Welcome to my tour stop! Check out an interview with the author and giveaway below...
Escape to VindorBy Emily Golus
YA Fantasy
Paperback & ebook, 354 Pages
December 1st 2017 by Taberah Press
Summary
For as long as she can remember, Megan Bradshaw has imagined herself as the heroine of Vindor, her own secret world populated with mermaids, centaurs, samurai, and more. When school pressures and an upcoming move make life unbearable, Megan wishes she could escape to Vindor for real.
And then she does. Megan finds herself trapped in Vindor, with flesh-and-blood versions of her imaginary characters. Dreaming about being a hero and actually fighting monsters are two very different things–especially when the Shadow, the frightening creature now tearing Vindor apart, is one Megan doesn’t remember putting there.
Megan, playing the part of her alter ego, Selena, embarks on a dangerous journey, accompanied by a know-it-all centaur and a goblin she’s not sure she can trust. Will the Shadow destroy her before she can find a way to save her world?
Interview
Would you tell us what inspired you to write Escape to Vindor?
There’s a scene early in the book where Megan sees a reflection of herself wearing different clothes—but there’s no mirror and the reflection is an actual person. This kind of surreal situation was the first thing I ever imagined for this story, and it came to me when I just was walking down the sidewalk.
For some reason, the image stuck, and I decided this kind of encounter would create a portal to another dimension (obviously!). I started playing around with the story of timid Megan being dropped into a dangerous world as a way to process some of my own anxieties.
Originally Megan was just supposed to buck up and get over her fears, because that’s what I thought I was supposed to do in my own life—just stop being anxious, because you can just make that happen by putting on a brave face, right? Only that never worked for me.
As I grew in my walk with Christ, I realized the antidote to fear isn’t just throwing random courage at it. When I truly understood Whose I am and how unconditionally I am loved, my fears about failure and being alone became irrelevant and simply melted away.
I love the fantasy and worldbuilding elements of Vindor, but my real passion for writing the story and getting it out was to tell that truth that made so much of a difference for me.
What is your favorite thing about the book’s cover?
Can I say all of it? My illustrator, Jessica Ellen Lindsey was so wonderful to work with and captured so many little details—from the micro-expressions in the girls’ eyes to the star-shaped reflection on the pendant.
I love that the cover captures that very first scene of the book that I ever imagined. And also, THAT CASTLE. I sent Jess the description of Alavar from the book, and she added this whole Neverending Story flair to it. It’s so unique and eye-catching.
What challenged you about writing Escape to Vindor?
I had been working on the book for several years (at that point, I wasn’t disciplined in setting aside writing time, so the process took forever), and I reached a pivotal scene in the middle of the story. And after I wrote it, I wanted to throw the book across the room—I was so angry at Megan!
I realized in horror that I had made Megan completely selfish, and this moment was just finally showing her true colors. Just rewriting the scene couldn’t fix it—I had to rewrite her character from page one. And Megan is the only point-of-view character in the book, so I literally had to rewrite every page.
I almost gave up at that point. The work ahead of me was just so daunting, and I was only halfway through the draft.
But eventually I decided to go through with it, transforming Megan from a selfish, aloof character into a compassionate one that readers really seem to relate to. And the rewriting process was so rewarding and made the story so much stronger that I’m actually glad I made the mistake to begin with!
Do you have any specific snacks you eat or music you listen to when you write?
I typically have a warm beverage, no matter how hot it is outside. Sometimes it’s coffee, but more often it’s ginger tea—the stronger the ginger, the better.
What are you working on next?
Vindor’s sequel, Mists of Paracosmia, is already out. Now I’m working on a collection of short stories about some of the most popular characters—starting with Nikterra and Photogen—giving more details about their lives before and after the novels.
There’s a scene early in the book where Megan sees a reflection of herself wearing different clothes—but there’s no mirror and the reflection is an actual person. This kind of surreal situation was the first thing I ever imagined for this story, and it came to me when I just was walking down the sidewalk.
For some reason, the image stuck, and I decided this kind of encounter would create a portal to another dimension (obviously!). I started playing around with the story of timid Megan being dropped into a dangerous world as a way to process some of my own anxieties.
Originally Megan was just supposed to buck up and get over her fears, because that’s what I thought I was supposed to do in my own life—just stop being anxious, because you can just make that happen by putting on a brave face, right? Only that never worked for me.
As I grew in my walk with Christ, I realized the antidote to fear isn’t just throwing random courage at it. When I truly understood Whose I am and how unconditionally I am loved, my fears about failure and being alone became irrelevant and simply melted away.
I love the fantasy and worldbuilding elements of Vindor, but my real passion for writing the story and getting it out was to tell that truth that made so much of a difference for me.
What is your favorite thing about the book’s cover?
Can I say all of it? My illustrator, Jessica Ellen Lindsey was so wonderful to work with and captured so many little details—from the micro-expressions in the girls’ eyes to the star-shaped reflection on the pendant.
I love that the cover captures that very first scene of the book that I ever imagined. And also, THAT CASTLE. I sent Jess the description of Alavar from the book, and she added this whole Neverending Story flair to it. It’s so unique and eye-catching.
What challenged you about writing Escape to Vindor?
I had been working on the book for several years (at that point, I wasn’t disciplined in setting aside writing time, so the process took forever), and I reached a pivotal scene in the middle of the story. And after I wrote it, I wanted to throw the book across the room—I was so angry at Megan!
I realized in horror that I had made Megan completely selfish, and this moment was just finally showing her true colors. Just rewriting the scene couldn’t fix it—I had to rewrite her character from page one. And Megan is the only point-of-view character in the book, so I literally had to rewrite every page.
I almost gave up at that point. The work ahead of me was just so daunting, and I was only halfway through the draft.
But eventually I decided to go through with it, transforming Megan from a selfish, aloof character into a compassionate one that readers really seem to relate to. And the rewriting process was so rewarding and made the story so much stronger that I’m actually glad I made the mistake to begin with!
Do you have any specific snacks you eat or music you listen to when you write?
I typically have a warm beverage, no matter how hot it is outside. Sometimes it’s coffee, but more often it’s ginger tea—the stronger the ginger, the better.
What are you working on next?
Vindor’s sequel, Mists of Paracosmia, is already out. Now I’m working on a collection of short stories about some of the most popular characters—starting with Nikterra and Photogen—giving more details about their lives before and after the novels.
Other Books in the Series
Mists of ParacosmiaBy Emily Golus
YA Fantasy
Paperback & ebook, 416 Pages
April 12th 2019 by Taberah Press
Summary
Return to the land of Vindor and explore new nations, meet new allies, and face new perils in the sequel to the award-winning novel, Escape to Vindor.
Several years have passed since Megan banished the Shadow from Vindor. Now her world faces a new threat: a menacing fog that wipes out identities. It’s an ideal time for Megan to return—but in a a strange twist of events, Vindor gets her brother, Arden, instead.
Arden knows nothing about his sister’s secret world, but he’s tired of being dominated by school bullies and jumps at the chance to train as a hero. Guardian Selena sends him on a quest to the Dembeyan city of N’gozi, accompanied by a spirited Nomad girl and a grumpy Selk mermaid.
Meanwhile, Megan discovers the goblin Bat—now in human form—near
her college campus. The two race to find a way back to Vindor to set
things right. Does a mysterious new friend hold the key to traveling between dimensions?
Journeying along the Blackwater River, Arden and his companions face unexpected dangers when they stumble into a deadly conspiracy—and discover a terrible truth about the world of Vindor.
(Affiliate links included.)
About the Author
Emily Golus has been dreaming up fantasy worlds since before she could write her name. A New England transplant now living in the Deep South, she is fascinated by culture and the way it shapes how individuals see the world. Golus aims to create stories that engage, inspire, and reassure readers that the small choices of everyday life matter.Her first novel, Escape to Vindor, debuted in 2017 and won the Selah Award for young adult fiction. Its sequel, Mists of Paracosmia, released in April 2019.
Golus lives in Upstate South Carolina with her woodworking husband, an awkward cat, and the world’s most talkative baby.
More from Emily
In Escape to Vindor, teen Megan Bradshaw spends nearly every quiet moment she has in a world of her own imagination. Writing this part of Megan’s story came naturally to me, because that was the way I spent my adolescence, too.
While other girls were thinking about—I don’t know what they were thinking about, actually. Boys, maybe?—I was creating epic melodramas about rival mermaid queens or magical rainforest civilizations. The world of my imagination filled my quiet life with vivid technicolor.
My stories also helped me survive. Worldbuilding was a welcome escape from my ever-growing list of fears.
See, I was the extra-good girl, the one who followed every rule to a T, always giving a hundred and ten percent. Few people suspected I did all of this not because I had a lot of drive and confidence, but because I thought I had to be extra-perfect in order to be loved—by people, and by God. I had a deep-seated terror of making one little mistake, losing my way, and being abandoned forever.
The world of Vindor started out as a private daydream, a way for me to work through my anxieties. But as I grew, I discovered something amazing—and the story took an unexpected turn.
I wrote Escape to Vindor for the dreamers, the bookworms, and anyone who enjoys dazzling new worlds. More importantly, I wrote it for the quiet ones who struggle without anyone knowing, who need to hear: You are seen, you are known, and you are loved.
Tour Schedule
Inklings and notions, March 19
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 20
Texas Book-aholic, March 21
Wishful Endings, March 22 (Author Interview)
For the Love of Literature, March 23
For Him and My Family, March 24
deb’s Book Review, March 25
Through the Fire Blogs, March 26 (Author Interview)
Blogging With Carol, March 27
Emily Yager, March 28
Vicky Sluiter, March 29 (Author Interview)
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, March 30
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 31
Pause for Tales, April 1
Tour-Wide Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Emily is giving away the grand prize package of signed copies of both Escape to Vindor and Mists of Paracosmia, an amethyst pendant, and a $25 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
Have you read this series? Will you be? What did you like about the interview?
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