Saturday, November 1, 2014

Feature: Tahlia Newland author of the Diamond Peak Series




Title- Lethal Inheritance  

Series- Diamond Peak Series Book #1  

By- Tahlia Newland  

Genre- YA Fantasy  


BLURB 

A scream pierces the night. Ariel jolts awake and watches in horror as demons drag her 

mother into a hidden realm. She finds help and sets off on a rescue mission. But to defeat the 

demons, who feed on fear and seek to enslave the human race, she must learn a secret 

esoteric wisdom to awaken the dormant, but potentially explosive, power of her mind. 

Walnut, a quirky old wise man, guides her through treacherous inner and outer landscapes, 

and Nick, the powerful Warrior who travels with them, proves a dangerous attraction. Can 

Ariel defeat the sadistic demon lord before he kills her and enslaves her mother? 

The stakes are high, death a real possibility. Fail now, and she fails humanity. 

  

This book has been awarded the AIA Seal of Excellence in Fiction and the BRAG Medallion 

for Outstanding Fiction. 




UK Kindle- 




B & N- 



Sony- 


487 




Title- Stalking Shadows 

Series- Diamond Peak Series Book #2  

By- Tahlia Newland  

Genre- YA Fantasy  


BLURB 

Ariel hopes that the great library at Sheldra holds the key to rescuing her mother. But in order 

to get there, she must negotiate a forest of evil spirits, escape a mind-numbing city of 

sparkling towers, travel through the treacherous gullies of Minion Hills, and avoid an attack by 

a demon lord intent on killing her. 

At the same time, a battle rages between her heart and her mind. A relationship with her 

travelling companion, the enigmatic Nick, is just too tempting, but can they be together without 

Ariel losing her focus and falling to the demons? Her life is at stake, but also her heart. She 

risks encasing it in stone and denying herself the very sustenance she needs. 

Will they make it to the safe haven of Sheldra, or will Ariel die at the hands of the yellow-eyed 

demon? 

  

This book has been awarded the AIA Seal of Excellence in Fiction 

  




Kobo- 



B&N- 








Title- Demon’s Grip 

Series- Diamond Peak Series Book #3  

By- Tahlia Newland  

Genre- YA Fantasy  


BLURB

Ariel thought she knew her travelling companion, Nick, but she discovers that at the University 

of Sheldra, he’s a respected translator with little time to spare. Now that he isn't at her side all 

the time, she wishes he was, and when she finally admits her love, powerful emotions sweep 

her away. 

The demon lord Emot takes advantage of her inexperience in matters of the heart and preys 

on her desire, setting off a struggle with addiction that threatens to break Nick's heart and turn 

Ariel into the demon's mindless slave. She must reach deep into her soul and find the mystical 

power she needs to kill the one who promises pleasure but delivers only pain. Fail, and she 

will lose the one she loves and spend an eternity in the demon's grip. 

  

This book has been awarded the AIA Seal of Excellence in Fiction 






Kobo- 



B & N- 


48  

  


Title- Eternal Destiny 

Series- Diamond Peak Series Book #4  

By- Tahlia Newland  

Genre- YA Fantasy  


BLURB

Ariel and Nick face their deepest fears and their greatest challenge as they search for the 

Master Demon who holds the key to the future of mankind. Slay him and the world goes free; 

fail, and it falls irrevocably into violence and chaos. 

Guided by a wisdom master of a mystical tradition that uses mind power as the basis of 

powerful magic, the assault party travels from the ancient granite walls of the Hermitage, up 

the Steps of Death, and through a labyrinth of shifting gorges to the Palace of Skulls. Even if 

Nick wins his struggle with the scars of his past and defeats the green-eyed head of the Cogin 

clan, they still must cross the scree slope, where the bones of Ariel's father lie, to get to the 

ice caves beneath the summit where the Master Demon awaits. 

The journey is extraordinary, the enemies are deadly and the ending is mind-blowing. 

  

This book has been awarded the AIA Seal of Excellence in Fiction 






B& N- 




iTunes- https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/eternal-destiny/id711742030?mt=11 


INTERVIEW




What inspired you to write this series?


Scenes just started arriving in my head, and they were so vivid that I had to write them down. It was like seeing my own private movie. I also found the idea of demons that fed on fear really exciting. I’d never come across any other bad guys like that, and the issue of having to deal with your own fear before you could defeat your foes raised all sorts of interesting challenges.


 


Can you give us an interesting fact about your book that isn't in the blurb?


The demons in the books are external representations of emotions, and a different demon/emotion features in each book. If Ariel doesn’t get the relevant emotion under control, she just makes the demon stronger, so to defeat the demon outside, you have to defeat the demon inside.


 


How did you choose your title?


Initially, I thought I was writing one book, and I called it Diamond Peak because that was the name of the mountain Ariel and Nick have to climb in order to rescue Ariel’s mother. The diamond represents the clear, indestructible nature of our innermost mind, which is what Ariel and Nick need to find in order to defeat the master of the demons - it’s their weapon. When I realised that I had to write four books to tell the full story, that became the title of the series. The titles of the individual books came from words within the writing. For example, when Ariel is given her father’s dagger, she notes that it is ‘a lethal inheritance indeed.’


 


Tell us about the cover and how it came to be.


This is actually the second set of covers. The first lot had swords and demons on them which showed more of the story, and they worked really well in paperback, but they looked a bit grungy in ebook form. I liked them, but some reviewers didn’t. Then when an American publisher wanted to re-publish them, they went for a more contemporary look. 


 


The title colours are the colours of the eyes of the demon Ariel has to fight in each book. The lettering has symbols for a major feature of the story, and what’s around the diamond reflects the setting of the book. It’s a sword and red hair for Lethal Inheritance on cracked rock which symbolises Ariel’s shattered  life. A  giant snake and a forest setting features for Stalking Shadows. Demon’s Grip has the claw of a demon as the writing, a tear drop for the dot on the eye, and a symbol of a pulsing heart around the diamond - I think that symbolism is pretty self explanatory. Eternal Destiny has the sword again and diamonds, the symbolism of which I mentioned before, and the blue around the main diamond symbolises the sky, because they’re at the top of the mountain in this book.


 


Did you self­publish or publish traditionally and why?


I began with an agent for Lethal Inheritance and almost scored a deal with the major mainstream Australian publisher, but when that fell through, I’d had enough of chasing publishers, so I made my own publishing company and published myself, but recently a US publisher offered me a deal and I accepted because it was a good deal and it feels really good to have their stamp of approval and someone behind me.


 


What do you consider the most important part of a good story?


Great characters, a strong plot and a satisfying end.


 


What is your writing process?


in a nutshell: inspiration, get the story down in a first draft, work out what I’m really trying to say with the story and revise it accordingly, edit it, get lots of people to read it and feedback, adjust the story according to the feedback I feel is relevant, edit again, leave it for a couple of months without looking at it, and then edit it again.


 


How long have you been writing?


Full time since 2008.


 


How did you get started writing?


Inspiration hit and carried me away.


 


Are you a plotter or a pantser?


Both. I start pantsering, then plot, but always leave the plot open for more panstering.


 


What part of the writing process is the hardest for you?


 First drafts. They’re emotionally intense and I tend not to sleep well because inspiration comes in the middle of the night. Editing is easiest because I’m an editor by trade.


 


What tips can you give on how to get through writers block?


I never have writer’s block because I only write when I’m inspired, but I suggest meditation because it clears your mind and allows fresh ideas to enter. I think that’s why I never get writer’s block because I meditate every morning.


 


What kind of music do you like to listen to while you write?


I actually write in silence.


 


Who is your favorite author?


I don’t have a favorite writer, but Cassandra Clare was my favourite YA writer until book four of the Mortal Instruments.


 


Who is your favorite character from a book?


I really like Valerie from Krisi Keley’s ‘On the Soul of the Vampire’, he’s so beautiful, passionate and intense. I also really like Andrew from Laura Kreitzer’s ‘Shadow of the Sun’ series, and Ash from the Iron Fey.


 


What is your favorite book?


Umm. There’s too many good ones around to pick out one.


 


Read anything good lately?


Yes.  ‘I Am The Other’ by Philippe de Vosjolli. It’s really different and irreverant and I like that.


 


What do you like to do when you're not writing?


sleep, eat, watch movies, hang out in the forest.


 


What advice would you give an author just starting out?


Don’t be in a hurry to be published. Learn your craft well and try the traditional route for a start - you learn a lot from it. And if you decide to self publish, do plenty of research - it really isn’t for everyone and there’s lots of people out there happy to rip you off -  and make sure you get a professional to edit your book thoroughly.


 


Have you had anything else published?


A collection of short stories called A Matter of Perception, a YA magical realism romance about handling a bully called You Can’t Shatter Me, and a couple of stories in the Awesome Allshorts anthology.


 


What's your next project?


Prunella Smith: Worlds Within Worlds a metaphysical thriller about a writer being bullied online and stalked in her ordinary reality. It has several different strands woven together - her physical world, her online world, her dreams, and memories from this life and a past life - and it shows in the end how they all come together to help her in her present.


 



About the Author 

Tahlia Newland, author of the multi-award-winning Diamond Peak Series, writes 

heart-warming and inspiring magical realism and contemporary fantasy. She is also an editor, 

a reviewer, an occasional high school teacher, and a mask-maker who loves creating digital 

art and sitting on her veranda staring at the rain forest. 


Tahlia has studied with top Australian editors and has a Certificate in Editing and 

Proofreading. Before writing full time, she had over 20 years’ experience in scripting and 

performing as a dancer/mine in Visual Theatre and Theatre in Education. She has had 

extensive training in meditation and Buddhist philosophy and lives in Australia with a husband, 

a teenage daughter, and a cheeky Burmese cat called George. 










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