Blog Tour: TARNISHED by Erica Rose Eberhart

 

TARNISHED

Erica Rose Eberhart

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GENRE:  Fantasy

 

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BLURB:

 

In the struggling city of Braewick, a determined 20-year-old gate guard named Ailith MacCree longs for a chance at financial stability and adventure. Little does she know, her wish is about to come true. She accepts a mission from Princess Greer that promises both: escort Princess Caitriona to the Endless Mountains to meet the enigmatic hermit for a great financial reward. Ailith jumps at the opportunity and bids goodbye to all she's ever known. But as they journey together, Ailith discovers that Caitriona holds a dangerous secret-she possesses powerful magic in a kingdom where magic is outlawed.

 

Ailith and Caitriona face mysterious attacks and supernatural challenges. But as they delve deeper into the treacherous landscape, Ailith learns of Caitriona's tragic past and the dark curse that threatens her very existence.

 

With rebellion brewing in Braewick, and the oppressive king hot on their trail, Ailith must not only navigate her growing feelings for Caitriona, but also fight against relentless foes. As they race against time to stop the curse, Ailith and Caitriona uncover shocking truths about their kingdom, their families, and themselves.

 

Will their burgeoning romance survive the trials ahead? Can they break the curse and save their homeland from tyranny? Join Ailith and Caitriona on a thrilling quest filled with magic, danger, and heart-pounding adventure. Fans of high-stakes fantasy will not want to miss this epic tale.

 

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Excerpt Three:

 

“She took three of our men. We’ll come back for what remains of them later.” The hunter walking beside the cart smiled at Ailith. The short sword hanging at his side still dripped blue blood. “But we got her anyway.”

        

He patted the uncovered head placed proudly on top of the cart. A woman’s head, by all appearance, until you noticed her pale skin had a slightly green hue, the ripple of gills just behind her ears, and rows of pointed teeth in her open mouth, all the tell-tale imagery of a caroling countess. A tickling of unease rose along Ailith’s neck as she looked at the corpse. She shifted on her feet, attempting to appear unbothered. The guard didn’t notice her discomfort, or perhaps he didn’t care. “King Cearny will be glad; don’t you agree?”

 

“Aye, leave her be,” the driver of the cart chided. Another hunter, older than the one on foot, and more kind, offered

 

Ailith a soft smile. “You’re the same guard when we left yesterday afternoon. Haven’t you finished your shift?”

 

Ailith pressed her lips together and shook her head. The scent of the countess’ blood filled her nostrils and made her queasy. This was the closest she ever came to a countess, although she heard the creature’s song for a fortnight and witnessed men leave through the northern gate never to return. Now she lay before Ailith on the cart, her eyes vacant and cloudy. One of her hands, so human-like besides her nails ending in clawed points, stretched forward as if begging Ailith for aid.

 

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 What are some of the habits you practice as a writer?

 

I've been writing for decades and I've grown to understand that my writing habits are never a forever habit. It's a habit for now. Life changes and there's always a new thing that I'm up against, new tasks and new situations. When I wrote TARNISHED, I was a stay at home mom with a toddler who was not yet in school. He was home full time and being a toddler, wasn't one to be left alone. Finding time to write, let alone making habits, was a hard thing at first, but generally we've slipped into a routine and with that some habits have stuck around over the last few years and even into this current period of life where that toddler, now a little kid, has full school days and I have hours that I can devote to writing. 

 

My habits are simple, but practicing them has helped me abundantly in being able to switch off my mind from other tasks and focus on writing. It comes down to three things: a clean desk, a beverage, and a lit candle. No matter the hour that I write, if all three items are in place I can focus. I've always worked best with a clean desk, even as a child in grade school if I had a project to do I had to clean my desk first and foremost before I was able to focus on doing the task at hand. This has been a lifelong tendency that's leaked into my personal and work life. Having a drink on hand is also something I picked up from school due to carrying a drink around to classes or always having one at work. When I'm considering my next move--whether it's what email to answer or what sentence to write--I often will sit back and sip my drink as I consider. But the candle, that's something new that came into being as an adult. While working on my graduate degree for English literature and creative writing, I often would light a candle at my desk because it was a set period of time where I would be in one place and not leave the candle burning unattended. This persists to this day and I purchase specific, special candles from my local indie bookstore that are only burned if I'm sitting down to write. At no other time are they allowed to be burned and I adore them for that fact. It ties the scent to the practice and becomes so much more of a sensory thing. It's particularly special when I do 5 am writing sprints in the low light of the morning; there's a particular comfort with candlelight and no matter how tired I am, it sets the mood for creating new worlds. 

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Erica Rose Eberhart grew up in the Catskills region and spent many formative years in both Eastern Pennsylvania and Northern Virginia. She now resides with her family and cat in the Finger Lakes region of New York. A technical editor by trade, she has a Master’s degree in English and Creative Writing. Erica has written stories since she was able to write sentences and has found comfort in fantasy her entire life, whether by consuming fantastical stories or creating her own. Beside the comfort of books, Erica adores nature walks, crocheting, embroidery, cats, baking and autumn. You can follow her many adventures on social media @ericaroseeberhart. Tarnished is her first published novel.

 

Website: https://ericaroseeberhart.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericaroseeberhart/

TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@ericaroseeberhart

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7268034.Erica_Rose_Eberhart

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ericaroseeberhart

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/ericaroseeberhart.bsky.social

 

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GIVEAWAY 

Erica Rose Eberhart will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

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