Interview with Tiera Rice, AWAKENING BLOODLINE

Give a brief overview of your book. Is it part of a series?

Awakening is a story of self-exploration and family history, with Vampyres and Witches thrown into the mix! Written in alternating point-of-views, it follows Antanasia (set in 1480 Romania) and her story being the daughter of Dracula. How Antanasia deals with the war she was born into and how she handles the challenges she faces. Simultaneously, we have Nadia (set in 2015 NYC) who is learning the truth about who she is and who her family is. A practicing Witch, she starts to develop abilities that she recognizes as a Vampyre Awakening–what does this mean for her now? How does she handle this reveal and what she’s learned about her family? Awakening is a story of parallel lives and the first installment of the Bloodline series.

Do you have a favorite character?

Hmm...naturally, I enjoy all my characters for different reasons. But I would like to say that Antanasia is perhaps my favorite. She’s impulsive, but confident, strong, courageous, beautiful, and she kicks butt!

Did you try traditional route to publishing?

I chose to go the self-publishing route.

Are you currently under a traditional publishing contract for future books or do you have manuscripts that you will self-publish?

Unless offered a deal I can’t refuse, I will always choose to self-publish.

What influenced your decision to self-publish?

I chose to go the self-publishing route because I like to have control over every aspect of the process–from what to write, how to write, editors, marketing, etc. I’m very hands-on, and felt that too much would be taken from me if I were to go with a traditional publisher. I also created a publishing company, Eula Rae Printing & Publishing, in which I plan on taking other indie authors under my wing.

What is your writing process?

Honestly, I have no set process LOL! I write when I can, whether that’s 9pm or 4am. To this day, I’m still unsure as to how I was able to finish Awakening, especially while going through cancer treatments, but somehow I found the time. I would love to sit here and say, “I wrote for 2 hours every day in the morning religiously,” but that’s not the case. I’m a single mother of a two-year old, and a Realtor. I write when I’m called to write, in between mommy and real estate duties

How involved were you in the cover process?

I originally was going to have a friend of mine design the cover, but I always knew what I wanted it to look like. Instead, I did some research on cover designers and came across Damonza.com. They asked for covers I liked, key elements of my story, and what my idea was. I told them I always saw a girl with a split face, since the story is written in alternating point-of-views, but one was set in present time, while the other was past. This was the cover they came up with and I’m in love with it!

Besides Amazon, where else are your books for sale?

Awakening is also available at Barnes and Noble (online), and Kobo.

Besides writing, do you have other passions?

I love to read (go figure!) Anything creative—visual art (I design clothing and draw when I can), singing (I’ve sung at Carnegie Hall with my choir when I was in high school), and dancing. Not to mention being with my daughter and watching her blossom into the little girl she is today.

Fun facts about me

I like all animals, but cats are definitely preferred over dogs. Vanilla over chocolate. Coffee and tea equally have their proper times in my life lol! Talk in person, texting when not. Night, of course!!!

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Book & Author Details:

Awakening: Bloodline Book One
by Tiera Rice
Publication date: October 12th 2016
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult, Paranormal

Synopsis:

Antanasia knows better than anyone that being royal comes with lots of expectations. Born into war as a Vampyre Witch, she has to battle the ultimate enemy: her own blood. When she has a terrifying Vision, Antanasia fights harder than ever to prevent it from coming to pass. Will she succeed? Or does she die trying?

∞

Nadia is an average teenager celebrating her nineteenth birthday. But her day turns upside down when she starts developing unusual abilities that make her question everything she knew. Searching for answers to her predicament, she finds herself trusting Nicolae, a stranger with a familiar presence. Why does she feel so drawn to him? Will Nadia find answers to the questions about her past and take on her new role willingly? Or will she choose to remain in the dark and deny her destiny?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32613594-awakening

Purchase:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MCT1MLM

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/awakening-tiera-rice/1125011136?ean=9780997674804

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/awakening-168

AUTHOR BIO:

Tiera Rice was raised in Rockland County, New York and is a realtor in Rockland, Westchester, and Orange Counties. She earned her degree in criminal justice from Temple University, is the founder of Laughter and Lemonade: a project that focuses on motivational posters for those experiencing a chronic illness, and co-founder of #26forTiera: a foundation that provides financial resources to single parents battling life-threatening illnesses.

A creator of poems and short-stories for many years, Tiera challenged herself by leaping into the world of novels. Having recently survived a battle with cancer, Tiera decided to use her writing to entertain and motivate her readers. When not writing or selling houses, Tiera can be found spending time with her friends and family, especially her young daughter, fish, and kitty cat. Her other interests include singing, drawing, and dancing.

Author Links:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15968811.Tiera_Rice

https://www.facebook.com/tierawrites/

https://www.tierarice.com/

https://twitter.com/tierawrites

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