Friday, July 3, 2009

Guest author Sandy Lender asks "Who are you thankful for?"

Gratitude
By Fantasy Author Sandy Lender
http://www.authorsandylender.com

I left this guest post until the last minute not because I was procrastinating, but because I wasn’t sure how to phrase all the things I wanted to cram into it. You see, I’m very thankful to all the blog hosts who’ve supported me during this month-long online book tour and to all the bloggers who’ve left lovely comments along the way. I certainly have to thank Kathryne for being the kind soul to finish off the tour today.

There are kind people doing good deeds all around us. It’s the kind people in my life who inspired the loveliest of characters in the novel I’m promoting during this tour. CHOICES MEANT FOR GODS has some complex evil bad guys, I won’t deny that. We’ve mentioned them during the tour. But there are wonderful, good, pure, loving, devoted, loyal, endearing characters as well. I’d like to talk about Kora Rothahn Taiman in particular.

Kora is the matriarch of the Taiman family when the reader is introduced to the CHOICES series. You don’t learn it right away, but you figure out soon enough that she’s a former goddess. This beautiful woman of compassion gave up the life of immortality and comfort in the city of the gods (Mahriket) to live in the mortal world and raise another woman’s child. She is the picture of self-sacrifice and loyalty. Everyone who comes in contact with her owes her gratitude.

Our fabulous heroine, Amanda Chariss, reluctantly accepts Kora’s help in the beginning of CHOICES MEANT FOR GODS, and tries to flee the first chance she gets. She knows who Kora is—the daughter of The Master Rothahn—and she fears for Kora’s safety. Because the complex evil bad guy chases Chariss, the heroine wants to get away from the lovely benefactress as soon as possible. But Kora won’t hear it. She’s convinced she can help Chariss and her wizard guardian.

I’ll let you read the books to see how that turns out. You can read excerpts from my current novel, CHOICES MEANT FOR GODS, and the upcoming CHOICES MEANT FOR KINGS, at my brand new website http://www.authorsandylender.com, but I encourage you to become followers at my blog, too. Now that the online book tour is ending, my tour organizers will pull winners of the hardcover, first editions of CHOICES MEANT FOR GODS, and I’ll post those at my blog. I’ll also have new articles, new info, and new contests in the works there. http://www.todaythedragonwins.blogspot.com

Now for the interactive part of today’s post. Is there someone loving and caring in your life that you owe gratitude? Is there someone you’re thankful for? Chariss, Nigel, Hrazon, Master Rothahn, all of Kora’s children, the lesser goddess Mia, all the citizens of Arcana City, and more are thankful for Kora Rothahn Taiman. Who are you thankful for? “Some days, I just want the dragon to win.”



Not even the gods noticed when Chariss was born with the mark of The Protector. Now she and her wizard guardian seek shelter from a mad sorcerer in a household not just full of secrets and false hope, but watched by the god who will unwittingly reveal her role in an impending war.

When an orphan sets aside a lifetime of running and fear to accept the responsibilities of guarding an arrogant deity, can she face the trials in the prophecies she uncovers? Will Nigel Taiman of her latest refuge dare to use his dragon heritage to bind her to his estate or to help her in her duty?

8 comments:

  1. You're so right, Sandy, there are some really nice people out there and we all have folks we're grateful to - it makes up for all the terrible things that go on in the world.

    While we're on the subject of thanks, thank YOU for all the interesting and informative articles you've posted on your blog tour, I for one, have certainly enjoyed reading them. I hope they'll bring you even more sales!

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  2. Thanks, Hywela! I've had a blast!
    I feel a little tired...
    ***cheesy grin***
    Someone else I'm thankful for--the cashier who just carded me for buying a few bottles of wine. She said anyone under the age of 35 has to be carded. I was thrilled because I'm over the age of 35. Hooray!
    It's the simple things in life...
    Sandy Lender
    "Some days, I just want the dragon to win."

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  3. Hi Sandy!
    So great to have you here!
    My list of all the things I'm thankful for would be soooo long. So I'll just condense it to my family, friends and readers. And my editors. And agent. And two tiny little chihuahuas. And for making it through surgery...
    Sigh.
    I tried. :}

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  4. I lost my dad far earlier than I should have and without being able to tell him "I love you" one more time -- and have tried to make a point of telling everyone "thank you" and "I love you" as frequently as possible, so as to never have that kind of regret again.

    Sandy, I can NOT wait to finish your book or read the next one. I'm so thrilled I found you on this tour.

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  5. Hi there, Mysti,
    I had a boss who was moving to a new job back in 1998. We threw him a going-away party and I had the opportunity to tell him what an honor it had been to work with him. I was able to tell him how much I'd learned from him and what a wonderful mentor he'd been. A month later, after he'd gone to the new job, he passed away from a heart attack far too early in life. We were stunned, but so thankful we had the chance to tell him how much we'd appreciated him...
    So I'm with you there on the idea that we should never pass up the chance to thank people and let them know that we appreciate them. It's good for the soul.
    And, My Stalker, it's been a privilege to chat with you on this tour! I'm so glad you're reading Choices Meant for Gods and I hope you enjoy the story!
    Hope to see you at www.todaythedragonwins.blogspot.com in the future. You can become a follower so you don't have to check it all the time.
    Sandy Lender
    "Some days, I just want the dragon to win."

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  6. Hi there, Kathryne!
    I just sent a note to my oncologist on LinkedIn this week thanking him for getting me to another birthday. Getting through surgery is a big deal! Congrats to you and keep healing! And thank you again for hosting me today for the "fin" of the tour. :)
    Sandy Lender
    "Some days, I just want the dragon to win."

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  7. I am thankful to so many people for many times in my life. Most recently I am thankful for Dr. Eva Litteman. She is my youngest daughter's doctor. My daughter has been ill on and off for 9 years (since she started high school). No one could fix what was wrong. From taking out her appendix to just giving her pills, no one could find the true cause until Dr. Litteman. After another surgery, my daughter was without pain. That was two months ago. Now we are doing final preparations for her wedding in two weeks. Again, I am so happy for her doctor for fini=ding out what was the problem.

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  8. To Orelukjp0,
    There's some fab news! Congrats on all of it! I can't imagine searching for 9 years for an answer.
    Sandy Lender
    "Some days, I just want the dragon to win."

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