Check out a Q&A with the author... Crown of Oblivion by Julie Eshbaugh (Interview & #Giveaway) @The_FFBC


Welcome! Check out a fun interview with the author and enter the tour giveaway below...

Crown of Oblivion
By Julie Eshbaugh
YA Fantasy
Hardcover & ebook, 384 Pages
November 12th 2019 by HarperTeen

Summary

Astrid is the surrogate for Princess Renya, which means she bears the physical punishment if Renya steps out of line. Astrid has no choice—she and her family are Outsiders, the lower class of people without magic and without citizenship.

But there is a way out of this life—competing in the deadly Race of Oblivion. To enter the race, an Outsider is administered the drug Oblivion, which wipes their memory clear of their past as they enter a new world with nothing to help them but a slip of paper bearing their name and the first clue. It’s not as simple as solving a puzzle, however—for a majority of the contestants, the race ends in death. But winning would mean not only freedom for Astrid, but citizenship and health care for her entire family. With a dying father to think of, Astrid is desperate to prevail.

From the beginning, the race is filled with twists and turns. One of them is Darius, a fellow racer Astrid meets but isn’t sure she can trust. Though they team up in the race, as Astrid’s memories begin to resurface, she remembers just who he was to her—a scorned foe who may want revenge. Astrid also starts to notice she has powers no Outsider should—which could help her win the race, but also make her a target if anyone finds out. With stakes that couldn’t be higher, Astrid must decide what is more important: risking her life to remember the mysteries of the past, or playing a cutthroat game in order to win her—and her family’s—freedom.

Read an excerpt HERE.

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Interview

Would you tell us a little more about Astrid, the main character from CROWN OF OBLIVION?

The best word to describe Astrid is fierce. She was fun to write because she had a tendency to get herself into situations that I had a hard time getting her out of. On those occasions, I had to let her find her own way out. I had to put my own logic aside and really try to let the character lead me. She’s not careless, but she trusts herself. Astrid is not a perfect young woman, but she’s trying to be her best self. I learned a lot from her.

What part of this fantasy world do you love the most?

Lanoria is a very varied world. One of the places Astrid visits on the Race of Oblivion is the Ten Viridian Isles. There she finds the Ephemeral City—a tent city that only lasts three days a year and is the location of a festival. I loved writing about the Ephemeral City, and would love to go there.

What one piece of advice would Astrid give about being a surrogate?

Don’t get attached to the person whose punishments you bear, and don’t let them get attached to you. It’s too late for Astrid to take this advice herself—she and Princess Renya are close, but that closeness only causes Astrid pain and resentment.

What three tips would Astrid give about the Race of Oblivion?

~If you solve a clue, don’t make it obvious. Other racers are always watching, and you don’t want to give the answer away.

~If you team up with someone out of necessity, make the terms clear. If you share a resource like a ride, make sure they know you will only take them so far.

~Never forget that the person you were before you lost your memories entered the race for a reason. You can’t let that person down. Never give up.

What was her first impression of Darius?

When Astrid first saw Darius, she knew she couldn’t do the task he was doing—scaling the outside of a lighthouse to a window ledge to find a clue. He was so strong and calm, he made it look easy. She thought he might make a good partner, so when she found a chance to put him in her debt, she took it. But when he refused to repay her for her help, she vowed she would beat him, and curse his name the whole way.

What part or aspect of this story do you love the most?

The lack of memories in the racers is an aspect of the story I really enjoyed writing. Without her memories, Astrid is an unreliable narrator. With everyone a stranger, she can’t know who to trust.

Did you find anything especially challenging while writing CROWN OF OBLIVION?

The loss of memories and the way that affects Astrid’s sense of self created a bit of a challenge, because as I was writing the book, both my stepmother and mother-in-law were struggling with dementia and losing their memories. When I started the book I didn’t see the connection, but as I wrote, both of these women got worse. My stepmother passed away of Alzheimer’s disease as I was working on the final draft, and my mother-in-law passed just one month before the book’s release. Their real life struggles with memory loss created an emotional challenge for me at times.

What’s one of your hobbies or something we might not know about you?

I really love the beach. I live in Pennsylvania near Philadelphia, so the New Jersey shore is just about an hour’s drive away. Whenever I get the chance in the summer, I go. Reading a book at the beach is a perfect day.

What book are you currently reading or what three books are on your tbr?

I’m currently reading Star-Crossed by Pintip Dunn, and I love it. It’s so unusual in both plot and setting, though if I had to compare it to something, it would be Beth Revis’s Across the Universe series. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy twisty sci-fi mysteries.

What are you working on next?

It’s at a very early stage, but I’m working on a magic-tinged story in a setting with a Gothic feel. It’s so early in the process, that’s all I feel comfortable sharing!

About the Author


Julie Eshbaugh is a YA writer and former filmmaker. She made two short films and then spent several years producing an online video series for teens which received several honors from the Webby Awards. Her new YA fantasy standalone, CROWN OF OBLIVION, is coming from HarperTeen November 2019. IVORY AND BONE (HarperTeen 2016) and OBSIDIAN AND STARS (HarperTeen 2017), her prehistoric fantasy duology, are out now. You can learn more about Julie’s writing escapades by visiting www.julieeshbaugh.com.


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