Category Archives: MISTRESS OF THE WIND

Mistress of the Wind on Sale

425 Mistress of the WindI’m please to let you all know that Mistress of the Wind is on sale on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk for 99c for a week, ending November 7th.

About Mistress of the Wind

Bjorn needs to find a very special woman . . .

The fate of his people, and his own life, depends on it. But when he does find her, she is nothing like he imagined, and may just harbor more secrets than he does himself.

Astrid has never taken well to commands. No matter who issues them . . .

She’s clashed her whole life with her father, and now her lover, the mysterious man who comes to her bedroom in darkness and disappears to guard his mountain by day as a bear, is finding it out the hard way. And when he’s taken by his enemies, no one is prepared for Astrid’s response.

It is never wise to anger the mistress of the wind . . .

A captivating and magical adult retelling of the fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon.

Amazon

Mistress of the Wind nominated for an IRC Best Book 2014 Award (with giveaway!)

IRCa-BBI heard over the weekend that Mistress of the Wind has been nominated by readers for the IRC Best Book 2014 in the fantasy romance category. I am really thrilled to be nominated, and particularly love that it is a reader nominated award. To celebrate, I’m giving away two print copies of Mistress of the Wind (or ebook, if the winner prefers). All you have to do to enter is join my latest release notification list (I only send out announcements when I have a new release, you can unsubscribe at any time and I will never share your details with anyone). I’ll enter anyone who joins my list from today until next Friday into the contest. If you’ve already signed up to receive my new release notifications, just comment on this post that you’re already on the list, and give the email you subscribed with when you fill out the comment form (no-one else but me sees the email addies).

425 Mistress of the WindAbout Mistress of the Wind:

Bjorn needs to find a very special woman . . .

The fate of his people, and his own life, depends on it. But when he does find her, she is nothing like he imagined, and may just harbor more secrets than he does himself.

Astrid has never taken well to commands. No matter who issues them . . .

She’s clashed her whole life with her father, and now her lover, the mysterious man who comes to her bedroom in darkness and disappears to guard his mountain by day as a bear, is finding it out the hard way. And when he’s taken by his enemies, no one is prepared for Astrid’s response.

It is never wise to anger the mistress of the wind . . .

A captivating and magical adult retelling of the fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon.

GIVEAWAY WINNERS: The contest is over, and the winners are Janie and RLee! Congratulations to you both, I have sent you emails to get your addresses.

Mistress of the Wind Tour Grand Finale

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

The Tour!

Did you miss any of the tour stops for this beautiful New Adult retelling of East of the Sun, West of the Moon? Catch what you missed now!

12/29: Launch

+ Saeit Yahalomi – Review

“The descriptions are superb, told in a way that is unique, fantastical, and yet, as crazy as this will sound, believable (a world filled with strange magical creatures and trolls).”

12/30: My Seryniti – Review

“Super easy to read and once I melted into the story, really easy to follow and enjoy! Lovely story which makes me want to check out the original myth!”

+ Tome Tender – Guest Post

Because Mistress of the Wind is a retelling of the Scandinavian fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon, I used Norse mythology throughout the story.

Trolls are an intergral part of Scandinavian myth and folklore, and there are plenty of trolls in Mistress of the Wind. But I also introduced two other folklore creatures which came from my imagination or which were a tweak of existing folklore.

The first of these is the yggren. . .

2/31: Kelly P’s Blog – Guest Post

Mistress of the Wind is based on the fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon, and as I researched it, I was enchanted by the number of unusual and interesting elements in the original tale. Thinking about how to deal with them in Mistress of the Wind, and de-constructing them for a better and deeper understanding of the original, inspired some of the storyline I wove into Mistress of the Wind.

+ Giveaway Breaking News for Indonesia – Guest Post

I don’t write with music playing, I find it distracting, but I most definitely would go for my morning walk and listen to music that suited the mood of the story, and think about what I was going to write next. I find it interesting how music can so affect our moods and our tempo and pace.

1/1: Mel’s Shelves – Review

She didn’t realize, either, what powers she possessed until she decided to do her best to get Bjorn back. Bjorn is also very likable and they have a great connection. Then there are some secondary characters which add to the story and are fun to learn about. I enjoyed the second half of the book more than the first half and towards the end, I couldn’t put it down.

1/2: Mythical Books – Guest Post

The concept of a wind hag, the controller of the winds, was one that delighted me immediately. In the book Women Who Run With the Wolves, Clarissa Estes talks about hags and crones, including the Russian uber-hag, Baba-Yaga, as women of power and consequence. The word ‘hag’ generally has such negative connotations, but Estes introduced me to the idea that rather than a negative, it was a positive. Her ideas really resonated with me, so when I stumbled upon the Wind Hag folk tale, I was all over it. It just fit so well into the story, as seamlessly as if it was meant to be there.

+ Tressa’s Wishful Endings – This or That

Read a book or watch TV?

Reading a book wins 90% of the time.

Get out of the house or stay at home?

I like to get out of the house, because I work from home, so it is the office and the house, and sometimes, I need a break.

Winter or summer?

Winter. I love boots, I love coming in to a warm house from the cold, and I love how green everything gets (winter in Western Australia is probably like summer in some parts of the world :))

1/3: Brooke Blogs – Guest Post

The challenge with Mistress of the Wind, given I wanted to remain true to the original fairy tale, was to give Astrid a good reason to go against Bjorn’s request to see him as a man.

The consequences of her doing so are huge, to both her and Bjorn, and I really had to create a compelling situation for her to act against his wishes. If she doesn’t do it, however, the story is over, they win and everyone lives happily ever after.

Unfortunately for them, they have to work a little harder for their happy ending than that.

1/5: Leeanna.me – Review

I thought this book was well-written and engaging, and I would check out the author’s next fairy tale retelling, THE GOLDEN APPLE, based on “The Princess on the Glass Hill.”

1/6: The Book Landers – Guest Post

I love being asked for a list of ten of my favorite fairy tales. There are so many great ones, and I’ll probably head-smack myself in a couple of days because I left out a really good one, but here goes, in no particular order – and I’ve put in a link to a version of the fairy tale on the Sur La Lune Fairy Tale website, where there is one. It comes with annotations, and I really love the site, even if some of my favorites are a slightly different version to the one they have up there…

+ Deal Sharing Aunt – Interview

2. Where do you shop for books? What format?

I shop for print books at Amazon, Book Depository and my local Dymocks bookstore, and for ebooks on Amazon. Because I live in Australia, I can’t always get the books I want in ebook format, because the rights for electronic book sales to Australia haven’t been enabled, so I probably buy more print books than ebooks, but that isn’t by choice, it’s by necessity.

1/7: So Many Reads – Review

If you are fond of fairy tales and fantasy, you should check out Mistress of the Wind. I will admit that I have a tough time getting into fairy tales because it seems the walls on my imagination only allow me to go so far. However, Michelle’s writing is fantastic and she sets my mind free and helps me really visualize what is going on in the story.

1/8: My Devotional Thoughts – Guest Post

Mistress of the Wind is such a great fairy tale because the heroine gets to take an amazing journey to find where her lover has been taken, and rescue him. But part of why I love the fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon so much is because the physical journey she takes mirrors a spiritual journey of coming into her power and into her sense of self. So here are ten things you can discover about yourself on a quest – – Astrid certainly did…

1/10: Colorimetry – Review

Michelle Diener follows the fairy tale quite closely while weaving in the Norse mythology stuff. Right in the middle of the story there’s a very big switcheroo… and this is where I expected things to get boring or fuzzy with lack of specific detail because… well, read the story. This is where Michelle totally won me over. The Norse mythology side fills in all the vagueness of the fairy tale and the second half of the book is even better than the first.

1/12: The Reading Diaries – Review

I think the author did a fantastic job creating a complex story that mixes fantasy with adventure and romance. It was one of those stories you just can’t put down if not for sleep I would have stayed up all night to finish even though I knew how it would play out. The characters are easy to connect with you can’t help rooting for Astrid on her journey. I enjoyed the book it was worth reading and I’m sure I’ll read it again.

+ Bookish Outsider – Review

Ms Diener’s writing is delightful and so descriptive, especially in the latter half of the book when Astrid is traveling with the winds and I could have quite easily carried on reading for some time thanks to the wonderful world the characters inhabited brought to life by the author’s writing style and obvious love of the original fairy tale.

1/13: The Wonderings of One Person – Interview

How has this story touched your life?

All my stories touch my life, because I live in the world of the story every day I write it, and I walk in the steps of the characters, and know them as well as I know myself. Mistress of the Wind is about magical things and enduring love and finding your strength. I love its depth and the world it is set in.

1/14: Dalene’s Book Reviews – Interview

4) Why did you decide to write Mistress of the Wind?

I’ve always loved fairy tales. But when I was at university, doing research for a history paper on the witch hunts of the 17th Century, I came across a really interesting (but totally unrelated :)) journal full of articles on the meanings of fairy tales. It was fantastic, and mind-blowing. I suddenly saw the subversion in the tales…

1/15: A Backwards Story – Interview

What was the hardest scene/element to write in MISTRESS OF THE WIND? The easiest?

Definitely the hardest was working on a way to give Astrid, my heroine, a good reason to go against Bjorn’s wishes to see him as a man. It has to happen, it is part of the story, but creating the conditions for her to do so in a way that didn’t show her to be careless of what would happen to him was challenging.

The easiest scenes were between Astrid and the troll princess. I’m not sure if it is because I had such a clear idea of who each of them were and their motivations, but I loved writing those scenes and they came easily to me.

+ Books & Chocolate – Interview

What inspired you to become a writer?

It was a decision made a long time ago, and at its heart, has never really changed – I love books and love telling stories.

What the inspiration behind Mistress Of The Wind?

I love fairy tales, and the fairy tale East of the Sun West of the Moon has always been one of my absolute favorites. The idea of writing a book based on the fairy tale has been swirling through my head for many, many years.

1/16: Addicted Readers

For me, it was about revelling in the world I had fallen in love with in the original tale. Perhaps I could have contemplated shaking things up a lot more if I didn’t adore the tale just as it is, but I do, and it was fun and satisfying to set Mistress of the Wind in that world. I felt like I was honouring the original.

1/17: Grand Finale

Mistress of the Wind
by Michelle Diener
New Adult/Sci-Fi Fantasy
Paperback, 342 pages
Expected publication: December 19th 2013
Bjorn needs to find a very special woman . . .

The fate of his people, and his own life, depends on it. But when he does find her, she is nothing like he imagined, and may just harbor more secrets than he does himself.

Astrid has never taken well to commands. No matter who issues them . . .

She’s clashed her whole life with her father, and now her lover, the mysterious man who comes to her bedroom in darkness and disappears to guard his mountain by day as a bear, is finding it out the hard way. And when he’s taken by his enemies, no one is prepared for Astrid’s response.

It is never wise to anger the mistress of the wind . . .

A captivating and magical adult retelling of the fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon.

Michelle Diener writes historical fiction. Her Susanna Horenbout & John Parker series, set in the court of Henry VIII, includes In a Treacherous Court, Keeper of the King’s Secrets and In Defense of the Queen.Michelle’s other historical novels include Daughter of the Sky, The Emperor’s Conspiracy and Banquet of Lies (loosely connected to The Emperor’s Conspiracy).

Michelle’s first fantasy novel, Mistress of the Wind, is set for a December 23, 2013, release.

Michelle was born in London, grew up in South Africa and currently lives in Australia with her husband and two children.

Goodreads * Amazon * Website * Twitter * Facebook

International Giveaway:

10 copies of Mistress of the Wind, Kindle or print, winner’s choice.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Are you a blogger and want to receive information about new tours? Go HERE.
Are you an author or publisher and would like to have us organize a tour event? Go HERE.

Mistress of the Wind Virtual Book Tour Starts December 29th, 2013

We’re Launching…

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

The Tour!

Mistress of the Wind
by Michelle Diener
New Adult/Sci-Fi Fantasy
Paperback, 342 pages
Expected publication: December 19th 2013

Bjorn needs to find a very special woman . . .

The fate of his people, and his own life, depends on it. But when he does find her, she is nothing like he imagined, and may just harbor more secrets than he does himself.

Astrid has never taken well to commands. No matter who issues them . . .

She’s clashed her whole life with her father, and now her lover, the mysterious man who comes to her bedroom in darkness and disappears to guard his mountain by day as a bear, is finding it out the hard way. And when he’s taken by his enemies, no one is prepared for Astrid’s response.

It is never wise to anger the mistress of the wind . . .

A captivating and magical adult retelling of the fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon.

Praise for Mistress of the Wind:

“Diener’s adaptation retains the familiar elements of the original, echoing both the structure and spirit of the classic, but true to form, she puts her own spin both the plot and the narrative, crafting an intricately alluring tale of self-sacrifice, steadfast devotion and enduring love.“ Flashlight Commentary

“The story is fast-paced and never boring, the world a beauty and Michelle’s writing so wonderfully detailed that I felt I was with Bjorn and Astrid on their journey.“ Book Bird Reviews

Author Michelle Diener takes this re-telling to another level. She doesn’t restrict herself to an East of the Sun, West of the moon retelling. Instead we are also given parts reminiscent of Psyche’s quest. Which just allowed for a much more richer story. Paperback Wonderland

Check out each stop on the tour!

12/29: Launch
12/30: My Seryniti
+ Tome Tender
12/31: Kelly P’s Blog
+ Giveaway Breaking News for Indonesia
1/1: Mel’s Shelves
1/2: Mythical Books
+ Tressa’s Wishful Endings
1/3: Brooke Blogs
1/5: Leeanna.me
1/6: The Book Landers
+ Deal Sharing Aunt
1/7: So Many Reads
1/8: My Devotional Thoughts
1/10: saeit yahalomi
+ Colorimetry
1/12: The Reading Diaries
+ Bookish Outsider
1/13: The Wonderings of One Person
1/14: Dalene’s Book Reviews
+ A Greater Yes
1/15: A Backwards Story
1/16: Addicted Readers
1/17: Grand Finale

Michelle Diener writes historical fiction. Her Susanna Horenbout & John Parker series, set in the court of Henry VIII, includes In a Treacherous Court, Keeper of the King’s Secrets and In Defense of the Queen.

Michelle’s other historical novels include Daughter of the Sky, The Emperor’s Conspiracy and Banquet of Lies (loosely connected to The Emperor’s Conspiracy).

Michelle’s first fantasy novel, Mistress of the Wind, is set for a December 23, 2013, release.

Michelle was born in London, grew up in South Africa and currently lives in Australia with her husband and two children.

Goodreads * Amazon * Website * Twitter * Facebook

International Giveaway:

10 copies of Mistress of the Wind, Kindle or print, winner’s choice.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Are you a blogger and want to receive information about new tours? Go HERE.
Are you an author or publisher and would like to have us organize a tour event? Go HERE.

Mistress of the Wind Publication Date Moved Forward

Mistress of the Wind 300I was informed today that due to the Apple and Kobo technical departments shutting down for the holidays, Mistress of the Wind won’t publish on December 23, even though it is already good to go on that date. I’ve had to reset the publication date to December 19th in order for the book to go live, otherwise I have to wait until December 29th. So everyone can now get their hands on it four days earlier! 🙂

Cover Reveal: Mistress of the Wind

Mistress of the Wind 300I am so thrilled with the cover of my upcoming release, Mistress of the Wind. So beautiful!

Mistress of the Wind is my first fantasy novel, and is based on the fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon.

About Mistress of the Wind:

Bjorn needs to find a very special woman . . .

The fate of his people, and his own life, depends on it. But when he does find her, she is nothing like he imagined, and may just harbor more secrets than he does himself.

Astrid has never taken well to commands. No matter who issues them . . .

She’s clashed her whole life with her father, and now her lover, the mysterious man who comes to her bedroom in darkness and disappears to guard his mountain by day as a bear, is finding it out the hard way. And when he’s taken by his enemies, no one is prepared for Astrid’s response.

It is never wise to anger the mistress of the wind . . .

This novel is a retelling of the fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon.