Thursday, March 31, 2016

MY LEAP INTO YA by Beth Trissel

It's a treat to welcome Beth Trissel to The Roses of Prose.




Thanks so much for having me on your lovely blog. I’ve come bearing tidings about my new YA fantasy romance series entitled Secret Warrior. Book 1, The Hunter’s Moon, was released in December. Book 2, Curse of the Moon, is coming out May 4th. Release date for Book 3, The Panther Moon, TBD. I’m planning for more titles. The Secret Warrior series is published by The Wild Rose Press. We agreed in advance that I would keep the stories novella length, so they are a satisfying read, and will release more quickly. I’ve discovered novellas are every bit as challenging to write as full novels, especially in a series, because I have a limited amount of space to complete plot circles, while stopping at a good place, and hinting at more to come in the next story.



A look behind The Hunter’s Moon:
YA fantasy romance, The Hunter's Moon (Book 1, the Secret Warrior series) took years percolating in my mind before I wrote a word. Although the setting is present day in our Virginia Mountains, I’ve drawn on my knowledge of colonial America, Native Americans, particularly the Shawnee, the mountain people, herbal lore, and my fascination with fantasy. While The Hunter's Moon is my first venture into the young adult genre, I'm an award-winning, multi-published author in historical, paranormal, and time travel romance. I was inspired to create this new series partly by my teenage nieces and younger daughter. We've watched a lot of YA movies and TV series together and had book discussions, during which they urged me to take the plunge.

Living in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia surrounded by mountains veiled in mist and mystery lends itself well to creating the characters for The Hunter’s Moon and the stories that will follow. Some characters and creatures are based on lore I've learned. Others appeared to me, as characters have a way of doing. A great deal of research and intuition went into this series.

Romance grows and mystery deepens as an unlikely but close-knit pack of friends share fantastic adventures together.

Story Blurb: Seventeen-year-old Morgan Daniel has been in the witness protection program most of her life. But The Panteras have caught up with her and her younger brother. Her car is totaled, she's hurt, and the street gang is closing in when wolves with glowing eyes appear out of nowhere and chase away the killers. 

Then a very cute guy who handles a bow like Robin Hood emerges from the woods and takes them to safety at his fortress-like home. 

And that's just the first sign that Morgan and her brother have entered a hidden world filled with secrets... 
"This is a series with a whole bunch of potential and I can't wait to read more. Definitely recommended for all fans of YA/Paranormal." ~Merissa for YA Insider

Excerpt:

Oh, no. Was the wolf hit? Morgan prayed not. She sensed him trying to protect them, and couldn’t imagine why, or why he seemed like ‘her wolf’.

Cries, like the shrieks of a panther, carried through the trees. A chill crawled down her spine. Were the woods filled with creatures she thought long gone from these mountains?

More wolfish snarls erupted and snapping, tearing. Good. He lived. She nudged Jimmy. “Can you see anything?”

He craned his head around the rocks. “Not through the smoke and fog.”

Eerie howls rose from the surrounding woodland on every side. A whole pack must be gathering. Morgan wasn’t certain whether to be frightened, fascinated, or hopeful of rescue. Still light-headed, not sure she even saw clearly, she watched the black wolf reappear; with him, a great white wolf whose green eyes shone like starlight. The most extraordinary yet. Together, the two loped after the brown and gray one. Judging by the high-pitched calls, there were more wolves out there. And panthers, or were they mountain lions?

Snarls, growls, and the shrieks of enraged felines ripped through the smoky shroud. The pack wasn’t after her and Jimmy. Not now, anyway. ~

The Hunter’s Moon is available in various eBook formats from all online booksellers:

A bit about Beth: Married to my high school sweetheart, I live on a farm in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia with my human family and furbabies. An avid gardener, my love of herbs and heirloom plants figures into my work. The rich history of Virginia, the Native Americans, and the people who journeyed here from far beyond her borders are at the heart of my inspiration. I'm especially drawn to colonial America and the drama of the American Revolution. In addition to historical romance, I also write time travel, paranormal, YA fantasy romance, and nonfiction.

Social Media Links Beth and The Secret Warrior Series:









14 comments:

Liz Flaherty said...

Good luck with your leap, BEth!

Beth Trissel said...

Thanks so much, Liz.

LeeAnn said...

Looking forward to this newest one. May seems so far away! I know it'll be great!

Margo Hoornstra said...

Welcome, Beth. Write what you know. You've combined that with your imagination. Best of luck with your latest venture.

Anonymous said...

Beth, I love the idea of your mountain environment playing a part in your YA stories. And I agree, it's MUCH harder to produce a good novella-length story than a full length novel. Best wishes for a successful series!

Beth Trissel said...

Thanks so much, guys. Very heartening. I had no idea how challenging this series would be, but I'm loving it. Just finished book 3, The Panther Moon, last night!

Jannine Gallant said...

Sounds like a great new series, Beth. As we discussed on yesterday's blog, always fun to try new genres!

Tena Stetler said...

Sounds like an interesting series. Best wishes on your leap to YA and your book!

Alison Henderson said...

I'm excited about your move to YA, and this series sounds like a winner!

Vonnie Davis ~ Romance Author said...

Congratulations on your new series. I'm betting it'll be a hit with the YA crowd and with a few adults, as well.

Beth Trissel said...

I'm excited about this series too. Thanks all!

Barbara Bettis said...

Congratulations on your new series, Beth! It's bound to be successful!

Leah St. James said...

Hi, Beth...so great to see you here! The new series sounds wonderful. I know what you mean about the challenges of writing to a specific length (especially shorter, at least in my case). Sounds like you've got it down now!

Diane Burton said...

Congrats on your leap into YA. Best wishes.