Portals to New Worlds: Book Blast, Giveaway & Interview: Seven Seeds of Summer by @cgadoury16

Seven Seeds of Summer

Chantal Gadoury

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Waldorf Press

Date of Publication: March 15, 2014

ISBN: 1630684775

ISBN-13: 978-1630684778

ASIN: B00J1PMYAE

Number of pages: 332

Word Count: 66,420

Cover Artist: Karen Davis and Terri Cooper

Book Description:

Seven Seeds of Summer follows the story of Summer, a college art student who has grown up in a house full of Greek mythology and legends. Summer grew up with a love for the darkest of all Gods: Hades, which caused tension between her and her mother. Summer comes home to Point Judith, Rhode Island, to find a mysterious figure on their family beach. The figure comes to her with questions about a familiar myth of her childhood: of Persephone and Hades. He proceeds to tell her of a new version of the story with a different ending that Summer never knew; an ending that includes herself.

A trip to Greece leads to tragic twists, leaving Summer in the arms of the strange figure whom she had met before. He takes her on a whirlwind through the busy streets of Athens, to the lowest point of Greece where his lair awaits: The Underworld. Determined to find out the secret of herself and her piece in the story, Summer goes with him, and tries to make herself at home in his world.

Summer has to decide to follow her heart or follow the same footsteps of the mysterious woman in her past life.

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/klFPgDuwwSY

Available at Amazon LuLu BN iTunes

Chapter Eleven: Seven Seeds of Summer

“Summer, this is only the beginning. The journey with me is far from over,” he said. I could hear the promise in his voice. I knew there was more. I knew that there was something more for me; I just didn’t understand it yet. I knew that there was still the journey of the underworld waiting for me— the gods and the souls. The stories that I thought were all just pretend.

“When are you going to take me down to your world? You took me. You have me. What are you waiting for?”

“I was waiting for you to recover,” he whispered. I heard him shift again in the chair and this time, I felt his hand on my wrist. His thumb was making light circles over my veins.

“You’re almost healed completely, and that’s good. If I had taken you down there the way you were, you wouldn’t have stood the chance of survival. Where I live, death dominates. You would have died.”

“And you wouldn’t have been able to do anything?”

“I’m only the ruler. I’m to protect the dead, not determine who lives or dies. The Fates decide that.”

“Why do you scare me?” I whispered after a long moment of silence. In his eyes I saw the truth, and saw the journey that he spoke of. There was much to be afraid of. I hadn’t meant to say it aloud, but it came out all the same. I saw his face more clearly, then. It was much closer than before. “I’m so scared, that I’m so drawn to you. I can’t help but want to be around you.”

“Yes…” he whispered. I felt his hands pull on both of my arms, lowering me to my knees. I was tucked in between his strong legs. He was warm, and much more than just a dark shadow. He was a dark Prince.

“Why have you done this to me?” I heard my voice shake, and tears started to fall down my cheeks.

“You haven’t guessed already?” he asked with concern. I felt his hands on my face and his breath was on my lips. His fingers were cool and rough, yet soft and warm, gentle and familiar. I wanted him to never stop touching me, and the thought scared me. I had no control over my thoughts, or my body. I felt my hands creep up onto his shoulders; my fingers twisted themselves into his long, black hair.

“Just tell me. Please tell me,” I begged. I needed to hear it. I needed to be sure that I wasn’t dreaming. He wasn’t a dream, and this wasn’t just a dream world that I was living in.

“Summer, the pomegranates? The paintings you drew of me? You’re drawn to me; I mean, look around you! You’re in Greece! You’re in the very setting of your own Greek story!”

“I know, I know!” Tears began to pour onto his fingers, and I tried to wipe them away. As I did, I felt him tip my chin up toward his face. I wanted this. I wanted this so badly. I wanted his lips on mine. I had dreamt about it, even before he had been real in front of me. My breath was asking to be kissed, and a moment later his lips crushed against mine. It was real. His hands were in my hair, and mine were tousled in his. He smelled like the beach, my beach, and it brought more tears to my eyes. He was my beach, my home, and my life. He was breathing air into me, giving me the will to do the unthinkable with him— to go beyond my human world, and enter his immortal one. He smelled like the waves, and the earth. A mixture of everything. I wanted to be consumed by him, live underneath his soft skin and exist through the crust of my old paints. He gently pushed me back, watching me as I struggled to keep my eyes open.

“I don’t know how to make it any clearer to you.” His eyes were wide and serious, and I knew all the answers were in the kiss. I knew what he was trying to say. I knew what I needed to know. I just didn’t want to accept it. How could this be happening to me? Me, of all the people in the world, of all the girls who existed, he picked me. My lips felt empty and cold without his there. Now that I had a taste of him, I wanted more. I wanted to grab his shoulders and press his lips against mine again, and take the heat and the life he offered.

“Do you need to sit on the bed?”

“Yes,” I murmured quickly, pushing his chest away, trying to regain my mind, my balance, and my pulse as I sat on the coverlet. I felt the kiss flow through my body, sending shivers down my spine. The kiss has shaken me; caused me to feel as if I were falling into tiny pieces that would fit so perfectly in his hand. Did he know he was my first kiss? I felt his hand grab my wrist and he gently pushed me down onto the bed. I didn’t know what to say, and I waited for him to speak, but he reflected the same silence.

“Why did you do that?” I whispered shakily, touching my lips with my finger tips and glanced at him. He stood silently in front of me. I could feel his dark gaze burning into my skin. I knew that whatever answer he was going to give me wouldn’t be the truth, or the answer that I wanted to hear.

“I think you should go to bed now, Summer,” he whispered softly.

Character Name: Hades

Character Bio: **This is strictly for the story of Seven Seeds of Summer. The Myth of Hades differs from culture and time period** Greek God of the Underworld. He is one of the three brothers (Zeus and Poseidon) who rule some part of the world. He is the guardian of the Underworld and holds the responsibility of helping the spirits of the earth transport from one side to the other. As found in the myth of Hades and Persephone, he finds his wife and kidnaps her to his lair, where they grow to love each other. When his brother Zeus tells Hades that he must return Persephone to her mother, Hades and Persephone devise a way for her to return to him with the seeds of a pomegranate. One year, Demeter never returns Persephone to him, and he begins a centuries’ search for his missing bride. On the beach of St. Judith, Rhode Island, Hades finds a young girl named Summer, who turns out to be much more than his reincarnated bride.

Describe yourself what is your worst and best quality?

I suppose most people would think my worst quality is my profession. Being the Lord of the Underworld isn’t something that most humans find appealing or welcoming. My temper, over the years, certainly hasn’t been the best quality of mine either. It’s hard for me to think of a quality that I deem “the best.” I suppose one could say that I’m not hard on the eyes. Summer would say that I can be kind, if I so choose to be.

What is the one thing you wish other people knew about you?

I’m not evil. I’m not this grotesque creature that lives in the darkness. I am very much real, just as any sort of human being is real. I am capable of love, of feeling emotions that others feel. I do wish to remain being feared by man-kind, just as they fear my brothers, but I am not a villain.

What is your biggest secret something no one knows about?

My longings. When I lost Persephone, I went through a long trial of grief and loss. I did not allow anyone to know the pain that I bore and held deeply within myself. There was a rage I tried to control, a storm that built and grew over the years, during the time that she would have been returned to me, but did not.

What are you most afraid of?

I’m not afraid of anything.

What do you want more than anything?

A chance of happiness – as most any soul wishes for. I have all the power and all the wealth one could wish for, but it does not bring happiness. I might even be a worshipped God in the eyes of those who believe in me, but adoration and fear are two very separate things. I would wish to see the look that I saw once in Persephone’s eyes, and the look that I seem to find in Summer’s eyes, always.

What is your relationship status?

Some would say that I am married. I’ve bounded myself to Persephone’s soul, whether it is with her, or her reincarnated self, Summer. I’ve made a bond with her that will transcend time.

How would you describe your sense of fashion?

While I tend to wear whatever it is that the humans are wearing, I do very much enjoy the robes of the Underworld. There’s a source of power that I find in my robes that I certainly cannot find in a pair of trousers or jeans, and a shirt with one of those ties.

How much of a rebel are you?

I am the God of the Dead after all. How much more “rebel” can you get?

What do you considered to be your greatest achievement?

Other than locking The Titans away, I would have to say. . Persephone. Finding her - finding a sort of happiness with her. I never thought I’d ever be destined for happiness.

What is your idea of happiness?

Being in control of things. Being in control of my Kingdom. Knowing what exactly is going on at all times. And I suppose, seeing Summer smile. I do enjoy her smiles and her laughter. A mixture of being in control and slightly, out of control with Summer.

What is your current state of mind?

I’d like to say sane.

What is your most treasured possession?

I’ve never admitted this to anyone, but I would probably have to say either the ring that Persephone and I exchanged, or even the Pomegranate tree that grows here in the Underworld; a symbol of return; a promise of return if you will. While I go about my duties as the Lord of the Dead, there was a promise of knowing my life source was going to return.

What is your most marked characteristic?

Are we trying to ask if I’m a marked man? Because, indeed. I am. Marked in the sense of cruelty? Yes. Marked in the sense of pain? Yes. I am all of these.

What is it that you, most dislike?

Zeus. I hate him. While he is my brother, he’s betrayed me in a way that I could and never will forgive him.

Which living person do you, most despise?

Oh, this is easy. Demeter. While she is my “sister” and now .. “mother-in-law” . . I can’t stand her. Perhaps this is normal in both roles as Brother and Son-In-Law.

What is your greatest regret?

Being as cruel as I have been.

What is the quality you most like in a man?

Strength. The way they hold themselves. It shows their determination. It shows what they expect from the world, and what should be expected. I think all men should hold themselves to a standard that seems formidable.

What is the quality you most like in a woman?

Determination. I admire Summer’s determination. The way she juts her chin out when she wants to prove me wrong; when she has something to say that is so important. I enjoy the smell of her hair, and how soft she feels. I think I enjoy the power and softness of her - I admire it.

Who is your favorite hero in fiction?

: I once saw a collection of these things called “movies” of super-heroes, and while they were all interesting, saving the world and such, I couldn’t ever say I had a favorite. Nothing beats Greek and Roman Warriors like “300.”

Which living person do you most admire?

Summer. Perhaps its a cliche thing to say, and perhaps a series of “ohhs” and “awws” will arise from this, but I’d say, Summer. She has a strength that not very many people have. And she tolerates me - that says something.

If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?

Perhaps - to be human. Like her. . Perhaps.

What is your motto?

I don’t have one, though, Summer says it should be “Like a Boss.” Whatever that means.

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Chantal Gadoury is young author who currently lives in a small town in Delaware with her two cats, Theo and Harper and her boyfriend, Robert. Chantal likes anything Disney, plays a mean game of Disney trivia, enjoys painting, and has a interest in British History. Chantal first started writing stories at the age of seven and continues that love of writing today. As a recent college graduate from Susquehanna University, with a degree in Creative Writing, this is her first book.