Author Interview: C.M. Banschbach

I’m so happy to be participating in The Oath of an Outcast Blog Tour today by interviewing the author about her book! I met her through Instagram, and her book looks so interesting. I am looking forward to reading and reviewing it.

Okay, on to the interview! With a snippet of her bio and lovely picture.

C.M. Banschbach is a native Texan and would make an excellent Hobbit if she weren’t so tall. She’s a pizza addict, a multi-faceted fangirl, and a firm believer in being authentic—even if it means acting like a dork sometimes! When not writing fantasy stories packed full of adventure and snark, she works as a pediatric physical therapist where she happily embraces the fact that she never actually has to grow up.

She also writes YA/MG fantasy-adventure as Claire M. Banschbach.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cmbanschbach/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/cmbanschbach/
Website: https://clairembanschbach.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19157440.C_M_Banschbach

What inspired you to write Oath of an Outcast?

Driving in a really thick morning fog one day, and then my hyperactive brain introduced me to a mysterious rider making his way down a mountain in the fog. He came pretty fully formed with a massive chip on his shoulder, an overdose of snark and angst, and a story that would take over my life for the four years it took to write it!

Oooh!!! Sounds spooky! I am intrigued.

Who is your favorite character from the book?

Rhys MacDuffy/the Mountain Baron will always be one of my favorite characters that I’ve ever written. But there’s also a certain villain who surprised me by having a bit of a conscience. And any scene with him and Rhys was so much fun to write. All the tension and sass!

Sass is the best!!

Who are some of your favorite authors or books and why?

Stephen Lawhead, Michael J Sullivan, Jennifer Neilson. They all write books about unlikely friendships, found family, snarky characters, loyalty, and just amazing, adventurous plots! All things I love dearly, and that you can find in this book.

If there was one takeaway you want your audience to have after reading, what would it be?

That family is more than just blood, and that no one is past redemption.

What’s next for you, story-wise?

Diving into edits and prep for book 2’s release next summer! I’m also working on book 3 of my YA/MG fantasy-adventure series, The Faeries of Myrnius, for hopeful release early 2020 from my own independent publishing imprint. Winter Spell is all about discovering and owning who you are, enemies to friends relationships, cross country treks in the snow, arctic creatures, and magic!

And here’s the Book!!!

Synopsis:

A lost brother. 
An unwilling outlaw. 
A rising enemy. 
An unusual alliance. 

Years ago, Rhys MacDuffy was brutally cut off from his clan, stripped of his name and inheritance, and banished to the remote Dragon Keep. Perched high above the Shang Pass in the land of Alsaya, he assumed the mantle of the Mountain Baron, serving out his sentence as the overseer of the worst outlaws and outcasts. 

But one day he receives a desperate message from the clan who disowned him: MacDuffy’s Seer—his beloved brother—has been taken by their enemies. 

With his band of Mountain Brigands and an unwelcome sidekick, Rhys leaves his mountain stronghold to find and rescue his brother. The tide of war is rising amongst the Clans of Alsaya, fueled by the magic-wielding sect of Druids who seek to unleash a dark force the world has long forgotten. 

Can the bond of blood run deeper than banishment?

Links to Buy It Or Add It To Your To-Read Shelf

Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Oath-Outcast-Dragon-Keep-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B0CGC38PMQ/
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45891464-oath-of-the-outcast

Newsletter sign up for free prequel short story –  http://eepurl.com/gwcGjD

So much was packed in here, and that concludes our Interview/Blog Tour. I am glad I was a part of it and look forward to doing more in the future!