It’s my stop with MTMC Tours to talk about Gild by Raven Kennedy!
Gild is glittering fantasy that pulls together myths and legends to create a dark and dangerous world. It’s centred around the myth of King Midas (which I find fascinating because I’d not read a retelling of this before) and it’s packed with intrigue and danger, and perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas and Jennifer L Armentrout. Auren is gold-touched and forced to live in a cage in King Midas’s castle. Their relationship is complicated and there are some secrets you’ll never guess.
It delivers a story of resilience in the face of abuse and is a fast read. (Note: it explores explicit adult themes, content warnings below.) A fast read for fans of fae, mythology, and tricky plot twists. It ends on a cliff-hanger that will have you reaching for the next book!
There’s a Q&A with the author below and a giveaway, as well as another giveaway over on my instagram!
The fae abandoned this world to us. And the ones with power rule.
Gold.
Gold floors, gold walls, gold furniture, gold clothes. In Highbell, in the castle built into the frozen mountains, everything is made of gold.
Even me.
King Midas rescued me. Dug me out of the slums and placed me on a pedestal. I’m called his precious. His favored. I’m the woman he Gold-Touched to show everyone that I belong to him. To show how powerful he is. He gave me protection, and I gave him my heart. And even though I don’t leave the confines of the palace, I’m safe. Until war comes to the kingdom and a deal is struck.
Suddenly, my trust is broken. My love is challenged. And I realize that everything I thought I knew about Midas might be wrong. Because these bars I’m kept in, no matter how gilded, are still just a cage. But the monsters on the other side might make me wish I’d never left.
The myth of King Midas reimagined. This compelling adult fantasy series is as addictive as it is unexpected. With romance, intrigue, and danger, the gilded world of Orea will grip you from the very first page.
Please Note: This book contains explicit content and darker elements, including mature language, violence, and sexual assault. It is not intended for anyone under 18 years of age. This is book one in a series.
Amazon | Book Depository | Indiebound | Blackwell’s | Goodreads!
ABOUT RAVEN KENNEDY
Raven Kennedy writes in a range of genres, including fantasy, paranormal, contemporary, dark romance, and romcoms.
Whether she makes you laugh or cry, she loves creating worlds and making characters you can root for.
She is a California girl born and raised, drinker of tea, and lover of dark chocolate. When she’s not writing, she can be found binge watching The Office and The Great British Baking Show, or with her nose stuck in a book. Find her at Website | Instagram | Goodreads
Hi Raven! Thanks for stopping by my blog today to talk about your latest novel, Gild! Can you tell us a little about how Unwritten went from seed of an idea to finished novel on our shelves?
Hey! So, I had this idea for writing a story inspired by King Midas, because I have always been intrigued by that myth. I wanted to do my very own twist with it, in a different way than people might expect. I think the interesting thing about Midas is how the richest man in the world can still lack anything of real worth, and I wanted to delve into the cost of greed. I also wanted to highlight women empowerment that might look differently than the usual FMC who is immediately strong and powerful, and instead, show someone’s growth not just physically, but emotionally and mentally as well. Plus… I always knew I wanted to do a fae twist, because I love fae romance.
The twists were definitely epic, especially at the end there (ahhh!) As a prolific author of many incredible books, has your writing process changed since you started?
My writing process has been mostly consistent, although I have learned my lesson about taking really good notes and keeping that updated as I go. But for the most part, I always envision the main character first and foremost, and then I just see where she or he takes me.
I’m very much a character-first writer too, so I love that! Favourite part to write: beginning, middle or finale of your story?
Beginning, definitely. Planning is not my strength, so by the time I get to the middle and end of a book, I have to …outline (*shudder*) instead of just listening to my character’s voice, and that’s harder for me.
Sort of feel books should start to write themselves by the middle 😪 We started them off nicely after all 😌🙌🏻 Can you introduce us to Auren and your world in Gild?
Auren is a woman who has had some major hardships, but what I love about her is that she doesn’t let the bad win. She will grow throughout the series, maybe not in the way people expect, but it will be true to herself, and she will also learn what love really looks like.
I’m a huge fan of retellings and using the myth of King Midas is such a unique and fascinating idea! Are there any other myths or classics or fairytales you think would be fun to retell?
To be honest, I gravitate toward the more obscure myths or classics that I haven’t seen anyone else delve into. My first published series was inspired by cupids, and this one, Midas, because I hadn’t seen any other books with those elements. So, if I ever do another inspired-by series, it will probably be another more obscure one.
Honestly the underdone myths need more love. We’ll keep an eye out for whatever you do next! And lastly! Was any chocolate harmed in the making of this novel? 😌
Chocolate is harmed in every novel. Dark chocolate espresso beans, mounds bars, and the occasional Reese’s had to be sacrificed.
They went to a worthy cause 😪🙌🏻Thank you so much for this super fun interview, Raven! All the best with Gild and the sequels’ being out in the world!!
Enter the Rafflecopter below to win 1 of 10 digital copies of Gild.
Ends on May 22nd, 2021. Winners will be announced in the rafflecopter & contacted via email by MTMC Tours.
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Aah, this is amazing!! Loved the chat with the author! ✨
Wow! This book sounds really good, I haven’t read any book about Midas neither, although is one of my favourite myths. So I think I’d enjoy a lot this one.