DEFIANCE, by C.J. Redwine

This week's feature is DEFIANCE, by C.J. Redwine, which will debut August 28. It's a YA fantasy with a kick-ass heroine, and I totally love the premise:

From Goodreads:

Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city’s brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses, host dinner parties, and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father’s apprentice, Logan—the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same boy who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father’s survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.


At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city’s top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor’s impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can’t be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.

Here's the trailer:



And finally, here are some of C.J.'s answers to some of my questions:

It says on your website that you are repped by Holly Root of the Waxman Agency. How did you originally connect with Holly and can you tell us more about your journey toward becoming a writer?

I connected with Holly when I was discussing my manuscript at the time on a loop of writer friends. Several agents had requested the full, and one of my friends said it sounded like something her agent would love. So, I queried her agent, Holly, and the rest is history. :) As for my journey toward becoming a writer, I've been writing stories since I realized in the second grade that it was someone's job to make stuff up. When I was thirty, I was diagnosed with cancer, and after winning that fight, I realized that waiting around for my life to slow down enough to make it the perfect time to chase my dreams was foolish. I finished my first novel that year and never looked back.


You have my utmost admiration for what you've survived, and I greatly admire your strength! DEFIANCE has an excellent premise. Where did the idea for the story come from and what do you want readers to take away after they’re done reading it?

I don't really know where my ideas come from. But I'd like readers to see what it looks like to be broken and then to do what it takes to heal and find hope again. Also, I'd like readers to be on the edge of their seats wondering if Rachel and Logan are going to make it out alive. :)


That's such a wonderful theme--and definitely one that many people can relate to!
It says on your website that you’ll be able to quit your day job once you receive your advance. Congratulations! For the benefit of those of us with day jobs—is it difficult to transition away? What do you recommend for those who might be taking the same steps you are?

I really enjoyed quitting my job! :) I set up a schedule of office hours that work for my family (and this includes taking a couple of days a week to write at my local bookstore), and I just make sure that I remain motivated to get my work done. Also, I absolutely refuse to look at housework during my office hours. It's easy to get distracted by things when you work from home!


Office hours are a great concept, and a good way to stay focused! DEFIANCE is the first book in a trilogy. What, if anything, do you want readers to know about the subsequent books in the series?

Hmm ... the action is relentless, the stakes keep rising, and ... that's about all I'm able to reveal right now. :)


Sounds promising! If you could take five books to a desert island with you, what would they be?

ONLY FIVE??? *thinks* Okay, I'm going to take my boxed set of Harry Potter books (since they're boxed, they totally count as one item) because I like to reread those every year or so. For my other four books, I'll take some recent faves: Timepiece by Myra McEntire, Incarnate by Jodi Meadows, Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry, and Everneath by Brodi Ashton.

To pre-order DEFIANCE, click on the button below:

   

So this will be my last post until sometime next week--I'll be getting my tonsils out today. Wish me luck!