What inspired you to write this book?My publisher wanted a certain type of book from me to fit into the trend, but after three years it was always something I needed to spend a lot of time on, contemplation, musing, and trying to write for the wrong reasons didn’t work for me. My stories have to come from a hidden, scary, and philosophical, mind-bending, and most importantly a profound place inside of me.
We released a boxset, themed forbidden love, and I transformed that book into the idea I wanted it to be, at first it was a short story but once I got my rights back I fell into a big dark place where creativeness went to die. As a newborn Christian I surrendered this book to God and just like that I was in love and the concept, characters, and theme came out that I've been hiding for a long time. But it was the right time – I can only hope.
What can we expect from you in the future?
OH gosh, I have so many series I have not finished, but first I will do the follow-up of A Beast so Beautiful. Now that book will be super exciting to write.
Do you have any “side stories” about the characters?
The Broken Diaries is a small spin-off from The Broken novel and a short story about another character's point of view.
Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in A Beast so Beautiful
King Ivor is an ass, drunk woman and child beater. He is bitter and revengeful on his prince Leif blaming him for the death of Rurith Kingdoms Queen.
Prince Leif has been locked up in a tower for six years after discovering his mother's corpse.
He was created by magic as the king could not produce a male heir.
But magic came at a cost and Prince Leif is half human half something else.
Avelyn is the redheaded beauty taken in by the kingdom to marry the prince. For six years she secretly visits the prince in his tower. She is spirited, direct and a problem solver.
How did you come up with the concept and characters for the book?
They live in my head!!
Where did you come up with the names in the story?
They live in my head!
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
Creating characters and worlds and conflict and drama and doomed fates along with tortured lovers.
Tell us about your main characters- what makes them tick?
Ivor – to avenge his wife’s death. Expose his son for the beast he is and steal away his bride as payback.
Prince Leif wants to rule the kingdom with trust loyalty with Avelyn at his side.
Avelyn is driven by seeing Prince Leif take the crown, and because she was tricked into marrying the cruel king seeks out a secret affair with the love of her life. Pushing him towards overthrowing his father.
Who designed your book covers?
CHBB publishing – Rebecca Poole
If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
Put more humor in it.
Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?
Yes to look out for details and got to learn more about the English tenses and sentence structures as I am not English myself I learn more with each book.
If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?
Charlie Hunnam
Anything specific you want to tell your readers?
Without them, I would be far from my dreams and leaving my healing words to the masses.
How did you come up with the name of this book?
Book titles come easily to me. They just pop in my head. And as the beast has morals and a big heart he is beautiful inside and out.
Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?
Most of the male leads I pull the ethics and ways and inspiration from my husband – who we have been together since high school and everyday he surprises me with his dedication, his sacrifices, and his selflessness.
Do your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel like you have the reigns of the story?
Oh no we have a lot of fights, but I've learned to lose control (probably the only time in my life this happens) and let them come and flow and be.
Convince us why you feel your book is a must-read.
It’s a faced pace story, a reverse Beauty and the beast that meets Game of thrones – fight for the crown.
Forbidden love
Royal feuds.
An ancient magic that will bring the kingdom to its knees.
I know in my heart that my passion, dedication, and prayers for this book took a lot of putting myself out there will show in my writing. Because readers can feel the energy and truth in the author’s writing.
Have you written any other books that are not published?
I have written Into the Night my prequel to Dead of Night my dystopian romance. It is about 70 percent done.
If your book had a candle, what scent would it be?
Vanilla
A Beast So Beautiful
by Carlyle LaBuschagne
Releases: April 20, 2021
Genre: Dark Fantasy
A darkness falls over the land when the Queen of Rurith dies.
Consumed with grief, King Ivar blames their son, Prince Leif, for her demise, and locks him away in the castle.
The Prince is left in total despair, until a girl, with hair the colour of a red sunset and green eyes shows him mercy.
For six years she visits him in secret, giving him hope where none existed before.
But Ruith hides many treacherous things that threaten to bring the Kingdom to its knees.
Until the Prince and his beastly curse are released.
Excerpts
A Beast So Beautiful
He whispers into her hair, “I don’t deserve you.” The guilt strains his throat as the words come out husky.
Her gentle, slim fingers stroke the fine lines of his jaw, curling around his beard, and up to brush over the soft of his lips. “Don’t you ever say that, my love.”
He stares up to the ceiling where the reflection of the flames dance over broken beams. “The things I have done.”
Gently and playfully, she tugs on his beard to bring his lips down to hers. The kiss feeding the air into his lungs is light and touches the darkest parts of him, dispelling every negative emotion clouding his mind.
When she releases him, her words settle into the marrow of his bones. “All you have done for your people, for me…” she begins, “All that matters in this brutal world is your intentions, Prince. And your intentions have been only honorable.”
Mischief twinkles in his eyes. “I am inclined to disagree.” He smirks, staring down at her leg wrapped around his waist.
The silence falls between them. They had just committed treason, but neither of them wants it to end just yet. “Avelyn,” he speaks her name, adding, for the first time, “My goddess.” He tastes the endearing term with elation. “I want you to come with me, I have something to show you.” He shifts to slip out from under her.
“The hour is late, my love. I am rather tired. Would you mind,” she says as her lips feather the nape of his neck, “if we put it off until tomorrow?”
He studies her. “You dismiss me so quickly?”
“You know why…” she begins, tears brimming her sultry eyes.
“I will never do anything that puts you or your loved ones in danger. Do you believe that?” Leif gives a sigh.
“Of course, I do. I’ve known you since you were a little brat, since nine years old and to this day, never once have you lost control around me.”
The words feel good too hear. Moments later, as she jumps from the bed, he says to her, “If you trust me, then why do you so easily dismiss this important thing I want to show you?”
Her eyes settle on his, green-lit stars as the flames of the fireplace reflect in them. “I ask of you, my prince, to give me time to savor our night. Can you grant me that speck of happiness?”
Wanting to interject, he sits up, sheets slithering down his flawless chest, he opens his mouth when she adds more forcefully, “I, too, have sacrificed all I have wanted. My happiness, my family…” her voice breaks.
He sighs. “Yes, of course.” He looks down ashamed. “I will give you this night you deserve. It would seem being the acting king has made me a selfish man these days.”
As she moves, the glow from the hearth lights up her skin like the gleam of the moon, and all thought and trouble floats away in the beauty of the redheaded woman who has robbed him of his heart. A terrible thought crosses his mind. It is not enough, everything he has done was for her, and he couldn’t help but feel that it is not enough. As if the words were spoken out loud, Avelyn spins around, undergarments in hand falling to the bed with the creak of wood and the ruffle of sheets.
“I love you.”
His head spins, his heart swells, and his human mind is set adrift in a sea of songs, stars, and the promise of endless nights like these. He watches her with absolute verve as she slips into her dress, her delicate feet settling in her shoes. She turns, grabbing the necklace his father had given her and pulls the clasp to her neck. From over her shoulder, she calls him near to assist her in clasping the necklace in place. When she sits, he shifts forward, feeling heat rise up inside.
The sight of the necklace drives him mad. With delicate fingers, she parts her red curls to expose the soft of her neck and shoulders, dispelling his anger for just a moment. As the big, shiny jewel settles on her chest, his heart hardens. Now more than ever he wants to put his plan into motion. For her, to keep her, to save the ones she loves, he would do it no matter the cost to him anymore.
Standing, she smiles up at him, and exits the room almost silently, taking with her his breath and his heart.
*******
Leif stares at him. “Tell me, is his life in danger? Is my father, your king on his death bed?” He shoots them a look. All three men look confused, he was just told his father is well. “If he seems to be restored and will last the night, I see no reason to disturb him at this late hour.”
Barnett opens his mouth to speak, but Leif clears his throat, lifting his head higher, dark hair falling into his eyes. “Barnett, I do not pretend. I do not lie about my feelings and never have. This you know of me. I am an honest man because my kingdom deserves it. My men deserve it. You have all of me, and I will never fake anything just to avoid conflict. I tell you now, I wish not to go to him tonight. You know what awaits us on his awakening. All I have built,” he corrects himself, “what we have built is about to come crashing down as our king takes his place once more. I need time to grieve what is about to be lost.”
Barnett looks as if he wants to say something but stops when Leif’s lips draw back as if he is about to growl. Leif feels the heat behind his eyes threaten his humanity. He looks down quickly, hoping to stop the transformation. Leif’s knuckles turn white as he struggles to draw his beastly-self back.
Barnett nods and spins away. “As you wish, my prince.”
The screeching sound of his threatening talons resonate through the room. He stands back, slamming the door shut and stares ruthlessly at the four claw marks denting the metal door. Turning his back, Leif rests against the cold steel of the door, his eyes taking in the room in which he’d spent most of his life. There are no windows in the tower. The only source of light is the fireplace he and Barnett had built together the first season of his reign, taking stones from the Great Lake in honor of the gods for giving him his power that won them the battle, and in tribute to their men that had died that day. With a sickening feeling, he wonders if the fireplace would be all he’d ever have left to remind him of his time as acting king.
About the Author
Carlyle is a USA Today Bestselling, international bestselling and international award-winning South African author – with a flair and passion for mixing genres, adding loads of drama to every story she creates. Carlyle has traveled the world with her books in hopes of connecting with all kinds of book-loving people, to learn as much as she can from other book cultures with the hopes of bringing the knowledge back to her home country.
Her goal as an author is to touch people’s lives and help others love their differences and one another by delivering strong messages of faith, love, and hope within every outrageous world she writes about.
Carlyle uses writing as a healing tool, and that is why she has started her very own writers support event – SAIR Book Festival.
Founder of SAIR Book Festival
Co-Founder of Fire Quill Publishing.
Founder of Help build a library in South Africa.
