Today’s Realm of Darkness Author chat is with Fantasy author, Vivienne Lee Fraser about her contribution to the boxset, The World Below, which releases on October 4th, 2022 and is currently available on preorder.
Helen: Welcome Vivienne, Thank you for joining me today. I am so excited to chat with you about The World Below. To start us off, please tell us a little about your book.
Vivienne: My book in the Realm of Darkness is The World Below. I started with the age old idea of what if a girl found out the world she lived in was full of magic and she was part of it. Then added a guitar playing magical creature to guide her through this new world. I loved the idea of mixing the real world and magic, and exploring the relationships between the magical creatures.
Helen: Sounds very intriguing, and by the colours of your cover not all is going well in the world! How did you design your cover?
Vivienne: The cover for my book was inspired by the Divergent Series. I loved the idea of colours and shadows, and the accents with leaves and feathers.
Helen: What made you write a novel for an anthology?
Vivienne: I loved the idea of working with and learning from other authors. It has been an exciting and whirlwind experience and I would do it again in a moment.
Helen: It has certainly been a learning experience, a lot of hard work, but definitely worthwhile participating in at least one anthlogy if you get the chance! What genre do you typically write?
Vivienne: I write YA Fantasy. I love the way Young Adults suspend belief and you can create amazing fantasy books for them.
Helen: Tell us about some of the books you have written.
Vivienne: I have a traditional fantasy series: The Wizard and The Warrior and a portal travel adventure: The Guardians of Time.
Helen: You have been very busy writing. What first made you put pen to paper and publish your books?
Vivienne: I have always written stories, but it wasn’t until I wrote The Wizard and the Warrior Series for my son that I decided to actually publish some of my work.
Helen: Oh that’s so cool that you wrote your first book for your son. I hope he treaures it. Now we are almost at launch day for The World Below, what else are you working on?
Vivienne: I have two projects on the go at the moment. Suffragette is a passion project for me and the last book in the Time Guardian Series. I am still in the first draft phase as the time travellers try to navigate their lives while looking for a missing Suffragette. The Minotaur’s Maze is the second book in the World Below Series and I am going through final edits for a November release. In this book Pris and Snake must face more challenges to save their parents.
Helen: You are so far ahead of me, my second book in the SoulMist series won’t come out until next year, but I am being chased for the next book in my Sentinal Series so I’ve been working on that instead! Do you have to do much research for your books?
Vivienne: I love history and I love accuracy, so for my time portal series I did a lot of research into all the time periods. I also did a lot of planning for The World Below because I wanted to include magical places in England in the book.
Helen: With being so busy with your writing, do you have any other hobbies?
Vivienne: Obviously I love reading, but I also, knit and crochet and love walking, movies and music.
Helen: Tell us something completly random about yourself.
Vivienne: I have been learning to play the piano. I’m not very good, but I enjoy the challenge.
Helen: I learnt to play as a child, but never took it any further. I regret that now, but isn’t that always the case? You said you were a big reader, who’s your favourite author?
Vivienne: I have so many – Isabelle Allende because of her beautiful prose and her different world view, Agatha Christie because no one writes a cosy mystery better, Maria V Snyder, Juliet Marillier and Aimee Kauffman because of the beautiful fantasy worlds they create.
Helen: There are some great choices in there, the only one I haven’t read is Isabelle Allende, I’ll have to go and check her out. We’ve reached your final question. Thank you so much for chatting with us today. Just to finish, which books have you read recently that you woudl rcommend to others?
Vivienne: I read everything and anything, and this year I found two unexpected reads that I have been recommending to everyone. The first is Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus and The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osmond.
Helen: Thank you so much for joining me today and sharing your favourite reads. We have been so lucky to be part of this anthology, it has been a great experience, and I can’t believe the launch is in a two days. It has come around so quickly! You can preorder the anthology here for the insane price of 99c!
Realm of Darkness Anthology
Make sure you can check out some of my other posts as I spotlight the authors as they reveal their covers!
About the Author:
Vivienne Lee Fraser is an Australian YA Fantasy writer, who writes stories she would enjoy reading. Her books range from traditional, to portal, to paranormal fantasy. They all have a touch of magic, strong females, quirky males and the occasional sentient animal.
As an Amazon Associate I may earn commission from purchases made using these links.
If you enjoy fantasy romance books then you will love my new release SoulBreather, part of the Realm of Darkness Anthology, and my epic fantasy Sentinal series. As a new threat against Remargaren is discovered, only one man can wake the ancient guards who can protect them, only he doesn’t know how. Start the adventure and stay for the journey. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
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Today I am chatting with Fantasy author, RA Winter about her contribution to the Realm of Darkness boxset, Themis which releases on October 4th, 2022 and is currently available on preorder.
Helen: I am delighted to welcome you to my blog today, and I am so looking forward to chatting with you about Themis. To start please tell us a little about your book.
RA Winter: My contribution to the Realm of Darkness Boxset is Themis. I’ve been wanting to write about Greek Mythology for a while and Themis fit my idea of a strong woman and one who wouldn’t take any sass from the other Olympian gods. It’s a fantasy/mystery/adventure that will take you on a journey into the underworld of Hades, Tartarus, and beyond.
Helen: Strong heroines on an adventure, sounds exciting! Your cover is striking. The colours remind me of the fires of hell, which is sounds like we get to visit. How did you come up with your cover?
RA Winter: A friend of mine designed the cover. I gave her the model and the background but she really made it pop! I just love the colors and the vibe the covers gives off. It tells a story-and brings you into the feel of the novel.
Helen: It is striking. What made you write a book for an anthology?
RA Winter: I’ve done a few anthologies and enjoyed the creative process and the behind the scenes action. It also pushes me to be a better writer-and stick to deadlines. I need a rigid schedule to force me to finish. Otherwise-I’d be editing for years and would never hit publish.
Helen: Deadlines are good motivators, though they can also be quite stressful. What made you write this specific book?
RA Winter: Themis is the prequel to a four book series. (The other three books are available for preorder or will be shortly). My father read mythology and history books to me when I was young. There were a couple of stories-and historians- that were my favorites. The Illiad, the Odyssey, and Herodicus. I would sit and listen to my father’s voice while gazing at a painting of a scene (or photos of statues) and wonder why those stories were translated in such an incomprehensible translation. (I was young!) Then I’d look at the painting and think-why didn’t they describe the monsters better?
Helen: I love that you were absorbed in mythical history so early and can use it now. What genre do you usually write?
RA Winter: Magical Realism has always been my go-to genre to write. Now, MR isn’t all about magic and wands. It’s anything that the ‘normal’ world can’t see or interact with or more precisely- everyday life with ‘otherworldy’ events. Most of my novels revolve around Native Americans and the unseen world of the ancestors. I’ve dipped into paranormal too, and added in lots of humor.
Helen: Tell us about the other books you’ve written.
RA Winter: The Spirit Key Series. It’s five novels that follow one Native American family as they deal with the ancient spirits that inhabit their land. Each book follows a romance of one member-and a ten thousand year old spirit that is just as ornery as he can be.
Helen: That sounds really interesting, especially the ten thousand year old spirit! What made you fisrt start writing?
RA Winter: My cat, Dingle, passed away. I’ve always wanted to write but I wanted to share his special personality with everyone. Dingle is a major character in my Spirit Key Series. He’s the ten-thousand-year-old spirit who finds himself inhabiting the body of a cat and is always causing trouble-in a lovable way. He’s unable to articulate his needs with words but he certainly can with actions. He was funny, loveable, ornery, cute, and didn’t like my husband at all. He was constantly fighting with my husband over a chair and my affections. I’m not going to tell you what happened when my husband came near me. Yeah, it’s a whole story. I loved that cat. Miss him horribly.
Helen: He sounds adorable, and I am sorry you lost him, but I am so glad you managed to capture his personality in your books. I am excited to meet him through your stories. Tell us about what you are currently working on?
RA Winter: Currently, I’m getting ready to release the other three books in the same series as Themis. The other books in the Queens of the Underworld series are Demise, Death, and Bane. I’m at the end stages of editing and once I’m finished-I’m thinking about a series where the Death Takers are given a vacation and the Greek gods have lost their power. So-imagine Zeus running into a restaurant and demanding food-or ‘service’ from a woman. Or-a grim reaper is on earth for the first time and able to interact as a human. I think I could have a lot of fun with those stories lines.
Helen: Oh yes, you could have a ball! When writing, do you listen to music or do you prefer silence?
RA Winter: I love every type of music from classical, to heavy metal and everything in between. My character decides the music to play and it’s based on their needs. In the 2nd Spirit Key book, RedHorse, he’s in a war zone and I listened to Diamond Eyes over and over while writing and editing. Then when the female MC was being written she asked for Garth Brooks. Dingle likes the flute.
Helen: Writing about Greek mythology, I imagine you had to do a lot research to get your facts right?
RA Winter: With Themis and the rest of the Queens of the Underworld series I really did a lot. I wanted to keep the characters close to the ‘oldest’ form of the Greek myths. I took three classes in mythology at the university and did a lot of my own research. It was harder to find information about the earlier myths than I thought!
Helen: And research can be so time consuming, taking you down all those rabbit holes. When not researching or writing, tell us what you do to relax.
RA Winter: Genealogy. I love solving mysteries and finding secrets! ok, so I have written a couple of genealogy books under my married name! I also love libraries and dark rooms with old books. Something about it calls to me.
Helen: Thank you so much for joining me today. It’s been such fun chatting with you. Writing a book for this anthology has been a great experience, and I can’t believe the launch is in a few days. It has come around so quickly! You can preorder the anthology here for the insane price of 99c! You can also enter the competitions and claim free gifts if you buy a copy on Apple or Barnes and Noble here.
Realm of Darkness Anthology
Make sure you can check out some of my other posts as I spotlight the authors as they reveal their covers!
About the Author:
I started writing under my married name, writing genealogy books as history was my first love. Now I write stories that give me joy-be it fantasy, magical realism, ghosts, urban fiction, or romance. All my novels contain strong females with sass, sarcasm, and humor. You know, women exactly like me. I love animals and it doesn’t matter what kind either. I’ve even petted a crocodile in Egypt-tried to take him home too. Apparently, that’s not allowed.
As an Amazon Associate I may earn commission from purchases made using these links.
If you enjoy fantasy romance books then you will love my new release SoulBreather, part of the Realm of Darkness Anthology, and my epic fantasy Sentinal series. As a new threat against Remargaren is discovered, only one man can wake the ancient guards who can protect them, only he doesn’t know how. Start the adventure and stay for the journey. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
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The Realm of Darkness authors are here and ready to party for the Realm of Darkness launch. Everyone is invited! Come join us over on the Dark Book Boyfriends Facebook Group.
Check out all of the prizes (in the banner) we have on offer this week and that’s only the start. As our sales increase so do the prizes- so share the word!!
6000 sales: $150 Amazon Giftcard
7000 sales: Kindle
8000 sales: $250 Amazon Giftcard
9000 sales: Nook
10000 sales: iPad
12000 sales: $500 Amazon Giftcard
The more you interact on the posts and invite people to join the party, the more chances you have of winning! We’ll be unlocking prizes as our sales go up and we hit our targets.
We (the authors) will also be handing out prizes too!
Join my Sentinals Readers Group on FB and complete the online jigsaw puzzle faster than me for a chance to win an ebook of your choice from my catalogue!
Join the scavenger hunt and collect the keywords to enter a competition to win a $50 Amazon giftcard. Find the instructions in my Sentinals Readers Group from Oct 4th.
If that’s not enough fun, we’ll be hosting a live FB party where you can win a Pizza delivered right to your house (US only – I am really sorry we can’t deliver outside the US.) But even if you are not in the US, you can still join in the fun.
We’ll be asking the authors questions about their books (and you can ask them questions too)
We’ll be playing a game to see who will get the most drunk 🙂
Keep checking back daily for more fun! and don’t forget to pick up your copy of Realm of Darkness (35 full length paranormal and Fanatsy Romance novels for 99c! Including my contribution SoulBreather.) www.books2read.com/realmofdarknessset
If you enjoy fantasybooks then you will love my epic fantasy Sentinal series. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
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And the Realm of Darkness authors keep on coming. Today I am chatting with Fantasy author, Bethany Adams about her contribution to the boxset, The Mage’s Curse which releases on October 4th, 2022 and is currently available on preorder.
Helen: Welcome Bethany, I am so excited to chat with you about The Mage’s curse. Tell us a little about your book.
Bethany: My contribution is called The Mage’s Curse, and it’s about a fae mage who is trapped in a magical realm after a meeting with a god went wrong. In order to escape, Chalmys has to find someone to write his story, but since he’s trapped, he has to try to reach people through dreams. He finds Holly, a single mom and technical writer, on Earth and chooses her to ask for help with his latest attempt.
Helen: This sounds so good! I can’t wait to read it, and your cover! Oh my – it’s gorgeous! I am assuming that is Chalmys?
Bethany: My cover was designed by Ana Cruz, who took my descriptions of a couple of scenes and created magic. It shows Chalmys working magic inside a stone circle and even features the crystals he often uses during his work. I absolutely love it!
Helen: So you should it is beautiful. What made you write a book for an anthology?
Bethany: Honestly? Because several of my writing friends had joined, and I thought it would be fun to be in a book together. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know other authors, too.
Helen: It has been fun, hasn’t it? Can’t believe we’re nearly at launch day. What made you write this specific book?
Bethany: The idea for this was sparked by a conversation with one of my long-time readers (who might not want to be named here, but she’ll know it’s her). When she read my book, Soulbound, there were several details that reminded her of a story idea she’d had. We live on different continents and had never even spoken before, so it was just one of those weird things that we found amusing. But then I got to thinking…what if there’s some fae/god/etc out there trying to get people to write about him by sending out dreams? Wouldn’t it be funny to see what would happen? And so Chalmys was born.
Helen: What a lovely story and a great way for this book to be born. Maybe if we all read it we’ll help to save Chalmys! Is this the type of book you usually write?
Bethany: I generally write some blend of fantasy and romance. Sometimes, the stories are heavier on the fantasy and sometimes heavier on the romance, but both are usually there. They’ve just always been my two favorite genres to read, so I find them blending when I write.
Helen: Tell us about the other books you’ve written.
Bethany: I currently have nine books in The Return of the Elves series, which begins with Soulbound. I also write steamy fantasy romance serials as Willow McCain. The first season of my Kindle Vella serial will soon release as an ebook titled The Fae Kings’ Bargain.
Helen: I love that your first book was Soulbound. My contribution to the anthology is SoulBreather, so i feel a connection between us already! If your main characters could answer this question, why would they say we should read your book?
Bethany: Well, Chalmys wants everyone to read his story so he can be freed from his curse, and Holly would tell you that you should read because she worked hard to write it all down. Ohh, if a fae mage shows up to thank you for reading, tell him he owes me a bag of gold, okay? hehe
Helen: LOL! Let’s talk a little about your writing process. What first made you start writing fantasy novels?
Bethany: At this point, it feels like something I’ve always done. I’ve been a reader for as long as I can remember, and at some point as a kid, I started trying to write stories down. I even carried around notebooks in high school.
Helen: How do you fit writing into your daily life?
Bethany: When I was younger, I used to follow my muse, but now I sit at my computer every morning (well, Monday-Friday) and try to coax her to show up. I find that the more habit I build for my brain, the easier it goes.
Helen: When writing do your prefer silence or do you like to listen to music?
Bethany: Almost always. For some books, I have a playlist that fits the mood, but it can also be more general. The what is really random. Sometimes, the music is instrumental. Or love songs. Or heavy, moody stuff. I’ve always connected emotionally with music, so it often helps me slip into the mood of a scene.
Helen: Do you plan out your books with outlines and knowing where you’re going or do you write free form?
Bethany: I’m a pantser, but I wouldn’t say I sit down each day with literally no idea where the story is going. I might have a couple of rough goalposts in mind, but I also tend to mull over the next scene or two in the time between writing sessions. Much of it is drifting around back there in my subconscious.
Helen: Just to finish, tell us what you do when you’re not writing.
Bethany: I love video games and reading. I play a lot on my Switch or on PC. I especially love tycoon/simulation games and role-playing games, though I rarely have time to finish an RPG these days. Lately, I’ve been reading a lot of manhwa/webcomics. When I read books, it’s usually historical or contemporary romance.
Helen: Thank you, Bethany, for joining me today. I enjoyed speaking with you, and like you, I am so excited to be part of this anthology. It has been a great experience, and I can’t believe the launch is in a few days. It has come around so quickly! You can preorder the anthology here for the insane price of 99c! You can also enter the competitions and claim free gifts if you by on Apple or Barnes and Noble here.
Realm of Darkness Anthology
Make sure you can check out some of my other posts as I spotlight the authors as they reveal their covers!
About the Author:
Bethany Adams
Ever since finding The Hero and the Crown in her school library, Bethany Adams has loved fantasy, even subjecting her school friends to stories scrawled in notebooks. Eventually, she decided to publish novels of her own. She currently writes romantic portal fantasy as Bethany Adams and steamy fantasy romance serials as Willow McCain. When not writing, Bethany enjoys reading and playing video games.
As an Amazon Associate I may earn commission from purchases made using these links.
If you enjoy fantasy romance books then you will love my new release SoulBreather, part of the Realm of Darkness Anthology, and my epic fantasy Sentinal series. As a new threat against Remargaren is discovered, only one man can wake the ancient guards who can protect them, only he doesn’t know how. Start the adventure and stay for the journey. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
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Joining me today is another of my co-conspirators from the Realm of Darkness boxset. I am chatting with Fantasy author, KC Freeman about her contribution to the boxset, Renegade Angel, which releases on October 4th, 2022 and is currently available on preorder.
Helen: Welcome Karen, I am so excited to chat with you about Renegade Angel. I was fortunate enough to read an ARC of your book, and I can’t wait for it to be released. You can find my book review here. Tell us a little about your book.
Karen: My contribution to the ROD boxset is titled Renegade Angel. It’s about a guardian angel with a heart of gold but a body for sin. He’s more comfortable in jeans, leather jacket, and on a Harley Davidson than with wings. And he’s a Casanova! Despite being an angel he also retains all his humanity so he’s not held to the same constraints as pure blood angels. He’s off to the wilds of Montana to save a rodeo clown from an unknown evil only to find she’s no clown but a full-blown hottie who he happened to save years before when she was a child. She hasn’t lost her crush on him and his primal urges may get in the way of his objective when a maniac Etruscan goddess tries to possess his lady love.
Helen: I loved Jasper, he was definitely a baddass angel and it was great to see him knocked for six by Savannah. It’s nice to see them both on the cover. Tell us how you came up with the design.
Karen: The cover designed by the amazing folks at MiblArt, showcases Jasper’s bad boy persona, Savannah’s ethereal beauty against the backdrop of a rough, Western rodeo landscape which is where the bulk of the story takes place. Savannah is a rodeo clown but longs to be a bigger part of the rodeo and part of a family which she never had. When Jasper saved her years ago from demons threatening her life, she had been a runaway multiple times over as she ran from abusive foster homes. He handed her off to a lovely couple who traveled with the rodeo and it has been her life ever since.
Helen: Is there a story behind how you chose the title?
Karen: Jasper has never been an “angel’s” angel. He’s a bad boy with a heart of gold. He’ll battle demons all day, then seduce all the pretty ladies in sight. His bad boy status is what’s paramount in the title, Renegade Angel. He’ll break the rules, actually he enjoys doing so. But he’ll fight to the death against evil in all forms.
Helen: What made you write a novel for an anthology?
Karen: I’ve participated in short story anthologies before and it’s always a fun and rewarding experience. With ROD, I didn’t run into the same problem of trying to rein in my words to avoid generating a story too large for a short story. It allows me to introduce more readers to my favorite guardian angel, Jasper who has been a hoot to write! He’s so much fun!
Helen: You definitely had fun! What made you write this particular book for the anthology?
Karen: I first wrote Jasper in the three-book series, Greylyn the Guardian Angel. Greylyn is so much more serious, but Jasper was just FUN! He definitely needed his own series.
Helen: Which genre do you typically write?
Karen: I prefer fantasy and paranormal –sometimes with romance and sometimes without it. It’s fun, it’s magical, it can be anything you want it to be. There’s no limit on your imagination when it comes to fantasy and paranormal.
Helen: I agree, it is such fun to let your imagination run wild. What other books have written?
Karen: I’ve written the Greylyn the Guardian Angel trilogy (Rekindled Prophecy, Revelations, and Redemption), Hunted (a spicy shifter romance), a short story that was included in the 2017 Bowman’s Inn anthology (paranormal romance), another PNR short story for the After Dark anthology which has since been taken down, a YA dragon shifter story, “Dreaming of Dragons” that went into the Something About Dragons anthology.
Helen: You’ve been busy! What made you first start writing?
Karen: I’ve wanted to write since I can’t remember when but it was put aside as my life’s dream because my parents didn’t consider it a good option for job security. Guess they were right about that, but I spent couple decades pursuing a career I despised (but paid well) instead. Once the option became viable for me to stay home with the kids, then the kids went to school and I hate housework so I looked for hobbies, which led me back to my first love of writing.
Helen: I think it is every writer’s dream to be able to give up the day job and live off their writing. Unfortunately it is not a secure income for most! Where do all your ideas come from?
Karen: I’ve been asked this a lot. The best way I can describe it is… channeling. The story unfolds in my head and I type. Story ideas pop in my head all the time with no rhyme or reason.
Helen: Seeing as we’ve all finished our books for Realm of Darkness, what are you working on now?
Karen: I just finished the first book in the Fallen Angel series, Falling for the Devil, which will release January 24, 2023. The title is pretty self-explanatory. It’s a salacious, twisted take on the fall from grace of the most notorious angel ever–Lucifer.
Helen: Who is your main character, and if they were asked the question, ‘Why shoud you read this book?’ what would they say?
Karen: Jasper is so much fun to write. He’s sexy, snarky, and … well, fun. He kicks ass, sweeps the girl off her feet, and has a good old time no matter what monsters came after him. Jasper would say to read my book because it’s all about him. He’s also got a bit of an ego.
Helen: Who do you enjoy writing the most? Heoroes or villains?
Karen: Anti-heroes are the most fun to write – they’re bad but there’s good in them. Writing the contrasts and how they emerge is what keeps me at the computer too many hours out of the day.
Helen: Let’s switch to a few questions about your writing process. How do you fit writing into your daily life?
Karen: With the kids in school, it’s easier. When they’re home, I had to learn to roll with it. It’ll be written when it’s written and not a moment sooner.
Helen: Do you like to write in silence or do you have a writing playlist?
Karen: I usually write in silence but there’s always a soundtrack playing in my head. For the Greylyn series, I had “Bring Me to Life” on repeat the entire series.
Helen: Do you like to plan your books or do you make it up as you go along?
Karen: I’ll admit, I’m a freeform pantser but am trying to rectify the situation. Having an outline makes the writing go faster, less room for writer’s block, but I do have the tendency to go off the grid.
Helen: I must admit the more I write, the more I am planning. Though there is always room for a little free form writing where the characters take over! Which do you prefer: Writing or Editing?
Karen: I love writing and I love editing (for others). Editing for myself… not so much.
Helen: When not writing, what hobbies do you have?
Karen: Ha! Yeah, I don’t know what spare time is anymore.
Helen: I know the feeling! If you didn’t write paranormal fantasy, what would you write?
Karen: Historical fiction – I’m a sucker for anything Tudor dynasty related or Ancient Egypt.
Helen: Tell us something random about yourself.
Karen: I love going on paranormal investigations. However, I don’t get to as often as I’d like so I binge watch paranormal investigation shows.
Helen: I bet that helps generate new ideas all the time. Thank you for joining me today Karen, it’s been great chatting with you. Just to finish, what advice would you give aspiring writers?
Karen: Write the story you want to read. Don’t give up. Writing is hard but only you can be the author of your own story.
Helen: Great advice! I am so excited to be part of this anthology, it has been a great experience, and I can’t believe the launch is in a few days. It has come around so quickly! You can preorder the anthology here for the insane price of 99c!
Realm of Darkness Anthology
Make sure you can check out some of my other posts as I spotlight the authors as they reveal their covers!
About the Author:
KC Freeman, paranormal romance/urban fantasy author. She mostly writes fantasy and paranormal romance novels, especially angels and demons, enemies to lovers romance. Her debut novel, Rekindled Prophecy, won the 2021 Firebird Book Awards for Paranormal Fiction and was a finalist in the International Book Awards for Fantasy Fiction.
After leaving the corporate world to raise her five rambunctious children with her husband in North Carolina, KC Freeman eventually found her way back to her lifelong desire to write fiction. First, she dipped her toes in the writing world by ghostwriting cozy mysteries and romance novels before striking out on her own to write paranormal and fantasy.
Rekindled Prophecy: Greylyn the Guardian Angel Series Book 1 was originally published by Zimbell House Publishing November 2019; however, due to the publisher closing their business, KC relaunched the first book in the Greylyn series, Rekindled Prophecy and shortly thereafter released the remaining books in the series, Revelations and Redemption. The entire trilogy is now available in a convenient boxset.
Additionally, she contributed a paranormal romance short story to the Autumn/Winter 2017 anthology The Bowman’s Inn; as well as another paranormal romance short story released March 21, 2019 with the After Dark anthology where readers were introduced to another character from the Greylyn saga, the wolf shifter, Adeline. This story can now be found in Hunted by KC Freeman (released March 2022).
KC contributed a full-length novel to the Realm of Darkness boxset which will be released October 2022. The story, Renegade Angel, is the first in a series dedicated to Greylyn’s best friend and guardian angel mentor, Jasper.
Currently, KC is working on a couple different paranormal series (Working Titles: Falling for the Devil and Psychic in Suburbia).
When she is not writing, KC is running her children to practices, football games, swim meets, wrestling tournaments, and generally all over town. In her spare time…who are we kidding? She doesn’t have any of that.
As an Amazon Associate I may earn commission from purchases made using these links.
If you enjoy fantasy romance books then you will love my new release SoulBreather, part of the Realm of Darkness Anthology, and my epic fantasy Sentinal series. As a new threat against Remargaren is discovered, only one man can wake the ancient guards who can protect them, only he doesn’t know how. Start the adventure and stay for the journey. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
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Love never crossed his mind until she cut into his life like a gleaming sword, slicing through everything else.
A dedicated general, Hung is searching for his parents’ killer. When he encounters a beautiful healer with adept fighting skills, a powerful attraction sparks between them. With a swift flick of her finger, she yanks at an unseen thread that links them together, saving his life.
Su is a healer with a passion to fight like a warrior, but she has no teacher to educate her. Developing her own style, she unknowingly awakens a cosmic realm she never knew existed.
As darkness swarms, Su and Hung join forces with dragons that have come to protect something more precious than they could ever imagine.
Preorder Realm of Darkness Boxset
Only available as part of the Realm of Darkness Boxset available for preorder now on Amazon and other retailers for only 99c/99p!
About the Author:
I love writing sci-fi, fantasy, paranormal, and contemporary romance novels. I’m an artist, and I love to create visuals to convey my stories.
I live in Massachusetts with my husband who keeps me grounded to Earth and two creative children who think I have my own secret planet. They’re onto something…
As an Amazon Associate I may benefit from purchases made using these links.
If you enjoy fantasy romance books then you will love my new release SoulBreather, part of the Realm of Darkness Anthology, and my epic fantasy Sentinal series. As a new threat against Remargaren is discovered, only one man can wake the ancient guards who can protect them, only he doesn’t know how. Start the adventure and stay for the journey. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
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I am joined today by Sierra Knoxly, another of my co-conspirators from the Realm of Darkness boxset. We are chatting about her contribution to the boxset, The Fate in the Flames which releases on October 4th, 2022 and is currently available on preorder. Click the cover image to see a great book trailer.
Helen: Welcome Sierra, I am so excited to talk with you today. Tell us about your contribution to the anthology.
Sierra: My Realm of Darkness book The Fate in the Flames is book one in a fantasy reverse harem series: Legend of the Kitsune Pearl. Originally, I had two different story ideas I was considering for RoD, and I chose the other one, and got about two chapters in, forcing every word. I gave up and tried writing what has become The Fate in the Flames, and it just flowed out. Sometimes I write the stories, and sometimes they write me.
Helen: It’s nice when the story writes itself. You have such a beautiful cover, tell us how you chose it.
Sierra: I saw this cover in a premade covers group a year ago, and I fell in love with it. I had it on reserve, waiting for the right story, and Sakura’s tale deserved all this beauty, plus all the little elements I needed were there, from the moth to the flames, and the sword she holds is very significant (hint: the sword doesn’t belong to her).
Helen: It is very atmospheric! What made you write a book for an anthology?
Sierra: One of my writer’s group friends had signed up to participate but had to withdraw for personal reasons. She offered her space, and I thought the opportunity was really intriguing. When I signed up, the anthology was one year away from launch, so I thought that was plenty of time to get my head around the process, since I’ve never joined a boxset before. Boy, was I misguided! I feel like I stepped into a whirlwind and have yet to get off the wild ride! Of course I’m hopeful we’ll hit best seller status, but it’s been so exciting to work with all the authors, and it’s really pushed me to get out of my comfort box.
Realm of Darkness Anthology
Helen: The year has gone so quick, hasn’t it? I can’t believe there is only three weeks to go to launch. How did you come up with the title for your book?
Sierra: The title was probably the hardest part of the book to write! I agonized over it, particularly because I needed wording that suited the layout of the premade cover. I did a brainstorm and showed it to the RoD writers’ group, and the lovely authors helped me pick through my ideas. ‘Fate’ stood out because I had written it several times in the brainstorm, haha! The flames came naturally thanks to the cover image and how the story develops around fire (the main male character is a shapeshifting hellhound).
For the series title, kitsune is a name for a nine-tailed fox. I’m deeply inspired by Asian mythology, so that weaves through several of my series.
Helen: I think you came up with the perfect title. What made you write this specific book?
Sierra: This book (series) is a prequel occurring (2,000 years) before the series I’m releasing at the moment – Tears of the Heart. One of the characters that appears in that series had an amazing backstory, so I thought it deserved to be told.
Helen: Tell us a little about your main character and why you wrote about them.
Sierra: Sakura Ochi is a young adult girl from the daimyo class (nobility) in an ancient Japan. Her birth name is Kiyoko, but she’s known by a nickname that her mother gave her, in reference to the blossoming of the cherry tree flowers. I wrote the Tears of the Heart series a few years ago, and I wanted to write the backstory of a character that appears in that series. That put my character starting a few thousand years back in ancient Japan, and so I created Sakura. This character has a traumatic start to the story; her family is condemned to ritualistic suicide to regain their family honor. If Sakura truly thought this was a way to regain their honor, she would go through with it, but she knows it’s a set-up, so she’s determined to fight and survive.
Helen: If your Main Character could answer, why would they say we should read your book?
Sierra: “The author put me through hell, but I survived. Don’t let my suffering be in vain!”
Helen: Who was your favourite character to write?
Sierra: I really enjoyed writing Rivaan. He’s been raised in the clan culture, and he never questioned it until Sakura arrived in his life and presented a different outlook. Between that and his own mysterious development, he goes through a lot of personal upheaval.
Helen:The Fate in the Flames is Reverse Harem. For those who don’t know reverse harem is typically considered a group where there is one male with several female members of his household or poly relationship. These are considered reverse harem books because it is the woman who is surrounded by a group of men. Must be such fun to write. What else do you write?
Sierra: I write fantasy reverse harem/poly romance. I always enjoyed fantasy, and then I stumbled on a RH book, and discovered my mantra “more fun, more love.” There are other things I like to write as well, but this is my focus now.
Helen: You said The Fate in the Flames is the prequel, how many other books have you written?
Sierra: I have three other books out currently. Two are in the completed series In the King’s Hands, which is a fantasy poly duet (Ambience and Resonance) about an escaped slave who joins a royal harem to hide from the cruel master who is hunting her. Just recently I released a new book, Tears of Ice, which is the first in a new series (Tears of the Heart), a portal academy fantasy RH, about a young adult with a serious heart condition who gets stranded on a world that doesn’t like humans. This occurs a few thousand years after the timeline of my RoD contribution, The Fate in the Flames.
There are links between all my books across the realms. I think readers will enjoy pulling on those threads as all the series evolve.
Want to try a RH book? You can downlod a copy of Sierra’s Ambience for free here.(Limited number available. Content Warning: Ambience features a king’s harem carrying out sexual activities. High steam, MM/FF/MF, intended for mature audiences. Triggers include references to sexual assault, mild cursing and mild violence.)
Click image to download a free copy (Limited number available.)
Helen: It’s so exciting when you can explore back stories and delve into side characters. What are you writing now?
Sierra: Right now, I’m editing book two of Tears of the Heart. I find editing much harder than writing because you have to more analytical about the purpose of every scene, so it’s a slow process. Having said that, this is my favorite series, and I laugh and enjoy reading it, so I can’t wait to get the books out.
Helen: What inspired you to first begin writing?
Sierra: Reading and writing has had a strong presence all through my childhood, but what prompted me the most was a vivid dream that I wrote down. When I finished that story, I knew I needed to write another. I had teachers recognize my interest during my school years (long before I recognized it myself), and I’m very grateful to them for planting the seeds.
Helen: How do you find new ideas for your books?
Sierra: Vacuuming is totally dangerous for new ideas, haha. Any activity that let’s your brain tick over while your body is moving gives space for stories. I find most of my ideas are based on ‘what if’ questions that I stumble across at random times. ‘What if a runaway slave hid in a king’s harem?’ ‘What if a girl goes through a portal and gets stuck in a world that hates humans (and dragons)?’ Recently I was watching an online chat group where a joke was made about crossdressing, and the little fishhook in my brain latched onto that word and started asking what if the person was crossdressing to con people and make money…so that one is simmering away in the bubbler, in a queue of a dozen other ideas waiting to be written.
Helen: ‘What if’ is such a useful tool for authors! Let’s talk a little about your writing process. Do you plan your books or let them flow where they will?
Sierra: I think the term for me is a plantster. I start out with a few dot points of a plot and an ending in mind (usually), and the story/characters sometimes run away with me during the writing journey, haha. I write from beginning to end sequentially, although occasionally if I get stuck I’ll leave a note to ‘finish this chapter’ and move on, so I don’t get bogged down.
Helen: When is the best time of the day for you to write and where do you write?
Sierra: I write late in the evening when the house is quiet. I’ve had great results overlooking the ocean…but that’s not an everyday reality, unfortunately! I like to be at my desk with lots of light and multiple screens, because I need my manuscript, my character guide, my one thousand google tabs…you get the picture 😉
Helen: Do you prefer writing or editing?
Sierra: Writing! Definitely writing! Editing means having to admit that what I wrote first time around was not the most brilliant piece of writing out there, haha. It gets messy, so I have to don emotional armour.
Helen: If you didn’t write Fantasy what genre would you like to write in?
Sierra: I love all things YA, and I’m a big fan of most sci-fi movies, so I would probably give sci-fi a try. I also love Manga (a lot of my Asian influences come from an interest in manga/web comics) so it’s a dream of mine to write or turn a book into a comic.
Helen: Thank you for joining me today Sierra, it’s been such fun meeting you. Last question, do you have a favourite piece of advice that inspires you, and what advice would you give aspiring writers?
Sierra: “A writer’s most important asset is their state of mind.” Alessandra Torres.
Once I heard this, a lot of elements about my writing practice clicked together, and now I work hard to protect my state of mind so creativity can flourish.
My advice? Just start writing—it doesn’t matter if your plot is all over the place or whatever. The more I write, the more I learn about craft and how to improve. Get a manuscript done and send it to a developmental editor. Learn from their advice. Write the next novel.
Helen: Such great advice! I am so excited to be part of this anthology, it has been a great experience, and I can’t believe the launch is only a month or so away. It has come around so quickly! You can preorder the anthology here for the insane price of 99c/79p!
Make sure you can check out some of my other posts as I spotlight the authors as they reveal their covers!
About the Author:
Sierra Knoxly lives a double life. By day she is the reserved mom of young children where adventure means a walk to the park or trip to the local pool. Once night falls and the cherubs are tucked into bed, Sierra dons armour (and amor) and rides a dragon into battle. She rains chaos down on her characters like an avenging angel of old and shoots their hearts with cupid’s bow.
Her love of mythical beasts and magic began at a young age when she had an imaginary Pegasus friend. Her gentle nature and fiery imagination leads to all around fictional steam. She lives with a mild fear that one day she’ll get a knock at the door from the authorities come to ask about her questionable browser history – all for writing research, of course.
When not writing or momming, Sierra loves bringing plants home to die and reading a reverse harem novel under a warm blanket.
As an Amazon Associate I may earn commission from purchases made using these links.
If you enjoy fantasy romance books then you will love my new release SoulBreather, part of the Realm of Darkness Anthology, and my epic fantasy Sentinal series. As a new threat against Remargaren is discovered, only one man can wake the ancient guards who can protect them, only he doesn’t know how. Start the adventure and stay for the journey. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
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Joining me today is another of my co-conspirators from the Realm of Darkness boxset. I am chatting with Fantasy author, Rosalyn about her contribution to the boxset, The Mermaid & the Pearl, which releases on October 4th, 2022 and is currently available on preorder.
Helen: Welcome Rosalyn, I am so excited to chat with you about The Mermaid and the Pearl. I was fortunate enough to beta read your book, and I can’t wait for it to be released. Tell us a little about your book.
Rosalyn:The Mermaid & the Pearl is a sapphic retelling of “The Little Mermaid.” It has an underwater circus setting and a “Corpse Bride” twist. It is atmospheric and delightfully creepy.
Helen: Such a great idea to have an underwater circus, gives you lots of enteratining ideas to play with. Your cover is gorgeous, tell us who is on the front cover.
Rosalyn: The cover shows the main character Muriel swimming in front of a circus tent to show the unusual setting. It also shows Muriel holding her magic pearl necklace which is what she uses to make skeletons dance for the circus.
Helen: Sounds suitably creepy! I imagine your title is quite descriptive of your story and as a retelling you got straight to the point.
Rosalyn: I chose The Mermaid & the Pearl because I wanted readers to know right away that this was a book about mermaids. Pearls are important to the book because they contain the souls of the dead and my character uses a pearl necklace to make skeletons dance with the magic in her voice.
Realm of Darkness Anthology
Helen: What made you write a novel for an anthology?
Rosalyn: A writer friend told me about the set and that they were still accepting authors, and I just decided to go for it! It was a lot of work to come up with an idea and write an entire novel so quickly, but I am so thankful for this opportunity. I knew I could write another fairy tale retelling in the same world as my book A Sea of Pearls & Leaves, so a Little Mermaid retelling was an easy choice!
Vision of the Moon
Helen: I loved A Sea of Pearls and Leaves. Readers can find my book review here. What else have you written?
Rosalyn: My first book, The Crown of Bones, is a dark fantasy adventure with deadly obstacles based on the Grimm’s fairy tales. A Sea of Pearls & Leaves is a whimsical and atmospheric retelling of “The Three Snake-Leaves” and is set in the same world as The Mermaid & the Pearl. I also have a novel coming out in April with Quill & Crow Publishing House called Her Dark Enchantments, a witchy and magical villain origin story about the Wicked Fairy from Sleeping Beauty.
Helen: When writing, do you enjoy creating villains or heroes?
Rosalyn: I really love writing villains because I think they are so much fun. I suppose that is why my next book is a villain origin story!
Helen: Do you prefer silence or music when you write?
Rosalyn: I only listen to instrumental music because I cannot focus on writing if there are lyrics. I really enjoy witchy or fairy tale-esque playlists on YouTube.
Helen: I know you have a young famiy, so, how do you fit in writing around your daily life?
Rosalyn: I find it important to follow a writing routine, so I wake up at 5 AM every day to write. It really sets the tone for the day for me and puts me in a better mood.
Helen: I couldn’t do it. I am a night owl. You won’t get a sensible word out of me at 5am in the morning! If you didn’t write Fairytale retellings, what genre would you like to try?
Rosalyn: I absolutely love reading thrillers and would love to try writing in that genre someday. I actually have a storyline, setting, and notes for a thriller that I hope to work on within the next few years.
Helen: Most authors are great readers, who is your favorite author?
Rosalyn: I will read anything by Shea Earnshaw. I think she has the most beautiful and lyrical prose.
Helen: Thank you for joining me today Rosalyn, it’s been great chatting with you. Just to finish, what advice would you give aspiring writers?
Rosalyn: I would tell new writers to never give up and write what they love. Also, I would say to share your work with reliable critique partners and beta readers to make your writing even better.
Helen: Thank you, Roslayn. I am so excited to be part of this anthology, it has been a great experience, and I can’t believe the launch is only a month or so away. It has come around so quickly! You can preorder the anthology here for the insane price of 99c/79p!
Make sure you can check out some of my other posts as I spotlight the authors as they reveal their covers!
About the Author:
Rosalyn Briar
Rosalyn Briar a former teacher, a mother to two fearless daughters, and a wife to her soul mate. She loves reading, traveling, and playing board games. More importantly, she believes in fairy tales. When she is not reading or writing, you might find her playing dress-up or gleaning through the woods for wildflowers with her princesses.
As an Amazon Associate I may earn commission from purchases made using these links.
If you enjoy fantasy romance books then you will love my new release SoulBreather, part of the Realm of Darkness Anthology, and my epic fantasy Sentinal series. As a new threat against Remargaren is discovered, only one man can wake the ancient guards who can protect them, only he doesn’t know how. Start the adventure and stay for the journey. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
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Some gorgeous covers have been revealed over the last few weeks for the Realm of Darkness Anthology. I am delighted to share Jessica M Butler’s Fae Lis Bride
Only available as part of the Realm of Darkness Anthology.
To save her sister, a desperate human woman is willing to kidnap the handsome Lord of Wind and Spring.
Daphne must bring a powerful elemental fae lord to the mountain before the full moon or her little sister dies.
Kanek, a fine-dressing but reclusive elemental fae, knows something has to change, but he doesn’t know what to do or how. A human woman showing up in his sanctuary and attempting (unsuccessfully) to render him unconscious and abduct him is not part of his plans. But her utter gall and desperation are enough to convince him that maybe cooperation is better than ignoring her.
It’s not the quest he expected. He’s not the man she thought. She might be harder to live without than she is to live with. And right from the start, he can’t stop thinking about her. But it is just because she’s annoying? Right?
Preorder Realm of Darkness Boxset
Only available as part of the Realm of Darkness Boxset available for preorder now on Amazon and other retailers for only 99c/99p!
About the Author:
Jessica M. Butler is an adventurer, author, and attorney who never outgrew her love for telling stories and playing in imaginary worlds. She is the author of the epic romantic fantasy series Tue-Rah Chronicles along with many other fantasy stories set within the same worlds. She lives with her husband and law partner, James Fry, in rural Indiana where they are quite happy with their two cats and all of the wildlife and trees.
Other books by Jessica M Butler:
Identity Revealed Book One of the Tu-Rah Chronicles
As an Amazon Associate I may benefit from purchases made using these links.
If you enjoy fantasy romance books then you will love my new release SoulBreather, part of the Realm of Darkness Anthology, and my epic fantasy Sentinal series. As a new threat against Remargaren is discovered, only one man can wake the ancient guards who can protect them, only he doesn’t know how. Start the adventure and stay for the journey. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
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So excited to share that the audiobook of Sentinals Rising is now live! You can find it on Audible, Amazon or Apple Books.
All 12 hours and 32 minutes of it, narrated by the amazing Matt Coles. Check out the audio sample and start the adventure now.
The Sentinal series
Continue the adventure with Jerrol and the Sentinals whilst you drive, exercise or work. Pick up your copy from Audible, Amazon or Apple Books.
Readers’ Favorite Honorable Mention and Five Star review; Global Book Award 2022, Silver Medal 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.
If you’ve read this far you deserve a gift! I have a few Audible 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!
Happy Listening!
If you enjoy fantasybooks then you will love my epic fantasy Sentinal series. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
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Helen Garraway 