Hiya guys, today we welcome Mars Novak and his Daily Dose Move as Water in a Basin, I got to interview Mars and he is a little bit shy, and I reviewed his interesting fantasy story. For your own chance to win this little number just leave a comment, and just to jog your memories 😉 click that Rafflecopter link for a chance to own all the Daily Dose collection <3 ~Pixie~ 

And the winner of Chloe Stowes Ravenscar is H.B.! Congratulations 🙂  

Mended

Various Authors

Life comes with a bit of hurt, but luckily for these men, it also comes with the right amount of comfort to mend their breaks, both of the body and the heart. From facing deranged exes to economic trials, the men in these tales have faced trial by fire–or in some cases water–for the right to love and live. Step into their shoes as they rebuild their family after a gutting betrayal or traverse the stars with an unexpected partner. The Mended Daily Dose package delivers stories about all kinds of second chances built on love. 

Felicitas Ivey Zahra Owens Emily Moreton Cardeno C. S.A. Garcia Elizabeth Noble M. Lee Ellis Carrington Kim Fielding Ari McKay E.T. Malinowski Bru Baker K.C. Wells Gwynn Marssen Lee Comyn Ashavan Doyon Eli Easton Charley Descoteaux Therese Woodson MA Ford Kenzie Cade Coral Moore L.D. Blakeley Chloe Stowe Ronnie Matthews Jayden Brooks Diane Lennox C. Callenreese Mars Novak Emma Wilson

Interview with Mars Novak

Pixie: Hello to Mars Novak who is joining us today for the Dreamspinner Press Daily Dose with their release Move as Water in a Basin, hey Mars.

Mars: Hi there! I’m pleased to be here.

Pixie: Mars your contribution to the Daily Dose is Move as Water in a Basin why don’t you tell our readers a little about it.

Mars: Well, it’s the story of two psychologically wounded young men, Sereb and Reeve.  Sereb is essentially a mage’s apprentice, and Reeve is a Consolator, which is sort of what I imagine a psychotherapist would be like if the disicpline had been invented in the East and not the West. Both young men are experiencing disconnection from their talents and aptitudes; not to give too much away, but of course, they eventually find healing in each other.

Pixie: Did you have the idea for Move as Water in a Basin before you heard of the Mended submission call or did it form after?

Mars: No, everything in the story was really inspired by one of the prompts that went out with the initial Daily Dose challenge. Even the character name, Sereb, is unchanged from the prompt. I enjoy writing from prompts and challenges. Limitations can really rev up your imagination.

Pixie: Did you enjoy writing a hurt/comfort story?

Mars: I would say that it was challenging, in a good way.  It’s not the kind of story that my imagination gravitates towards, and in my experience hurt/comfort can lend itself towards wish fulfillment, or tend to the saccharine. So I guess the challenge for me was to try and create something that was unmistakably a hurt/comfort tale but avoided the pitfalls that you sometimes see in similar stories.

Pixie: Move as Water in a Basin is a Young Adult fantasy type story which has a very strong focus on the hurt/comfort, where did you get the idea for the Consolators?

Mars: Hmmm. You know, I’m not currently in treatment myself, but that said, I think a lot about the industry of psychotherapy. Not only the idea of therapists themselves, but mood-altering medications, etc. The therapist is an occupation that strives for objectivity and keeps clear boundaries.  I’m not saying whether or not that’s good or bad, but in thinking about it, I sometimes wonder if it would be more helpful to blur the lines more, to bring physical and emotional comfort into the mix. Therapy is generally about affirming the patient while also striving to help them pinpoint their own stumbling blocks, but, you know, you sit in your chair and the therapist sits in theirs, and never the twain shall meet. It’s emotional intimacy without physical contact, and I thought, “well, what if…?”  You know?

Pixie: Do you think you will revisit Sereb and Reeve or their world in the future?

Mars:  The idea of the Consolators is definitely on my mind now, but since the idea evolved so specifically for this challenge, I can’t say if I’ll return to it or the characters.  I think I’d be more likely to explore the ideas more if there’s a readership response. 

Pixie: So Mars what are you working on now? And what can we expect from you next?

Mars:  Well, there’s a holiday/Advent challenge from Dreamspinner in the pipeline, so I’ve been toying with a few ideas for that. We’ll see. 

Pixie: Before we go is there anything you’d like to tell the readers and fans?

Mars:  I hope people enjoy the story as much as I enjoyed writing it. 

Pixie: Mars thank you so much for joining us today 🙂

Mars: Thank you!  Maybe we’ll speak again in the future. 🙂

About Mars

Mars Novak has been writing about both the fantastic and the erotic since his formative years. After undergoing a formal literary education in the traditional academic world of creative writing, he now focuses on applying those principles to stories and genres that are disenfranchised by the elite mainstream: science fiction, fantasy, and romance among them. When not writing or dreaming up new worlds, he teaches writing and storytelling at a private technical school.

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=1125

Review

Title: Move as Water in a Basin

Series: Mended Daily Dose 14

Author: Mars Novak

Genre: Fantasy, YA

Length: Short (60pgs)

ISBN: 978-1-63216-086-7

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (1^st June 2014)

Heat Level: Low – Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥ 2½ – 3 Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Sereb is a talented young student learning the powers of elemental magic at a secret island ashram. However, a tragedy in his past prevents him from building his connection to the element of water. Concerned that the young man will falter in his studies, Sereb’s Master sends for a Consolator, a specially trained counselor who deals with grief and pain. Little does Sereb know that the Consolator might heal much more than his elemental connection.

Warning: One scene of forced sex that might offend some readers.

Purchase Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5136

Or as part of the 2014 Daily Dose Full Set Mended: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5113

Review: Sereb is a talented student who is learning the elemental magic control, but a tragedy in his past has him unable to connect to his water element. Sereb’s master becomes concerned and sends for a Consolator to counsel him on the past tragedy. Reeve, the Consolator, has his own grief to overcome after an assignment didn’t end well but he forges forward hoping that a successful healing will help him deal with his doubts.

This little story is quite touching as both males begin to heal the other. The story is split into two parts at first before it merges when Sereb and Reeve meet. We are introduced to Sereb where we learn that he is desperate to control his water element, we learn of the terrible tragedy in his past which is holding him back and the concern his master has for his young charge. We then meet up with Reeve and we learn his role in life and we see how an assignment went terribly wrong and how Reeve feels guilt for the failure. The last part of the story is where they meet and they heal each other.

I really liked the fantasy world that we find ourselves in and the different types of people that are represented the everyday man, the elementals and the Consolator’s. Sereb is a quite young and still suffers from the grief of losing his family during a storm but for him to master the water element he needs to heal. Reeve is the one tasked to help him and they heal each other as Reeve works Sereb through his pain. While I really like the storyline I was a bit uncomfortable with Sereb’s age, I know fantasy world and they grow up quicker, but I still found his age just a bit too young at fourteen. Reeve wasn’t that much older at eighteen but I was happy with his age and the fact that there was only touching between the two of them. The scene of the forced sex was pivotal to Reeve’s story and didn’t cause any distress but again the warning is there for those who struggle with it.

I recommend this to those who love young characters healing each other and an interesting fantasy world.        

Giveaway!

 One lucky comment winner will receive Mars Novak’s Move as Water in a Basin

(Mars Novak’s Move as Water in a Basin giveaway has ended)

One lucky clicker will win the entire Mended collection

(Just click the link below)

Dreamspinner Mended Collection Rafflecopter giveaway!

(Ends Midnight 30th June 2014)

All winners for the Giveaways will be notified by MM Good Book Reviews by email and will receive their prize in their Dreamspinner Press Account.

(I will contact you for the email you use for your Dreamspinner account)

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