Some things are not meant to die …
Welcome to the kickoff of The Ancient Ones Book Tour presented by Storytellers On Tour! This upcoming week we’ll be showing Cassandra L. Thompson’s dark fantasy/gothic horror novel some love, a book I’ve read and thoroughly enjoyed in the past. I’m very much looking forward to hearing what others think of this atmospheric tale of love populated by beautifully tragic characters. Stay tuned, it’s going to be an amazing week.
Cassandra was kind enough to stop by for a chat about this beautiful book, the research she’s done and what she hopes people take away from this story of hers, what lies ahead, and more. So, keep scrolling to learn more about the book and author, read the awesome interview, and enter to win yourself a copy of The Ancient Ones!
We’ve enlisted a group of wonderful and talented bloggers and Bookstagrammers to help us feature The Ancient Ones. This is what we have going on, so make sure to check out each and every one throughout the week for some brilliant content, including reviews and more.
SEPTEMBER 26TH – THE KICKOFF
Whispers & Wonder (IG: @whispersandwonder)
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SEPTEMBER 27TH
Armed with A Book (IG: @_armedwithabook)
Westveil Publishing
@all.you.read.is.love
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SEPTEMBER 28TH
Geeky Galaxy (IG: @geekylorraine)
A Part of Your Book World (@apartofyourbookworld)
@vamplit
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SEPTEMBER 29TH
Dragon Hourglass (IG: @zxeper)
@apocketfuloftomes
@Chapter.mjthomas
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SEPTEMBER 30TH
Beneath A Thousand Skies
@ofproseandspells
@thebookwebb
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OCTOBER 1ST
Jessica Belmont
Kayla C. Reviews
@thenerdynook
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OCTOBER 2ND – THE ENCORE
Queen’s Book Asylum
For more info, visit the official tour page at Storytellers On Tour.
About the Book
Some things are not meant to die …
When David stumbles upon a tragic young woman in a sordid Limehouse pub, he has no idea she’d recognize him as the last vampyre alive, nor that she’d be the one to pull out his story. Yet as he recalls his life from the sweltering vineyards of Ancient Rome to the cold horrors of Medieval Romania – as well as his tumultuous past with the mad and mysterious Lucius – he realizes she is much more than what she seems.
Gothic horror and mythological fantasy blend seamlessly together in this thrilling adventure, breathing new life into vampire lore as it reveals its true origins. The Ancient Ones is a tale of myth, mayhem, and magic … with a dash of romance that bites.
The Ancient Ones by Cassandra L. Thompson
SERIES: The Ancient Ones (#1)
PUBLISHED: October 31, 2020 by Quill & Crow Publishing House
GENRE: Dark Fantasy, Gothic Horror
PAGES: 288
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Meet The Author
Gothic horror writer Cassandra L. Thompson has been creating stories since she got her grubby little hands around a pen. An Ohio native, she earned her BA in History from Cleveland State and her MLIS from Kent State. When she is not busy managing a house full of feral children (human and canine), you can find her wandering around cemeteries, taking pictures of abandoned things, exploring lonely patches of woods, or in the library doing research. She is the founder of the gothic fiction press, Quill & Crow Publishing House and she writes short horror stories for her blog, Tales From the Shadows.
WEBSITE: cassandralthompson.carrd.co
Thanks so much for stopping by for a chat, Cassandra. Since we already have your official bio, can we have the MCs from The Ancient Ones introduce you in one sentence?
David clears his throat. “Cassandra is my scribe, who–”
“Well, not for long,” Lucius interjects under his breath.
“Can I please give her an introduction without your ego breaking through?”
Lucius shoots him a look. “I’m simply stating that she isn’t just your scribe–”
“Enough.” Morrigan commands. “Both of you are going to drive me mad. Meet Cassandra, our scribe, the one responsible for bringing us into the modern world.”
Give us an idea of how The Ancient Ones came to fruition.
The Ancient Ones is a story that came together over the course of twenty years. From the first dream I had when I was fifteen up until I was thirty, the story continued to grow with new ideas, concepts, visions, until I finally finished it at age 33.
Can you share with us something about The Ancient Ones that isn’t in the blurb?
This story not only challenges vampire lore, but it also brings to life ancient mythologies in a new, cohesive way. It explores a myriad of concepts, including duality, love, and mortality.
Was there any specific research you’ve done or inspiration you’ve pulled from for this story of yours? And if so, did you learn anything fun or interesting?
The entire Ancient Ones trilogy is filled so much historical research, that it’s hard to pick just one thing. But I do have a lot of writing influences. I grew up reading Anne Rice, but I also read a lot of Gothic literature, and I think it bled through in these books. That’s why I say The Ancient Ones is a blend of Gothic horror and dark fantasy, because the more I study Gothic lore, the more I see its influence on me.
What do you hope your readers take away from The Ancient Ones?
Above all, I want to give readers a satisfying story. If they learn something or I introduce a concept that makes them think, or inspires them to write, then that would send me right over the moon.
What comes first, the plot or the characters?
Characters, always.
What do you think makes a good story?
I love stories with a lot of heart and depth, with a strong prose, good pacing, literary elements, and excitement. I also love strong female characters and believable love stories.
If you could go back and change how you approached writing your debut novel, what’s the one thing you’d do differently?
Honestly nothing. A part of me wishes I would have done it earlier, but I know everything happens for a reason. I trust the Universe’s timing.
Writing can be a stressful pursuit. Do you have any tips for aspiring authors?
Don’t let the world get you down. If you feel the passion to write, then write. Write as much as you want. If you decide you want to publish, find a good group of fellow writers to support your journey. The more eyes on your book, the better.
Ok, let’s see what kind of person you truly are.
Coffee or Tea?
Coffee
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Winter or Summer?
Autumn
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Physical books or Ebooks?
Physical, though I appreciate the convenience of ebooks.
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Mountains or Oceans?
Mountains
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Beer or Wine?
Coffee (I don’t drink)
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Books or Movies?
Books
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Cowboys or Aliens?
Neither
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Pie or Cake?
Pie
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Rural or Urban?
Rural
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Work hard or Play hard?
I’m a workaholic, but all work and no play makes Cassandra a dull girl
Have you read anything awesome lately?
Since I work in publishing, I haven’t gotten to read anything for pleasure that wasn’t in-house for a long time. But I love all the short stories in our literary magazine, The Crow’s Quill. There are some really talented writers out there!
Thank you again for taking the time have a chat, Cassandra. Tell us what lies ahead for you!
Thanks again for everything! I will be working hard on getting Book Two of The Ancient Ones Trilogy, Liminality, ready for its Halloween release. After that, I’ll be working on a bunch of exciting projects over at my small press, Quill & Crow Publishing House. Check us out if you’d like!
The Giveaway
Enter to win!
International • Ends 10/3
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Happy Reading!
🖤