*Blog Tour + Interview* Beguiled by Cyla Panin

Book Title: Beguiled

Author: Cyla Panin

Publisher: Amulet Books

Release Date: August 23, 2022

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Retelling

Synopsis:

A dark and enthralling story about a young woman who makes a deal with a spirit to try and gain her independence—and the twisted price she has to pay for it

Ella is a 17-year-old weaver whose entire livelihood depends on her loom. She dreams of opening her own shop, but when her father died in debtor’s prison, she had to support herself by taking whatever clients she could get. In order to buy her supplies she goes into debt of her own, and when her loom breaks, Ella realizes she needs more help than a repairperson can give her. She, like everyone, has heard about the old washerwoman spirit called the Bean-Nighe who will grant any one wish—for a price.

But Ella is desperate, so she asks the Bean-Nighe to fix her loom. And it works. The loom is fixed, and she’s creating beautiful pieces she could have never imagined before. All she has to do is feed the loom a drop of blood each time she weaves—a small price to pay for such magnificent silks. And when she brings two bolts to a rich client, she meets a mysterious young man named Callum and bargains for an invitation to his exclusive party. At that party, he’s so mesmerized by her talent, he offers Ella a place to live and patronage for her art. It seems like Ella’s fortune is finally turning for the better . . . until she begins to notice the loom taking more from her than she offered.

As she becomes entangled in the lives of the city’s rich, swept into Callum’s allure, and trapped by the Bean-Nighe’s magic, Ella must figure out a way to secure her future while she still has a future at all.

Content Warning: mild self-harm, gaslighting and emotional abuse

Purchase Today!

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Author Information

Cyla Panin is an MG, YA and Adult Author who prefers to look at the world through a dusting of magic.

After spending most of her childhood wanting to escape into the wonderful worlds her favourite authors created, she’s now using her own words to craft magical places. When not writing, Cyla can be found playing dinosaurs with her two young boys, watching swashbuckling and/or period TV shows with her husband, and, of course, reading.

Her YA debut, STALKING SHADOWS will be out with Amulet, Abrams Fall 2021. She is represented by Chloe Seager of the Madeleine Milburn Literary, TV, and Film Agency.

Website | Goodreads | Instagram | Twitter

Author Interview

I am so excited to host Cyla Panin on A Court of Coffee and Books today! Thank you so much, Cyla, for stopping by and don’t forget to preorder a copy of Beguiled!

**Hi, Cyla! What inspired you to write Beguiled?**

Hi! I love mythology, and have been drawn to Scotland for a long time. It’s where I’d love to have a little cottage in the woods! On a trip there three years ago, I decided the next manuscript I wrote would be set in a mythical version of Edinburg. From there, I started with an idea for a retelling of Sleeping Beauty, but instead of a spindle I wanted to give my main character a loom. Honestly, BEGUILED became its own story, so I wouldn’t call it a retelling or re-imagining of Sleeping Beauty but it’s definitely rooted in folklore and fairy tales.

**What was your favorite part of writing Beguiled?**

It might have been getting to write about the pretty dresses! The setting and context for my debut, STALKING SHADOWS, didn’t really allow for that, so it was fun getting to dream up fantasy gowns.

What can readers expect from your main character, Ella?

They can expect someone who is absolutely determined to get where she wants to be, and who thinks she has her eyes wide open about how the world works. Of course, she’s in for a few surprises.

**How different was writing Beguiled compared to your debut book, Stalking Shadows?**

I wrote BEGUILED right after the beginning of the pandemic, with my two kids at home, working my day job. Writing this book was my respite from all of that. I got to escape into this fantastical world for bit, when there was a lot going on in the real one.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

My biggest piece of advice is always to just sit down and write the book. Don’t self-edit your first draft, don’t look back. Just get it on paper. Then you can go back and make it better.

**What do you hope readers take away from Beguiled?**

I hope readers will take away the value of finding self-worth from the inside, instead of looking for validation from outside sources. I also hope readers will enjoy their time in what I hope is an enchanting world!