Blog Tour: Ragis (The Gemeta Stone #4) by Donna Migliaccio
Ragis by Donna Migliaccio
August 28, 2018
Fantasy
The Gemeta Stone Book 4
Fiery Seas Publishing, LLC
Kristan Gemeta is teetering on the brink of madness.
His sister Melissa has defied him. His friend Olaf has betrayed him. The Wichelord Daazna’s ghostly laughter mocks him when he’s awake and robs him of his sleep at night. Even the protective powers of his legendary Stone are turning against him.
And now his companions, his ship and its precious cargo have been taken hostage. Kristan must give chase, in an unseaworthy vessel manned by an angry centaur crew. Ahead lie unfriendly waters, an ominous destination and a confrontation Kristan dreads.
In his despair, Kristan longs for the one person he has always trusted: his beloved Heather. But she’s far away, about to step into a trap that will endanger not just her command, but Kristan’s life.
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20 Questions with Donna Migliaccio
1. What do you love most about writing?
Writing lets you invent a world of your own imagining – it’s an extension of daydreaming, which is one of the nicest pastimes I know. I think what I love most is sliding into the skins of the characters I’ve created and experiencing the world I’ve made through their eyes.
2. What is your favorite movie?
I have so many that it’s hard to choose. I saw A Quiet Place a few months ago and was bowled over by the film’s terse storytelling. There wasn’t a wasted frame. And I loved how the audience completely bought into the characters’ need for utter silence. It was the quietest horror film showing I’ve ever attended.
3. What’s one thing you’ve always wished for?
A kinder world. I think it’s out there; I think most people are decent at heart. But right now, it seems like people are frightened all the time, and when people are scared they either shrink back or strike out. It takes courage to show compassion – which is, incidentally, a major theme of The Gemeta Stone series.
4. What mythical creature do you wish actually existed?
Even though I’ve written centaurs into The Gemeta Stone series, I think I’d find them pretty intimidating in real life. I’d love it if flying dragons were real – wouldn’t it be amazing to see one streak across a dawn sky?
5. What is one place you’ve always wanted to go to?
Iceland – but I’d want to go during the off season, see the Northern Lights and visit places most tourists don’t go. Plus most of their population are writers! As they say in Iceland, ad ganga med bok I maganum, which means “everyone gives birth to a book.” Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be surrounded by people who understand what it’s like to write?
6. If you could go back in time, what year would you go back to?
I can’t pick just one. There are so many historic events I’d love to witness – but I’d want to be able to come back to the present once I’d witnessed them.
7. What’s your favorite thing to do during the summer?
Hole up in an air-conditioned room and write. I’m not a summer person; I’m not a fan of the heat nor of crowds. I love the beach, but I go in the spring or fall. There’s nothing like a walk on an abandoned beach on a crisp fall morning.
8. What one thing do you really want but can’t afford?
Oh, how I wish I could afford to travel more often. Besides Iceland, I’d love to make a month-long visit to Australia and New Zealand. And I want to go to Antarctica by way of Patagonia. And the Galapagos Islands, too!
9. What job would you absolutely be terrible at?
I would be the worst car salesperson in the world. I don’t enjoy sales work in general, but cars interest me very little, and the thought of having to barter and argue over with someone to make a sale makes my hair stand on end.
10. What are you absolutely determined to do?
Finish Book 5 of The Gemeta Stone series!
11. Would you rather live for a week in the past or the future?
That depends on how far back in the past or how far forward in the future. If you’re talking about my own life, I’m not interested in revisiting the past (although I’d love to see my late father again), and I don’t want to miss a minute of what’s going on right now.
12. What weird food combinations do you really enjoy?
Salted watermelon is delicious.
13. Does fate exist? If so, do we have free will?
I think fate exists, but I think we have an enormous hand in shaping that fate.
14. Could you survive in the wilderness for a month?
I’d like to think I could. I confess to being a huge fan of survival series like Survivorman, and I read a lot of wilderness survival nonfiction. But I’ve never even gone camping and have no practical experience making a fire, building a shelter or purifying water. On the other hand, I’m a pretty determined person, and if I had the right gear, I could probably tough it out.
15. What’s the funniest word in the English language?
Bloviate, which means to blather on at length. Whenever I hear the word, I always imagine some pompous jerk in a red necktie inflating like a balloon and slowly floating away, all the while talking, talking, talking…
16. What is your biggest pet peeve?
Cell phones. They have their place, but people are addicted to them. Last year I was in New York City for an extended period, working on a Broadway show, and I was stunned by how oblivious people were to their surroundings while they texted or yakked. I saw people walk out in traffic, bang into walls – you name it. The worst were people walking their dogs. The poor dog would try to stop and pee but the owner would just drag it along, all their attention on their phone.
17. If you were challenged to a duel, what weapons would you choose?
We’d have a battle of wits. It would be like Jeopardy on TV. Fun to watch, the possibility of learning something new, and no one gets hurt.
18. If someone narrated your life, who would you want to narrate it?
Dame Maggie Smith. She’d have just the right combination of compassion, dry humor, snooty superiority and whimsy.
19. What song is stuck in your head today?
I’ve had the Overture to Bernstein’s Candide in my head for weeks. At least it’s a complicated piece so it hasn’t driven me mad – yet.
20. If you could change your name, what would you choose?
When I was a kid, I wished my name was Laura. I was a huge fan of the Little House on the Prairie books and wanted to be like its author Laura Ingalls Wilder – adventurous, determined and tough. The name “Donna” always made me think of poodle skirts and pearls and a suburban household with 2.5 children. Over the years, I’ve come to terms with being “Donna.” It helps that I married an Italian, and that “
About the Author:
Donna Migliaccio is a professional stage actress with credits that include Broadway, National Tours and prominent regional theatres.
She is based in the Washington, DC Metro area, where she co-founded Tony award-winning Signature Theatre and is in demand as an entertainer, teacher and public speaker.
Her award-winning short story, "Yaa & The Coffins," was featured in Thinkerbeat's 2015 anthology The Art of Losing.
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