ABOUT THE SERIES
The Rhapsody Quartet is
Young Adult Fantasy with a heavy dose of action, mystery, and a pinch of
romance. The fantasy world is diverse and big, running parallel to our own
human world.
Title: Prelude
Series: Rhapsody Quartet
Author: A.M. Hodgson
BLURB supplied by Author
Sarah Mills is an endangered species— she just doesn't know it.
Then she turns sixteen and ‘transitions.’ One magical hangover later, she’s awakened as a gorgeous adult siren— a species the other magical races thought went extinct thirteen years ago. Most girls might adore the attention Sarah’s suddenly getting, but all she wants to do is become invisible for the remainder of her high school career.
Unfortunately, Sarah can’t seem to turn off her siren compulsion. People hang on her every word. They do whatever she asks them to. The best looking guy in school wants to date her. Sarah just wants to go unnoticed, but it seems all she can do is make mistakes.
After she shatters the minds of her foster parents with her first siren song, Sarah has no choice but to move in with the class diva. It’s the foster system all over again, but this time her host is a mermaid princess, backed by a council of magical creatures.
The council claims to have her best interests at heart. They even assigned her a stoic elf bodyguard just to keep her safe. Because unfortunately for Sarah, there’s a reason the sirens all died off over a decade ago. Someone isn't happy that she survived. Someone wants her dead.
The first attack was a wraith. The second attack played on Sarah’s greatest fears. The third attack might succeed.
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Series: Rhapsody Quartet
Author: A.M. Hodgson
BLURB supplied by Author
In ancient times our legend sprang, from Muses’ lips a place we came…
Lyra holds the key to her past in her hands— but she can’t decipher it.
It’s frustrating to be confused about your siren heritage. It’s worse to have the answers so tantalizingly close, yet outside of your grasp.
Luckily, Lyra knows Score can help… if Glenn lets him within 50 meters of her.
But their bickering becomes the least of her worries when the Council of Extraordinaries assign her a new home. Lyra has a choice: discover her origins, or lose her friends forever.
The journey is long and treacherous, leading through a dangerous land of magic, the Realm.
But while she’s hunting for her past, someone is hunting her. And her unknown assailant has become more desperate.
Lyra just wants to survive and get answers, but she may not like what she discovers. And what she finds will change her life forever.
Series: Rhapsody Quartet
Author: A.M. Hodgson
BLURB supplied by Author
Princess Marin knows she lives a charmed life. She’s the envy of her mermaid sisters— gifted with the art of aquamancy, set to become Queen, and betrothed to one of only seven mermen in the five Oceans.
It sounds great to everyone else, but Marin would rather pick her scales off one by one than go through with it. Her fiancé is a spoiled brat (exactly like every other merman in the world), her duties are boring, and her aquamancy comes with the caveat of killing her father some day. So Marin does what comes naturally: she avoids it.
Unfortunately, a lifetime of dodging her royal duties finally catches up to her when her father demands she meet her betrothed and grow up. Marin accepts that she doesn’t have a choice.
Then she meets Finn— a merman who isn’t part of the status quo, one who grew up half-way normal. He awakens desires within her she didn’t know she had. It was never easy to give in to her destiny, but suddenly it seems impossible.
Torn between her duty and her heart, Marin must decide what she’s willing to sacrifice… and who.
Though a stand-alone tale, Tryst is a companion of the Rhapsody Quartet series.
AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Do you read all
the reviews of your book/books?I have the (bad) habit of reading everything, good and bad. I’m fortunate that I have more positive responses than negative. I try to learn from the feedback I get.
What was the
toughest/best review you have ever had?
The best review I’ve ever received was from Laura at the Book Nerd blog. She was the first book blogger/reviewer who responded to me. When I saw that she loved the book, I did a happy dance.
The worst review I received was from a friend of a friend. Not only was it scathing, she didn’t even finish reading the book! To her credit, she gave a detailed (line by line, even) dissection of my first chapter and sent it on to me so I could read her complaints. Many of her problems were incorrectly guessing the direction the story was taking and assuming there was no foreshadowing. In the end, I’m grateful she took the time to let me know her thoughts and started to read it, even if it clearly wasn’t her cup of tea.
The best review I’ve ever received was from Laura at the Book Nerd blog. She was the first book blogger/reviewer who responded to me. When I saw that she loved the book, I did a happy dance.
The worst review I received was from a friend of a friend. Not only was it scathing, she didn’t even finish reading the book! To her credit, she gave a detailed (line by line, even) dissection of my first chapter and sent it on to me so I could read her complaints. Many of her problems were incorrectly guessing the direction the story was taking and assuming there was no foreshadowing. In the end, I’m grateful she took the time to let me know her thoughts and started to read it, even if it clearly wasn’t her cup of tea.
Would you ever
ask a reviewer to change their review if it was not all positive about your
book/books?
Absolutely not! First of all, I love constructive criticism. Second, the purpose of a review is to inform potential readers if the book might appeal to them. Every review, scathing, glowing, or middle of the road, is helpful for the consumer to make that decision. Every opinion is valid, and writing is subjective. Not everyone has to like the same things.
Absolutely not! First of all, I love constructive criticism. Second, the purpose of a review is to inform potential readers if the book might appeal to them. Every review, scathing, glowing, or middle of the road, is helpful for the consumer to make that decision. Every opinion is valid, and writing is subjective. Not everyone has to like the same things.
How do you come
up with the Title and Cover Designs for your book/books?Who designed the Cover
of your books?
My book covers are designed by the amazingly talented Alexis Orellana. The cover process is probably a better question for her, but on my end it happens like this: I give her a beta copy to read. We discuss potential cover ideas after she’s read it (and she gives me feedback, too, and any constructive criticism on the writing). After we’ve pinpointed a concept, she works on a rough draft (she draws it all from scratch!). When the rough copy is in my hands, I look it over and give her a list of revisions to make. I’m incredibly lucky that I can do this as the author to make it more accurate to my descriptions. She makes a few tweaks and sends it back to me. If I have any other changes (usually minor at this point), they’re made. Later I do a cover reveal.
My book covers are designed by the amazingly talented Alexis Orellana. The cover process is probably a better question for her, but on my end it happens like this: I give her a beta copy to read. We discuss potential cover ideas after she’s read it (and she gives me feedback, too, and any constructive criticism on the writing). After we’ve pinpointed a concept, she works on a rough draft (she draws it all from scratch!). When the rough copy is in my hands, I look it over and give her a list of revisions to make. I’m incredibly lucky that I can do this as the author to make it more accurate to my descriptions. She makes a few tweaks and sends it back to me. If I have any other changes (usually minor at this point), they’re made. Later I do a cover reveal.
Do you choose a
title first, or write the book then choose the title?
Depends on the book. I’m not sure when I knew the title of Prelude. It sort of emerged one day like it’d always been there. The final book of the series, Nocturne, was like that, too. The middle books were more of a struggle to settle on a final title— both started with working titles. The working title of Sonata was ‘Crescendo’, and Caprice started as ‘Key’. Eventually, I looked through lists of different musical terms until I found titles that fit the theme as well as the feeling of both stories. In the end I have titles that are all musical pieces that suit the story. Prelude: a song for the beginning; Sonata: a song played, not sung; Caprice: an often lively free-form song; and Nocturne: a song for the night.
Depends on the book. I’m not sure when I knew the title of Prelude. It sort of emerged one day like it’d always been there. The final book of the series, Nocturne, was like that, too. The middle books were more of a struggle to settle on a final title— both started with working titles. The working title of Sonata was ‘Crescendo’, and Caprice started as ‘Key’. Eventually, I looked through lists of different musical terms until I found titles that fit the theme as well as the feeling of both stories. In the end I have titles that are all musical pieces that suit the story. Prelude: a song for the beginning; Sonata: a song played, not sung; Caprice: an often lively free-form song; and Nocturne: a song for the night.
How do you come
up with characters names and place names in your books?
I’m sort of a giant nerd when it comes to character names. I like all my names to have meanings that align with the characters. For example, my mermaid princess’s name is ‘Marin’ which means ‘Of the Sea’. Place names are usually a little harder for me. I tend to describe them, so I end up with places like the ‘Dew Groves’ and the ‘Azure Plains’. Whitecrest was named after the white crests of waves on the coastline. My favorite place name is Valtameri in the Arctic Ocean.
I’m sort of a giant nerd when it comes to character names. I like all my names to have meanings that align with the characters. For example, my mermaid princess’s name is ‘Marin’ which means ‘Of the Sea’. Place names are usually a little harder for me. I tend to describe them, so I end up with places like the ‘Dew Groves’ and the ‘Azure Plains’. Whitecrest was named after the white crests of waves on the coastline. My favorite place name is Valtameri in the Arctic Ocean.
Are character
names and place names decided after there creation? or do you pick a
character/place name and then invent them?
The character is usually mostly formed before they get a name. Every once in a while, I have a bit character that I’ll do a quicker name search for and it’ll be the opposite— the name I choose will help to define the character. I’m also not opposed to changing a name if I find something that suits the character more. I actually changed the name of one of my male leads after my first, roughest draft because I found something better. Places, however, are always, always, always decided before they are named.
The character is usually mostly formed before they get a name. Every once in a while, I have a bit character that I’ll do a quicker name search for and it’ll be the opposite— the name I choose will help to define the character. I’m also not opposed to changing a name if I find something that suits the character more. I actually changed the name of one of my male leads after my first, roughest draft because I found something better. Places, however, are always, always, always decided before they are named.
Do you basic
plot/plan for your book, before you actually begin writing it out? Or do you
let the writing flow and see where it takes the story?
A little of both. I start with a distinct beginning, middle, and end. I usually let the characters act how they’re going to act to connect those pieces. When I have a rough draft in my hands, I pay attention to pacing and sections that need to be reworked or cut. That’s when I push my characters back on track— but that first draft is still essential. Often, I find crucial scenes I hadn’t even planned to include bubble up in that whirlwind. Revisions tend to be more planned-out, but I still find that a scene can veer a little from my original vision. Characters do what they’re going to do.
Where can readers follow you?
Twitter: @A_M_Hodgson
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rhapsody.quartet.books
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7391909.A_M_Hodgson
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/A.M.-Hodgson/e/B00GPV9ITC/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
Tumblr: http://rhapsody-writer.tumblr.com
Other: http://www.amhodgson.com
A little of both. I start with a distinct beginning, middle, and end. I usually let the characters act how they’re going to act to connect those pieces. When I have a rough draft in my hands, I pay attention to pacing and sections that need to be reworked or cut. That’s when I push my characters back on track— but that first draft is still essential. Often, I find crucial scenes I hadn’t even planned to include bubble up in that whirlwind. Revisions tend to be more planned-out, but I still find that a scene can veer a little from my original vision. Characters do what they’re going to do.
Where can readers follow you?
Twitter: @A_M_Hodgson
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rhapsody.quartet.books
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7391909.A_M_Hodgson
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/A.M.-Hodgson/e/B00GPV9ITC/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
Tumblr: http://rhapsody-writer.tumblr.com
Other: http://www.amhodgson.com
OFFER INFORMATION
Prelude is going to be free from June 30th, 2014 through July 2nd, 2014.
Sonata is on sale from July 1st through the 7th.
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