Fantastic Forty ~ Nicole Zoltack

Hi Everyone, and Happy Tuesday!

This week’s Fantastic Forty guest is the one-and-only…

~Nicole Zoltack!~

Author name: Nicole Zoltack
Website: http://www.NicoleZoltack.com
Blog: http://NicoleZoltack.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nicole-Zoltack/93384618347
Twitter:  http://twitter.com/NicoleZoltack

Favorites:

Fave food? Anything Italian
Fave drink (non-alcoholic)? Raspberry Ice Tea
Fave candy bar? Hershey’s Kisses
Fave flower? Red Rose
Fave gemstone? Sapphire (my birthstone)
Fave day of the week? Friday
Fave time of day to write? Late at night once everyone else in the house is asleep.
Fave season? Spring
Fave holiday?  Christmas
Fave color? Red
Fave animal? Pegasus
Fave hobby? Horseback riding
Fave sport? Football
Fave song? Livin’ on a Prayer
Fave TV show? The Vampire Dairies and Once Upon a Time
Fave movie? Gone With the Wind
Fave book? Outlander
Fave author? JK Rowling
Fave word? Dare
Fave quote? All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them. -Walt Disney

Lightning Round:

Coffee or tea? Tea
Cake or pie? Cake
Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate
Salty or sweet? Sweet
Veggies or fruit? Fruit
Owl or lark? Owl
Plot or not? Not
Desktop or laptop? Both
Pencil or pen? Pen
Rain or sun? Sun
Land or sea? Land
Plane or train? Train
Run or walk? Run
Casual or dressy? Dressy
Indoors or outdoors? Indoors
Reading: EBook or paperback? Both
Reading: Novellas or novels? Novels
Theater or rental? Depends on the movie.
Vampire or shifter? Vampire
Jedi or Sith? Jedi
 

Tell us about your new/latest release:

Title: Champion of Valor

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Blurb:
The Mystical Conch Shell of the Sea has been stolen, and it's up to Selliki, the selkie, to get it back. Selliki sets across the continent of Alethereia to find Arnhem, and Gabrael, the mage she loves. Selliki knows that no union between a selkie and a human have ever had a happy ending, but neither can ignore their feelings. Each night, they experience terrible, real dreams that show how doomed their love is.

The final war between Speica and Arnhem is threatening the entire world. Lucifer has aligned himself with Speica and wants nothing less than to bring about the Apocalypse before its time. In the last battle, cowardice is revealed, promises are broken, and many people die. Trolls fight icthyocentaurs, dwarves armed up against the Drow, angels against demons. Only one kingdom will prevail; that is, if the world doesn't end.

Excerpt:

Darkness loomed before Selliki. She stretched and stood. A brilliant light flashed, and she knew she was dreaming.

She glanced behind her. Where was Gabrael? He said he would be here.

She smoothed the beaded red skirt of her gown. Then she patted her hair. She wanted to look her best for her mage. Still Gabrael did not appear. She wrung her hands when she realized it.

Her hands weren't webbed.

She wasn't a selkie.

She was human.

Selliki squealed with delight. A union between a human and a mage would surely work much better than one between a selkie and a mage.

"My, someone's happy."

Selliki whirled around and flung herself into Gabrael's arms. He wore a long white robe, the mark of a high wizard. Their lips met in a tender kiss.

"Gabrael," she whispered. She took his hand in hers. "Look."

Gabrael examined her hand in wonder. "How can this be?"

"In dreams, anything is possible." She giggled.

Music sounded, and Gabrael bowed. Selliki curtsied, and they danced, twirling and laughing, their bodies close together.

The scene shifted, and Selliki walked down a long aisle. Gabrael waited for her, and she ran toward him. A man dressed in black said some words, but Selliki paid him no heed. All that mattered was Gabrael and the happiness in her heart.

Again the scene shifted. Their honeymoon. They were in the mountains, high near the clouds. Somewhere in the barbarian's realm, Selliki supposed. They enjoyed picnics and sightseeing, and even rode on a salamander's back. Selliki wore different gowns on each day, pink, orange, purple, yellow.

Even more time passed, and slowly, Selliki's happiness began to fade away. She remained a doting and dutiful wife to Gabrael, doing all he asked and wished, but still her unhappiness grew. One day, they climbed the tallest mountain. At the top, Selliki saw it. The wide expansion of water. The sea.

Now she always dressed in colors of the sea: teal, turquoise, blue-gray. She no longer cared to talk until the wee hours of the night, nor to do what would ensure Gabrael's happiness. She ignored him and withdrew. She became a shell of her former self, unable to eat, sleep, or even feel.

One day, she could not even bring herself to get out of bed. Gabrael carried her and brought her to the water. As soon as the waves crashed against her body, Selliki's hands became webbed again. The waves washed over her, and her happiness returned, yet she clung to Gabrael and soaked his white robe with tears.

Buy links:

Desert Breeze Publishing: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-160/Nicole-Zoltack-Kingdom-of/Detail.bok

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=nicole+zoltack&x=0&y=0

ARe: http://www.omnilit.com/storeSearch.html?sortBy=bestSelling&searchBy=author&qString=nicole%20zoltack

Barnes and Noble: http://productsearch.barnesandnoble.com/search/results.aspx?WRD=nicole+zoltack&box=nicole%20zoltack&pos=-1&ugrp=1
Sony: http://ebookstore.sony.com/author/nicole-zoltack_151913

Thank you, Nicole, for being my guest today! :)