Welcome to the 2024 ARIA Author Showcase and Giveaway Event! 

  

  

How to enter – Comment on the daily showcases to enter the daily giveaway. Comments close four days after the initial Showcase post. GRAND PRIZE drawn on Dec 5th (1 -$250, 1 -$100, or a 1 -$50 Amazon gift card. One grand prize pp) – For every showcase you post on, you automatically gain one entry to the grand prize. 30 Authors = 30 entries.    

M.Z. Meddenciy will be at the Rhode Island Author Expo.

On to the Showcase! 

 

 

What name do you like to write under? M.Z. Medenciy

Where do you call home? Southern, RI

What genre(s) do you write? Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Urban Fantasy

What genre(s) were you drawn to when you were younger? Was there a reason that genre(s) appealed to you the most? 

Fantasy 100%, Mystery and Fiction such as The Secret Garden

What were some of your favorite books growing up? Why?  

Jane Eyre - I love Janes’ strength and growth. Midsummer Nights Dream - I loved Puck’s mischievousness and how things went haywire. And Then There Were None - Agatha Christie. Enough said. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland - I loved the out-of-the-box wackadoodle world created by Lewis Carroll 

What are some of your favorite books today?

 - I can’t list them all ^_^. So here are my top reads of 2024 - 

The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoriada Córdova

Ultra-Processed People by Chris van Tulleken

The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson

Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller

The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Louisiana Longshot (Miss Fortune Mystery #1) by Jana Deleon

What inspired you to become a writer? 

Writing has always been a sanctuary for me where my imagination could flourish unchecked. In childhood, this creative escape served as a protective shield. When my mother found her own solace and whisked us away to a better life, this once-vital defense mechanism became a boundless dreamworld. To tame its wildness, I turned to the writing, finding a balance between fantasy and reality … sort of ^_^.

 

Island Eight: Book 1 of the Ataraxia Series

In a world on the verge of repeating a cataclysmic history, Sophia, a Salinian entertainer, unknowingly holds the key to the world's salvation. She intentionally overlooks their king's tyranny to ensure her happiness, but not even the gods can protect her when the eyes of the castle alight upon her town. After narrowly escaping death with the aid of a mysterious man who whisks her away to once-forbidden lands, Sophia is unwillingly sucked into the brewing war she had so desperately evaded.

In Island Eight by M.Z. Medenciy, Sophia embarks on an unprecedented journey where she encounters new dangers through magic-wielding Fae, discovers a resilience within her she never thought possible, and uncovers a history of the gods and their planet that will change the lives of all forever. 

 

Tell us a little about how “Island Eight” came to be. Did it start with an image, a voice, a concept, a dilemma or something else? 

Island Eight emerged from my dreams. Several incarnations of Gabriel manifested themselves there. This was accompanied by a longing, an unspoken plea urging me to chronicle his story. I knew then that this narrative was not merely a figment of my imagination but a tale to be told.

Which scene, character or plotline changed the most from first draft to published book? 

The most substantial change to my manuscript involved a significant reduction in the number of characters. At my content editor’s suggestion, I streamlined the cast by eliminating less prominent figures and incorporating their defining traits into the primary characters, enriching their depth and complexity. While this proved to be a challenging task, it was ultimately the right decision. Certain subplots, though intriguing, did not directly contribute to the overarching plot and were therefore omitted.

Which character was the most challenging to create. Why? 

From the get-go, I envisioned a complex dynamic between Cytrine and Sophia. I was determined to avoid the trope of the stereotypical "Other Woman." Cytrine is far more multifaceted, and delving into her psyche was a demanding process, often leading to late-night frustration. Ultimately, I realized that my own preconceptions were hindering her development. Whether or not she initially appeared as the typical "Other Woman" was irrelevant, as that was precisely the persona she had chosen. I had to relinquish control, allowing her to shape her own narrative.

What do you like best about being a writer? 

When I write I am free. There are no inhibitions. Utterly, wonderfully free. 

If you could collaborate with any author past or present, who would it be? What would the title of the book be? (If possible) - Give us a one sentence blurb.  

I would love to work with author Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Our collaborative work - 

Title - Cauldron of Sparrows  

Blurb - “Gods stay gods because they are corrupt and powerful. But every five thousand years the Cauldron opens, giving a mortal the chance to challenge a god and take their throne."

Maybe? Hmmm Silvia, have your people call my people ^_^. 

 

You can follow M.Z. Medenciy here - 

Website - www.mzmedenciy.com 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mzmedenciy/ 

 

M.Z. is giving away a signed copy of Island Eight and a small handcrafted wooden bowl, courtesy of her husband.

 

To enter, comment below → Your King is corrupt; he plunders, he destroys. Do you bring together the people to fight? Or do you live comfortably and blissfully in ignorance?

(Comments are open for 4 days)