I’m sitting here drinking a glass of prosecco wondering what to write about. I should be editing my next book in the Sentinals series but I have spent the weekend procrastinating. Isn’t it funny how the mind works? How many things you can find to do instead of what you intended.
I have hoovered the house, done the washing – it was a gloriously sunny day here in the UK – eaten a box of biscuits that won’t be any good for my waistline and spent the afternoon scrolling through twitter and Instagram. Been pinned to the sofa whilst Alfie had a kip so I joined him for a snooze as I couldn’t get to the keyboard! And now I’m writing a blog post.
Now I’m feeling guilty that I haven’t made progress with my edits, (and about the box of biscuits!). I’m also quietly excited about the fact that my second novel will release on March 17th.
With release day approaching, I should be feeling a sense of accomplishment, but I feel pressured to get book three complete. That is pressure I’m putting on myself for some reason, and then I remember that you have to celebrate the small wins as well as the big wins. If you only celebrate the huge wins, then the expectation you place on yourself is to constantly achieve at that level and you miss the opportunity to appreciate and enjoy your journey.
Just completing a novel is an achievement. Lots of people have ideas, but to write them down, edit and polish it into a finished product, not so many achieve that. Time to Celebrate!
Learning how to self-publish, complete the interior formatting, cover design, launch plan. Lots of accomplishments to celebrate.
Sending the book out to some of your peers for review. (eek!) Celebrate being brave!
Each step is a win to be enjoyed. Each is an achievement taking me closer to the launch day. And so, I’m drinking a glass of prosecco. I may not have done much editing this weekend, but I let go of my second novel. It’s in the hands of my peers who also write, the hardest audience of all to appease.
Next week I have an interview to record. Another small win; well, it feels like a big win! and then we will be approaching launch day.
Make sure you celebrate the small wins; you’ll enjoy the huge accomplishments even more!
For today’s author interview I am joined by the American author Sloane McCain. Author of the Pendragon series and now the first book in the Hunter Chronicles Holding out for a Hunter.
Welcome Sloane. I am a fan of your Pendragon books so I am excited you branched out to tell us more about the Hunters. To start us off please tell us about your latest book.
Sloane: I just released my fourth book in January 2021 (earlier this month). It’s titled Holding Out For A Hunter, and is the first in The Hunter Chronicles series, a companion series to my Sons of Pendragon. This new series deals with Hunters. They’re Halflings, half-human, half-fairy. When they reach their late teens or early twenties, they develop their powers. They use them to fight evil and capture creatures bent on mayhem and destruction that have been sent by the Dark Fairy. The Good Fairy pay them very well for their help.
While Sons of Pendragon will be limited to seven books (unless I go into the next generation), the Hunter Chronicles can have as many books as I can think up ideas for.
Helen: I must admit I couldn’t put it down. I love your characters and the world you’ve created. Tell us about the genre you write and why.
Sloane: I write romances with strong fantasy and paranormal overtones. It’s my favorite genre to read (though I read medieval, Scottish, Regency, and contemporary books) because I love the HEA—Happily Ever After endings. When the world is crazy, I want something that doesn’t give me any nasty surprises at the end. I like being assured that no matter how rocky the road, the end is going to be a good one.
Helen: And your characters are so lovely, certainly not perfect, as you’ll find out in Holding out for a Hunter. Max’s idea of being romantic just made me laugh. How do you come up with the ideas for your books?
Sloane: Nearly everything has the potential to give me a story idea. A photograph or painting. Songs. A conversation. So many things. Anything that makes me think, ‘what if?’ Sons of Pendragon came out of my love for King Arthur and wishing he’d at least had children. The Hunter Chronicles sometimes come from the song that I use for the titles. Like Holding Out For A Hunter. The sequel, which I hope to release in March, is titled I Belong To The Hunter, a play on the Caro Emerald song, I Belong To You. In that instance, the song didn’t inspire the story, but it seemed to fit the story.
Helen: I can’t wait for I Belong to a Hunter, but I hope there is Pendragon book number 4 coming soon! You can find my book review of Book One Dragon’s Gracehere. Do you you find you plan out your books or do they just flow naturally?
Sloane: I’m definitely a panster. I’ve tried outlining a couple of times, but my characters laughed at the attempt and went in their own direction. For me, writing is like watching this moving play out in my head and trying to write down what’s happening as quickly as I can. Luckily for me, I seem to be able to hit the pause button when I have to stop for work or to let my dogs in or out.
Helen: There seems to be two camps about whether silence is golden while working. I’m a fan of listening to music when I write (or edit!). Do you like to listen to music while you work?
Sloane: Yes, I often listen to music while I write. I have a station I’ve made on Pandora called Straight No Chaser. It plays music by them as well as other groups that I like: Michael Bublé, Pentatonix, Imagine Dragons, Celtic Thunder & Celtic Women, American Authors, Secret Garden, and several others. I have rather eclectic taste in music.
Helen: It’s what works that is important and music can be just as inspiring as the written word. Tell us, do you have a favourite character from your books?
Sloane: My favorite character is a recurring secondary character named Stiabhan Iorworth. He’s full-blooded Sidhe. In human terms he’s around thirty to thirty-five. Though several centuries removed, he’s an uncle to many Hunters. He has recently begun to take an interest in their lives, coming to help them in their battles. He loves a good fight. He’s learning idioms and slang, card games like poker, and driving a vehicle. He’s enjoying helping his relatives which helps him in turn take his mind from the tragedy in his personal life. Some of his scenes add some comic relief to the stories. Like one in the third Hunter’s book, where he goes to a beauty salon. You’ll just have to wait to read it to find out what happens. LOL!
Helen: He sounds like a great character to have fun with, and I can imagine many humorous scenarios and misunderstandings! Most writers are also great readers. Which book have you read most recently?
Sloane: Your book is one of the most recent. I loved it! Also, Hidden Magic by Elena McDougal. I would recommend them both.
Helen: I am so glad you enjoyed Sentinals Awaken. I am looking forward to releasing my second book in the series, Sentinals Rising on March 17th, so exciting times. It has been lovely spending time with you, Sloane, thank you so much for sharing a little bit about yourself and your novels. To finish us off, if you didn’t write romantic fantasy, what genre would you like to write next?
Sloane: If I didn’t write romances, I’d probably write straight fantasy. I actually wrote a YA one while I was in college, but it’s not very good. I would love to write mysteries. I think that would be fun. Unfortunately, I don’t seem to have the right mindset for them. At least so far, my attempts have been horrible. So I’ll stick to romance.
About Sloane:
Both of my parents loved reading and instilled in me a love for reading and writing. That was one thing that I could count on them saying yes to buying me–a new book.
Besides writing and animals, I love reading (TBR pile is outrageous), photography, cross-stitch, and anything with Henry Cavill or Jason Momoa in it. And don’t even get me started on Dean Winchester of Supernatural.
I spent my early years in West Virginia, where my father taught college. When he retired, the family moved back to his home state of South Carolina.
I currently live in South Carolina with two very spoiled rescue dogs. One tries to lick people into submission and the younger one believes he’s still a lapdog at 95lbs.
Today I have the pleasure of chatting with Rosalyn Briar. Author of the fairy tale retelling A Sea of Pearls and Leaves.
Welcome Rosalyn. Thank you so much for joining me. To start us off please tell us about your latest book.
Rosalyn: My most recent release is a dark fantasy fairy tale retelling called A Sea of Pearls & Leaves. It is a retelling of the Grimm’s Fairy Tale “The Three Snake-Leaves,” but with a twist.
Helen: It is a lovely story, and I must admit I didn’t know the fairy tale until I read your book. For me, it was a new story which was lovely. You can find my book review here. Tell us about the genre you write and why.
Rosalyn: I write dark fantasy and it’s usually some sort of fairy tale retelling. I have always loved fairy tales, folklore, and mythology, so dark fantasy allows me to play with those themes while adding magic and a dash of horror.
Helen: Such fun! and you get to rewrite the heroes and villains how you want them. Who do you prefer writing about, the good guys or the bad guys?
Rosalyn: Although I certainly love my heroes and enjoy writing them, there is definitely a special place in my heart for villains. I think this is because when reading books or watching movies, I am usually rooting for the villain, especially if they have unique powers or strong motivations. The next book I am planning actually has a hero-to-villain arc or a “fall to evil” arc for the main character—so essentially a villain origin story. I look forward to diving into how a villain comes to be.
Helen: The art of writing is so complex, so much to think about! Do you prefer writing over editing?
Roslayn: I actually enjoy editing more! I can edit with smaller chunks of time, which makes it easier for me to do with my kids around. Writing, I need long spans of time alone, which are hard to come by. I also enjoy how editing really brings the story together and how each little “layer” of edits can improve the story.
Helen: I think with editing a rough idea becomes more polished. In the excitement of getting words on the paper, grammar goes out the window. When you correct everything the ideas and phrases become so much stronger and it feels so good when the story flows naturally and you know the reading experience is so much better. You have young children, so I bet you are a natural storyteller, but how do you fit in the writing?
Rosalyn: Since I have young children, it can be difficult to write during the daytime (especially this year since I’m helping my oldest with her e-learning for Kindergarten). So, I wake up early to do my writing and get the words down!
Helen: That must be really early! I am a night owl, I must admit I write more late at night. One element of self-publishing I love is designing the book cover. Tell us how you came up with the cover for your book.
Rosalyn: For A Sea of Pearls & Leaves, I wanted the cover to pay homage to the original tale “The Three Snake-Leaves.” So, I knew I wanted a snake and for the cover to have a watery feel. I sketched out the image of the cut up snake with leaves growing out of it and sent that to my cover designer, and they definitely brought the cover to life!
Helen: It is gorgeous and very striking. I love the colour scheme. Thank you so much for chatting with me. Last question, I promise. If you didn’t write fantasy, which other genre tempts you to write a book?
Rosalyn: I would love to write mystery/thrillers. I have always been a fan of reading them and enjoy the twists and turns and secretive characters. Maybe someday, if I feel confident enough, I’ll write one, but writing those takes a lot of skill when it comes to plotting and outlining.
Rosalyn Briar is a former teacher who is married to her high school sweetheart. Together, they have built a beautiful life and have two fearless daughters. Rosalyn is obsessed with gothic fairy tales, scary movies, sun dresses, traveling, and reading books. She is the published author of The Crown of Bones and A Sea of Pearls & Leaves, both of which are fairy tale retellings. Rosalyn is also the host of #NovelBuilding, a daily Twitter question with monthly themes for fellow writers to connect. When Rosalyn isn’t writing or reading, you can find her playing dress up with her two princesses or exploring the woods for wildflowers.
You can reach Rosalyn via her Website or via social media at:
Sentinals Rising is the second book in the saga of Remargaren, a vibrant, ancient world of high fantasy suffused with magic and adventure.
Jerrol Haven, having rescued the king from the clutches of the malevolent Ascendants, knows they haven’t stopped their scheming. While trying to learn more about the mysterious Sentinals he woke from a three-thousand-year sleep, he has to defend his king and country from further magical attacks.
Should he trust the Sentinals in such vital positions? Can he trust them to protect the king and Vespiri? As Jerrol learns more of their capabilities, he realises there are more secrets yet to be revealed. Maybe those questioning their sudden rise in power have a point.
Before he can delve further, a call for help comes from the neighbouring country of Terolia. The nomadic Families are disintegrating into chaotic infighting. The king sends Jerrol to investigate, instructing him to do whatever is needed to protect the Families from the Ascendants
Get ready for Book Two – Purchase the first book Sentinals Awaken now:
As we enter the new year, and many of us think about what we want to achieve over the next twelve months, I am reminded of a blog I wrote about six or seven years ago to support International Women’s Day.
At the time I was tussling with many personal problems and trying to figure out what I wanted. What did I want out of life, instead of allowing others to push me around to fit what they wanted. It took a while and many glasses of wine and finally I created a mood board. I expect most people know what mood boards are nowadays, but in a nutshell its a board where you pin all your thoughts, ideas and dreams about a topic. You cut out pictures from magazines that encapsulate what you want to achieve, (and drink a bit more wine). For me, it was what do I want to do with my life?
By physically writing down, or pinning pictures of what you want to achieve makes your goal a reality, something tangible that you want to achieve, and you begin to take conscious steps to move you towards achieving it. You now have a target, and you can start planning how to reach it.
I decided life was too short to waste on things that I didn’t enjoy. I wanted to enjoy my job, and I wanted to write. I wanted to move house to the country, or maybe near the sea, preferably with my mum.
So I started looking for houses with my mum, travelling around the south of England and visiting many villages and seaside towns. I began capturing ideas for a novel, and investigated what job opportunities there were within my company. I didn’t necessarily want to leave, but I didn’t like the direction I was going in. Everything came to a grinding halt when my mum fell ill with breast cancer, underwent a mastectomy and finally passed away. The moving house impetus died with her, and although I still think of moving, I don’t know where to move to! So I haven’t.
I actually put pen to paper and started writing to fill in the extra time I suddenly had and I suppose as an escape, and found that I really enjoyed it. I started researching into how to edit and the authors journey and began to plan how to self publish my first novel. I never really considered going the traditional publishing route as I wasn’t prepared to let go of my story.
I suppose I am not the greatest example of a successful mood board! But plans change, and I think sometimes its as much about resetting goals as circumstances change around you and staying true to what makes you happy.
I am happiest when I am lost in my magical worlds writing about my wonderful characters and putting them though hell. It doesn’t really matter where I live, as I work from home. Which makes it all the more difficult to decide where in the UK to move to. I think it may be time to start searching for that writer’s nest with space for a study and a library! I need to create a mood board for my idyllic home, identify those must haves and who knows, I may even find it.
Detached
Cottage
Quiet (no trains, planes, automobiles)
Not too hilly (My knees…)
Study
Library
Internet (Fast!)
Cat friendly
Near the sea
Lovely view
…
It’s a start! Who knows 2021 may be the year of the move.
I hope you all had a lovely Christmas, and received lots of lovely books in your Christmas stocking. I must admit I have a few to keep me busy in between all the editing I need to do!
I was fortunate enough to chat with Lambda Literary award winner, and author of Aurora’s Angel, Emily Noon before Christmas and here is the interview.
Welcome Emily. To start us off please tell what genre you write and why.
Emily: My first love is fantasy. Probably because some of my fondest childhood memories are of my mother reading me stories of magical worlds filled with ancient gods, strange monsters and questing heroes having epic adventures.
Helen: Parents are so important for encouraging a love of books at an early age. My mum was an avid book reader too, and I was just as fortunate to be introduced to a wide range of genres. Tell us about your book, Aurora’s Angel.
Emily: Aurora’s Angel is a blend of action, adventure and romance centred around shapeshifters set in Nordarra, a world of my creation. I’ve been told it reads like a cross between epic and urban fantasy and that the immersive world building combined with great characters/plot makes this an enjoyable read, even for people who don’t usually like fantasy. It won a Lambda Literary Award. The audiobook was recently released and is narrated by Abby Craden, who did a fabulous job bringing the story to life.
Helen: Congratulations on releasing your Audiobook version. I have yet to venture down the audio route. There is so much involved in writing a novel, tell a little about your writing process. Are you a planner or a pantser? Preferring to make it up as you go.
Emily: I wish I was a planner because that would be so much quicker. I’ve sat down and planned entire books, from start to finish, complete with all the subheadings only to find it was like trying to work with something lifeless. If I don’t allow my imagination to explore the ideas that pop up, the creative process dries up and writing grinds to a halt. I learned that the hard way. So now I start writing with a rough idea of where the story is heading, but also explore the images and fragments of dialog that pop into my head. I’ve been astounded how often seemingly random pieces have ended up slotting perfectly together, like I’d been handed pieces of a puzzle and I just had to figure out where they fit into the big picture.
Photo credit: Iroji Iwata (Unspash)
Helen: I agree, I write in a similar way. It is magical when it all fits together. Did you need to do much research for your book?
Emily: I get hung up on getting tiny details perfect so I have to watch myself. I can easily get carried away with too much research. For instance – there is a small passage in my novel where I mention dogs being raised with the sheep they are meant to guard so they’ll imprint and form a strong protective bond. I spent hours reading and watching videos about that!
Helen: It’s easily done. It’s surprising what you find yourself looking up, just to make sure you get the facts right. So, tell us, do you prefer the writing or the editing?
Emily: I find great joy in the creative process of writing, of letting my imagination run wild. That’s the fun part. It’s like playing with clay to see what shapes I can create. I find editing satisfying on a different level. Once the first draft is complete, then starts the process of shaping the rough draft into the polished product. Its painstaking work but I love seeing it get better with every round of editing.
Helen: And, finally, tell us a little about the environment you like too write in. Do you put in silence, gazing of into the distance or surround yourself in music?
Emily: Creatively it can be helpful to play music that fits the theme/mood of the scene I’m working on and can even be a source of inspiration. For example: I chose the name of one of my main characters, Aurora, after I saw the music video called Runaway by the artist Aurora. The haunting tune, the breath-taking scenery and the powerful image of a young girl running alone in a snow-covered forest, fit so well. The lake that features in the song inspired me to write a scene in which two dragon-shifters flew over it in the moonlight, while performing an intricate aerial mating dance.
Helen: That sounds gorgeous, and I can’t wait to read your book, which is currently sitting in my tbr pile. Thank you so much, Emily, for spending time with us today. We wish you all the best with your book: Aurora’s Angel.
Emily Noon always liked reading fantasies with a dark twist and if there was a romance between strong main characters to sweeten the deal, even better. After years of working in libraries while in secret creating magical worlds and lightly torturing her characters before giving them a happy ending, she decided to let them loose on the unsuspecting world. Her debut novel, Aurora’s Angel, won a Lambda Literary Award.
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.
Helen Garraway 