AMAROK Guest Post, Book Trailer, Promo Tour Stop!

Amarok
By: Angela Townsend
Release Date: 11/20/12
Synopsis:
Life has been hell for seventeen-year-old Emma since she moved from sunny California to a remote Alaskan town. Rejected by her father and living with the guilt of causing her mother's death, she makes a desperate dash for freedom from her abusive stepfather. But when her car skids off the icy road, her escape only leads to further captivity in a world beyond her imagining. Dragged across the tundra by a crazed mountain man and his enormous black wolf, she finds that her gentle touch and kind heart earn her the wolf's friendship, and she names him Amarok, not knowing he was once a young man. When a vicious madman--trapped in bear form by an ancient Shaman--attacks the travelers and injures Amarok, Emma must find the strength to confront her fears and free the wolf she's come to love. But there's a catch--she must face down the evil shaman, a powerful Siberian mammoth hunter from the ice age, and he has no intention of giving up his power to her.

Book Trailer:

Pre-order Amarok

About the author:
Angela Townsend was born in the beautiful Rocky Mountains of Missoula, Montana. As a child, Angela grew up listening to stories told by her grandparents, ancient tales and legends of faraway places. Influenced by her Irish and Scottish heritage, Angela became an avid research historian, specializing in Celtic mythology. Her gift for storytelling finally led her to a full time career in historical research and writing. A writer in local community circulations, Angela is also a published genealogical and historical resource writer who has taught numerous research seminars. Currently, Angela divides her time between writing, playing Celtic music on her fiddle, and Irish dancing. She resides on a ranch, in rural Northwestern Montana, with her two children Levi and Grant.

Guest Post:

Research into my novel Amarok

My favorite part of the writing process has always been the research that goes into my novels. Majoring in Anthropology, I am fascinated by ancient cultures, art and lore. In my novel, Amarok, I wanted to incorporate characters and mythology from the Ice-Age period because I’ve always felt that the people from this ancient time period helped to shape the world we live in today. A time of development, learning and intense connection to the land. A time of great discovery, where people learned to forge their own tools and instruments.

I researched, in considerable depth, all aspects of life during this Paleolithic era. But, I spent most of my time studying early shelters. I wanted to know how people of that time incorporated their natural environment into dwellings. I found such creativity in the construction of these ancient shelters, whether it was a cave, an overhanging mossy rock slab or a tent made of bones, or hides.

In my research I found caves the most interesting. I am fascinated that over a million years can pass and we are still finding messages from early man hidden in these stone recesses. History told in paintings--stories shared in brilliant brush strokes of ochre.

I hope readers will enjoy my novel, Amarok, as much as I enjoyed creating it.