Monday, July 29, 2019

Author Interview & Giveaway: A Touch of Gold by Annie Sullivan


Welcome to the Blink Summer Reading Tour for A Touch of Gold by Annie Sullivan, hosted by The Fantastic Flying Book Club!

ABOUT THE BOOK


Title: A Touch of Gold
Author: Annie Sullivan 
Publisher: BLINK
Release Date: August 14, 2018  
Genre: YA Fiction - Mythology/Retelling
King Midas once had the ability to turn all he touched into gold. But after his gift—or curse—almost killed his daughter, Midas relinquished The Touch forever. Ten years later, Princess Kora still bears the consequences of her father’s wish: her skin shines golden, rumors follow her everywhere she goes, and she harbors secret powers that are getting harder to hide.

Kora spends her days locked in the palace, concealed behind gloves and veils, trying to ignore the stares and gossip of courtiers. It isn’t until a charming young duke arrives that Kora realizes there may be someone out there who doesn’t fear her or her curse. But their courtship is disrupted when a thief steals precious items from the kingdom, leaving the treasury depleted and King Midas vulnerable. Thanks to her unique ability to sense gold, Kora is the only one who can track the thief down. As she sails off on her quest, Kora learns that not everything is what it seems—not thieves, not pirates, and not even curses. She quickly discovers that gold—and the power it brings—is more dangerous than she’d ever believed.
Midas learned his lesson at a price. What will Kora’s journey cost?


ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Annie Sullivan is a Young Adult author from Indianapolis, Indiana. Her work has been featured in Curly Red Stories and Punchnels. She loves fairytales, everything Jane Austen, and traveling and exploring new cultures. When she’s not off on her own adventures, she’s teaching classes at the Indiana Writers Center and working as the Copy Specialist at John Wiley and Sons, Inc. publishing company, having also worked there in Editorial and Publicity roles. You can follow her adventures on Twitter and Instagram (@annsulliva).

 CONNECT WITH ANNIE: Twitter | Instagram


AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH ANNIE SULLIVAN:


Did a specific event, idea, or person inspire A Touch of Gold?

Annie: The book was actually inspired by the movie Pirates of the Caribbean. I kept seeing all that cursed gold, which led me to thinking about King Midas and all his gold…and whether or not it might be cursed. From there, I jumped into wondering about his daughter, who he turns to gold. I always wondered what happened to her after that, so I gave her her own story.

How long did it take you to write this novel?

Annie: It took me about 2 years to write because I was writing it on and off while I was in graduate school getting a master’s degree in creative writing. Now, I can write a book much faster than that—in a matter of months!

What was something surprising you learned while researching/writing this novel?

Annie: I was just surprised to see how many versions of the King Midas myth existed out in the universe. Some included his daughter. Some didn’t. Some had satyrs. Some didn’t. One might give one reason for asking for his golden touch while another would give a different reason. So it was really cool to take the elements I thought would fit a fantasy world best and turn them into the plot of A Touch of Gold.

Do you have a favorite character in Touch of Gold?

Annie: Oh, that’s such a hard one! I think I’d have to go with Princess Kora, King Midas’s daughter, because she’s such a dynamic character. She goes from having to live a sheltered life to having to race out to face pirates to save her kingdom and her father’s stolen gold. I love that she finds her own strength along the way. But I have to say that I do love her cousin Hettie who is just a firecracker of a character and two twins who make an appearance who always seem to have some sort of scheme up their sleeves.

What do you hope readers take away from this novel?

Annie: I want readers to take away that they do have the inner strength to succeed. I want them to realize that maybe something they saw as a flaw in themselves might actually turn out to be their greatest strength. When they come back to the world, I hope they are a little more hopeful, a little more sure in themselves, and a little more certain that good can defeat evil.

Can you share a book you are currently reading or have read recently?

Annie: I just finished the last book in the Caraval series and loved it!!! Stephanie Garber created such a rich world with swoon-worthy characters, and I wish I didn’t have to leave that world!

What hobbies do you enjoy when you aren't writing?

Annie: I’m not sure it counts as a hobby, but I love traveling! I’ve been to every continent and about 60 countries. I love seeing new landscapes and meeting new people. But I also have regular hobbies like binge watching TV, reading, baking desserts, and running.

TOUR SCHEDULE:


July 22


That Artsy Reader Girl - Summer Reading Tour Kick-Off

July 23


Pages & Pugs - Book Review of Pretty In Punxsutawney + Favorite Quotes
Mangeuse de Livres - Q and A with Annie Sullivan (French and English)
Moonlight Rendezvous - Book Review of Meet the Sky + Favorite Quotes
Musings of a (Book) Girl - Christina June Guest Post
Ohana Cascadia - Book Review of Meet the Sky + Favorite Quotes
A Bronx Latina Reads - Book Review of Pretty In Punxsutawney
Nay's Pink Bookshelf - Book Review of Swing + Favorite Quotes
Taylor Fenner's Bookish World - Book Review of A Touch of Gold
Kayla Reads and Reviews - Book Review of Swing + Creative Post
Savings In Seconds - Book Review of Meet the Sky


July 24


J.R.'s Book Reviews - Book Review of A Touch of Gold
Book-Keeping - Book Review of Meet the Sky
Musings of a (Book) Girl - Interview with Laurie Boyle Crompton
Lifestyle of Me - Book Review of No Place Like Here
Shelf-Rated - Book Review of Pretty In Punxsutawney + Favorite Quotes
Reading Authors Network - Book Review of Swing
Read At Night - Interview with Christina June
YA/NA Book Divas - Book Review of Swing
Cinnamon Summers - Book Review of No Place Like Here + Favorite Quotes
Inky Moments - Creative Post

July 25


Marshmallow Pudding - Christina June Guest Post
Never Too Many to Read - Creative Post for No Place Like Here
Ohana Cascadia - Book Review of Swing + Favorite Quotes
Nay's Pink Bookshelf - Book Review of Pretty In Punxsutawney + Favorite Quotes
FictitiousWonderland - Book Review + Creative Post for A Touch of Gold (Instagram)
Story-eyed Reviews - Interview with McCall Hoyle
Will Read Anything - Book Review of Meet the Sky
Kait Plus Books - Book Review of No Place Like Here + Favorite Quotes
The Reading Corner for All - Book Review of A Touch of Gold + Instagram Post


July 26


Adventures Thru Wonderland - McCall Hoyle Guest Post
Here's to Happy Endings - Book Review of A Touch of Gold
What She Will Read - Book Review of No Place Like Here + Favorite Quotes
Starlight Reads - Book Playlist for Swing
Story-eyed Reviews - Book Review of Meet the Sky + Favorite Quotes
Library of a Book Witch - Book Review of A Touch of Gold
Will Read Anything - Book Review of Swing
Inky Moments - Book Review of No Place Like Here + Favorite Quotes


July 29


Beauty In the Binding - Author Q&A with Annie Sullivan
Onemused - Book Review of Meet the Sky (Instagram Photo)
A Bronx Latina Reads - Book Review of No Place Like Here
Cinnamon Summers - Book Review of Meet the Sky + Favorite Quotes
A Dream Within a Dream - Book Review of A Touch of Gold
A Bookish Dream - Book Review of Pretty In Punxsutawney
Savings In Seconds - Book Review of Swing + Favorite Quotes
FictitiousWonderland - Book Review + Creative Post for Pretty In Punxsutawney (Instagram)


July 30


What She Will Read - Laurie Boyle Crompton Guest Post
Never Too Many to Read - Book Review of No Place Like Here
Starlight Reads - Book Review of Swing
YA/NA Book Divas - Book Review of A Touch of Gold
YA Media Consumer - Book Review of Meet the Sky
Some Books and Ramblings - Interview with McCall Hoyle
Moonlight Rendezvous - Book Review of A Touch of Gold + Favorite Quotes
The Reading Corner for All - Book Review of Meet the Sky + Instagram Post

July 31


Feed Your Fiction Addiction - McCall Hoyle Guest Post
Taylor Fenner's Bookish World - Book Review of No Place Like Here
Book-Keeping - Book Review of Touch of Gold
Utopia State of Mind - Book Review of No Place Like Here
Kait Plus Books - Annie Sullivan Guest Post
Musings of a (Book) Girl - Book Review of Swing
Kait Plus Books - Laurie Boyle Crompton Guest Post
Read At Night - No Place Like Here Creative Post
Ohana Cascadia - Book Review of A Touch of Gold + Favorite Quotes
Lifestyle of Me - Book Review of Pretty In Punxsutawney

 August 1

Reading Authors Network - Creative Post for Swing
Story-eyed Reviews - Interview with Christina June
Two Points of Interest - Book Review of Pretty In Punxsutawney
The Secret Reader - Book Review of A Touch of Gold + Creative Post
Belle's Archive - Book Review of Swing
A Dream Within A Dream - Annie Sullivan Guest Post
Smada's Book Smack - Book Review of Pretty In Punxsutawney
A Bookish Dream - Book Review of No Place Like Here
Adventures Thru Wonderland - Book Review of Meet the Sky

August 2


Here's to Happy Endings - Book Review of Meet the Sky
Belle's Archive - Book Review of Pretty In Punxsutawney
The Secret Reader - Book Review of Pretty In Punxsutawney + Interview with Laurie Boyle Crompton + Creative Post
Smada's Book Smack - Book Review of No Place Like Here
Faery Tales Are Real - Book Review of A Touch of Gold
Read At Night - Book Review of Swing + Creative Post
Two Points of Interest - Book Review of Swing




TOUR-WIDE GIVEAWAY:


Prize: 5 BLINK Summer Reading Tour Book Bundles (A Touch of Gold, Meet the Sky, No Place Like Here, Pretty In Punxsutawney, and Swing by Kwame Alexander) (USA). Ends 8/09/19.
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