Author Interview – Jasmine Young

Author of the Epic Fantasy Realm Breaker series and co-host of the Reign of Dragons anthology.

I am very pleased to welcome Jasmine Young to my blog to talk about the Reign of Dragons Anthology kickstarter she has just launched. I am also very excited to be a participating author along with seventeen other fanatsy authors who have contributed a 10k word short story based on drgaons.

Intro to Reign of Dragons Kickstarter:

Reign of Dragons: An Illustrated Anthology blends some of the most beloved self-published fantasy authors with top-tier artists to bring you a first-class reading experience centered around dragons.

Venture into luxurious epic fantasy, where master crafters of dragons give you an epic blast of short stories and illustrations from a rich cross section of the fantasy genre. From romances to rip-roaring battles to LitRPG adventures, think of this anthology as your next first-class experience.

We invite you to treat yourself to this delicious charcuterie board of talent—with every story centered around dragons!

Helen: Welcome, Jasmine. I’m excited to talk to you about this gorgeous anthology. Tell us how you became involved.

Jasmine: I’m honored to be the originator and a co-host of this first deluxe dragon-centric fantasy anthology (to the best of my knowledge!).

In late 2024, I wanted to go big and do something special for the holidays as our annual community tradition. That’s where the anthology came in – something I’d been thinking about for almost a year at that point.

All the telltale signs were secretly place. I started my Facebook group, Dragon Riders Guild, which I now co-admin with Melanie Ansley, in part to network with more talented authors. As I familiarized myself with their works, it gave me a better understanding of who I wanted to invite to this special project.

While my co-host and I ended up launching after Christmas, I think that makes it that much more valuable since you will be able to experience it year-round.

Helen: Not only are you organising this anthology, you also contributed a story. Tell us a little about your contribution.

Jasmine: My contribution, “A Birth of Breakers,” is an origins prequel story from the Realm Breaker universe. Rich with LOTR-style lore, it was written especially for those who dig their story lore! It foretells how the Bael, world-breaking titan dragons, came into being, and how the Velen Tyr gods would go onto wreak the ancient galactic war, The Breaking of Realms. This divine holocaust, which sundered the boundaries between worlds and caused magical beings to fall into the world of men, was also known in the late days as “The First Breaking.” As a result of this event, elves, dragons, and dwarves dwell today with men in the last habitable world. It’s the very world where our female main character picks up the series story when she bonds with a Bael hatchling that mysteriously falls from the shattered realms above.

Early sketch of The Birth of Baelaeryx, ca. 3,000 years before the series begins, as done by by Ertaç Altınöz.

Rather than have “A Birth of Breakers” as purely exposition, I framed it as a light-hearted and touching fable between a Harry Potter-inspired house elf (called “ha’elves” in my universe) and an ancient Elderdragon. In discussing ancient lore, we also get to explore the pursuit of immortality and the surprising truth about living a mortal life.

Helen: Such a powerful image, and for those who have read your Realm Breaker series, an amazing opportunity to get this prequel story set in the same world. We love Bael, so knowing more about his origins is great. There are multiple amazing creative artists working on the artwork to support the stories in this anthology, how did that beautiful foiled cover came to be.

Jasmine: The foiled case laminate was designed by the brilliant Rachel St. Clair. She was the obvious choice because of her known talent and reputation among indies, and for her ease of doing business. We wanted to emphasize the powerful reign vibes as per the title. Thus, you’ll see motifs like a sword front and center, along with a dragon breathing fire over the “Reign of Dragons” title!

Fun fact: Rachel knows I really like Fourth Wing-style art for my special editions, so some of the little dragons on the back cover share that style.

Helen: It is such an eye catching cover. A wonderful design and readers can grab their own copy by backing the kickstarter today. The kickstarter runs until April 14th, 2025, though this project funded on the first day! So it will happen, and the more backers we get, the more beautiful the book will become as we hit those stretch goals!

As a succesful fantasy author with many books now published, what would be your advice to aspiring authors?

Jasmine: When you need to hire, hire. Don’t do it all yourself.

I recently had a major mindset shift and made the decision to level up Dragonfyre Books. That lead to hiring my first wonderful team member, Bri. While she helps me grow my social media channels, particularly direct sales, I have more time to focus on my own writing and even special projects like this anthology.

The key here is for the author to already understand how to market their series. i.e. You need to have already invested in R&D and have a thorough understanding of what tropes and hot keywords resonate with your market. As the business owner, you can then provide that guidance to your assistant while being open to them bringing fresh ideas.

I don’t recommend a marketing assistant to authors who are struggling with marketing and are hoping a PA will save their sales. You’re setting them and yourself up for failure.

I do recommend a PA if you’re purely wanting help growing your social media presence and don’t have the time and/or savvy. My assistant is much savvier than me when it comes to bookish communities and social media.

And I always recommend an assistant if you’re ready, both mentally and financially, to let go and look for help. Be strategic with finding the talent that suits what your individual business needs!

Bri has seven years of experience with Youtube and vlogging, and you can find her below!

Instagram: @4pawsandabook

Youtube: @fourpawsandabook

TikTok: @4pawsandabook_

Website & Services: https://www.fourpawsandabook.com/services

Helen: Great advice. Who are your favourite authors, those who inspired you to write fantasy?

Jasmine: Christopher Paolini, now and forever. His book, Eragon, first made me fall in love with writing as a tween. If not for him, I might not be an author today!

As for indie authors, I have a deep appreciation and sense of loyalty to Michael R. Miller, who’s been very gracious with my and Melanie Ansley’s Dragon Riders Guild Facebook Reader Group. Not besides, Realm Breaker’s closest comparable series would be Songs of Chaos, as mentioned by my friend, Michael Webb!

J.D.L. Rosell is another author whose brand I have felt a kinship with for years. I just vibe with how he communicates, what he writes, and how he presents himself on social media. As someone who followed him when I was still an obscure author, it’s been a small dream come true getting to interact with him on a much closer level nowadays.

Last but never least, if Michael Wisehart ever asked me for pretty much anything, I’d give him anything. He’s a gracious author who, long story short, went through a lot of hoops sending me a personalized signed hardback at my request! Not the least, as a fellow Christian, I admire the openness of his faith and how he weaves it into his mega-successful brand. He’s my personal model and author hero.

Helen: Thankyou for joining me today, Jasmine. It’s been lovely chatting to you. Just to finish, if you didn’t write in epic fantasy, then which genre would you like to try and write in next?

Jasmine: If I didn’t write epic fantasy, I would venture into more romantasy! It’s something I’m already exploring. There seems to be an unexpected amount of crossover between epic fantasy and romantasy. The challenge for me, though, is figuring out a way to write low/no spice romantasy because of my personal beliefs and brand values.

On the wild opposite end, I discovered in 2022 that I have a secret crush on progression fantasy. As a former gamer, I know all about Pokemon stats and evolving and levelling up and all that gamer goodness. Although Realm Breaker has progression elements, as inspired by Michael R. Miller’s wonderful book, Ascendant, it’s on the light side. I just don’t know as much about it as I do epic fantasy. But that’s also an area I’m growing my knowledge on!

I also have a growing curiosity with scifi, but very specifically, science fantasy and/or dystopian fiction. The Hunger Games is probably my all-time favorite series, at least in tandem with Eragon. It stole my teenage brain away when I first read it in high school. Awhile back, I wrote a dystopian science fantasy that I haven’t yet published but was very passionate about. As of this writing, I’m planning a potential dark science fantasy-romantasy after Realm Breaker.

Who knows? No spoilers from me—we’ll see!

Who are the authors in the Anthology?

About the Author – Jasmine Young

Jasmine was thirteen when she first dreamed of becoming published after devouring Eragon in a few days on Grandma’s couch. As a nerdy introvert, her exposure to fantasy started with hiding out in the library with a great book.

Thirteen years later, her tomboy dreams came true.

Today, she is known worldwide as a part time beach hermit and a full time rebel. She is also the proud mother of two young children, Bubble and Mochi. Both happen to be little birds. The happy family currently resides in paradise, aka. Florida.

When she’s not reminiscing about her gaming days or getting lost in old epics like LOTR, Jasmine writes epic fantasy to entertain and empower, especially the underdogs.

Follow Jasmine:

Author Webstore
Instagram
Amazon Author page

Back the Reign of Dragons Kickstarter

If you enjoy epic fantasy then check out my award winning Sentinal series, which is now complete. If you like fantasy books with a touch of romance then you will love my SoulMist series, start with SoulBreather. Prefer Dystopian Science Fantasy? Then try Harmony. Start the adventure and stay for the journey.

Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.

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Reign of Dragons Kickstarter is live!

It’s live!! Our beautiful anthology is now up and running. The more stretch goals we can hit, the more beautiful the book!

There are different backer levels based on your budget so help us bring this beauty to life!

Back the Kickstarter now!

Kickstarter runs for 21 days until April 14th, 2025.

Eighteen amazing authors came together and wrote eighteen dragon themed short stories. From Epic, to LitRPG to noblebright, there is a story for everyone.

Want to know who the authors are?

Watch this space for some Author spotlights. Get to know the authors and find a new fantasy series to read today.

Reign of Dragons blends some of the most beloved self-published fantasy authors with top-tier digital artists to bring you a first-class reading experience centered around dragons.

Venture into luxurious epic fantasy, where master crafters of dragons give you an epic blast of illustrations and short stories from diverse perspectives. Ranging from warm-hearted lessons to rip-roaring action, this anthology will remind you why you fell in love with the epic fantasy genre in the first place.

Get ready to satisfy your thirst to forget the present and experience breathless thrill, gut-wrenching emotion, and gritty adventure—just how a flight on dragonback should be.

If you enjoy fantasy books then you will love my epic fantasy Sentinal series or the Romantic Fantasy SoulMist series. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and also Sentinals Discovery, the first few chapters of Sentinals Awaken from Birlerion’s POV and get notified when my next books are published.

Check out my interview on Marlow FM 97.5!

I was a guest on Radio Marlow FM 97.5’s Good Morning Marlow show, on Wednesday, March 12th, 2025, at 11am. I joined show hosts, Mary Flavelle and Geoff Motley, to chat about my writing journey and my books. I hope you get the chance to listen in.

My interview starts at timstamp 1:07.43.

Topics range from why I write fantasy to kickstarters to audiobooks to what’s next and why self publish and more!

Radio Interview at Marlow FM 97.5

I’m a guest on Marlow FM 97.5!

I’m excited to share that I will be a guest on Radio Marlow FM 97.5’s Good Morning Marlow show, on Wednesday, March 12th, 2025, between 10-11am. I’ll be joining show hosts, Mary Flavelle and Geoff Motley, to chat about my writing journey and my books. I hope you get the chance to listen in.

Meet the Sentinals: Birlerion

Sentinals Origins is the first part of the prequel to the award winning epic fantasy Sentinals series. We go back three thousand years and meet Lady Leyandrii and her captain, Guerlaire, and find out how Birlerion, Serillion and Tagerill first met.

If you love finding out the history and back story of a series, then it’s time to preorder Sentinals Origins | Part One.

Release Date: May 5th, 2025.

Click HERE to Preorder Your Copy Today!

BIRLERION – What do we know about him?

Trailer

It’s time to focus on the characters in the epic fantasy Sentinal series who you want to know more about.

Going back three thousand years means we get a chance to delve into who the Sentinals really are, where they came from, and how they became Sentinals in the first place.

The Sentinals were not always silver-eyed, with distinctive names and appearance, representing the absent Lady Leyandrii. They were ordinary people with hopes and dreams.

Let’s start with Birlerion. What do we know about him from the Sentinal series?

Birlerion is the first Sentinal we meet. He has been sleeping in his sentinal tree in the gardens of the Lady’s temple. The only sentinal tree in the city of Old Vespers.

When Jerrol accidentally awakes him, Birlerion is thrown into a world that he no longer recognises. Three thousand years have passed and he is horrified to find that not only the city has changed, but the language has evolved, and his family are long dead. He is steadied by the need to protect Jerrol, the new Lady’s Captain.

But who was he?

Before he was called Birlerion, he was known as Birler. We know he came from the city streets of Vespers in the territory of Vespiri, had no ancient family name, though he calls Tagerill brother and uses his family name, Descelles. How did he become to be adopted into the Descelles family. Where did he actually come from?

Birlerion is the most mysterious of the Sentinals, it takes six books to discover who he is in the future and the part he has to play. Now’s the time to find out where he came from.

Sentinals Discovery is a novella which shows Birlerion’s reaction when he is first awoken, and is the first few chapters of Sentinals Awaken from Birlerion’s POV. If you sign up to my newsletter via www.helengarraway.com, you can download it for free along with the novella Sentinals Stirring.

Sentinals Origins in on special preorder price of $3.99/£2.99 until launch date when it will revert to $6.99. So grab your copy now. Preorder now

Book cover designed by Jeff Brown Graphics

Character art generated by Canva AI

Cover Reveal: Sentinals Origins | Part One

Very excited to reveal the cover for Sentinals Origins | Part One.

If you love finding out the history and back story of a series, then it’s time to preorder Sentinals Origins | Part One.

Release Date: May 5th, 2025.

Click HERE to Preorder Your Copy Today!

Wild magic is rife in the world of Remargaren and a shadowy group of dissidents have discovered how to exploit the power for their own purposes.

The goddess, Leyandrii, and her Captain, Guerlaire, must face down this new threat and protect the people from unseen dangers. As Guerlaire learns to wield his own power, three new cadets with the potential to change the world are beginning their journey to become Lady’s Rangers.

Drawn from the back streets of Vespers, a young boy is thrust into a world beyond his comprehension. Battling bigotry and violence, Birler will need to navigate the Rangers’ Academy while grappling with unexpected ties of friendship, a tantalising found family, and embrace ancient magical powers.

A heartwarming tale of friendship and family is set against a backdrop of bigotry and violence in a world where wild magic can precariously tip the balance. Birler and his new friends will have to fight their own battles, not only to earn the right to become rangers, but to help Leyandrii and Guerlaire restore the natural balance and defend their world.

Sentinals Banished receives The Book Revue Five Star review!

Have you read Sentinals Banished yet? The fifth book in the award winning Sentinal Series.

The Book Revue has given it a Five Star review.

Click HERE to Purchase Your Copy Today!

Editorial Book Review:

By Marcos Buttler

Right away in the opening chapter, the complex universe in which this story takes place caught me. The route of the protagonist is anything but straightforward in a society where political intrigue, power struggles, and difficult moral conundrums control. Most in this book was the author’s skill to mix the protagonist’s inner struggle with the exterior tension of the surrounds. The story seemed rich and profoundly absorbing because of the balance between intimate ties and the more broad conflict.

The author doesn’t shy away from exploring difficult themes. The notion of loyalty versus duty is a recurring thread, and it’s handled with such nuance that I found myself constantly questioning what I would do in the protagonist’s shoes. The stakes are great for the protagonist as well as for the planet they live on. The author does a great job of showing the personal cost the larger political and military decisions cause for people engaged. Sometimes I found myself really engaged in the result of their actions since the weight of every decision had actual emotional impact.

The dreary alleyways and dark corners of Old Vespers are brought to life to the point where they feel like they belong in the plot. The city is shrouded in mystery and danger, and the suspense just grew as I read. The descriptions of the surroundings and the mood around it are so realistic that they have left an indelible effect on me.

I was also impressed by how the author intertwined the personal growth of the protagonist with the growing external threats. With each chapter exposing a fresh layer of depth to the individuals and the planet they live in, it seemed like a delicate ballet between the internal and external fights. The timing was perfect; enough action had me on the tip of my seat and allowed time to develop relationships and character.

Overall, this book kept me interested from beginning to end. It’s a highly moving and thought-provoking narrative set in a dangerous and mysterious environment. If you appreciate books with complex character development and a high-stakes plot, this is the one for you.

Author Interview – Patrick Weill

Author of the Park and Walker Action Thriller series.

I am very pleased to welcome Patrick Weill to my blog to talk about his book Double Threat.

Helen: Welcome Patrick. I’m excited to talk to you about Double Threat

Patrick: My latest book is entitled Double Threat. It is the third book in what will either be a completed trilogy or an expanded action thriller series. Set in sunny San Diego, California, and also on the Pacific Ocean, this novel features police detectives Tony Park and Jeff Walker, who split up for the first time as they star in alternating chapters until their stories intertwine in a twist that readers won’t see coming.

Park drives up to Los Angeles, where he joins forces with the FBI, working undercover on a cruise ship in pursuit of an unidentified serial killer. Walker becomes a member of MARTAC, the Harbor Police’s SWAT team, and in this capacity tackles a case of his own involving political assassination, white supremacy, and narcotics trafficking, facing powerful enemies both old and new.

Helen: Sounds like quite the adventure. How did you choose the cover design?

Patrick: The cover is from a scene that takes place late in the book, when a bomb surgically placed inside a bad guy’s abdominal cavity explodes aboard a crooked politician’s superyacht. But the image is also intended to evoke a general sense of danger aboard a massive ship on the ocean because much of the action is set on a cruise ship, giving new meaning to the term ‘rough seas’!

Helen: It is a powerful image. Why did you call your book Double Threat? Is there a special meaning or back story about the title?

Patrick: Yes, there IS a special meaning to Double Threat. Who will be the real double threat? Detectives Park and Walker, who are up against long odds as usual? Or the twin forces of evil they are facing, which turn out to be connected. ‘Double’ also refers to the book being two stories in one.

Helen: I love the insights behind your title. Who inspired you to start writing?

Patrick: Lee Child and my grandmother. Child because he found himself out of work/in need of money and, having been a reader all his life, picked up a pencil and a legal pad and set to work. Just like me. My grandmother because when I was twelve years old, she encouraged me to write a book review in a local newspaper and helped me publish it.

Helen: With the third book of your series complete, what are you working on next?

Patrick: I am currently writing a different kind of novel, a legal thriller featuring both male and female protagonists. It’s a major challenge, but I am doing heaps of research, and, with three action thrillers under my belt, I feel ready for it.

Helen: It’s always exciting to venture into a different area for your next book. Wishing you plenty of writing inspiration. Let’s talk a little about your writing process. When writing, do you listen to music or do you prefer silence?

Patrick: I used to, but now I find that I focus better with earplugs instead. I am able to devote all of my attention to writing instead of splitting it between cognitive tasks.

Helen: Are you a pantser or a planner? Do you write free form, or do you have a framework you stick to?

Patrick: Both. Writing is an art as well as a science; a hospital can’t be built without a blueprint, yet inspiration only comes through the imagination, which must be allowed to freely flow.

Helen: That is so true! Earlier you mentioned you’ve been doing research for your new book. How much research do you do for each book?

Patrick: Plenty. For example, in the case of the legal thriller, I will have read at least seven books, two of which were non-fiction and quite dry (but informative). And I’ll have spent hours and hours reading on the internet. Possibly contacting legal and/or law enforcement professionals, etc.

Helen: Thank you for joining me today. Just to finish, what is the most useful piece of writing advice you’ve received, and by whom?

Patrick: ‘Truckers don’t get trucker’s block, nor nurses nurse’s block.’

-Lee Child

About the Author

Patrick Weill

Patrick Weill is an award-winning translator and author who resides in central Mexico with his family along with four dogs and an aquarium full of fish. You can visit his website to download a FREE Park and Walker short story!

Author Website
Facebook
LinkedIn
Goodreads
BookBub
Instagram
Free prequel short story: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/9apf2tbqi1
Free legal thriller prequel: https://patrickweill.com/wp-content/uploads/Relentless.pdf

Purchase Patrick’s book, Double Threat

Link to book on Amazon UK: eBook | Paperback

Link to book on Amazon US: eBook | Paperback

As an Amazon Associate I may benefit from purchases made using these links.

Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.

Thank you for all your support in 2024!

Another year has passed, and it’s that time of year when you look back at what you achieved last year and plan for the next. It is still quite amazing that I have been published for four years and have 12 books published and three short stories released to Patreon/Newsletter subscribers.

I hope you downloaded the bonus free novella set in the world of the SoulMist series which I wrote as thankyou to all my newsletter subscribers. Your support makes writing so fulfilling, and your enthusiam for my characters makes me want to write more! My newsletter subscribers voted for a short story on how Felather and Adriz met.

Anyhow, back to what I achieved in 2024, and what’s in store for 2025?

I published two books, one novella and two audiobooks.

1st April: Harmony
15th April: Sentinals Across Time on Audio
30th May: DragonBound on Audio
1st July: OblivionGate
23rd December: Oathsworn, Novella 0.5 SoulMist series (Free for Newsletter subscribers)

I launched my Online shop – making it easier to buy ebook and audio direct from me!

My books won Awards!!

Sentinals Justice
- 2024 BookFest Awards: Gold Medal for Epic Fantasy
Sentinals Across Time:
- Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal for Epic Fantasy
- Global Book Awards Spring 2024: Finalist/GOLD Epic Fantasy
Harmony: Global Book Awards Spring 2024: Finalist/SILVER for Dystopian Science Fiction
Sentinals Banished
- Global Book Awards Winter 2024 Finalist/GOLD medal for Epic Fantasy
- Semi-Finalist for the 2024 CIBA OZMA Book Awards for Fantasy Fiction
SoulBreather
- 2024 BookFest Awards: Gold Medal
DragonBound
- Global Book Awards Winter 2024 Finalist/Bronze

It has been a busy year, a highlight of which was seeing my BookFest Gold Medalists, Sentinals Justice and SoulBreather up in lights on the Nasdaq board in Times Square in New York. A real bucket list moment!

So what’s in store for 2025? Well I have plans for more books!

Sentinals Origins-Part I. Release date May 5th, 2025
Sentinals Origins-Part II. Release date TBC
Book One: Celestial Throne series. Release date TBC 2H25
Kickstarter: My contribution: Secret Alliance Reign of Dragons Anthology. Kickstarter go live: March 2025

Other goals:

Revitalise my Patreon and gain some supporters
More formal Marketing plan
Audio for OblivionGate
Create a Sentinals Wiki site (stretch goal!!)

So plenty to keep me busy outside of the day job!

2024 was a busy year, lots of writing, though I was distracted by work as it was quite a tumultous year as the company I work for was acquired and so we’ve had lots of changes, but a year full of opportunity all the same. I am very excited for 2025 and the new opportunities it will bring. I look forward to sharing the results with you throughout the year. Once again – Thank you for all your support, I hope you stay with me as we continue this amazing journey.

Author Interview – Matthew Hillsdon

Author of the fantasy novel, Alidor The Expedition of Multiple Distractions.

I am very pleased to welcome Matthew Hilsdon to my blog this week, and we’re chatting about his latest novel, Alidor The Expedition of Multiple Distractions, which released on December 17th, 2024.

Helen: Welcome Matt. I’m excited to talk to you about your newest release. Tell us all about your latest book.

Matthew: My current book will be released on the 17th Dec and is called Alidor The Expedition of Multiple Distractions. The involves a character from the last series in the events after the end of the Unlikely Allies trilogy. It follows Professor Leonardo Wileby as he sets out to complete a compendium of Alidor and is written in a first person account in the guise of his personal journal. As the title suggests the expedition he aims to set out on is thwarted with near constant distractions or diversions from runaway mages, irate Kings and beavers with a nasty case of the sniffles.

Helen: Sounds like quite the adventure. How did you choose the cover design?

Matthew: As for all of the covers of my main novels in the Alidor Series I like to choose a scene from the book. This scene depicts all of the main characters within the book as they are on their expedition. I like to put a lot of thought into the cover as I like the reader to have a good visual and put an image of the world into the reader’s mind along with the added thrill of trying to find the scene as you read through.

Helen: What a great idea. Who is your protagonist and why did you write them?

Matthew: Professor Leonardo Wileby. He came into the Alidor series in the Unlikely Allies and became more prominent as the books went on. I felt he would be the perfect character to use to round off the series. His life up until now has hardly been a quiet or relaxing one. Whether that was down to rangers setting traps that left his home in ruins, severely injured wolves needing a new mechanical leg, or being kidnapped by the greatest villain of the age as he was forced to construct war machines with incredible destructive capabilities for the very enemy they were fighting against. He has scarcely had a moment free before war’s end.

Helen: If your Main Character could answer, why would they say we should read your book?

Matthew: If he could answer he’d tell you to read it as it’s the most important scientific journal ever to be created and you should listen to him as he is the smartest elf ever to have lived.

Helen: What made you write this book?

Matthew: I hadn’t planned on writing this one but I really enjoyed the Professor Leonardo Wileby character I’d created. He’s quite eccentric and I felt that he deserved his own title and I’m sure he’d say the same. He was kind of a side character in the Unlikely Allies but accidentally became more prominent as the story went on.

Helen: Who is your favourite character in your Alidor series?

Matthew: That’s a hard choice as I have so many characters I am fond of but I’d probably choose Billy the Fang Lord because he’s everyone’s best friend, providing you’re not a parrot as you’ll find out in Alidor The Unlikely Allies.

Helen: Now you’ve written the professor’s book, what are you working on next?

Matthew: Following on The Expedition of Multiple Distractions which will act as an epilogue to the Unlikely Allies series I’ll be working on a couple of stand alone titles that will still relate to the world of Alidor, only from a few different perspectives. Such as a currently unnamed novel about Audrey Fennel who is a pensioner from Bloomly on Thames who somehow ends up waist deep in a teeming Alidorian forest. I’m also working with the incredible artist Norm Chung to create our first graphic novel The Forbidden Friend. It takes us back to the first days of the human race and explores their bond with the wolves. Part 1 is nearly complete and the artwork really brings this quite moving story to life.

Helen: With all the books you have written and released, when did you realise you had a passion for writing.

Matthew: I’ve always a passion for creating stories but it wasn’t until my wife, Emma came along and I began to start writing stuff down that I created Alidor. Without her I don’t think I’d be where I am now.

Helen: How do you find the time to fit writing into your daily schedule?

Matthew: I wouldn’t say I try to fit it in more like it takes over.

Helen: I know the feeling. Writing does tend to consume you. Do you plan your books, or are you more of a pantser?

Matthew: My books are loosely planned out given there’s a few mysteries and secrets that run throughout the novels but other than that I largely write free form. I just like to throw down whatever comes to me and then go from there.

Helen: How about your writing environment? Silence or do you have a favourite playlist to inspire you?

Matthew: Yes it’s normally heavy metal rock because it helps zone everything else out.

Helen: Do you suffer from writer’s block, and if so, what do you do to overcome it?

Matthew: I tend to take a break and will end up sitting on a video game for far too long. Having animals to bounce ideas off also helps.

Helen: If you didn’t write in Fantasy then which genre would you like to try and write in next?

Matthew: I’d write in crime/ mystery I like the idea of doing a crime novel with another author where one writes from the perspective of a detective and one a killer he’s trying to catch.

Helen: Oh, that sounds like fun! Author collaborations produce some amazing stories. Most authors are great readers, what is your favourite book?

Matthew: I know it’s cliche but I am a massive fan of Lord of the Rings. I’ve recently gotten into more Sci Fi thanks to Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and Three Body Problem. A lot of the books I read come from indie book fairs where I’ve found some fantastic authors too.

Helen: I second supporting Indie authors. There are so many great stories out there. Thank you so much for joining me today, and good luck with your launch. Just to finish, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?

Matthew: As well as a range of novels and short stories I’m also in the process of releasing all of our audiobooks and currently have Forgotten Hero and Stolen Tales for Cunning Thieves Part 1. I am also starting to organise Marlow Indie Book Fair 2025 which will be back bigger and better than ever!

About the Author

Matthew Hillsdon

Matthew Hillsdon is know for his fantasy series set in the world of Alidor. A fantastical world filled with unique tales and characters. His first novel Alidor: The Unlikely Allies, introduces readers to this expansive realm. His storytelling often weaves themes of adventures, mystical creatures and epic quests.

Instagram: @alidorbooks

Facebook: Alidor Books

Website: alidorbooks.co.uk

Purchase Matthew’s book, Alidor

Link to book on Amazon UK: eBook | Paperback

Link to book on Amazon US: eBook | Paperback

As an Amazon Associate I may benefit from purchases made using these links.

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