INTERVIEW and GIVEAWAY
The Donor
by Candace Osmond
The Donor is currently on tour with Bewitching Book Tours. The tour stops here today for my interview with the author and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.
Description
What's the first thought that would run through your mind if you woke up, completely naked, strapped to an operating table, sans a kidney?
What ran through Nora Daniels mind was that, sadly, nobody would even notice she was missing. No family, no friends, not even a boyfriend.
No, there would be no Prince Charming busting down the door to save the day or loved ones to mourn her death. Unless she could find a way to uncover the secrets hidden in her past and discover the one thing tying her to this world.
Excerpt
The strong stench of chemicals and bleach burned my nose and lungs, waking me from a deep and dreamlike haze, my eyes struggling open to find almost complete darkness. At least, I assumed it was; my mind and vision were both cloudy. Beneath the overwhelming odor of some kind of cleanser and noxious fumes, I caught a whiff of something dank, much like mold or mildew. In the distance, I heard a voice - no, two voices, muffled and just close enough for me to make out a bit of what they were saying. The sounds only compromised by the echoes which bounced off of the walls around me.
Was I in a tunnel?
Deep tones meant that both voices were male and I forced my mind to focus. Instantly, a searing pain erupted in my side, forcing the last bit of drowsiness away and bringing me to the surface of my consciousness. I’d never experienced anything so wretched before in my life! The growing pain was far worse than any headache or migraine that I’d ever had. It cut through me, like a hot knife, and every other thought fled from my mind. All I could concentrate on was this horrific sensation, not like a broken bone or a bad cut. No, it created an image of someone slicing into me and placing a burning hot coal, straight from the fire, deep into the right side of my body.
Instinctively, I reached to pull out the offending rock and instantly began to panic when my arms wouldn’t move. I thought, perhaps, the excruciating pain had caused my brain to not connect to my limbs. But as my natural reflexes had me trying to move, I felt the restraints at my wrists and ankles, holding me down. They were tight, and I realized they cut the circulation to my feet and hands. Trying to assess my situation, I noticed the cold, flat surface beneath me and, as I turned my head, the smallest bit of light crept into my line of vision.
I was blindfolded.
True panic had my blood pumping hot and fast through my body, and I attempted to control my breathing, trying to negate the effects of the agony in my side as well as my fear. I would never find a release if I didn’t calm down.
With clearer perception now, I noticed that the blindfold was thin, perhaps the black nylon of a pair of pantyhose, and it had slipped ever so slightly, allowing that small amount of light to shine just beneath it. Squinting and focusing until my eyes ached, I made out fuzzy shapes through the blindfold. From my limited perspective, I could tell that the room was larger than I’d first imagined, with tall ceilings, and I heard the familiar humming of bright fluorescent lights. The sound echoed the sensation in my body as I forced myself to ignore the debilitating pain.
Turning my head to each side, I took note of what appeared to be several small, cot-like, beds.
Hospital beds?
No, they were more like operating tables...and I was on one of them. I couldn’t make out occupants on top of any other beds, nor could I see anyone standing in the room I was in. But there was a darker spot in a far corner, and the voices seemed to be coming from that direction.
It must be another room.
Flexing my face and working my eyebrows, I managed to continue moving the blindfold so that I had a little more visibility. I tried one more time and got the entire thing shifted so it only rested on my eyelids, barely affecting my ability to see. I could pick out the two men standing in the frame of two open double doors, and I saw a tattoo on one of them.
With the material still weighing on my eyelids, it compromised my ability to see their upper bodies, but I stared at the tattoo on the man’s calf, just below a pair of loose beige shorts. It was shaped like a diamond, but the corner was too dim for me to catch the details. I stared hard, making sure to burn the image into my memory. I would use it to aid the police in finding my captor.
If I ever made it out of here alive.
Featured Review
Nora Daniels is alone, when she disappears no one notices. When she wakes up strapped down and injured she realizes she has only herself to rely on. Then she's rescued by someone and she's not sure who. She learns things about herself that seem unbelievable and put her life and that of Dr. Henry Stokes in jeopardy. If the puzzles of her past can be unraveled it may save them both. This is a fast paced medical mystery with a lot of action and some romance mixed in. I really liked it and will definitely be on the lookout for more books from this author. A must read for people who love the medical mystery genre.
Interview With the Author
For what age group do you recommend your book?
What sparked the idea for this book?
At the risk of sounding just like every other author whose book idea was sparked by a super fantastic, life-changing dream ... well, it came from a dream. I don't quite remember the whole thing, but it revolved around me getting kidnapped and losing a few organs. I woke up with one question; why? Why would anyone want my organs? A year later; The Donor.
Which comes first? The character's story or the idea for the novel?
Ohhhhh, definitely the character's story! The Donor is a gut wrenching, roller coaster ride of Nora desperately trying to find out who (or what) she is.
How do you hope this book affects its readers?
I hope that The Donor sucks readers in and allows them to escape the real world, just for a while, and let themselves get wrapped up in Nora's crazy journey. There's a lot of meaningful flashbacks throughout the story that I hope readers pick up on near the end, too.
How long did it take you to write this book?
In total, after everything said and done, about a year. I worked on it in between other projects and my freelance writing. I had a lot of amazing and creative people help bring this one to completion.
What is your writing routine?
That's actually a funny question. Or maybe it's the answer that's funny. My husband built me this beautiful aged cedar desk; it spans the entire length of my office and even has a peninsula. But do I use it? No. I plant my butt at the kitchen table with a load of coffee and a hoard of snacks, while my kids run around like tiny crazy people. For some reason, it works for me. I can polish off 10K words a day like that! But I heard somewhere that Mario Puzo wrote the first Godfather from his kitchen table while his kids played at his feet. When he sat down to write number two, in his fancy new office, of course, he fought with writer's block. It wasn't until he went back to the kitchen table that the book actually got written. Maybe it's true, maybe it's not. But it makes me feel better!
Where is your book published?
What advice do you have for someone who would like to become a published writer?
Don't stop writing! Utilize great online resources like Wattpad for beta readers, writing forums, etc. Be with your people, ones with the same interests and goals. Don't edit as you go or you will never finish. There are two really great quotes that I have on my office wall (that I could see everyday should I decide to ever use the space). "Don't tell me the moon is shining; show the glint of light on broken glass." - Anton Chekov. And then, “When writing a first draft I remind myself that I’m simply shovelling sand into a box so that later I can build castles.” - Shannon Hale.
Great advice! What do you like to do when you're not writing?
Hmmmm, is sleep a reasonable answer? If not, then I would say eating sushi and watching movies with my husband.
Okay, we'll go with that. What does your family think of your writing?
At first they thought it was amusing; I tend to discover hobbies and go full force for about a month before I give up. So, when I published my first book, Iron & Wine, I got a lot of comments like, "Wow, this is an ACTUAL book!" Now they're super proud and supportive. (Of course. lol)
Fantastic. Please tell us a bit about your childhood.
Well, I had a bit of a strange childhood. Strange, but good! My parents moved A LOT. I had been in about a dozen schools and lived in almost every province in Canada by the time I graduated from high school. But I experienced culture and people and saw a lot of cool stuff. I spent most of my years in Eastern Canada where the myths of fairies and magic are, and will always will be, strong. I wouldn't trade it for the world.
Did you like reading when you were a child?
LOVED it. I wasn't exactly what you would call the athletic type. So, I naturally gravitated towards book clubs, the library, museums, etc. I spent many late nights curled up in my bed with a fan of books around me. Let's just say I was over the top when the Scholastic orders came in.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
It was in high school. I obviously loved reading and I had dabbled a bit in odd writing jobs/projects. I applied to three different schools for Creative Writing, got accepted to every one, and then decided on a career in Design at the last minute. I worried that writing wouldn't pay off as a viable career. Boy, was I wrong! But I honestly think that I waited until the right moment to make the switch back to writing.
Did your childhood experiences influence your writing?
Absolutely. I've met a huge variety of people in my short life and they all range in personality, family, interests, looks, religion, accents, etc. I think that my childhood gave me the gift of character creation.
Which writers have influenced you the most?
This list is just too long to show here! But, I'll narrow it down to the big guns, my go-to authors, the ones who've not only influenced me but also permanently changed me for the better. Stephenie Meyer, Melissa Marr, Cassandra Clare, Holly Black, and Robin Bonzon.
Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
I hear from them all the time! I'm on Twitter, Facebook, and Wattpad so I interact with my readers as much as I can. Without them, authors would be writing for no one but themselves, really. We owe everything to our readers. I tend to get a lot of, "Oh my gosh! I loved the first book in your series! When's the next one coming out?" or the newest one I've been getting is, "You write YA Urban Fantasy, why did you branch off into SciFi Fantasy?"
What can we look forward to hearing from you in the future?
I've got a ton of great new books in the works and I'm eager to share them with my readers! I'm working on some Romance, another Fantasy, and maybe another miniseries. Stay tuned you guys! Come find me on Facebook or Twitter, I'm always up for a chat!
Thank you for taking the time to stop by today, Candance. Best of luck with your future projects.
About the Author
Published author and freelance writer/editor Candace Osmond was born in North York, ON. From there she began her journey of discovering Canada, moving every few years and experiencing what every province had to offer. She was surrounded and influenced by many cultures which broadened her mind and personality. Coming from a family of writers and artists dispersed throughout, it was inevitable that Candace follow in her family's footsteps. By the early age of ten years old, Candace had won numerous writing and art competitions including a nationwide art contest for the Louie the Lightening Bug Play it Safe Around Electricity program where the company used her winning ad design. A few years later Candace found herself writing for the local news flyer and then branching off into fiction writing.
Candace published her first book by the age of 25, the first installment in a YA Urban Fantasy to which two others were published with it; The Iron World Series.
Candace is one of the creative writers to www.sssh.com, an acclaimed Erotic Romance website for women which has been featured on NBC Nightline and a number of other large platforms. Her most recent project is a screen play that is pending a nomination for an AVN Award.
Aside from writing, Candace did manage to get her certification for Interior Design and Decor. After years of working with fellow designers, architects, and home owners, Candace won a Peak Award for Best Kitchen Design under $10,000.
Now residing in a small town in Alberta, Canada, with her husband and two kids, Candace writes full time, developing articles for just about every niche, two more novels, and a hoard of short stories.
Giveaway
Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win some great prizes.
Bonus giveaway: Free ebook copy of any available backlist titles if you review The Donor on Amazon and send your review link to: candy_1415@hotmail.com.
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