Blog article title a little over the top? Really? I don’t think so. Sarah Addison-Fox is a talented author with another fantastic book on her roster! That’s megamazing! (Yes, I’m in the mood to invent some new words today. You’re welcome).
What’s even better? She stopped by today! (And as a special surprise, we’ve also got a giveaway, but I’ll talk more about that later).
Seriously! She’s here right now, and she’s agreed to do a little itsy-bitsy interview. I’m giddy at the notion and have flustered up all my questions, but I hope she doesn’t mind too much.
Before I start grilling my guest, can I ask you a question?
I mean another one, silly! Are there ever just those books you read that until then you didn’t know how much you wanted a book just like that? Well, that’s kind of how I feel about Retrieve by Sarah Addison-Fox.
Here, just read the blurb! You’ll get the idea of what I mean:
What if the job you took to stay alive might be what kills you?
Kade knows what it is to suffer. He knows what it’s like to lose everything and everyone around him.
His job in a Stormer Unit guarantees not just his survival in the decimated country of Azetaria, but his sister Meg’s. Even if it means facing the Numachi warriors baying for his blood, he’ll do what it takes to keep her safe.
Hadley is alone and surviving the only way she knows how. By hiding where predators won’t find her and scavenging enough just to keep her alive.
When desperation drives Hadley to search for her missing brother, she mistakenly accepts the offer of recruitment into the Stormer’s camp, only to be partnered with Kade and sent as a scout into Numachi territory.
The intimidating young Stormer may just know where her brother has gone. But can they stay alive long enough to find him?
Links you’ll want:
- Amazon ebook: https://www.amazon.com/Retrieve-Stormers-Trilogy-Book-1-ebook/dp/B07KKQDDX8/
- Amazon Print: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0473465957
See? Sounds like a great read, huh! You’ll be happy you picked this one up.
Now, you really have got to meet Sarah.
She’s super nice, *leans forward, whispers* and I’m so relieved by her graciousness, ’cause I have a tendency to ask thought-provoking, out-of-the-norm questions. Sometimes, anyway!
Ahem! So, Sarah! Thank you so much for making my blog a hopping stop on this Retrieve Book Tour! I’m so excited you’re here, and I can’t wait for everyone to know you better and have a chance to enter the book tour giveaway. The first question I want to ask is something that I often think about when writing my own books, so I’m curious what your answer will be.
RR: When you write, what is the most often recurring theme you recognize?
SAF: I actually have to think about this a bit. I definitely include a lot of contrasting themes of light and dark, truth and lies, and freedom and enslavement into most of what I write.
I’m not sure if it qualifies as a theme? But family comes up as a recurring element in all my books.
If I’m not celebrating good ones that are intact, like the Haynes family in The Allegiance Series or showing Kade protecting his sister at all costs in The Stormers Trilogy, I’m exploring what it’s like to grow up fatherless, or to lose your parents and/or siblings.
I think this happens primarily because I write character-driven stories, and the families characters are ‘born’ into shape them all into who they become and drive their reactions to the different situations I place them in.
RR: That makes sense to me. Family is a strong theme and can go so many ways, especially with a full cast of characters. Which secondary character in Retrieve do you feel kept trying to steal the show while writing the book? If there wasn’t one, who was your favorite character, and why? Or answer both! 🙂
SAF: I’m going to answer both!
Retrieve was the first book (first series) I wrote with only two point-of-view characters. I did this intentionally because those pesky side characters have a habit of drawing my attention and demanding their own story arcs.
Despite my best efforts, by book three, Receive, I was madly in love with Kade’s flirty cousin Carl. Because of him, I am totally planning on writing something which explores his cavalier attitude towards women.
It also gives me the opportunity *cough—excuse* to write a prequel novella with Kade because Kade Dawson is my FAVOURITE character EVER to write.
Sorry for shouting but he’s a smoking hot marshmallow, and he was fairly lethal before he joined the Stormers. *chuckles*
RR: Haha, that’s fantastic. I like both Carl and Kade! I just know I’ve learned a thing or two about my darling side characters and myself as a writer over the years. What is one thing you’ve learned about yourself through the kinds of characters you write?
SAF: I’ve learned that as I’ve written more and more characters that I’ve stopped seeing many things as being black and white/right or wrong. I can understand the motivation behind even the most wicked of my characters because even though they may do terrible things, I can’t see them as singularly good or bad. I see them as a product of their choices, their upbringing, their core beliefs, and their experiences.
RR: That certainly lends to the ability to write realistic, 3-dimensional characters! And even in fantasy books, that’s important. What do you enjoy most about writing speculative fiction, specifically fantasy and action/adventure?
SAF: I love that in spec fic there are no rules aside from what you set yourself. I love that I can invent worlds, put my characters in rainforests, deserts or snow-covered lands and let them run amok. It’s incredibly fun to stretch my imagination as far as I can but still keep my characters relatable by setting limitations and giving them little quirks.
While I do write magical fantasy, I prefer the grit of writing bare-knuckle action scenes, so meshing low fantasy and action adventure is always going to be my default setting.
Kade moved so he was crouching alongside her, his eyes still watching the entrance to the alley. “I’ll give you a minute to rest, then we need to move, we’ll only get one chance at this.”
White hot fear flowed through her as she gaped at him. “We’re still going to get the princess?”
Kade angled his head so she could see the hint of blood dripping from his nose. “We have a job to do. We have to adapt. No matter what happens, Stormers get the job done.”
Quote from Retrieve by Sarah Addison-Fox
RR: This quote from the book does a great job of hinting at the tension between characters as well as hint at their danger in this perilous world you’ve built. If you had to choose between the chance to explore the world of Retrieve or meet your favorite author, which would you pick? And why?
SAF: I doubt I’d survive in most of the world’s I’ve created. I think meeting my favourite author would be a much safer bet! And that would have to be Serena Chase. I fangirl hard about her series.
RR: After reading Retrieve, I could pretty much agree about that being a safer bet. haha Thank you so very much for letting me jump on the Retrieve Book Tour train, Sarah. Victoria Lynn did a great job setting all this up, and working with you both has been a blast!
Congrats on the release of Retrieve!
Now stick around, my friends, to find out how to connect with this lovely author and enter the Retrieve Book Tour Giveaway Contest!
It has been fantastic getting to know Sarah Addison-Fox!
If you’d like to connect with her, check out one or all of these links:
And what spectacular blog tour would be complete without an equally fantastic giveaway opportunity?
Thank you so much for taking the chance to get to know author Sarah Addison-Fox and finding out about her newest book, Retrieve Book One in the Stormers Trilogy!
Rachael Ritchey 
Please leave a comment, question, or idea! I’d love to chat!