Spotlight & Giveaway: The Midnight Realm by Sawyer Bennett

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Sawyer Bennett to HJ!

Hi Sawyer Bennett and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, The Midnight Realm!

 
Hey, y’all!
 

To start off, can you please tell us a little bit about this book?:

The Midnight Realm is a standalone fantasy romance, more like a contemporary romance with a fantastical twist. Amell, the king of the Underworld, has met his match when Nyssa McKnight’s recently departed soul comes before him for judgement. When she refuses to cower in his presence, and actually calls him a “big old winged bat”, Amell can’t help but be intrigued by this dead human.
 

Please share your favorite lines or quote(s) from this book:

“Let it be known, in case it hasn’t made its way to the city streets, this human is under my protection. Any ill will done to her is done to me. Hate her, you hate me. Touch her in anger, you touch me in anger. Cause her harm, and that harm comes to me. The penalty is the Crimson River, whether you look at her with malice or you break her neck. There will be no exceptions.”

What inspired this book?

Two words: Stephen Amell. Haha!! I love the show Arrow, so I used Stephen Amell’s name and likeness when creating the character of Amell. He was introduced in an earlier book in the series and I’ve been itching to write his story ever since!

How did you ‘get to know’ your main characters? Did they ever surprise you?

Amell turned out much…softer??…than I expected him to. He IS the king of the Underworld, after all, and has admitted on more than one occasion that he is an evil Dark Fae. But as a general whole, he’s an evil Dark Fae with a soft spot for Nyssa.

As for Nyssa, while she’s broken, she’s not weak. I went in thinking she’d be a little beat down by life, but her experiences have made her stronger.

What was your favorite scene to write?

Probably their first meeting during her judgement, because she was so belligerent and he was amused by her. It was just a fun scene for me.

What was the most difficult scene to write?

Any sex scene. Because this has a fantasy element to it, there are other factors to consider while writing intimate scenes–magic, superhuman strength, and in the case of Amell, angel wings.

Would you say this book showcases your writing style or is it a departure for you?

A little bit of both. Most readers are used to my contemporary romance books, but this is now the 7th book in my PNR/fantasy series. So for some it’s a departure, for others, not so much.

What do you want people to take away from reading this book?

That anything is possible, even when it seems improbable.

What are you currently working on? What other releases do you have planned?

Drake, book 5 in the Pittsburgh Titans series, releases January 3! I am so looking forward to introducing Drake and Brienne to Titans fans. I’m also looking forward to a couple more releases in the Chronicles of the Stone Veil series in 2023.

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: Signed paperback of The Midnight Realm (US only)

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Excerpt from The Midnight Realm:

“The sun is nice,” Nyssa says as she looks around. “But I like the night sky more.”
I blink at her in surprise. “Really? I assumed you’d like the sunlight better.”
“It’s very pretty, but your velvet sky and huge stars are a piece of art to me.”
My heart thumps a few times, because I’ve always felt that too. I wave my hand and the sun disappears, reverting to the inky sky with the threat of a sunrise on the horizon.
“Your midnight realm.” She sighs, tips her head back, and smiles. She reaches a hand, squints, and pretends to pluck a star. “They hang so low, it feels like I can touch them.”
Her gaze comes to me, and I mimic her actions. I reach up, pinch at a star that’s too far away to actually grab, but when I lower my hand, a sparkling diamond sits in my palm.
Nyssa gasps in delight and takes it, holding it up to examine. “It’s so beautiful.”
“So are you.”
She lifts her eyes to me, mouth parted slightly. “I’m not.”
“The most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” I say, and she blushes over the truth in my words.
“Another first,” she whispers as her gaze lowers in shyness.
I know what she’s saying. No one has ever said that to her. She’s had a lot of firsts with me.
With a wave of my hand, the food and wine disappear. I pull Nyssa to me, rolling her onto her back so I’m hovering over her. “I want you to be happy here.”
“I am,” she says, a simple, genuine statement.
“Because you can’t ever leave, you know that, right?”
She nods. “Only two ways out… the Crimson River or reincarnation.”
I don’t confirm that, because it’s not exactly true. I’d never throw her in the river, and Zora could potentially reincarnate her. I know Nyssa doesn’t have remorse for her offense, but knowing what I know now, and since Zora is aware of it too, she’d give her another shot at life.
I just don’t tell Nyssa that, and I don’t have a single fucking ounce of guilt either.
“I don’t want you to leave,” I tell her. “I want to keep you.”
“You mean… like a pet?” Her impish grin has me itching to spank her.
“As my lover,” I clarify. “For eternity.”

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 
 

Book Info:

Even kings who serve at the whim of gods break the rules every now and then.

As the newly anointed king of the Underworld, I’ve worked hard to clean up the mess left behind by my predecessor. The realm is in relative peace at the moment, my main focus now on deciding the fate of recently departed souls. It’s a tediously boring task, and honestly, one I despise doing. But just when I think I can’t stand another moment of the monotony, one soul changes it all.

Nyssa McKnight earned her ticket to Hell. She made her choices and even at the prospect of eternal damnation, she doesn’t seem to regret the actions that led her here. I can tell by her utter defiance that life has hardened her, a trait that has carried over to her in death. She should be begging me for mercy but instead calls me a “big old winged bat”. I should toss her right into The Crimson River for her insolence but instead I think I’ll keep her in servitude.

While I struggle to reconcile the intrigue—and attraction—I have for this human, I am forced to spend my days investigating rumors of an uprising in the Underworld. Unfortunately, my desire to keep Nyssa has provided a weak spot for the rebellious Dark Fae looking to gain control, one they’re quick to act on. Now, with Nyssa in danger and my throne threatened, I will stop at nothing to restore order, even if it means letting her go.

Can Amell, the king of the Underworld, find true love, or is he destined to rule alone until the end of days?

The Midnight Realm is a standalone romantic fantasy novel about unexpected redemption within The Chronicles of the Stone Veil series.

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Meet the Author:

New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Sawyer Bennett uses real life experience to create relatable stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From contemporary romance, fantasy romance, and both women’s and general fiction, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.

A former trial lawyer from North Carolina, when she is not bringing fiction to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to her very adorable daughter, as well as full-time servant to her wonderfully naughty dogs.

If you’d like to receive a notification when Sawyer releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter (sawyerbennett.com/signup).
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