EFC Promotions Blog Tour: The Wolf Mirror by Caroline Healy

 

The Wolf Mirror
written by Caroline Healy
expected publication February 2017

find it here: (affiliate links) Barnes & Noble, Amazon, iBooks, Goodreads

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review and as part of an EFC Promotions Blog Tour Event. 

Did I enjoy this book: I liked everything about this book but Cassie. Actually, I didn’t like Lady Cassandra that much either. Don’t get me wrong–I really liked the story, and, you know, Mr. Charles Stafford. Yum. It’s a fun twist on a familiar plotline, and I enjoyed the read. I knew going in that both girls needed to do some serious growing up (it’s in the teaser blurb, for goodness’ sake), but, I don’t know, I guess I’m a bit too old to enjoy the company of teenagers. If I’d have read this book twen . . . um . . . ten years ago I’m certain I’d have given it five stars. I’m old, though, so I was mostly on Judge Miller’s side.

 

Would I recommend it: Yeah. It’s got its moments. =)

 

If you would like to review this book, please email us at efcpromotions@gmail.com.

 

About the book – from Goodreads: Changing places doesn’t always help you see things differently.

Cassie throws the first punch in a brawl at Winchester Abbey Girl’s School. Her subsequent suspension is a glitch in Cassie’s master plan; Finish School/Get Job/Leave Home (and never come back). As punishment her mother banishes her to Ludlow Park, their creepy ancestral home. In the dark of a stormy night Cassie finds herself transported to 1714, the beginning of the Georgian period.

With the help of a lady’s maid and an obnoxious gentleman, Mr Charles Stafford, Cassie must unravel the mysterious illness afflicting Lord Miller. If Lord Miller kicks the bucket the house goes to Reginald Huxley, the brainless cousin from London.

Cassie’s task is to figure out who is poisoning the Lord of Ludlow without exposing herself to the ridicule of her peers, getting herself committed to the asylum or worse, married off to the first man who will have her.

Cassie must learn to hold her tongue, keep her pride in check and reign in her rebellious nature – because the fate of her entire family, for generations, rests on her shoulders.

Meanwhile, Lady Cassandra Miller frantically searches for her smelling salts or her trusted governess Miss. Blythe, whose soothing advice she would dearly love. Instead Cassandra finds some woman and a boy squatting in the Ludlow mansion; her father, her lady’s maid and all the servants have magically disappeared.

Tell-a-vision, the In-her-net, horseless carriages and women wearing pantaloons; Cassandra is afraid that she might have inhaled fowl air causing her to temporarily lose her senses.

Only when both girls can get over their pride, societal prejudices and self-importance will they be able to return to their rightful century. Until then, they are free to wreak maximum damage on their respective centuries.

 

Describe your ideal writing space?

I was once fortunate enough to win an award to attend a writing retreat at Cill Rialaig in Ireland. It is a very special place in County Kerry in the townland of Ballinskellig.

Ballinskellig, historically, was a secular settlement for holy men and women who wanted to live a quiet life. They grew food for monks who lived on Skellig Micheal, which is a World Heritage Site and the location where they filmed the most recent Star Wars film.

This place in Ballinskellig consists of eight tiny cottages dating from the medieval period. The cottages are bare and only contain the essentials for visitors. No television, no internet, no distraction, lots of gale force Atlantic wind, sea swell and squawking seagulls.

This place was the most magic of places, a really beautiful setting. I was stranded here for two weeks. At the beginning I thought I was going a bit mad because it was SO quiet but I managed to write a huge amount because there were NO distractions. My ideal writing space.

What are your five favorite words?

I love the word actually. When I was a kid I used to add the word actually, actually to every actual sentence I actually said. It used to actually drive my brother mad. Actually.

Cretin is always a good word to have handy. Most cretin’s can’t really understand that you are insulting them when you use that word to their face.

Starlight (is that two words or one?) I love this word because it makes me smile when I think of it. I saw my first shooting star this summer and it was magic. So Starlight makes me think of magic and that always makes me smile.

Unicorn (see reasoning above).

Pajamas – who doesn’t like that word and all it brings to mind.  Every now and then I like to decree that it is Pajamas Day . . . a day where I loll about in my pajamas drinking tea, reading, eating cake . . . in fact . . . I now declare . . . Today Shall Be A Pajamas Day!

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

You should read this book because it is about young women learning to be strong, to be independent, to kick-ass.

Why did you did you decide to write The Wolf Mirrror?

I wanted to write a historical romance for young adults, a take on the classic that includes modern influences. In The Wolf Mirror, there are corsets and carriages but there are also mobile phones and Snapchat.

Do you have a favorite character in The Wolf Mirror? A least favorite?

It took me blood, sweat and tears to write every book so a character, even one with flaws is close to my heart. Every character is necessary in this book and so all have a role to play, there is no lesser or greater.

What is your process? Do you plan everything out before you begin writing or just go for it?

I learn from my mistakes and I once spent six months writing a project with no plan, no breakdown, no chapter outline…needless to say it went in the bin because it was totally disorganized and manic. I get an idea and I plan in stages of three, a story with a beginning, a middle and an end. Then I work to chapters with beginning, middle and end and I build characters that start from one place and progress to another (in terms of character development).

Computer? Typewriter? Pen and paper? What is your favorite way to write?

I plan in paper and ink, and I complete with keyboard.

Coffee or Tea?

Tea.

What kind of background noise do you prefer when you are writing?

The sweet sound of silence.

What is your favorite genre to read?

Historical. No fantasy. No wait, mystery. Actually the classics . . . ahhhhh, it’s really hard to decide.

Who is your favorite author?

That’s a question right up there with picking favourite child or pet. It is not possible to answer.

What is the one book you think everyone should read?  Jane

What did you want to be when you grew up? An archaeologist

Tell us three things about yourself that cannot be found on the Internet.

I hate marmite. I have two tattoos and my best friend from primary school is still my best friend today.

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

I am writing two books at the moment . . . (a big no no but can’t be helped). I am working on a middle grade historical adventure called Leonard Moonfinger and the Giant’s Ring and I am also just finished first edit on an adult book called Which Craft?, about a witch.

 

About the author: Caroline Healy is a writer and community arts facilitator. She recently completed her M.A. in Creative Writing at the Seamus Heaney Centre, Queen’s University. She alternates her time between procrastination and making art.

In 2012 her award winning short story collection A Stitch in Time was published by Doire Press. Fiction and commentary has been featured in publications across Ireland, the U.K. and more recently in the U.S. Caroline’s work can be found in journals such as Wordlegs,The Bohemyth, Short Story Ireland, Short Stop U.K., Five Stop Story, Prole, Literary Orphans and the Irish Writers’ Centre Lonely Voice

Her debut Y.A. novel, Blood Entwines was published by Bloomsbury Spark in August 2014 and she is in the process of writing the second book in the series, Blood Betrayal, as well as a short story collection, The House of Water.

She has a fondness for dark chocolate, cups of tea and winter woollies.

(More details can be found on her website www.carolinehealy.com)

Find Ms. Healy here: Web, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Instagram, Pinterest

 

Tour Stops

Feb 13: EFC Kickoff (review)

A Good Book Can Change Your View For Life (spotlight, interview)

Feb 14: The Desert Bibliophile (review)

Feb 16: Maureen’s Books (review)

Rainy Thursdays (review)

Feb 17: Glorious Panic (review)

Feb 18: CBY (spotlight)

Sip, Read, Love (review)

Feb 19: Bound4Escape (review)

Feb 20: Second Run Reviews (guest post)

 Daughter of Moonlight (review)

Feb 21: Romantic Escapes (review)

Feb 22: A Page to Turn (review)

Feb 23: Zerina Blossom’s Books (review)

Writing Pearls (spotlight)

Feb 24: Underneath the Covers (spotlight)

Feb 25: The Pages In-Between (review)