GtPGKogPYT4p61R1biicqBXsUzo" /> Google+ Young Adult Author C. E. Clayton shares her favorite video games + giveaway | I Smell Sheep

Tuesday, June 11, 2019

Young Adult Author C. E. Clayton shares her favorite video games + giveaway


Favorite Video Games

While I do play a lot of video games, they tend to all be in the same genre—Role Play. I don’t dislike other genres, but I’m pretty sensitive to motion sickness so anything in First Person can be hit or miss for me. But, even with that, here are my favorite video games! Starting with my favorite of all time.

1. Dragon Age Origins:

I’ve replayed this probably around 10+ times, I love it that much! It also sparked some of the inspiration for my elves in my series, especially for the ones you meet in the 3rd and 4th books!

2. Mass Effect 3:

I love all the games in the series, and honestly the 2nd one would be my favorite if not for the “Citadel” DLC for the last game. The problems with the ending aside, I love my FemShep and Garrus together, and all the crew getting drunk together is pretty awesome, too.

3. Baldur’s Gate II:

This was probably my first foray into D&D style RPG’s, and probably PC gaming as a whole. Loved all the side quests, and the main quest—which also gave me some inspiration for the overarching plot of my series, which becomes most evident in the 6th book.

4. Gears of War:

The original trilogy is one of my favorite cover shooters. I’m not great with twitchy shooters, so cover shooters are my friends! But I also love the dark story, and there’s just something really satisfying about chain sawing through bad guys lol!

5. Borderlands:

The first Borderlands is my favorite, though I do like Claptrap’s progression more in the later games, and the DLC with Tiny Tina is hilarious and gut-wrenching, but the first just feels the best to me as a whole. I love playing as the Siren! Plus, Borderlands’ weapon types help give me inspiration for my WIP cyberpunk novel.

6. The Witcher 3:

Admittedly I haven’t played the first two, but I love the lore and storytelling in this game, especially how even the small side quests feel robust and well thought out. Plus the monsters are awesome!

7. Dragon Age Inquisition:

Of course if I love the original Dragon Age, I love this one too. I’ve played it a bunch with all kinds of different characters. I love games where a big part of it is talking to your companions lol!

8. Divinity Original Sin:

I love this game mainly because it was one of those that I got to play with my husband. The game was really well done, don’t get me wrong, but a lot of my positive feelings for this fantasy, dungeon crawler come from goofing around with my husband during the course of playing.

9. Army of 2:

The series kind of fell apart, but this was another of those 3rd person cover shooters I really enjoyed, especially since I could play split screen with my husband and feel like I was helping out a lot more then I probably was. Plus, going all aggro made me feel like a badass, which is always fun.

10. Mario Kart Double Dash:

This is an older game now, but it’s still my go to when I have friends over and we all want to be silly and play something together that isn’t a card or board game. I am a master with using shells, even the green ones!

The Duality of Nature (The Monster of Selkirk, #1)
by C.E. Clayton
April 18, 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Monsters come in many forms, and not everyone knows a monster when they see one. After three hundred years of monstrous, feral elves plaguing the island nation of Selkirk, everyone believes they know what a monster is. Humans have learned to live with their savage neighbors, enacting a Clearing every four years to push the elves back from their borders. The system has worked for centuries, until after one such purge, a babe was found in the forest.

As Tallis grows, she discovers she isn’t like everyone else. There is something a little different that makes people leery in her presence, and she only ever makes a handful of friends.

But when the elves gather their forces and emerge from the forests literally hissing Tallis’s name like a battle mantra, making friends is the least of her troubles. Tallis and her companions find themselves on an unwilling journey to not only clear her name, but to stop the elves from ravaging her homeland.

The Heart of the Forest 
(The Monster of Selkirk, #2)
by C.E. Clayton
October 17, 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Tallis is learning how to deal with loss and violence as she and her friends traverse the forests of Selkirk trying to find the reason behind the elven uprising. Not to mention why they keep hissing her name. But the further into the forests they go, Tallis is finding that the elves’ depravity can still surprise her, and thoroughly test the bonds of friendship, family, and love.

Tallis’s journey eventually leads to answers they’re not prepared for. Now Tallis begins to wonder just who she really is, and if she’s the evil that will end up destroying Selkirk. But she cannot stop to process these revelations, as an unforeseen betrayal lands those she loves at the feet of the very monster responsible for all the hurt, and heartbreak.

Coming face to face with her foe, Tallis discovers all too late she has no idea how to deal with this level of pain, and death. One way or another, the monster’s path ends here, and all Tallis can hope to do is bring those she loves safely out of the heart of the forest.


About the Author:
Goodreads
C. E. Clayton was born and raised in the greater Los Angeles area, where she attended the University of Southern California (Fight On!) for both her Bachelors and Masters, and then worked in the advertising industry for several years on accounts ranging from fast food, to cars, and video games (her personal favorite). After going the traditional career route and becoming restless, she went back to her first love–writing–and hasn’t stopped. She is now the author of “The Monster of Selkirk” series and her horror short stories have appeared in anthologies across the country. When she’s not writing you can find her treating her fur-babies like humans, constantly drinking tea, and trying to convince her husband to go to more concerts. And reading. She does read quite a bit. More about C.E. Clayton, including her blog, book reviews, social media presence, and newsletter, can be found on her website: https://www.ceclayton.com/


Giveaway:
Tour-wide giveaway (US/CAN)
Signed copy of the second book in the series, "The Heart of the Forest” + two exclusive character art prints
Signed copy of the second book in the series, "The Heart of the Forest” 

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6 comments:

  1. Thanks for hosting today, Sharon!

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  2. I have lost count of how many times I have played through all of the Dragon Age and Mass Effect games! They are my go to. That being said, I just finished up a play through of Neverwinter Nights and scooped up both BGs and IWDs on sale! I am so set for a bit of reminiscing <3

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  3. I had not heard of this series. The post has me very interested. I'm sure I'm going to love these books. Thanks.

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