Showing posts with label Laura L. Zimmerman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Laura L. Zimmerman. Show all posts

Thursday, January 21, 2021

Lament Character Spotlights by Laura L. Zimmerman (Lament Blog Tour)


We are thrilled to welcome Laura L. Zimmerman to Lands Uncharted today as part of the blog tour celebrating her upcoming new release, Lament! We featured Book One in Laura's Banshee Song Series, Keen, in a review and behind-the-scenes post, and now we're excited to share character spotlights from Lament! I'll share more about the book below, but for now, here's Laura!


In the second book of the Banshee Song Series, Caoine unexpectedly travels to the Unseelie Realm. This opens the door to a whole new cast of characters! While we still get to see a few favorites from Keen, Lament welcomes you to the land of the fae. Let’s get to know a few of the characters!


Aibell: This tough-as-nails faerie is one of the first Caoine will be introduced to once she arrives in the Unseelie Realm. Aibell is wicked with a bow and arrow and just as talented with a sword. The secret to her skill at weaponry lies with a story from her past. How is she connected to King Raghnall and why does she look so familiar to Caoine?

Laoise: (LEE sha) This girl is no ordinary wisp. Laoise stands a solid six feet tall but is always quick to offer a gentle smile. Her silver eyes glow with radiance, making her appear partially transparent. That is, when she’s not changing into a ball of light to zip away and confuse even the most observant. Her closest friend is Killian but she finds a special connection to Caoine that makes her especially protective.

Killian: A tall Light Elf, Killian is technically from the Seelie Realm. He’s downright dangerous with a bow and arrow, and Caoine is thankful he’s on her side, when it comes to helping her escape the Unseelie. His formal elegance often makes him appear as if he’s standing perfectly still, giving off an air of royalty. But what are his roots and why does he prefer to reside in the Winter Realm when it’s not his real home?

Gar: He’s short, he’s a goblin, and he’s always a bit of a grump! His name means “god spear”, which makes sense since he’s oddly good with the spear―beyond good. In fact, he never misses his mark. He looks like a child, if said child could grow a mass of hair with deep wrinkles that reflected a life of worry. Although he doesn’t exactly trust Caoine, he’s committed enough to help her on her journey, even if he never cracks a smile.

Nym: This little man quickly becomes one of Caoine’s closest companions. As a faen, he shouldn’t desire to be around other fae, or a half-human for that matter. But his loyalty is strong and he’d certainly never tell a lie, even if he could. He often disappears without any notice but he somehow appears at just the right time. Caoine learns to keep this odd guy close, especially when she isn’t sure who can be trusted.


Of course, we’ll meet a few more friends along the way, including a surprise character that remains a secret for now. (Shhh!) And our old favorites will be there for you, too!

Thanks for meeting my friends of Lament. I’d love to hear which character is your favorite!


Eeep, I started this book earlier this week and now I'm even more eager to keep reading!! Lament releases on January 26th and can be pre-ordered through Amazon (paperback and e-book) or Barnes & Noble (and after you've pre-ordered, make sure to go HERE to fill out the form for some amazing pre-order swag!) Here's a little more about the book:



Half-fae banshee, Caoine, is devastated by the loss of her father, and graduation is just around the corner. Ignorant of an old enemy seeking revenge, she is whisked away to the Unseelie Realm where she learns someone dear to her is being held captive. She vows not to go home until he's free.

Then she finds out she's trapped, unable to return to the human realm.

In order to go home, she must set aside old prejudices and work with a nemesis to survive faerie tricks and fae creatures hungry for human blood. Only then will she discover the secret to her escape and her loved one's freedom.

Aided by an unlikely band of fae, she uncovers more about her banshee powers than she dreamed possible, even as the fae remind her just how human she really is.

She'll take the drama of high school over the pettiness of the fae any day.


Make sure to stop by the Online Release Party for Lament next Thursday, January 28th, and check out the other stops on the blog tour (find the full tour schedule HERE)! Thank you so much for visiting today, Laura, and congratulations on your new release!!

Friday, September 4, 2020

Weekend Reads with Caione (Vanessa)

 Happy Friday! I hope your week has gone well and the weather is (hopefully!) starting to get a bit cooler! Who else is ready for fall? I know I am!

Well, if it is still hot where you're at, let's just pretend it's cold and snuggle up with a nice blanket and a fun book!

I've recently had the pleasure of reading Keen by Laura L. Zimmerman. Here's what it's about:

Half-faerie Caoine has no control over the banshee lament she sings each night, predicting the death of others. A senior in a brand new high school, she expects the same response she's received at every other school: judgment from fellow students over her unusual eyes and unnaturally white skin and hair. However, when Caoine arrives at West Lincoln High, for the first time in her life she finds friends. Real friends.

But being a teenager is never easy, especially when the star soccer player, Oliver, sets his sights on her. Allowing him to get close means revealing her curse to the human world. She can't let that happen.

Life spins further out of control when her lament comes out during the day, those whose death she predicts die right in front of her, and a dark faerie known only as the Unseelie prince blames Caoine by leaving her the creepiest notes ever. Her curse is notsupposed to work like that.

In a race against time, Caoine must uncover the Unseelie prince's identity and stop a spell before it unleashes hell on earth, all while trying to control her banshee song and finding a place among her peers.

Senior year just got real.


Before I read Keen, I couldn't remember the last time I had read a book in a high school setting. I was so glad I picked this one up because it was such a fun read! There were faeries, friends, drama, love, humor, and excitement all bundled together. 

Zimmerman does a great job of making characters relatable for the teen genre and others who are older than teens, but still love Young Adult books (me :-D). I enjoyed the healthy relationships included in Keen from Caione and her father to Caione and Oliver. 

Overall, this is an enjoyable and fun read to add to your TBR pile!

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Keen by Laura Zimmerman (Julie)

Multicolored eyes. Banshee songs. Faeries. Teenage love. Death. All come together to make up Laura Zimmerman's new book Keen, Banshee Song Series Book One. I admit teenage books aren't normally my go-to, but it sounded interesting enough to give it a try. And I'm glad I did!

Caoine's (pronounced Cane) a half-breed who doesn't know where she belongs. Different from her
peers with her pale hair and almost albino skin, and the most strikingly odd feature...her multicolored eyes. It's not the best recipe for making friends in high school.

Being a teenager is never easy, but Caoine has slightly bigger problems than boys, or even bullies. She sings songs. Songs of death. Since the day she was born, she's been cursed as a banshee, to sing the song of death every night. But now, her curse is acting up and there just so happens to be a handsome boy at her new school.

Here's what Amazon has to say:
You must walk the darkness to find the light.
Half-faerie Caoine has no control over the banshee lament she sings each night, predicting the death of others. A senior in a brand new high school, she expects the same response she’s received at every other school: judgment from fellow students over her unusual eyes and unnaturally white skin and hair. However, when Caoine arrives at West Lincoln High, for the first time in her life she finds friends. Real friends.
But being a teenager is never easy, especially when the star soccer player, Oliver, sets his sights on her. Allowing him to get close means revealing her curse to the human world. She can’t let that happen.
Life spins further out of control when her lament comes out during the day, those whose death she predicts die right in front of her, and a dark faerie known only as the Unseelie prince blames Caoine by leaving her the creepiest notes ever. Her curse is not supposed to work like that.
In a race against time, Caoine must uncover the Unseelie prince’s identity and stop a spell before it unleashes hell on earth, all while trying to control her banshee song and finding a place among her peers.
Senior year just got real.


Don't just take mine (or Amazon's word for it) check it out for yourself!

Sunday, July 7, 2019

Behind-the-Scenes of Keen (Keen Blog Tour)


We're thrilled to welcome Laura L. Zimmerman to Lands Uncharted today to celebrate the upcoming release of her debut fantasy novel, Keen! I had the opportunity to endorse this book, and you guys, it's SO GOOD! I'll share more about it below, but first, here's a behind-the-scenes feature from the author! Enjoy!


A lot goes into a character. An author often pulls inspiration from several people in their own life to help round out each role in the book. Let’s learn what inspired Caoine Roberts.

Her personality is based on my daughter. They’re both extreme introverts and avoid social situations at all costs. Think it’s odd that Caoine spends her early days at West Lincoln High under a stairwell? Those scenes were inspired by a real life situation when our family was on vacation. I couldn’t find my daughter until a second sweep of the rental house. She was hiding in the bedroom closet scrolling through Instagram. She literally needed time to be away from people and to re-energize. The running joke in our house is that she “hates people.” Even though we know this is far from truth, there are time’s when Caoine truly believes she just can’t like anyone.

When it comes to food, Caoine is all ME! I’ll admit to being a carb-lover--especially those beloved french fries. *swoon* This food is prominently featured throughout the novel as Caoine’s favorite, as well. Also like me, she’s a vegetarian. In the novel, she can’t tolerate meat because she’s part fae. I wish I could say the same for me--wouldn’t it be cool to be part faerie??--but it’s not because I’m supernatural. Just a boring human.

Okay, let’s move onto the most important detail: coffee. Many of the main characters I create are in love with coffee. (Because coffee is life, right?) And I tried to stop this trend, I really did! Alas, I only got as far as making Caoine hate coffee. (She prefers tea.) Her sidekick Aubree adores the “liquid gold” (as I call it), and the coffee shop is their spot to hang.

My love of singing is also portrayed through the fact that Caoine is literally a banshee who sings a beautiful lament each night. Some say I sing a bit too much, but it’s not something I can turn off. I suppose it would be easier if I were a banshee. At least I’d have an excuse!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this sneak peek into Keen. Stop by the other blog tour stops to read more Behind the Scenes!


How fun, I love that her inspiration comes from both you and your daughter! Congratulations on your new release, Laura! Thank you so much for joining us today! Here's a little more about the author:

Laura L. Zimmerman lives in a suburb of Charlotte, North Carolina with her husband, three daughters, and three furbaby felines. Besides writing, she’s passionate about loving Jesus, anything Star Wars, and singing loudly. She takes her coffee black and spends her days pretending to do yoga. This is her debut novel. Find out more about her at www.lauralzimmerman.wordpress.com.









You can also connect with Laura on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, and Pinterest. And here's the back cover blurb for this fabulous book!

You must walk the darkness to find the light.

Half-faerie Caoine has no control over the banshee lament she sings each night, predicting the death of others. A senior in a brand new high school, she expects the same response she’s received at every other school: judgment from fellow students over her unusual eyes and unnaturally white skin and hair. However, when Caoine arrives at West Lincoln High, for the first time in her life she finds friends. Real friends.

But being a teenager is never easy, especially when the star soccer player, Oliver, sets his sights on her. Allowing him to get close means revealing her curse to the human world. She can’t let that happen. Life spins further out of control when her lament comes out during the day, those whose death she predicts die right in front of her, and a dark faerie known only as the Unseelie prince blames Caoine by leaving her the creepiest notes ever. Her curse is not supposed to work like that.

In a race against time, Caoine must uncover the Unseelie prince’s identity and stop a spell before it unleashes hell on earth, all while trying to control her banshee song and finding a place among her peers.

Senior year just got real.


Keen releases on July 9th, you can (and should!) pre-order it here. Make sure to join in on the Keen Facebook Party on July 11th! And here's the rest of the blog tour schedule:

Monday, July 1st, Guest Post, Katherine Vinson, www.sparksofember.wordpress.com

Monday, July 1st, Guest Post, Rebecca Bruner, www.rebeccabrunerauthor.com

Tuesday, July 2nd, Visual Post, Kellie Parker, www.kelliemichelleparker.com

Wednesday, July 3rd, Review, Tammera Ayers, www.beliedoutcastlegends.com

Thursday, July 4th, Review/Interview, Pam Halter, www.pamhalter.com/fairiesfantasyfaith

Friday, July 5th, Interview, Jebraun Clifford, www.jebraunclifford.com

Friday, July 5th, Interview, Medomfo Owusu, www.writingsfromagodgirl.wordpress.com

Saturday, July 6th, BookTube Review, Gretchen Engel, www.gretchenekengel.com

Sunday, July 7th, Behind-the-Scenes Feature, Laurie Lucking, www.landsuncharted.com

Monday, July 8th, Behind-the-Scenes Feature, J.M. Hackman, www.jmhackman.com

Tuesday, July 9th, Release-Day Feature, Laura L. Zimmerman, www.lauralzimmerman.wordpress.com

Wednesday, July 10th, Interview, Kelly Barr, www.kellyfbarr.com

Wednesday, July 10th, Review, Vincent Vezza, www.hiddentreasurenovels.com

Thursday, July 11th, FB Party Feature, Michele Israel Harper, www.MicheleIsraelHarper.com

Friday, July 12th, Review, Abigail McKenna, www.novelsdragonsandwardrobedoors.blogspot.com