Author Interview – C.T Moshage

Author of November’s Dawn

I am excited to be chatting with debut YA fantasy author C.T Moshage about his new book, November’s Dawn which releases today April 9th, 2024. Congratulations, Chris, on releasing your debut novel. Such a great achievement.

Helen: Welcome Chris. I am so excited to talk to you about your debut book. Tell us all about it!

Chris: November’s Dawn is a YA speculative fiction novel that centres around a young engineer, Josie Owens, as she tries to find her place in a chaotic and desperate world where humanity has been forced to abandon the surface and live aboard a massive underwater ark.

The setting as well as the plot allowed for several themes to become entangled throughout the novel. The duality and burden of leadership is something I have always been fascinated by and in the novel, one of the characters spends a lot of time exploring what leadership means to him and the weight he carries knowing that the fate of humanity rests on his shoulders. Later in the novel, Josie must wrestle and come to terms with some of the same concepts while also trying desperately to stay true to herself and her values.

That reality and the conflicts that created it start to blur the line between right and wrong, provoking a deeper look into what it means to lead.

Synopsis: Years after the mysterious death of her father, sixteen-year-old Josie Owens wants nothing more than to carry on his legacy as an engineer aboard November’s Dawn. This colossal walking ark has travelled the bottom of the oceans carrying the last remnants of humanity after an all-consuming flood. But Josie’s dreams drown when she discovers the secret her father died for: the ark was never meant to stay submerged.

This knowledge makes Josie, and those she loves, an instant target to those who would sacrifice anything to keep the status quo from changing and to those who want nothing more than to upend the firm hierarchy. At the same time, a glitch in the navigation system sends November’s Dawn directly toward a miles deep trench.

Faced with a multitude of challenges, Josie wonders if pursuing her father’s last wishes is worth the cost. Corruption and injustice permeate the last vestiges of humanity, but what if the great unknown of the world above is worse than their fragile existence below? If she follows her father’s vision, the ark could be destroyed on the surface. If she follows the rebels, revolution could tear the ark apart from within.

One way or another, Josie is the only one with the knowledge to make the final decision. If she makes the wrong one, not only will the ark fail, but the last spark of humanity will fade into darkness.

Helen: Sounds like a really intriguing premise, and I love that you have a young woman as your protagonist, struggling with the complexities of leadership. How did you translate this struggle for the book into the cover?

Chris: The cover of November’s Dawn conveys a couple messages. The dark theme and tone immediately place the viewer in the setting of the novel, aboard an ark that walks along the bottom of the ocean. There is no light at the bottom of the ocean, no air to breathe, no room for even the smallest mistake. It is an existence that clings to the edge of a cliff in the best of times and that reflects the dire situation that humanity is in when the novel begins. The crack in the viewing port adds suspense and a sense of urgency to Josie’s mission. The problems and issues that have plagued the ark for decades can’t be ignored any longer. The only choice left is to face them head on or risk the end of humanity.

Helen: I’m so glad you drew our attention to the crack in the glass! It does suggest an immediate threat and increases the tension! What is the meaning behind the book title?

Chris: The title, November’s Dawn, which is the name of the ark humanity resides on, comes from certain plot points from within the universe of the story itself. A global catastrophe struck earth and made the surface uninhabitable. The eleventh hour came in the month of November and the ark was constructed as a new dawn and salvation for the human race.

Helen: With November’s Dawn being your debut novel, what made you write this particular book?

Chris: I have always been intrigued by the constructs and engineering feats capable when the best and brightest minds come together to create something incredible. November’s Dawn was born out of that fascination and the lengths people would go to save themselves in the face of certain destruction. Also, as mentioned above, the plot and setting allowed me to explore themes of duty, family, loyalty, and finding one’s place in the world in a really interesting and satisfying way.

Helen: Who was your favourite character to write in November’s Dawn?

Chris: My favourite character from November’s Dawn would have to be Adrian Frost. He is the leader of the current government aboard the ark and without giving up too much, comes to odds with Josie Owens in a few different ways. Adrian is a troubled character. He feels a great weight and burden to his people but struggles with finding the right balance between what we might call a good leader, and one who resorts to authoritarian means, even if in his mind it is all for a noble purpose.

Helen: When did you realise you had a passion for writing?

Chris: For a long time, I was caught up in the idea of writing a book or becoming a writer, but I never put any work towards it or always convinced myself that being an author was something I could see in others, but I would never or didn’t have the right “stuff”. I always had other projects and creative outlets going on so coupled with my own self-doubt, I just never seriously tried to write. That was until the pandemic struck which freed more time for me to explore hobbies and interests. It was in that moment I decided I was going to put my mind to it and complete a story. And I did – a 100,000-word YA fantasy novel that will likely never see the light of day unless some major revisions take place. But that was my first foray into the writing world, and I value it for the lessons it taught me about story creation, plot, action, and all the other little bits that go into making a story worthwhile.

Helen: Let’s change topics slightly and chat about your writing process. Which element of the writing process do you find the most challenging?

Chris: I find I have some trouble writing under deadlines. Inspiration has to strike me. I have to be ready and open to it. And if I’m at a point in time where life and other factors aren’t allowing that to happen, it becomes very difficult for me to overcome that. It’s a process, and one I’m still working on.

Helen: Sometimes we put ourselves under unnecessary pressure and that does tend to stifle creativity. With this being your debut book, did you plan every part of the novel, or did you make it up as you went? Are you a Pantser or a plotter?

Chris: My process centres very much around having a core concept and plot and like the spokes of a wheel, everything else radiates out from that. In that way, I’m a pantser. I’ve often found I don’t know the direction the plot will go or what a particular character will do until I’m in the moment with them and they dictate the outcome.

Helen: If you didn’t write YA Fantasy is there another genre you would be tempted to write in?

Chris: I grew up reading young adult novels and feel the most comfortable and at home within the genre. However, I’ve often toyed with the idea of writing a detective thriller novel, even if I have no experience in the genre. Here’s the premise: A returning war veteran-turned private eye navigates the tumultuous and ever-changing post-war streets of 1950’s Los Angeles and uncovers a tangled web of secrets and the macabre within the chilling halls of the Cecil Hotel.

Helen: Oh, you have an idea already! We’ll be looking out for it, but if you are not writing a detective novel, what is your current WIP?

Chris: My current work in progress is actually the second novel in the November’s Dawn Chronicles. This is the first time I’ve worked on a story that was the continuation of another, so it has been a learning experience so far, but still fun. The characters in November’s Dawn have so much more life to give, all that’s left is for me to convince them to share it with the world.

Helen: Most authors are massive readers. What are some of the books you recently read and would recommned?

Chris: I did not read this book recently but within the last few years, but Project Hail Mary is a novel I’d recommend to any fan of the science fiction genre. Andy Weir creates a perspective of space travel and finding life in the universe unlike anything I had experienced before. In my opinion, the novel creates a paradigm shift in how humans perceive extraterrestrial life while keeping a sense of thoughtfulness that keeps the reader grounded. It’s that sort of thinking that I believe all writers should aspire to.

Helen: Thank you so much for joining me today, Chris. Just to close us out, do you have any advice for all those aspiring authors out there?

Chris: When I first started writing, I sought out all the resources I could. A lot of that came in the form of podcasts and author interviews. Something I heard time and time again in those interviews was how that specific author had written a couple books or so before the one that got them a publishing deal. Those authors would often talk about how bad their first book ended up being even if they couldn’t see it at the time. Those comments always bugged me. As a new writer with just the bones of a single story, I felt attacked by the idea that an author’s first or second manuscript would not be the greatest. I thought, “maybe for them, but not my story. My manuscript is awesome.” There was no doubt in my mind at the time that my first manuscript would get an agent and get published. It never did. It took me a long time to realize but I think the reason why I felt so personally victimized by those statements was because some part of me was scared that I was wasting my time. Or that if the world didn’t like my manuscript now, I might never have another story worth telling.

My advice is this: don’t fall into that same trap I did. You will have another story, even if your first one doesn’t pan out. The process and what you learn along the way is what will make you a sustained writer.

Helen: Great advice. Thank you for sharing that with us. It has been a lot of fun learning about you and your book. Congratulations again on releasing your debut YA fantasy novel.

About the Author

C.T Moshage

Chris Moshage is a Chicago based author of science fiction & fantasy. His debut Young Adult science fiction novel, November’s Dawn, will release April 9^th, 2024 and is the first instalment of a planned trilogy.

The short story, Chasing the Dawn, explores the origins of the trilogy’s world and is available now to download for free. Chris didn’t start writing seriously until his early 20’s, but when he finally did, he eagerly embraced it and hasn’t turned away since. When he’s not immersed in reading or writing, two vital elements of his life as an author, Chris enjoys playing tennis, exploring the many worlds of video games, and navigating the skies flying drones, even if his aerial footage is mostly appreciated by himself

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If you enjoy epic fantasy then the award winning Sentinal series is now complete. If you like fantasy books with a touch of romance then you will love SoulBreather. Prefer Dystopian Science Fiction? Then try Harmony. Start the adventure and stay for the journey.

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Author Interview – Marco Marek

Author of Hyperearth and the Magic Streets trilogy

Today, I am thrilled to be chatting to Italian YA Fantasy author, Marco Marek.

Helen: Welcome Marco. Tell us a little about your YA Fantasy books.

Marco: My current book is Magic Streets Arizona bound book three, end of the saga of Magic Streets, first one was based in Prague, second in London and Highlands in Scotland.

This is the blurb for the first book.

Photography has never been so dangerous for Jack. Excited to visit Prague, Jack packs his camera and sets out to complete an assignment for a well-known magazine. However, shooting award-winning photographs isn’t the only challenge that Jack will face.

Blissfully unaware of the magic contained within the city of Prague, Jack rents an apartment at a mysterious former hotel. Determined to complete his assignment, he stumbles upon a magic street, he didn’t know he will be involved with a monster hunt with a tarot reader, a young witch and a bridnet boy.

The adventure that awaits is filled with magic, turmoil, danger, and a newfound love. Will Jack be able to face his fears or will the city be lost forever?

Helen: What a great idea for a portal to another world. What were your thoughts behind your cover?

Marco: The last cover of book three is a witch with a grand canyon background with bright blue sky with Pleiades on the top left. I found a photo of this vampire woman in shutterstock and love it, right away communicate with my cover artist and she create it.

Helen: That is such a great feeling when you find the perfect image for your cover. How did you come up with your title and the idea behind magical streets?

Marco: Well one time I was driving in my city when I had a vision, seemed I was in the opposite area I wanted to go, so I thought that could be magic street that transfer you in the area you want.

Helen: What made you write this particular book?

Marco: Magic Streets saga is because I like Teleports and fantasy, but this one isn’t visible, it is just one small area where whoever has special powers could detect and use this teleport, just using their mind.

Helen: When did you realise you had a passion for writing?

Marco: I always liked fantasy movies and books. After I read The Lord of the Rings I thought: why I can write my own story? So I wrote Hyperearth, my first book.

Helen: Which genre do you typically write and why. Who inspired you?

Marco: I write mostly Fantasy, because for me it’s more easy, creating new worlds, creatures, is so simple for me since I have a huge imagination. I wrote one suspense thriller: Amstel Girl, seems went well. My insprirations were Stephen King, JK Rowling, Paulo Coelho.

Helen: Who is your protagonist and why did you write her/him? Do you have a favourite character?

Marco: Of Magic Streets is Jack Harson, one American man living in England, his profession is photographer, well my first two books the protagonists were two female teenagers and the second book Wesley Wooter, a man who met a quirky woman.

I like Wesley of Amstel Girl who is into a intrigue but he is strong to face this issues, and also met a quirky and terrible girl that make him mad. Jack of Magic Streets, is quiet man but his life will be changed forever by the two witches and thanks to them he will be more stronger.

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

Marco: If you like adventure, action Wesley and Jack are the perfect guys, they like to joke and be serious when needs, they aren’t perfect but you will like them.

Helen: Tell us about your current WIP.

Marco: My current Wip is Magic Streets Arizona bound the end of trilogy. But I have lot of books on stand by: one of them is I get inspiration by movie Mulholland drive by David Lynch.

Helen: Let’s talk a little about your writing process. When do you do you most of your writing?

Marco: I always write most at night, it is more quiet and relaxing, during the day there is much noise, my cat is around and not good for writing.

Helen: I have a cat as well, and he can be very distracting! Do you listen to music while you write?

Marco: No, I don’t listen music when I write, I need to concentrate on writing and the music not the best thing.

Helen: How much research do you do for each book?

Marco: Well lot of research for my last book, since I never been in Arizona, I had to do extra search, about legends of Native American, Pleiades, Aztec Maya etc. I recently found that Native American ancestors came from Pleiades!

Helen: Research can be so much fun, but also can drag you down a rabbit hole. We authors, are full of useless information! Are you a pantser or a planner? Do you write free form, or do you have a framework you stick to?

Marco: I write free form without chapters and without read, but with framework I think it is better.

Helen: Which element of the writing process do you find most challenging and why?

Marco: Writing could be easy, though sometimes you are stuck and you can’t move because you haven’t inspiration, but the most challenging for me is editing and writing a blurb. Scanning every phrase finding mistakes of misspelling words and punctuation it’s annoying. As well as the blurb, concentrate all the book in a few words, it’s a really hard task.

Helen: What is your favourite book and why do you like it so much?

Marco: The Lord of the Rings actually, it was an awesome read, I can’t put it down, maybe because I like fantasy but I like the travel journey they do and reading I’m imagining it in mind like I’m watching a movie.

Helen: That is an amazing series by Tolkien. I am sure it has inspired many writers. What is the best thing that has happened to you since you began writing?

Marco: Well, I was very happy when I won bronze medal in a contest of Readers Favorite in Miami 2018.

Helen: Congratulations on your Bronze Readers’ Favorite Award for Hyperearth. Such a great acheivement. Thank you so much for spending time with me today. Just one one more question! What advice would you give new writers? Do you have a trick to overcome self-doubt?

Marco: Read a lot first then write, of various writers of the genre you like it, so you can learn their writing styles, then research when you want to write. Don’t listen to others they smile when you say you are start writing. Keep going. Also indie authors are writers and you must be proud and remember it every time. Celebrate yourself.

For self-doubt? Well finding a contract most of the times it’s a mirage but who knows… one day could happen, better write than leave your manuscript in your drawer. One writer said once, write for yourself first, when you see your books listed,(on amazon for now) you will proud and this is the feeling to keep writing.

About the Author

Marco Marek

Marco Marek is an award winning author from Italy. He always had a fervid imagination and a passion for fantasy stories, medieval magicians, ancient history, and unexplained mysteries. While he was visiting a castle in Eastern Europe, he had the idea of writing Hyperearth. Apart from writing, Marco is also a painter and photographer, he likes digital artwork on Photoshop. He loves travelling when he has some free time

Contact Marco via his Website or on social:

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Amazon UK ebook | paperback

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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.

Book Review Alert: Dacia Wolf and the Prophecy by Mandi Oyster

Reviewed: October 22nd, 2023
Released: May 24th, 2022
Genre: YA Fantasy
Format: ebook (KU)

She doesn’t want to stand out. Too bad the fate of the planet rests on her shoulders…

Dacia Wolf longs to be normal. After accidentally killing her brother years ago when her awakening powers set fire to their house, the now-college freshman just wants to fit in. But when another unintended blaze results in a trip to the dean’s office, the distraught young woman learns she is the subject of an ancient prophecy.

Destined to battle a demon bent on annihilation, Dacia struggles to develop her magic into a controllable weapon. And now plagued by damaging dreams, a nosy roommate, and a haunted bully, the would-be heroine fears she’ll be responsible for the deaths of everyone she loves.

Can an unprepared sorceress conquer evil without going up in flames? Read My Thoughts…

Book Review Alert: The Night Orchid by M.G. Hernandez

Reviewed: August 1st, 2023
Released: April 21st, 2021
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Nothing happens in Wakefield…

But Josephine “Jo” Ligaya wakes up to find Alexa Ocampo, standing next to her window, black hair illuminated by the moonlight, gazing out of the frosted glass. No reason exists in Jo’s solitary world for the cheerleader to be in her room—except for two. She died and found her way to the young medium. The missing girl. Dead at eighteen.

Forced to join forces with Julian Taylor, the town’s celebrated athlete and a former friend, she must traverse the land mines of the spiritual realm and the equally intense halls of Wakefield High. This unlikely pair—a high school loner and a popular jock—must learn to work together to find the remains of a murdered teen with only communications from the dead as their guide.

Night Orchid is a coming-of-age tale of severed friendships, broken promises and the enduring powers of love. It’s Ghost Whisperer, but with hot-tempered teenagers and a strong female lead. Get ready for a wild ride.

*Strong language, sexual innuendos and violence. Night Orchid touches on mental health issues and unhealthy coping mechanisms (ie: alcohol abuse, drugs, a habit that resembles cutting). Please take caution if any of these themes trigger you. Read My Thoughts…

Author Interview – Danielle Hughes

Author of the Mystica Trilogy

I’m very happy to be chatting to middle grade/YA author, Danielle Hughes, about her YA fantasy Mystica trilogy.

Helen: Welcome Danielle, and thank you so much for taking time to chat with me today. Tell us a little about Mystica.

Danielle: I’m really proud to have my completed Mystica Trilogy out in the world now. I began writing the first book many, many years ago, always knowing it would be a trilogy. And it’s been quite a journey to have all three books complete and published.

Mystica is a fast-paced, fantasy adventure series full of magic and mystery. When Adelle and her foster brother, Jack, are stranded on a mysterious island they have no idea of the secrets they will uncover. When Jack is kidnapped by the tyrant ruler, Adelle must unlock the hidden magic and secrets to reawaken the lost power of the island and rescue him, discovering much about her unknown past.

Helen: Congratulations on completing the trilogy. Your covers are so vibrant. What can you tell us about your thoughts when designing them?

Danielle: I love my covers. I had a really clear vision of how I wanted them to look. Each one depicts the main character, Adelle, and indicates where she is on her journey as the Empress of Mystica. The first shows her looking apprehensively at the castle in the distance. The second shows her inside the castle, looking out from a balcony. The third cover shows her ready to use her power and looking more like a warrior ready to defend her title.

I chose to have her back to the reader so its almost as though we are seeing what Adelle is seeing, and also so the reader can imagine her face the way they envisage her.

Helen: The covers are gorgeous. I love the colours! Tell us about your protagonist, Adelle, and how you came to write her.

Danielle: In Mystica, the protagonist is Adelle, a fourteen-year-old foster child who finds herself trapped on a mysterious magical island. She needs to rescue her foster brother who is kidnapped by the tyrant ruler of Mystica. Adelle is someone who struggles with relinquishing control and has very little belief in what she is capable of. I wrote her to highlight how important it is to believe in yourself, because we are always capable of more than what we think. I hope she inspires young people to dig deep when needed, and rise above whatever they thing is holding them down.

Helen: Now that you have finished the Mystica trilogy, what are you working on next?

Danielle: I’m currently working on a young adult fantasy which is a retelling of a Grimm’s Brothers fairy tale. It’s a lesser-known, very short Grimms tale called the Brother and Sister, but I’ve elaborated into a complete story. I’m still in the writing phase so I don’t want to give too many details away, but I’m really happy with how it’s progressing. It promises to be full of intrigue, complete with an evil step-mother, a fight for the Kingdom, dark magic and a dash of romance.

Helen: Let’s talk about your writing process. Do you listen to music while you write?

Danielle: Not while I’m writing, but as a way to get in the mood for what I’m working on. I have different playlists for each book and listen to them in the car or around the house before I sit down to write. Here is a sample of one of my Mystica playlists: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5cEJOYsc71ZxxZKX7AYsNq?si=XTai0TA0Rh-rau-lz_-00g

Helen: That is such a great idea. Music is very inspirational. I tend to listen to classical, as there typically aren’t any words! Are you a full time writer? How do you fit writing into your daily life?

Danielle: It’s a struggle! I have four kids in primary school who all do different activities, plus I work part-time. I write on the few afternoons I have at home before pick up and try to be disciplined to make sure I use that free time to write and not do other things like housework etc.

Helen: Goodness, you have your hands full. Well done for being disciplined enough to carve out your writing time. How do you manage those seeds of self doubt that always creep in.

Danielle: I go back and read things I’ve written in the past. It helps me to realise that I can write, that I love writing and I love the stories I write. It helps me remember its important to do the things we love, if for no one else, but for ourselves.

Helen: Great advice. Thank you so much for spending time with me today. Just to finish, could you share the best piece of writing advice you have received?

Danielle: I was lucky enough to attend a writing retreat where John Marsden was presenting. He was brilliant and full of excellent advice. But the best thing he told me is how important it is to just get the story down, in draft form, no matter how terrible it seems. Just write it out from start to finish before you even consider going back and editing or changing anything. Just get that first draft written!

About the Author

Danielle Hughes

Busy mum of four, Danielle loves writing fantasy, adventure and supernatural stories for middle-grade and young adult readers. Danielle is the author of The Mystica Trilogy and The Lost Unicorn, brought to life by Four Moons Publishing. She also has several short-stories published in various anthologies. The complete Mystica trilogy is now available in all formats. To keep up to date on new projects, see website and sign up to the newsletter: http://www.fourmoonspublishing.com

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Author Interview – Erika Leigh Agnew

Author of The Besieged Unicorn Army of Ryk

It’s launch day for Fantasy author Erika Leigh Agnew, and she has made time to talk to us about her new release, The Besieged Unicorn Army of Ryk. Join me as we celebrate her new release and chat about her books.

Helen: Congratulations on your new release, and thank you so much for taking time to chat with me today, your release day! Tell us a little about your new release.

Erika: My current book is The Besieged Unicorn Army of Ryk which is scheduled to release on Amazon July 14, 2023. It is the prequel to Dragonsown, a Young Adult Fantasy I published in 2020. The premise is primarily about a territory conflict between dragons and unicorns but when unforeseen danger threatens them both, they find they need to join forces to survive.

Helen: What an interesting premise, the thought of two magical creatures, unicorns and Dragons at odds is so intriguing. What can you tell us about your thoughts behind your cover?

Erika: The prequel’s cover evolved from the first book. My plan is to keep the dragon but change who it faces with each new story. I can’t draw but sketched out an awful stick figure draft and gave it to a designer who saw my vision under the flaws.

Helen: The cover is beautiful, I love the dragon bearing down on the unicorns, I hope they are nice dragons!! Tell us why you chose this title.

Erika: I am aware the title is a mouthful and I put a lot of thought into different variations but kept coming back to this. Nothing else fit so I just went with it. This is truly the most besieged unicorn army ever and I needed a title to capture that.

Helen: You have set the prequel one thousand years before your first book, what made you write this particular book?

Erika: I actually started writing the sequel first. I was 7,000 words in when the idea for a unicorn army popped into my head and wouldn’t go away. I was obsessed with unicorns as a kid and the thought of writing about them was very appealing. I went with my instinct and put the sequel on the back burner.

Helen: If your main charcter had to tell us why we should read your book, what would he say?

Erika: Because the story is about him, of course! Ember is a rare black unicorn and the First Captain of the Unicorn Army. He is adored by his herd who love him regardless of his actions, right or wrong. Ember even manages to charm my female dragons and he avoids getting eaten on many occasions. He will experience much personal growth in this story.

Helen: He does sound adorable. I look forward to meeting him some day soon! Changing topics to how you write, which element of the writing process do you find the most challenging?

Erika: Finding the time to write and then edit my work. I have a full-time career, a part-time job, and help manage a horse farm. It amazes me I was able to write and publish this prequel in only 2 years.

Helen: I have no idea how you find time to write! You must be a night owl or an early riser! Whilst writing, which writing tool do kep to hand at all times?

Erika: Thesaurus- I just keep it open because I refer to it constantly.

Helen: Congratulations once again on your new release. Just to finish, what advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Erika: Learn some techniques before writing your book. I wrote my first book, self-published it, then realized I needed to implement some writing techniques. I pulled it down, did a full edit and republished. So basically, I had to write a book to learn how to write a book. Kind of backwards so don’t do what I did. It wasted a lot of time. Read up on ‘Show, don’t tell’, how to show action through dialogue and using key elements of plot development- emphasis on conflict and suspense.

Helen: Great advice! For anyone publishing, you want to have your best work out there, so make sure you engage a good editor. Once your book is out, people will critique it, you want to ensure you have the best version possible. Thankyou, Erika, I wish you all the best with your latest release.

About the Author

Erika Leigh Agnew is the Indie Author of Dragonsown, a Young Adult Adventure Fantasy Series. She has completed the prequel, The Besieged Unicorn Army of Ryk, publishing in July 2023. Erika appreciates follows on Amazon & GoodReads!

She writes a blog and updates her website regularly:

Subscribers to her email list receive a Dragonsown: Surface “Added Scene”.

Erika grew up in Toronto, ON. She is passionate about the environment and wildlife conservation. She loves to scuba dive, spend time in nature and ride horses.

Thank you for reading!

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Book Review Alert: The Blood Crystal by Matt Twinley

Reviewed: July 12th, 2023
Released: April 26th, 2021
Genre: YA Fantasy

Some secrets run deeper than blood…

Long ago, a battle was fought against the dark Etheria, creatures who wanted control of the world. Now, Etheria are kept hidden by Trucekeepers. They’re just myths… or are they?

Hannah is a frustrated sixteen-year-old—fed up with school, her diabetes and desperate to find somewhere she belongs.
Daegan is a Trucekeeper—a fearless warrior with a dark past, sworn to keep the existence of mythical creatures a secret.

Their lives couldn’t be more different… But everything changes when a magical blood crystal brings them together.

After Daegan saves Hannah from a vicious zburător, Hannah discovers the existence of Etheria, mythical creatures from all around the world, hidden by the Trucekeepers for centuries.

As Daegan trains her to become a Trucekeeper, Hannah rubs shoulders with Etheria, learns how to cast magic and finds somewhere she can finally call home… until she discovers that her mysterious past is the key to a war that could destroy the Trucekeepers and her new home forever. Read My Thoughts…

Author Interview – Catharine Glen

Author of Wind Across the Silver Blade.

Joining me today is another of my co-conspirators from the Realm of Darkness boxset. I am chatting with Fantasy author, Catharine Glen about her contribution to the boxset, Wind Across the Silver Blade, which releases on October 4th, 2022 and is currently available on preorder.

Helen: Catharine, thankyou for joining me today! To start us off, tell us about Wind Across the Silver Blade.

Catharine: Wind Across the Silver Blade is a steamy Asian fantasy romance set in a world of gods and yokai (demons). Yumi, an exiled noblewoman, accidentally awakens Touma — a tengu (a winged crow demon god) who was sealed in a sword three hundred years prior. Together, they uncover the truth of a hidden power Yumi harbors while coming to terms with the soulbond growing between them. There’s time magic, a hero resisting the bond, a brave heroine willing to face her fate, and even a little *fun* with feathers. 😉

Helen: ooh sounds like lots of fun! Your cover is amazing. Which character did you choose and why?

Catharine: The cover for Wind Across the Silver Blade was illustrated by my fantastic artist Rakuen, who also did the covers for my Shadowed World Saga series. I wanted to feature Touma, our tengu hero and the love interest of the story. She brought him to life in gorgeous detail, incorporating elements of the mythological tengu dress and showcasing those beautiful wings. He also carries twin swords (daisho) at his waist like the samurai of old, which are important to the story. I don’t know about you, but I’d love to grab his hand and let him spirit me away!

Helen: I am definitely in your corner with that one, he sounds amazing. What made you write a novel for an anthology?

Catharine: I was thrilled to have the opportunity to be a part of the Realm of Darkness anthology, and this is my first time writing for a set. I typically write steamy romantic fantasy with human characters, but had the idea of a romance specifically involving a tengu for some time. This anthology was the perfect fit for my story!

Helen: This is my first time writing for an anthology as well, and it has been a great experience. Tell us about your steamy romantic fantasy series.

Catharine: I have another Asian fantasy series with two books out so far. The Shadowed World Saga is a Japanese-inspired epic romantic fantasy reverse harem featuring an assassin heroine and the men who stand by her side. Ema faces trials of duty, honor, and betrayal as a ruthless anti-imperial faction moves swiftly across the country. Worse, sentient death shadows known as the shi-no-kage have emerged, threatening the very world itself. I adore writing this series and have become deeply attached to the characters. Fans of enemies to lovers, diverse characters (all-Asian cast), strong heroines, political intrigue, the supernatural, and Japanese history and culture will find lots to love here.

Helen: I am adding them to my tbr pile as we speak! What made you first put pen to paper and write a book?

Catharine: I was a voracious reader growing up. Trips to the library and local bookstore were among my favorite things to do! There was something magical about exploring the shelves and picking out new books to read. I was always drawn to mystery and fantasy, and later historical romance. I wrote stories in my early teen years, fascinated by the notion of writing as a career but never believing I could actually do it (this was well before Kindles and self-publishing became a viable option). What I really wanted to read is now known as romantic fantasy, but I couldn’t seem to find the types of stories that fit what I was seeking. It was after reading Sanderson’s Mistborn trilogy in the 00’s (a fantastic series, BTW) and being disappointed in the minimal romance between Vyn and Elend that I began writing seriously — fantasy with a strong romantic subplot.

Helen: I haven’t read Mistborn yet. I have the books, just haven’t found time to read them! When you are writing, do you prefer silence or do you have a favourite playlsit?

Catharine: I enjoy having music on while I write and edit. I typically stick with instrumental music, particularly lo-fi as it blends into the background but also evokes certain moods to help immerse me in the creative process. I also enjoy epic movie and anime themes, Gregorian chants, and new age depending on the types of scenes I’m working on. The only time I do not listen to music is during final proofreads when I need silent, uninterrupted focus.

Helen: Sounds inspirational enough to me. I know writing consumes all pur free time, but when you do ahve that spare hour of two, what hobbies do you like to pursue?

Catharine: When I’m not writing or tending to the kids and family, I enjoy reading fantasy books with kissing (of course!), playing video games (these days, otome or visual novels), studying Japanese, going for walks, Lego, and traveling. I also enjoy watching anime and reading manga.

Helen: Thank you for joining me today Catharine, it’s been great chatting with you. Just to finish, tell us who your favourite author is and why.

Catharine: I would have to say Lindsay Buroker, not only because she’s an incredibly talented writer, but she inspired me to pursue being an indie author. I came across her book, The Emperor’s Edge, not too long after it released, and instantly fell in love with the story and her characters. I was writing and studying craft at the time, but not ready to submit my work anywhere. These were the early days when indie authors were just starting to appear on the scene in a real way. From then, I followed her career and enjoyed consuming her books as well as her now off-air podcast Science Fiction & Fantasy Marketing Podcast (and later, the Six Figure Authors Podcast). She was always so down to earth in her advice and candid in sharing her experiences, even as her success and prominence in the industry grew. I found her to be a warm and encouraging voice to all fantasy writers, and it gave me the courage and knowledge I needed to jump into the indie writing lifestyle.

Helen: The writing community is so generous, everyone is willing to offer help and support to new writers.

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:

Catharine Glen is a romantic fantasy author residing in New England. Her favorite kinds of stories take place in faraway worlds with unforgettable characters, plenty of romance, adventure, magic and the supernatural. She tends to get immersed in all things Japanese, reading, Lego, and possibly consumes a bit too much coffee and tea. She’s also a wife to a loving husband and a mom to two children and a spirited Jack Russell.

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Other books by Catharine Glen

Shadowed World Saga

Vision of the Moon (Book One)

Amazon UK: eBook | Paperback

Amazon USA: eBook | Paperback

Promise of the Storm (Prequel)

Amazon UK: eBook | Paperback

Amazon USA: eBook | Paperback

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

If you enjoy fantasy romance books then you will love my new release SoulBreather, 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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Author Interview – Lea Cherry

Author of Starlight.

I am excited to be joined by one of my co-conspirators from the Realm of Darkness boxet today! I am chatting with YA Fantasy author, Lea Cherry about her contribution to the boxset, Starlight; which releases on October 4th, 2022 and is currently available on preorder.

Helen: Welcome Lea! To start us off, tell us about Starlight.

Lea: My contribution to the ROD set is called Starlight. It’s a fantasy story set in the realm of Elesseand where the Princess of the Kingdom is a Starlight (Someone born of the stars with magical powers) but also a fierce warrior that protects the realm from any dangers with her Legion. I don’t want to give too much away, but there is an assassin, a magi, a shifter, some romance and a lot of dangers to go through.

Helen: Sounds like you packed a lot of elements into your story. I can’t wait to read it. Your cover is gorgeous, down to the font which glistens. What were your thoughts behind the design?

Lea: The cover for Starlight took some creativity. I tried various different things but none of them actually spoke to me, so I decided to create the cover with symbols instead so that later on, I could hopefully create art to accompany the books. The cover shows a beautiful star that represents the Princess Tekana and all the Starlights before her. Even though the star is bright and beautiful, it is sharp and dangerous and should be treated carefully.

Helen: Readers be warned! What made you write a novel for an anthology?

Lea: I love reading fantasy and thought that this was a great opportunity to write one myself. I usually dabble in other genres, YA and horror to be more specific, but thought that if I could write my own fantasy, the possibility of what could happen would be endless, so here I am.

Helen: I called you a YA Fantasy author but you actually write a range of YA genres, don’t you?

Lea: I usually write Young Adult books in various subgenres as I enjoy the way the young characters discover themselves and evolve into people that are strong, independent and overall great humans. I also enjoy writing horrors because I just love it and want to test myself with writing one that can scare the pants off the readers. I’m kind of wired that way.

Helen: That is mean! I am not a fan of horror, I have too creative an imagination. Tell us about some of your other books.

Lea: My two horrors are Chimera and Devil’s Doorway which were my first trials into the genre. I have also written two YA Urban Fantasy books for a series, currently busy with the third book, that is about a girl that learns she’s a descendant of a very powerful magical race known as the Pure and that she must learn to harness her powers before the Tainted (villains) can claim her soul to resurrect their leader. There is also a poetry journal that I co-wrote with another author as a companion book for her dragon series to give her main dragon character a poetry voice.

Helen: I bet that was a fun project, especially with dragons involved. You are multi-talented for sure. Many writers find inspiration from music, when you are writing do you listen to music?

Lea: I can’t, at all. If I listen to music, I find myself singing along and then I can’t concentrate of what I’m writing. If I listen to something, it is usually instrumental music that sounds like it could have been on the book’s soundtrack. Like Celtic instrumental songs for my fantasy stories. I do however listen to certain songs before I write to get me into the scene, like rock music before I write a fight scene, or something emo and sad for the heart-breaking stuff.

Helen: When I’m editing and solving plot knots it has to be instrumental, as like you I get distracted by the words of the song. But when I’m writing that first draft, anything goes. Do you plot out your novels or are you a pantser?

Lea: You could say I’m a plantser. I plot out the basics of my story, the most important things like characters, settings and the plot of how the story should go, but then I pants a lot of the story to give myself or rather my characters the freedom to sometimes roam free and choose other paths to get to their goal.

Helen: Characters do tend to have a mind of their own and go off on unplanned tangents. Do you have to much research for your books?

Lea: Sometimes way too much. I tend to fall into the rabbit hole with research, but only when I feel that there should be more and especially if the subject I’m researching is very interesting.

Helen: Tell us something random about yourself.

Lea: I’m from South Africa and English is my second language, is that random enough?

Helen: Wow! And you are writing in English which makes your work even more amazing. Thank you so much for chatting with me today. It’s been such fun talking shop. As we reach the end of our time together just to finish, when not writing what do you spend your time on?

Lea: My hobbies include watching movies, reading and painting. I have started teaching both my daughters to draw and they love it so a lot of the time they want to know how to draw something so if I don’t know, then we all learn something new that day. On a different note, just because I enjoy it doesn’t necessarily mean I’m great at it.

Helen: Thank you for joining me tody Lea. 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:

Lea Cherry is an international bestselling author residing in South Africa with her husband and two daughters. With a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing, she shares the spark of language in Young Adult, Fantasy, Horror, and Thriller. When she is not crafting stories, she shares her time with her family watching movies, painting, and reading up a storm when she is not exploring the outdoors on camping trips. Her first book in the Descendant series is set to arrive in 2021 and is filled with magic and adventure that will keep you wanting more.

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Other books by Lea Cherry

Hidden, Book one of the Descendents

Amazon UK: eBook | Paperback

Amazon USA: eBook | Paperback

Devil’s Doorway

Amazon UK: eBook | Paperback

Amazon USA: eBook | Paperback

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

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Book Review Alert: Immortal Games by Lauretta Hignett

Reviewed: May 2nd, 2022
Released: April 27th, 2022
Genre: Urban Fantasy

Immortality sucks.

Just ask Imogen Gray: Over two-hundred thousand years old and teetering on the edge of total insanity. Strong as a shifter, faster than a vampire, Imogen’s walked the earth forever, always alone, never growing, never changing.

Imogen’s on a mission to find the next reincarnation of her father, the only person in the world who knows how to complete the transition to human, and get rid of the curse of immortality.

But when her delinquent teenage ward accidentally summons a powerful Fae Prince through the portal, suddenly, finding her dad has to take a backseat. There’s a homicidal maniac on the loose, one who has his eyes on the Vampire King. Her Vampire King. Worse than the burning jealousy is the fact that the Fae Prince seems to know exactly what she is.

Immortal Games is Book Two in the fast, fierce and fast-paced Urban Fantasy series. A slow-burn romance, it includes a diverse cast of characters, shifters, witches, fae, cryptids and more. Read My Thoughts…