Category: Writer’s life

Author Interview – Lauren A.R Masterson

Author of Succumb to Darkness.

Today, I am pleased to welcome the prolific Indie author Lauren A. R Masterson, a.k.a Alice Lidell to talk to us about her latest novel Succumb to Darkness which released on May 11th, 2023.

Helen: Welcome Lauren. I am so excited to meeet you and that we get to chat about your new book today!! Congratulations on the release of your sixth novel. Let’s start with your newest book. Tell us about Succumb to Darkness.

Lauren: Succumb to Darkness is my 6th novel, set for release Q2 of this year.  This dark fantasy novel is a vampire tale with parallels to the French Revolution.  The main character, Evanangela, is a fallen angel, cast from the eternal kingdom for her cardinal sin of vanity.  Doomed to walk the earth as a vampire and never be able to gaze on her own reflection again as punishment.  She joins a French vampire court and must find a way to not only survive, but to thrive as the newfound favorite of Seigneur Verseau and his official consort, Ă€michemin.

Helen: Sounds intriguing. And I’m loving the artwork on the cover. Tell us how you came up with your design.

Lauren: I commissioned the cover art from my friend R. Taylor.  She is also an author who writes high fantasy novels and is an accomplished artist.  She did a wonderful job bringing my vision to life.  My goal with the cover art was to represent the three main characters, Evanangela, Verseau, and Ă€michemin, exactly as they appear to me.  It was especially important to me to have this cover custom designed because there is no representation of black vampires in typical cover art templates that you can buy; and Verseau is black.  I’m also an artist and have designed book covers for myself and other authors in the past, but I felt my colorful illustration style was not a good fit for the moody opulence of this novel.

Helen: I’m glad you managed to get your vision into the cover art, sometimes it can be quite difficult to get the cover right. Kudos to you for. being artistically creative as well as writing novels. Did your title have any ulterior meaning?

Lauren: “Succumb to Darkness” is the title of the book because it’s about Evanangela’s slow descent into the “darkness” of living as a vampire.  Throughout the story she must question and even go against her previous nature and morals in order to survive.  She also begins to question her blind devotion to humanity she once believed in as an angel.  That seeing humans up close, she sees their duplicity.  Her succumbing to the darkness of her new nature as a vampire and seeing the world how it truly is, is what the story is all about.

Helen: I think you must have had fun delving into the human psyche for your characters to disect. What made you write this particular novel?

Lauren: I wrote this book originally back in 2005.  It started as a short poem.  That sparked a longer saga poem.  And at last, that sparked the first few chapters of “Succumb to Darkness”.  I put this story away for several years until I worked on it again in 2008.  Then put it away once more until 2019.  I put this story on hold for several reasons, but at last, I finished it this year.

Helen: It sounds like you’ve been writing for some time. When did you realise you had a passion for writing?

Lauren: This is a question I’m frequently asked.  The honest truth is I’ve always known that writing is ma raison d’etre (reason for being).  I created little stories when I was 3 years old.  That grew into stapling together notebook pages into makeshift books with stories and pictures I created.  I started writing novels at age 12 and went on to art college for writing when I was 20.  I was writing professionally by the time I was 24, and published my first novel when I was 30.  Writing is why I’m alive.  It’s why I was put here.  I have other passions, talents, and interests, but writing has always been the pillar of my life.

Helen: I love how your poetry evolved and grew into a novel. Where else do you find inspiration, and is there anyone specific who inspires you to write?

Lauren: Many things inspire me- songs, paintings, stories I’ve heard or read, dreams or nightmares I’ve had.  In my adult years, I’ve had to limit the flow of that firehose of inspiration because I already have too many stories to write.  After two decades of creating and creating endlessly, I’ve had to prioritize the books I’ve already started writing so I can start finishing them.  I’ve already sent off #6 to be published this month, and I’m already two-thirds of the way done with writing novel #7.  Novel #8 is only a third done, and I need to also do all the illustrations for it.  I need to get down the list all the way to #97, and that’s only if I don’t create more.  Being inspired and creating stories is my gift.  Completing them and sharing them with the world is my discipline.

I haven’t been specifically inspired by any person to write, but I have had important people that have helped, and continue to help, my writing journey.  My Mum is also a writer.  She gave me all the resources I needed and encouraged me growing up.  My parents sent me to art school so I could learn the industry from professionals.  Once there, I made great connections, especially my college professor Tina Jens, who has become my mentor.  After graduation, I became a part of the Chicago writing community, and made many friends who are also authors.  Together, we help each other and cheer each other on.  Having a community and support is so important.

Helen: You are extraordinarily creative. You are fortunate to have such a supportive network. Finding your writing ‘tribe’ is so important, otherwise, writing can be a very isolated profession. How do you fit writing into your daily life?

Lauren: It can be a big struggle to fit writing into my daily schedule due to my busy life.  In addition to writing, I work a corporate office job, have several freelance jobs, and work as an artist, a model, and a YouTuber.  In order to balance everything, I have a planner, a calendar, and white boards to keep all my projects and tasks organized.  In recent years, I’ve found that working on only 2-3 projects at a time is the best way to get everything done in a reasonable timeframe.

Helen: Being so organised, I imagine you are a planner when writing as well, or do you find yourself winging it?

Lauren: I do both.  I begin the process as a pantser.  I write and write and write until I get the full inspiration onto the page.  After that step, I start to detangle the story idea and organize it into story sections.  After that, I start to organize out chapters and the general storyline.  Then I pants again as the chapters inspire me.  Rinse and repeat.

Helen: If your main character could answer, why would they tell us to read your book, Succumb to Darkness?

Lauren: Evanangela is the main character in “Succumb to Darkness”.  She would say that readers should pick up this book because it’s a new take on the lore of vampires, as well as it’s unique with the parallel to the French Revolution and the idea of the nobility literally sucking the people of France dry.  It’s a read that has a lot of wild moments and the ending conflict hits hard.

Helen: Who is your favourite character and why?

Lauren: Ă€michemin is my favorite character in Succumb to Darkness.  I had so much fun writing her and discovering her as a character.  She is so sassy, cool, and aloof.  The best part was that a big reveal about her character in the story was a surprise even for me.  It was one of those instances where the character hijacks the story.  Ă€michemin basically jumped off the page and revealed this incredible twist to me, and I ran with it.  She’s a fantastic character.  I think she and my main character from “Love of the Sea”, Asrai, would have a fantastic time taking over the world together.

Helen: Succumb to Darkness is set in similar setting to the French Revolution. Do you have to do much research for your books?

Lauren: Research depends on the individual story.  For my fantasy mermaid novel “Love of the Sea” I did some research on marine biology because I wanted to take a more biology focused approach to the mermaids I created in the story.  I spent three years researching and writing, and then another two years doing the illustrations for my historical fiction novel “Geisha Hands”.  I wanted to be as thorough with my research as possible to present a historically and culturally accurate story.  Another story that will require a ton of research will be one of my future novels – one about Marie Antoinette and Versailles.

Helen: Research can take you down a rabbit hole and consume so much time. But you also learn so much about different things! The quote you use from Alice in Wonderland fits this perfectly! “Start at the beginning, and when you come to the end, stop.” –Mad Hatter from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. It just seems there never is an end when it comes to research. What are you working on now?

Lauren: My current WIP is novel #7 – “Be Mine”.  This is an LGBTQ+ BDSM erotica novel.  It’s a story I’m having a lot of fun with.  It’s meant to be a “fluffy candy” sort of story, one just for enjoyment.  It’s a group of main characters – Blake, Tyler, Justin, Carter and Ashley and the story of a wild triangle romance.  My other WIP is novel #8 – Book One of my YA Fantasy Series.  I can’t share too much about this series yet, but I can say that it’s the crowning jewel of my work.  All thirteen books are written, but the manuscripts need major rewrites, as I started writing Book One when I was 12 years old, and finished writing Book Thirteen when I was 23 years old.  I have to bring them up to parr with my current skills and writing style.  All thirteen books will also have full color illustrations, and I’ll be drawing them all myself.

Helen: That is going to keep you very busy! I wrote my Sentinals series in one hit, all six of them. And then spent the next three years editing so I could publish them! The last one will release in the fall which is quite exciting. One of my greatest influences was the Belgarion series by David Eddings. Which books would you say have influenced your writing?

Lauren: The book series that inspired me the most with my writing style is The Sevenwaters Trilogy by Juliet Marillier.  The beautiful imagery and magical world building in the story has deeply influenced my writing.  But in terms of the book that I reach for over and over again is A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett.  I have a battered copy of the book from childhood.  It’s gotten me through some dark times.  The story gives me hope and brings me joy when I need it most.

Helen: Oh, I agree, I loved the Sevenwaters series. I’m not sure you have much time to read nowadays, but do you have any books you would recommend?

Lauren: I would recommend “Bittersweet Memories of Last Spring” by Ardain Isma.  It’s a wonderful story that showcases the struggles of immigrants finding their way in America.  It shines a light on the history of Haitian immigrants in America in the 1980s.  I learned so much reading this book and highly recommend it.  The sequel is also set for release this summer!  I’m also biased and must recommend “Marked Territory” and “Painted Cats” by my partner Neal F. Litherland.  These books are so much fun.  They take the hardboiled noir detective trope, but with a stray alley cat living in New York City.  Leo, the big tom cat, solves conflicts for resident strays.  It’s truly a fun series and there are plans for a third instalment.

Helen: Excellent recommendations. I’ve enjoyed learning about your many projccts, and I wish you much success with all them. One final question. What is the best writing advice you’ve received?

Lauren: A piece of advice that I think is important for most writers to heed is “Write now, worry later”.  Too many writers get ahead of themselves during the writing part of the process.  Whether it’s worrying about how the book will be received, what audience to target, or even lofty goals like getting on the NY Times best seller list.  Too many writers fall prey to these worries before their manuscript is even a completed rough draft.  Just write the story.  Get it all on the page.  All those other worries are later steps in the process.  No use worrying over them when you’re not there yet.

And a piece of advice I’d share for new writers: Don’t concern yourself too much with trends.  You can end up chasing your tail without accomplishing much if you’re trying to keep up with all the different writing trends.  Write what you want to write.  Write what makes you happy, or what you need to say.  Trends come and go.  Worry more about being proud of what you’ve created.  If you love your story, others will too.

Helen: Fantastic advice. That you so much for joining me today, Lauren. Its’s been fun chatting.

About the Author:

Lauren A. R Masterson

Lauren A.R. Masterson aka Alice Liddell graduated from Columbia College of Chicago with a degree in Fiction Writing. During her college days, she began working as a freelance model eventually making it her full-time profession after graduating. She toured nationally, met scores of creative people, and had many adventures. After retiring from modeling, and experiencing a divorce, Alice felt the drain of her creativity. But after finding a loving and supportive community she began exploring her writing talent and art again. Alice is now a regular in the local Chicago writing communities and is dedicated to enhancing her craft.

You can find her on:

Official website

Twitter

Facebook: Alice the Author

Instagram

YouTube 

You can purchase Succumb to Darkness here:

Link to book on Amazon UK: eBook | Paperback | Hardcover

Link to book on Amazon US: eBook | Paperback | Hardcover

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

If you enjoy fantasy romance books then you will love SoulBreather, and my epic fantasy Sentinal series. As a new threat against Remargaren is discovered, only one man can wake the ancient guards who can protect them, only he doesn’t know how. 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.

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and the newsletter platform provider to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

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Author Interview – J A Crawshaw

Author of The View Beyond.

Today, I am pleased to welcome Women’s Fiction author J.A Crawshaw to talk to us about his latest novel The View Beyond which releases on May 25th, 2023. You can find it in on preorder here and on Kindle Unlimited from release day.

Helen: Welcome John. I am so excited to meeet you and that we get to chat about your new book today!! Congratulations on the forthcoming release. Tell us about The View Beyond.

John: THE VIEW BEYOND is the 2nd book in my Life Changing Women’s Fiction series. It is the sequel to THE SWING. Charlotte’s return to a normal life, full of happiness and love is turned upside down when an unscrupulous man leaves her destitute.

Will she crumble under the harsh reality of heartbreak, loneliness and despair? or earn the acceptance of the new people around her, confront her adversaries and look beyond her old life to seek a second chance of fulfilment and true love?

Her quest for the truth reveals shock results and in challenging her own beliefs and capabilities, establishes a true resilience and discovers that happiness might just be where you least expect it.

The view beyond might seem out of reach, but could be utterly life changing

Helen: Congratulations on publishing your second book in the series. What inspired your cover?

John: The cover idea came to me when I thought about a sign which could be left after someone had gone and could reappear. Once the concept of the love heart within the condensation of the window was set, I then incorporated it into the story. It didn’t exist before!

Helen: That is such a great insight into your thinking. I love that you then went on to incorporate it in the story. How about the title? How did decide on that?

John: I wanted there to be a place in which my protagonist could visit in her mind, when she most needed to. A low point in her life. Somewhere which previously seemed out of reach, but as she finds more inner strength, is able to look beyond her current situation and discover qualities, capabilities and dreams she didn’t expect. A physical view, but also a subconscious and emotional view. A gateway to true happiness and inner wellbeing.

Helen: I know you didn’t start writing until later in life, much like me. What made you write this particular book?

John: THE SWING was only ever meant to be a stand-alone book. Then readers started asking me about a sequel. There were no plans, but again and again, feedback was that people wanted to find out what happens to Peter, and Charlotte. So, I wrote it and I’m so glad I did. I had fun developing the story and felt I had so much more freedom to take them on a new adventure.

Helen: Having readers so engaged with your story and your characters is the greatest feeling, isn’t it? When did you realise you had a passion for writing?

John: My writing journey is quite unique. I had never written anything or even read a novel, before one night, waking up and started to write one. I was 50 years old and had spent a lifetime scared of words and reading due to debilitating dyslexia. Now I love it so much, I just can’t stop.

Helen: I am so glad you persevered. Writing is such a joy and being able to share our creations and entertain others is a wonderful feeling. You are an inspiration to those who also struggle with dyslexia and show that it is possible to enjoy your passion. What made you choose to write Women’s Fiction?

John: I didn’t choose to write women’s fiction and romance. It chose me. I’m a romantic for sure, and I’m fascinated by life, the possibilities and the people within it. I’m not a scifi man or a crime/fantasy fan, so write what comes naturally to me. What is more exciting than love and romance, especially with plot twists, deep passion, and intrigue?

Helen: What is your writing style? Do you plan the whole plot in advance or make it up as you go?

John: I’m a Pantser. 100%. I never start at the beginning, and I usually start with a sentence or a conversation between two people and let the characters take me where they want to go. I write from my sub-conscious and just let it unfold and thrill me as I write.

Helen: Thank you so much for joining me today, John. Good luck with your forthcoming launch. Just to close us out, tell us the best thing that has happened to you since you began writing.

John: The two best things to happen to me are, meeting so many incredible fans and fellow authors. Their feedback and love is quite overwhelming and I value these connections greatly.

It has also enabled me to break away from my dyslexic shackles and become free. Free to express myself and free to be me. Not perfect by any means, but able to be confident in who I am. Something not easy for anyone with self-esteem issues associated with dyslexia.

About the Author:

J A Crawshaw

J A Crawshaw was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1969.

Writing romance is a passion for him. ‘Life is all about the connections we have with others and ourselves. Relationships are never straightforward, but always fascinating to me, and I love sharing my stories with my readers.’

A suspense romance. The Swing is a nostalgic and intriguing foray into the differences of the English class system. Charlotte and Peter battle with many external pressures but hope that an earthy, deep connection, shared experiences and passion in the bedroom will win through for them.

J A is currently working on the sequel to The Swing and also a romantic trilogy, based in an English coastal town and specifically the secrets of a boathouse hideaway.

You can find him on:

Website

Instagram

You can purchase the first book The Swing here:

Link to book on Amazon UK: eBook | Paperback | Hardcover

Link to book on Amazon US: eBook | Paperback | Hardcover

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

If you enjoy fantasy romance books then you will love SoulBreather, and my epic fantasy Sentinal series. As a new threat against Remargaren is discovered, only one man can wake the ancient guards who can protect them, only he doesn’t know how. 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.

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and the newsletter platform provider to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

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Author Interview – John Regan

Author of Nearhope: The Rise of the Demons.

Today, I am pleased to welcome Indie author John Regan to talk to us about his latest fantasy novel Nearhope The Rise of the demons which released on November 7th, 2022.

Helen: Welcome John. I am so excited to meeet you and that we get to chat about your book today! Tell us about Nearhope.

John: My current book is NEARHOPE – Rise of the Demons. A fantasy horror. Synopsis: Felix has lost everything. On an ordinary evening, he meets a lonely figure at a service station who needs his help. How can Felix be of any assistance to this man, and where is he taking him? Plunged into blackness and faced with demons from his past, he must fight to help save the future of humankind. Nearhope, a place populated by the damned, acts as a buffer between the demon’s realm and our world. But the first incursion has occurred. Can the chosen twelve and their leader return evil to where it came from? If they fail, He who reigns over all the darkness will claim the prize he has long sought, and the consequences for the human race will be devastating. A fantasy horror, where the fight between good and evil rises to a new level and takes the reader on a journey to a place like Hell… only far, far worse. 

Helen: The premise sounds suitably horrifying. What inspired your cover?

John: My covers are designed by an illustrator. I gave her a short synopsis of my story, and she produced several designs. I wanted to give potential readers an idea of what the book is about and decided on the design I used.

Helen: It is such fun choosing the right design to match the story in your head and not always as straight forward as you’d think. How about the title? How did decide on that?

John: The title is a play on words. Nearhope is a village between our world and hell, acting as a buffer between the two. The people that inhabit Nearhope were saved from purgatory by a mysterious individual called James. The idea is that no one is beyond forgiveness, and there is always hope that they could be saved. Hope is always near (Nearhope). The Rise of the Demons subtitle is to separate it from the rest of the series.

Helen: Nice to hear that this the first book in a series. What made you write this particular book?

John: My wife and I assist authors to self-publish their work through our company (JV Author Services) – part-time. We have proper jobs ­– and one of our authors writes horror stories. It was a genre I hadn’t previously tried, so I thought I would give it a go. The beginning came to me, and I just wrote that. I’ve got a loose outline for the end, two or three books down the line.

Helen: I don’t know how you find the time to write, along with working and assisting other authors. Though writing can take over when you get that burning idea. When did you realise you had a passion for writing?

John: Writing is something I have enjoyed sporadically throughout my life, so I joined a creative writing course in my late forties. My first story – The Hanging Tree – was born from that.

Helen: Which part of the writing process do you find most challenging?

John: Having to edit my own work. By the time I’ve been through my manuscript several times, I am sick of the story and characters.

Helen: Nearhope is fantasy horror. Is that your prefered genre to write or do you write more?

John: Several. I like to stretch my writing wings. I have written: Adult Thrillers/Police procedurals, Comedy Thrillers, Sci-fi/Fantasy and even a contemporary love story with a twist. I also write quite a bit of poetry.

Helen: Most indie authors are juggling many things, a day job, family, writing. How do you fit writing into your daily life?

John: With difficulty. I work full-time, and as I explained above, my wife and I assist other authors, so I am always busy. I have one rule: Never beat yourself up about not writing. If you’re not actually writing, you should be thinking about your book. This way, you will know what to write when sitting behind your laptop

Helen: In thoise brief moments when you are not working! Where do you get your ideas and who inspires you write?

John: No one in particular. Inspiration is everywhere. Many people want to write, especially those who read a lot. Maybe the ideas already live out there waiting to be discovered. If we’re lucky enough, we find them.

Helen: I’m glad to hear you still have many ideas for new books. Tell us about your current WIP.

John: The Dappled Shade. It is the third in a series – The Hanging Tree and The Fallen Leaves are the other two. They’re about a police detective haunted by someone from his past while trying to decipher murder cases. He has an uncanny ability of getting to the bottom of seemingly unfathomable cases using his Thin-slicing skills (something honed over years of practice) while trying to stop his life from falling apart.

Helen: Who is you protagonist and why did you write her/him?

John: Detective Inspector Peter Graveney. A troubled soul who has a weakness for drink and women. His character has changed throughout the books, and if I’ve managed to portray him as I see him in my head, the readers should be torn between like and dislike for him.

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

John: Even the darkest of secrets deserves an audience.

Helen: Tell us the best thing that has happened to you since you began writing.

John: I met my wife, who greatly helps with my writing and editing.

Helen: That is wonderful. Every writer experiences self-doubt. How do you overcome the fear and the little voice in your head to keep writing?

John: Ignore it. Never get blown away by praise or depressed because of criticism. Treat those two imposters just the same to paraphrase Rudyard Kipling. Your story will not be for everyone.

Helen: Many writers struggle to get there ideas down on paper. Do you encounter writer’s block? And if so, how do you deal with it?

John: I genuinely don’t believe it exists. If I was running a marathon, I wouldn’t expect to complete it without training. Writing is the same. As I explained earlier, if you are constantly mulling the story over in your head, you will be able to write when you sit down. Think about what you’re going to write much more than actually writing. Be easy on yourself.

Helen: Thank you so much for joining me today, John. I’ve enjoyed chatting to you. Just to close us out, tell us the best piece of writing advice you’ve recieved, and what you would say to aspiring writers.

John: Write for enjoyment. Can’t remember where I gained this advice. You don’t have to write in a linear way (chap 1, chap 2 … etc.) If you have a good idea for a chapter later in the book, write it and drop it into the story later. Writing linearly can sometimes stultify your writing if you’re unsure what should happen next. Writers often struggle to finish their stories because of this.

About the Author:

John Regan

I am John Regan, a self-published author and poet from the North-East of England.

I began writing in my late forties and completed eight novels. I am writing my ninth (the 3rd in a detective series.) I live in Redcar – North Yorkshire, with my wife Vicky. Together we assist authors to self-publish their work affordably through our company JV Author Services. Although most of our writers are located close to where we live, we have assisted writers from across the country and recently helped an author in the States.

You can find him on:

Instagram

Facebook

Author Services website

Author Services Facebook

You can purchase the book Nearhope The Rise of the Demons here:

Link to book on Amazon UK: eBook | Paperback

Link to book on Amazon US: eBook | Paperback

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

If you enjoy fantasy romance books then you will love SoulBreather, and my epic fantasy Sentinal series. As a new threat against Remargaren is discovered, only one man can wake the ancient guards who can protect them, only he doesn’t know how. Start the adventure and stay for the journey. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring, a bonus short story and get notified when my next books are published.

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and the newsletter platform provider to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

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Author Interview – LC Ainsworth

Author of Too Many Shadows, Not Enough Light.

Today, I am pleased to welcome author LC Ainsworth to talk to us about her novel Too Many Shadows, Not Enough Light which was released on January 12th, 2023.

Helen: Welcome LC. I am so excited to meeet you and that we get to chat about your book today!! Tell us about your series and Too Many Shadows, Not Enough Light.

LC: My book series is called A Dark Passengers Story and book 1 title is Too Many Shadows, Not Enough Light.

It is a Fantasy/Sci-fi/Mystery/YA/Romance.

It is the story of a young princess from an empire called Yanar. Yanar is also the only country on Earth where humans have developed supernatural powers. She dreams of being a chef, but her position as the future queen does not allow it and instead is forced to choose between one branch of the Armed Forces. She chooses the Air Force because she loves flying.

She faces her enemies from another planet in Book 1 and has, at the tender age of 17, to learn how to become a leader. By the end of the book, she also faces another challenge. She develops feelings for a boy.

Helen: That sounds like an action packed premise. What inspired your cover?

LC: The cover I chose reminded me of the first scene in Terminator 1, one of my favourite movies. You have the bones of humans covered in some dark grey ashes and a robot just steps on a skull, crushing it while moving toward a group of rebels shooting at it and other machines.

In the early part of the book, the heroine is fighting aliens, and the fighting happens in space. But the war will inevitably reach Earth and the image that kept popping into my head every time I would picture the coming war was the robot crushing the skull. So I picked it and I think it is a good representation not just of book 1 but of the series.

Helen: The cover certainly embodies the threat. It is dark and brooding. I love your title, how did decide on that?

LC: The first title was meant to be The Fire Underneath but the more I wrote the more words like darkness came to me. Eventually, I settled with Shadow and Light but something was missing and my sister “Why not Too Many Shadows?”, I smiled, it was perfect. 

Helen: I am so glad your sister piped up. It is a perfect title. What made you write this particular book?

LC: When I was 11, someone discovered the body of a woman near the school gates. My friends and I had a spot hidden where we loved to pretend we were spies. We called it the KGB. That day we found hair in our hiding space, a lot of hair. I remembered hearing my parents talk about the murdered woman. The murderer had cut her hair. We waited until we spotted a police officer nearby and told him about the hair we found; he laughed and ignored us. 

We got angry and investigated the matter ourselves. By the end of the school term, we had concluded that our headteacher was guilty; the woman murdered was not his first murder, and he was having an affair with a teacher. Both were married. We proudly walked into a police station and handed over our evidence. They laughed at us and kicked us out of the station but not before complimenting us on our wild imagination and advising that we write books or scripts for tv series. 

And this is how the idea of the plot for the first book entered my mind. By the time I gave writing a go, I had gained a passion for fantasy and sci-fi, not to mention romance. So I kept the vibe and the essence of the story alive while adding aliens, creating a new country, and adding some violence.  

Helen: I can see why that idea stuck. Quite a traumatic event at such a young age. I’m glad you were able to purge it through your writing. What genre do you typically write?

LC: I write a mix-genre. I love Mystery; I am a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie’s books. I am also a huge fan of Jane Austen. Adding that to my love of Fantasy and Sci-Fi, I simply couldn’t stick to one genre. I tried to write a Fantasy book and ended up writing a Fantasy/YA/Romance/Mystery/Sci-Fi book. In a sense, I think the book took a life in itself. And when I got to book two, I had developed a taste in Smut books, so I added some explicit content.

Helen: I think the more we write the more confident we become, and so our writing reflects that. Which element of the writing process do you find most challenging and why? 

LC: Editing. As someone who is writing in her third language, it is already difficult to put the words on paper. But it is nothing compared to the editing process which in my opinion takes even longer than the actual writing. For each book, I have had to reread, rewrite and delete entire chapters which is so painful because I cherished every word. Yes, for me editing is the most challenging part.

Helen: I am so impressed that you are writing in your third language. May I say that I think it is amazing. I struggle with grammar and English is my first and only language!

Thank you so much for chatting with me today. Final question for you. What is the best thing that has happened to you since you began writing?

LC: I would say I accepted who I was. I suffer from depression and anxiety and always lived in my head. I would create worlds and imagine what life could be if I didn’t have to hide from the world then I would put on a mask and walk among people, pretending to be ok. Writing allowed me to open about my depression and anxiety. I no longer fear to be seen as someone dealing with mental illness. I can accept it and work on getting better without fear of judgment.

Helen: I truly believe writing is carthartic and allows us to express freely what is inside us. I am so glad you found that on your writing journey. Thank you again, LC, for joining me today.

About the Author:

L.C Ainsworth is an author living in Wales surrounded by her loved ones while taking care of her mother’s garden.

You can find her on:

Instagram

Tiktok

You can purchase the first book Too Many Shadows, Not Emough Light here:

Link to book on Amazon UK: eBook

Link to book on Amazon US: eBook

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

If you enjoy fantasy romance books then you will love SoulBreather, and my epic fantasy Sentinal series. As a new threat against Remargaren is discovered, only one man can wake the ancient guards who can protect them, only he doesn’t know how. 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.

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and the newsletter platform provider to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

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Sustainability Matters

As Earth Day approaches, my thoughts turn to what we are doing to our planet, our home. For some time I’ve wanted to help with reforestation projects and help plant more trees. Return parts of our amazing country back to its leafy origins. To help protect those ancients forests that sustain so much natural life and can teach us so much.

I have always had a love of trees. Walking through forests, copses, elm trees lining a road, Pine firs bordering a moor, the horse chestnut tree in my backgarden (even through all its seasons!), a single oak tree in all it magnificent glory! Even the local cemetary which has many ebautirul specimens.

It’s so peaceful walking through nature, listening to the swish of leaves, the odd woodpecker or some energetic birdsong! That blackbird certainly has some lungs. But if we don’t protect our forests, nurture the trees, our children won’t get to enjoy the natural world in the way we do.

Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash

With my Sentinal series books being based around a magical sentinal tree which protected the Lady’s guards for thousand of years, it seems only right that these books should should also protect and give back to the environment.

So I’ve decided to donate 20p for every ebook or print book I sell. This includes all my books, both the Epic Fantasy Sentinal series and the Fantasy Romance SoulMist series.

In the UK it costs ÂŁ5.00 to plant a tree so for every twenty-five books I sell, we’ll plant a tree between us.

You can follow our progress on my sustainability page and see how many trees we’ve planted. Share the word, buy a book and help plant a tree!

How Many Trees Have We Planted?



And don’t forget…

If you enjoy fantasy books then you will love my epic fantasy Sentinal series. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

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Sentinals Across Time is a Finalist for the 2022 CIBA OZMA Book Awards for Fantasy Fiction

The tension is rising! Can you feel it? Sentinals Across Time, the fourth book in the epic fantasy Sentinal Series has made it through to the Finals for the 2022 Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBA) OZMA Book Awards for Fantasy Fiction!

The Ozma Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in Fantasy Fiction. The Ozma Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs).

Chanticleer International Book Awards discovers the best books in the Ozma Awards featuring magic, the supernatural, imaginary worlds, fantastical creatures, legendary beasts, mythical beings, or inventions of fancy that author imaginations dream up without a basis in science as we know it. Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, Dragons, Unicorns, Steampunk, Dieselpunk, Gaslight Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, or other out-of-this-world fiction. These books have advanced to the Semi Finals in the 2022 CIBAs OZMA division.

Sentinals Across Time has moved forward in the judging rounds from all 2022 Ozma Fantasy Fiction entries to the 2022 Ozma Book Awards FINALS. Entries are now in competition for 2022 Ozma FINALIST.  Finalists will be selected from the Semi Finailsts. All FINALISTS will be announced and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC23) on April 29th, 2023.

Sentinals Across Time is the fourth book in the saga of Remargaren, a vibrant, ancient world of high fantasy suffused with magic and adventure.

Jerrol’s fragile balance between duty and family life took two years to refine and one brief moment to tear apart as the Lady Leyandrii and the Oath conspire in a desperate bid to protect the Birtolian Empire. As a result, Jerrol finds himself stranded in the middle of an ocean, lost across land and time and seas.

Unsure what is expected of him, Jerrol learns to appreciate the idyllic life of the Birtolians, the vibrant people and the beautiful coastline. To his growing horror, he realises the devastation which lies in their future.

Can Jerrol prevent the destruction of the gentle people he has grown to love? Is he meant to? Desperate to find a way home, he begins to leave clues in anything he thinks will survive the test of time. Taelia and the Sentinals are his only chance of ever returning to his own life but can they find him before the Lady sunders the Bloodstone and changes the Birtolian Empire forever?

The fourth installment of the Sentinal Series takes us to the beautiful Island Empire of Birtoli. Only once, it wasn’t an archipelago of islands, it was a land of majestic mountain ridges, mystical forests and exquisite sandy bays joined as one to the southern Vespiri borders.


If you would like to stay in contact and follow my writing career, then sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and my newsletter platform provider to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

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The Alliance of Independent Authors - Author Member

International Women’s Day 2023

Another year has passed and we are celebrating the achievements of women worldwide. At a time like this I look back on what I, as a female independently published author in the competitive world of publishing fantasy books, have achieved.

When I stop and take stock, it’s amazing just how far I’ve progressed. Just a measly 30 month ago (two and a half years), I self-published my first epic fantasy novel. Two years after publishing my first book I achieved the USA Today Bestseller moniker.

To date, I have published six books and two novellas, been awarded multiple book awards and my first book has been listed in the Amazon Top 100 bestselling Epic Fantasy books for 2022. That is for all traditionally and self-published books on Amazon. That is quite mind blowing!

And the wonderful thing about it all, is that I love it. I love the whole process from ideation to writing to editing to publishing.

My brain does not stop coming up with ideas for new books, new worlds and new characters. I just don’t have enough hours in the day to think about them and write the story. I have a book ideas folder, where I capture ideas, thoughts and characters, where they simmer until I have time to take them out, air them a bit and really think about them.

I write scenes, sketch the skeleton, flesh out the characters and then store them safely away until I’ve finished editing the next Sentinal book. And there they stay until one of the characters become particularly insistent and invades my dreams, whole scenes unscrolling and demanding to be written in the middle of the night.

I started writing quite late in life. I never planned to be an author. It wasn’t a dream of mine, nor something I was determined to achieve since childhood. I enjoyed words, (a lot more than numbers!) I was always a voracious reader, fantasy being my go to books; Belgarion and his friends kept me company many an evening until I found Lois Bujold McMasters and Miller & Lee’s Liaden Universe.

It wasn’t until 2016, when my life changed quite significantly, and I found myself home alone with my cats and time on my hands. I began writing the Sentinals series and I haven’t stopped since. A creative dam has been breached, and a flood of stories have flowed ever since. Just shows you never know what’s around the corner.

If you are dreaming of becoming a writer, (or even if the thought never crossed your mind!) when the time is right for you, put that pen to paper and let the words flow. It is said there is a story in everyone. I hope you have the opportunity to tell yours. It truly is magical!

I hope you get to celebrate your personal achievements, no matter how big or small. It is those magical moments that inspire us to go on and achieve even more, and each one should be celebrated.

Happy International Women’s Day.



And don’t forget…

If you enjoy fantasy books then you will love my epic fantasy Sentinal series. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

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Sentinals Across Time is a Semi-Finalist for the 2022 CIBA OZMA Book Awards for Fantasy Fiction

I am so excited to share that Sentinals Across Time, the fourth book in the epic fantasy Sentinal Series has made it through to the Semi-Finals for the 2022 Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBA) OZMA Book Awards for Fantasy Fiction!

The Ozma Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in Fantasy Fiction. The Ozma Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs).

Chanticleer International Book Awards discovers the best books in the Ozma Awards featuring magic, the supernatural, imaginary worlds, fantastical creatures, legendary beasts, mythical beings, or inventions of fancy that author imaginations dream up without a basis in science as we know it. Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, Dragons, Unicorns, Steampunk, Dieselpunk, Gaslight Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, or other out-of-this-world fiction. These books have advanced to the Semi Finals in the 2022 CIBAs OZMA division.

Sentinals Across Time has moved forward in the judging rounds from all 2022 Ozma Fantasy Fiction entries to the 2022 Ozma Book Awards SEMI FINALS. Entries are now in competition for 2022 Ozma FINALIST.  Finalists will be selected from the Semi Finailsts. All FINALISTS will be announced and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC23) on April 29th, 2023.

Sentinals Across Time is the fourth book in the saga of Remargaren, a vibrant, ancient world of high fantasy suffused with magic and adventure.

Jerrol’s fragile balance between duty and family life took two years to refine and one brief moment to tear apart as the Lady Leyandrii and the Oath conspire in a desperate bid to protect the Birtolian Empire. As a result, Jerrol finds himself stranded in the middle of an ocean, lost across land and time and seas.

Unsure what is expected of him, Jerrol learns to appreciate the idyllic life of the Birtolians, the vibrant people and the beautiful coastline. To his growing horror, he realises the devastation which lies in their future.

Can Jerrol prevent the destruction of the gentle people he has grown to love? Is he meant to? Desperate to find a way home, he begins to leave clues in anything he thinks will survive the test of time. Taelia and the Sentinals are his only chance of ever returning to his own life but can they find him before the Lady sunders the Bloodstone and changes the Birtolian Empire forever?

The fourth installment of the Sentinal Series takes us to the beautiful Island Empire of Birtoli. Only once, it wasn’t an archipelago of islands, it was a land of majestic mountain ridges, mystical forests and exquisite sandy bays joined as one to the southern Vespiri borders.


If you would like to stay in contact and follow my writing career, then sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

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The Alliance of Independent Authors - Author Member

Author Interview – Maxx Victor

Author of Hearts and Diamonds.

Today I have the pleasure of talking to Indie Fantasy author and podcaster, Maxx Victor, who is the author of the paranormal romance The Anchor and the Moon series which also has a fairytale twist.

Helen: Welcome Maxx, I am so happy we get to chat about your books today. I was fortunate enough to be interviewed by Maxx on his Indie Author podcast, but today I get to turn the tables and find more about his books. Let’s start with your latest release. Tell us about Hearts and Diamonds.

Maxx: Hearts and diamonds, is part two of my Anchor and the Moon paranormal romance series. It is the continuing story of my two main protagonists Cinder and her love interest Angus (also known as Black because of his black hair and dark features). The series is mainly set in a small beach town called Heathcote which is reminiscent of the beach towns I spent my summers in as a kid with my family. Angus is a dairy farmer who lives on one side of Heathcote and Cinder lives in an old mansion the overlooks the town. While the Anchor and Moon series centres around Cinder and Angus’s relationship, there is also the mystery of the strange creatures that roam the forests around the small beach town. Book one, Cinder and black was inspired by the Cinderella fairy-tale. This book, Hearts and Diamonds, is based on Snow White.

Helen: It’s nice when you can blend locations you know into your story, and have fun with known fairytales which you can give a fantastical twist. Tell us about your cover, the heart shaped tree must have an importance in your story?

Maxx: My good friend Paul Mah designed the cover. The large moon at the centre will appear on all three books of the trilogy. Red is a theme of the book and I’ll explain that more in the next question. I picked the Gold-shadowed text because that seems to be a feature of other books in my genre at the moment. I wanted the forest around the border to look dark and mysterious but the heart silhouette is also a follow on from the cover of book one. (Book one has a surfboard in front of the moon to make an eye shape).

Helen: How did you come up with the title?

Maxx: This book is inspired by Snow white. Both the mother and the daughter in the story are referred to as Red-Queens because of their red hair. The mother is more concerned with power and riches (the Queen of Diamonds) whereas the daughter is driven by love, friendship and compassion (the Queen of Hearts).

Helen: What made you write this particular story?

Maxx: This is the second book in what will be a trilogy. Most of the reading time I have is over the summer. Many years ago while I was reading Twilight at the beach, I begun to imagine what it would be like for there to be a something like that set in one of the small Australian beach towns that I had been vacationing in since I was a child. At the same time, I watched a documentary about Star Wars (My all-time favourite movies). The documentary explained how George Lucas reinvented old tales to create a “Space Opera”. I decided to use fairy tales as the inspiration for my trilogy. Book one was based on Cinderella, as I said this book has Snow White as its inspiration, and book three will have themes from Rumpelstiltskin. From my early teens, I had also been interested in Nephilim, strange superhuman characters mentioned in the bible and wanted to include them in my books. I didn’t realise until after I had published book one that Nephilim are the Shadow Hunters from Cassandra Clare’s books. 

Helen: The ‘What if’ scenario is so useful for sparking new ideas. And seeing as most stories have already been written, it’s all about taking what is a known trope and putting your own orignal spin on it. When did you first realise you had a passion for writing?

Maxx: I loved writing stories even as a small child, I still have some of the funny things I wrote. As most writers, I have always enjoyed reading and read an eclectic variety of books. In my teens and early adult life, I wrote a lot of poetry and song lyrics but my passion for story telling returned when my two sons were little. To get them to sleep at night, I would make up funny stories with them as the main characters and they would go on all kinds of adventures. I wrote down some of these stories and others and begun entering local writing competitions. When I won some of these competitions, I decided to try my hand at writing a novel.

Helen: And we are so glad you did! Which element of the writing process do you find most challenging and why?

Maxx: The element I find most challenging is time. I have never been a fast writer and I just don’t have enough time to get all my ideas down.

Helen: There are never enough hours in the day. Which genre do you prefer to write?

Maxx: I guess you could call me a fantasy writer. My short stories are sci-fi/ time travel. I have always imagined what it would be like to go back and change the past or to be in the past with knowledge of the future.

My trilogy is paranormal romance. I didn’t know what paranormal romance was when I started writing them, that is just the genre that fits with my ideas. I also still have some of the children’s stories that I wrote for my kids that I would like to publish in the future.

Helen: I started by writing what I enjoyed reading, which was epic fantasy, but I didn’t write specific tropes, I was writing what I thought should be in the book. I retroactively fitted the tropes to my story, once I realised what I had written! Who first inspired you write?

Maxx: My mother and father. As a child I struggled with dyslexia and found reading and writing a challenge. To help, my father would read to my brother most nights. My mother encouraged me to write journals and ideas. My mother passed away just before I published my first book, but I dedicated it to her. My older sister should also get some of the credit, she gave me the first book in the Narnia chronicles when I was about 10 years old, sparking my love for reading.

Helen: What is the best thing that has happened to you since you began writing?

Maxx: The best thing is seeing that my books appeal to a wide range of people. One of my friends who is in his forties enjoys reading my books, but his 11 year old daughter loves them and is always asking when the next one is out.

Helen: That is so great, reaching across generations. It’s been great chatting with you today, just to close us out, is there a tool you have found useful when writing?

Maxx: I Love Pro-Writing-Aid. I have never been great at punctuation and because of my dyslexia, I am bound to misspell words or put the wrong word in place of another. As for a resource for anyone thinking of self-publishing I am a big fan of Joanna Penn and all the work she does for Indie Authors.

Helen: Oh yes, Joanna Penn and her Creative Pen podcast is a great resource for all Indie authors. Thank you Maxx for joining me today. Wishing you all the best with your books and don’t forget to check out Maxx’s Indie Author podcast for more writing advice and great indie author interviews.

About the Author:

Maxx Victor is an Australian author, musician, and secondary school science teacher, who has achieved award winning success with his short stories. A dedicated husband and proud father of two, he is also highly involved in his local arts community; performing in bands and producing and directing amateur films.

Maxx’s author journey began at a very young age. As a child with dyslexia, reading and writing were a constant struggle. To help, his father implemented the nightly routine of reading Titin and Asterix comics and Biggles books to Maxx and his brother; installing a lifelong passion for reading. Maxx’s mother also encouraged him to write stories (some which he has kept to this day).

During his secondary school years, Maxx unearthed a love for music. He regularly wrote poetry and song lyrics, as well as scripts for plays and short films. Something again sparked the curiosity for writing stories when Maxx’s children were toddlers. He frequently created impromptu, twisted fairy-tale bedtime stories, with his family members as the main characters. Maxx now writes teen fiction and hopes that his writing can inspire young people to be defined by their passions and talents, not by the things that the world will tell them are impairments.

Social Media: Find Maxx’s scocial media links here.

You can purchase Hearts and Dimaonds here:

Link to book on Amazon UK: eBook | Paperback

Link to book on Amazon US: eBook | Paperback

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

If you enjoy fantasy romance books then you will love my new release SoulBreather, book one of the SoulMist series, and my epic fantasy Sentinal series. As a new threat against Remargaren is discovered, only one man can wake the ancient guards who can protect them, only he doesn’t know how. 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.

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

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Indie Author Post: Why do you need an Imprint?

Blog post for writers looking to understand the word of self-publishing.

Alliance of Independent Authors Podcast: Creating an imprint

Check out this podcast from the Alliance of Independent Authors.

Have you ever wondered what the purpose of an imprint is? and whether you should create one?

Let ALLi explain the importance of separating your author name from your publishing persona and why, along with demystfying the world of ISBN’s and barcodes.

Still have questions? Then please don’t hesitate to contact me via the contact link.

Great information for when you are just starting out, and want to make sure you create a good base for all your books.

Want to know more about the world of self publishing? Then join Alli as a member.

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

And don’t forget…

If you enjoy fantasy books then you will love my epic fantasy Sentinal series. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

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