Be Our Guest Post: Michele Israel Harper

16 Aug 2021 4 Comments

by C.O. Bonham in Be our Guest Post, book tours Tags: , , , ,

Today I have the honor of kicking off the blog tour for Michele Israel Harper’s latest book, Silence the Siren.

A couple weeks ago I had the pleasure of dropping a sneak peek of the third book Quell the Nightingale. Silence the Siren is the second book. So I guess we’re going out of order a bit.

Silence the Siren follows the adventures of Ro, the beast hunter, as she travels to the Caribbean to deal with the deadly sirens that have been sinking ships.

Author Michele Israel Harper is joining us today to share about her inspirations for this exciting fairytale reimagining.

But first, here’s what the book is about:

Huntress Ro LeFèvre is hired to hunt the sirens who have been sinking the king of
Angleterre’s ships, and in turn, vast amounts of his wealth. All who have gone before her
have failed.


Fleeing heartbreak, Ro gladly accepts, but there’s just one problem. The king will credit the
Marquis de la Valère, and no other women are allowed on the voyage.


Ro will just see about that. Hiring an all-female pirate crew without the king’s knowledge,
Ro hopes they will follow her to the Caribbean, not take the gold and flee.


But when Ro is plunged deep into the ocean by the siren she’s being paid to kill, presented
the sirens’ side of the story at knife point, and pressed to join them or die, Ro must decide
whether to complete her mission, join the sirens, or something in between.


Before the sirens sink the ship full of men above.

The Official release date is tomorrow. You can order/preorder at the following Link: https://www.love2readlove2writepublishing.com/books/silence-the-siren/

Be Our Guest Post:

Inspirations for Silence the Siren

By Michele Israel Harper

Thank you so much, Cathrine, for hosting me on your blog today! I am so thrilled to be featured for this first stop of my blog tour.

Three things specifically inspired my latest book in the Beast Hunters series, Silence the Siren.

One, Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid.

You see, I had been raised with Disney’s versions of fairy tales, not so much Brothers Grimm. So the first time I read Andersen’s Little Mermaid, I threw the book across the room.

(Okay, so I threw my Kindle, so I immediately had to cradle it and apologize.)

The mermaid didn’t get her prince? She died? And turned to sea foam?

Oh, heck no.

So I had to right certain injustices in Silence the Siren, though my characters totally took over and changed a few things from what I had originally planned.

Two, “The Ballad of Mulan.”

So I thought this would totally be my Mulan story! (Hint: it’s not.)

Mulan is easily in my top-five Disney animated princesses (Belle, Ariel, Moana, Mulan, and Tiana, in that order. Gah! Love Jasmine too. Anyway.), and although I try to pull story elements from the original fairy tale, there isn’t much to Mulan’s ballad.

(Read a lovely version of it here: https://mulanbook.com/pages/northern-wei/ballad-of-mulan)

(Also, can you tell I’m totally obsessed with parentheses right now? I will do my best to refrain for the rest of this post. We shall see if I succeed . . .)

Anyway (can you tell I also get easily distracted?), the main elements I could retell from the ballad are that Mulan dresses as a male soldier to take her father’s place, the men have no idea, and she travels with them for twelve years before she returns home and reveals who she is to her soldiers.

They’re all like, “Wow! We had no idea!”

And that’s it.

(Disney did a smashing job retelling this, if I do say so myself.)

So in Silence the Siren, someone dresses as a boy, sneaks aboard the ship the huntress is on—and none of that plus the many other things happen to her are Mulan-esque.

BUT. Mulan seamlessly moved into my next book, Quell the Nightingale, as herself, and it is glorious. I mean, I’m retelling Andersen’s Nightingale in that one, so it’s even more perfect!

(She is such a cool warrior chick, you guys.)

And three, the story of Snow White and Rose Red.

I have to tread delicately here, because this story thread contains some major spoilers, and these sisters’ full story is revealed in book four, Slay the Wolf.

(Yes, I have the full series outlined and mostly drafted—we’re just in the revising and revising and revising phase.)

Once Quell the Nightingale goes to my editor (next month, I hope?), I shall begin revising what I’ve written for Slay the Wolf. And then I can tell you all you want to know about my Rose Red and Snow White and more!

Whew! This series has taken on a life of its own! And it’s somewhat difficult to focus on Silence the Siren once again when I’m so close to finishing Quell.

But I hope you will love following French huntress Ro LeFèvre on this latest adventure, where she faces off with the English king, travels across the Seven Seas, and faces the Sirens of the Caribbean.

Thank you so much for having me today, Cathrine! I thoroughly enjoyed every moment.

Michele

Giveaway, photo challenge, and party oh my!

Author Michele Israel Harper is hosting a giveaway through Kingsumo. There will be extra entries for joining in the Instagram challenge on the 15th-21st.

Silence the Siren Newsletter Giveaway: https://kingsumo.com/g/2owetc/silence-the-siren-newsletter-giveaway

Want more giveaways?

The Facebook release parties from L2L2 publishing are always a tone of fun and chock full of giveaways.

Online Silence the Siren Release Party, Thursday, August 19th, 8–10 PM EST.

RSVP at this Party Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/l2l2bookreleaseparties

About the Author:

Michele Israel Harper spends her days as an acquisitions editor for L2L2 Publishing and
her nights spinning her own tales. Sleep? Sometimes . . . She has her Bachelor of Arts in
history, is slightly obsessed with all things French—including Jeanne d’Arc and La Belle et
la Bête—and loves curling up with a good book more than just about anything else.

Author of nine published novels as well as an award-winning freelance editor in her spare
time, Michele prays her involvement in writing, editing, and publishing creates many
enjoyable books in the years to come. Visit http://www.micheleisraelharper.com to keep in touch
or sign up for her newsletter.


Social Media Links:
Website: www.micheleisraelharper.com
Amazon Author: www.amazon.com/Michele-Israel-Harper/e/B016YW4Q6Q
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/14554353.Michele_Israel_Harper
BookBub: www.bookbub.com/profile/michele-israel-harper
Instagram: www.instagram.com/michele_israel_harper
Twitter: www.twitter.com/micheleiharper
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MicheleIsraelHarper
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/micheleisraelharper

More Blog Tour Links:

• Tuesday, August 17th, “Random Interview with Author Michele Israel Harper” H.L. Burke,
https://www.hlburkeauthor.com/blog
• Wednesday, August 18th, “Review of Silence the Siren” Kelly Bridgewater, https://kellybridgewater.blogspot.com
• Thursday, August 19th, “Guest Post: Andersen’s The Little Mermaid and Silence the Siren” Jaye L. Knight,
https://www.blog.jayelknight.com
• Friday, August 20th, “A Visual Sneak Peek of the Characters in Silence the Siren” Laura A. Grace,
https://www.lauraagrace.com/blog

Quell the Nightingale Cover Reveal

29 Jul 2021 1 Comment

by C.O. Bonham in Cover Reveal Tags: , , , ,

Today I have another cover reveal/book announcement. This book is the third book in the Beast Hunter series of fairytale retellings. You can read my review of the first book here.

Quell the Nightingale: Book Three of the Beast Hunters

By: Michele Israel Harper

Back Cover Copy:

Huntress Ro LeFèvre races back to France with one thought on her mind: get there before her niece succumbs to a sleeping curse—a niece she didn’t even know she had.

Ro must use all her skills as a huntress to find the enchantress responsible before the child reaches the point of no return, before she is crushed by the curse’s power and never wakes again.

Thanks to her extended time fighting the sirens, she hasn’t much time.

Trapped in a tower with a feisty girl who is far too protective of her pet swans and her enormous coils of hair, Ro’s heart is shattered when the mysterious empress known only as the Nightingale keeps Ro from her goal, toying with her as though she has all the time in the world to waste.

Where is the blasted Queen of the Fairies when Ro needs her most?

This charming and nonstop adventure is a Wild Swans, Rapunzel, and Nightingale mashup, with hints of “The Ballad of Mulan,” and is the third book in the Beast Hunters series.

There is no release date or any pre-order set up for this book, but as soon as there is one rest assured I will let you know.

Cover Reveal Trifecta

28 Feb 2020 4 Comments

by C.O. Bonham in Cover Reveal Tags: , , , , , , ,

I have some news. News important enough to drag me out of my sick bed.

Super author Michele Israel Harper is releasing three books this year, and she is revealing all the covers today!

First is the book I am most excited to read. Silence the Siren is the sequel to the most excellent book, Kill the Beast.

Silence the Siren 

Cover-Reveal-StS-MIHHuntress Ro LeFèvre is offered a job to hunt down and kill a pest plaguing the Seven Seas. A siren has been sinking the king of Angleterre’s ships, and in turn, vast amounts of his wealth.

Fleeing heartbreak, Ro gladly accepts, but there’s just one problem. The king will credit the Marquis de la Valère, and no other women are allowed on the voyage.

Ro will just see about that.

Hiring an all-female crew without the king’s knowledge, Ro hopes they will follow her to the Caribbean, not take the gold and flee.

But when Ro is plunged deep into the ocean by the siren she’s being paid to kill, presented the sirens’ side of the story at knife point, and pressed to join them or die, Ro must decide whether to complete her mission, join the sirens, or something in between.

Before the sirens sink the ship full of men above.

 This fast-paced, high-action adventure is a Little Mermaid reimagining and the second book in the Beast Hunter series.

 Read my review of the first book Kill the Beast here.

 

The next book sounds super interesting. I love science fiction but this sounds like it has elements of fantasy too. The best of both worlds.

Queen of the Moon

Cover-Reveal-QotM-MIHZy has no memory of life before ruling her moon. And it doesn’t bother her in the slightest. Each day is the same: get yelled at by her mother—who is not happy to have been dragged along to the moon’s wasteland—stroll through her town to ensure everything is running smoothly, and then dance under the stars until the Silvers show up for their nightly battle.

And her people watch her fight for them night after night, hatred burning in their eyes.

Her people may snub her, may whisper of overthrowing her, but Zy couldn’t care less. She is queen, and she will be until the Silvers defeat her or she finds a way out of her bargain with the King of the Underworld.

Or so she thinks until a stranger breaches the barriers of her moon for the first time.

As the only one standing between her people and the annihilation of the human race, Zy isn’t about to let some attractive stranger end her rule—but a little flirting never hurt anyone. Anything to keep him from discovering her secret.

 

The last book sounds hilarious, and the cover is so beautiful.

Ghostly Vendetta

Cover-Reveal-GV-MIH“Dare to spend the night in mysterious Rutherford Hall! When? The 175th anniversary of the Rutherford family’s unsolved murder. Ghosts guaranteed. Cash prize: $5,000. Want more deets? Ask Tyler, Stewart, or James.”

I laughed aloud as I read the flyer. Yeah, right. To think that I, Candace Marshall, world’s biggest scaredy-cat, would go anywhere near some haunted house, much less spend the night in one. I crumpled the stupid thing, pitched it in the nearest trash can, and went on my merry, oblivious, and soon-to-be-scared-out-of-my-mind way.

* * *

Candace Marshall doesn’t do ghosts. Or zombies. Or vampires. Or mummies.

Anything scary, really.

When she finds herself signed up for a dare she’s gone out of her way to avoid, things spiral out of control. Quickly.

Stuck in a mansion alongside a vengeful spirit, a miffed boyfriend, and a room full of people she doesn’t know or even like (if she’s being completely honest here), she must decide whether to act brave or let the coward within show.

Or kill the person who got her involved in the first place.

 Ghostly Vendetta is a prequel novella to Zombie Takeover: Book One of the Candace Marshall Chronicles.

Which of Michele’s up coming books are you most excited to read? Or which cover do you think looks the best?

I’m more beast than beauty

26 Sep 2018 18 Comments

by C.O. Bonham in book tours, Dive In Review Tags: , , , ,

Today I’m part of the blog tour for Kill the beast. A book I’ve waited a very long time to read. I just adore all things beauty and the beast. So when I heard about this retelling I just knew I had to have it.

From the back cover:

9781943788040-Perfect.inddRo remembers the castle before. Before the gates closed. Before silence overtook the kingdom. Before the castle disappeared. Now it shimmers to life one night a year, seen by her alone.
Once a lady, now a huntress, Ro does what it takes to survive—just like the rest of the kingdom plunged into despair never before known. But a beast has overtaken the castle. A beast that killed the prince and holds the castle and kingdom captive in his cruel power. A beast Ro has been hired to kill. Thankful the mystery of the prince’s disappearance has been solved, furious the magical creature has killed her hero, Ro eagerly accepts the job to end him. But things are not as they seem.
Trapped in the castle, a prisoner alongside the beast, Ro wonders what she should fear most: the beast, the magic that holds them both captive, or the one who hired her to kill the beast.
A Beauty and the Beast retelling.

Michele-Israel-Harper-HeadshotMichele Israel Harper spends her days as a work-at-home mom and her nights typing away furiously on her laptop. Sleep? Sometimes… She has her Bachelor of Arts in history, is slightly obsessed with all things French—including Jeanne d’Arc and La Belle et la Bête— and loves curling up with a good book more than just about anything else. Author of Wisdom & Folly: Sisters, Zombie Takeover, Beast Hunter, and Kill the Beast, Michele prays her involvement in writing, editing, and publishing will touch many lives in the

Why I Identify with the Beast: A Dive-in Review

Beauty and the beast is my favorite Disney movie for one reason. Belle is an introverted, book reading, brunette. I am an introverted, book reading, brunette. That is where the comparison ends.

 I am not patient and I am not kind. I lose my temper and get irrationally angry, I judge people by how they look. I would rather wallow in self pity bemoaning the unfairness of life, than take any responsibility for my own actions.

 I am much more Beast than Beauty.

Beast Hunter

Me and author Michele Israel Harper at the costume banquet during Realm Makers. I’m the beast.

 This is why a Beauty and the Beast retelling is made or broken by one thing. The Beast.

The beast gets the story ultimately he’s the one who changes. It is literally his character arch. He gets to grow up. He gets to make up for his selfish ways and because of that he is more relate-able. 

So why is the beast so overlooked? Why is he, so often, not even given a name? (I’m looking at you Disney.) You could go on about the patriarchy and their desire to make women conform to their ideals of demure servitude. You could cry Girl Power and write essays about how beauty is symbolic of wresting the power from the aforementioned patriarchy.

 Or you can do what Michele Israel Harper did. She gave us this amazingly flawed beast who learns his lesson and finds love and learns that action is always better than self pity. He has a name!

But she didn’t stop there.

 Michele wrote an amazingly flawed beauty too. Rosette is angry and hot tempered and believes rumors and judges the beast on his fierceness. She won’t listen. And she literally has murder in her heart. The book is called Kill the Beast after all.

 This isn’t just a Beauty who feels like a real person. She feels like me. I can relate to a beauty who makes mistakes and who isn’t held up as some unattainable example of what women should be. And yes she still likes books.

 Michele based her novel on the original french version but she also includes many Disney nods for those who can’t separate fairy tale from mouse tail.

 Finally a retelling about Beauty and the Beast, that makes me feel for both Beast and Beauty.

I just want to keep Gushing about the wonderfully twisted ending but I shouldn’t spoil it for you. At least you don’t have to wait four years to read it. Because it’s out now.

Buy it here:

http://www.love2readlove2writepublishing.com/books/kill-the-beast/

9781943788040-Perfect.inddThere is also a prequel novella set just before Kill the Beast. It’s called Beast Hunter and you can find it here: https://www.love2readlove2writepublishing.com/books/beast-hunter/

A curse has overtaken Ro’s kingdom, blackening the soil, wiping out crops, and bringing ruin. The only people who thrive are the huntsmen, brought in to stem the flow of ravenous creatures. When Ro kills a wolf, an idea begins to form. Could she become a huntress? Before she can act, her father trades her life for his—to a magical beast.

It provides a lot of back story and is just super fun in it’s own right.

I’m giving away a signed copy of the novella Beast Hunter (signed by the author not by me) to one of you lucky readers. Just click through and fill out the Raffle Copter form. (unfortunately this is a physical prize so I need to limit this to United States Only.)

Beast winner

What’s your favorite version of Beauty and the Beast?

Don’t like Beauty and the Beast, what’s your favorite fairy tale retelling?

 

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