Dark Innocence (The Star Seer’s Prophecy #1)
written by Rahima Warren
published by Rose Press

find it here: Barnes & Noble, Amazon, iBooks, Goodreads

About the book: The “twin-souled dark innocent,” Kyr, is a youth born and raised to blindly carry out the Soul-Drinker’s brutal commands. At first, Kyr’s one desire is death, the only escape from the Soul-Drinker’s hellish rule. Just when he is about to get his wish, the secret Circle rescues him. Now he has to choose between the familiar easy path of despair and death, or the hard path of healing, living, and a greater destiny, about which he knows nothing. How can a slave who has known only evil, pain and obedience choose to become a man of courage and compassion, and fulfill the Star Seer’s Prophecy?

Every Free Chance Book Reviews is pleased to welcome Rahima Warren, author of Dark Innocence, to the blog today. She has answered the following questions for all of you.

Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book.

Dark Innocence is a dark and inspiring fantasy about the healing journey from evil to love for readers who desire a story that will take them on a deep, magical and meaningful journey of their own.

Where did you get your inspiration for Dark Innocence?

I was inspired by the amazing ability of people I worked with in my 20 years as a psychotherapist to recover and heal from terrible trauma or abuse. No matter how dark their lives, the light still shone deep within, and the desire to become their whole, true selves still burned.

I see that you are a psychotherapist. How did you get into writing fiction?

Well, you see, that wasn’t my idea. I had thought about writing a self-help book or my memoir. But then one day, I wrote a short story in my journal to pacify a dream/fantasy character who had been bugging me for years. From one point of view, that was a big mistake! (I’m kidding!) This character, whose name is Kyr, took over my life and insisted that I write his entire story. It took three years and a whole trilogy, The Star-Seer’s Prophecy. Then I had to learn to write fiction, and edited and revised many times, working with an editor. Finally, Book One: Dark Innocence was published in 2011 as a paperback. And now I am celebrating its release as an e-book with this blog tour.

Any other books in the works? Goals for future projects? 

I have written the two sequels to Dark Innocence. I am revising Book Two: Difficult Blessings, and will be editing Book Three: Dangerous Bliss after I get Book Two published.  Then, there’s my spiritual memoir still waiting for me to write it so I can figure out what I’ve been up to this life-time.

What is your favorite genre to read?

Fantasy, for sure. I love deep, rich fantasy that deals with real human dilemmas at the same time as taking me on wonder-full adventures full of darkness, beauty and magic!

Who is your favorite author?

Oh, too cruel! I can’t say I have just one favorite. There are too many wonderful authors, such as Patricia McKillip, Charles de Lint, Ursula LeGuin, Carol Berg, and Sheri S. Tepper, to name a few of my “keepers” – the ones I keep to re-read.

In your opinion, what is one book that everyone should read?

Now that is a difficult question. And it takes me in a different direction. I would have to say that the world would be a better place if everyone read and understood The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. This is a book by a modern Western spiritual teacher that can help the reader to free him/herself from the limiting cage of the past- and future-obsessed ego-personality.

Tell us three things about yourself that cannot be found on the internet…at least not found easily.

Hmmm. Practically everything is on the Internet these days. The concept of privacy is disappearing. But let’s see:

• I love dragons!
• I hate Brussels sprouts!
• In my youth, I was a cross-country skier. I loved sliding across the crisp, white snow under gray or blue skies, with the scent of cold pine trees, so different than summer-warmed pines. I once skied 14 miles in one day!

There, now everything about me is on the Internet. Just joking! I’m keeping a few secrets to myself.

What fantasy story has inspired or guided you in some way?

About the author: Rahima Warren is the author of Dark Innocence: Book One of the Star-Seer’s Prophecy, a deep, rich novel of the healing journey. With Master’s degrees in Clinical and Transpersonal Psychology, she was in private practice as a licensed psychotherapist for over 20 years. In 2006, Rahima retired to focus on her expressive painting, creative writing, and spiritual studies.

In her work with clients recovering from abuse, she was awed by the human capacity to heal, and to reach new levels of forgiveness, wholeness and happiness. She also learned to trust the psyche’s own process. This enabled her to allow a dark and mysterious story to flood forth unhindered: Dark Innocence: Book One of the Star-Seer’s Prophecy.

Rahima is a third-generation native of California and resides with her husband in Northern California, where she periodically chases squirrels off the wild bird feeders, and deer away from her roses. Her life-long love of fantasy is her parents’ fault: they left sci-fi & fantasy magazines with fascinating cover art lying around the house.

Find Ms. Warren here: web, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Pinterest

And now for the GIVEAWAY!! 

Rahima is giving away prizes, including an e-copy of her book at each blog stop on her tour AND a Grand Prize Giveaway of a Custom Jumbo Tote Bag with your choice of fan art, chosen from here: http://www.starseersprophecy.com/fan-art/, plus other goodies, including a signed copy of Dark Innocence for one lucky winner, shipped to anywhere in the world!

1)      To win a book: Leave a comment on a fantasy story that has inspired or guided you in some way to be entered to win a book. Be sure to leave your email address in the comments so we can contact you if you’re the lucky winner. This giveaway ends five days after the post goes live.

2)      To win the Custom Jumbo Tote Bag with Rahima’s fan art of your choice, or a signed copy of Dark Innocence, or other goodies, fill out the Rafflecopter form below. A winner will be selected on June 21st.

Enter for the Grand Prize on Rahima’s website here: http://www.starseersprophecy.com/blog-tour/
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy reading wherever you are and whenever you get a free chance!!!