Hi, I'm Kacie and I'm delighted to be here today. I can't tell you how excited I am to be part of the first waves of releases from Finch Books. There's just something about being a part of something new that is a huge thrill. For me, the publication of Demigoddess 101 is doubly so. Not only am I embarking on a sensational new journey of my own but I'm doing so as part of something much bigger as well, the inception of Finch Books. It's overwhelming, exhilarating and a little anxiety-inducing all at the same time.
Kacie Ji
I imagine that is very much how Ava feels in Demigoddess 101.
When Ava discovers she's not just the daughter of not just any god, but Jupiter aka King of the Gods, she's a little relieved. Up until that point she was convinced that she's on the verge of a nervous breakdown. The strange things she's seeing and hearing can't really be happening because divine beings just don't exist. Or do they? When it's proven to her that they indeed do, Ava's whole view of the world is turned on its ear. But why now? It seems a bit too coincidental that it happens on the day she turns eighteen.
Questions are all but forgotten as Ava loses herself in the strangeness of hanging out with gods and goddesses. Though, amid the fun and intrigue, it quickly becomes clear that someone with a lot of terrifying power isn't so pleased with her entrance into their world. When she realizes her new friends-as powerful as they are-are helpless to protect her, it's clear to Ava that she's in deadly danger.
The problem is, in a world where everyone can look like anyone they want, there's no telling who the true threat actually is.
Hopefully my foray into the YA publishing world won't be quite as dangerous to my health as Ava's debut is to hers.
I had a great time writing the first part of Ava's story. Delving into the fantastic dynamics of that world, not to mention the characters that inhabit it, was fun and even a little crazy at times but definitely more of the former. I am currently working on the sequel while trying to keep the flood of ideas for new worlds and new stories at bay while I work to finish it. Diving back into Ava's world is turning out to be great fun. It's like I'm meeting up with old friends again and catching up with what's been going on in their lives. I hope it will lead to a satisfying conclusion to her story that will be as much fun for the reader as it was for me.
Anyway, I hope you'll join me in raising a glass (of something sweet, sparkling and preferably non-alcoholic) to the debut of Ava and to more awesome books from Finch (and me) in the future!
Demigoddess 101 blurb:
When Ava Goddard see toga-clad people that no one else can, she knows her life is about to change.
After first seeing these strange people, Ava quickly jumps to the conclusion that she is A) going crazy or B) she's always been crazy but is only now realizing it. That is until she actually meets one of these hallucinations and learns that she's a demigoddess. Not only that, but she's the daughter of Jupiter himself.
Ava soon learns that being a demigoddess isn't as fabulous as she first thought it would be. Her life is invaded by gods and goddesses who want to befriend her, including a frightening but ironically protective God of Death, a vengeful Queen of the Gods and a snarky dryad in Ava's tree. And on top of it all, she has to deal with her mother, an overdramatic best friend and a soccer playing potential boyfriend as well.
Worse still, there's a goddess who is lurking in the dark and has been biding her time for the past several millennia, waiting for her chance to take over-and she's just found Jupiter's one weakness.
About Kacie Ji:
When she's not writing or sleeping, Kacie can be found discussing plot twists with her cat who usually seems to enjoy being a part of the process. On the days he's not, she usually finds herself wishing there was a way to mainline coffee while she writes, deletes and tweaks until what she sees makes her smile.
About Finch Books:
Finch Books, is a brand new YA imprint of the Totally Entwined Group, launching 26th January 2016.
Finch Books delivers enlightening, influential and refreshing storylines that are designed to inspire the Young Adult audience of today. The Young Adult genre has become instrumental in shaping the minds and impacting the aspirations of our future generations. Finch Books are honoured to be contributing to this significant wave of literature by providing a dedicated platform for authors and readers.
The Finch Team aims to become a world-class provider of quintessential YA literature. We believe that quality is of utmost importance. We recognise and nurture absorbing stories with electrifying plots and dynamic characters from inspiring authors. The result is a truly satisfying and captivating reading experience - the very best stimulation for the imagination.
www.finch-books.com