Review + Giveaway - 12.21.12 by Killian McRae

TITLE:    12.21.12

AUTHOR:    Killian McRae
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 238 pages
PUBLISHED:   Omnific, 2010
ISBN#:   978-1-936305-53-7
SOURCE:   Received from Author for Review and for Blog Tour



When a statue of the doomed Queen is discovered in an Olmec excavation site in Mexico, Shep rushes to investigate and, hopefully, find the proof that has evaded him for so long. Soon, he finds himself in the middle of the rivalry between the sexy, enigmatic international thief, Victoria Kent, and infamous rumored Russian mobster, Dmitri Kronastia. Both hold pieces to the puzzle that will finally shed light on Cleopatras death, as they vie for Shep's trust and assistance.

As he is drawn further into their world of ancient gods, supernatural powers, and alternative history, little does Shep know that the fate of all humanity may hinge on his ability to discover the truth in between Victoria and Dmitris' fragmented claims and hidden identities. Working to decode the ancient past while attempting to save the future, Shep becomes a common pawn played by forces working to see out a quest older than the pyramids themselves and cloaked by the Mayan prophecy of 12.21.12. 

MY TAKE:    With all of the attention focused on the Mayan calendar and doomsday prophecy, I knew I had to read this book.  I am quite glad I did!

Debut author Killian McRae has managed to weave several ancient legends and actual history into a fantastic modern adventure that keeps the reader riveted until the end.  She makes use of previously unconnected threads such as Biblical teachings, Egyptian Gods and Goddesses, Cleopatra, ancient Mexican/Olmec lore, fantasy, science fiction, geological occurrances, and just plain good storytelling.

The plot moves along at a fast pace as the tale unfolds over one week's time culminating on the prophesized date of 12/21/12.  We travel across oceans and continents with Shep as he tries to solve the mounting mysteries before the world ends as predicted.  The author builds the suspense as she throws new twists and turns at the reader on a continuing basis.   Her obvious dedication to research shines through in the facts and explanations that are offered.  There is also a large dose of humor added which is something I always appreciate, especially if it could be a rather heavy subject.

The characters we meet are well written and fleshed out.  I found myself really caring what happened to Shep, Victoria, Alex and even Dmitri.  A few other surprise appearances are made which keep you on your toes. 

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good adventure, mystery and a bit of romance.  Be sure to read the interview I had a chance to do earlier with the lovely Killian.  Thank you to Killian and Yara from Once Upon a Twilight for including me on the tour.

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

WHERE TO BUY IT:    Amazon, Omnific Publishing

Due to the generosity of Killian and her publisher, we have a copy of 12.21.12 for one lucky reader here at One Book Shy.  To enter:

• Leave a comment on this post and tell me what you think of the Mayan prophecy
• You must be 13 years old or older
• Only citizens of the US and Canada are eligible, no PO Boxes
• You MUST leave your email address in your comment
• Drawing closes 3.21.11
• Winner will be notified by email and have 48 hours to respond

Good luck and thanks for stopping by!

 
~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Author Interview - Killian McRae

 

I am really pleased to share with all of you a short interview I was able to conduct with debut author Killian McRae.  She is currently on tour with her spell-binding new book, 12.21.12. 

I must say first of all that it amazes me that Killian has time to breathe, much less create such a masterful story.  Besides her new hat as a published author; she is also wife, mother, full-time employee, part-time student, and a daily commuter.  Just typing all of that tired me out!

So let's welcome Killian and see if we can learn a little more about the mind behind the manuscript...

J:  Killian, can you tell us a little about yourself?

I'm pretty boring. I'm a big fan of history and of music. I studied both in college, but got a degree in Near Eastern Studies with a concentration on Turkic culture. I know just enough to be dangerous is a wide range of topics. (I rock at Jeopardy.) I'm in my mid-30's live in the San Francisco area, have two kids and a dog that thinks it's a cat. I have an unhealthy relationship with coffee and tea, and I once stood on three different continents in the span of three hours. 

J:  Describe your book for us in 15 words or less:

Washed out Egyptologist discovers the truth of Cleopatra's death and saves the world from peril.

J: How did you come up with this story idea?

It was the synthesis of my study of the Ancient Near East, a love of Mesoamerican cultures, a trip to Ephesus in 1998, and, believe it or not, an idea for a vampire story. In my original draft, Victoria was a vampire who would burst into flames in the sunlight, and Ra was her lover. Only, because Ra is the god of the sun, they were always separate from each other. That concept morphed a little when I elected to draw more from actual history, but readers will see some traces of that original concept play out in 12.21.12.

J: Do you have a favorite scene or passage?

Yes! My favorite passage is the flash back to the conversation between Sekhmet and Augustus Octavian. My heart really lies in history, and though Octavian appears only in this one passage, I loved writing him. Despots are fun to write. They have egos on steroids, and are delusional in the scope of their own importance. It's like setting some one up for a fall. You know it's wrong, but it's so fun to watch it all unfold.

J:  What have been the hardest and easiest parts of the "writing to publication" process for you? 

The easiest part is the actually writing of the story. This tale has been batting around in my skull in some form or another for over a decade, and it was a joyful exorcism to finally put it all down into a manuscript. The hardest part was submitting it, not knowing if it was good enough to publish. You see, while some writers use pre-readers to craft their works and one their skills, 12.21.12 was unlike anything else I had previously written. At the time I submitted it, no one else besides me had ever read the whole manuscript, and at the time of publishing, only a dozen or so people had. They all believe in my and my story, and be their grace, i was able to believe in myself.

J:  Do you have a question that you would like to be asked and never are?

I guess one I wish I could answer is what is my opinion of my book. I think too often we assume that every writer thinks every thing they publish a work of mastery. Honestly, I enjoy a little self-critiquing.

J:  What can we look forward to next from Killian McRae?  Any current projects?

My second novel has been been picked up for publication, and is a completely different kettle of fish from the world of 12.21.12. "A Love by Any Measure," is a historical romance set in Killarney, Ireland. Whereas I consider 12.21.12 a PG-13 work, Measure is semi-erotic, and not for the under-18 crowd.

I'm also finishing edits on a YA Fantasy and wrapping up an outline on a paranormal romance. But my interest are very spheric, and I never know which direction I may head off into next.
 
J:  Finally, is there anything you'd like to say to or share with all of your readers? Only that I'm very humbled by the interest in the book and all the kind words of support that I've received from fans, the publisher, fellow authors, and readers. You have truly humbled me.

J:  Killian, thank you so much for sharing your book and yourself with us today.



To learn more about Killian and her writing, you can find her online at the following links:

Website: http://www.killianmcrae.com

Blog:  http://killianmcrae.wordpress.com/

Goodreads:  Killian McRae

Twitter:  killianmcrae

Facebook:  killian.mcrae

 

Thank you to Killian for taking time out of her beyond busy schedule to visit with us.  Also a big thank you to Yara of Once Upon a Twilight for hosting this fun tour.  To check out the rest of the tour, click HERE for the entire list.  Lots of great interviews, reviews and giveaway fun! 

 Be sure to check out my review of 12.21.12 and a GIVEAWAY!  

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.