Ward Against Death Tour Stop- Interview and Giveaway with Melanie Card

Can you tell readers a little bit about yourself and what inspired to write in this particular genre?

Thanks so much for inviting me to share with your readers today! I’m a cat lover, and chocolate and theater addict and I write fantasy novels. The adventure in fantasy, the time periods, and the magic that can do or become anything really appeals to me. There’s a feeling of romance with fantasy, and I get to live that romance by being able to read and write about people who can do wondrous things. I think that drew me in as a child and has held me captive ever since.

What inspired you to write this book?

My hero, Ward, inspired me to write Ward Against Death. I was thinking: in what situation could a necromancer be good instead of evil?—because sometimes I like to play around with expectations—and Ward started to develop. He was quirky, and kind, and determined. I couldn’t resist writing his story.

Please tell us about your latest release.

My latest release, Ward Against Death, is a YA/Adult cross-over fantasy.

Here’s the blurb:

Twenty-year-old Ward de’Ath expected this to be a simple job—bring a nobleman’s daughter back from the dead for fifteen minutes, let her family say good-bye, and launch his fledgling career as a necromancer. Goddess knows he can’t be a surgeon—the Quayestri already branded him a criminal for trying—so bringing people back from the dead it is.

But when Ward wakes the beautiful Celia Carlyle, he gets more than he bargained for. Insistent that she’s been murdered, Celia begs Ward to keep her alive and help her find justice. By the time she drags him out her bedroom window and into the sewers, Ward can’t bring himself to break his damned physician’s Oath and desert her.

However, nothing is as it seems—including Celia. One second, she’s treating Ward like sewage, the next she’s kissing him. And for a nobleman’s daughter, she sure has a lot of enemies. If he could just convince his heart to give up on the infuriating beauty, he might get out of this alive…


Did you find anything really interesting while researching this or another book?

What I found really fascinating when I started researching mediaeval surgery for the book, was how advanced medicine was in the middle east during the end of the 10th century. A man named Abu al-Qasim al-Zahrawi wrote extensively about his medical practice and procedures and developed his own surgical instruments and could do some pretty spectacular things for his time period. The surgical procedure in the book is based off the writings of Guy de Chauliac (a 12th century French surgeon) who studied al-Zahrawi’s works.


Can you tell readers a little bit about the world building in the book/series? How does this world differ from our normal world?

The world where WARD AGAINST DEATH takes place is a world sort of like ours around the time of the Renaissance. There are cossets and carriages, princes and princess, and swords and crossbows. However there’s also magic. While the magic of my hero, necromancy, has fallen out of favor in the last couple of generations, it used to be quite revered. I’ve also taken some modern aspects, such as the mafia and the FBI, and given them historical and magical flavors, turning organized crime into the Gentilica, and the elite law enforcement agency into the Quayestri.

Do any of your characters have similar characteristics of yourself in them and what are they?

I think in a way, I have similar characteristics to all my characters (even my villains). What they think and how the behave comes from me. We all know courage and love and fear and jealousy and every other emotion. And there are many ways we react to these emotions (and they often differ depending on the situation). I’m probably, however, closest to my hero, Ward. I’m a bookworm, and I love learning new things. It’s also very important to me to do the right thing and keep my word.


Other than writing, what are some of your interests, hobbies or passions in life?

I’m an amateur theatre geek. I love performing in plays: dramas, comedies, musicals, you name it, I love it. Doing a show can take up a lot of so I have to make sure I don’t over commit myself, but I try to do at least one show a year.

What can readers expect next from you?

The second book in the Chronicles of a Reluctant Necromancer series. The adventures of Ward and Celia continue with more undead creatures and evil necromancers.


Where can readers find you on the web?

Connect with me at: Facebook / Twitter @melaniecard / Goodreads / MelanieCard.com

Would you like to leave readers with a little teaser or excerpt from the book?

“I think,” Ward said, his voice soft, “that this is much bigger than you.”

“Bigger than me? I’m the Dominus’ daughter.”

He looked at her with his brown eyes, and she knew she’d found her moment. She set her cup aside and knelt at his feet, clasping his hand between hers.

“You’re right. This is our first good lead and we should follow it. But it can wait a moment. We’re celebrating you. And you haven’t finished your drink.”

“That’s because you topped it up.”

She smiled and sat back on her heels. “Because I plan on getting you drunk and taking advantage of you.”

He laughed and took a long swig from his cup. “No, really, I should—”

“No.” She skimmed her hands up his thighs to his waist and leaned in, brushing her nose against his. “Really.”

He gasped and flushed. The strength of her advance was risky, but she no longer had time to play it slow. She knew he found her attractive. Now was her only opportunity.

“Celia.” His voice wavered on an uneven breath. “I...”

She ran her hands up his chest, along his neck, and cupped his jaw between her palms. If she closed her eyes, she could imagine Ward was the innocent, honest man she’d believed. Beneath her fingers, she could feel his noble heritage, the chiseled lines of his cheeks and jaw. His betrayal hurt more than she thought possible, and she pressed her lips to his before she could change her mind.

He froze, and his lips trembled under hers. It was too fast, too soon, and she eased back. But he caught the back of her head with his hand and deepened the kiss with a sudden, intense need, sending a shock of pleasure through her.

Celia gasped, caught off guard. She shouldn’t have been. When Ward decided to do something, he committed fully to it.

Title: Ward Against Death
Author: Melanie Card
Genre: New Adult/Upper YA Fantasy
Length: Novel – 285 pgs
Release Date: August 2, 2011
ePub ISBN: 978-1-937044-08-4
Print ISBN: 978-1-937044-09-1
Book 2 is coming December 2011!

CHRONICLES OF A RELUCTANT NECROMANCER - Book One by Melanie Card

Twenty-year-old Ward de’Ath expected this to be a simple job—bring a nobleman’s daughter back from the dead for fifteen minutes, let her family say good-bye, and launch his fledgling career as a necromancer. Goddess knows he can’t be a surgeon—the Quayestri already branded him a criminal for trying—so bringing people back from the dead it is.

But when Ward wakes the beautiful Celia Carlyle, he gets more than he bargained for. Insistent that she’s been murdered, Celia begs Ward to keep her alive and help her find justice. By the time she drags him out her bedroom window and into the sewers, Ward can’t bring himself to break his damned physician’s Oath and desert her.

However, nothing is as it seems—including Celia. One second, she’s treating Ward like sewage, the next she’s kissing him. And for a nobleman’s daughter, she sure has a lot of enemies. If he could just convince his heart to give up on the infuriating beauty, he might get out of this alive…

Get it Amazon, Books on Board and Diesel

About the Author

Melanie has always been drawn to story telling and can't remember a time when
she wasn’t creating a story in her head. Her early stories were adventures with
fairies and dragons and sword swinging princesses.

Today she continues to spin tales of magic in lands near and far, while her cat sits
on the edge of her desk and supervises. When she’s not writing, you can find her
pretending to be other people with her local community theatre groups.

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