Friday 9 May 2014

Author Interview ~ M.H. Soars.


Today is my tour stop for The Prophecy of Arcadia where I'll be interviewing the author, M.H. Soars! To follow the rest of the tour, click the banner above to take you to the schedule but don't forget to check out the book and enter for a $50 Amazon giftcard plus ecopy of the book at the end of this post.



Tell us about yourself.

I was a total nerd while growing and up and enjoyed the company of books more than of people. Thankfully, I've moved on from that anti-social phase and can call myself a geek now (trust me, there is a difference). I might not be that introverted person anymore but my passion for books not only remains, but it has evolved into something much bigger. I'm not satisfied with only reading books. Now I have stories to tell too. Oh, and before I forget, I'm also a shoeholic. :)


What was your inspiration behind writing The Prophecy of Arcadia?

I've always been fascinated with space travel and the big question 'what's out there'. But I wanted to write a relatable sci-fi story where the main characters face the same problems and dilemmas that humans do. So the story doesn't take place in space and there isn't any travelling by spaceships either.


The Prophecy of Arcadia is the first book in your Arcadian Wars series. Why did you choose to write a series and not a standalone novel?

This story couldn't possibly be told in one book only.


I love the cover for The Prophecy of Arcadia – who designed it?

I did.


What have you found most challenging about writing your debut novel?

English is not my first language, so I'm always second guessing my grammar. But the most challenging aspect of the writing process was describing places. Generally, my first draft is pretty bare in terms of setting. I like to get the story down first and then come back to fill the gaps.


What has been the most rewarding aspect of your writing journey so far?

Connecting with my readers. It's an amazing feeling when they say they loved my book.


The Prophecy of Arcadia is a YA Sci-Fi novel – do you have plans to write books for other genres or do you think you’ll always write for a similar genre?

I like the Sci-Fi and Paranormal genres, so I'll definitely write other series in those genres. However, I have already started projects in the YA and NA genres. Both contemporary romances and standalones.


Have you ever considered what The Prophecy of Arcadia would be like as a film? Who would you cast?

I know that every author's dream is to have their books turned into film. However, I think the Arcadian Wars series would translate better as a TV series. I would cast AnnaSophia Robb as Alexia and Douglas Booth as Ethan.


Do you prefer print books or ebooks?

I prefer to read print books but only buy ebooks now. I don't have any more space to store books!


If you could meet three authors for their inspiration and advice, who would you choose and why?

Marion Zimmer Bradley. She's my favourite author of all times and responsible for my passion for the Sci-Fi genre. J. K. Rowling. I don't even need to explain why, right? Cinda Chima Williams. I just loved her Seven Realms series.


Name the best book you read last year, your favourite book and the book at the top of your TBR.

Best Book of 2013: Lover at Last by J. R. Ward. Favourite book: The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. Top of my TBR list: Cinder by Marissa Meyer and Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins.


Which one book that you have read would you love to written yourself, and why? The Hunger Games and not because of all the success. That book sucked me in, the action scenes had my heart racing. I really want to be able to write gripping scenes like that.


Thank you! :)



Title: The Prophecy of Arcadia (Arcadian Wars #1).
Author: M.H. Soars.
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal/Sci-Fi.
Publication Date: January 17, 2014.

Purchase: Amazon

Being a teenager is tough, especially when you have to pretend to be something you’re not, and you’re in love with someone you shouldn’t. 115 years ago, a small planet called Arcadia was invaded by a vicious alien race and nearly destroyed. Cut off from their resources, the Arcadians turned to Earth for help. A group of Arcadian explorers discovered a Prophecy that claimed their salvation lay in the hands of two children from Earth. To ensure their safety, the Arcadian Council sent their most gifted youngsters to Earth to act as protectors. Samantha is one of them.

To succeed in her mission she must learn to control her Arcadian powers and keep her true identity from her best friend, and the girl she swore to protect, Alexia. But Samantha will soon realize that nothing is as it seems. Someone is trying to prevent the Prophecy from taking place and the prophecy boy hasn't been found yet. There is also a new drug circulating at school that is turning students into freakishly strong menaces.

To make matters worse, distractions keep getting in her way. Such as her love/hate relationship with her “cousin” Matthew. Or her confused feelings toward popular and mysterious Julian. She wants nothing more than to be free to live her life. But the survival of Arcadia depends on her and her friends. Free will is not an option.





The mess hall was one of the few places in the castle where opulence wasn’t present. The walls were white and devoid of any decorations, the long tables and benches were of a simple, dark wood and there were huge windows everywhere. It wasn’t a place where the Council members ate or congregated, and therefore I preferred it. The food was all right, not as alien as one would think. It was no secret that the Arcadian supply of food came from Earth, and with that came the way to prepare them as well. Arcadians only consumed the healthiest products. I don’t think they even knew about junk food.

My original impulse when I saw my sister was to shout her name, but not wanting to draw unnecessary attention to us, I grabbed my breakfast and sat down next to her like it was routine for us to be alone in the same room.

“Hi, Mel.” Melanie was so distracted playing with her food that she didn’t notice me until I greeted her.

Her head snapped up. It took her a few seconds to process my presence. When she did, she pulled me into a tight hug.

“Matt, what are you doing here?”

“What do you mean?” I asked, still hugging her.

She leaned back. “Did you come to visit me?”

I frowned. “No. I’ve been in Arcadia for the past week, training. I thought you knew that.” Her forehead creased and she pursed her lips. “They don’t tell me anything here. I only have contact with my instructors and even then, it’s strictly business. It’s like they don’t completely trust me.”

It was true that people here weren’t very friendly toward us, as if because we lived on Earth, we carried potentially deadly viruses or something. I had learned to accept it, but Melanie sounded troubled by it, so I tried my best to cheer her up.

“They’re no fools, these Arcadians.” I said in a mocking tone.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” She placed her hands on her waist.

“I don’t trust you either, and you’re my twin sister.” I shoved a piece of cake in my mouth. Melanie retaliated by pinching my arm hard. “Ow!” I exclaimed as rubbed the sore spot.

“Oh, shush. It didn’t even hurt.”

“Hello, I would know if it hurt or not, it’s my arm –“I didn’t get to finish the sentence. We heard a throat clearing and looked up to find a woman with a scowl on her face.

“Prodigy Melanie, you are late for your lesson.”

Melanie glanced at the clock on the far wall of the mess hall, then addressed the pissed off lady. “No, I’m not. I still have half an hour.”

“Don’t argue with me, young lady.” Sour puss said in an aggravated tone. If she was one of Melanie’s instructors, I was glad I had Durgin.

“I’ll argue with you as much as I want,” Melanie replied with as much impertinence as she could muster. It didn’t surprise me. She didn’t care much for authority figures.

The lady’s face contorted in tremendous rage, and I thought she was going to have a seizure.

“The Council will hear about this insolence,” she finally said in a clipped tone before she left in a huff.

“Mel, you shouldn’t antagonize your instructors.”

“She’s not my instructor. She’s just a nosy old lady who likes to boss people around. And I’m not really late for my lesson. She just wanted me to leave with her because I’m here chatting with you. They’re terrified we’ll join forces and plot against them. Bunch of idiots.” Melanie ate a piece of her bread before she added, “Tell me again why we’re trying to save them?”


M. H. Soars is what we like to call a United Nations child. She was born in the United States but grew up in several different countries which gave her a broader perspective of life. She has always been passionate about books and stories and at a certain point had a comic book series going.

With a background in fashion design she always thought she was going to follow that path. But the characters in her head kept begging to be set free. So she decided to write their stories. A couple of years and a baby later, the first installment of her Arcadian Wars series is finally done.

M. H. Soars currently resides in New Mexico with her husband and baby daughter. She loves to read novels in the YA, PNR, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, and Chick Lit genres. When not devouring said novels, you may find her shopping online (she's an expert), blogging about fashion, or trying to teach her daughter to walk (even though she's too young for that).

If you would like to learn more about M. H. Soars and her projects, follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or visit her blog.

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8 comments:

  1. Anonymous9/5/14 14:37

    The Prophecy of Arcadia (Arcadian Wars #1) sounds fantastic!! I love also the eye-catching cover. x

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you so much for the chance :) !!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Looks like an interesting book! Not what I generally get to read now so t'will make a nice change from the norm

    ReplyDelete

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