Author of A Sea of Pearls and Leaves
Today I have the pleasure of chatting with Rosalyn Briar. Author of the fairy tale retelling A Sea of Pearls and Leaves.
Welcome Rosalyn. Thank you so much for joining me. To start us off please tell us about your latest book.
Rosalyn: My most recent release is a dark fantasy fairy tale retelling called A Sea of Pearls & Leaves. It is a retelling of the Grimm’s Fairy Tale “The Three Snake-Leaves,” but with a twist.
Helen: It is a lovely story, and I must admit I didn’t know the fairy tale until I read your book. For me, it was a new story which was lovely. You can find my book review here. Tell us about the genre you write and why.
Rosalyn: I write dark fantasy and it’s usually some sort of fairy tale retelling. I have always loved fairy tales, folklore, and mythology, so dark fantasy allows me to play with those themes while adding magic and a dash of horror.
Helen: Such fun! and you get to rewrite the heroes and villains how you want them. Who do you prefer writing about, the good guys or the bad guys?
Rosalyn: Although I certainly love my heroes and enjoy writing them, there is definitely a special place in my heart for villains. I think this is because when reading books or watching movies, I am usually rooting for the villain, especially if they have unique powers or strong motivations. The next book I am planning actually has a hero-to-villain arc or a “fall to evil” arc for the main character—so essentially a villain origin story. I look forward to diving into how a villain comes to be.
Helen: The art of writing is so complex, so much to think about! Do you prefer writing over editing?
Roslayn: I actually enjoy editing more! I can edit with smaller chunks of time, which makes it easier for me to do with my kids around. Writing, I need long spans of time alone, which are hard to come by. I also enjoy how editing really brings the story together and how each little “layer” of edits can improve the story.
Helen: I think with editing a rough idea becomes more polished. In the excitement of getting words on the paper, grammar goes out the window. When you correct everything the ideas and phrases become so much stronger and it feels so good when the story flows naturally and you know the reading experience is so much better. You have young children, so I bet you are a natural storyteller, but how do you fit in the writing?
Rosalyn: Since I have young children, it can be difficult to write during the daytime (especially this year since I’m helping my oldest with her e-learning for Kindergarten). So, I wake up early to do my writing and get the words down!
Helen: That must be really early! I am a night owl, I must admit I write more late at night. One element of self-publishing I love is designing the book cover. Tell us how you came up with the cover for your book.
Rosalyn: For A Sea of Pearls & Leaves, I wanted the cover to pay homage to the original tale “The Three Snake-Leaves.” So, I knew I wanted a snake and for the cover to have a watery feel. I sketched out the image of the cut up snake with leaves growing out of it and sent that to my cover designer, and they definitely brought the cover to life!
Helen: It is gorgeous and very striking. I love the colour scheme. Thank you so much for chatting with me. Last question, I promise. If you didn’t write fantasy, which other genre tempts you to write a book?
Rosalyn: I would love to write mystery/thrillers. I have always been a fan of reading them and enjoy the twists and turns and secretive characters. Maybe someday, if I feel confident enough, I’ll write one, but writing those takes a lot of skill when it comes to plotting and outlining.
Rosalyn Briar is a former teacher who is married to her high school sweetheart. Together, they have built a beautiful life and have two fearless daughters. Rosalyn is obsessed with gothic fairy tales, scary movies, sun dresses, traveling, and reading books. She is the published author of The Crown of Bones and A Sea of Pearls & Leaves, both of which are fairy tale retellings. Rosalyn is also the host of #NovelBuilding, a daily Twitter question with monthly themes for fellow writers to connect. When Rosalyn isn’t writing or reading, you can find her playing dress up with her two princesses or exploring the woods for wildflowers.
You can reach Rosalyn via her Website or via social media at:
and purchase her book via Amazon:
Link to ebook on: Amazon UK
Link to paperback on Amazon UK
Link to ebook on Amazon US
Link to paperback on Amazon US
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Helen Garraway 
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