Masquerade: Oddly Suited with Anstice Brown
Today I'm taking part in the blog tour for Masquerade: Oddly Suited, a young-adult romance anthology from The Insecure Writer's Support Group which is coming out on 30th April 2019!
I've invited one of the authors, Anstice Brown to my blog to answer one simple question about her story (my favorite question, if you haven't noticed).
The question: If you had to chose one song that best captures the essence of your short story Sea of Sorrows, what song would you choose and why?
The answer (by Anstice): The song that best captures the essence of Sea of Sorrows is"What I Did for Love" sung by the character Diana Morales in the musical A Chorus Line (music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban). Here is a beautiful version sung by Lea Michele from Glee:
The song was originally about how a dancer would feel after suffering a career-ending injury, but it can be applied to lots of different situations in which you know success, love or happiness are not permanent, but yours “to borrow”.
My main character, Mairg, is a shapeshifter who has never been seen in her true form by anyone but her sisters. She has come to accept that she will never have the chance to be truly known or understood. But one day she meets Erik, and he doesn’t see her as a monster. He gives her hope of another way of life in which she can help people rather than harming them.
At the end of the story, Mairg has an opportunity to seize true happiness, but it would come at great cost to someone else. She decides to “kiss today goodbye” and take control of her own destiny. I can’t reveal exactly what she does, but you can be sure that she does it “for love”.
‘What I Did for Love’ is a sad and poignant song but it’s also filled with the hope of moving on, free from regret. I hope I’ve captured the same bittersweet tone in Sea of Sorrows.
About Sea of Sorrows
What could a shapeshifting siren know about love?
When ocean-dwelling shapeshifter Mairg is mistaken for Erik’s missing fiancée, she reluctantly agrees to help him find his love in order to protect her sisters. Erik gives her hope of a life free from killing, and she soon finds herself falling for him.
But her search for Aisla dredges up memories that Mairg’s guardian, the sea hag, would rather forget. Will Mairg fight against her own kin to save the girl Erik loves? Or will she embrace her monstrous nature and keep him for herself?
Author Bio
Anstice Brown has had her nose in a book and her head in the clouds for as long as she can remember. A geek/hippie hybrid with a love of all things retro, Anstice enjoys doodling, gaming and raving about books on her blog, Dusting the Soul. She adores speculative fiction and is currently working on a science fantasy novel.
Anstice has a BA in Literature and Philosophy and currently works as a school administrator. She lives on the East coast of England with her wonderful husband, daughter and their mischievous cat, Magical Mr. Mistoffelees.
About the Anthology
Title: Masquerade: Oddly SuitedRelease date: April 30th, 2019Publisher: Dancing Lemur Press
Genres: Young Adult Fiction: Romance – General / Paranormal / Contemporary
Print ISBN: 9781939844644
EBook ISBN: 9781939844651
Find love at the ball...
Can a fake dating game show lead to love? Will a missing key free a clock-bound prince? Can a softball pitcher and a baseball catcher work together? Is there a vampire living in Paradise, Newfoundland? What’s more important—a virtual Traveler or a virtual date to the ball?Ten authors explore young love in all its facets, from heartbreak to budding passion. Featuring the talents of L.G. Keltner, Jennifer Lane, C.D. Gallant-King, Elizabeth Mueller, Angela Brown, Myles Christensen, Deborah Solice, Carrie-Anne Brownian, Anstice Brown, and Chelsea Marie Ballard.
Hand-picked by a panel of agents and authors, these ten tales will mystify and surprise even as they touch your heart. Don your mask and join the party…
Stories Featured
Oddly Suited, LG Keltner
The silliest situations may be oddly suited for romance.
The silliest situations may be oddly suited for romance.
Behind the Catcher’s Mask, Jennifer Lane
Who can help her through a meltdown on the pitcher’s mound?
Who can help her through a meltdown on the pitcher’s mound?
The Dark Charade, CD Gallant-King
The new girl in town falls in love for a mysterious boy who is maybe, probably, most definitely, a vampire.
The new girl in town falls in love for a mysterious boy who is maybe, probably, most definitely, a vampire.
The Cog Prince, Elizabeth Mueller
Falling in love, saving the day, and a masque—oh my! Will a missing key free a clock-bound prince?
Falling in love, saving the day, and a masque—oh my! Will a missing key free a clock-bound prince?
A Diver’s Ball, Angela Brown
You can be anything you want in the online world of Cumulus. A human. An elf. A powerful beast mutation from your wildest imagination. But can you be in love?
You can be anything you want in the online world of Cumulus. A human. An elf. A powerful beast mutation from your wildest imagination. But can you be in love?
Flower of Ronda, Myles Christensen
What if life's price of servanthood could be changed?
What if life's price of servanthood could be changed?
Fearless Heart, Deborah Solice
Is he a figment of her imagination conjured to keep her sane, or is he something else…something more?
Is he a figment of her imagination conjured to keep her sane, or is he something else…something more?
Charleston Masquerade, Carrie-Anne Brownian
Can two worlds come together and find love?
Can two worlds come together and find love?
Sea of Sorrows, Anstice Brown
What could a shapeshifting siren know about love?
What could a shapeshifting siren know about love?
Remedy, Chelsea Marie Ballard
Everything is against Remy and Rudy, but on the night of the Masquerade Ball, they must choose: each other or their lives?
You can find out more about the authors of Masquerade: Oddly Suited here.
Everything is against Remy and Rudy, but on the night of the Masquerade Ball, they must choose: each other or their lives?
Giveaway
The authors of Masquerade: Oddly Suited are giving away a $50 Amazon gift card to one winner. To enter, please complete the Rafflecopter below. The giveaway is open internationally from 12:00 am GMT 17th March to 12:00am GMT 6th May.Tour Schedule
Visit the other blog tour hosts below to find out more about the stories and authors featured in Masquerade: Oddly Suited.- Mon 18th March: Spotlight @ The Story of a Writer
- Fri 22nd March: Guest post by Anstice Brown @ Nicki Elson’s Not-So-Deep Thoughts
- Sun 24th March: Interview with Jennifer Lane @ Nancee Cain, Romance with a Serrated Edge
- Tues 26th March: Guest post by Angela Brown @ Blog of Author J Lenni Dorner
- Wed 27th March: Debut author spotlight with Chelsea Marie Ballard & Anstice Brown @ Operation Awesome
- Fri 29th March: Spotlight @ April Blogging from A-Z Challenge
- Mon 1st April: Interview with Deborah Solice @ Dusting the Soul
- Thurs 4th April: Spotlight @ Elements of Emaginette
- Fri 5th April: Guest post by C.D Gallant-King @ Writer’s Gambit
- Mon 8th April: Interview with Elizabeth Mueller @ Just Jemi
- Fri 12th April: Guest post by Carrie-Anne Brownian @ Jennifer Lane's Blog
- Mon 15th April: Guest post by Chelsea Marie Ballard @ My Pet Blog
- Tues 16th April: Guest post by Myles Christensen @ Quiet Fury Books
- Mon 22nd April: Interview with all the authors @ Alex J. Cavanaugh
- Sat 4th May: Interview with L.G Keltner @ The Cynical Sailor & His Salty Sidekick
Comments
Looking forward to reading your story, Anstice!
Thanks for hosting, Nicki.
Thank you for featuring Masquerade today, Nicki.
Jennifer-ha ha, yes! That's such a fun song, though.
L.G- thank you. I'm excited to read yours too!