Author of the Vampires of Emberbury series
Today I am chatting with the author of the Vampire of Emberbury series Eva Alton. Eva has published her debut novel Stray Witch and the second novel in the series Witch’s Mirror which recently launched on October 22nd, and you’ll be glad to hear there is a third, Witch’s Masquerade in the works.
Welcome Eva. Tell us more about your novel.
Eva: My first novel, Stray Witch, was published in May 2020. It tells the story of a woman who doesn’t know she is a witch. She is running away from a previous marriage and is offered a job by a clan of old-fashioned vampires who live under a graveyard.
Helen: You describe your characters as clueless and quirky, so I take it that your vampire novels are something a little different to other books out there?
Eva: My books are a mixture of paranormal romance and magical realism. Even though I write about witches, vampires, and magic, my take on the subject differs slightly from most urban fantasy novels. I like to make fun of conventions and traditional vampire lore, exploring what it might mean to be a vampire living in our modern world. I also try to explore deeper issues (such as past mistakes and abusive relationships in my first book) and give my prose a lyrical touch.
Helen: I believe you succeeded. I read Stray Witch and thoroughly enjoyed it. You have a lovely mix of light and quirky, if I may use the term, characters who we can relate to, and yet there is an underlying thread of seriousness as well. (You can find my review of Stray Witch here.)
Which character do enjoy writing the most?
Eva: I love writing Clarence, my vampire main character. He has lived long, travelled the world and, in my opinion, has a very interesting past.
Helen: I think we all love Clarence, and can’t wait to find out more about him. I believe you put him through the wringer in your next novel! Tell us how you first started writing.
Eva: I have been writing since I was a little girl. I used to take part in writing competitions as a child and I won many times, too. That gave me the confidence to keep writing, and to this day it has been one of my favourite things to do!
Helen: As your setting is the real world with a touch of the paranormal, and a world most of us would recognise do you still need to do research for your novel?
Eva: I do more research than one would think. The only drawback is that I tend to get lost in my research, when one thing leads to another, and get nothing written. For example, while writing my second book, Witch’s Mirror, I spent vast amounts of time researching life in England in the Georgian era. This included reading novels set in that time, history books, etc. It was really fun, but also very time-consuming.
Helen: I can’t wait to read Witch’s Mirror. Readers it’s available on amazon now, so go and check it out!
Tell us a little about how you work, Eva, when preparing to write are you a planner or a pantser?
Eva: I like to have a clear plan before I start to write. Usually there is a small thing which sparks the idea for a story, but from then on I try to make an outline and stick to it, though I don’t always succeed.
Helen: We’re drawing to close now, and I really appreciate you taking the time to talk to me. Before you leave, tell us a little about what you are working on now.
Eva: Currently I’m editing the third book in my series, Witch’s Masquerade (expected launch spring/summer 2021). In this book, stray witch Alba must travel to a secluded spot in the Pyrenees and seek for a long-lost spell, which is her only hope of defeating death. But I won’t tell you whose!
The second book in my series, Witch’s Mirror, is coming out around Halloween 2020. In this book Alba travels to Italy to explore her witch roots, but her plans go slightly awry and things start to spiral out of control…
Helen: Thank you so much, Eva, for spending time with us today. We wish you all the best with your new release in October, Witch’s Mirror. You can find out more about Eva and her Vampires of Emberbury series on Eva’s website here.
If you haven’t read any of Eva’s book yet then I recommend you start with the first book in the series Stray Witch. You won’t regret it.
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Helen Garraway 