VBT: Hunters of the Dream by Ingrid Koivukangas

Hunters of the Dream

by Ingrid Koivukangas

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE: YA Fantasy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

When the summer holidays begin, Aurora thinks she’s just a normal teenager about to have another boring summer. Then, for her seventeenth birthday, Nana Brin gives her a long-silent Oracle that has been passed down through their family for generations. The mysterious Oracle soon awakens in response to the creeping Darkness that is escaping and destroying all worlds. Aurora must quickly find the courage to come to terms with her calling as the Huntress of the Dream.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt Three:

As the Bone Seer began to pick up another bone, she hesitated, cocking her head from side to side, as if listening to someone speaking. She breathed in sharply, surprised, and suddenly frightened, and in a high pitched voice began singing:

The wise one will read the signs,

As the all seeing one awakens,

When the drum woman travels,

And the compass unravels,

And he, who swims between worlds,

Joins the one who sparks and twirls,

The broken wing is set free,

The wolves howl and protect thee,

Gathering under a double moon,

Agreements hewn,

The Huntress is born again,

As Darkness slips its chains.

Looking directly into Aurora’s eyes she hissed, “The Darkness is waking, Aurora. There are many teachings you must complete, and amulets and allies to gather in preparation for the battles ahead. You must find your fellow hunters before the Darkness escapes and finds you, or all will be lost.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Ingrid Koivukangas, BFA, MFA, is an award winning environmental artist, writer, designer, Reiki Master and educator.

As an artist Ingrid works intuitively at sites creating new works in response to sites and their energies and histories both natural and human. Her work encompasses many media including site specific ephemeral, large scale public works, writing, video, photography, sound, web, sculpture, painting, drawing and printmaking.

Ingrid's artworks have been exhibited in Canada, the USA, Europe and Asia. She's been featured as an artist in residence on CBC-TV; has had numerous gallery exhibitions; has many site specific ephemeral works left in situ and large scale permanent public art projects.

Ingrid's artworks have been included in many publications and books including: Art in Action: Nature, Creativity and Our Collective Future, published by the Natural World Museum and the United Nations Environmental Programme and Art + Science Now: How scientific research and technological innovation are becoming key to 21st-century aesthetics by Stephen Wilson, Professor of Conceptual and Information Arts at San Francisco State University. One of her favourite publications to be included in is Scholastic Book's Now See This! Art That Influences.

Ingrid has a Bachelor of Fine Arts, with Distinction, from the University of British Columbia Okanagan and a Master of Fine Arts, Environmental Sculpture, from the University of Calgary. You can view her work at: www.ingridkoivukangas.com

Ingrid lives on Salt Spring Island with her husband Robin, two dogs, Lucy and Scout, and a fierce cat named Hunter.

Interview with Ingrid Koivukangas 

As a kid did you write or make up stories?

I think my child self would tell you there is no real difference between the two, only that one is written and the other spoken.

Where does most of your Character inspiration come from?

Most of the characters arrive through dreams and during meditations.

Do some qualities of your characters come from real people?

All the characters in Hunters of the Dream are fictional. I think that characters, in all books, have qualities that are shared with real people.

What was the inspiration for your book?

As an environmental artist my work is about creating a new sense of awareness between people and the natural world around them. I work with deep intuition, dreams and meditation. Most of my work is gallery-based, and often combined with workshops and residencies working with small groups. I wanted to reach more people and invite them to see, and experience a world of wonder. I have always loved storytelling and writing and had been thinking about how I could share some of the experiences I’ve had working with Nature and Spirit, and combine them with fictional characters. I wanted to reach out and speak to the hearts of youth, and adults. As my intention became clearer, the Hunters of the Dream characters began to arrive, during meditations. They each carried a part of the story with them, and their stories blended with parts of mine to become the Hunters of the Dream Trilogy.

What is your favorite spot to write?

I love writing by the water, whether it’s the ocean, a lake, a pond, river or stream. My studio looks out an artesian spring fed pond.

What advice would you give budding writers?

Just keep writing. Keep following the story. Stay true to your characters. Don’t give up.

***

Links:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13548228.Ingrid_Koivukangas

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IKoivukangas

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HuntersTheDream

Website: www.IngridKoivukangas.com

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Hunters-Dream-Book-One-Gathering-ebook/dp/B0194J80JA

Chapters / Indigo:  https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/hunters-of-the-dream-book/9780973632767-item.html

NOTE: Hunters of the Dream will be available at Amazon from February 22 to March 20 for only $0.99

Get a free online Eco Heart Oracle reading. http://bit.ly/FreeEcoHeartOracleReading

Visit the World of Wonder membership site. This site is for Hunters of the Dream readers. Continue exploring the world of Hunters of the Dream: http://bit.ly/EnterAWorldofWonder

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

Ingrid Koivukangas will be awarding an Eco Heart Oracle Deck valued at $28 US, (the Eco Heart Oracle is an integral part of the Hunters of the Dream trilogy) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour (International Giveaway).

RAFFLECOPTER CODE:

a Rafflecopter giveaway