Monday 8 September 2014

PROMO / REVIEW - THE LEGACY - LEGACY SERIES BY MELISSA DELPORT

Title: The Legacy
Series: The Legacy Series
Author: Melissa Delport
Publisher: Tracy McDonald Publishing
Release Date: 15th June 2014

BLURB from Goodreads
One man obsessed with power. 
One woman prepared to sacrifice everything to stop him.
One war that changed the world.

“Eric Dane has segregated the wealth and resources that remain, giving a select few the highest chance of survival and leaving the rest to starve!”
World War 3 lasted twelve days and almost eradicated the human species. Growing up in post nuclear America, Rebecca Davis remained blissfully ignorant of the despotic leadership that had seized what was previously the most powerful nation in the world. When the truth is revealed and Rebecca discovers that everything she has been taught is a lie, she is determined to fight for the life that she has not been allowed to live.

In order to do this, Rebecca has to cross the boundary fences and venture out of the safety of the New United States, into the barren wastelands. It is there that she finds allies she never dreamed existed. 

In Rebecca, the Resistance has finally found the ultimate weapon.


PURCHASE LINK

Title: The Legion
Series: The Legacy Series
Author: Melissa Delport
Publisher: Tracy McDonald Publishing
Release Date: 15th June 2014

BLURB from Goodreads
In defeating Eric Dane, Rebecca believed that the war would be over. She couldn’t have been more wrong. Now Rebecca faces a new enemy, one far more dangerous than Eric ever was. A faceless adversary, lurking in the shadows and pulling all the strings. 

With her father missing and the man she loves believed dead, Rebecca has to look inside herself and find the will to go on, to fight another day. She begins to explore her relationship with Reed, until a shocking discovery threatens to destroy her strongest alliance. 

With her Legion growing ever stronger, Rebecca travels to new frontiers and finds allies in the most unlikely group of heroes. But when she discovers a NUSA convoy let loose in the Rebeldom hunting her down, Rebecca has to make the ultimate sacrifice, in order to save the people that she loves. 

The Legion is the gripping sequel to The Legacy, with more twists and turns than ever before, and an ending that cries out for the final chapter.


Goodreads Link


PURCHASE LINKS


MY REVIEW

Title: The Legacy
Series: The Legacy Series
Author: Melissa Delport
Publisher: Tracy McDonald Publishing
Release Date: 15th June 2014

BLURB from Goodreads
One man obsessed with power. 
One woman prepared to sacrifice everything to stop him.
One war that changed the world.

“Eric Dane has segregated the wealth and resources that remain, giving a select few the highest chance of survival and leaving the rest to starve!”
World War 3 lasted twelve days and almost eradicated the human species. Growing up in post nuclear America, Rebecca Davis remained blissfully ignorant of the despotic leadership that had seized what was previously the most powerful nation in the world. When the truth is revealed and Rebecca discovers that everything she has been taught is a lie, she is determined to fight for the life that she has not been allowed to live.


In order to do this, Rebecca has to cross the boundary fences and venture out of the safety of the New United States, into the barren wastelands. It is there that she finds allies she never dreamed existed. 

In Rebecca, the Resistance has finally found the ultimate weapon.


Goodreads Link

INITIAL THOUGHTS
So this book is set more in the latter aftermath of the apocalypse, rather than during with all the looting and raiding . . . I'm thinking the apocalyptic and initial aftermath is usually the best bit so will this one still deliver?


MY REVIEW
I was offered an ecopy of this book in exchange for my honest review and posting that review during the blog tour.
The genre of this book on Goodreads is classified as Dystopian, which I'd agree with to an extent. I'd be more tempted to say Post Apocalyptic, but this book stands head and shoulders above most in that character, there is nothing run of the mill about this book!
The cover is very dark, a female with a hood on, pulled around the head and face, perhaps as a disguise. I'd say the female on the cover is Rebecca, the main character in the book. I love a good byline and the one on this cover is a great example of a good one. "One Man, One Woman, One War" really fits the characters and what happens in this book.
As I said in "INITIAL THOUGHTS" this book is set after the actual apocalypse, and the whole initial looting and fighting that goes on after the apocalypse.
The who has risen to the top of the post apocalyptic pile is Eric Danes. He has created a "new" America and everyone does as he says or they are cast into the "wilderness" outside the boundary fences. Eric Dane has made it known that only the "insane savages" live in the wilderness making being banished to it a death sentence.
However what isn't commonly known is that there is life outside the border fences that Eric Dane has erected. The fences are in fact there to prevent the rebels that live in the Rebelldom out. 
The main character Rebecca's father and the Rebelldom have found out that Eric Dane is using a scientific procedure to create super soldiers. There are three types of procedure, strength, speed and healing. The rebels need someone to get as close to Eric Dane as possible to try and get vital information to bring the man and his army down.
After the apocalypse Rebecca has made a life for herself with her mother, her aunt and fellow survivors, Jonathan and his son Aidan. Aidan and Rebecca have become very close, so it is a shock when Rebecca undergoes the procedure three times to have all the resulting abilities of strength, speed and healing. Rebecca leaves the life she had mapped out for her to help the greater cause. Rebecca ends up marrying Eric Dane, and continues her life of pretense to gather vital information for the rebels. 
Without giving away too many spoilers, it becomes Rebecca's task, with the help of a southerner Reed to find those with special abilities before Eric and his team do, to prevent Eric building his army. It soon becomes apparent that by finding those with special abilities the rebels are building their own "army". Rebecca also visits the rebel camps in the rebelldom and is soon made the leader of "the Legion". "The Legion" is the rebel army, that has Rebecca at the helm. When Rebecca left her old pre-Eric life she stopped contact and kept secrets to herself so that is ever found out Eric could never use any of her former family & friends to get to her. Unfortunately not everything goes the way Rebecca wishes and her old life and new life soon collide with disastrous consequences. Rebecca also discovers that Eric is not as trusting of her as she thinks. Then their are betrayals and spies and wow so much more! Can Rebecca take on Eric and win? is one of the questions I found myself asking as I read the book. I mean she is living with the man as husband & wife, when and if it comes to it can Rebecca defeat Eric?
Is Eric responsible for all of the negative things in New America? Could someone be working with or perhaps above Eric? Will Rebecca ever get to have a life of her own? Who is Rebecca destined to be with in her life? Can she ever get over the losses she has endured? Were just a few of the questions that were still whizzing around in my head as I was reading the last chapter. Without giving anything away . . .I absolutely have to say wow what a twist in that final chapter!
The character's I love in this book are, of course Rebecca, a super kick butt strong female lead, then Aidan, Reed and Kwan, the main guys in the book, ranging from Aidan the "normal" guy, Reed the male version of Rebecca and Kwan the brilliant Korean who fights like a whirlwind! In those with special abilities I love the characters and the emotional interactions with Rellis and Morgan. And isn't Quinn a surprise (you'll know what I mean when you read the book). It really is a war that the Legion are preparing for. Of course as with most wars there are casualties on both sides. I honestly found my eyes brimming with tears in a few areas of this book. One of which when Rebecca is checking out who the legion had lost, I had a real lump in my throat.
I totally admit to be one of the hardest reviews I have had to write, the temptation to give away spoilers was immense. I really can't say enough great things to describe this unique book.
I enjoyed the relationship between Reed and Rebecca. Rebecca doesn't trust easily so Reed has to earn the trust from Rebecca. When they become partners in their quest to find those with super abilities before Eric does and their quest to take Eric down. I love how close they become, the various nicknames Reed has for Rebecca, "Tiny" "Sexy Bex" and "Bex". I totally understand Rebecca's irritation when one of the major planners in the Legion insists on calling Rebecca Mrs Dane, even though Rebecca has by this point in the book left Eric, in fact she's actively planning to kill him. This one old army gentlemen stubbornly refuses to recognise that fact by calling her Ms Davis or Rebecca.
So did I enjoy the book? Absolutely loved it! Would I recommend the book ?Definitely Would I want to read more of this series? Ooo yesss please x Would I read other titles by this author? Again, yesss please x


PURCHASE LINKS
Amazon UK


AUTHOR INTERVIEW

What is your name, where were you born and where do you live now? 
My name is Melissa Delport and I was born in sunny Durban, in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.  I reside with my husband and 3 children in Gillitts.

Did you always want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be? 
I initially wanted to be a forensic psychologist, but I have always loved writing, so I did a degree in English and psychology and a year each of post grad study, and then I got into the transport industry. I recently sold out of my logistics business to write full-time.

When did you first consider yourself as a "writer"? 
The day I held my first printed book in my hand. It was surreal and suddenly tangible – I could touch it, hold it, and smell it!

Did it take a long time to get your first book published?
It took me just shy of two years to get offered a publishing deal. It seemed like a very long time, but I still count myself lucky.

Do you work another job as well as your writing work?
I did, up until November last year. Now, I am a full-time writer, and full-time mom to three children.

What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarise it in less than 20 words what would you say? 
The Legend. the final book in The Legacy Trilogy. It’s a fast-paced dystopian action-adventure with something for everyone.

Who is your publisher or do you self publish? 
My publisher is Tracey McDonald Publishers, but I do still indie publish certain titles, so I guess you could call me a “hybrid”.

Do you have a "lucky charm" or "lucky routine" you follow when waiting for your book to be accepted by a publisher? 
No, although luck certainly has a lot to do with it. There are plenty of books rejected by publishers that deserve a place on the bestseller shelves. There is nothing that we can do to tip the odds in our favor. I got lucky, pure and simple, but no charms ;) I simply put my head down and kept writing. I had released my fourth book by the time my first was picked up by a publisher.

How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it? 
Six months, give or take.

Which of your books were easier/harder to write than the others? 
The Legion, the second book in my Legacy Trilogy was the easiest. Most of the back story was there already in the first book, and I picked up where I had left off. Ironically, I think it is the best book I’ve ever written.

What can we expect from you in the future?  ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre? 
I am currently working on the final book in The Legacy Trilogy, which I have to complete by September. I am also mapping out a new fantasy series.

What genre would you place your books into? 
I write mostly dystopian, sci-fi romance and contemporary romance.

What made you decide to write that genre of book? 
I don’t specifically select a genre and then write in that frame. When a story grips me enough to write about it, I do, and let it fall where it may. I do prefer SFF and romance, though, so I will probably write in those genres for some time to come.

Do you have a favourite out of the books you have written? If so why is it your favourite? 
The Legion, which is book 2 in The Legacy Trilogy. It’s my personal favourite, for a number of reasons. I feel very connected with The Legacy characters because I have invested so much into them, and of course it was this trilogy that landed me a publishing deal.

Do you have a favourite character from your books? and why are they your favourite? 
Reed from The Legacy Trilogy.  Reed is confident, cocky and sexy as hell, I love writing his character.

If you had to choose to be one of your characters in your book/books which would you be, and why? 
Rebecca Davis of The Legacy Trilogy. She is strong, sexy, and the leader of an army! Not to mention she has the adoration of two incredibly gorgeous men. I love a good love triangle.
How long have you been writing, and who or what inspired you to write? I have been writing professionally for over two years. My stories inspire me to write. A story will burn a hole in a writer’s head until they get it down on paper.

Do you have a certain routine you have for writing? ie You listen to music, sit in a certain chair? 
I usually write on my bed or the couch. My physiotherapist would be horrified – she insists I sit bolt upright at a desk, in the ergonomically correct position. That’s never going to happen. Although I do have grand ideas for a “writer’s cave”….one day.

Do you have anybody read your books and give you reviews before you officially release them? ie. Your partner, children, friends, reviewers you know? 
One of my closest friends is a very outspoken person. She holds no punches, so I give her the raw manuscript first, before I send it off for editing. I’ve also become friendly with a blogger who reads voraciously, and I value her opinion, so she is one of the first people to read the finished product.

Do you read all the reviews of your book/books? 
Yes (cringe). I know I shouldn’t, but your natural curiosity gets the better of you. A book is like your baby – you want to show it off! I have gotten a lot better though - when I first started out I would check three times a day. Now, I check only a couple of times a month and I don’t over-analyze like I used to. I read any new reviews for curiosity’s sake and move on. I am a lot busier now, so that helps! Authors are advised to never comment on reviews, so we seldom thank readers for glowing reviews, but we value each and every one.

What was the toughest/best review you have ever had? 
The best review I ever had was from a few bloggers who got hold of one of my books (Rainfall) and voted it their TOP read of 2013. It was humbling and the biggest compliment I have ever been paid. Fortunately, I haven’t had too many bad reviews, but one reviewer did claim that the same book (Rainfall) left her feeling empty and hollow inside and that she wished she had never read it. The story is sad, so I didn’t take it to heart. 

Would you ever ask a reviewer to change their review if it was not all positive about your book/books? 
No. That is an absolute law. Readers are entitled to their opinion, that’s all there is to it. Even the bestsellers get bad reviews – it’s an occupational hazard.

How do you come up with the Title and Cover Designs for your book/books? Who designed the Cover of your books? 
The title comes to me at the same time or soon after the story does. My covers are designed by a company called Apple Pie Graphics. I usually have a very good idea of what I want, but sometimes it can’t be done. We work well together and I am always delighted by the end result.

Do you decide on character traits (ie shy, quiet, tomboy girl) before writing the whole book or as you go along? 
My main characters are well-plotted in advance, although they may develop other personality traits as I go along. Secondary characters crop up along the way.

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? 
I have a very basic plot and the main scenes before I start writing. Then I sit down and see where the book takes me. I think too much planning can hinder your natural creativity. Too little planning results in a weak plot that is not well thought out. I try to find a balance.

How do you market/promote your books? 
Book tours, social media, the press, making use of Amazon’s promotional tools. I am fortunate enough that my publisher does a lot of the marketing for me, but I still have to promote my indie titles. The first lesson you learn in book marketing is that there is no greater promotion than word of mouth. Write a good book – if people like it, they’ll talk about it. If they don’t – throw it in the bin and start again.

What do you think makes a book a really good/bestseller ? 
A whole lot of talent and a little bit of luck.

Have you ever suffered from a "writer's block"? What did you do to get past the "block"? 
I don’t believe in writers block.  No matter my mood, if you told me to sit down and write a thousand words, I could. It’s the quality of the writing that differs, depending on your state of mind. If a writer spends an hour writing and feels that what he/she has written is not up to his/her own standard, this is what I would call “writers block”. Writers are their own worst critics. In any book, you have strokes of genius, and moments of weakness. My advice to get through the “weaker” moments (writer’s block) is simple. If you don’t feel like writing for a day, or a week: don’t. It won’t last long – writing is a calling.

What do you do to unwind and relax? Do you have a hobby? 
Before I sold my business I was writing part-time and had little time for anything else. Now that I have my evenings back, I have discovered that I love television series! The Walking Dead, The Vampire Diaries, The Originals, Arrow, Blacklist, Beauty and the Beast….its become a bit of an obsession!

Have you ever based characters on people you know or based events on things that have happened to you? 
I use quite a few of my family and friends names, and certain aspects of their characters. Very seldom will this be obvious to anyone but me. The character of Darren in the Traveler, for example, is based on my very clever, very talented cousin, although I have used artistic license and given him a fictional “make-over”.

Are there any hidden messages or morals contained in your books? (Morals as in like Aesops Fables type of "The moral of this story is..") 
All of my books feature a very strong female lead. I guess there is a message in there somewhere.

Is there a certain Author that influenced you in writing? 
Just the opposite. Originality is very important to me, so I will go out of my way to avoid “mimicking” other authors.

Which format of book do you prefer, ebook,hardback, or paperback? 
I will read paperback or Kindle, but I don’t have a preference. My Kindle is easier on the pocket and a huge space-saver for an avid reader like myself.

What is your favourite book and Why?  Have you read it more than once? 
That is such a hard question! I don’t have a favourite, but I have read a few books more than once: The Twilight Saga, The Harry Potter Series, Me Before You by JoJo Moyes & a few of Sophie Kinsella’s books.

Do you think books transfer to movies well? Which is you favourite/worst  book to movie transfer? 
I didn’t think the Harry Potter movies did the books enough justice, although they were good movies. The books are just better. I did enjoy ‘The Hunger Games’ movie adaptations.

What are you currently reading? Are you enjoying it? What format is it?( ebook, hardback or paperback)
Sadly I can’t read fiction while I am writing. I cannot wait to finish this book so that I can spend a week or two devouring a few good books before I move on to my next project.

Do you think ebooks will ever totally replace printed books? 
Not for a very long time. We are moving into a paperless society, but for the time being there is still a huge market for printed books. I hope it stays that way. I can’t imagine my children one day reading their children bedtime stories only on an electronic device.

Do you think children at schools these days are encouraged enough to read? and/or do Imaginative writing? 
Speaking as a mom of a seven-year-old in Grade 1, I would say yes. It takes us an hour to get through her homework, which is primarily reading. I think, sadly, the problem lies at home. Too many Playstations, X-Boxes, Wii’s. I read a quote the other day that said: “There is no such thing as children who don’t like to read, there are only children who are reading the wrong books”. I wholeheartedly agree.

Did you read a lot at school and write lots of stories or is being a writer something newer in your life? 
I read like a child possessed. I still have the Bookworm awards to prove it! I also wrote stories which my teacher would print on the old school typewriter for me. I always knew one day I would write books, but I had a lot to do before I was ready to dedicate myself solely to writing.

Did you have a favourite author as a child? 
Enid Blyton. I must have read The Magic Faraway Tree a hundred times.

Do you have a treasured book from your childhood? If yes, what is it? 
The Magic Faraway Tree. I read it to my daughter now and it brings up such happy memories. I also have a faded, beautiful edition of Little Women that my mother bought me when I was eleven. I look forward to reading it to my own daughters.

Do you have a favourite genre of book? 
I love fantasy, dystopias, light sci-fi and paranormal romance.

Is there a book you know you will never read? Or one you tried to read but just couldn't finish? 
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. Despite all the brilliant reviews, I can’t get past the Swedish names and haven’t progressed past chapter 3. If I can’t connect with the characters, I can’t get into the book. It’s not like me – I have very few DNF’s in my reading list!

Is there anything in your book/books you would change now if you could and what would it be? 
You will always look back and think “If I wrote that book now, I would change this, or do that…” It’s part of growing older. Your own preferences change. That is why you should keep writing – you cannot go back, all you can do is move forward. Fiction has a shelf-life. A book that is popular now will not be in a year or two, so there is no point changing anything later.

What do you think about book trailers? 
I think they are a valuable marketing tool, and having a visual is fantastic. That being said, I don’t like seeing an actual face in a trailer before I have read the book, because it gives me a preconceived notion and I like to picture characters in my head. I will always read the book before I watch the movie, for this reason.

What piece of advice would you give to a new writer? 
Don’t quit your day job just yet!! Write because you love it, and keep going. To use a quote I love: Writing is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time. The only guarantee of failure is giving up.

Do you or would you ever use a pen name? 
No, and no. Not unless I was specifically asked to by my publisher. I know that it is sometimes beneficial if you write in different genres. Nora Roberts, for example, writes her “In Death” series under the pseudonym J.D Robb, as she is known for romance. A lot of men, funnily enough, prefer not to buy books written by women.

If you could invite three favourite writers to dinner, who would you invite and enjoy chatting with? 
Sophie Kinsella because she must be hilarious, Stephenie Meyer because she knows Edward Cullen better than I do, and E.L James, because who wouldn’t want to meet the woman who wrote “those” books!

Where can readers follow you?

Your blog details? http://melissadelport.com
Your web site ? http://melissadelport.com
Your Twitter details? https://twitter.com/melissadelport
The Legacy Trilogy Website: http://www.thelegacytrilogy.com/


DREAM MOVIE CAST
By Melissa Delport, author of The Legacy

Sadly, authors have very little say in the casting of movie adaptations of their books. In fact, they have very little say over anything to do with the movie version. I think this is a tragedy of epic proportion, given that we created the characters being brought to life on the big screen.
I am struggling to come to terms with this fact, because there are a few cast members in my Dream Movie cast that I really wouldn’t mind meeting. (Are you paying attention, Mr Spielberg?)
When I started writing The Legacy, I had images in my mind that I used to describe my characters. I actually find this the easiest way to remember all the details about them (hair colour, eye colour, etc) because otherwise halfway though I have forgotten.

So, without any further ado, here is my DREAM MOVIE CAST 
(drum roll, please!)

Rebecca Davis – played by Ashley Greene
Rebecca is the feisty heroine of The Legacy Trilogy. I love writing this character - I love that she's strong yet vulnerable... and she collects soldiers like other women collect shoes! She is the ultimate weapon, and prepared to sacrifice everything for the cause she believes in.

 Aidan Moore – played by Justin Hartley
This fine specimen has long been a firm favourite of mine - ever since he first wore those "toit" green tights as the Green Arrow on the CW series, Smallville. I even sat through the entire first (and thankfully last) season of Emily Owens MD, just to witness this eye candy every Wednesday night. The CW axed the show and my withdrawals began...so imagine my delight when he showed up in the third season of Revenge!!! And he is just SO Aidan.... handsome, clean-cut, wholesome. Yum!

Reed McCoy – played by Chris Hemsworth 
Aidan's nemesis comes in the form of our Sexy Southern Bad Boy, Reed, and who better than Chris Hemsworth to play the role of Rebecca’s equal? He is rugged, handsome, tough, and can pull off Reed’s longer hair. Purists would argue that there are a few tiny points of contention in this casting, but I have addressed each and come up with a solution:
1.   Reed has green eyes: Nothing some contacts couldn’t fix (and besides, LOOK at that face!)
2.   Reed has a southern accent, whereas Chris is an Aussie native: Who cares... LOOK at that face!

Eric Dane – played by Ian Somerhalder
In my opinion, every single movie ever made should feature Ian “Smoulder”-halder, or, as I like to call him: “sex on legs”. Eric Dane is a narcissistic, cruel megalomaniac. Ian Somerhalder is a compassionate philanthropist...but I hardly see the problem. Ian is an actor – ie: he can play any role. And I would so love for him to play the part of Eric.   

Kwan Lee 
 played by an attractive 40-year-old Korean actor

?
Try as I might, I could not think of a single Korean actor off the top of my head. Coming up short, I took to Google with the single-minded determination of a Hollywood casting agent. Sadly, I couldn’t pronounce any of the Korean names, and I still didn’t find my “Kwan”. So I will let you use your imaginations, and picture him as you will.

Morgan Kelly - played by Teresa Palmer
Morgan is the girl we love to hate. She is reckless, stubborn and sassy, and the mother in all of us would like nothing better than  to throw her over our lap and give her the hiding of her life for behaving like a petulant child. In casting Teresa Palmer, I’m certain male viewers will want to spank her for a whole other reason! 

Michael Kelly – played by Alex Pettyfer
Michael Kelly is Morgan’s cute younger brother. With his boy-next-door looks and mischievous smile, Alex Pettyfer’s got my vote to play the quirky lovable character of Michael.

Now that our cast is all taken care of, there really are only three words left to say:

LIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION!

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