Today is the third day for the Love and Memory Blog Tour, which celebrates Kendra E. Ardnek’s latest book, which is slotted to release tomorrow (early congrats to Kendra! This hasn’t been an easy publishing journey for her). Love and Memory is Book Three in The Rizkaland Legends. Today, I am interviewing the author.
Scroll on to read a bit about the author and book, more about the author, and a giveaway.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kendra E. Ardnek is the self-proclaimed Arista of Fairy Tales. She lives in the Piney Woods of East Texas with her dragon babies and massive herd of mini-giraffes, and she is still waiting for one of her fifty nutcrackers to come to life and marry her. When not writing, you can usually find her sitting in a random box, and she’s frequently known to act before she thinks.
Find her online at: Website || Blog || Goodreads || Facebook|| Twitter || YouTube || Newsletter || Instagram || TikTok || Amazon
ABOUT THE BOOK
Release Date: April 22nd, 2021
Book Description:
The Rizkaland Legends #3
When a Queen forgets,
Her enemies rejoice in her weakness.
But when the Queen remembers,
They tremble in fear.
When a King loves,
His country rejoices with him.
But when that love is broken.
The land is broken, too.
Can Water and Fire join again?
Can Love and Memory be restored?
They spent years in Rizkaland. They ruled the land, forged friendships, built families, and made it their home. But then it was time to return to Earth, and their former lives just don’t fit anymore. Clara and Andrew struggle to reevaluate their priorities when hundreds of miles separate them. Reuben and Petra are lost as they seek a balance between their old friendship and their Rizkan marriage. And Ashna and Noraeto never planned to return, so what life is there for them on Earth?
When the unthinkable happens and a new enemy arises, they’re all thrown back into Rizkaland, into a young prince’s rise to power and struggle to build alliances for his kingdom. But they no longer belong in their other world, either.
Are good memories too much to bear?
Purchase Link: Coming soon
Add Book on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32674009-love-and-memory
AUTHOR INTERVIEW
What first inspired or gave you the “spark” to write? Is there a particular author whose books or writing style inspired you?
I was raised on literature. As a baby, my mom would put on classic novels for me to listen to while I took my naps. Some of my fondest memories are of her telling my sister and I fairy tales as she walked with us around the block. From the time I found out that books were written by PEOPLE, I knew that I would one day have books with my name on the cover (especially as I share a birthday with two famous authors). Now, I took the long way ’round to get to actual writing (I got distracted by acting for a bit), but here I am!
As for a specific author who was an inspiration – Gail Carson Levine. Ella Enchanted and I really clicked in my early teens, and it’s been a huge influence on the author I became.
Every writer has a message(s) they want to impart to their readers. What is/are yours?
The two themes that come up, time and time again, without failed are “We serve an awesome God, and He will see us through in the midst of our storms and tribulations” and “We are made the way we are, each for our own purpose, and we don’t have to conform to a societal ‘normal'”
Has there been one particular person who has been a major source of influence for one of your characters?
I notoriously based way too many characters off of myself? I mean, there are others – Summer was based off a friend, and Reuben and Petra’s relationship is based off my parents – but … I’m not calling any other specifics off the top of my head right now.
How do you select the names of your characters?
I glare at them until they give it up.
What’s your favorite under-appreciated novel?
The Moorchild by Eloise Jarvis McGraw. Like … I just like stories about outcasts and misfits.
What is your favorite part of the writing process?
Getting to hear from my readers how much they love the story I’ve crafted.
What is your least favorite part of the writing process?
I actually rather dislike the actual drafting process? I like creating sand, and I like polishing the sand into something coherent, but actually putting the sand into buckets? *hides*
How did you come to be a writer? Was this something that you always knew you were destined to be or did you arrive at this point via another path?
Both, as I said in the first answer. See, another big goal of mine as a kid was to become an actress, and I would write my own plays for the purpose. Now, one day, back in 2005, the new Narnia movie came out and … I didn’t like it. In hindsight, it wasn’t too bad, but there were a couple changes that they made that, in my opinion, just didn’t fit with the intended vision of the story. (At this point, I’m angriest about Edmund being told that Aslan was dead, but there are a few other things). So … I decided that my friends could do something better, and I set to work writing my own Narnia script.
What it ultimately resulted in was Lady Dragon, Tela Du. Anywho.
Do you have a WIP? If so, could you give us a teaser?
I don’t have a WIP, I have a million of them. Buut, the next several in the release pipe are:
Rose Petals and Snowflakes: Sense and Sensibility meets Snow White and Rose Red, and I accidently wrote reverse Frozen. *cough*
Crown and Cinder: Cinderella gets derailed by Pride and Prejudice. Just how complicated can a rag-to-riches story get?
Snow Quest Like Home (Bookania #7): After a friend is poisoned, Push au Kim must travel to his home country and face a childhood villain in hopes of finding a cure.
PREORDER GIVEAWAY
To enter in the preorder giveaway, go here.
BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE
April 19th – Monday
Knitted By God’s Plan: A Post of Tantalizing Snippets
Fantastical Notions: Interview – Kendra
Resting Life: Review
April 20th – Tuesday
Knitted By God’s Plan: 12 POV’s and How I Managed
Madi’s Musings: Interview – Petra
Katherine A. Massengill: Review
April 21st–Wednesday
Knitted By God’s Plan: Every Reason You Need to Read LaM
Madi’s Musings: Interview – Kendra
Live. Love. Read: Review
Safe Return Doubtful: Portal Fantasy and the Doorkeeper
April 22nd – Thursday *Release Date*
Knitted By God’s Plan: IT’S HERE, GUYS!
Lands Uncharted: Interview – Kendra
Fantastical Notions: Review
Rachel Rossano’s Words: Motherhood in Fiction
April 23rd – Friday
Knitted By God’s Plan: Book 4 Title Announcement
Dreams & Dragons: Interview – Kendra
A. R. Silverberry: Interview – Andrew
Light & Shadows: Review
April 24th– Saturday
Knitted By God’s Plan: Next on the Horizon
Dreams & Dragons: Interview – Sorei
Katherine A. Massengill: Interview – Kendra
Madi’s Musings: Review
And…there it is, folks. Another interview with superb author, Kendra E. Ardnek (you can find the other one here). Seriously, you should read this series. I’m working on Love and Memory right now for my review on Saturday, and da feelz. Be sure to check out the other blog stops, and comment below how many WIPs you have! Like Kendra, I have a million. Unlike Kendra, they are not nearly so organized.
Madi's Musings 
I rather like that sand metaphor for the writing process. It’s not one I’ve heard before, but it works.
Great interview!
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It was a first for me, as well. Definitely less chaotic than my metaphor!
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