Win a $15 GC: The Blood Prophecy: Queen's Ascension by Barb Jones

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Barb Jones will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

What was the hardest scene from your book to write?

For Queen’s Ascension, I would probably have to say the long-awaited battle that the world has been waiting for. I struggled for a bit to find the right ending. In fact, I went through several variations of how this should end till the right one came along. I mean, Evil could win, Good can win, there can be a draw where everyone dies, or something other. I wanted the battle to help formulate the prophecy’s intent.

But another part of the book that’s always hard are the romance scenes. I try hard to be realistic with the way the relationships evolve to keep it real for the readers but also, I want to give them that certain connection they desire.

Why did you choose to write in your particular field or genre?

I grew up as a child in Hawaii and idea of legends, folklore, mysteries were just a natural part of my life. With that in mind, the fact that one of our houses was haunted, it all seemed to stimulate my curiosity. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, next to Christmas, and I loved dressing up as a witch, vampire and other supernatural creatures. I just fell in love with that genre. I guess, in a way, because of how I grew up, my love for the paranormal just increased.

If you write in more than one genre, how do you balance them?

I also have written children’s books (based on King Arthur as a little boy – age 5) but my love is really in writing paranormal. I do write poetry but usually that’s a little more reserved for special moments.

What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

I think probably the fact that I was able to see the prophecy through. I mean, it started before Queen’s Destiny but Queen’s Destiny brought the characters together. From there, they were united by love, friendship and more to prepare for the battle. In this book, Queen’s Ascension, I was able to bring their “hard work”, their challenges, their love, to fruition.

What book that you have read has most influenced your life?

People laugh when I say it because I don’t think it is a common book that would have influenced many people to say the least. I love Edith Hamilton’s book on Mythology, and well, there’s a book on the history of the world too that I tend to read often but Hamilton’s book really inspires me with the mythology.

Tell us a little about yourself? Perhaps something not many people know?

I am part Hawaiian, Filipino, German and a few other things. Most people wouldn’t realize a lot about my Hawaiian side, as I take after my mother, who is German. My sister, however truly looks more on the Hawaiian and Filipino side. In fact, not many people realize just how far back my Hawaiian side truly goes. I have Royal Hawaiian blood in my family tree and so far, I have been able to create my Hawaiian family tree back to 1765 in Hawaii. It is certainly a work in progress but I love research and find this most interesting.

Probably the other thing about me that most people don’t realize is that because of my mother, I learned to never give up. It’s easier said than done. But as a child, I experienced a lot of epileptic seizures but outgrew them. In fact, I missed 2 years of schooling in Hawaii but in one summer I made those years up to graduate eighth grade and start High School at St. Francis. I learned from my mother, if you fall, get right back up and continue on. And I carry that motto with me in life today.

Can you tell us something about your book that is not in the summary?

I would say, if you read this book, you will learn History. I bring to life certain historical events that allow you to relate to the person. For example, do you ever wonder what kind of person Mozart really was? Or Alexander the Great? I do my research and bring historical figures to life. By the way, Alexander the Great is one of my favorite history figures and that says a lot because I love history.

When the darkness was compelling and the heart knew no bounds, was there really a right choice? With Michael's life hanging in the balance, Amber had a choice: save her star-fated love or keep on the crusade to unite the magical community. For Amber, her fate was sealed even before her birth and it was her destiny to fight the great battle ahead of her. But, when it came to her heart — her friends, her great love — Amber's torn. Not only was she the Queen, but she was a human in every sense of the word. She was vulnerable. And so the very people — Chloe and Michael — that gave her strength, quickly became her weakness. It wasn't her fault she loved too much, was it?

Nevertheless, the Tall Dark Man had set a plan in motion that could threaten the very existence of the Blood Prophecy. Would he gather his dark forces and succeed in destroying Amber once and for all? Or, would she assemble her powerful friends and save the world?

Enjoy an Excerpt

Malakai, Seattle, Present Day

With the betterment of both Michael and Rae, Malakai was glad that they were well and fine; nevertheless, he needed some time to decompress. All the magical commotions that had occurred were too overwhelming for him. He needed some sort of release.

He enjoyed the brisk jog in the park, as he cut through the sharp wind of the cold night. But this did nothing to lift his spirits. He was happy that Amber’s smile finally met her eyes. That was all he’d ever wanted for her: happiness, that’s it. There was nothing more he could ask for—she was his priority. Yet, in the back of his mind, as in his heart, he couldn’t help but believe the ancient legend that he’d heard so long ago was the certifiable truth, as it was written in Eschmun’s scroll.

…her fate is tied to the true alpha of the wolves. A blood drinker will stand formidable, but it is the nature of the child to call upon the true alpha and bring him to the queen’s inner heart.

Could this be the truth? he often wondered as he traveled the world collecting artifacts and evidence supporting this notion. Yes, he’d crafted a reliquary, quite accidentally, and people assumed it was to keep the magic insulated, away from the humans. But that wasn’t the case, at least not for him. He so wanted to believe, just from the sheer fact that it was said in the scroll. But Malakai was a man of logic, driven by cold hard data. Although wanting to romanticize that his destiny was tied with Amber’s, he needed confirmation. He wanted validation for the strong emotions he was feeling.

About the Author:

I was born in Hawaii, a place rich with culture and storytellers. As a little girl, scary tales about vampires, werewolves, angels, demons, and witches were my favorite kind — much to my mother's dismay.

The scarier, the better.

My love for the supernatural never went away, even after moving to Seattle, far from Hawaii's majestic beaches with unusual colors. Nothing compares to the landscapes of Maui, Lanai, or Oahu. But somehow, Seattle stole my heart anyway. It became the place where my love for stories took on a new form, in a book of my own: The Adventures of Little Arthur and Merlin the Magnificent. This book is for kids who love stories, just like I did.

Then I had an idea while sleeping.

One night, my mind began to work overtime. In a dream, I saw a unique storyline involving all the races and an epic battle of good versus evil. It was a modern day plot with a three thousand year old prophecy, The Blood Prophecy. I finished the first book in 2014, The Queen's Destiny. Two years later, I released The Queen's Enemy. The last book in the series, The Queen's Ascension, released on August 17, 2020.

Today, I live in Florida with its beaches and sunshine. But I'm still a Seattle girl at heart. And so all my stories take place in the Northwest.

I always keep to my roots when I write.

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