Welcome to the Chandrea Book Tour!

I am extremely excited to introduce all of you to Marlene Wynn. Marlene debuted this past September with her novel Chandrea: The Return of the Avatar Queen, and today, she’s here to talk about it!

Hey, Marlene Wynn! Welcome to Between Printed Pages, we’re so happy to have you here today~

Thanks! I’m really happy to be here today! Thanks so much for having me!

Before we start, would you like to tell us a little bit about yourself?

Well, I’m originally from Utah and now live in Virginia Beach. Though I do have a day job in the benefits field, I hoping one day to be able to become a full time author.

As a debut author, you must be extremely excited (and nervous) about getting your work out there. What/Who inspired you to start writing?

Its strange…Initially, I wasn’t inspired to write the story so much as I felt challenged to simply write. Not to brag, but I’ve always known that I am fairly decent with the written and spoken word. But, when I attempted to draft documents for work, my bosses always red-lined 90% of what I wrote before I was allowed to send things out. It was extremely frustrating to me, as I knew that there was nothing wrong with what I’d written…it was just too long and had too much extraneous detail for them. One day I found myself at my computer just wishing I could write something for pleasure instead of business. Something where length and extraneous detail were not only accepted but encouraged! And, from that, Chandrea was born. (:

What was the publishing process like for you? What is your advice for others who are trying to get their stories out into the world?

Research, research, research. You can never know enough! Which is better for you? Traditional publishing or self publishing? Why are they different? Which one will make you happier in the end? That answer will be different for each author, and only you can answer it. Don’t make any rash decisions that will haunt you years from now. Get the facts then make an educated decision. For me, it was self publishing all the way. Why? Because I didn’t want possibly wait years to see if some stranger would tell me my book was “good enough”. I didn’t want to give up my rights to my book. And, I didn’t want to work for years to fine tune a story only to get a pittance of a royalty.

Who is your favourite character in Chandrea and why?

Ayden started off being a “mini-me” to Leilah, a sadistic and cruel man. But, as I wrote his story, it became clear that I was missing out on an amazing and completely different story line. One where he is faced with an extreme challenge, something that will change his very life, and what choices he makes to compensate for that. Ayden was the “buried prize at the bottom of the box” for me. (:

If you could name the fan base for your series, what would you name it, and why? (ex. Whovians, Shadowhunters, Beliebers (I had to toss that last one in))

I haven’t thought that far ahead (LOL), but on short notice, “Averillian’s” comes to mind, as the series is called The Averill Series. But, I’m always open to suggestion! (:

Last, but not least, what is your favourite word?

Fantastic!

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions, Marlene Wynn! Congratulations on your debut release! We hope to see more from you soon!

Thanks again for having me! I really appreciate the opportunity!

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Title: Chandrea: The Return of the Avatar Queen [Averill #1]
Author: Marlene Wynn
Publication Date: September 22, 2014
Genre: New Adult Fantasy
GoodReads

Synopsis:

Chandrea Averill thinks she’s just like any other normal young woman. But, on the day of her 23rd birthday, her life changes forever.

Surrounded by magical creatures, dangerous sorcery, and insidious political intrigue, Chandrea desperately wants to return to Earth and the only life she’s ever known. But, the longer she stays, the more she realizes that she may be the only one with the power – both magical and political – to save the people of Lyrunia. Will she find the courage to remain and fight for her home world?

Buy Links:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

About the Author:

Marlene Wynn is a Utah native – fondly referred to as “Utonian” by a friend. She transplanted herself in 1992 from the majestic Rocky Mountains to the beachy shores of sunny Virginia Beach, Virginia and has been there ever since. Though she has worked in the Benefits field for several years, she finally worked up the courage to chase her dream as an author.

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Tour-Wide Giveaway:

Open to US and Canada.