Interview & Giveaway with Thea Harrison

Welcome to our second interview with the lovely Ms. Thea Harrison. Here at Book Pushers we’ve become big fans of her Elder Races series. With the newest novel, Lord’s Fall, just released yesterday, we get to go back to the roots of the series and see how Pia and Dragos are holding up.
Thea Harrison Author Image

BP: Ms Harrison, thank you for joining us today. It is always a pleasure to have you here.

Hi, thanks so much for having me again! It’s always a pleasure to visit with you. ☺

BP: Your current full novel in the Elder Races series made a return to Pia and Dragos. Will we see Dragos, Rune and Tiago come together and heal the rift that has sprung up between them?

You do get to see more of Rune in Lord’s Fall. I don’t want to get too spoilerish, so I won’t speak of what happens… Tiago, I’m afraid, has not shown up with the folks from New York yet. Tiago and Niniane’s story gets an update in the fourth Elder Races novella, Hunter’s Season. They’ve solidified Niniane’s position on the Dark Fae throne and have just reached a point in their lives where they can start planning yearly stays in Chicago and the rest of Earth.

BP: Your world building of the Elder race increases in size with each book. How did you start off with your world building, and what research did you do?

I think the research I did is difficult to pinpoint, because it encompasses years of personal interest reading, hobbies, and classes I took in college as electives, such as mythology and philosophy, etc. When I sat down to pull it all together for Dragon Bound, the first book in the series, I set some factors up that would leave the world wide open to further world building, but I didn’t think too far ahead. So far, extending the world building with each story has been a complementary process and it hasn’t been too difficult to reconcile different facts with the series mythology.

BP: Are you able to give us any sneaky hints in what readers can expect after Pia and Drago’s book. Are you open to bribery?

Ooh, bribery! ☺ Book six, Aryal’s story, is under submission with my editor. I don’t want to talk about it much until I know it gets the official seal of approval, but I really enjoyed that story. After that, I’ve done some plotting for the next three books. I have got plans for other non-Wyr stories, and should readers really love the second story about Pia and Dragos, I would like to pursue a third story with them. All of this is contingent on approval from my editor, of course, so it’s very much in process!

>BP: Will we find out more about the Oracle’s prediction for Dragos?

Absolutely! This plot thread is continued in Lord’s Fall.

BP: Your Elves seem to be particularly devious and have demonstrated that “politics makes for strange bedfellows”. What inspired you to make them devious, instead of the omnipotent-mostly-neutral-with-a-shading-of-good side?

I don’t actually see the Elves in my stories as being particularly devious. I actually have a great deal of sympathy for their outrage that Dragos broke treaties and trespassed on their land. Dragos is a frightening creature to someone who is not friends with him, and who, in the past, have been his enemies.

My concept of them is more that they have good, and not so good, aspects to them. Just like everybody else, some of them are good people and some of them are bad, and the bad ones have a talent for making trouble for everybody else.

BP: Some authors prefer to write novels, novellas or even short stories. What length are you most comfortable writing?

Although I learned a lot while writing the novellas that I have to date, for the Elder Races series, I actually prefer the full length novels. But I’m very aware that this might not always be the case, depending on what project I may be working on—for example, contemporaries, or thrillers, as opposed to such a content rich world like the Elder Races universe.

BP: Are you planning on writing any more books with characters we’ve already had POV’s from in the series?

Not at the moment. I want to see how readers respond to Lord’s Fall first. Some people won’t like Lord’s Fall simply because it isn’t Dragon Bound (nor was it meant to be), but if the overall response is strongly in favor of the story, then I would definitely consider more.

BP: We hear that you have a new series in the works. Can you give us any hints or information on what’s it about and when to expect it?

The Game of Shadows novels is actually a duology. The first one, Rising Darkness, releases April 2, 2013. You can read the official cover copy here on my blog. The stories are based on another alternative Earth, although this Earth is nothing like the one in the Elder Races universe. I’m very excited at this project, and I can’t wait to share the gorgeous cover art with readers! (I’ll post more news about that on my blog as we solidify plans for it!)

BP: Do you have any plans in re-releasing any of your back-list titles written under your other author name, Amanda Carpenter?

I do indeed! We’re in the final stages of contract negotiations, and I’ll be sure to post on my blog just as soon as I have the go ahead to share concrete details!

BP: What is the weirdest and funniest guilty pleasures from any of your characters?

The first thing that popped to my mind when I read this question was how Alice, the heroine from the first Elder Races novella, liked to hang out in her Wyr form in the small potted trees in her living room while she watched television.

BP: If any of the characters from the Elder Races found themselves (for whatever strange or wonderful reason) at a fantasy or comic-con, what kind of mayhem or costumes would they adopt?

What an awesome question! Can you imagine a comic-con in the Elder Races universe? I want to go to one! The question makes me think of that movie Galaxy Quest, where actual aliens show up at a sci-fi convention. (I loved that movie.)

In the Elder Races universe, I think probably Light and Dark Fae Trekkies that show up at Star Trek conventions dressed as Spock or other Vulcans has been overdone, but this fact has probably not dissuaded them in the slightest.

Thanks again for such an awesome visit!

I have a question for readers: if you were to go to a comic-con or fantasy convention, which Elder Races character would you like to see there?

BP: Answering Ms Harrison’s question above enters you into a contest to win one mass market paperback copy of any of the previous four Elder Races novels, Dragon Bound, Storm’s Heart, Serpent’s Kiss, or Oracle’s Moon. This contest is only open to the US and closes on Wednesday the 14th with the winner announced on the 15th. Good luck!

22 thoughts on “Interview & Giveaway with Thea Harrison”

  1. It is so tempting to just say all characters at a Comic-Con event 🙂 But I will go with Dragos or Tiago (I really enjoyed his (a great reason to buy an e-reader if you don’t have one).

  2. @SandyH: Part of my comment was deleted. I meant to say. I would go with Dragos or Tiago (I really enjoyed his character). Then I have all the books and even the novellas – a great reason to buy an e-reader.

  3. Oh boy – all of them ;). Dragos for sure and I think I’d love to see Rune too. I love the series. Thank you for the great interview.
    vsloboda(at)gmail(dot)com

  4. I’d love to see Dragos there. I have no doubt that he would be larger than life! Thanks for hosting stop on the blog tour and for the chance to win!
    ehaney578 at aol dot com

  5. I love Dragos, but seeing gryphons, unicorns, all the creatures in the world you created in an illustrated format would be wonderful.

  6. I’m new to Thea’s books so not able to answer the question, but would love to win one to be introduced to her books. Thanks for the chance to win!

  7. Of course, Pia and Dragos and all of the Sentinels would be awesome, but I also think it would be very cool to see Seremela, the medusa. She’s such a unique character, plus, I’m one of those weird people that actually likes snakes, so that would be extra cool.

  8. I have just gotten the first book so I cant really say a specific one. But I think really seeing any of them would be pretty awesome.

  9. Hi everybody!

    It’s so wonderful to be back visiting with folks at The Book Pushers. Thank you for having me!

    I love all the answers. The characters I would love to see at a comic-con would definitely be the ones who are clearly nonhuman–Elves, Dark Fae, trolls… I would love to see the medusa Seremela as well. I think she would be mesmerizing.

    Good luck with the contest, and happy reading.
    Best,
    Thea

  10. I’d have to say Dragos!

    I’m so pleased my friends in the UK can now find your books, courtesy of your UK publisher Piatkus

  11. I would love to see Dragos, Tiago or Tricks hands down! But who am I kidding, would love to see any of the elder races.

  12. I love love all ms thea Harrison’s books.just finished reading lorx’s fall…..fabulous tale.
    Dragos and pia makes a lovely couple….read this book……yummy tale

  13. Texas Book Lover

    It is impossible for me to answer that question since I haven’t read the series yet. I could go with the majority and say Dragos but I really would love the opportunity to read the books to make my own decision and I love the fact that you are offering up any book so we could start at the beginning!

    Thanks so much!

  14. Though Dragos and Pia are my favorites of the series I think I would most love to see Tiago and Tricks!

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