Gena Naffin Guest Blog and Defiance Giveaway

Hello all my loyal followers, I’m pleased to introduce YA fantasy author Gena Naffin onto my blog today. Her post today is about her book Defiance. I hope to have this book reviewed in the next week or so. She has generously donated her book for a giveaway.
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Defiance is my first success in the world as a writer, though it came from a background of failures. It evolved from a struggling story to a lengthy self-published manuscript and has found fans all over the world. After each review I read I’ve discovered that many readers say the same thing: my characters are fleshed out very well. They say it’s my strength because the characters are so engaging that you want to know more about them. This is my favorite part of the process, and so I’d thought I would share my thoughts with you about the complexities of my favorite character.

Out of all my characters, there is no one I like writing better than Declan. He is cunning, devious, smart, and cynical. He may come across as cold and indifferent, but deep down, his heart is not all ice. He can be what some may call a jackass, and then minutes later, he may be the world’s greatest hero. A soldier scarred from the bloody battlefields of war and a lifetime of trouble, Declan has a haunted past, but it is one that won’t cross his lips. There are rogues, thieves, and white knights, and then there is Declan – he is a category unto himself.

When I created Declan, I thought he would be temporary. But he seemed to be a good fit for Revin and Vivian as they set out upon their journey, creating conflict when there could be peace and soothing tension before an argument had the chance to start. Vivian, the princess who sets out to seek the answer to her parent’s mysterious disappearance, and Revin, her personal guard, were too close in temperament to make for anything interesting. Enter Declan. He put a spin on Vivian’s sheltered world, revealing the dark side of mischief and evil-doing, as well as guiding her towards what she sought most.

An excerpt from Defiance with Declan and Vivian:

Declan parted the abundance of people with a dark glare. The stairwell blocked the mass of boisterous laughter and yells. The noise that echoed in the second level corridor was minimal, if anything compared to the frenzy that occupied the ground floor. “Declan, there’s only two floors,” Vivian said as he walked towards the eastern wall without intentions of stopping.

“Appearances are for the average folk. Come here.” He peered at the ceiling, which only stood four feet away from his head.

She obeyed, having grown used to some of his wild exploits.

He grabbed her by the waist and lifted her before she could protest.

“Do you see that black latch? Pull it.”

Vivian stretched her fingers upward and once the metal was within reach, yanked on its rusty hinges. “You never answered my question,” she observed, after a rope ladder tumbled to the ground. She was hardly surprised that he would find the only trap door in the building and the one in particular that led to the roof. Without a sound, he set her on the floor.

“I haven’t forgotten. You first.”

She planted her feet and smiled sweetly. “Absolutely not. I’m wearing a dress.”

He flashed a grin that replaced a bout of laughter and went up the ladder, disappearing into the midnight blue expanse. Vivian stuck her foot on the shaky surface, sucked in a deep breath and followed him.


I’ve been asked recently if Declan will be in the sequel. My answer is yes, but it's up to you to find out exactly what mischief he stirs up!

Look for Righteous, the second book in the Successor Series, out next year.


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Book Trailer for Defiance

Find Defiance at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Amazon - Defiance on Amazon

Barnes & Noble - Defiance at Barnes & Nobles

Twitter - http://twitter.com/gcnaffin
Blog - http://gcnaffin.blogspot.com
Website - http://www.gcnaffin.webs.com
Goodreads -http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5031423.G_C_Naffin