This time, a magic voice won’t be enough to save them.
As the Phantom Nightingale’s first mate, Brayde’s life is full of harrowing adventure. He and the crew of the intrepid Carpathia are devoted to Captain Xanthe and his mission to save children from slavery. But when news of Xanthe’s lost sister comes to light, Brayde must decide whether to follow him on their most dangerous mission yet—into the heart of the empire that wants the Nightingale, dead or alive.
Avilene’s plans after graduating from the empire’s most prestigious academy include escaping the overbearing academy director that has dictated the course of her life since childhood. They do not include being kidnapped by a renegade airship captained by the notorious Phantom Nightingale.
When their purposes clash, can Brayde persuade Avilene to forego her duty to bring the Phantom Nightingale to justice, or will the crew lose their captain and their freedom in a desperate attempt to heal the scars of Xanthe’s past?
A swashbuckling adventure full of airships and magic in a future world ruled by a tyrannical Empire. If you enjoyed Scott Westerfield’s Leviathan or Philip Reeve’s Mortal Engines, you’ll love The Phantom Nightingale!
THE INTERVIEW
Hi! I’m Shauna E. Black, author of the new release The Phantom Nightingale. I’ll take a stab at these zany questions, and maybe give you a few belly chuckles.
You are given a magical whistle that allows you to pick three creatures, real or imaginary. You get one to be your companion/mount, one who you can transform into at will, and one you have to engage in a fight to the death. Catch? You don’t get to pick which is which. What three creatures do you choose?
Well, first off, I’m a colossal wimp. I would be horrible in a fight with just about anything. (Except maybe a fluffy bunny … no. I just couldn’t. Too cute.) But maybe I could use trickery to defeat a foe, so the cyclops from Odysseus comes to mind. I’m not sure I’d want to transform into one, but I guess I did for Halloween once, and that was okay. Plus, a cyclops would be strong and make a decent mount.
Next, I would maybe choose a golem, because I could defeat that if I managed, through guile, to remove the spell animating it. If I were to transform into a golem, my body would at least be free of illness and the aches and pains of getting old. 😉 I think a golem could be any size, so it could be made large enough for a mount.
Finally, I would choose an ogre because I could con him into changing into something I could easily defeat, like a flobberworm. If I were transformed into an ogre, hopefully I would be smart enough not to fall for that trick, and an ogre would be big and strong enough to carry me just about anywhere.
If you were the captain of a space ship, what would its mission be? Exploration? Colonization? Partying? Other?
I would love to go exploring the galaxy. I’ve always been a big fan of Star Trek. (I just hope they wouldn’t give me a red shirt.)
If I were to invite you over, what snacks would you bring, keeping in mind that fruit and dried fruit are not snacks?
What? Fruit isn’t a snack? Mind-blown.
Since I have dietary restrictions, I’d have to bring something low in fat and sugar. I like air-popped popcorn sprayed with a little Canola oil and sprinkled with flavors I blend myself (like nacho spice and sour cream powder). Another favorite I’d share (if you beg) are Triscuits with fresh salsa.
Who is your fictional best friend and what activities do you choose to do together?
Andryg Windrose from the books by Barbara Hambly. We would decipher tortoise rubbings and build pinwheels.
If you woke up tomorrow and realized you were now a dragon, what would you do first?
Raid all the ice cream from the local supermarket. Dragons love ice cream.
If your favorite historical era had an ice cream flavor made in its honor, what would it taste like?
There are so many historical eras that I enjoy! But if I had to choose, I think I’d choose Victorian, because … Hello! Steampunk! Also, I love Sherlock Holmes. A flavor that goes with that? Maybe butterscotch with a ribbon of dark chocolate threaded through it.
Technology or Magic?
While I do enjoy a good sci fi (I’m my father’s daughter), I get absolutely enthralled by magic and all the endless possibilities for cool stuff to happen.
What do you see as the pros and cons of a career as a professional pirate?
Swabbing the deck would definitely be a con. I imagine there would be other onerous chores, not to mention spending months on a ship with few prospects for a decent bath, not just for me but my shipmates. (Would there be clothespins available?) But it would be wonderful to sail the ocean and take a share of the plunder.
If this question were any question in the world, what question would you want it to be and how would you answer it?
Um. Let’s see. Maybe: How do I experience the magic of books in my actual life?
Well, myself, let me answer that question for you. (Tee hee!)
When my kids were younger and still liked birthday parties (as opposed to teen hang-outs), I loved to create party themes for them around their favorite book series. I also like to try new things out in the kitchen, so I’ve created culinary experiments based on the food mentioned in books, the most notable being the “bandanna split” (not a typo) from Brandon Sanderson’s Alcatraz series.
Thanks again for hosting me today! I hope my answers were at least entertaining, if not enlightening. :}
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Award-winning author Shauna E. Black smiles a lot. But her appearance can be deceiving. Like the legendary sirens of old, she enjoys luring innocent readers into the stories she creates and trapping them there. Her home is sprinkled with spontaneous singing and the enticing smell of fresh baked bread, but her most cherished ploy lies in her passion for writing. Readers should beware of entering her fantastical worlds, lest they lose all touch with reality and find themselves waiting under lampposts for fauns and talking beavers to appear. If you decide to ignore this warning, you can find out more about her adventurous fiction on her website, ShaunaBlack.com.
TITLE: The Phantom Nightingale
AUTHOR: Shauna E. Black
PUBLISHER: Aelurus Publishing
RELEASE DATE: January 28, 2020
GENRES: Fantasy, Steampunk, Dieselpunk, Dystopian