Emerald City Review & Author Interview + Giveaway!

Available for Pre-order at Amazon

I received this book via Netgalley.  I had been drawn to the phrase on it's cover: "They say it's darkest just before dawn".  That phrase reflects a big deal of emotion. I couldn't wait to read this book. Later, the opportunity to be part of this blog tour presented and here is my review for this book by author Alicia K. Leppert.

Emerald City tells the story of a young woman named Olivia, who after facing a series of emotionally arousing situations questions her life. Amid these circumstances meets Jude, a young man who from the beginning proves to be friendly and demonstrate a genuine interest in her welfare. Time passes by and this relationship goes through a metamorphosis, where not only a genuine interest for friendship is present, but also love becomes a part of their lives. When this feeling appears, both characters will face decisions that affect them both greatly.  Their lives will have a turn and they will have to be stronger than ever to defend what they believe in: their lives together.


About the book
This book will transport you from a regular life to a paranormal world in just a blink.  You will find secrets in the characters that will really surprise you.  You willl see the emotional side of the story, but also the characters will be protagonist of moments full of action.


The author Alicia K. Leppert creates a world around a genuine character, as is Olivia. Olivia goes through experiences similar to the ones any of us could undergo. This allows us to care about her and about her evolution as a character. Olivia is not an static character, just the opposite, she discovers new strengths in herself and I admire her for being a character who ask questions. Joining Olivia, is Jude. He represents a figure of altruistic ways, and a figure with a helping hand and kind heart in the middle of an industrial city.


The story maintains an aura of mystery around Jude. Olivia constantly questions the motivations of Jude and his actions. This creates an atmosphere of mystery that makes the reader to consider a variety of motivations for the actions of Jude. We trust and distrust him at the same time.


Finally, the aspect that I liked the most about this book is that the author took the task of creating believable characters. They demonstrate concerns, emotions and doubts. They lead normal lives that reflect everyday life.


I would expect to see more of this characters in the future.


Do I like Olivia?
She is insecure at the beginning of the book, but later she evolves into a self assured woman with purpose and motivation to improve herself.


Do I like Jude? 
He has good intentions, but his decision making is not always the best.    


Rating: 4 out of 5 stars 


Thanks to Netgalley and Cedar Fort Books for giving me the opportunity to give my honest review of this book. 

Interview with Alicia K. Leppert

For this Blog Tour I had the opportunity to Interview author Alicia K. Leppert.  I want to share this with you.  Enjoy the interview and give a nice welcome to her.    

source

Why did you tittled your novel Emerald City?
As I was writing the book, I kept waiting for inspiration to strike for my title. I really thought something would hit me like lightning as I neared the end of the story, and I would know without a doubt what my title should be. But that never happened. So I held a contest on my personal blog for title ideas. I had many suggestions, none of which were ones I actually wanted to use. However, two separate suggestions gave me the idea of Emerald City, which is Seattle's nickname. It was the only title so far that I loved, and I knew it was the one. I knew there was a risk of people assuming my book had something to do with The Wizard of Oz (which many people have) but I hoped that my cover--the picture of the Seattle skyline--would clear that up.

If you had the chance, would you take your story to the big screen? Which actors and actresses do you visualize could play the roles of your characters?
I can think of nothing more exciting than seeing my story and characters brought to life on screen. I've tried to think a couple of times who could play Olivia and Jude, but I never got very far with it. I think it's because I see my characters so perfectly in my head as individuals. Assigning an actor/actress to them would change who they were in my mind. Plus, I want my readers to be able to form their own picture in their heads of what the characters look like. I think if I were to name a few actors, that's all the readers would see when they read the book! (Not a very fun answer, I know.)

What holds for Jude and Olivia in a world where they will be constantly fight to keep their ties?
Their desire to be together. They'll do whatever it takes to overcome any forces fighting to keep them apart. Because of the events that take place in Emerald City, their commitment to each other is iron-clad.

I could read in your site that since childhood you knew you wanted to be a writer , what was key to give you enough confidence and determination to have an specific goal in an age that one day you want to be an astronaut and the next a teacher? Did anyone was an inspiration to you?
It is true that I have wanted to be a writer my entire life. But, just like you said, there were times I wanted to be other things as well. In high school I wanted to be a psychiatrist. After high school I wanted to be an actress more than anything in the world. But through it all, there was always a part of me that wanted to be a writer. I was always writing, whether in journals or attempts at writing a book. I always knew that sometime in my life, I would finally do it, really sit down and write a book. It just happened a lot sooner than I ever imagined. The desire to write became too strong to ignore any longer. Plus, I was at a place in my life where I was able to do it. My kids were older, more independent, and I had the time. The person who inspired me to finally do it was actually Stephenie Meyer. When I read her story about being a 29 year old stay-at-home-mom who had a dream one night and started writing about it (which led to the phenomenon that is The Twilight Saga), I realized, I can do that. And I can do it now.

After having published "Emerald City", your first experience publishing your work, what advice can you give to other aspiring writers?
I still feel totally unqualified to answer this question! All I can say is what worked for me. 1) It's true what they say: write what you know. If you write about things you know about, it's easier, more enjoyable, less stressful. Plus you can spend your time writing instead of researching, which honestly, I hate to do. 2) Write what you care about. If you are passionate about your topic, it will come through in your writing. If you write just what you think people will want to read, that will come through in your writing. If I hadn't been in love with my topic and characters while writing Emerald City, I wouldn't have been drawn back to the computer again and again. It would have become a chore, not something I loved to do, and I would never have finished it.

To finish this interview, I read you took Spanish for various years, do you have some words for your Hispanic readers?
Thank you for reading! I hope to one day be able to converse with you in Spanish, fluently!

You can look for this creative writer at: Twitter Facebook Goodreads
The good people of Cedar Fort Books are available at: Twitter Facebook Goodreads Pubisher Blog
They have been really kind to offer an ebook copy of this book for my readers to win.



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