This month, I am talking to Deonne Wiliams, author of the magical novel Fae Song.
Fae Song is a a beautifully written book. Deonne has created a wonderful world, with characters that are so clearly drawn and true to their foibles. A book of gentle magic and music and yet an undercurrent of conflict runs beneath it all, so all is not as peaceful at it seems. I read Fae Song back in the summer and you can find my book review here.
Welcome Deonne. To start us off please tell what made you start writing.
Deonne: I had way too many stories popping into my head, so I just started writing them down.
Helen: That sounds like there must be a second book in the offing, I am so glad we will get to visit Shae and Gwynn again. Why did you choose to write Fantasy?
Deonne: I have always written fantasy because it lets me change the world my characters live in, create new kinds of beings and different sorts of magic. I have found that my writing also fits well into Young Adult categories as I have neither the desire nor the ‘skill’ to write more steamy types of things.
Helen: Yes, you have a gentle, descriptive way of writing which is truly immersive, and very enjoyable. As you build your world do you need to much research?
Deonne: Since I write fantasy, classic types of research such as fitting something into historical context is not a requirement. I do often research languages though when I’m looking to create a word or term for something in my world.
Photo credit: Gill Dollar (Unspash)
Helen: You live in Florida, so nice balmy weather. Where is your favourite place to write?
Deonne: I would prefer to write on the shaded porch of a beach house but that isn’t currently something I have available. In practice, I prefer to write at my desk on my laptop.
Helen: Wouldn’t we all? The sound of the sea swishing in the background, a soothing backdrop for creativity. I can almost smell the salty waves! So unfortunately, no beach front, when do you find the time to write?
Deonne: It is often tough to find uninterrupted time, so most of my writing is done in the wee hours of the night.
Helen: I must admit, I tend to tend to write late into the night as well. I love your cover, simple but elegant, what made you choose it?
Deonne: So far I have only chosen one but my deciding factor was that I didn’t want my book to have a cover that looked like every other fantasy cover out there with either someone swinging a sword or tossing fireballs.
Helen: Thank you so much, Deonne, for spending time with us today. We wish you all the best with your book: Fae Song.
Deonne lives on the sandbar known as Florida. She is happily married to Rory and blissfully owned by a stunning mare named Kay Kay and a demanding over-familiar tuxedo cat named Ritz.
I’ve always thought encouraging children to engage and learn more about our world is very important, and today I am chatting with the Australian author of Aunt Jodie’s Guide to Evolution, Jordan Bell.
Welcome Jordan. To start us off please tell us a little about your book.
Jordan: My first published book was Aunt Jodie’s Guide to Evolution, a book which takes the real science of evolution and explains it in a way that primary school kids can understand. Fully illustrated in colour, it’s a chapter book that helps kids understand how the diversity of life, in all its glorious creativity, came to exist. Unpacking the concepts of inheritance, variation, and selection, the reader joins twins Sophie and Matt on a science adventure to understand evolution.
Helen: What made you want to write about STEM topics and for young children at that?
Jordan: I write Children’s STEM, for kids in the upper primary years – because the ideas in my books aren’t introduced by the school system until high school, but I think that’s too late! Kids are absolutely capable of understanding scientific theories if they are presented in the right way, and it’s crucial to their developing worldview that we get real science into their brains early. I deeply believe that we need a scientifically aware and well-educated citizenry to face the challenges of the future – I think my books contribute to this need.
Helen: How do you choose what to write about? Which topic are you tackling next?
Jordan: After I published Aunt Jodie’s Guide to Evolution, I asked my readers what topics they’d be interested to hear more about. Overwhelmingly, with the Australian bushfires in the news globally, they said they wanted an Aunt Jodie’s Guide to Climate Change – so that’s what I’m focussing on now. Coming up in the future will be a Guide to the human body, and a Guide to the universe.
I’m currently at the end of an initial draft of Aunt Jodie’s Guide to Climate Change. Once I finish this draft and polish it, it will be sent to a climate scientist for review, to make sure all of the scientific detail is spot on, and then I’ll look at another round of edits from feedback from beta readers.
Charles Darwin
Helen: With such specific topics, and the need to get your facts spot on, how much time to you spend on research?
Jordan: I research extensively. My general science knowledge is strong, from my undergraduate science degree and my wide-ranging reading, but to make sure I’m really getting the science correct, I read widely and deeply into the specific topic I’m tackling. Each of my books is also peer-reviewed by a leading scientist in the field to make sure there are no errors of fact. When you’re introducing big ideas to little minds, it’s a sacred trust, and I take that responsibility seriously.
Helen: I would think that is a lot of work, how do you fit it all in?
Jordan: I work full time and I have a 7-year old, so it’s a case of “making time”. I’ve recently hatched a plan with my husband to take our daughter to school two mornings a week, so I can have an hour of writing time before work on those two days. I think about my work a lot, and do some research when I have free time, but actual “fingers to keys” is just those two hours a week at the moment. It’s been very productive already though; in the last three weeks I’ve added 2000 words to the manuscript, as well as re-read everything I’ve written so far (16,000 words) and given it a light edit.
Helen: With such a busy life, I would suppose you have to plan everything to find time to write, but are you still a planner when you write? Many writers are called ‘pantsters ‘ as they write freeform.
Jordan: Definitely a planner, although my work doesn’t always follow my plans. I usually start by roughing out chapters with a short summary of what will happen in each one, eg “In the first chapter, Matt and Sophie are on a fieldwork weekend with Aunt Jodie; she has taken them out camping while she assists in sample collection with Dr T. Sophie and Matt are curious about the purpose of the work, and so around the campfire at night, Aunt Jodie and Dr T explain the key components of climate change science to the twins.” But often, a piece of work that I think I can manage in a chapter ends up taking two or more chapters to explain, as I’ve underestimated how much there is to say!
Helen: I can imagine! I bet you had fun choosing your cover design, such a myriad of possibilities.
Jordan: My illustrator, Gabriel Cunnett (https://gabrielcunnettillustration.com/) came up with the concept – the three main characters reading together, but transported to a pre-historic setting, as they used their imaginations to “travel” in time. I loved the job he did in bringing the characters to life in such a vibrant way.
Helen: I agree, I think most children would be drawn to your book. One final question, do you have any advice for other aspiring writer’s out there?
Jordan: It’s practically a cliché, but, “write a lot, and read a lot”. Read widely – both within your genre and outside it, you never know when new ideas and inspiration might hit. And show other people your writing, and be open to their feedback – it’s painful and scary but can push you to grow and develop. What’s in your head doesn’t always make it to the page, so having a trusted second pair of eyes on your work can help you round out what needs to be explained. I also often listen to a meditation before writing, I like this one that helps you unlock your creativity: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AcQ86xP5PNw but there are lots of others out there. I think getting centred and calm helps me focus on the work in front of me and not get too distracted by everything else that is happening in my life.
Helen: Thank you so much, Jordan, for spending time with us today. We wish you all the best with your book: Aunt Jodie’s Guide to Climate Change. You can find out more about Jordan and where you can purchase her book here.
Jordan is a psychologist and educator, with a passion for science communication. She has a PhD in Educational Resilience, but is also a nerdy parent who loves reading to her daughter. When she couldn’t find enough children’s fiction with a strong STEM message to help her daughter learn about the world, she wrote Aunt Jodie’s Guide to Evolution. She believes that understanding the theory of evolution is an important key to scientific literacy for our developing citizens. Jordan prefers writing in her local café with a pot of strong tea, so the COVID19 lockdown was a challenge, but she’s adapted her writing routines for the moment. She loves reading science fiction and long walks in nature. Jordan is currently working on her second book, Aunt Jodie’s Guide to Climate Change. Follow her at www.auntjodiesguide.com or https://www.facebook.com/AuntJodiesGuides/ for more information or for cool science links. She’s also on Twitter @AuntJodiesGuide
I think maybe it is. Many people write memoirs, blogs, poems, paint or create music as a way of dealing with life, problems, complications. I started writing after my mother passed away after a short battle with cancer. We had been planning to move to the country, and she was going to move in with me. We had lots of plans that never had a chance to happen.
I thought I started writing because I had time on my hands and an empty house. But I’ve come to realise that I was grieving and releasing that grief through writing, expressing myself through words, and maybe escaping reality for a moment and entering a world I knew she would love. I had lost my best friend and I was trying to find a replacement for that gaping hole. I wrote seven books. A bit like Forrest Gump running across America, twice!
That new companion became the world of Remargaren and Jerrol and the Sentinals. A world of myth and legend. Of friendship and betrayal. Of ancient forests and magical trees.
I always credit my mum with instilling in me a love of books and reading. I remember my love for the The Wishing Chair and The Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton; my first foray in the world of fantasy. To escape into a world where down can be up and the sky can be green, and your imagination rules.
I am happiest when I write, when I visit the world of Remargaren and I am surrounded in possibilities, and a lot of challenges for my characters of course.
I thank my mum for sharing her love of reading. I know she’s looking over my shoulder, making suggestions, loving the stories. I hope you are loving them too.
In these crazy times, it’s strange being a debut author. It wasn’t because of Covid that I started writing, I just happened to have been ready to publish. So I’m a 2020 author, forever connected to the year of Covid, with virtual book launches and no book signings! and yet there is still good to have come out of this year; Sentinals Awaken for one. Even in times of great difficulty there are good deeds and amazing people. People who put themselves before others, whether it be a nurse in the NHS, the dustman collecting the bins, the man stacking the shelves in the supermarket, parents home-schooling or a King’s Ranger trying to solve a mystery and save his country.
As we enter lockdown again here in the UK, I hope Sentinals Awaken provides some relief and entertainment as well as some hope, away from the continuing restrictions imposed on us all. If you want to chat, you can find me on twitter, Instagram or Facebook or here on my website. If you are following the #tweetbookclub on Twitter, you’ll know I’m always happy to chat about my books. Trying not to give away spoilers is the challenge, because I just want to share! And to discuss Jerrol and Birlerion and all the rest.
Thank you for making it to the end of this blog. Hopefully you are enjoying the results of my catharsis!! Book Two will be along soon…as the self-publishing journey continues. Hope you stay for the ride!
To get you in the mood for the witching month of October, and to gently lead you to All Hallow’s Eve, today I am chatting with the author of The Coven’s Son, Preston Allen.
Welcome Preston. To start us off please tell us a little about your book.
Preston: The Coven’s Son is set in a world where all witches’ first born child is a female who siphons magic from her mother during birth, which explains why the word “witch” is so commonly associated with only women. But, Dev’s first child is a male who she named Oak and their coven discovers secrets that were held from the world when researching ways to control Oak’s out of control abilities..
Helen: Oak certainly faces some challenges and I thoroughly enjoyed your unique take on a witches’ coven. I will be posting a book review in due course, so watch this space!
Have you got the writing bug? Are you working on another novel?
Preston: My current WIP is an adult tongue in cheek dark comedy about what happens after you die. Think of the waiting room from Beetlejuice. I poke fun at death while also creating a detailed view of the afterlife without holding back from descriptive, gory details. Although, its release depends on the success of The Coven’s Son!
Helen: I wish you every success with The Coven’s Son as I hope we get to read more of Oak as well as other characters currently bubbling in your imagination. Talking about characters, which character do enjoy writing the most? Heroes or villains?
Preston: I love villains and the ability to make them a bit more over the top than the average person. You get to make them appear the way we all want to express ourselves if our society wasn’t so uptight and judgmental. Writing their visual descriptions and painting a sinister picture in someone’s head just creates a movie scene in the mind of the reader.
Helen: I love all the concoctions the witches make and the descriptions of the still room. Did you have to do a lot of research to come up with the ingredients for the spells?
Preston: A LOT. The Coven’s Son has so much historical accuracy and easter eggs hidden in it. I made sure that no matter what area of the book you want to google, you will most likely find some sort of link to history. I am also planning a trip to NYC for the future to do location research for my next book.
Photo by Katherine Hanlon on Unsplash
Helen: You created a complex world of witches with a unique spin. Where did you get the inspiration for your book from?
Preston: I love visiting oddity shops and metaphysical stores. There’s so much visual stimulation to create stories from. Everything around me gives me ideas. In The Coven’s Son, there is a huge section based entirely off the title of an arcade machine I saw while in a gametime, it sparked an idea that had my mind spinning with ideas.
Helen: I can imagine that would be a trove of wonderful prompts. Speaking of prompts, how did you come up with the design for your book cover?
Preston: I woke up from a dead sleep at about 3 a.m. knowing exactly what I wanted the cover to look like. I had to get up and scribble it out so that I didn’t forget. The cover was re-done three times by two different illustrators before I approved the final version. It is a scene directly from the story.
Helen: Thank you so much, Preston, for spending time with us today. We wish you all the best with your book: The Coven’s Son. You can find out more about Preston and where you can purchase his book on his website here.
Today I am chatting with the author of the Vampire of Emberbury series Eva Alton. Eva has published her debut novel Stray Witch and the second novel in the series Witch’s Mirror which recently launched on October 22nd, and you’ll be glad to hear there is a third, Witch’s Masquerade in the works.
Welcome Eva. Tell us more about your novel.
Eva: My first novel, Stray Witch, was published in May 2020. It tells the story of a woman who doesn’t know she is a witch. She is running away from a previous marriage and is offered a job by a clan of old-fashioned vampires who live under a graveyard.
Helen: You describe your characters as clueless and quirky, so I take it that your vampire novels are something a little different to other books out there?
Eva: My books are a mixture of paranormal romance and magical realism. Even though I write about witches, vampires, and magic, my take on the subject differs slightly from most urban fantasy novels. I like to make fun of conventions and traditional vampire lore, exploring what it might mean to be a vampire living in our modern world. I also try to explore deeper issues (such as past mistakes and abusive relationships in my first book) and give my prose a lyrical touch.
Helen: I believe you succeeded. I read Stray Witch and thoroughly enjoyed it. You have a lovely mix of light and quirky, if I may use the term, characters who we can relate to, and yet there is an underlying thread of seriousness as well. (You can find my review of Stray Witch here.)
Which character do enjoy writing the most?
Eva: I love writing Clarence, my vampire main character. He has lived long, travelled the world and, in my opinion, has a very interesting past.
Helen: I think we all love Clarence, and can’t wait to find out more about him. I believe you put him through the wringer in your next novel! Tell us how you first started writing.
Eva: I have been writing since I was a little girl. I used to take part in writing competitions as a child and I won many times, too. That gave me the confidence to keep writing, and to this day it has been one of my favourite things to do!
Photo by Freestocks on Unsplash
Helen: As your setting is the real world with a touch of the paranormal, and a world most of us would recognise do you still need to do research for your novel?
Eva: I do more research than one would think. The only drawback is that I tend to get lost in my research, when one thing leads to another, and get nothing written. For example, while writing my second book, Witch’s Mirror, I spent vast amounts of time researching life in England in the Georgian era. This included reading novels set in that time, history books, etc. It was really fun, but also very time-consuming.
Helen: I can’t wait to read Witch’s Mirror. Readers it’s available on amazon now, so go and check it out!
Tell us a little about how you work, Eva, when preparing to write are you a planner or a pantser?
Eva: I like to have a clear plan before I start to write. Usually there is a small thing which sparks the idea for a story, but from then on I try to make an outline and stick to it, though I don’t always succeed.
Helen: We’re drawing to close now, and I really appreciate you taking the time to talk to me. Before you leave, tell us a little about what you are working on now.
Eva: Currently I’m editing the third book in my series, Witch’s Masquerade (expected launch spring/summer 2021). In this book, stray witch Alba must travel to a secluded spot in the Pyrenees and seek for a long-lost spell, which is her only hope of defeating death. But I won’t tell you whose!
The second book in my series, Witch’s Mirror, is coming out around Halloween 2020. In this book Alba travels to Italy to explore her witch roots, but her plans go slightly awry and things start to spiral out of control…
Helen: Thank you so much, Eva, for spending time with us today. We wish you all the best with your new release in October, Witch’s Mirror. You can find out more about Eva and her Vampires of Emberbury series on Eva’s website here.
If you haven’t read any of Eva’s book yet then I recommend you start with the first book in the series Stray Witch. You won’t regret it.
An author experiences a variety of emotions in the long journey to publishing. Having actually written the book in the first place you then have the long slog of revising and editing, trying to polish your novel until the shine is blinding and you can finally let it go takes a lot longer than you would think. My first blog on this topic was back in May and here we are October!
And then its copy editing, interior design and layout, and proof reading, and then the vicious circle of wanting to put a review link in the ebook to make it easier for readers to leave a review, but you have to upload your book to get the link. And to get the link you have to commit to a publishing date – which Amazon then chase you (which is good and bad) and threaten to ban you from using their services for a whole year if you miss it. If that doesn’t stress you out, then nothing will!
If I have learnt anything on this journey, it is that everything takes a darned site longer than you would like. And the amount of days you spend chewing your nails waiting for a file to come back so you can review again is excruciating.
There is much to learn, and I may begin to post some podcasts (If I can find the time as I need to be editing book two!) about the different elements of the journey, because as a first-time author, it truly is eye-opening. And if my learnings can help someone else navigate this road more easily then that is all too the good.
But, as the title of this blog says, this is the home straight. I am now on the final leg rushing towards that winning line. The book is uploaded to Amazon and filtering through all the affiliate sites. It may even be live in paperback in some locations already – as you are advised to upload a week before publishing to let the sites sync, but you can’t set the publishing date, Amazon set that when the book goes live—so do you wait or do you upload?
You upload! So you can get the proof copies and author copies, and oh! The first time you hold your book in your hands. A-maz-ing! I feel so proud and so happy. Such an achievement.
My launch date is October 11th, and I am going to do a virtual book launch via Zoom, because, when it comes down to it, you only ever get to do your first ever book launch once. And I think that is something that should be celebrated. Even if it is just me talking into a screen, I will still raise a glass as Sentinals Awaken sets sail on her ocean voyage around the world.
So I have set up a Zoom call, created my rafflecopter giveaway, sent out the invites and now it’s a case of waiting to see if anyone accepts. This is more nerve wracking than publishing the book.
Come hell or highwater, I will be launching my book on Sunday. If you’d like a chance to win a signed copy, then join me at 7pm UK time to raise a toast.
I recently had the opportunity to chat with British fantasy author Cully Mack. Cully has written one novella and four novels in the Voice that Thunders series and she has kindly agreed to tell use a little more about A Vow that Clashes which is due out at the end of October 2020.
Welcome Cully. Tell us more about your latest novel.
Cully: My current book is due for release in October 2020. It is the fourth book in the Voice that Thunders series and is called A Vow That Clashes.
It runs on a parallel time frame to A Fire That Whispers (#3) and focuses on Gabe and two of his close friends. Each of them has made vows. Their challenge is to either keep or break them while saving the people from an Immortal Watcher with his army of giants and hybrid creatures seeking to destroy humanity.
A Vow That Clashes
When a vow demands sacrifice, who will pay the price?
Far behind Gabe is his innocence, destroyed when a Watcher slaughtered his clan. Now considered a chosen one, Gabe strives to understand his magic and his calling. He desires nothing more than to find his sister but is besieged by hybrid abominations intent on extinguishing mortal life, his most of all.
His allies: a cunning thief, an Immortal, and a Fire Wielder stand fast with those seeking sanctuary underground. It’s a trap. The god of deep mines and solver of secrets is coming… A perilous maze of tunnels, their sole hope of escape.
As vows and destiny collide, Gabe faces a devastating choice: abandon the people and his allies or forsake his beloved sister.
The fate of the world rests on his decision, for the Watchers know a greater adversary approaches, a possessor of flesh. The clash between darkness and light has never been more dreadful. You can find out more here.
Helen: It sounds action packed and I can’t wait to read it. I read the first book A Voice that Thunders (you can find my review here) and thoroughly enjoyed it. I must make sure I take the others down off my bookshelf and read them ready for this new release.
Tell us a little about how you first started writing.
Cully: I began writing because my mother joined a creative writing class and I asked if I could go with her. I loved it so much; I quit my job and went back to university to study English Literature and Creative Writing. I haven’t looked back, and what I’ve learned most in my life is to follow your dreams.
I always loved the fantasy genre, and I have a keen interest in mythology. I decided to merge the two and created the Voice that Thunders series. Myth absolutely fascinates me (the older the better- think pre-Egyptian, Greek and Roman). Yes, those titans, gods and beastly monsters were known to older civilizations in Mesopotamia and I feature them in my books.
British Museum
Helen: Yes, there is an ancient Egyptian flavour to the first novel with sacrifices and gifts to the gods. So fantasy is your genre of choice for your novels?
Cully: I write epic fantasy. Think epic battles with Immortals and beasts of all kinds, throw in some elemental magic, huge plot twists, portals and unique worlds, intense romance and an ever-growing amount of characters trying to save their world. If you like character-driven fantasy, you’ll love my books. I warn you now; I don’t go easy on them…
Helen: You have some great characters in your novels, Mirah, Gabe and Nate to name a few. Which characters do you enjoy writing the most?
Cully: Gosh, that’s possibly the hardest question I’ve ever been asked. I love writing cocky, confident males, which is why I have a few of them. Ammo is a skilled at pretty much everything and a complete risk taker. He often makes me laugh with his cocky attitude and flirty banter. Zeev is always out for a laugh, nothing fazes him, and he loves winding up one of the female characters.
I think most of all I love writing Tur. He is complex, comes across as aloof at first, but he is one hell of a man as his story develops. Nothing and no one will move him from what he believes in and my god, I really test him. Confidence oozes out of him in droves.
Heroes or villains? Love them both. Love villains who turns good the most.
Helen: With such a rich world, how much research did you have to do before writing your novels?
Cully: I research tons. I’m very interested in mythological texts from Ancient Mesopotamia where many feature gods and mythical beings. Mesopotamia was the birthplace of civilisation and many peoples lived side by side. Depending on the culture, some saw the gods as a positive thing, others negative. It makes for great conflict when you can reimagine gods, hybrids and giants interacting with humanity.
In the Voice that Thunders series, I’ve tried to capture an essence of their cultures, what it was like thousand of years ago, and set it in a framework loosely based on some of their customs and beliefs. My series is filled with ancient myth, the kind that is buried in soul waiting to be reawakened.
Because my work is influenced by Mesopotamia, I also research quite a bit of geography, landscape, flora, fauna and wildlife etc. to create a vivid world.
I also research people, behaviour and psychology. For example, one of my antagonists is a complete narcissist. I did a lot of research to get a sense of how he thought, how he might speak and behave.
Helen: And I think it paid off. When reading your novels, your world building paints vivid pictures, colourful and rich. It’s almost like it is another character. Being such a stickler for research I imagine the way you write is very planned. Do you have an outline that you stick to?
Cully: For The Voice That Thunders, I used the Hero’s Journey as a guide for my two sibling protagonists. I kind of had it in the back of my mind when writing. So, yes there is a loose structure, e.g. inciting incident, meeting the mentor, call to action, refusal of the call and so on. Although the order of these differs for each character.
But otherwise, I’m a total Panster! I’m a discovery writer. I tend to know certain plot points, for example, I knew Mirah needed to reach Hermonial because I wanted to write a character who was close to my antagonist.
My start point was her on the ship, so I just started to write her journey and added conflict along the way. I love how characters grow and overcome the challenges they face. Being a discovery writer, my characters often surprise me and lead me into territory I wasn’t expecting to go.
Most of my twists come from writing myself into a hole and then figuring out how to fix it. There are quite a few big ones in my books which my mind would never have imagined if I’d sat down and tried to think it up. Some people might think this tactic is insane, but for me, it keeps my writing fresh. I remember my English Professor saying; I love how your writing is so unpredictable, how do you do it? I answered, it’s because I have no clue what’s going to happen until I write the words on the page.
Helen: I try and plan a basic outline, but then the story takes over and goes in directions I never originally intended. When it comes down to the nitty gritty of writing which do you prefer writing or editing?
Cully: I love both aspects. I love being creative and getting ideas down on the page, but I also enjoy perfecting it in redrafts. My editing process has changed over the course of my books. I don’t edit as I go anymore. I used to edit at the end of each chapter. Now, I leave gaps if I need to spend time researching and go back and fill this in on redrafts.
Helen: I must admit I enjoy editing more than I thought. The story really begins to shine when you polish your phrasing. Every time I edit I learn something new. What advice would you give new writers?
Cully: Don’t quit! It’s really hard sometimes. Writing can be isolating, and sometimes you wonder if anyone even reads/enjoys your work. Reviews help a lot. A well-timed review has saved my sanity more than once when I’ve been second guessing myself.
Hold on to your dreams! Believe in yourself and stay true to your vision. So much will come your way and try to shake you, hold on. Quitters never make it.
If I was to start over, I’d start with a shorter book, a stand-a-lone or a prequel and get myself known a little before plunging right into everything.
Helen: Great advice! We’re drawing to close now, and I really appreciate you taking the time to talk to me. Tell us a little about how you work. Do you listen to music as you write, or do you prefer silence?
Cully: I listen to epic score music. Artists like Two Steps from Hell and Epic Score. I find the music very intense and emotional without distracting lyrics
Helen: and just to finish tell us about what you like to read. What is your favourite book?
Cully: I love Empire of Storms by S J Maas. It’s not the best for writing style or technique, but I love the characters she creates and the plot. The way Maas balances them both and draws you into the world through tense conflict and romance, is why I love this book.
Helen: Thank you so much, Cully, for spending time with us today. We wish you all the best with your new release in October, A Vow that Clashes. You can find out more about Cully and her Voice that Thunders series here:
So here is the big reveal! Would you stop and take a look inside? I hope so, let me know what you think via the contact page.
Cover by Jeff Brown of jeffbrowngraphics.com
From a rough sketch, which my cover designer, Jeff mocked up in front of my eyes as we chatted on a video conference call, (see left), to more formalised 80% done (see below right) to the finished article (above!)
Jeff has created a beautiful work of art as well as a book cover, and I can’t wait to see it as a poster.
So a big thank you to Jeff from Jeff Brown Graphics (www.jeffbrowngraphics.com) for designing such a beautiful cover; from the Lady and the Moon symbol to the grand panoramic scene (see at bottom of post) as Jerrol and his Sentinals ride through an encroaching storm to attempt to rescue the King of Vespiri.
With the advent of online bookstores and eReaders, the cover must be eye-catching as a thumbnail image, which means the main image must be more prominent, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be artistic.
The cover is one of the most important aspects of a novel, it is what catches the readers eye in the first place, to take note and stop and browse, and hopefully, to pick up out of the choice of many, and then the first few lines of the book catch your attention and draw you in.
Want to know what’s inside Sentinals Awaken? – Sneak peek!
Chapter 1 Lady’s Temple Gardens, Old Vespers The sword missed his nose by an inch, if that. A momentary relief as solid steel thunked into the ground and Jerrol jerked back like a snake about to strike and then slithered away, inhaling the scent of soggy grass, dirt and roses. Roses?
His brow wrinkled in confusion as he scuttled away and regained his feet. Backing towards the tall Sentinal tree arching over the Lady’s temple, he strained to see his assailants. He leaned against the trunk as he scanned the gardens. He would have to apologise later; staying alive was more important than the sanctity of the temple gardens.
There were three guards, large and brutal: Chancellor’s men eager to deliver him up more dead than alive. The complaint of him snooping around the Chancellor’s business would be enough to get him placed on report, if not demoted. He wasn’t supposed to be near Chancellor Isseran, let alone following him.
Gritting his teeth, Jerrol considered his options. He couldn’t kill them, not on the Lady’s soil, yet he couldn’t let them report back, either. The satin-smooth bark of the tree beneath his fingers warmed for a moment as he hesitated. The image of a tall, black-haired man stood before him. This apparition wore a silvery green high-necked uniform that glimmered in the swirling mist. He was striking to look at, unnaturally pale, with distinctive features and straight, black eyebrows over silver eyes that gleamed in the dim light.
Jerrol gaped at him, unable to stop staring. It wasn’t possible. Lady help him, it wasn’t possible, was it? He recoiled as the man spoke, taking a step back.
“Captain? Is it time?” the man asked, his silver eyes burning bright.
He was young – younger than he was, Jerrol thought. Yet his expression was grave. There was a sense of a burden understood and accepted; of experience over youth. He had a sword strapped to his hip and a bow across his back, and he looked like he knew how to use them.
Jerrol frowned. “Time?” he asked, and the image faded.
Sentinals Awaken, is set in the word of Remargaren, a world where magic was banished by the deity Leyandrii over three thousand years ago along with the malevolent Ascendants. Jerrol Haven, a Captain of the King’s Rangers discovers treason at the highest level and although the ailing King tries to help him, the Crown Prince sentences Jerrol to death. Jerrol must escape, discover why magic is returning to his world and discover the source of an insidious disease spreading through the Watches. After accidentally awakening a Lady’s Sentinal he needs to discover how to awaken more Sentinals and rescue the King – but even then, his troubles are only just beginning.
I hope the cover and opening excerpt tempt you to order Sentinals Awaken when it launches in the autumn and you enjoy reading the book. Please ensure you leave a review when you do, reviews drive visibility and keep an independent author like me writing!
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But what if there was no wood, or wood pulp, or grasses and other natural vegetation? Our lives would be very different without paper; and by extension, without the creation of books, we would lose that wonderful feeling of holding knowledge or experiencing escapism into every subject under the sun.
I recently responded to a Defra Tree consultation on the English Tree Strategy, and I was shocked to realise that fewer than 10% of our English native woodland is considered to be in good condition for nature. That means it can’t support the creatures that live in it. Not only are we not investing in planting more trees, but we’re also not even looking after what is left.
How sad is that?
Isn’t it funny how we all take everything for granted? Even though we know trees are vital to sustaining our environment, to help clean the air we breathe, to synthesise the colour into our world, we still don’t protect them. We don’t plant enough new trees. No one takes responsibility.
When I was a child, our garden had a rowan tree, lilac tree, oak and beech and a massive horse chestnut. I would stand beneath and look up into the branches, much as I imagine a Sentinal tree would hover protectively over us. I wonder how many of those survive today? Not many, I’m sure. And how many children today would know the difference between all of them? It is our responsibility to ensure these trees are accessible for all, in natural spaces, of which many could easily sustain trees.
DEFRA Tree Strategy consultation for England
Have your say and respond to the Defra Tree Strategy Consultation for England.
Protect our woods, invest in regeneration and plant more trees. Help sustain the tree nurseries. Ensure we can continue to hold a book in our hands in the future, in a world full of magical creatures breathing clean air.
Here we are halfway through July, wondering where summer has gone, and I’m listening to Sia’s album, This is Acting, as I edit Book three: Sentinals Justice. I’ve mowed the lawn, procrastinated on twitter and am now knuckling down to work, by writing this blog!
As Sia sings, I’m alive, I think I feel most alive as I delve into the world of Remargaren and embrace my characters, who are no doubt thankful to still be alive, or maybe not. I can see Birlerion’s indignant face as I write, he is not happy with me and nor is Jerrol. Authors do put their favourite characters through the wringer at times, all in the name of tension and conflict.
As I edit, I can’t help but get drawn back into the story. I can see why we need independent editors to keep us on the straight and narrow because I write the type of fantasy I enjoy reading. I must admit, when I return to a piece of work, I’ve forgotten elements of what I wrote, and I get lost in the story again and forget I’m supposed to be editing.
Book One, Sentinals Awaken, is progressing. It’s gone back to the copy editor for final review. The map of Vespiri is in progress, the book cover should come in any day soon. I keep checking my email, but it hasn’t arrived yet! Then its formatting and ISBN numbers and working my way through the publishing process. It’s surprising how long everything takes, but fingers crossed I’ll be launching in October 2020.
I’ve also found time to read. I have started to post book reviews, predominantly fantasy as that is my favourite genre, if you’re interested in finding other books to read, check out my first Book review on Cully Mack’s Voice of Thunder. You can find it here.
Thanks again for joining me on my journey, and I look forward to sharing my debut novel soon!
Helen Garraway 