The Third Fate Book Tour: Interview + Meet the Characters
by Nadja Notariani
Genre: Paranormal romance
Format: eBook (170 pages)
Published March 30th 2012
Nadja currently resides in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Her published titles follow. Claiming The Prize, a contemporary romance. Her Dark Baron, a historical novella.The Third Fate, a paranormal romance, published in late March, 2012.
Published March 30th 2012
Blurb: 'One Fate be granted mortal man, used for evil or good as the inner voice directs. Alas, the divine spark draws the eyes of the Fates, the Second Fate sparingly gifted by their hands. Be warned offspring of the gods, guard your gifting well. For if the Third Fate be unleashed, the soul lays bare before one so touched by the gods.' ~
Cautious and quiet by nature, Paige Kinnell watches life unfold from the sidelines, maintaining her simple existence as a shield to hide behind. But underneath her shy, careful ways, Paige senses a disconnect with the world around her, indulging instead her ever curious interest in the legend and lore of time nearly forgotten.
One chance encounter with an ancient of the undead begins an unraveling of reality as Paige knows it, leaving her to sort through dreams and enchantments, discovering along the way that one's Fate can be mere illusion, and that the consequences of opening her heart to another may cost dearly.
Cael Maccinnis, the handsome Highlander she's met, seems the answer to every unspoken longing of her heart, even as he awakens dark, secret desires buried within her soul. As strange and unnerving changes begin occurring in her mind and body, Paige has no choice but to face her life's unnatural turn and confront the frightening implications. For within Paige's past a secret lay dormant, hidden even from her. This truth, guarded well and wielded by the Fates themselves, becomes the catalyst invoking the power of The Third Fate.
Meet The Characters
Meet Cael Maccinnis...
'Perched on the concrete ledge, chilled night air whirled around his head, not that the cold bothered him. Fall had arrived. Dusky shades of twilight lingered in the west, but that, too, was of little consequence. Breathing in deeply, Cael savored the smell of blood, of humanity pervading the night air. He needed to feed.
Arriving in Glasgow to attend to business, now concluded, Cael had the city spread below, a pagan offering on the altar of his hunger. Feeding from mortals offered sustenance. With little strength to be gained from their blood and the absence of the sensuality found in feeding from another vampire, Cael approached the necessity with resigned indifference - unless hunger grew too strong, as he had allowed this time.'
Meet Paige Kinnell...
'Paige blinked, peering about her entryway in hazy confusion.
I really need to get some sleep...
Throwing her woolen wrap over the bench, she slumped down, prying the chic heels from her tired feet with a sigh of relief. Twelve hour days plus her commute wreaked havoc on her fashionable tastes. Weariness swept over her, and for once she omitted her regular habit of sitting with a mug of hot tea to unwind and headed straight for the shower.
Half-an-hour later, cozy in flannel pajamas, Paige sank into her overstuffed chair, pulling the yellow chenille blanket around her shoulders. She was alone; she'd checked the doors and windows twice, but the nagging sensation of a watchful presence lingered eerily. Reaching for her neck, Paige again felt the strange tingling ache surge beneath her fingers.
What is going on with me tonight?
Shaking her head and snuggling into the chair, she stretched her legs on the ottoman and sank into deep sleep. When her phone chirped much later, she uttered apologies in her dreamlike stupor and returned to sleep like the dead. As her body rested, her mind came alive, sensual images filling her dreams - images of a man.
Meet Pilar...
''Pilar,' he ground raggedly, 'in the name of all you hold dear, remove yourself from my presence before I...'
One look at him altered her disposition. He turned to her, breathing heavily, the green-gold beauty of his eyes hidden beneath fevered blood lust. She made to leave, to abandon her plan, but his thrall caught her, binding her in place as he slowly approached.
'Malcolm?' she breathed in a hush, no notion of whether this was the same man she loved.
She'd never seen him like this. He only came nearer. Pressing his lips to her forehead, Malcolm's hands trailed over her shoulders and arms as he breathed in her sweet scent. He nuzzled her neck, scraping his fangs, now elongated in anticipation of tasting her, against her tender flesh. A whimper escaped her, and Pilar understood without doubt that she had overplayed her hand.'
Meet Malcolm...
'A faint knock interrupted his brooding.
'Enter,' he commanded.
The gold-leafed handle turned silently, admitting Pilar Michaels, her head held high, shoulders straight. Pride marked her features, the Roman nose, dark mysterious eyes, small bow-like mouth with full lips.
By the Fates she was beautiful.
She was also his enemy. Supposedly.
Malcolm ceased his pacing, greeting her formally.
'Welcome to my home. I hope you will be comfortable during your visit.'
Her head tipped in deferential reply, a slight action with mammoth implications.
'You have need of my skills, Malcolm of Clan Gaunson. I, too, have need of yours,' Pilar reasoned. 'Perhaps we can help one another.'
'Do you propose an alliance of sorts?' Malcolm returned smartly.
'An alliance?' she mocked, yet humor glinted in shining eyes. 'Surely reciprocity is a more apt term, Malcolm. Or would you prefer we enter into a more permanent agreement?'
Malcolm caught her innuendo, breathing deeply. He would make no reply. It was safer that way.'
Meet The Fates...
'Charity, what are you doing?' Harry inquired, seeking her for a game he and Jael had dreamed up.
'Playing, silly,' she giggled, setting the glowing orb on the side table and skipping off to join her siblings.
'Playing what?' curiosity prompted him to ask.
'What else but a game?' Charity laughed, taking Harry's hand. 'Shall we play something new today?'
'Oh, yes!' Harry exclaimed, distracted from his questioning for the moment. 'But Jael wants to play hurricane! We haven't played hurricane in a very long time. Say you'll play, Charity!'
'Well...,' Charity considered. 'It has been a very long time since we played hurricane. We'll have to convince Old Zephyr to join us. It's no fun at all unless he blows his hardest.'
Harry ran ahead yelling for Jael, and Charity smiled, thinking of her own game a moment before giving her attention fully to the upcoming festivities. She, her brother Harry and sister Jael had loved games as long as she could remember, since Father Time set the hands of his wondrous clock in motion. Now time marched on, but Charity and her siblings remained the same, children ever indulging in their beloved games.'
An Interview with
Nadja Notariani
RG: Can you tell a little about The Third Fate?
NN: I'd like to thank you for having me over today! And, sure! I'd love to share a bit about The Third Fate.
My hero, Cael Maccinnis, meets up with Paige Kinnell while on the prowl for dinner. A blood dinner. What he doesn't know is that he's about to spark the ire of the Fates themselves! You see, our unaware Paige has been living a lie. She's soon to find out, along with some other revealing information; namely that vampires do exist! But by the time Paige figures out that disturbing fact, she's already fallen in love. Problem is, what she loves isn't living – and if she continues down her current path (and maybe even if she doesn't), neither will she be.
The blurb says is better, but I thought I'd 'go a bit rogue' with this description. :}
RG: As you were creating this world, were there parts you found challenging? What inspired you?
NN: The Third Fate is my first paranormal romance, and therefore, it was challenging to craft 'other' worlds and realms at times. But to be honest, it was mostly fun. There's a freedom to create whatever your daydreams conjure – and that, for me, is inspiring. I also enjoyed using Celtic legend and lore to piece together one version of the origins of my favorite paranormal creature, the vampire!
RG: There seem to be a handful of supernatural beings authors never tire of writing about. Why did you pick vampires and the fae?
NN: Mythological and supernatural creatures fascinate the mind that dares think, 'What if?' I don't deny my own great imaginings on the topic. I've always enjoyed the Greek and Roman myths! I even studied a humanities course on the subject. Great stuff! Of course, there are many other cultures' myths and legends to explore, and the Celtic lore attracted my attention once I decided to write a Scottish vampire into the mix! To write a story about a handful of these beings is a trek through a daydreamer's playground...I couldn't resist.
RG: Where there any characters or events that were easy to craft? Were any challenging?
NN: Balancing the danger of the vampire with the sensuality of a lover was a labor of love through certain scenes...ha!
One of my secondary characters in this book, the strong willed and cheeky Brooke, was a breeze to write. Her twin, Lara, proved far more difficult to define amongst the strong personalities surrounding her, and therefore did not feature as prominently in the story.
The melding of Celtic legend and my own vision of the Netherworld, Vampire origins, and Father Time ranks easiest in crafting this novel.
RG: Is this a stand alone book or do you envision it as a series?
NN: I'm leaning toward a series. A few of the characters are practically begging their own spotlight. I've been warned that writing a series is quite difficult, and that has weighed in my thoughts. But...if I decide to forge ahead, I'll write to make each book able to stand alone if read out of order. That's the direction I'm headed at this point. But first, I've got to finish a historical project I'm working on.
RG: Can you share parts of your writing journey with us? Were there any parts or things you added or removed or suddenly knew you just had to add in? Did any characters surprise you as you wrote?
NN: My journey is just that, an ongoing voyage in an ocean of words. I've only just begun, having published my first novel less than a year ago. I've learned so much already, and a staggering amount remains to be discovered. I'm excited to get there, to see the next peak to scale in the distance.
One thing I learned without a doubt is that I'm a plotter. I need outlines, character profiles, setting sketches, and a clear idea of where I'm going. Implementing these made a huge difference in my ease of writing.
As for a character that surprised me...Hmm. I have two I'll mention from The Third Fate.
First is Malcolm. Malcolm was meant to be a secondary character that I used to better define the vampire ruling structure – and to be the perspective for the Council's dealings in the absence of hero or heroine. He became so much more. Ha! I may even have had a bit of a crush on this character during the writing and editing of this book...
The second is an interesting fellow introduced at the end of the book, Angus. I cannot deny that Angus is one of the characters clamoring for his own story – and once I read him on the page, even I wanted to know more. :}
RG: As you write, is music a help or hindrance? If not, any songs in particular represent themes/characters/story lines in your book?
NN: I only listen to instrumental music while writing. Any songs with words distract me to no end...and before I know it, I'm singing along instead of writing, typing, or whatever work it is that I'm to be accomplishing. I like it playing softly, a rhythmic backdrop to my thoughts. It's interesting that you ask this question, as music affects mood profoundly. I attempt to capture the mood of the scene I will write with the music I'll have in the background. Every little bit helps, right? Ha!
Here are a few selections from my play list (which my hubby loaded into my computer so it's one click listening...gotta appreciate that) –
Acoustic Arabia (some of the songs have lyrics, but I am not fluent in Arabic, so it doesn't bother me overmuch.)
Art Of The Belly Dance – My favorite!
Lifescape Inspiration – Very soothing
Christmas Soiree – The Dwyer Quintet (I ♥ Christmas music so much that I listen to it all year. Really.)
The Best Of The Chieftains – Irish music is uplifting
Thank you.
Again, thank you for having me! It's been great visiting and getting to know you, Laurie.
About the author: Nadja Notariani was born in Rochester, Pennsylvania. Her upbringing included very diverse environments, affording wide and varied richness of ethnic and
religious tradition. Raised in both an Italian/Mediterranean American home and a traditional German household, Nadja gleaned the unique benefits of viewing the world through two widely different lenses.
Cautious and quiet by nature, Paige Kinnell watches life unfold from the sidelines, maintaining her simple existence as a shield to hide behind. But underneath her shy, careful ways, Paige senses a disconnect with the world around her, indulging instead her ever curious interest in the legend and lore of time nearly forgotten.
One chance encounter with an ancient of the undead begins an unraveling of reality as Paige knows it, leaving her to sort through dreams and enchantments, discovering along the way that one's Fate can be mere illusion, and that the consequences of opening her heart to another may cost dearly.
Cael Maccinnis, the handsome Highlander she's met, seems the answer to every unspoken longing of her heart, even as he awakens dark, secret desires buried within her soul. As strange and unnerving changes begin occurring in her mind and body, Paige has no choice but to face her life's unnatural turn and confront the frightening implications. For within Paige's past a secret lay dormant, hidden even from her. This truth, guarded well and wielded by the Fates themselves, becomes the catalyst invoking the power of The Third Fate.
Meet The Characters
Meet Cael Maccinnis...
'Perched on the concrete ledge, chilled night air whirled around his head, not that the cold bothered him. Fall had arrived. Dusky shades of twilight lingered in the west, but that, too, was of little consequence. Breathing in deeply, Cael savored the smell of blood, of humanity pervading the night air. He needed to feed.
Arriving in Glasgow to attend to business, now concluded, Cael had the city spread below, a pagan offering on the altar of his hunger. Feeding from mortals offered sustenance. With little strength to be gained from their blood and the absence of the sensuality found in feeding from another vampire, Cael approached the necessity with resigned indifference - unless hunger grew too strong, as he had allowed this time.'
Meet Paige Kinnell...
'Paige blinked, peering about her entryway in hazy confusion.
I really need to get some sleep...
Throwing her woolen wrap over the bench, she slumped down, prying the chic heels from her tired feet with a sigh of relief. Twelve hour days plus her commute wreaked havoc on her fashionable tastes. Weariness swept over her, and for once she omitted her regular habit of sitting with a mug of hot tea to unwind and headed straight for the shower.
Half-an-hour later, cozy in flannel pajamas, Paige sank into her overstuffed chair, pulling the yellow chenille blanket around her shoulders. She was alone; she'd checked the doors and windows twice, but the nagging sensation of a watchful presence lingered eerily. Reaching for her neck, Paige again felt the strange tingling ache surge beneath her fingers.
What is going on with me tonight?
Shaking her head and snuggling into the chair, she stretched her legs on the ottoman and sank into deep sleep. When her phone chirped much later, she uttered apologies in her dreamlike stupor and returned to sleep like the dead. As her body rested, her mind came alive, sensual images filling her dreams - images of a man.
Meet Pilar...
''Pilar,' he ground raggedly, 'in the name of all you hold dear, remove yourself from my presence before I...'
One look at him altered her disposition. He turned to her, breathing heavily, the green-gold beauty of his eyes hidden beneath fevered blood lust. She made to leave, to abandon her plan, but his thrall caught her, binding her in place as he slowly approached.
'Malcolm?' she breathed in a hush, no notion of whether this was the same man she loved.
She'd never seen him like this. He only came nearer. Pressing his lips to her forehead, Malcolm's hands trailed over her shoulders and arms as he breathed in her sweet scent. He nuzzled her neck, scraping his fangs, now elongated in anticipation of tasting her, against her tender flesh. A whimper escaped her, and Pilar understood without doubt that she had overplayed her hand.'
Meet Malcolm...
'A faint knock interrupted his brooding.
'Enter,' he commanded.
The gold-leafed handle turned silently, admitting Pilar Michaels, her head held high, shoulders straight. Pride marked her features, the Roman nose, dark mysterious eyes, small bow-like mouth with full lips.
By the Fates she was beautiful.
She was also his enemy. Supposedly.
Malcolm ceased his pacing, greeting her formally.
'Welcome to my home. I hope you will be comfortable during your visit.'
Her head tipped in deferential reply, a slight action with mammoth implications.
'You have need of my skills, Malcolm of Clan Gaunson. I, too, have need of yours,' Pilar reasoned. 'Perhaps we can help one another.'
'Do you propose an alliance of sorts?' Malcolm returned smartly.
'An alliance?' she mocked, yet humor glinted in shining eyes. 'Surely reciprocity is a more apt term, Malcolm. Or would you prefer we enter into a more permanent agreement?'
Malcolm caught her innuendo, breathing deeply. He would make no reply. It was safer that way.'
Meet The Fates...
'Charity, what are you doing?' Harry inquired, seeking her for a game he and Jael had dreamed up.
'Playing, silly,' she giggled, setting the glowing orb on the side table and skipping off to join her siblings.
'Playing what?' curiosity prompted him to ask.
'What else but a game?' Charity laughed, taking Harry's hand. 'Shall we play something new today?'
'Oh, yes!' Harry exclaimed, distracted from his questioning for the moment. 'But Jael wants to play hurricane! We haven't played hurricane in a very long time. Say you'll play, Charity!'
'Well...,' Charity considered. 'It has been a very long time since we played hurricane. We'll have to convince Old Zephyr to join us. It's no fun at all unless he blows his hardest.'
Harry ran ahead yelling for Jael, and Charity smiled, thinking of her own game a moment before giving her attention fully to the upcoming festivities. She, her brother Harry and sister Jael had loved games as long as she could remember, since Father Time set the hands of his wondrous clock in motion. Now time marched on, but Charity and her siblings remained the same, children ever indulging in their beloved games.'
RG: Can you tell a little about The Third Fate?
NN: I'd like to thank you for having me over today! And, sure! I'd love to share a bit about The Third Fate.
My hero, Cael Maccinnis, meets up with Paige Kinnell while on the prowl for dinner. A blood dinner. What he doesn't know is that he's about to spark the ire of the Fates themselves! You see, our unaware Paige has been living a lie. She's soon to find out, along with some other revealing information; namely that vampires do exist! But by the time Paige figures out that disturbing fact, she's already fallen in love. Problem is, what she loves isn't living – and if she continues down her current path (and maybe even if she doesn't), neither will she be.
The blurb says is better, but I thought I'd 'go a bit rogue' with this description. :}
RG: As you were creating this world, were there parts you found challenging? What inspired you?
NN: The Third Fate is my first paranormal romance, and therefore, it was challenging to craft 'other' worlds and realms at times. But to be honest, it was mostly fun. There's a freedom to create whatever your daydreams conjure – and that, for me, is inspiring. I also enjoyed using Celtic legend and lore to piece together one version of the origins of my favorite paranormal creature, the vampire!
RG: There seem to be a handful of supernatural beings authors never tire of writing about. Why did you pick vampires and the fae?
NN: Mythological and supernatural creatures fascinate the mind that dares think, 'What if?' I don't deny my own great imaginings on the topic. I've always enjoyed the Greek and Roman myths! I even studied a humanities course on the subject. Great stuff! Of course, there are many other cultures' myths and legends to explore, and the Celtic lore attracted my attention once I decided to write a Scottish vampire into the mix! To write a story about a handful of these beings is a trek through a daydreamer's playground...I couldn't resist.
RG: Where there any characters or events that were easy to craft? Were any challenging?
NN: Balancing the danger of the vampire with the sensuality of a lover was a labor of love through certain scenes...ha!
One of my secondary characters in this book, the strong willed and cheeky Brooke, was a breeze to write. Her twin, Lara, proved far more difficult to define amongst the strong personalities surrounding her, and therefore did not feature as prominently in the story.
The melding of Celtic legend and my own vision of the Netherworld, Vampire origins, and Father Time ranks easiest in crafting this novel.
RG: Is this a stand alone book or do you envision it as a series?
NN: I'm leaning toward a series. A few of the characters are practically begging their own spotlight. I've been warned that writing a series is quite difficult, and that has weighed in my thoughts. But...if I decide to forge ahead, I'll write to make each book able to stand alone if read out of order. That's the direction I'm headed at this point. But first, I've got to finish a historical project I'm working on.
RG: Can you share parts of your writing journey with us? Were there any parts or things you added or removed or suddenly knew you just had to add in? Did any characters surprise you as you wrote?
NN: My journey is just that, an ongoing voyage in an ocean of words. I've only just begun, having published my first novel less than a year ago. I've learned so much already, and a staggering amount remains to be discovered. I'm excited to get there, to see the next peak to scale in the distance.
One thing I learned without a doubt is that I'm a plotter. I need outlines, character profiles, setting sketches, and a clear idea of where I'm going. Implementing these made a huge difference in my ease of writing.
As for a character that surprised me...Hmm. I have two I'll mention from The Third Fate.
First is Malcolm. Malcolm was meant to be a secondary character that I used to better define the vampire ruling structure – and to be the perspective for the Council's dealings in the absence of hero or heroine. He became so much more. Ha! I may even have had a bit of a crush on this character during the writing and editing of this book...
The second is an interesting fellow introduced at the end of the book, Angus. I cannot deny that Angus is one of the characters clamoring for his own story – and once I read him on the page, even I wanted to know more. :}
RG: As you write, is music a help or hindrance? If not, any songs in particular represent themes/characters/story lines in your book?
NN: I only listen to instrumental music while writing. Any songs with words distract me to no end...and before I know it, I'm singing along instead of writing, typing, or whatever work it is that I'm to be accomplishing. I like it playing softly, a rhythmic backdrop to my thoughts. It's interesting that you ask this question, as music affects mood profoundly. I attempt to capture the mood of the scene I will write with the music I'll have in the background. Every little bit helps, right? Ha!
Here are a few selections from my play list (which my hubby loaded into my computer so it's one click listening...gotta appreciate that) –
Acoustic Arabia (some of the songs have lyrics, but I am not fluent in Arabic, so it doesn't bother me overmuch.)
Art Of The Belly Dance – My favorite!
Lifescape Inspiration – Very soothing
Christmas Soiree – The Dwyer Quintet (I ♥ Christmas music so much that I listen to it all year. Really.)
The Best Of The Chieftains – Irish music is uplifting
Thank you.
Again, thank you for having me! It's been great visiting and getting to know you, Laurie.
religious tradition. Raised in both an Italian/Mediterranean American home and a traditional German household, Nadja gleaned the unique benefits of viewing the world through two widely different lenses.
Nadja currently resides in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Her published titles follow. Claiming The Prize, a contemporary romance. Her Dark Baron, a historical novella.The Third Fate, a paranormal romance, published in late March, 2012.
The author can be found at her website, on facebook, Romance Novel Center, and Amazon Author's Page or through email, and she enjoys hearing from readers.
Great interview and characters
ReplyDeleteAgain...Thanks, Reader Girls for being a part of The Third Fate's book tour! It's been a pleasure visiting today.
ReplyDelete