Top 3 Types of Romantic Relationships (Laurie)

Did you even need my name in the title to know who was writing this post? :) I of course write fantasy and this blog is about fantasy, but I just can't seem to help it - I get so excited about romance! In fact, in the past few months I did a guest post called Romance in Fantasy on Emilie Hendryx's blog and a Girls Who Write video focused on romance, in case you don't believe me :) So please bear with me today as I indulge my inner romantic and talk a little bit about my favorite types of romances.

In this case I'm not talking genre, I'm talking more about how the characters know each other, interact, and fall in love. I found this great list of 25 Types of Romantic Relationships on the AbsoluteWrite forums in case you're interested in exploring the subject further.

So, using that list as a starting point, here are my top 3 types of romantic relationships:


3. Lovers in Denial

These are relationships where the characters already have an established relationship and typically get along well, often in a partnership or work type of setting, but for some reason have trouble admitting to themselves and each other that their feelings go deeper than friendship. What I love about these couples is I end up rooting so hard for them! Their relationships tend to progress as a slow burn, with lots of fun flirtation and close calls where the relationship almost takes a romantic turn, but something always gets in the way. I can definitely get frustrated and impatient with these couples as they take their sweet time revealing their feelings to each other, but in the end it makes that happy sigh all the happier when they finally get their acts together :)

My very favorite "Lovers in Denial" couple is Darby and Mark from Liberty Speidel's Darby Shaw Chronicles. So frustrating and sweet and everything in between! Brenna and Baldwin from our own J.M. Hackman's Spark and El and Ky from Sara Ella's Unblemished both have a bit of this dynamic as well, and I love it!

2. Love - Hate Relationships

I'm not sure I'd want to experience this one in real life, but they're so fun to read about! Two strong-willed characters get off on the wrong foot, and then circumstances force them to spend more time together until they start to see each other's good qualities. I love these stories because they have so much great tension and witty banter. They also tend to be potent illustrations of how wrong first impressions can be, and the characters learn so much about themselves in the process of overcoming their pride enough to admit they were wrong. Plus, when that initial dislike finally transforms into love, it can produce some pretty swoon-worthy romance!

My first full-length manuscript featured a love-hate kind of relationship, and I'm very much looking forward to revisiting those characters when I re-write it someday! Other love-hate favorites are Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Han Solo and Princess Leia from the original Star Wars movies, Audrey and Logan from Julie Hall's Life After series, and Ember and Rain from Sara Baysinger's Black Tiger series.

1. Best Friends / Friends First / Childhood Friends

I'm probably biased since this is how my real-life romance worked out, but I just love stories where the characters start out as friends first. There's a beautiful innocence, trust, and respect that these relationships are built on that I find really appealing. It's easy to believe these relationships will last, because the characters already know they enjoy spending time with each other in a non-romantic way. And it's so fun to see them develop! I love it when they reach that turning point moment for one or both characters when they start viewing the friend in a different way. Then comes that sweet, awkward transition where they attempt to make the confession or take that next step in their relationship, fearing it might ruin the great rapport they already have going. All of which makes the conclusion that much more satisfying :)

Jane Austen also wrote one of my all-time favorite friends-first couples - Emma and Mr. Knightley from Emma, but the couple in my upcoming novel, Common, also starts out with a childhood friendship (same with the couple in the short story I'm working on right now - I'm sensing a pattern...), and I love Emily and Teddy from L.M. Montgomery's Emily series and Clara and O'Neill from The Mermaid's Sister by Carrie Anne Noble.

 

How about you? What are your favorite types of romantic relationships in books, TV shows, or movies? Do they mirror what you would want in real life, or are they opposite?


Thanks for reading!
Laurie

Interview with Sara Baysinger

We are so excited to welcome Sara Baysinger back to Lands Uncharted today! Sara is the author of the Black Tiger series, and we're part of a blog tour celebrating the release of the third and final installment, White Dawn! (You may remember that title from my recent post on my Top 3 Most Anticipated Books of the Second Half of 2017.) Back in April, Sara shared a guest Top 3s post on her favorite dystopian novels, which you can find here. Today she took the time to answer some questions for us about herself and her books! You can find out more about White Dawn below, but first...here's Sara!

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I live on a 5-acre field with my husband and two children (and 3 dogs, 3 cats, & 8 chickens…) But I was born and raised as a missionary kid in Ecuador until I was sixteen.


Wow, that's a lot of animals! What prompted you to start writing? Are you one of those authors who knew you were meant to write since childhood, or did it come as a discovery later in life?

No to the second question! I actually hated reading until middle school (when I finally discovered Harry Potter and Goosebumps). It wasn’t until half-way through high school that my love for books was so strong that I wanted to share my own stories with the world. I wanted to create an escape for other teens—stories that would help ease the rough years of high school, like what the books I read did for me.


Your stories absolutely provide an escape, even for adults like me :) Which fictional character (book or movie) do you most relate to, and why?

Probably Hadassah from A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers. I read that book over and over in high school. Like Hadassah in the earlier part of the book, I was too afraid to speak up. Too shy to be who I truly was. I admired her character arc and how her courage grew over the years to the point she was changing lives. I always hoped that for myself.


I love that, and I've heard such great things about that book! We’re all about exploring new worlds here at Lands Uncharted—if you could choose one place to visit, real or fictional, where would you go?

Love this question! I just finished reading the A Court of Thorns and Roses trilogy by Sarah J. Maas. I would love, LOVE to visit Velaris and engorge myself on their delicious food!


Yay for delicious food! Speaking of which, do you have any go-to foods or beverages while writing?

Absolutely! In the morning—coffee. In the evenings (when I usually do my writing) I drink Caramel Apple Dream tea. (Which is what I’m currently drinking! :) )


Mmm, that tea sounds amazing! What is one of your favorite writing tips?

Just one? ;) Write what you love, and don’t chase the market. (I know that’s technically two, but they kind of go hand-in-hand). The market is fleeting, but if you write what you love, your heart will be in it and those are the best stories.


I wholeheartedly agree! Now, let’s talk about your latest release, White Dawn! What do you hope readers will take away from this book?

I hope they come away with an open mind and the satisfying feeling of coming home from an epic adventure.


Sounds perfect for a series finale :) What inspired you to write the Black Tiger trilogy?

I’ve always loved the dystopian genre. Divergent by Veronica Roth inspired me to write in a mega-city setting, while Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi inspired the lyrical writing style (although she does a much better job.) The first nugget that got this series rolling, though, was the mega cavern below Louisville. I went on a tour and saw the simulation camp in the cavern that they would have used during the Cold War, and boom. I had a story.


That mega cavern does sound epic. You have had such a cool set of covers for this series, and you designed them yourself! What did that process look like?

Aw, thank you! Designing your own book covers is hard work! I didn’t realize how much math went into sizing a print book. It was technical and probably my least favorite part of indie publishing, but I did love having full control over every detail on the cover.


You did a beautiful job! Please share a favorite line or passage from White Dawn with us.

Hope looks like this.

Like green, green, green sprouting up in the midst of black, black, black. Like a newborn leaf unfolding from a charred branch. Like life fighting its way back into the world, despite the death that tried so hard to take it down. Like this isn’t the end of the world, but the beginning.

Hope.


Ooh, I marked that quote as one of my favorites while I was reading! You know what they say about great minds... :) Here's a little more about Sara:

Sara was born in the heart of the Andes Mountains in Ecuador where she spent her early life exploring uncharted lands and raising chickens. She now makes her home among the endless cornfields of Indiana with her husband and two children…and she still raises chickens. Her dystopian novel BLACK TIGER was self-published in 2016. When not getting lost in a book, Sara can be found gardening, devouring chocolate, and running off the sugar-high from said chocolate.  

You can connect with Sara on her Website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Goodreads.


And here's the back-cover blurb for White Dawn:

This is the beginning of a new era.

The slate is clean.

A white dawning has emerged and I'm ready to face the day.

AURORA WHITCOMB has taken the place as Chief of Ky, but the ghosts of her past continue to haunt her future.

RAIN TURNER has lost the embers that kept his hope burning, and all he’s left with is a raging desire to avenge the love of his life.

With an insatiable hatred toward each other, Aurora and Rain must learn to work together to bring the country back to its feet. In order to do so, they must be invincible. But being invincible isn’t only about conquering the battles in the physical world. When their journey to rescue Ky takes a violent turn for the worst, Aurora and Rain must learn the true meaning of forgiveness, not only for each other, but for those who haunt their pasts.


I just finished this book a few days ago, so I can say with certainty that yes, it's every bit as epic as it sounds! But make sure to go back and read the first two books in the series first if you haven't already! You can purchase White Dawn here.

AND...Sara has a giveaway going to celebrate her new release! Enter below for a chance to win a signed paperback of White Dawn! Haven’t had a chance to begin this thrilling series or want to get one of the other books in paperback? No worries! Two winners will receive a signed paperback of their choice from any book in the series! (US only. E-copies available INT.)

Thank you so much for joining us today, Sara!! Congratulations on your new release! 

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Top 3 Most Anticipated Books of the Second Half of 2017 (Laurie)

Me again! We did a little reshuffling this week so my review of Illusionary could land during Desiree Williams' blog tour, but it will all even out in the end, I promise :)

Last week, Jill did a post on her Top 3 Most Anticipated Books of 2017. I loved seeing which books she couldn't wait to read, and it got me thinking about the books I'm looking forward to for the rest of the year. So much so, that I decided to do my own post of books I'm anticipating for the second half of 2017 :) It turns out I have a long list of book releases I'm eagerly awaiting, but here are the ones that made my top 3:

3) Kill the Beast, by Michele Israel Harper

Ro remembers the castle as it was before. Before the gates closed. Before silence overtook the kingdom. Before the castle disappeared. Now it shimmers to life one night a year, seen by her alone.

Once a lady, now a huntress, Ro does what it takes to survive, just like the rest of the kingdom plunged into despair never before known.

But a beast has overtaken the castle; a beast that killed the prince and holds the castle and kingdom captive in his cruel power. A beast Ro has been hired to kill.

Thankful the mystery of the prince’s disappearance has been solved, furious the magical creature has killed her hero, Ro eagerly accepts the job to end him.

But things are not as they seem.

Trapped in the castle, a prisoner alongside the beast, Ro wonders what she should fear most: the beast, the magic that holds them both captive, or the one who hired her to kill the beast.

A Beauty and the Beast retelling.


That cover! That premise! *happy sigh* It probably comes as no surprise that I love fairy tale retellings, and this one looks like it has amazing potential. Plus, thanks to Zombie Takeover, I already know that Michele Israel Harper is more than capable of writing swoon-worthy romance. So I've been awaiting this book with bated breath ever since I heard about it. But, in the interest of full disclosure, I'm not entirely sure whether this book will actually end up coming out in 2017 - you can find a blog post by the author about why its release date has been moved back here. But I've got my fingers crossed!!


2) White Dawn, by Sara Baysinger

This is the beginning of a new era. The slate is clean. 

A white dawning has emerged, and I’m ready to face the day.

AURORA WHITCOMB has taken the place as Chief of Ky, but the ghosts of her past continue to haunt her future.

RAIN TURNER has lost the the embers that kept his hope burning, and all he’s left with is a raging desire to avenge the love of his life.

With an insatiable hatred toward each other, Aurora and Rain must learn to work together to bring the country back to its feet. In order to do so, they must be invincible. But being invincible isn’t only about conquering the battles in the physical world. When their journey to rescue Ky takes a violent turn for the worst, Aurora and Rain must learn the true meaning of forgiveness, not only for each other, but for those who haunt their pasts.



Speaking of amazing covers, isn't this gorgeous?? White Dawn is the third and final book in Sara Baysinger's Black Tiger series (Sara shared her Top 3 Favorite Dystopian Novels with us back in April). Without revealing spoilers, the second book, Ashen City, left me with a "Wait, what?? No!" kind of reaction. There may have been yelling involved... So suffice it to say that I'm approaching the series finale with caution, but also great anticipation. Based on the first two books, this conclusion is bound to be epic, and I'm trying to put my faith in the author that she won't break my heart too much - right, Sara? Right?? At least I won't have to wait too much longer, it releases on July 6th!


1) The Gold-Son, by Carrie Anne Noble

All sixteen-year-old Tommin wants is to make beautiful shoes and care for his beloved grandmother, but his insatiable need to steal threatens to destroy everything. Driven by a curse that demands more and more gold, he’s sure to get caught eventually.

When mysterious Lorcan Reilly arrives in town with his “niece,” Eve, Tommin believes the fellow wants to help him. Instead, Lorcan whisks him off to the underground realm of the Leprechauns, where, alongside Eve, he’s forced to prepare to become one of them.

As Lorcan’s plans for his “gold-children” are slowly revealed, Tommin and Eve plan their escape. But with Tommin’s humanity slipping away, the fate-crossed pair has everything to lose unless they can find a way to outsmart a magical curse centuries in the making.


 
Yet another incredible cover! Carrie Anne Noble's debut novel, The Mermaid's Sister, absolutely blew me away. The writing is stunning, it had just the right balance of fantasy, romance, and character growth, and I loved that it read almost like a folk tale. I can't wait to read more of her work, and the leprechaun premise of The Gold-Son sounds fresh and intriguing. I already have my copy pre-ordered, and I only have to wait a few more weeks - it releases on June 20th! Make sure to stop by next Friday, when Carrie Anne Noble will be stopping by Lands Uncharted for an interview!



I hardly know where to start with honorable mentions - did I mention my list is long? Love2ReadLove2Write Publishing has several other books coming out later this year that I'm looking forward to (including Ending Fear, which Jill included on her list!), H.L. Burke has several new releases on the way, and Julie Hall plans to release the third book in her Life After series at the end of 2017 (I reviewed the first book in her series, Huntress, here). Eeeep, so many wonderful books! Time for me to sign off so I can get reading!


What books are you looking forward to? Do you have certain authors you follow closely to make sure you don't miss a new release? Have there been any series finales you've been especially eager to read?


See you next time!
Laurie

Top 3 Favorite Dystopian Novels (by special guest Sara Baysinger!)

We're on a roll with blog tours! We hope you're enjoying these guest Top 3 posts as much as we are! If you missed the past few weeks, you can find Sarah Delena White's Top 3 Faeries to Meet in Halayda here and Julie Hall's Top 3 Places to Travel here.

Today, we are absolutely thrilled to welcome Sara Baysinger to Lands Uncharted as part of the blog tour for her new release, Ashen City, the second book in her Black Tiger trilogy! You can learn more about Sara and her books below, but first, here are Sara's Top 3 Dystopian Novels!


Hello and thank you so much for hosting me today! When I was asked to post my top three favorite dystopian novels I squealed with excitement. The dystopian genre is my absolute favorite. I was writing in this genre before I even knew what it was or that there were other similar books out there.

For those who don’t know—dystopian is the opposite of utopian. While utopian means a perfect world with a well-functioning government, dystopian is defined as a place where everything is “unpleasant or bad.” Think The Hunger Games, Divergent, or the classic The Giver. I’ll post my top three favorites below and let you know why I love them so much (without giving anything away.)


3. Divergent by Veronica Roth

 I’m sure many of you have heard of Divergent, seeing as they made movies out of the trilogy. (Which were really well done!) The heroine, Tris, is a character with whom I identify most out of all the characters I’ve ever read. Because of the culture she grew up in, she’s timid, but once she steps out of her comfort zone, she discovers more about herself and becomes fearless and strong. I love the progression of her character arc. I love her compassion and her courage to fight for what she believes in. The writing is fast paced, the details vivid, the story unforgettable.


2. The Selection by Kiera Cass

Oh my gosh, how I LOVED this whole series! I’m not really into princesses, so it was one that took me years to pick up, but when I did, man, I could not put it down. I just love the royalty scene taking place in a dystopian world. I loved the way Cass approached politics in the story, and how she made the heroine, America, so compassionate and bold at the same time. The romance wasn’t bad either. ;) This is a nice clean read with a heart-swooning romance.


1. Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

Ignite Me is actually the third book in the Shatter Me series. This is one of those series that starts out “okay” and slowly progresses to being one of your favorite series as you read through all three books. (At least that’s how it happened for me.) I read the first book, Shatter Me, and though I enjoyed it, I wasn’t compelled to pick up the second book. When I did finally pick it up, I got about 50 pages in and then sat it down for nearly a year. (A year, guys!) Then I stumbled across a bookstagram (that’s a bookish account on Instagram) where someone revealed a huge twist in the series. I knew I had to finish it, and boy am I glad I did! The romance is steamy, and the character arc in (I won’t say who) is so incredibly moving. Ignite Me is one of those books that I dog-ear pages to read over and over again. Another reason I really enjoyed this series was the lyrical writing style (which I might have attempted in my own books, The Black Tiger Series.) Mafi’s writing is beautiful and moving, and I highly recommend this series. However, if cussing and steamy make-out scenes bother you, I don’t advise you read it.


I could go on listing all my other favorite dystopians (Legend by Marie Lu, A Time to Die by Nadine Brandes, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins) but I’ll spare you my rambling. ;)


What are your favorite dystopian reads?


Thank you so much for sharing these, Sara! Top dystopian picks from a dystopian writer have to be good recommendations :) 


And speaking of great dystopian reads, here's the back-cover blurb for Ashen City:

Make your choice, Ember Carter. And make it count.

Ember Carter has escaped the flames of death. But will she ever be free from Chief Titus? When the orchard goes up in smoke and her family turns up missing, Ember returns to Frankfort hoping to find her brother and father, and to get Titus to drop the death wish he has against her.

But Titus is always one step ahead. When Ember faces him head-on, she’s captured, only to receive another death sentence. But on her way to her execution, plans go a little askew, and Ember finds herself traveling to the one place no one dares travel: Louisville. If the outskirts of Ky were a ghost town, the ashen city is the borderline of hell itself, but it’s the one place Ember can find refuge from the people who want her dead.

In the ashen city, Ember must learn that being a hero is more than doing what is right because she can, but doing it for the good of the people. And when plans take a turn for the worst, she must decide if it’s worth risking her life to save her country.


As you can tell, this series is intense! Constant action, lots of plot twists, and fabulous world-building, character growth, and romance. I'm very much looking forward to the final installment!! You can purchase Ashen City here.


And here's a little more about the author:

Sara Baysinger grew up in the heart of the Andes Mountains in Ecuador where she spent her childhood exploring uncharted lands and reading all things magical. She now lives among the endless cornfields of Indiana with her husband and two young children. Sara enjoys writing and reading anything out of the ordinary, and has a bad habit of zoning out at the most inopportune moments. She is currently considering seeking medical attention for her potentially life-threatening coffee addiction.

Connect with Sara on her website, Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.



 


Thank you so much for joining us today, Sara!!


Sara has some giveaways going in honor of her new release, enter below! (Open to U.S. residents only.)

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