the series. Azure is the name of the world the story takes place on, and the blood is symbolic for the life flowing through it. For each of the books within the series, they relate to the season in which they take place. Referring to the actions of flora—as the primary way to recognize the seasons visually, is through plant life—they sacrifice their fruits and nectar during the Summer for the continuation of their survival. Hence, Season of Sacrifice. This is book one, and it takes place in Summer. During Autumn, flora tend to lose their leaves, dull in color, and altogether appear as though they’re suffering death. Hence, Season of Suffering for autumn. Winter is a dormant state for flora, in which they’re preserving what they can in order to be rejuvenated when the weather gets warmer. Hence, Season of Salvation for winter. And it’s undecided whether their will be a fourth book in the series. But if there is, I’m certain it will break this chain of logic.
READ THE BLURBS
Four races with powers dictated by the seasons seek balance and prosperity. However, life instinctively primes itself for survival, and when one race commands the touch of death, all others fall in line. Tyranny plagues Azure as an immortal ruler governs the knowledge of the seasons and those wielding its power.
Four young protagonists, Stone, Jaymes, Goose, and Astor, each navigate their way to escape his shadow and reclaim their freedom. Simple ambitions for young souls. But little did they know, they would uncover the secrets the realm is built upon, and the unique talents they each carry. Their ignorance allows the knowledge of the seasons to escape into the world around them little by little, and with it, a power loosing anarchy upon the realm. A power most aren’t worthy of wielding. It is up to Stone and his companions to tame that power and reclaim the balance.
SEASON OF SACRIFICE, BOOK 1
Courage is for the bold. It is not for Stone McLarin. He’s been in hiding for four seasons after being orphaned by the Taoiseach. He doesn’t care for the heroic antics of avenging his parent’s death or securing his freedom. He only desires one thing—to protect his sister’s life.
This proves challenging when his sister, Jaymes, possesses a rivaling power of decay to that of the tyrant ruler’s. She’s a threat to his dominance, and there will be no escaping his shadow.
When the Taoiseach manipulates his way into Jaymes’s life and steals her away, Stone has no choice but to follow. He must venture into the heart of the tyrant’s domain and figure out how to penetrate the impenetrable. And if he succeeds there, he will have to slay the most powerful man in Azure.
In a world ruled by decay, what chance does life stand?
Season of Sacrifice is part one of the Blood of Azure series—an epic fantasy full of grim encounters, heroic adventures, unique magic, and a captivating world to explore.
Author’s Note: Contains explicit language and some graphic descriptions.
SEASON OF SUFFERING, BOOK 2
A villain in his own mind, Stone McLarin is labeled the hero for murdering a man.
Not only is Stone weighted down as a hero, but he’s idolized by the dominant religion, and he’s the sole protector of the knowledge of the ages. The pressure of the entire realm is on his shoulders.
Carib Reign, a shapeshifter building an army of immortals, plans to purge the Crimson Capital to find this hidden knowledge. His motive, to give the people of Azure the freedom they deserve.
With many adventures along the way, Stone will lead the charge to defend the Crimson Capital against the Immortal Army. Should he fail, anarchy is inevitable. Death for all Azure, a possibility.
Where there is life, death anticipates. But what if death is abandoned? Life will rebel.
Season of Suffering is part two of the Blood of Azure series—an epic fantasy with both light and dark hearts. You’ll experience many fantasy tropes, clashing swords, unique magic, fantastical beasts, and a wide range of Azure’s scenic terrain.
Author’s Note: Contains explicit language and some graphic descriptions.
READ AN EXCERPT FROM SEASON OF SUFFERING
The foul beast plows through the underbrush, giving none of his obstacles a chance for survival. And I’m in line to be one of them.
Its aroma swoops into my nostrils, and dizziness strikes momentarily. I cannot see straight. I don’t remember the last encounter being this severe. I suppose, like any living thing, we’re not all made alike. And this one reeks.
The Cryptid hardly acknowledges me as I wobble in place. He pushes off me as if I were a tree and he were trying to get some leverage to burst forward. His meaty claw shoves right through me and lashes at my lower shoulder. A loud sound curdles from my throat. It’s an odd feeling these days—to use my vocal cords.
The beast stops in its tracks and turns to face me.
“Friend.” I speak, hoping it understands this language.
Its dark eyes glaring. Its teeth baring. Its smell daunting. It stands rigid and unmoving. An apex predator. A long moment passes as we both maintain eye contact.
“No time. Friend.” It finally replies, then turns to leave.
“Wait! I can help. Are there more of you? In danger, I mean.”
It looks over its shoulder with a subtle nod. Teeth still baring. Aroma still daunting. But its eyes are sad.
“Let me help.”
“Run.” It turns and hurdles through the undergrowth in a rush, disappearing behind the wood giants.
MEET THE AUTHOR
Jonathan J Michael was born and raised in the greater Seattle area in the scenic state of Washington. Jonathan is an advocate of science, nature, and exploration, which has a heavy influence in his debut series, Blood of Azure.
When I drive down the freeway, I often want to veer onto the backroads and head for the mountains. When I'm at an evening gathering, I'm eager to step outside and gaze at the stars. When I'm on a ferry, I'm at the guardrail staring into the depths wondering what kind of leviathans lurk below. I'm an explorer, and since I'm not on the next Crew Dragon headed for the ISS, fantasy novels let me have what I seek. I write to explore a world of wonder. ~ Jonathan
Website:
https://jonathanjmichael.com/
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/jonathan.j.michael.author
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/jonathan_j_michael/
Season of Sacrifice – Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08T1XV54W
Season of Suffering – Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09NSM62N8
ENTER THE GIVEAWAY
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting. I greatly appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your interview and books' details, I am glad that you prefer to write series as I prefer to read them, the more stories in a series the better in my opinion. I have enjoyed reading about you and your work and I am looking forward to reading your stories
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like an interesting read and it has a great cover.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete