Character Interview: Saturday Woodcuter from Hero by Alethea Kontis + giveaway

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

A Troubadour Interviews Saturday Woodcutter

By: Alethea Kontis

Troubadour: I’m here today with Saturday Woodcutter, sixth of the seven Woodcutter daughters, and sister to the Queen of Arilland. Princess Saturday, could you tell me--

Saturday: Call me "princess" again and I punch you in the face. 

Troubadour: Oh! Er...yes... my lady...er...miss...?

Saturday: "Saturday" is fine.

Troubadour: Thank you, Saturday. Tell me, what's it like being the legendary Jack Woodcutter's sister?

Saturday: I've heard he looks like me. Only shorter. And fatter. But he's still the one who gets to go on all the fabulous adventures while I'm stuck here felling trees in the Wood with Papa and Peter. Jerk. 

Troubadour: Surely you're destined for adventures of your own...

Saturday: I'm destined for something. I just hope it's something fun.

Troubadour: Well, you're certainly surrounded by the family for it. Your younger sister the queen writes stories that come true, and your older siblings include an Empath, a Sorcerer, and several Fey...what's your magical talent?

Saturday: My fairy godmother gave me a magical sword with which I can magically separate the heads of annoying troubadours from their bodies.

Troubadour: Indeed! Well! Actually that's interesting...the stories say your fairy godmother gave you an ax on your name day. 

Saturday: She did. Dumb present for a baby, right? Appropriate when one is a woodcutter, I suppose. Earlier this year, after I helped Papa chop down a monster beanstalk my troublemaking little brother grew, the ax turned into a sword. That was pretty cool.

Troubadour: I imagine so! Did the ability to use the sword come with the weapon?

Saturday: Not as much as I'd like. I still have to take lessons up at the guards' training grounds. Duke Velius and Erik have been teaching me what they can. 


Troubadour: Are they good teachers?

Saturday: Probably. I'm just a horrible student.


Troubadour: What's a typical day for you like?

Saturday: I get up. I go to work in the Wood. I train with the sword at the palace. I come home and go to sleep.


Troubadour: Wow! Every day? That's dedication. What are some things you like to do in your spare time?

Saturday: What's "spare time"?

Troubadour: Let me try a different angle then: What are some things you hate doing?

Saturday: Answering stupid questions.


Troubadour: Fair enough. What scares you?

Saturday: Being normal. Forever. And stuck here. Forever.


Troubadour: I assure you, my dear, you are nothing like "normal."

Saturday: Really?


Troubadour: Really. I hope when you come back from the grand adventures you're destined for that you look me up, so I can write songs about your heroic exploits.

Saturday: It's a deal! But I warn you, I'm a horrible storyteller.

Troubadour: No worries at all. Just leave that to me! Thank you so much for your time, princess. I mean...er....

Saturday: Just because I like you doesn't mean I still won't punch you.

Hero
by Alethea Kontis
Hardcover, 304 Pages
To be published October 1st, 2013 by Harcourt Books
Rough and tumble Saturday Woodcutter thinks she's the only one of her sisters without any magic—until the day she accidentally conjures an ocean in the backyard. With her sword in tow, Saturday sets sail on a pirate ship, only to find herself kidnapped and whisked off to the top of the world. 

Is Saturday powerful enough to kill the mountain witch who holds her captive and save the world from sure destruction? And, as she wonders grumpily, "Did romance have to be part of the adventure?"

As in Enchanted, readers will revel in the fragments of fairy tales that embellish this action-packed story of adventure and, yes, romance.

Excerpt

Goodreads * Amazon * Barnes & Noble 

The Book Depository * Indie Bound * Powell's * Book Tour

Enchanted 

by Alethea Kontis

Hardcover, 305 pages
Published May 8, 2012
It isn't easy being the rather overlooked and unhappy youngest sibling to sisters named for the other six days of the week. Sunday’s only comfort is writing stories, although what she writes has a terrible tendency to come true.

When Sunday meets an enchanted frog who asks about her stories, the two become friends. Soon that friendship deepens into something magical. One night Sunday kisses her frog goodbye and leaves, not realizing that her love has transformed him back into Rumbold, the crown prince of Arilland—and a man Sunday’s family despises.

The prince returns to his castle, intent on making Sunday fall in love with him as the man he is, not the frog he was. But Sunday is not so easy to woo. How can she feel such a strange, strong attraction for this prince she barely knows? And what twisted secrets lie hidden in his past - and hers?

amazon

Excerpt

About the Author:
Website * Goodreads
Facebook * Twitter * YouTube 
New York Times bestselling author Alethea Kontis is a princess, a goddess, a force of nature, and a mess. She’s known for screwing up the alphabet, scolding vampire hunters, turning garden gnomes into mad scientists, and making sense out of fairy tales.

Alethea is the co-author of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark-Hunter Companion, and penned the AlphaOops series of picture books. Her short fiction, essays, and poetry have appeared in a myriad of anthologies and magazines. She has done multiple collaborations with Eisner winning artist J.K. Lee, includingThe Wonderland Alphabet and Diary of a Mad Scientist Garden Gnome. Her debut YA fairy tale novel, Enchanted, won the Gelett Burgess Children’s Book Award in 2012 and was nominated for both the Andre Norton Award and the Audie Award in 2013.

Born in Burlington, Vermont, Alethea now lives in Northern Virginia with her Fairy Godfamily. She makes the best baklava you’ve ever tasted and sleeps with a teddy bear named Charlie.

Sail Away on the 

Fairy Tale Adventure Tour*

*Family Welcome 

Sept 22 - LAUNCH
Sept 23 - The Missing Piece - Althethea Kontis
- Video Rant on Debz Bookshelf
- Celebration on Deal Sharing Aunt
Sept 24 - Interview with Miss Print
Sept 25 - Interview with Carina Olsen
- The Grandfather Pirate on Living a Goddess Life
- Meet the Inspiration Part I on The Wonderings of One Person
Sept 26 – Review on Shannon’s Blog
- Meet the Inspiration Part II on Bookmarks
Sept 27 – Families in Lit on Leeana Me
Sept 30 -- USA Today Happy Ever After interview
- Review of Enchantment on Colorimetry
Oct 1 - RELEASE DAY!
- "Release Day" at Waterworld Mermaids 
- "My Favorite Bit" guest essay (with Cat Valente) - Mary Robinette Kowal
- Review at Libraryof a Book Witch
- Interview & Review at Tressa's Wishful Endings
Oct 2 - Video Rant Geek Girl In Love
- "The Big Idea" John Scalzi's blog
- My Bookshelf on Mel's Shelves
- Did You See? on Cu's eBook Giveaways
Oct 3 – Hightlighting The Missing Piece on I Am a Reader, Not a Writer
- Review at Books for Kids
Oct 4 - Podcast with Bennet Pomeranz
- Review of Hero on Colorimetry
Oct 5 - Hero LAUNCH PARTY at One More Page Books in Arlington, VA
Oct 7 - Character interview with Saturday Woodcutter at I Smell Sheep
- Craft "Stealing from the Best" on Romance Writers of America & Fantasy Futuristic &Paranormal Chapter
Oct 8 - "A Twist in the Tail" at A Backwards Story
- Review at JL Mbewe
Oct 9 - Enchanted Inkspot
Oct 10-15 - GRAND FINALE

Tour-Wide Giveaway

Sept 22 - Oct 17

Fairy Tale Gift Basket (US only): Signed copies of both Enchantment and Hero by Alethea Kontis plus swag!

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Sunday Swag: Alethea Kontis

Sunday Swag Team!
Riverina Romantics 
 The Jeep Diva I Smell Sheep 
Froggarita's Bookcase Books, Books & More Books 

Now you have 5 chances to get your swagger on

Featured author: Alethea Kontis

About the Author:

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New York Times bestselling author Alethea Kontis is a princess, a goddess, a force of nature, and a mess. She’s known for screwing up the alphabet, scolding vampire hunters, turning garden gnomes into mad scientists, and making sense out of fairy tales. Alethea is the co-author of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark-Hunter Companion, and penned the AlphaOops series of picture books. Her short fiction, essays, and poetry have appeared in a myriad of anthologies and magazines. She has done multiple collaborations with Eisner winning artist J.K. Lee, includingThe Wonderland Alphabet and Diary of a Mad Scientist Garden Gnome. Her debut YA fairy tale novel, Enchanted, won the Gelett Burgess Children’s Book Award in 2012 and was nominated for both the Andre Norton Award and the Audie Award in 2013.

Born in Burlington, Vermont, Alethea now lives in Northern Virginia with her Fairy Godfamily. She makes the best baklava you’ve ever tasted and sleeps with a teddy bear named Charlie.

will add some sheep swag too!

Head over to these blogs and win more Swag!

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Readers get to vote on Alethea Kontis's new YA cover!

4/2/13-
This post was a fun prank Alethea played on April 1st, but guess what? She is now asking you to spoof her cover! Head to her website to get all the details on the contest and see some of the cool covers already created.

http://aletheakontis.com/2013/04/the-girl-who-cried-covers/

Y.A. author Alethea Kontis has a wonderful fairy tale series called The Woodcutter series. Book 1 Enchanted released last year. This fall book 2 Hero will release. 

Unfortunately there was a legal issue with the new cover of Hero. Alethia had two alternative covers that were created by fans. She wants the readers to vote on which of her two back-up covers will be the new one! 

Make sure to vote below for your favorite!

Cover #1 by fan Tara Fall

Rough and tumble Saturday Woodcutter thinks she’s the only one of her sisters without any magic—until the day she accidentally conjures an ocean in the backyard. With her sword in tow, Saturday sets sail on a pirate ship, only to find herself kidnapped and whisked off to the top of the world. Is Saturday powerful enough to kill the mountain witch who holds her captive and save the world from sure destruction? And, as she wonders grumpily, “Did romance have to be part of the adventure?” As inEnchanted, readers will revel in the fragments of fairy tales that embellish this action-packed story of adventure and, yes, romance.

Cover #2 by fan Ruby Jacobs

Rough and tumble Saturday Woodcutter thinks she’s the only one of her sisters without any magic—until the day she accidentally conjures an ocean in the backyard. With her sword in tow, Saturday sets sail on a pirate ship, only to find herself kidnapped and whisked off to the top of the world. Is Saturday powerful enough to kill the mountain witch who holds her captive and save the world from sure destruction? And, as she wonders grumpily, “Did romance have to be part of the adventure?” As inEnchanted, readers will revel in the fragments of fairy tales that embellish this action-packed story of adventure and, yes, romance.

About the author:
website-fb-twitter
New York Times bestselling author Alethea Kontis is a princess, a goddess, a force of nature, and a mess. She’s known for screwing up the alphabet, scolding vampire hunters, turning garden gnomes into mad scientists, and making sense out of fairy tales.Alethea is the co-author of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark-Hunter Companion, and penned the AlphaOops series of picture books. Her short fiction, essays, and poetry have appeared in a myriad of anthologies and magazines. She has done multiple collaborations with Eisner winning artist J.K. Lee, includingThe Wonderland Alphabet and Diary of a Mad Scientist Garden Gnome. Her debut YA fairy tale novel, Enchanted, won the Gelett Burgess Children’s Book Award in 2012 and was nominated for both the Andre Norton Award and the Audie Award in 2013.

Born in Burlington, Vermont, Alethea now lives in Northern Virginia with her Fairy Godfamily. She makes the best baklava you’ve ever tasted and sleeps with a teddy bear named Charlie.

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Sheep Interview: author Alethea Kontis 'Enchanted'

Listen to Alethea's theme music

Hello Alethea! Welcome to I Smell Sheep. I heard that you are a princess so Katie “Queen of Vampires” said you could use her throne.

*wipes moon pie crumbs off*

Katie: Hey! I was still eating that!

Before we start, I need everyone to reach underneath their chair and put on the sunglasses so you will be prepared.

Sharon: For our readers who don’t know about Enchanted yet, can you give them an idea of what it is about and why their lives will be all the better for reading it?

Alethea: The overall premise of the Enchanted world is that Once Upon a Time, all the fairy tales you've ever known (and many you don't) all came from one family, the Woodcutters. Enchanted is the story of the youngest daughter, Sunday Woodcutter, and the prince her father hates.

Sharon: I wanted to share with everyone the review quote you have on your site. I wish I could come up with something as eloquent and awesome as this:

“Enchanted is like a fairy tale collection came in and threw up all over the place. In a good way.” –Melanie Foust

Do you agree with this? Just how many fairy tales references are there in Enchanted?

Alethea: I completely agree with that, and I honestly have no idea how many fairy tale references there are. All of them. The Italian ones, the French ones, the Dutch ones, and the German ones. And Mother Goose. If there's one you can think of that doesn't get mentioned, just wait for the sequel. :)

Sharon: I love your idea of taking this poem and turning it into the seven sisters in Enchanted.

Monday's child is fair of face

Tuesday's child is full of grace,

Wednesday's child is full of woe,

Thursday's child has far to go,

Friday's child is loving and giving,

Saturday's child works hard for a living,

But the child who is born on the Sabbath Day

Is bonny and blithe and good and gay.

Was there one sister you liked or disliked more than the others? Or someone’s story you want to tell next?

Alethea: I cannot WAIT to tell Monday's story...but of course, she's last in the sequence of books, since I'm going backwards through the sisters. I only hope the publisher lets me get that far! I will give you a hint, though -- who else's daughter could be "the fairest of them all"? I wrote that particular princess's origin tale as a short story in the Demons anthology last year. You can still read it for free here

Sharon: Finish this sentence “people think I am weird because…”

Alethea: ...because "normal" people shy away from the power of my Sheer Awesome. They sometimes walk on the other side of the street.

Sharon: how does your awesome present itself? Blinding light, angels singing or does it just knock people on their asses?

[Attn: wear protection around Alethea]

Alethea: Ironically, the superbright light of my own aura blinds ME. It's really annoying at times, like when I'm in the airport and need to check my gate. I'm not scary, per se--I have one of those faces that says, "I'm a really nice person, please talk to me!" But if you get too close, The Awesome can be a little intimidating.

Sharon: What fictional character would you like to have your back during the zombie apocalypse and would you wear your tiara during battle?

Alethea: Fictional Character? Toss up between Ash and Sean. Tiara? OF COURSE.

Sharon: Ash, good choice! I’d pick Optimus Prime…just saying…

Katie: She really never stops with the Prime love...

Sharon: When did you realize you had a gnome fetish? How many would you say you have?

Alethea: My BFF artist Janet K. Lee (The Wonderland Alphabet) got me hooked on gnomes. I had gone shopping for my lunch hour because I was having a bad day, and I came across a cast iron gnome on sale at Target. I named him Seamus. Janet borrowed him that afternoon to "model" for some paintings she was doing. That Christmas, she asked me what I would like on my Christmas ornament, and I answered "Mad Scientist Garden Gnome" off the tip of my tongue. This inspired an entire illustrated Twitter serial story. Seamus has been adding brothers ever since.

Sharon: The Wonderland Alphabet? As in Alice? Sounds cool, do tell!

Alethea: "A is for Alice: Alice indeed was a curious girl

Who fell rather far through a hole in the world

She followed a clock-watching rabbit, you see

To a land full of wonder...and madness...and tea."

...and so on, from A to Z, with every page illustrated by Janet! THIS is the kind of book I loved when I was a kid, just like Gelett Burgess's Goops series. I can't tell you how over the moon I am about our Wonderland project.

sneak peek at each page!

Sharon: If every time you walked into a room theme music or song would play. What would yours be?

Alethea: "The Rainbow Connection" as sung by Kermit the Frog, hands down.

Sharon: WOOT! 10 coolness points for you!

Alethea: It's all thanks to Facebook -- some profile questionnaire everyone was posting on their walls back in the day asked something like "What's your favorite song?" or "What's the song that defines you?" I realized at that moment that "The Rainbow Connection" was the one song I couldn't imagine living without.

Sharon: What or who is your biggest inspiration?

Alethea: My friends are my biggest inspiration. I surround myself with incredibly talented and productive people, and then I use them as a ruler to measure myself against. If I'm feeling down or overwhelmed, I just think, "What would Janet Lee/Mary Robinette Kowal/John Scalzi/Sherrilyn Kenyon do?" And then I suck it up and get back to work.

Sharon: So you have a rubber bracelet that says “WWJLMRKJSSKD?” hope you didn’t have to pay by the letter!

Alethea: I bought the letter-beads in bulk to promote the first AlphaOops book, back when it was called "The Telaphab." I wonder if those bracelets will be worth money someday...

Sharon: Would you kiss a frog? a sheep?

Alethea:Sure, why not? But I wouldn't throw them against a wall. (Have you read the original "The Frog Prince?")

Sharon: Apparently not! But I might have to now, I love violence J

Alethea: Grimm and Andersen, my child. Go forth and enjoy bloodily.

Sharon: What kind of art do you like? Cereal? Lipgloss?

Artwork by Michael Whelan

Alethea: I love mixed media like Janet Lee's, of course, and the kind my sister Soteria used to do before she turned to jewelry and Dixie Dunbar Studio overwhelmed her life. I adore the pre-Raphaelites, and I'm a HUGE fangirl for fantasy cover art. Michael Whelan, K.Y. Craft, John Jude Palencar, Charles Vess, Rowena...they all make my knees weak.

Alethea: Cereal? Not really. Too much sugar.

Sharon: bite your tongue princess!

Alethea: No thanks. Too much sugar.

Alethea: Lipgloss? In Europe, it used to be called Labello. Over here it’s called Nivea. I also like Burt's Bees Shimmer. It's tough to find make-up stuff, because I'm allergic to aloe. How stupid is that??

Sharon: You do a lot of conventions (I met you at MystiCon 2012) what was your biggest fangirl moment?

don't tell Katie he sparkles

Alethea: Second only to meeting Anne McCaffrey was meeting Noah Hathaway, who played Atreyu in The Neverending Story. He was SO CUTE. My sister and I used to play this name game in the car on long trips, and every time we got to A, we yelled "ATREYUUUUU!" Lord knows I never thought I would actually TELL ATREYU THIS. How awesome is that??

Sharon: pretty damn freaking awesome! That’s how!

Alethea: My face is SO RED in the picture of me & Noah. I think I broke out in hives. BEWARE THE DANGERS OF AWESOME.

Rapid Fire time…go ahead and take a shot of Kool-Aid cause we are going to throw down!

Sharon: Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo or Mecca lecca hi, mecca hiney ho?

Alethea: Bibbidi, of course.

Sharon: but don’t you want to say hiney?

Alethea: Have I mentioned that the Fairy Godboyfriend is the perfect mixture of John Cusack and Shrek? Emphasis on the Shrek.

Sharon: duct tape or crazy glue?

Alethea: Duct tape! It comes in awesome colors & patterns now!

Sharon: before or after?

Alethea: NOW.

Sharon: basket of puppies or basket of kitties?

Alethea: No way. Basket of owls or baby elephants.

Sharon: oh snap! 10 more coolness points for you!

Sharon: man on a horse or man on a Harley?

Alethea: Horse! Knights in Shining Armor ride horses.

Sharon: yes they do…and we ride…er…never mind <G>

Alethea: NARWHALS. Is what you were going to say.

Sharon: salt water or fresh water?

Alethea: Fresh water if I'm drinking; salt water if I'm swimming.

Sharon: Roadrunner or Coyote?

Alethea: Coyote. He was a little misguided, but he wasn't a JERK.

Katie: Meep! Meep!

Sharon: cake or pie?

Alethea: PIE. Oh, yes, pie.

Sharon: got a favorite?

Alethea: I'd say my Memere's apple, but Mom's Pie Shop here in Leesburg has a raspberry peach to die for.

Sharon: Coke or Pepsi?

Alethea: Earl Grey, hot. (Preferably with scones.)

Sharon:*BUZZER* sorry, you must pick, it is a moral imperative. Which can do you think is prettier?

Alethea: COKE. Because it has a ribbon. And I was raised in The South.

And I totally deserve 10 more points for channeling John Luc Picard. *pfffftt*

Sharon: Yeah, well you lost them because you picked Coke! :P

Katie: And I give them all back to you!!! Plus extra for the STTNG reference. *winks*

Sharon: Is there anything else you would like mention, places you can be found in the next few months or upcoming projects?

Alethea: I am sending myself through the Southern states (VA, NC, SC, GA, TN) on book tour, because I am insane (and have lots of friends whom I miss).

My tour dates are here

You can also chip in for my gas fund here

(and win a designer necklace and a copy of ENCHANTED):

My esteemed generous Father has offered to match all donations!

Keep an eye on me...you never know what I'm going to do next! (Goodness knows I sure don't...)


Thanks for gracing us with your presence Princess (psst..flock...bow)