Interview & Review 'Sora's Quest (Cat's Eye book #1)' by T.L.Shreffler

Winner of the SKOW 2006 Best Fantasy Award!

A noblewoman, an assassin, and a soul-stealing necklace....
Sora planned on running away from her wedding, but she never expected to be kidnapped! Dumped into a world of magical races, arcane jewelry and forgotten lore, she finds herself at the mercy of a dangerous assassin, haunted by an even darker past. She yearns for freedom, but he won't let her go -- not when her Cat's Eye necklace is the only thing that can save his life.
But the necklace itself presents a problem. It is an ancient device from the long forgotten War of the Races, and its magic has the ability to steal souls. Can Sora learn to wield its power -- or will the power wield her? *amazon.com*

Let me start by saying, Cover LOVE! The story did not disappoint, I was jerked in from the first page and, before I knew it, I was screaming at my Kindle because I’d come to the end. The writing and the story are completely original and, although you’re just reading the story, it will seem as though you’ve been swept away and dropped into the middle of Sora’s world; Shreffler is just that good a writer. Her characters embody realism, depth and courage.

Crash (AKA Viper) stole the book for me though, a complete ass to the point of hating him in the beginning.. and yet, there is that mystery about him that makes you second guess your initial opinion of him. Sexy, brooding and secretive; I can’t wait to run into him again in book 2 (conveniently titled Viper’s Creed!). I thoroughly enjoyed watching the relationships between the characters as they developed and grew, leaving me in tears several times! Shreffler leaves us on the edge of a cliff, anxiously waiting to see what will happen with Sora and Crash.

I do love a strong female character and Sora definitely delivers. She is young and unsure of herself to start but, she is determined to see her journey through to the end and becomes extremely loyal and protective of her 3 new friends by the end.

I give this book 5/5 but, that’s just my two cents.

T.L.Shreffler was kind enough to answer a few questions for me about herself and her book, without further ado, here is my Interview with T.L.....

*Tell us a bit about yourself.

I am a writer, werewolf, assassin and cat-lover from Los Angeles, CA! When I'm not buried under pages and pages of fantasy writing, I interview famous celebrities and bands for Tinsel Tokyo Magazine (I am also the assistant editor.) I also tutor small children. They love me because I give them lots of candy.

*Where were you born and where do you call home?

I was born in Los Angeles, CA but I will always think of Seattle, WA as my home. People in LA can certainly come off as shallow and superficial, but that just isn't me! I'm a country girl at heart. I love deep forests, rain, wolves, open fields and jaw-dropping sunsets.

*For those who are unfamiliar with your novel; Sora's Quest, how would you introduce it?

Think dark assassin + rich noblewoman + magical necklace = one crazy adventure! It's a story for YA readers about action, romance, self discovery and pursuing your dreams. :)

* What research did you do to come up with the finished story? Or, was it a fantastical idea??

It was a very fantastical idea! I researched some things, like different kinds of weapons that the characters used, but a lot of what went into the book came from personal experience. For instance, I ride horses, I've taken fencing and Kung Fu, I've studies lots of religions, world cultures and mythology.... And somehow it all got regurgitated into a fantasy novel. Go figure!

* What are the Pro’s and Con’s to being an Indie Author?

The Pro's are the immediacy. It is very frustrating waiting around for an agent to like your book, especially when you've already had positive feedback from readers (I originally published Sora's Quest as a larger novel, "Cat's Eye," when I was 16.) Now I can share my writing with the entire world, without having to give up my rights or share the credit with anyone else. ;) The Con is that I don't have a multi-million dollar company backing me that can pay for my book tours, promotions and marketing. OH WELL. I'm happy as an indie and who knows what the future might bring. :)

*Whom in your life would you say has influenced you the most?

Definitely my father. I'm a daddy's girl. He passed away three years ago but I still live my life up to his standards. He had a famous rock band in the 70s (the Crome Syrcus) that played with Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, The Doors and other bands. He's even in a museum in Seattle! With a role model like that, I know for certain that you can do anything if you really pursue it.

*What has been the most interesting comment (or review) about your book?

Someone gave me a 3 star review because they said the character on the cover didn't look like the character in the book, which I thought was funny because I actually made the covers for my own books. Readers are strange! But everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I suppose!

*Who is YOUR favorite Author?

I am desperately in love with Ursela K. LeGuin. She writes a bit more adult fiction/fantasy but is a brilliant writer. Her technique is amazing! You should definitely check out The Left Hand of Darkness.

*What are you reading right now?

Many different things! I'm always reading a bunch of books at the same time, which is why I never finish anything, lol. The most recent one is Falls the Shadow by Melissa Sasina! A really excellent read about sky pirates and Norse mythology.

*Fill us in on book 2! Release date, synopsis, any juicy details you want to share.

Book 2 will be released on October 31st, right around the corner! We will definitely be getting more into Crash's character (the dark assassin) and a whole new adventure for Sora to embark on. His relationship with Sora will also be expanded... but I'll leave out any spoilers, hehe. There will be sacred weapons, evil wraiths, Dracians, bandits and a sea voyage. So hop on board! I will also be doing a digital book tour for the month of October leading up to the release, and I'll be giving away some free copies, so stay tuned for that.

I post up art of the characters, Youtube videos, random freebies and all sorts of stuff on my facebook page, so check it out if you want the latest updates:www.facebook.com/tlshreffler

Thank you so much for hosting me on your blog, Tammy! And thanks to all of you guys for reading. Stay cool!

-Theresa

As a special, Shreffler is making Sora's Quest free today at Amazon.com! Now you can all have your very own copy of this Fantastic book...

http://www.amazon.com/Soras-Quest-Cats-Eye-ebook/dp/B007V5XND8/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345300869&sr=1-1&keywords=soras+quest

For my part, I'm going to giveaway a Sora's Quest Book Thong to 1 lucky follower! Custom made by Rhonda via Crazy Creations. (this giveaway is NOT international, US only)

* COMING SOON * Blog Tour hosted by Tam's Two Cents, Vipers Creed, the exciting continuation to Sora's Quest. 10 days of fun and some fantastic freebies.. October 22-31st.

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