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-
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
Australia iTunes- https://itunes.apple.com/au/book/stalking-shadows/id627387302?mt=11
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
Kindle US- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DLPJAIO
Kindle UK- https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DLPJAIO
B & N-
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
Amazon US- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FL8LVG8
Amazon UK- https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00FL8LVG8
iTunes- https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/eternal-destiny/id711742030?mt=11
INTERVIEW
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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