Storytellers On Tour is a Blog/Instagram Tour organising service. It was born out of Justine’s (Whispers & Wonder) and my love and dedication toward SFF indie books and authors. Our goal is to give as much exposure to our clients as we can, while we also build a community among our Roadies. Find out more about us on www.storytellersontour.online!
This past week we gave the spotlight to To Dream and Die as a Taniwha Girl, the newest stand alone novel in the Yarnsworld series by Benedict Patrick in celebration of its release! Our Roadies brought a wide selection of content to this show with reviews, interviews and other posts. Now it’s time to bring the show to an end and it’s my pleasure to present you with the encore, including some extra content. Come and learn a bit more about the world of To Dream and Die as a Taniwha Girl through our Q&A with Benedict!
Shall we?
Benedict Patrick is from a small town in Northern Ireland called Banbridge, but has been living and working in Scotland since he moved there at the age of eighteen. Tragically, that was quite a while ago. He has been writing for most of his life, and has been reading for pretty much all of it (with help from mum and dad at the beginning). Benedict’s life changed when a substitute primary school teacher read his class part of The Hobbit and later loaned him the book – he fell in love with the fantasy genre and never looked back.
There is a price to pay for becoming a story.
Kaimana has defied the gods and won the freedom to spend the rest of her days travelling the collection of tropical islands she calls home.
But the people of the islands have taken notice of her.
They have started to tell her story; for many children, one of their favourite fireside tales is now that of the Taniwha Girl, the brave woman who befriends monsters.
Some islanders even pray to her.
The gods are displeased, but they are not the only ones paying attention to Kaimana’s rise to fame. On the borders of the island ring, an ancient demon – an old enemy of the Crescent Atoll – spreads its influence, and a spider-faced figure shadows Kaimana’s movements.
To secure her own safety, and that of her island home, Kaimana has to make a choice: turn her back on the people of the Crescent Atoll and continue enjoying the life she has won for herself, or give up all she holds dear to live up to the legend of the Taniwha Girl.
Click on the blog name to read their full review or other content!
NOVEMBER 18TH–THE WELCOMING
Whispers & Wonder – spotlight + IG spotlight
NOVEMBER 19TH
Betwixt The Sheets – review
“I’m not sure there has ever been another book that hurt me as much as this one did.. and I couldn’t be more glad for it. I will absolutely be looking for more of the Yarnsworld titles, especially those involving Kaimana and Rakau. This wasn’t just a story, it was an experience and a work of art.”
Beneath A Thousand Skies – review
“This was a fantastic read, and I actually enjoyed the fact that it took a slightly darker path than the others. I would highly recommend To Dream and Die as a Taniwha Girl to anyone who loves fantasy rife with mythology, fairytales and with that feeling of a story told across the ages. I am incredibly glad I finally dove into Yarnsworld and will be eagerly waiting to see what the author does next.”
NOVEMBER 20TH
Sadie’s Spotlight – spotlight
NOVEMBER 21ST
Day Leitao – interview
NOVEMBER 22ND
Natrosette – review
“I highly recommend To Dream and Die as a Taniwha Girl to anyone who is ready for a gritty, emotional, and surprising read that explores themes of freedom, heroism, revenge, and redemption within a vivid world.”
@theenchantedshelf – IG spotlight
NOVEMBER 23RD
Fantasy Book Critic – interview
@missbook_reader – IG spotlight
What inspires your writing? Do you listen to music, stare into the fire, listen to the whispering of the wind, make deals with the Devil?
I tend to find I have a few dozen story ideas pottering about in my head at any one time. They can come from all kinds of places – stories I enjoyed elsewhere, stories I was disappointed in (really fertile ground this one), striking images that I experience during the day (the Gentleman Fox from In the Shadows of the Owl Queen’s Court was birthed by the sight of a fox standing on top of our guinea pig hutch in the middle of the night) – and most of them amount to nothing. A few stick the test of time, and these (often after spending years in there) eventually make their way onto the page.
Describe an asylum set in the world of your book, Finding Your Harpy Place!
I feel that many qualities that might get someone committed elsewhere might be celebrated by certain factions on the Atoll; there must be a god or two out there that preferes followers with an… atypical outlook on life. The god of sea snails, perhaps? There’s a rock someone out there on the Atoll Ring populated by sea snails, and the smattering of random worshippers that have come to pay homage at their god’s altar.
Your MC is locked in an asylum. What did he/she do to end up there?
Kaimana would certainly be committed for the voices in her head – whether it is a spark of inspiration forming into a beautiful tune to play on her ocarina, or stray prayers of Atoll villagers asking her for help.
Which fictional character (it can be one of yours) and/or author would you like to live with in an asylum and why?
The notion of living in an asylum makes me deeply uncomfortable (that’s why I’m squirming right now; nothing to do with what the voices are telling me to do), so I’d like someone reliable to ground me in reality. We’ve been watching The Lord of the Rings films with my kids for the first time recently, so Aragon fits the bill nicely, thank you very much.
While you are locked in here for eternity, we will allow you one book – what would you choose?
…Eternity is a very long time, Timy! I’d like to cheat, and take Neil Gaiman’s entire run on The Sandman, please. That was a formative work for me when I was younger, and it has been far too long since I’ve picked it up.
Well then, we hope you’ll enjoy your stay in the Asylum! Any last words? locks door
Help?
If you are interested in To Dream and Die as a Taniwha Girl and would like to get in contact with Benedict Patrick, you can find him on social media:
Find out more about Storytellers On Tour or join our team:
Grab a copy of To Dream and Die as a Taniwha Girl on Amazon!
1 Comment