Showcase: Hearts In Exile (Tallenmere #3) by Mysti Parker

In Tallenmere, fate has a way of catching up with you...

Somewhere, hidden in the waters of the Southern Sea, lies an island unlike any other. Within the amber glow of its pyrogem-laden cliffs, legend says the very heart of the dragon god Drae keeps the island, and its occupants, alive.

Loralee Munroviel, daughter of Leogard's High Priestess Arianne, had no idea what she would face when she arrived by boat ten years ago and was left alone in exile. All she knew about Draekoria's inhabitants was written in one tattered notebook. Now, her life revolves around keeping Drae's descendants happy. Never in her life did she imagine being a Dragon Keeper.

Captain Igrorio Everlyn, known as Sir Robert to his unit of Holy Paladins, has faced his share of hell, battling the evils of Emperor Sarvonn's tyranny and the dark god Tyr's abominations. But none of that compares to the ten years of hell he's been without Loralee, presumed dead.

One freak storm changes everything. Now the two of them must fight to reestablish the delicate balance of the island before the dragons take things into their own hands. Through it all, they discover the secrets that kept them, and their hearts, exiled for a decade.

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About the author:
Mysti Parker (pseudonym) is a full time wife, mother of three, and a writer. Her first novel, A Ranger's Tale was published in January, 2011 by Melange Books, and the second in the fantasy romance series, Serenya's Song, was published in April 2012. The highly anticipated third book, Hearts in Exile, has already received some great reviews. The Tallenmere series has been likened to Terry Goodkind's 'Sword of Truth' series, but is probably closer to a spicy cross between Tolkien and Mercedes Lackey.

Mysti's other writings have appeared in the anthologies Hearts of Tomorrow, Christmas Lites, and Christmas Lites II. Her flash fiction has appeared on the online magazine EveryDayFiction. She has also served as a class mentor in Writers Village University's six week free course, F2K.

Mysti reviews books for SQ Magazine, an online specfic publication, and is the proud owner of Unwritten, a blog voted #3 for eCollegeFinder's Top Writing Blogs award. She resides in Buckner, KY with her husband and three children.

Q.  What inspires your writing?

A.  Thanks for having me here! I think this question would best be asked as “What DOESN’T inspire your writing?” All my life experiences might serve as story fodder at any given time. For instance, my husband took me to a fancy Italian restaurant last Valentine’s Day, which gave me the idea for a flash fiction story entitled “Dinner at Mario’s”. Another idea came from my kids and a bumblebee in our backyard they named Fuzzy Buzzy. I wrote a children’s book called “Fuzzy Buzzy’s Treasure”, inspired from their “pet” bee. It’s only in the drafting stages just yet, but hopefully will be published in the near future.

Q.  What is your favorite thing about being an author?

A. I get to choose what I create. I get to follow my inspirations and don’t have to clock in and out to do that. And I can often do all that in my PJs!

Q.  What is the toughest part of being an author?

A. NOT bringing home a regular paycheck for the amount of work I put into writing and marketing is probably the toughest for me. I never know from one quarter to the next how my sales will go. Like every other writer out there, I can only hope this aspect will improve over time.

Q.  If you could not be author, what would you do/be?

A. I’d keep being wife and mom and would likely go back to get another degree, either in teaching or as a laboratory tech, etc. I’ve always enjoyed the science field and worked in a neurosurgical research lab until our first baby was born. I could see myself doing that again.

Q.  What would the story of your life be entitled?

A. The Little Woman Who Could…

Q.  What is your favorite book of all time?

A. Jane Eyre

Q.  Which character from ANY book are you most like?

A. I might have to compare myself to Jim Qwilleran from Lillian Jackson Braun’s “The Cat Who…” series. Unfortunately, I didn’t inherit billions like he did from a distant relative (still waiting for that phone call), but I AM servant to three demanding cats, just like his spoiled pair of Siamese.

Q.  What character from all of your books are you most like?

A. I probably relate most to Serenya Barnaby-Crowe from Serenya’s Song. Definitely not abused by her husband like she is, but I based the relationship with her stepfather Douglas on the relationship I had with my stepfather. She’s also a dream interpreter, and I’ve been able (to a small extent) interpret others’ dreams as well. She tends to put others’ needs before her own, sometimes to her own detriment (ahem, yep, that can be me too).

Q.  Which book would you love to take a weekend vacation inside of?

A. A big coffee table book about the world’s best beaches! Hee hee.

Q.  What is your favorite season?

A. Fall

Q.  What inspired your book cover(s)? 

A. As I was finishing up Hearts in Exile, I decided my covers lacked consistency; I decided to give the first two an overhaul and to make the third similar in style. After scouring the internet for what seemed like ages, I found the perfect images and models. I’m most lucky to have found Anastasia King, from North Carolina, did a photo shoot and posed as Caliphany. She’s amazing! Caroline Andrus did a fabulous job of putting all the images and text together to make a series-consistent look, while giving each book its own unique visual appeal.

Q.  Tell me something funny that happened while on a book tour or while promoting your book.

A. I have this set of elf ears I like to wear to book events, and there are always kids who come up to me with big, wide eyes, wondering if they’re real. Sometimes I’ll ask them if they want to touch them and see. Soon as they do, I say, “Ouch!”, and they jump back, then giggle. It’s so funny!

Q.  Are you working on something new?

A. I’m working on a novella featuring Sir Francis from Hearts in Exile, which I hope to publish before Book Four. I’ve also got some children’s books in the works, one of which I hope to publish by this fall.

Q.  Anything you want to say to followers of this blog or those that are just stopping by?

A.  If you read through this, you’re a saint! Virtual cookies and coffee for you all!

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