Interview with Ray East, author of 'Voluspa' & Win $200!

Ray East and Sam D has moved to Voluspa and live in the Forest of Skotos with their 5 year old daughter and a pet Typhon.  They visit Earth with the help of an Empath from time to time. Ray East did her masters in Phsychology from Univeristy of Sussex and has worked as a counselor for adolescents. Sam D used to teach at a SPJC before he moved to Voluspa.
Their latest book is Voluspa: A Magical World.

To get your copy of VOLUSPA: A MAGICAL WORLD by Sam D & Ray East at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/VOLUSPA-A-Magical-World-Sam-D/dp/0985681608/ref=pd_rhf_ee_p_t_1

To learn more about Sam D and Ray East, visit their website: www.magicalworldofvoluspa.com

About the Book:

Centuries ago, war between aliens and humans almost destroyed the world. To prevent such a war from happening again, a mighty ruler then formed a secret society of nine powerful humans and aliens called the Bramhas. These Bramhas each wrote a book imparting ancient wisdom and knowledge. The possession of these books could bring about untold power and success. The nine books were hidden but the desire to possess those books, still cause men to fight wars and turn against each other. One such war was fought in the realm of Voluspa decades back; the consequences of that war still resonate in this magical land. Two young lovers get caught in this tussle and it changes their destinies forever.

Amy’s humdrum life takes a complete 180’ turn with the death of her stepfather. She goes to live with her grandmother – her only living relative, though she hasn’t seen her in the last five years. Among her mother’s childhood memorabilia, she finds a book ‘Legends of Voluspa’ that captures her imagination. She becomes so engrossed in the book that she starts dreaming  about the places in the book till one night she finds herself inexplicably transported to the new world – Voluspa, as described in the book. Here she meets Drake, who unknown to her is a shape shifter.  Chemistry cackles between the two from the very first and as they discover that they share a lot in common, a tenuous bond forms between the two. ‘I’ll keep you safe’ vows Drake and he remains true to his word as he befriends her and saves her from various troubles that befall her over the next couple of months.
In Voluspa, Amy discovers a new way of life. It’s a magical world inhabited by primarily four clans – Empaths, Morphus, Mendens and the Pulchrous. The Empaths have the power of mind, the Morphus are the shape shifters, Mendens are the healers while the Pulchrous possess physical perfection and strength. With the help of an old family friend, Amy takes her rightful place in the Empath clan. This marks a new chapter in Amy’s life. She realizes her own powers and subsequently starts going to a school to enhance the same. With Drake by her side, she makes some wonderful friends. However, her life is not all smooth sailing; trouble comes when she learns the truth about her biological parents. She realizes that her very existence is against Voluspan law which forbids the union between individuals belonging to two different clans. History threatens to repeat itself as she realizes that her predicament was not that different from what her mother had faced, decades back. She is totally in love with Drake, who belongs to the Morphus clan.
The enchanting world of Voluspa is far from Utopic; it has barely recovered from a devastating war fought twenty years back when the peace of the land is once again threatened by Gangrels, the evil army of aliens.  The two young lovers soon realize that besides contending with forbidden love, they have to deal with other impediments. Ancient enmities, a past war, a much coveted book, all conspire against the two lovers. Gangrels reappear in Voluspa and Drake falls in the clutches of one such evil being who would stop at nothing to realize his fiendish ambitions. Amy and her friends cross realms, face enemies, deal with challenges, solve riddles and brave possible destruction, as they set off on an adventure to rescue Drake.  The ‘Force of Sutra’ clashes with the ‘Elemental Force’ of the Gangrels as Amy and her friends are faced with an indomitable enemy. They use strategic warfare, pit adversaries among themselves and use every last drop of strength, skill and courage as they take on warriors far more ruthless and skilled than themselves.

As Amy embarks upon a quest to save Drake, her love for him is tested at every turn but she never wavers from her objective. Braving imminent death she manages to reach Drake – only to find a changed person. Gone is the man she is in love with, instead a dangerous stranger stood in his place. This Drake was teetering at the edge between becoming completely evil and retaining his own soul. He almost harms Amy but stops himself at the very last minute. His love for Amy proves to be stronger than the evil entity threatening to overpower him.  However when chips are down, Drake comes through. He sets aside his personal well-being in order to save Amy, one last time. Drake is perhaps lost forever but hope dies last – Amy is determined to get back Drake, no matter what the cost.

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Q: Welcome to The Writer's Life!  Now that your book has been published, we’d love to find out more about the process.  Can we begin by having you take us at the beginning?  Where did you come up with the idea to write your book?

I have always fantasized about being able to escape into a book – literally. And that kind of forms the basis of my story and then later, I worked on creating a new world which would provide the backdrop for most of my story.

Q: How hard was it to write a book like this and do you have any tips that you could pass on which would make the journey easier for other writers?

Firstly I wanted to think of something original which would make my book stand out. Secondly I had to continuously work on keeping the tone of the book appropriate for YA. To other writers, the only thing I want to say that if you have the pressing need to share your thoughts, make time to write. Write because you can’t help but not write; don’t write in the hopes of earning millions with your first book. It’s always nice to have more money but don’t make it the condition for writing.

Q: Who is your publisher and how did you find them or did you self-publish?

Self-published.Iwanted to get my book out early and did not have the patience to wait for years, wishing that the book will be published by a Publishing house.

Q: Is there anything that surprised you about getting your first book published?

Realizing that writing a book is only 30% of what makes a successful book. Getting the book out to readers is the real challenge. But with the rise of Social Media, there are more tools available to anyone than there was 5 years ago. E-readers are 13% of the total book market and projected to be 50% of the market by 2015. This would give rise to more Amanda Hocking’s of the world.

Q: Can you describe the feeling you had when you saw your published book for the first time?

 Unfathomable joy – like a dream come true.

Q: What other books (if any) are you working on and when will they be published?

I am working on the second book in the Voluspa series. The story of Amy and Drake continues. The second book in the series should be out in November 2012.

Q: Finally, what message (if any) are you trying to get across with your book?

Our book has a couple of subtle messages but I would like the readers to discover them.In fact, I am hosting several contests on my website and one of them offers a reward for detecting the messages conveyed through the book.

  

Q: Thank you again for this interview!  Do you have any final words?

Even though the book is targeted towards Young Adults, I believe that it would also appeal to a more discerning reader. Thank you and I hope readers enjoy my book and fall in love with the characters of Amy and Drake as I have.