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Author Interviews with Tricia Mingerink & Jaye L. Knight

December 21, 2018

I am thrilled to be a part of the blog tour for the release of Decree, Bitter Winter and Lacy! It’s been great fun so far!

Today I’m blessed to share with you an author interview with Jaye L. Knight (author of the Ilyon Chronicles #5 Bitter Winter and the companion novella Lacy) and Tricia Mingerink (author of Blades of Acktar #5: Decree). I have truly enjoyed reading both series of books. If you are also an avid fan, you may know that Tricia and Jaye have collaborated for their novel releases to also create character chats with characters from both story worlds! How cool is that?! I have posted the tour schedule at the bottom of this post if you’re as excited to read them as I am!

By the by, if you happen to scroll all the way to the bottom of this post there is a giveaway to enter! I also hear tell there are giveaways at each of the character chats. 😉

So, without any delay, here we go!

What was your greatest influence for this story? (Or just something/ someone that influenced your story.)

Jaye: I’m not sure what specifically influenced Bitter Winter, but the greatest influence for Ilyon Chronicles in general came from DragonQuest by Donita K. Paul. That’s what sparked the whole series. Along the way, I’ve picked up a lot of difference influences–Robin Hood, Gladiator, elements from other favorite books, and just life in general.

Tricia: If I had to pick one person or thing, I would have to say my dad. He is, after all, the one who got me into reading westerns, and anyone who has read a few Louis L’amour books can probably recognize the western elements I incorporate into Acktar.

Did you have a favorite character to write?

Tricia: Brandi and Martyn are two of my favorite characters to write because their voice and personality is so there. Some characters (*cough* Renna) are so quiet and introverted that getting their emotions on the page is a struggle and takes several drafts. Brandi and Martyn both tend to blurt their feelings right out there. They also tend to be the more humorous characters to write, and I love writing humor. And also, Leith. He’s the reason I keep writing these stories, let’s be honest, lol.

Jaye: Jace is always my favorite to write. I know him the best out of all my characters. But another favorite is Aaron. I had a blast writing Lacy since Aaron is the main POV character.

Is there something in your story that most people would not know? (Such as Easter Eggs, or particular scene that means something to you.)

Jaye: There is a scene in Samara’s Peril where, shortly before the battle, Kyrin and her brothers are talking about a tree they used to play in. Liam mentions hiding some old pieces of glass in one of the holes in the tree. That’s something my brothers and I did as kids. There’s a big old willow tree at my parents’ house with a hole in it that we stuck pieces of glass and pottery in.

Tricia: That’s so cool that you included something you and your brothers used to do!

In Dare, Brandi briefly mentions that their goat Ginger was sleeping on Blizzard’s back. That was something that my family’s goat Ginger used to do when she was little to our horse Shadow. Actually, Blizzard is a lot like my horse, except that Shadow is a whole lot more lazy and fatter than Blizzard is, lol. And Shadow would definitely not charge bravely into battle like Blizzard. Shadow would’ve hightailed it out of there at the first clang of metal.

Jaye: The mental image of Shadow fleeing a battle made me laugh out loud.

Is there a particular verse (or song, or poem) that either inspired your story, or inspired you to keep going to reach the end?

Tricia: Not so much with Decree. I wrote it so fast I didn’t need much to keep me going.

I listened to the song More Than Ever while writing Deliver. Verse 3 is so much Martyn’s pain and struggle that it really fit: “Is love’s old sweet story too good to be true? Do you find all this hard to believe? Has the cruel world we live in so battered your heart, that the hurt child inside you can’t grieve?”

Jaye: I don’t have a particular verse, but the song On My Own by Ashes Remain has been a huge inspiration for Jace’s character throughout the series and was very instrumental in the creation of the dungeon scene in Samara’s Peril.

Name one person you’d like to have a cup of tea (or cocoa, or coffee, whatever your preferred drink is) with from your story world, and introduce to your home.

Jaye: I feel like I should say Jace, but I think we’re a little too alike in the socially-awkward department and would probably have more fun with a more outgoing character. I have several come to mind, but I’m going to say Aaron since Lacy just came out and I had so much fun telling a story with Aaron as the main character.

Tricia: Probably Leith, lol. Though he would probably be boring and prefer water. But he might surprise me and like coffee, and in that case, he would be on his own. I’m more a Mountain Dew girl myself, lol.

Thank you, for allowing me to be a part of this celebration, Jaye and Tricia! 

Jaye L. Knight is an award-winning author, homeschool graduate, and shameless tea addict
with a passion for Christian fantasy. Armed with an active imagination and love for adventure,
Jaye weaves stories of truth, faith, and courage with the message that even in the deepest
darkness, God’s love shines as a light to offer hope. She has been penning stories since the
age of eight and resides in the Northwoods of Wisconsin.
You can connect with Jaye on her website, blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Etsy.

Tricia Mingerink is a twenty-something, book-loving, horse-riding country girl. She lives in
Michigan with her family and their pack of pets. When she isn’t writing, she can be found
pursuing backwoods adventures across the country.
You can connect with Tricia on her blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Blog Tour Schedule: 

Friday – December 14 – Release Day for Bitter Winter & Lacy!

Bitter Winter: 
Available now on Amazon!
Add to Goodreads

Bitter Winter is available now on Amazon! Add to Goodreads

Lacy is available now on Amazon! Add to Goodreads

Saturday – December 15

Monday – December 17

Tuesday – December 18 – Release Day for Decree!

Decree is now available now on Amazon! Add to Goodreads

Wednesday – December 19

Thursday – December 20

Friday – December 21

Saturday – December 22

You made it! It’s giveaway time!

Share in the excitement of the release and enter to win a full signed set of the Ilyon Chronicles and The Blades of Acktar! (Giveaway is open to US residents only. Cannot be shipped internationally.) Follow this link to enter: https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/624234b713/?