Today, I am pleased to welcome Science Fantasy author Neil Bullock to talk to us about his metaphysical Primordial series. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in the series, Off Track, and you can find my review here.
Helen: Welcome Neil. I’m excited to chat with you about your primordial series, which you have now released two books and working on the third, Nexus. Tell us a little about it.
Neil: My current book is titled Nexus, and it’s the third in my Primordials series. I’m planning on having 9 books split into three trilogies with a time gap between each. Nexus sets out to answer most of the questions posed in book 1 (Off Track) and book 2 (Earth Twelve) while also setting up the next batch of three books. It also provides some background for a few related series I have planned. I’m currently planning for a July or August release for Nexus!
Helen: You have a grand plan, can’t wait to see where your series goes. What can you tell us about your thoughts behind your cover?
Neil: My cover is an abstract view from the Nexus, which is a location in the eponymous book. We’re looking through a doorway from our position behind my main character, Eden Lucas. In front of her is a scene that was described in the epilogue of Earth Twelve.
Helen: I love the idea of looking though a keyhole at a new version of the world. Why did you call the book Nexus?
Neil: Naming books is a horrible thing to have to do! Book titles are so hard! For Off Track, it took me weeks to decide on the name. For Earth Twelve and Nexus, I named them both for locations in the book. Much easier that way. It could also mean a nexus between my various planned stories.
Helen: I agree, I’m always dithering between names and often end up asking my newlsetter subscribers ot vote because I can’t decide! Who is your protagonist and why did you write her/him?
Neil: My protagonist is Eden Lucas, a 30-something woman from Portland, Oregon. I am, of course, not a woman, not in my 30s and not American, so it is perhaps a strange choice. The reason I wrote her is Buffy the Vampire Slayer, at its core. Female protagonists of that type have always been my go-to. The musical Wicked is another. The role of Elphaba speaks to me. Clare Abshire in The Time Traveler’s Wife. Alicia in Justin Cronin’s The Passage trilogy. Naomi and Bobbie in The Expanse. Any number of others. As for why I write Americans, it’s because it feels more “exotic” than writing British. I think I might struggle to imagine British characters going through what my characters go through.
Helen: I know this is one of those questions, but who is your favourite character?
Neil: Probably Megan Young. She joins the cast in Nexus, and she has quite the tragic backstory that I’m looking forward to working with in subsequent books! She also has some unique abilities which were fun to play with while writing Nexus!
Helen: Thank you so much for spending time with me today. Just to finish, who inspired you to write?
Neil: To some extent, it’s just who I am. Whenever I encounter something I enjoy, I want to emulate it in my own way. That could be a film, television show, book, piece of software (I’m a programmer in my other life), whatever. Specifically, I credit Stephen King, Peter Clines, Jeff VanderMeer, James S. A. Corey, Audrey Niffenegger, N.K Jemisin and Justin Cronin. Whenever I read anything by any of them, it’s like a well of inspiration inside me gets refilled. All books fill it a little bit, but those authors are definite favourites.
About the Author
Neil Bullock
I am a fan of fantasy, science fiction and magic realism, which I tend to combine into my somewhat speculative sci-fi novels. I particularly enjoy the kind of mind-bending stories told by Blake Crouch, N. K. Jemisin, Peter Clines, and Jeff VanderMeer, among others. I love putting normal people in weird situations and seeing how they cope. In my writing, that is. I try not to do it so much in real life.
As an Amazon Associate I may benefit from purchases made using these links.
If you enjoy fantasy books with a touch of romance then you will love SoulBreather, or 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.
Processing…
Success! You're on the list.
Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.
Author of the The Accidental Cop and the Neglected Merge trilogy
Today, I am pleased to welcome multi-genre author Eve Koguce to talk to us about her books and how she brings her home country of Latvia into her writing.
Helen: Welcome Eve. I’m intrigued about how you came to write in so many genres, but before we get into that, tell us a little about your books.
Eve: All my books have a certain share of controversy, but “The Accidental Cop” is probably the most controversial of them.
The Neglected Merge trilogy doesn’t fit neatly into any fantasy category. Besides, the protagonist is thirty-two in book one and fifty-one in book three. While a coming-of-age novel “Finding Your Way” is set in Latvia and has a slight touch of magical realism.
“The Accidental Cop” is also a cross-genre book. It isn’t a purely crime fiction novel since it doesn’t start with finding a dead body and end with unmasking the murderer. It also doesn’t tick all the boxes of a noir crime genre. It is a blend of noir crime and police procedural with psychological suspense elements.
Set in Latvia at the end of the first post-Soviet decade, “The Accidental Cop” tells the story of Roberts Bergs. At twenty-one, he struggles to find his place within the corrupted police system without betraying his principles. To succeed you must play by the rules. Roberts learns the rules quickly. The system run by the Soviet-era ex-militia officers is a good teacher. Who you know counts for more than your abilities, qualifications, and knowledge. The system also doesn’t tolerate disobedience. Still, Roberts keeps climbing up the career ladder. The contrast between those who play by the rules and those who believe in honesty and justice becomes starker. Luxury and self-indulgence for the first, and dragging out a miserable existence for the latter. Roberts has to make more difficult choices. Is it worth it to remain true to his principles? Or is succumbing to the corrupted and merciless system the only way to survive?
Writing “The Accidental Cop” was a unique experience. It was inspired by countless stories I’ve heard from different people over two decades. Readers say that it was interesting for them to find out about the period of time in Latvia they didn’t know anything about. “Savage 90s” were a time of great turbulence for Latvia. It was challenging to try to portray this grim page of my country’s history without slipping either into the rose-tinted glasses outlook or utter disillusionment.
Helen: I imagine it was a challenge to give such a tumultuous period justice. It is so interesting to hear that your novel is based on real events. What can you tell us about your thoughts behind your cover?
Eve: It was important to me that the cover of “The Accidental Cop” would convey the essence of the book. I didn’t want it to delude the reader into thinking that they are about to read a thriller with a classic “superman” hero who saves everyone and puts all the bad guys in jail. Single-handedly, of course.
I wanted the cover to display the stark difference between Roberts’s world – grim and full of shadows – and the world of those who aren’t averse to corruption and crime. Roberts sees that there is a different life out there. He sees that it is possible to live without suffering from hunger, cold, and despair. But to change his life he has to betray everything he believes in.
Helen: It is so interesting to hear about the ideas behind the cover, there is always a lot more thought put in than you realise. Now, what made you write books in so many different genres?
Eve: I have written five books so far, and all of them are in different genres. Even the books within the same trilogy.
The Neglected Merge fantasy trilogy opens with a fantasy romance, followed by the fantasy drama “Tangle of Choices”, and wraps up with “Shifting Directions” which comprises coming-of-age, drama, and even thriller elements.
“Finding Your Way” is a coming-of-age novel with magical realism elements.
It is a great question why I do not stick to one genre. To be honest, I started asking it myself only when I was already deep in the promotion and marketing jungle. Learning more about the indie publishing universe, I realised the risks a multi-genre author has to face. Still, I do not regret having written books in different genres. These are the stories I wanted to share with the world.
Helen: I think that is what it comes down to, what is the story you want to tell? I know this is a difficult question, but out of all your books, who is your favourite character.
Eve: It is not easy to choose one, but my heart belongs to Alfred Greeks from the Neglected Merge trilogy. He is Tauria’s (Tauria is the main character of the trilogy) boss, mentor, and later, her trusted friend who understands her better than anyone. He is the one who supports her even when everyone else in her life can’t accept her choices. Alfred’s character is loosely based on someone who played a similar role in my life.
Alfred is almost one hundred years old in book one. But his mind is sharp and his interest in current affairs is acute. Despite his outstanding mind – or maybe because of it – Alfred chooses not to climb to the very top of the career ladder. His boss thinks he is a dreamer. While Alfred himself claims that it is dreamers who make the biggest changes happen.
If I ever return to the Neglected Merge universe, it is Alfred’s story that I will write. It warms my heart that when readers ask about my plans for sequels or prequels of the trilogy, they mention that they would want to read Alfred Greeks’s story.
Helen: What is your work in progress (WIP)?
Eve: The story is set in beautiful Dorset, on the fictional island of Southbay. I spent a couple of years living in the region. My lack of knowledge of local customs got me into some awkward situations. So, writing this book is a great chance to share these funny stories. I met many wonderful people while living in Dorset. Besides, my work let me travel all around the country, and I got a glimpse of the differences between North and South.
I’m working on a story of a young woman from Latvia who married an Englishman and moved to England. She realises she doesn’t really know the man she has married. At the same time, she falls deeper in love with the island she now calls home.
Helen: Dorset is beautiful. That is so neat that you can include your real life experiences in your story. When it comes to writing, which part do you find most challenging?
Eve: Personally, for me, the most challenging element of the writing process is finding the time to write. Or, more precisely, finding the balance between writing and other obligations. I guess, considering the dynamic lifestyle of the times we live in, it is a common problem for most writers.
At times, I feel guilty that I “steal” time from my family, concentrating on writing yet another book. I am also often distracted when I spend time with my son and my husband. The scenes that play on repeat and voices that talk in my head when I am working on a story aren’t easy to switch off. I am sure many writers can relate to that.
Helen: It can be a delicate work-life balance, and yes I agree, authors are easily distracted as we muse on plot knots and story lines. Thank you so much for spending time with me today. Just to close us out, could you share some of the books you have recently enjoyed reading?
Eve: I’ve been reading a lot of books by indie authors recently. And I can honestly say that discovering indie books has completely changed my reading experience.
I was always an avid reader. A few years ago, it became complicated to find a book that I couldn’t put down. Stories felt like ‘messages’ rather than immersive worlds as it was for me before. Then, I published “Neglected Merge”, and when searching for useful resources for indie authors, I discovered the Writing Community on Twitter with its incredibly talented authors.
I am not only a multi-genre author, I am also a multi-genre reader. Some of my favourite authors are Kelly Miller, Helena M. Craggs, Helen Aitchison, R.A. Hutchins, P.L. Stuart, R.P. Lauer, and Kat Kinney. I also loved books by Anne M. Smith-Nochasak and A-M Mawhiney.
I highly recommend Kelly Miller’s Austenesque novels to all Jane Austen fans. My first experience with reading a Jane Austen variation wasn’t especially good, and after that, I was sceptical about this genre. But Kelly Miller changed that. I especially recommend “Captive Hearts”; it’s a variation of “Persuasion”. “Persuasion” is my second favourite Jane Austen novel. I’ve always liked it more than the more popular “Sense and Sensibility” or “Emma”. “Captive Hearts” offers a more complete story of how Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth broke up and then reunited again. It also draws more nuanced portraits of secondary characters.
For all fans of Tolkien, I heartily recommend the epic fantasy series by P.L. Stuart, the Drowned Kingdom. Othrun, once the Second Prince of the mightiest kingdom, and then King of Eastrealm of Acremia, is probably the most extraordinary main character a reader will encounter in modern literature.
Helena M. Craggs and Kat Kinney write immersive, imaginative, and action-packed fantasy. New releases from them are always on the top of my reading list.
Helen Aitchison and Anne M. Smith-Nochasak write heartfelt stories that could happen to any of us. It has always been my favourite genre. For everyone who appreciates stories about people’s lives, I recommend checking Helen’s book “The Dinner Club” and Anne M. Smith-Nochasak’s novel “A Canoer of Shorelines”.
R.A. Hutchins has helped me to discover love for cosy mysteries. I was never a crime fiction fan, but her Baker’s Rise series is a pure delight to read.
R.P. Lauer and A-M Mawhiney bend all fantasy genre rules. I am proud to have “The Scars of Gaia” by R.P. Lauer on my bookshelf with a precious autograph of the author.
Helen: That is an amazing list of Indie authors! I will certinly check some of them out. Anything anecdotal you’d like to add?
Eve: Since I can’t remember any funny story worth sharing with a wider public, I’ll share a few funny pictures of my cats. Peach and Honey are half-siblings, and their relationship proves the truth about the relationship between brothers and sisters. They always seem to fight, with Honey trying not to let her brother have anything she wasn’t given first. Still, they are fiercely loyal to each other. Once, when we took Honey to the vet, Peach hasn’t eaten a single bite before his feisty sister returned home.
About the Author
Eve Koguce
Eve has been in love with books for as long as she remembers herself. The typewriter her first attempts at writing had been made at still sits proudly on its shelf in the basement, and when she goes down there, she always has the urge to save it from its exile.
Eve has always been writing something. Diaries, letters, poems, short stories. She had even attempted to write a novel a couple of times when she was about thirteen. Still, there was always something more important than her writing. There was always “real life” reminding me of its undeniable claims. “You have to study, you have to work, there is no place for fruitless dreaming,” it whispered. And she moved forward as if running on rails she couldn’t step down from.
Eve had spent fifteen years, trying to fit into the office work pattern. Do you remember Kevin Kline in the “In & Out” movie – “men do not dance”? Well, that used to be her philosophy – real people don’t write books. They work, they build careers, they travel through the corporate jungle. And despite she was feeling miserable and out of place every day of that climbing-the-ladder process, she managed to build a relatively successful career after an ambitious shift from the private to the public sector. The job she had wasn’t boring. It was actually pretty exciting. She worked with internationally funded projects and met people from all over the world every day. But it failed to ignite a spark in her heart.
After her son was born, she had a unique chance to stop and rethink not only what she’d achieved so far, but what she really wanted from life. She made a decision to leave her old life behind, and she has never regretted it.
As an Amazon Associate I may benefit from purchases made using these links.
If you enjoy fantasy books with a touch of romance then you will love SoulBreather, or 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.
Processing…
Success! You're on the list.
Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.
It’s Launch day! The Limited Edition MM Fantasy anthology, Men of Magic and Myth is live! I am so excited to be participating in this short story anthology. Well some are not so short but mine is as I thought we were writing ten thousand words, not that is was minimum of ten thousand words, but never mind!!
There are seven short stories/Novellas from USA Today Bestsellers and award winning Romance anthors.
You still get to meet two exciting new characters from me, set in a brand new world. My short story is Familar troubles. Can’t wait for you to meet Tristan, a Sharian Knight, and Aryhn, a child of the universe.
I hope you enjoyed the Limited Edition Creatures of Magic and Myth, now we have Men of Magic and Myth.
Men of Magic and Myth
Ready to be enchanted by these dashing men?
Magic and passion collide as princes, noble knights, charming wizards, elusive shape-shifters and brooding necromancers fight for what’s theirs in the Limited Edition Men of Magic and Myth Boxset.
In this mesmerizing collection of MM fantasy short stories by bestselling romance authors, dauntless men undertake daring adventures to find their true loves. But fate will throw every possible obstacle in their way. More than their own lives are at stake if they fail their quests.
This limited-time collection captures a breathtaking array of complex characters with their own battles to fight and loves to win—each one ready to set your hearts swooning in bite-sized stories.
The Men of Magic and Myth are setting out to conquer love.
Will you rise to the challenge with them?
I hope you enjoy this anthology and once you’ve read Men of Magic an Myth, it would be really great if you could leave a review and let other readers know what you liked about it. You can find this anthology on a book vendorof your choice and on Goodreads or Bookbub.
If you enjoy fantasybooks then you will love my epic fantasy Sentinal series which is available on Kindle Unlimited or my Fantasy Romance SoulMist series which is free on Kobo Plus. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
Processing…
Success! You're on the list.
Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.
It’s Launch day! DragonBound is live! I am so excited to share the next installment, book two of the Fantasy Romance/PNR Romance SoulMist series.
DragonBound
DragonBound is the second enthralling book in the Fantasy Romance SoulMist series full of vibrant characters, political intrigue and betrayal.
How could so much go awry in so short a time? Crossing the divide between gloomy Eidolon and sunny Puronia was the least of their problems.
Solanji Her brother is still soulless and lost in Eidolon. Having exchanged tantalising promises of love with the mesmerising fallen angel, Demavrian, she led him straight into a trap, and he is running out of time to prove his innocence. She has no idea how to use her SoulBreathing skills or to control the dragon that comes with it, and to top it all, the Heavenly Host kicked in her door. They had better repair it!
Demavrian Ageing isn’t fun. If he didn’t reconnect to the citadel fast, he may even die of it, if the queue of angels wanting him dead didn’t get to him first. Unexpected enemies and surprising allies surface as he navigates the dark web of corrupted politics in the angel’s assembly. Let’s hope his newly independent oathsworn can keep him alive long enough to unravel his memories of what really happened the day he was cast out – and his beautiful SoulBreather, Solanji, may be the key.
Solanji and Mav may be immortal, but they are running out of time to discover who is behind all the scheming and how to redeem the soulless. When the timepiece makes it last turn, they will not be the only ones to suffer if they fail.
I hope you enjoy my latest book and once you’ve read DragonBound it would be really great if you could leave a review and let other readers know what you liked about it. You can find DragonBound on a book vendor of your choice and on Goodreads or Bookbub.
If you enjoy fantasybooks then you will love my epic fantasy Sentinal series which is available on Kindle Unlimited. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
Processing…
Success! You're on the list.
Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.
Reviewed: June 15th, 2023 Released: January 1st, 2023 Genre: Paranormal Fantasy
For Elle, haunting a share house comes with a unique set of challenges. Living tenants come and go, leaving her with nothing to fill her days except a crush on longstanding housemate, Dean, who literally doesn’t know she exists. Talk about unrequited love.
Just as she despairs at being stuck halfway to the other side for the rest of her afterlife, the newest resident sparks hope for something more than the humdrum of everyday death.
As far as mediums go, Ethan barely knows he is one. He just wants a place to knuckle down and finish his medical degree. But as soon as he moves in, he senses a presence. He tries to ignore it – but Elle is insistent…
The more Ethan uncovers about Elle, the more he suspects her death was no accident. Can he help her move on, or will greater forces intervene?
Erika’s journey includes a trek through childhood friendships, narcissistic family, an obsession with 80s rock music, and the trials and joys of being a wife and mother. With relationships tested and secrets revealed, can she face the stakes of her quest and become who she needs to be?
Not in the US?? Then enter the International Giveaway. Shelve DragonBound on your Goodreads tbr shelf and Enter here.
DragonBound is the second enthralling book in the Fantasy Romance SoulMist series full of vibrant characters, political intrigue and betrayal.
How could so much go awry in so short a time? Crossing the divide between gloomy Eidolon and sunny Puronia was the least of their problems.
Solanji Her brother is still soulless and lost in Eidolon. Having exchanged tantalising promises of love with the mesmerising fallen angel, Demavrian, she led him straight into a trap, and he is running out of time to prove his innocence. She has no idea how to use her SoulBreathing skills or to control the dragon that comes with it, and to top it all, the Heavenly Host kicked in her door. They had better repair it!
Demavrian Ageing isn’t fun. If he didn’t reconnect to the citadel fast, he may even die of it, if the queue of angels wanting him dead didn’t get to him first. Unexpected enemies and surprising allies surface as he navigates the dark web of corrupted politics in the angel’s assembly. Let’s hope his newly independent oathsworn can keep him alive long enough to unravel his memories of what really happened the day he was cast out – and his beautiful SoulBreather, Solanji, may be the key.
Solanji and Mav may be immortal, but they are running out of time to discover who is behind all the scheming and how to redeem the soulless. When the timepiece makes it last turn, they will not be the only ones to suffer if they fail.
The first book in the SoulMist series is now available in Audio book. You can find it via the vendor of your choice HERE.
I am so thirilled that Voice Artist Tim Paige agreed to narrate my book. Check out the audio sample and start the adventure now.
The SoulMist series
If you fall in love with the shadows, does that mean you are fallen too? A dying angel. A fractured realm. The mortal who might be able to save them both.
Solanji has a secret. One that is becoming increasingly difficult to keep. She can touch souls and see into a person’s inner thoughts. Soulbreathing is exhilarating and addictive, until the day Solanji caresses the wrong person’s soulmist.
Dragged into a long forgotten angelic mystery, she is forced to venture into Eidolon, the godforsaken last resort for those without souls. In order to save her brother, she must rescue a broken and tortured man. Can she save him from the shadows? Does he even want to be saved? And can she find a way to return to the light before the darkness engulfs them both?
SoulBreather is the first book in the paranormal fantasy SoulMist series.
I’m a father to two awesome little boys (and a 4 lb toy poodle). We’re a little too obsessed with Disney (#Disnerds) and Marvel Comics.
I spent a large part of my life as a touring musician, playing on some of the bigget stages in the world (including on MTV’s TRL, back when that was a thing).
I also practiced and taught marketing (mostly at software startups) so I’ve got tech expertise, as well as experience with entrepreneurship, startups, and motivation.
Rom Coms are my JAM, so if something has a HEA, count me in.
I’ve not only narrated best-selling books, but have also voiced national commercials, tv show promos, trailers, and more.
Listen on Spotify
If you’ve read this far, you deserve a gift! I have a few Spotify promo codes allowing you to download my audiobook for free. You can apply for a free code here. (Limited number of codes available so don’t delay. When they are gone, they are gone!) Let me know what you think by leaving a review.
Happy Listening!
If you enjoy fantasybooks then you will love my epic fantasy Sentinal series. (First three books also available on audio!) Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
Processing…
Success! You're on the list.
Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.
Reviewed: June 8th, 2023 Released: June 1st, 2023 Genre: Epic Fantasy
“No surrender. No retreat.” With twenty enemy swords at their backs and a broken bridge ahead, the last knights of an outlaw order turn to fight. A young woman with forbidden magic joins their final stand. And as blade meets blade, she starts to sing…
Adelais was raised in the far north, learning stories of the old gods and the skill of weaving runes into magic. Now, she is locked in a convent far from home, forced to kneel to a foreign god.
When inquisitors arrive with plans to torture an innocent man, Adelais cannot stand by. She aids an attack to free the prisoner and joins the raiders as they flee into the night.
Her new companions are the last of the Guardians—once a powerful holy order, now ragged fugitives, hunted almost to extinction.
The knights carry a secret treasure, precious and powerful enough to shape kingdoms. Their pursuers, desperate to possess it, will crush any who stand in their way.
Nowhere is safe—in city or chateau, on the road or in the wilds. And even disguised as a boy, Adelais draws attention wherever she goes. Is she angel or demon, priestess or witch?
Adelais must summon all her courage and all her memories of the old gods’ magic as the noose tightens around her and a thunderous final reckoning approaches.
Reviewed: June 7th, 2023 Released: January 27th, 2023 Genre: Paranormal Fantasy
A war is brewing on the horizon; choices will have to be made that will bring unexpected allies together or tear apart clans forever.
Isolated her whole life in a village of fellow sirens, Thess finds her world turned upside down after she sets her eyes upon the tall mysterious male who walks into her life while training for the clan’s tournament that would decide her fate. Kage, a crocodile shifter from a lowborn family, has been trying to redeem his family’s name and pull them out of the mud. Kage finds his next mission will not only change his life but impact the lives of those around him.
The Clan of Mist is the first book in the Calpa Series, a new adult fantasy romance featuring shifters, magical amulets, fated mates, and enemies to lovers tropes.
Today, I am pleased to welcome author Geoff Gudgion to talk to us about the Hammer of Fate, the first book in his new epic fantasy Rune Song trilogy which released on June 1st, 2023.
Helen: Welcome Geoff. I am so excited to chat about your new epic fantasy book today!! Congratulations on the release. I am currently reading Hammer of Fate, and I am loving it. Tell us a little about it.
Geoff: Hammer of Fate is the first in the Rune Song epic fantasy trilogy, which was released on 1 June. The publishers (Second Sky, an imprint of Bookouture/Hachette) are positioning the series alongside George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones and Robin Hobb’s Farseer series, but I’d like to add a nod to Guy Gavriel Kay’s The Lions of Al-Rassan.
The heroine, Adelais, was raised in the far north, learning stories of the old gods and the skill of weaving runes into magic. Now she’s locked in a convent far from home and forced to kneel to a foreign god. Adelais falls foul of the Inquisition, escapes dressed as a boy, and finds herself caught up in much larger conflict between faiths and nations. She must summon all her courage and her memories of the old gods’ magic as the noose tightens around her and a thunderous final reckoning approaches.
Some will adore her as an angel. Most will hunt her as a witch. She may be both.
You’ll find more details at https://geni.us/B0BT8BH85Dcover Two other titles in the series, Runes of Battle and Blood of Wolves, will be released in July and October respectively.
Helen: I love the nod to the Knights Templar and the renaissance feel of the world, reinforced by the naming. And I am so happy this is a trilogy, more books to enjoy! I am assuming that is Adelais on the cover?
Geoff: The fantastic cover art was commissioned from the talented Lance Buckley ( https://www.lancebuckley.com/ ) by Second Sky. I can see elements of my suggestions in the design, though I pictured Adelais as being a little more vulnerable and feminine in the first book; more like Daenarys Targarian in Season 1 of Game of Thrones than Brienne of Tarth in Season 2. By Book 3, Blood of Wolves, her character has evolved through adversity and this image would definitely fit.
Helen: I love the character of Adelais, you have written her so beautifully. She is still feminine under her disguise, so I do agree that the cover does portray her more as boy, which loses the sense of her vulnerability and naivete at the start. But the cover does still suggests an underdog against the powers that be.
Geoff: Adelais is all my agent’s fault. Ian encouraged me to focus on historical fiction ‘with a female protagonist’. I was researching the 14th century at the time, an era when the only empowered women were queens or nuns, but writing a ‘nun on the run’ seemed like a fun idea. ‘What about a kick-ass, cross-dressing nun?’ I asked, and was rewarded with a literary air-punch.
Sadly, publishers did not buy the manuscript as historical fiction, much to Ian’s frustration, so he suggested I keep the characters and the essence of the plot but rewrite it as fantasy. That worked.
I had reservations, at first, being a man writing a female protagonist, but Adelais became very real to me faster than any character before. Sometimes it feels as if we wrote her adventures together. Fortunately I had an excellent lady copy editor who could ensure that masculine thinking did not intrude into a feminine point of view, but she had to make very few changes in that regard.
Helen: You mentioned researching. How much research did you have to do for Hammer of Fate?
Geoff: Masses! Research for the Rune Song series has taken me into the Old Norse language, arcane aspects of Nordic rune lore, the trials of the Knights Templar, the mindset of chivalry, and medieval sword fighting techniques. I could add a few minor diversions such as medieval medicines. (Hot tip; wash wounds with wine and pack them with sphagnum moss; it contains a form of penicillin.)
Helen: Researching can be quite consuming, but these subjects sound really interesting. Let’s talk about your writing process. Are you a plotter or a pantser?
Geoff: A bit of both. I’ll always have a premise; the key characters, needs, jeopardies, and resolution. Then I’ll start crafting craft words but stray off track, and write the premise again because I’ve improved on the original idea. That could happen three or four times in the course of a novel.
Helen: How does your writing fit into your daily life?
Geoff: At the moment the difficulty is fitting everyday life around my writing! I’m a keen amateur horse rider but deadlines mean even my lovely mare is neglected. When Blood of Wolves is out & running I will heave a massive sigh of relief and book a holiday.
Helen: Hammer of Fate is a new genre for you. How easy was it to write in a different genre to your previous books?
Geoff: Remarkably easily. In fact it was liberating. In historical fiction the plot has to fit within the framework of known facts, but a fantasy author can let their imagination rip. Rune Song would only have run for two books as HF, but in fantasy I could give Adelais a character arc that would have put her into the history books. If I want dragons, ‘here be dragons’. There aren’t, by the way. Dragons, that is. Just a little magic that’s based on pre-Christian, Nordic rune lore.
Helen: It was good job you clarified that, otherwise we’d all be asking where are the dragons! Do you have a favorite tool or software that helps your writing?
Geoff: I’m a fan of Scrivener. It keeps all my research in one file, allows me to ‘cork board’ plots, and keep side notes to remind me what to change. I’d be lost without it.
Helen: I have Scrivener, I’ve just never had to time to figure it out! Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
Geoff: Don’t give up, just learn to fail better.
Write for yourself, but if you want to reach a wider audience recognise the realities of the market, particularly genre structures. These days, you can have a brilliant manuscript but if you don’t fit into a neat Amazon tick-box, mainstream publishers don’t want to know because they can’t position the book into their primary means of distribution. There can be a huge gap between what people like to read and what the market is prepared to sell them.
Helen: It’s been a pleasure chatting with you, Geoff. I wish you all the best of luck with Hammer of Fate. Any last words you’d like to share?
Geoff: Fifteen years ago I left corporate life and went freelance to release time to write. My mother-in-law was not impressed. When, eventually, my wife rang her and said ‘wonderful news, Mummy – Geoff’s got a publishing deal! He’s going to be a published author,’ the response was ‘that’s nice, dear, but has he got work?’
Helen, thank you so much for inviting me onto your blog. It’s a privilege to be here and in such good company.
About the Author
G.N Gudgion
G.N. Gudgion (‘Geoff’) grew up with his nose in a book, often one featuring knights in armour. These days he prefers tales where women don’t have to be either beautiful damsels or witches. He likes to craft stories with complex, conflicted characters that a reader can bleed with, cry for, and perhaps fall in love with. They live in worlds where you can smell the sweat and the sewers, as well as the roses.
Geoff lives in a leafy corner of England, where he’s a keen amateur equestrian and a very bad pianist. He spends much of his time crafting words in a shed, fifty yards and five hundred years from his house.
He is also the author, as Geoffrey Gudgion, of supernatural thrillers Saxon’s Bane (Solaris, 2020) and Draca (Unbound, 2020)
As an Amazon Associate I may benefit from purchases made using these links.
If you enjoy fantasy books with a touch of romance then you will love SoulBreather, or 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.
Processing…
Success! You're on the list.
Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.
Helen Garraway 