Feb 25, 2010

Blog Tour and Contest for Jordan by Susan Kearney

To celebrate the recent of release of JORDAN, Susan Kearney relates some of the background for this book and the others in the Pendragon Legacy series.

[See contest details at the end of the essay.]

The Legend of King Arthur

I’ve often been asked what inspired me to turn the King Arthur legend into a futuristic romance trilogy.  But here’s the truth . . . I came up with a futuristic series I wanted to write, then looked for a legend from Earth’s history that would complement my story idea.

That might seems backwards to most people, but there are several reasons for why this happened.  First, I tend to think about the future first—not the past.  Second, I wanted to try something different with this series, something I hadn’t done before.  And third, I wanted new readers to try the series.

Now using a popular ancient legend to try and win over new readers might seem like a cold and calculated way of going about creating a story.  But if my books aren’t popular I can’t continue to sell them.  And actually finding new readers who are willing to spend their hard-earned dollars on a genre they’ve never heard of—is no easy task.

So I tried to make the ideas of dragon shifting more palatable to readers.  I want them to feel comfortable and a good way to do that is to put a new twist on a time-honored legend.  And King Arthur Pendragon was perfect—especially with his last name.  In addition, not much is really known about King Arthur, including the exact century he lived.  As a writer this was a great opportunity for me to twist the past and insert it into my story.

But in addition to all of the above, King Arthur’s time was known for chivalry, brave deeds, bold men.  Alpha men.  Those were great character traits for my heroes.  So I didn’t just use past historical legend, I built upon the characters of knights.

And in  JORDAN, I took a murky, quirky character from the past, Merlin, and remade him into my kind of hero.  Bold, determined, pure Alpha male.  His woman had to come from Earth’s future - not so far into the future, just enough so that space flight to other worlds might be believable.  Just enough so that we could have adapted to new DNA.  Just enough that Earth was different enough for my stories to work.

Will I use other legends in future books?  It’s possible.  Stay tuned . . .  In the meantime, you should know each of my books while connected stands alone. You won’t feel lost if you start with Jordan and work your way backwards.

If you’d like to read more about LUCAN, RION, or JORDAN there are excerpts at www.susankearney.com


Contest


Thanks to Anna Balasi of Forever Romance five lucky readers will each win a copy JORDAN

This contest is open only to residents of the U.S. or Canada (No P.O. Boxes)


To be eligible do the following:

*Answer this question: What is your favorite character from the King Arthur legends?  (If you don't have a favorite pretend that you do and put down a name.)
1 point


You may also:

*Link this post to your own site or a social network site, and be sure to let me know the URL.  1 point for each link.

*If you are a follower 1 point

*If you are an email subscriber 1 point

If your email is not associated with your ID, please put the address in your response.

Contest ends March 18 at 11:59 PM PST

46 comments:

SiNn said...

im a subscriber

im also an email subscriber

mortalsinn@yahoo.com


id have to say my favorite is Lancalot how valiant he is and his quest to do was right for his kingdom and the woman he loves i seriously see Lancalot in my fiance so i guess is why hes my fav awesome post

Unknown said...

I'm going to go with Lancalot. There is just something about him. He isn't King but he still manages to make an impact.

I'm a follower

sgradel(at)gmail(dot)com

Kimberly B. said...

My favorite character is Gawain. Although I do have to admit, the cool thing about the Arthurian legends is how every author has a different spin on them. So not every author will necessarily write a version of Gawain I like. But many of them I do.

stacey dempsey said...

i am going to say i like arturo the best
roswello athotmail dot com

stacey dempsey said...

i follow your blog (roswell)
roswello athotmail dot com

stacey dempsey said...

i subscribe by email
roswello athotmail dot com

Virginia C said...

Susan Kearney has written a great series in "The Pendragon Legacy". I have the first two books, "Lucan" and "Rion", and I would love to win "Jordan"!

My favorite Camelot character is the King himself. Arthur was such a noble, conflicted, tragic and all-too-human man who became a king.

follower & subscriber

gcwhiskas at aol dot com

CrystalGB said...

My favorite character is Lancalot.
I am a follower.
I am an email subscriber.

tina werner said...

ditto what crystalgb said...
My favorite character is Lancalot.
I am a follower.
I am an email subscriber.

stampitchick at yahoo dot ca

Lisa Richards/alterlisa said...

My favorite is a toss up between the Lady of the Lake and Morgan le Fey


blogged
http://lisaslovesbooksofcourse.blogspot.com/2010/02/patricias-vampire-notes_25.html

goggle connect follower @alterlisa

also email subscriber
alterlisa AT yahoo DOT com

tetewa said...

I'm a subscriber, I would also have to go with the majority and pick Lancelot! tWarner419@aol.com

elaing8 said...

My favorite character would be King Arthur.

I am a follower

tweeted http://twitter.com/elaing8/status/9628067514

email subscriber

Scorpio M. said...

It's Lancelot for me.

I am a follower via Blogger.

Thanks!

jenma76(at)hotmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

My favorite character is Merlin

Email subscriber

SandyG265 said...

My favorite character is Arthur

Anonymous said...

My favorite character from King Arthur has to be Merlin. I am big of magics.

I am follower.

I subscribed via email: srpnay2004[at]yahoo[dot]com

Sue

Sandy Jay said...

My favorite character is Lancelot.

I'm a follower.

forwhlz at gmail dot com

Kathleen said...

I think my favorite character is Arthur, because most of the time it just seems like he has an awful lot of bad luck and overall is a good person.

I'm an email subscriber (kegsoccer@aol.com)

catslady said...

No one picked Lady Guinevere - I have to go with her :)

I subscribe and a follower.

catslady5(at)aol.com

Andrea I said...

Follower

Email subscriber

Facebook http://facebook.com/AndreaInfinger

Twitter
http://twitter.com/lillieblue613

My favorite is Merlin.

misskallie2000 said...

Lady Guinevere is my favorite then Lancalot..I love the stories so I will have to add this book to my to buy list.
Thanks for opportunity to enter.

I follow via GFC
I subscribe via email

misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com

Anonymous said...

What is your favorite character from the King Arthur legends? King Arthur is my fave, always!!
(1 point)

1 point for each link. 7 links = 7 points
+1 http://www.google.com/buzz/jacabur2008/ADXDXmhLkMJ/http-patricias-vampire-notes-blogspot-com-2010-02

+1 http://jacaburintexas.blogspot.com (r contest sidebar link to Jordan X5 Winners

+1 http://twitter.com/jacabur1 (tweeted 2/25/10)

+1 http://bookblogs.ning.com/profile/JackieBurris (latest activity on profile front page)

+1 http://www.myspace.com/texasgirljackieb

+1 http://bookblogs.ning.com/events/blog-tour-and-contest-for

+1http://jacabur2008.livejournal.com/12956.html


follower (1 point) GFC follower forever now (jacabur1

Longtime email subscriber also ( 1 point) jacabur2008(at)gmail(dot)com

Have part of the series and have this on my to buy list would love to have a copy of Jordan, thanks for the drawing.

jackie b central texas

katsrus said...

I would pick Merlin.
Follower 1 point
Email subscriber 1 point

I would love to read this book. Sounds wonderful and great cover.

Sue B
katsrus(at)gmail(dot)com

jellybelly82158 said...

I would have to say Lancelot

jellybelly82158 said...

+1 Email Subscriber
+1 Google follower

Cybercliper said...

I loved Lucan and Rion and look forward to reading Jordan.

+1 The big guy - King Arthur
+1 I'm a follower
+1 I'm an e-mail subscriber

throuthehaze said...

My fave is Merlin

I am a follower

I am a subscriber

throuthehaze at gmail dot com

booklover0226 said...

I always like Sir Gawain; especially the tale of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

I'm a follower.

I'm an email subscriber.

I tweeted..http://twitter.com/bl0226/status/9696892541

Thanks,
Tracey D
booklover0226 at gmail dot com

Karen W. said...

I'd have to go with Merlin.

Sue A. said...

I have to say my favorite is King Arthur.

I'm a follower
I'm an email subscriber

alternate email from blogger
magenta 2 red [at] gmail [dot] com

Dot S.(ladeetdareads.wordpress.com) said...

I'll have to say King Arthur is my favorite.
I'm a follower
I'm an e-mail subscriber
salvagin@verizon.net

misskallie2000 said...

Lady Guinevere she is my favorite. She had more than one man hoping to win her hand.

Please add my name to the contest.

misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com

misskallie2000 said...

I am a subscriber via email


I follow blog via GFC


misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com

justpeachy36 said...

justpeachy36@yahoo.com

Please enter me in the giveaway.

My favorite character from the King Arthur legend in Merlin.

Reading said...

King Arthur is my fav.

lizzi0915 at aol dot com

jellybelly82158 said...

King Arthur is great.

I am an email subscriber

I am a Follower on Google Freinds

Anonymous said...

My favorite character is Merlin.


I'm a follower


Skk25@aol.com

Emma Michaels said...

My favorite character is the innocent bystander... just kidding. It depends on the version of King Arthur. With most versions my favorite is Tristan! Wonderful contest!

Sincerely,
Emma Michaels
SincerelyEmmaM@yahoo.com

spynaert said...

merlin of course
i dig magicians

bison61 said...

my favorite is Lady Guinevere

tiramisu392 (at) yahoo.com

FrankSandy said...

My favourite character is Lancelot. He gets to do all kinds of great things.

I am a Google follower.

I subscribe by e-mail.

walkerd@primus.ca

dsandyboy said...

My favorite character is King Arthur. Who wouldn't want to be king.

I follow you on Google

I am an e-mail subscriber.

dsandyboy@gmail.com

Aik said...

Q: What is your favorite character from the King Arthur legends?
A: Merlin!

+1 Subscriber
+1 Follower
+1 Tweeted:
http://twitter.com/aikchien/status/10512811209

aikychien at yahoo dot com

BookMarc Blogpants said...

My fave character is Merlin as I like a bit of magic in my books...and life for that matter!

mckelly74(at)gmail(dot)com

BookMarc Blogpants said...

I just became a follower also.

mckelly74(at)gmail(dot)com

Reena Jacobs said...

Put me down for Merlin. I love wizards with a sense of humor.

*Link this post to your own site or a social network site, and be sure to let me know the URL. 1 point for each link.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?v=feed&story_fbid=103837646313763&id=100000625830951&ref=mf

Myspace Status/mood: http://www.myspace.com/reenajacobs

Sidebar: http://reenajacobs.com/blog/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ReenaJacobs/status/10653336473

*If you are a follower 1 point: Yes!

=+5