Skip to main content

The Haunting Of Violet Gray // Emily Sadovna


Hello friends! I am well aware it has been a little while until the last time I have posted, but I am rather excited to be back and have the chance to chat to you about The Haunting Of Violet Gray! I quite love the idea of being part of blog tours and helping get some hype around books when they first get out into the world, so it is more than fair to assume that when I found an e-mail in my inbox about the chance to read an early copy of a self published book that was the witchy goodness I needed in the month of October, I was dying to do just this! So without further ado, I bring you some words about this exciting release.


Plot
Witchcraft. Time Travel. Conspiracies.
Cat is inexplicably drawn to a beautiful mansion where she is seduced into the world of modern witchcraft. Upon discovering a witch’s journal, Cat anchors her mind to the summer of 1940 where she witnesses events that lead to a secret occultist ritual. Plagued by the paranormal happenings of the house and the desperate whispers of a long-dead girl, can Cat piece together a series clues to prevent a repeat of the disastrous ritual? What terrible price must be paid to stop it happening again? This time, on a devastating scale, engineered for the twenty- first century...


AND NOW 
quite the exciting extra info from Emily herself


Behind the scenes at the cover shoot for The Haunting of Violet Gray

The photo shoot for the book cover and trailer for my debut YA novel,The Haunting of Violet Gray, was so much fun! 
I have approached launching my book like a business. The first rule of business is: do as you know. My degree training is in Fashion Promotion and I have worked in retail marketing. I’ve also arranged lots of fashion shoots and I have launched my own business and chocolate brand. Fashion, chocolates and books all offer a feel good moment of escapism. I am also very visual in the way I work, so to create a short promotional video seemed the obvious way for me to go. I developed a mood using styling, costume and photography. 
I roped in two of my closest friends who happen to be a photographer and a makeup artist. I was very lucky that a friend of my husband has a daughter who is ‘Cat personified.’ She even has the most stunning red hair, just like Cat in the book. That was my model found! I set about planning the shoot with mood boards and story boards, before handcrafting my own props. I made some antlers out of sticks and clay. I wanted a shot of Cat as the white stag, hunted and spiritual. The crow offers a great deal of symbolism and appears in the book. I manipulated black feathers into a gothic neck piece and made a vintage inspired hat to signify the High Priestess using roe antlers. 
You’ll find that in the book, I can’t help but reference the fashion of the 1940’s (where part of the action takes place, as Cat travels through time). I am a complete nerd when it comes to history of costume. I have an original 1939 satin black dress which I bought to wear on my honeymoon to Venice when I was 24. With a lot of bull dog clips, it was perfect on my model and created the elegant and strong look of a high priestess I was aspiring to. You can watch the trailer on my website here.







Some of my thoguhts


First of all I would love to tie it all back to the words Emily has so kindly shared with me (&you guys) about this part of the process because I found it purely fascinating.
Having read the book,I feel like I can now see the impact of her background in fashion and styling as well as her passion for the history of costume shining through and it makes me appreciate it even more.
While I did think that the book did read like a first novel,I don't think that should be taken into account as serious criticism because,to my extent, that is what it is, and I am absolutely dying to read whatever Emily Sadovna writes next. I thought her writing style was highly engaging and there was something darkly alluring about her characters. Her use of atmosphere blew me away. The way she uses a popular theme in her story such as witchcraft yet brings a new life to it is fascinating. Having read this, you are bound to go 'you know what,of course the government would be all up into this witchy business and of course the snapchat generation would think it's the coolest thing'. According to Goodreads,this is the first in what is meant to be a series, so I am absolutely dying to see where the story goes next,as I was enthralled by this first installment.

Until next time,
Gabbie.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PAPER LANTERNS ISSUE 3 // review

Paper Lanterns is a new literary journal, founded in 2020 by Grace Kelley, Ruth Ennis and Amy O’Sullivan, to be published four times a year. Acting as a platform to promote the voices of young people in Ireland and across the world, this journal provides new and exciting content for a teen and young adult audience. It is also perfect for enthusiasts of teen and YA literature; from teachers and librarians, to parents and youth workers. This is a YA journal for writers, artists, dreamers, and doers. This is a space for the underrepresented voices and a platform for publishing and promoting young writers and artists so they are seen and heard. We also make space for those who were once young adults to submit their work! Those who proudly and loudly represent young voices in today’s world. (Paper Lanterns) by Rebecca Johnson and cover design by Eleanor Braydon   Yet another stellar issue from Paper Lanterns ! If you were to check my previews reviews , it'd be easily apparent that I am...
1 comment
Read more

PAPER LANTERNS ISSUE #2 review

― About Paper Lanterns     Paper Lanterns is a new literary journal, founded in 2020 by Grace Kelley, Ruth Ennis, and  Amy O’Sullivan, to be published four times a year. Acting as a platform to promote the voices  of young people in Ireland and across the world , this journal provides new and exciting content for a teen and young adult audience . It is also perfect for enthusiasts of teen and YA literature, from teachers and librarians, to parents and youth workers. The journal is divided into three sections. Our  literature, from teachers and librarians, to parents and youth workers.      The journal is divided into three sections. Our Creative Writing section showcases work from talented teens, as well as work from adult writers of teen and YA literature, tied in with beautiful artwork and photography. The  talented teens, as well as work from adult writers of teen and YA literature, tied in with  beautiful artwork and photography...
Post a Comment
Read more

The sequel of my dreams? // MONSTROUS DESIGN blog tour

  I was lucky enough to be part of the blog tour for the first book in the series , Dangerous Remedy , last year and it's fair to say these characters have been, as is their way, living rentfree in my mind ever since. Not only was the first book such a fantastic read, it ended on a cliffhanger promising many more adventures to come, so I couldn't wait to get my hands on the second installment in this series. Thus, I shall share with you all things Monstrous Design  so that you can join in my excitement! Synopsis:  Following the thrills and spills of Dangerous Remedy, the Battalion of the Dead return in a dazzling new adventure, set amid the opulence and squalour of 18th-century London and Paris. 1794, London: Camille and Al are desperately hunting Olympe's kidnapper. From the glamorous excesses of the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens to the city's seedy underbelly, they are caught in a dangerous game of lies and deceit. And a terrible new enemy lies in wait with designs more m...
Post a Comment
Read more