Tag: Interviews

Yours And Mine Blog Tour

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Yours and Mine
A.E Bennett
134 Pages
Book Links:
Goodreads
Amazon
She told a lie. He confirmed it. Now they’re secretly betrothed against their families’ wishes…

Lady Octavia Dorchester is the most desired young lady in the Realm. Now that she has twenty years behind her, society has deemed her ready to marry. Although she’s not enthusiastic, she promises to act like a proper lady and look for a good husband—just like her powerful father Lord Roman Dorchester wants.

Lord Gerald Verte has been painfully shy his entire life. He’s never been comfortable in society and lives in the shadow of his older brother, the imposing Lord Tristian Verte. Despite his desires to remain indoors and away from people, he promises his older brother that he won’t shame the family name, no matter how much his anxiety threatens to overwhelm him.

After sharing a dance at a ball held in Octavia’s honor, both she and Gerald know what no one else believes—it’s love at first sight.

When their respective family members object to the match, Octavia lies about their betrothal and Gerald corroborates her story. Raising the ire of both Lords Dorchester and Verte, Octavia and Gerald are torn apart and kept from one another until tragedy strikes.

This high-heat romance with a guaranteed HEA is a prequel to Gathering of the Four: Book One of the Serrulata Saga but can be read as a standalone.

Author Bio:
A.E. Bennett (she/her) lives in Washington, D.C.
She is originally from North Carolina.

Author Links:
https://www.booksbybennett.com/
https://www.instagram.com/aebennettwrites/
https://twitter.com/aebennettwrites

Title: Yours And Mine

Author: A.E. Bennett

Release Date: December 1st, 2021

Page Count: 136

Start Date: September 17th, 2022

Finish Date: September 22nd, 2022

Review:

Story: This is a prequel for Gathering of the Four. The story in this book is referenced in Gathering multiple times. I was really curious about the story and was hoping to read about it, so this book made me really happy. There is a bit of steam in this book. It accents the story very well in my opinion. In some ways, I wish I’d read this book before I read Gathering. There were just so many things that I knew because of reading Gathering that I felt kind of like I knew something I really shouldn’t know about the story. Either way, I still enjoyed both books. I’m really looking forward to the sequel of Gathering!

Characters: I really loved getting to know Octavia and Gerald more. Especially Gerald. I feel like he’s really misrepresented in Gathering. At least I feel that way now after reading this book. He kind of comes off as a coward who can’t be counted on or trusted. I don’t think it’s that he can’t be trusted or counted on. I think he just knows when to make waves and when not to. Octavia is so amazing. I could see her running an entire kingdom in all honesty.

Critiques: In jest: It’s too short! I need more!!! In seriousness: Nothing.

Final Thoughts: I really loved getting to see the story of Octavia and Gerald. When I read Gathering, it was referenced so many times I started wishing I could see it in book form. I will definitely be reading this book again. I’ll also be reading Gathering again as well. Probably near the time that the second time comes out. Gotta make sure I’m refreshed on the story before diving into the sequel, of course. I definitely recommend this book. I also recommend Gathering.

INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR:

What was the inspiration behind Gathering of the Four and Yours And Mine?

Hello! Thanks so much for having me.

I think, to start, I’m going to have to answer this question backward. I never set out to write a romance, but once I got inspired, I kind of couldn’t help myself.

As I was getting Gathering of the Four ready for publication in late 2020, one of my critique partners made a comment about how they couldn’t get enough of Octavia and Gerald and it would be fun to learn how they got together.

(I think every writer dreams about hearing comments like this—“I love your characters; I want more!”)

I had recently started reading more romance and was immersing myself in the genre and so I thought, why not?

Thus, Octavia and Gerald’s “origin story” was born.

As folks may or may not know, Octavia and Gerald are side characters in Gathering of the Four, which is far from a romance. It’s the first book in my speculative fiction series, The Serrulata Saga, which combines elements of scifi and fantasy.

I’ve been working The Serrulata Saga for over twenty years now. Gathering of the Four—or GotF as I’ve nicknamed it—started off as a short story about a teenaged girl who had magical powers. (I was in high school; yes, the main character was a version of me.)

As I matured, so did the story, and now there are four main characters—Leora, Roland, Aurora, and Leopold—who have been sent out on an epic quest through treacherous lands. Lands that used to be the United States, that is.

I don’t know yet how many books there will be total in this series, but I can tell you that Test of the Four: Book Two of the Serrulata Saga will be out in November.

How long did it take you to write each book? 

As I said, I’ve been working on versions of The Serrulata Saga for decades, but I started polishing GotF and researching what it would take to self-publish back around 2018 or so.

After I launched GotF in early 2021, I began work on Yours and Mine. Shockingly, I had a workable first draft/manuscript by the end of that summer and published in December, 2021.

What can we expect from the rest of the series?

I’m very excited to share that I have another Serrulata Saga romance in the works. This one was just sent off to my editor for initial edits recently and, if all goes according to plan, it will be available sometime early next year.

As I said earlier, the second book in the main Serrulata Saga story is due out this November.

I also have two other stories in various stages: yet another romance and a horror novella.

And, after all of this, I’ll need to get started on the third book in the main series.

So, long story short—a lot more Serrulata Saga is coming!

Were there any parts of the book that were harder to write than others?

Honestly? The steamy scenes were a bit of a challenge for me at first. Turns out reading smoking hot scenes and writing them are two completely different things! While writing Yours and Mine I learned that sex scenes need just as much, if not more, choreography than fight scenes!

I think I did ok, though. No one’s complained yet!

What characters were easier for you to write and what characters were the hardest?

Most of the characters in Yours and Mine were already very familiar to me since they are all side characters, or at least mentioned, in GotF. I guess if I had to pick, it was kinda hard to write Tristian Verte, but only because, well, things don’t go so well for him in GotF…

Have you written any other books under different names?

No. I’m sticking to A.E. Bennett for now.

Do you have any other plans outside of The Serrulata Saga?

Not at this time. I might eventually want to branch out but, for now, I’m all Serrulata Saga, all the time!

As an author, do you feel it’s easier to go with the flow or map your books out?

I’ve spoken about this in other forums but I initially didn’t plan much of anything with regards to GotF and it was a mess. As I got my first book ready for launch, I realized there was no way I could keep moving forward without a plan. Now, I have a rough outline for the entire series and I always outline every book before I start writing. I don’t always stick to what I originally plan with each book, but I do need a starting point. I find it saves time… and my sanity!

How much influence do your characters have over the stories you write?

Well, there are certain characters who need to be in certain places at certain times in order for the overall story to keep moving, but they don’t always get to where they need to be exactly how I planned. So, let’s just say it’s a give-and-take relationship between me and my MCs. Haha.

What advice would you give other authors who are looking to get into publishing?

I say this every time I’m asked this question, but I want to spare others the embarrassment I went through.

Please, please get your work proofread by someone other than yourself—and professionally, if you can.

The first version of GotF was full of spelling and grammatical mistakes because I thought I could do it all on my own. The version that’s out there now is corrected and all neat and tidy, but I only got it there because I paid someone to take another look at it.

You cannot proofread your own work! Don’t do it! 😀

I would also invite folks who have more questions to reach out to me via the info on my Contact page. I certainly don’t have all of the answers, but I do like sharing what I do know with others.

Yours and Minehttps://cdn.woorise.com/e.js

Interview With Heather Frost

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https://amzn.to/3LdqV7O

Blurb:

Clare made a mistake when she saved the princess’s life . . .

In one horrible night, Clare is forced to give up her life as a kitchen maid to become the princess’s decoy. Thrust into a dangerous new world of royals and deadly politics, she must learn how to be the princess’s perfect double to ensure her betrothal to an enemy prince. Desperate to survive, Clare throws herself into self-defense training, taught by her distractingly attractive bodyguard, Bennick. The spark between them is undeniable, though a relationship is forbidden. When a ruthless assassin begins stalking her, it becomes frighteningly clear that some will stop at nothing to end the tenuous peace—and Clare’s life.

Across the northern mountains, Prince Grayson is his father’s ultimate weapon. His name inspires fear in all who hear it, but no one knows his heavily guarded secret. He carries out every brutal order only because his father holds power over the one person he cares about. Grayson’s silent obedience is tested, however, when his father reveals plans to exploit the marriage alliance between two of their greatest enemies. If Grayson submits, the blood of thousands will spill. If he resists, the girl who means everything to him will die.

The fate of Eyrinthia hangs in the balance. Some want peace. Some want war. All will be thrown into chaos.

Royal Decoy is the first in the Fate of Eyrinthia YA fantasy romance series told from multiple POVs. If you like swoon-worthy romance, complex characters, and non-stop action with epic twists, then you’ll love the captivating world of Eyrinthia.

Interview:

Tell us a bit about Fate of Eyrinthia. What inspired you to write the series?
Fate of Eyrinthia is a YA fantasy romance series. The seeds for this story came wondering if I could write a story from a secondary character’s POV. (For example, what if Harry Potter had been told from Ron Weasley’s perspective? How would that have changed the story?) I didn’t even know if something like this would work, but I began by thinking up a story where a princess is living in a dangerous time with lots of political upheaval, and she’s in the center of everything—including an arranged marriage. And then I thought, could someone else be the main character of this story? I instantly thought—a decoy. The princess could have a decoy, and the decoy could be our main character! I loved the idea, because it became an entirely new story simply by changing the focus of who was telling the story. And that’s how Royal Decoy was born.

You write the series from multiple points of view. How much different do you feel the story would be if you wrote it in first person? What made you decide on the viewpoints that you chose?
I think the story would be incredibly different if I could only tell one perspective. It would have been from Clare’s POV, since she’s the decoy and arguably the main character—especially at the beginning of the series. But we would have missed out on so much! The story would have been shorter, and narrower in scope. We wouldn’t know what was happening in the other kingdoms, we wouldn’t get to know all the layers to the other characters, and we wouldn’t have the same tension as these characters with different agendas converge. It can be a challenge writing multiple POVs and juggling different voices and storylines, but I think it makes this series so much richer.

As for how I decided on who got to share their viewpoint, it came down to figuring out who needed to share their story. I had to think through the entire series and weigh a few different factors; 1) Who had a story to tell that would directly and consistently impact the main storyline? 2) Who would ever be on their own, in a place we needed to know what was happening, when it was happening? 3) And finally, WHEN would their perspective be needed? That final question was key in figuring out who needed a POV in each book, since I knew I wanted to add new character perspectives in gradually. I had to consider which characters had secrets that I needed to keep (which meant delaying getting into their heads) and when characters would need to be in the forefront of the story.

What parts of the series were harder for you to write than others? What were easy?
Hmm, I’m trying to think what parts were hardest. I honestly just loved writing all of it, haha! If I had to pick a part that was the most challenging to write, it’s probably the beginnings. Mostly because I want to make sure they’re perfect. I want readers to be able to dive back into the world with key reminders of what happened in the previous books, without bogging down the current storyline with too many details.
As for the easiest to write: I love all the conversations! Dialogue is easy for me to write, plus I just love writing any scene where these characters are interacting with each other.

Did you have any character that spoke out to you more than all of the rest of the characters did?
Grayson and Desfan have both been strong characters from the very beginning. Grayson wasn’t even a character I planned on writing—he just showed up and said, “Hey. Here’s my story.” And now I can’t imagine the story without him! Desfan is another character that took me by surprise. Even though I knew about him before I started writing, his voice was just so strong. I always know what he’s going to say, what he’s thinking, and what he wants to do.

What are your upcoming plans for this series? 
There will be six novels in the series, with some assorted novellas. Book four—Royal Rebel—is what I’m currently working on. It will be out early 2023!

What inspired you to choose the covers for your books?
I knew I wanted to highlight a different character on each cover, since having multiple POVs and storylines is such a big part of the series. I took some time to pick who I wanted to highlight on each cover, and from there it was just a matter of finding the best models for the job. (Royal Decoy: Clare. Royal Spy: Desfan. Royal Captive: Mia.) The whole process of cover design is extra fun because my sister, the talented K.M. Frost, is my designer!

How long did it take you to write each book? Were there parts that took you longer than others?
This is a tough question. I’m generally a fast writer, so I can finish a book usually in a month or two. Editing takes me longer, because I’m a perfectionist, and I also have to wait to hear back from my beta readers. I first wrote Royal Decoy years ago, though it went through some major edits before it was released in the summer of 2020. I had written rough drafts of the other books in the series as well, so I work from those old drafts and weave in new scenes/storylines, plus polish the scenes that are already there. There are definitely scenes that take longer to write, whether because I’ve hit and wall and need to think my way out of it, or because I’m taking my time to get it just right.

Where did you come up with the names of your characters?
They come from a variety of places, but often it’s simply a matter of me just getting a sense of the character. Once I have a feel for them, I can usually decide what letter their name should start with, or how many syllables it should have. I often end up looking through a list of names I keep. In Eyrinthia, I also have the different kingdoms to consider; they each have a different culture and flavor that I want to capture for the characters who live there. Sometimes that means turning to Google for ideas, or me just making something up!

Have you considered having the series narrated?
Yes, I definitely have! There are some logistics I’m still working on, but I think it would be amazing to have audiobooks of the Eyrinthia series.

Do you have any other works planned outside of the series?
Yes! I have far too many plans and ideas, haha! In November you’ll be able to read Esperance, which is book one of a New Adult fantasy romance trilogy. It’s got slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance, forbidden magic, and non-stop action. I’m so excited to share it! You can learn more about Esperance, and my other books, on my website: www.HeatherFrost.com

About the Author:

Heather Frost is a #1 Amazon bestselling YA author who loves epic stories with breath-stealing romance. She is the author of the Seers trilogy and the Fate of Eyrinthia series. Her books have been Whitney Award Finalists and Swoony Award Finalists. She has a BS in Creative Writing and a minor in Folklore, which means she got to read fairy tales and call it homework. When she’s not writing, Heather likes to read, travel, and re-watch Lord of the Rings. She lives in a beautiful valley surrounded by towering mountains in northern Utah. To learn more about Heather and her books, visit her website: www.HeatherFrost.com

Interview With Krys Fenner

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Blurb:

When darkness creeps in, sometimes finding an anchor is the only way to survive.

Sixteen-year-old Bella Kynaston has been the victim of a brutal rape, by someone she can only describe as ‘the scar-faced man.’ With little recollection of what happened, she must somehow rebuild her life. Being the person she once was proves more difficult than she imagined.

To complicate matters, Bella has just met Jeremiah Detrone, the new guy in school. He’s attractive, funny, and smart. All things she’s ever wanted in a boyfriend. Too bad she’s conflicted over so many unexpected emotions. Without realizing it, she falls down a rabbit hole and begins walking a dangerous line between addiction and self-preservation.

As Bella works together with the police to bring her attackers to justice, will she be able to see it through to the end? And even if she does, will it only bring her more pain and misery? Or will she find an anchor in Jeremiah and figure out how to move forward?

**Cliffhanger Alert**

Interview:

What inspired you to write the Dark Road series?


I went through a lot as a teenager. Not just the normal insecurities, but depression, reckless behavior and a suicide attempt. It wasn’t until I was much older that I really dealt with any of that. Therapy made me really look into how things have changed over the years. Sadly, the only thing that has changed is that rape, drug addiction, suicide, and so on are just more prevalent. And they’re just as taboo as they once were. Although we’ve gotten better, we’re not where I wish we were as a society. I believe it’s because these topics aren’t talked about. That’s what inspired me to write this series. Not only do I hope that if someone who has been through anything similar to what happens in these books will find comfort knowing that they aren’t alone, but that for people who haven’t experienced these things…it gives them understanding. It starts conversations, gets people talking. Because with conversation comes change and that is what we need as a society.


As a reader, these books drug me through an emotional roller coaster. Is there any point in the books that you found incredibly hard to write? Did you ever need to set the books aside for a bit to clear your mind?


Yes. “Damaged” is the one that got the most emotional for me. When I wrote that, I used my past with suicide, my own emotions, to elicit the most out of Bella. It became extremely personal, and I had to set it aside several times, especially after I finished it. This is actually why I write other genres.


Were any characters difficult for you to write? Were any easy?


While I’d like to think Bella was easy since I based some parts of her on myself, I think Heather has actually been the easiest. Her book is next and she’s already talking to me. Aurora was probably the most difficult. I say this because she still hasn’t fully opened up to me and there were things in her book that I don’t feel came through, but at the same time did.


How much control of the story did you have personally? How much was vastly impacted by your characters?


I feel like I should say, see above. I have no control over the story. It’s fully controlled by the characters. Their personalities, their actions, and what they decide they will or won’t do. They just like to make me think I’m in control by telling me what should happen. For the most part, they stick to that. Occasionally they throw me for a loop and put something in that I didn’t expect. I’d tell you about something in Burned, but then I’d give things away.


How long did it take you to write each book in the series?


Addicted took the least amount of time: 6 weeks. Then it went through several revisions to become what it is today. Burned took the longest for various reasons: nearly two years.


What can we expect in the future with this series?


I can already tell you that Twisted, the next book in the series, is going to be darker and rawer than the last four combined. It’ll showcase things that you may or may not have realized occurred in the first book and take a deep-dive into Heather’s past. Honestly, I think it’ll set the precedent for future books. Or at least the two that follow Twisted. Right now, I don’t know where the series will go beyond that. Though I can say, there are four high schools in Rescate County. They each have their own stories.


Tell me about Brigit Rosé. What books do you write under this name? Can we expect more books under this name in the future?


Romance. Lots of love and smut. Currently, I have two series under this name. Love’s Worth, which I have two more books planned to close the series out. At least currently, that could change in the future. And then I have my Fairytale Retelling Series, which I have several books planned for in that. There is another book that is planned as a standalone, but could change into a series.


I’d love to hear more about the The Guardhian Series. What are your plans for this series in the future?


This actually started as characters I created for online White Wolf. Everything that you read is all part of Niamh’s past. I have a total of ten books planned for this series, which will introduce readers to different parts of the world. And as there is three years between the first two books, I’ll be posting short stories exclusive to my Patreon that cover that timespan.


I know you’re working on a series with a few other authors called the Prisma Isle series. Can you tell me more about this series? What can we look for in the future with this series?


Prisma Isle follows the lives of various species. The isle was created as a safe space for species like fae, shape shifters, dragon shifters, sirens and more where no humans existed. We now have young, inexperienced characters trying to figure things out through all the mayhem they’re now facing as they find love and their place in the world.

I can tell you this is an ongoing series with multiple characters searching for their HEA. And lots of mayhem in the process. We have years of ideas already, so I’m not seeing an end at all in the near future. We’ve also got two spin-off series planned as well: The Atlis Chronicles and The Scarlet Sanctum Chronicles. We’re hoping to release the first book in each of these series next year.


How did you meet the authors that you’re working with? Can you tell me a little bit about each author?


All three of us were originally part of a larger group working together on a project. Livi and I had talked about writing a prequel to that series with our characters (Thalasia and Aurelia) being best friends. Some things happened in that group and before we got the prequel out, we decided to leave that project and start our own series. When it came down to things, it ended up being myself, Livi, and Nikki.

Livi has a love of all things dragon-related. As well as coming up with great character lines. We’ve turned ‘peacock’ into a running joke that we’ll never get tired of putting out there. She lives in Virginia, has a big heart, and is very much a selfless nurturer.

Nikki is a mother of three living in Indiana and I think she’s the glue that holds us together. She’s extremely creative, even more so than I am. She’s always ready with an ear whenever it’s needed. Oh, and she’s telepathic, but don’t tell anyone that. Okay, I’m kidding. Sort of. She and I have a rather interesting mind-meld thing going on when it comes to our characters. It’s something she shares with Livi too. Hmm, maybe she is telepathic.

The three of us have become good friends over the last two years. We whole-heartedly support one another in any way we can. I’m blessed to have both of them in my life.

About The Author:

Krys Fenner, also known as Brigit Rosé—like the wine, not the flower, has been infinitely passionate about writing and creating fantastical worlds since high school. Having already published over ten books, she avidly works on multiple series from social issues to paranormal romance. While she loves everything she writes, she’s genuinely excited about her new Fae Academy series, the next books in the Dark Road Series, and the two series she’ll be co-authoring as part of the next phase in her career. Krys received an Associate of Arts in Psychology, a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing, and is currently working on a Master’s degree. When she isn’t writing, she’s reading, baking, hanging out with her family, or spending time with her three fur babies, Bones, Luna, and Lola. To learn more about Krys Fenner and her upcoming book releases, visit her official website: https://kbfennerrose.com.

Links:

Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B00ORI7OY6

FB: https://www.facebook.com/KrysFenner

Twitter: https://twitter.com/FennerKrys

IG: https://www.instagram.com/romance_brigit_rose/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/krysfenner3/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@krysfenner

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/krysandbrigit

Website: https://kbfennerrose.com/

Interview With Ceril N Domace

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Blurb:

Most people think the fae are gone. Most people are wrong.

Owen Williams wakes after a horrific car accident to find his wife is dead—and somehow turned into a gryphon—and his kids gone after a home invasion turned horribly wrong. Shattered and reeling, he vows to do whatever it takes to find them.

When a fae scout appears and promises to reunite him with his kids, he doesn’t hesitate before joining her. But she warns him that if he wants to protect his family, he must follow the fae to their city, the hidden haven of Tearmann.

With enemies on the horizon, Owen needs to set aside his fears and take up arms to defend their new home alongside the people he’s always been taught were monsters—or he’ll lose everyone he’s trying to protect.

Interview:

What inspired you to write the Fae Queen’s Court?

The Fae Queen’s Court was mainly inspired by old Scottish legends about people and fairies having children and a few too many late-night Wikipedia binges about de-extinction. In a sleep-deprived haze, I wondered if it would be possible to bring back the fae in the same way scientists are bringing back wooly mammoths or passenger pigeons.

The idea took hold of me and refused to let go, leading to the creations of twelve unique species, each with corrupted versions alongside the standard ones, and a culture that only had fifty years to find its feet. Honestly, some might say I went too far with the worldbuilding, but I had a great time getting there.

How long did it take you to write each book?

I wrote Haven in six months during college and edited it over five years. It was my first completed writing attempt ever and it suffered from my lack of experience, which is why it took so long to get into a publishable state. I love what came out of it though, even if it was a struggle to get there.

Avalon took longer, nearly two years, because I was editing Haven at the time. About midway through Avalon, I decided I should approach writing in a more dedicated way, so I began reading craft books and actually outlining where the story should go so I would have less to do when the time came to edit. It paid off, because it only took s year and a half to edit it.

Hiraeth, the third book in the series, only took me five months to draft. I’d improved a lot as a writer when I was working on it and my rough drafts are a lot neater now. I’m still editing this one but I’m very pleased with how it’s going so far.

What made you decide to write the books in Owen’s point of view? Was writing it from that point of view hard or easy for you?

When I started writing Haven, I decided I wanted to write an everyman style character. Someone that most people could see themselves in, but not a chosen one. Additionally, since I wanted them to have a lot of kids and I wanted to lean away from the fantasy cliché about female characters adopting/taking care of/only wanting children, my MC should be male. That would differentiate him from other male leads in the genre and the kids would give him a motivation beyond revenge, wanderlust, or prophecy.

So, I landed on making my MC a father with a lot of kids and someone who is more of an outsider to the world he finds himself in than his children.

Owen’s POV wasn’t hard to dive into because his motivations were quite clear cut. He wants to protect his kids. Everything he does is focused around that. Even in Avalon, when he’s in the Corps and actively running from his grief, he justifies it by saying he’s doing it because he doesn’t want another family to suffer like his family did.

Which characters were easier for you to write?

Owen and Beira were very easy to write, mostly because by nature of what they are they’re very similar. They’re protective people who are willing to do what it takes to keep those they love safe.

Also Dorothy, because she’s cute and small and four.

Which characters were harder for you to write?

Honestly, I really struggled with Tiffany. The initial response to her in Avalon from my alpha readers was so negative I ended up completely revamping her arc a week before I sent Avalon to my beta readers. She was originally very angry and lashed out at Owen for joining the corps in a more aggressive way, but no one liked that so I had to tone it down.

Ashley’s quiet and constant grief was a hard thing to balance because I didn’t want it to overwhelm the other characters but it also needed to be obvious because her role is fairly small in both books.

Were there any parts of either book that were harder for you to write than other parts?

I struggled with the early scenes a lot. I joke in my writing discords that I always end up starting my books way too early. It was most obvious with Haven(which used to start even slower and 10k longer, believe it or not), but I dealt with it in Avalon too.

I probably cut 15k just from the first five chapters of Avalon. Originally, there was supposed to be a lot longer sequence with Ashwind’s soldiers and we actually got to see the mission that Owen is returning from at the start of the book, but it took attention away from the main story and I had to leave it out.

Which character did you resonate with the most? You can name more than one if you want.

That’s hard to say. In many ways, I put a bit of myself in all my characters.

That being said, Beira is probably the one I understand most. She’s in between a rock and a hard place. The fae rely completely on her and the various oaths she’s sworn have left her with fewer options than she would like. She’s carries herself with a lot of internalized tension and the very real knowledge that messing up will have catastrophic effects on everyone she knows and loves.

What can we expect for the rest of the series? Especially book three.

Hiraeth is in the beta phase now! It picks up a few months after the events of Avalon and sees Owen struggling to master his new abilities as he learns more about Merlin and the creation of the fae. I’m planning on publish it sometime in the spring of 2023 and hope to release an omnibus with art of each fae generation sometime afterward.

Long term, I’m planning on writing a prequel about the first fae war and sequel duology set a few centuries after the events of the third book. The sequel series would follow Owen’s halfling great-great-great granddaughter after Beira disappears from the public eye.

What advice do you have for authors and writers out there who may feel discouraged?

Perfect is the enemy of done! The first six chapters of Haven actually ended up being the roughest because I kept fiddling with them to “improve” them instead of writing new stuff. It’s a lot easier to fix things when you know where they’re meant to lead instead of making your best guess.

Also, I highly recommend finding a core group of people to write with. You may not actually talk about your project much but having someone you can throw a rant to about how your characters aren’t behaving is so refreshing. The rubber duck process is fantastically helpful even when the rubber duck doesn’t quite understand what’s going on.

Can you tell us about your other works or works in progress?

Outside of my work on the greater FQC universe, I’m working on a gaslamp fantasy about a group of pirates hired by a dragon to retrieve some property that was stolen by a Dutch merchant prince. It’s tentatively called Fortitude’s Prize and I’m hoping to release it sometime in 2024. I’m also world-building for a hopepunk epic fantasy project I’m calling the Fallen Knight. I’ve got a busy writing schedule ahead of me!

About The Author:

Ceril N Domace is an accountant, the owner of a cat with more zooms than brain cells, and a dedicated dungeon master.

As a lover of fiction works great and small, Ceril has been reading age-inappropriate stories since her father failed to pull The Silmarillion from her grubby little fingers at age five. As a grown-up accountant, her spreadsheet compiling gives her plenty of time to make plans for a fantastic world that isn’t plagued by balance sheets . . . and also has dragons.

On the rare occasions she manages to free herself from an ever-growing and complex web of TTRPG, Ceril enjoys taking walks and griping that all her hobbies are work in disguise.

Links:

linktr.ee/cerilndomace

https://www.goodreads.com/series/329096-the-fae-queen-s-court

https://www.cerilndomace.com/

https://twitter.com/cerilndomace

https://www.adagio.com/signature_blend/group.html?group=22251

Author Spotlight: Emily Camp

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This Week’s Author: Emily Camp

Book Spotlight:

Author Bio:

Emily Camp is an author of several young adult novels. She also studies literature and is currently working toward a creative writing degree.

Follow me and find my books here: https://beacons.ai/emilycampwrites

Interview With Emily Camp:

1. Tell us about the books you’ve published so far. Can you tell us about some of your upcoming novels? I write young adult and new adult romances. I have two that have mystery elements to them as well. A Homecoming to Forget is about a girl with amnesia and she tries to figure out what happened to her the night she lost her memory.  I like to write characters that people can relate to. I feel like I’ve accomplished that in my stories. 

I’ve been busy writing a story for Kindle Vella. It’s a soap opera type story, some romance and lots of drama. It’s called What Is Hidden. Vella is a serial fiction platform, so far I’ve published over 100 episodes for this and am still working on more. I’m planning on finishing at about 120 episodes. I’m also currently brainstorming a project for an upcoming anthology in May and have another YA romance with a little bit of suspense in the works. It’s about a girl who’s ex-boyfriend is stalking her. She fake dates a guy to get the stalker off her back, and we all know what happens when people fake date in fiction. The problem is, the stalker doesn’t give up that easily. I was wanting to have it ready by spring, but I’ve been focusing on my vella projects the last few months. 

2. What was the moment you knew you wanted to be an author? I fell in love with storytelling at an early age. I remember reading and watching things and trying to come up with my own endings before they happened. But my first time thinking I could be an author was when I was 13 and fell in love with the book The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. I even wrote a story inspired by that book. I still have the story, too. If there would have been fanfiction back then I’m sure I would have written fanfiction for it as well. 

3. What are some things you do to overcome doubts about your writing? 

I started posting my stories on Wattpad to get a feel for what readers thought about my writing before I published on Amazon. I actually had a decent following there. But one thing I did was I made a document of all the kind messages readers sent me while I was writing there. I look at it whenever I feel like giving up. 

4.Have any actual life experiences reflected in your writing? Absolutely. I have used several life experiences. 

5. Who was your easiest character to write about and why? The easiest character I’ve written is Kacey from Boy of the Week. Because I got the idea of her from my teenage self. From some of the feedback I get about that book, I’m not the only one who was like her in high school. 

What was your hardest and why? My hardest character was Pierce from Sydney’s Last Night. I never really felt like I understood her at the time. She lost her sister and was grieving a sibling. I’d never experienced that when I wrote about it. However, I did lose my brother six months after I published the book. I don’t know if that would be harder to write now or not. 

Contact me at nikkiereads@starsbooksandtea.com if you’d like to be featured here!

Author Spotlight: Scarlett Kol

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This Week’s Author: Scarlett Kol

Book Spotlight:

Author Bio:

Scarlett Kol is the USA Today Bestselling Author of dystopian, paranormal and fantasy novels for young adults. Born and raised in Northern Manitoba, she grew up reading books and writing stories about creatures that make you want to sleep with the lights on. As an adult, she’s still a little afraid of the dark.

Interview With Scarlett Kol:

Tell us about the books you’ve published so far. Can you tell us about some of your upcoming novels?

I have a smattering of different novels out there. My debut novel was a near-future Robin Hood retelling. It’s a little bit dystopian, a little bit biopunk, and is told from the point of view of an upper east side Maid Marian named Mercury. However, my first and true love is more of the paranormal/urban fantasy type stories. Most of my novels to this point are standalones featuring witches, demons, wraiths, and anything else I can think up (Wicked Descent, Sleepless, Keeper of Shadows), however I always like to temper my magic with a little bit (or a lot) of romance as I adore writing those intimate moments between characters. My latest release will be Fierce which is book three from my Faraway High Fairytales series. This is a super fun series of fairytale retellings set in a contemporary Iowa high school in the fictional town of Faraway. So far, I’ve tackled the Little Mermaid but with angels (Falling), Sleeping Beauty but with Celtic mythology and portal magic (Dreamer), and the latest release will be The Twelve Dancing Princesses but make them a cheerleading squad and wolf shifters (Fierce). The nice thing about this series is that they all interconnect, but are completely standalone so you can read them in any order and still get a complete story. After that I plan on launching a brand-new series centered around tarot, so definitely watch my social media for that!

What was the moment you knew you wanted to be an author? 

I was always a huge reader and had an amazing librarian who turned me on to paranormal and contemporary fantasy in middle school However, somewhere around my early teen years as I devoured Christopher Pike and Anne Rice novels, I realized I had my own stories to tell. I loved the books I was reading and started writing short stories for local contests, and even won a few. After high school, life kind of got in the way, but I still wrote some moody, angtsy poetry for a bit and focused on studying. After my first son was born, I realized I’d strayed away from what I loved and wanted to get back to something that felt like “me”. I started writing this Women’s Fiction/Reese’s Book Club type book, but it just wasn’t coming together. Around that time, a friend gave me this book she thought I might like that I’d never heard of called Twilight and it sparked the love I had back in my teens for those kinds of paranormal stories. I’d convinced myself I had to give up the childish things I used to love but here was this writer in her 30’s doing what I wished I had. I scrapped the novel I’d started and picked up a pen to write a YA story full of magic, mystery, and swoony romance. The rest was history.

What are some things you do to overcome doubts about your writing?

Omigosh! This is such a great question as I still battle with this on every single project. It doesn’t seem to matter how many books I write or how much I hear that people love them, I’m constantly struggling with the thoughts that this book won’t be as good as my past ones, or it should be so much better, or the book I’m reading is leaps and bounds more amazing than mine. However, if I let those thoughts take over, I’d never publish another thing! Fortunately, I have an amazing set of writer friends who are my cheerleaders and support system who put me back on track when I fall. But what’s really been working for me lately is promising myself that no one needs to read what I’m writing. “It’s a first draft, if it sucks, I won’t publish it/submit it/send to readers.” Usually once I get through the first draft, it might still suck, but there are pieces in there that I love and then I strive to make the book match those parts. Eventually, I’m a few drafts in and have switched to thinking about the release so it moves from “this sucks” to “it’s coming out soon, better make it shine”. I also put a photo of my cover in my workspace to remind me that if I finish the story I get to put that pretty on my shelf.

Have any actual life experiences reflected in your writing?

All the time, whether I realize it or not (however, people I know will usually let me know). I think we all write what we know to some extent as that’s how we experience the world and we reflect it back in our writing. Most of time it’s usually a character or character trait, something minor like an object or saying, or a place fictional place I wrote about that is totally a real place somewhere that meant something to me. However, I do have one kiss in one of my books that is based on a real kiss I had once … I’ll let you all guess which one.

Who was your easiest character to write about and why? What was your hardest and why?

The easiest character was Brea Vardan from Dreamer. She’s a bit of an overthinker and is probably one of the characters I’ve written that is most like myself in how they think and break down information. The hardest character was definitely Berkley James from Sleepless. I tore down and rebuilt this book about twenty times! I think she was the hardest because she has a ton of bad stuff that happens to her in the book and it weighs on her pretty heavy which makes it tough for her to try to fight her way out of it. My heart kind of broke for her a bajillion times while I wrote that book.

Contact me at nikkiereads@starsbooksandtea.com if you’d like to be featured here!

Author Spotlight: Amanda Marin

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This Week’s Author: Amanda Marin

Book Spotlight:

About The Author:

When Amanda was a child, her father traveled frequently for business, always bringing back a book as a present for her. Whether she was getting lost in the pages of a tale about faraway knights, girls with supernatural powers, or kindly giants, she was quickly hooked on stories.

Nowadays, Amanda writes books of her own. She is a USA Today bestselling author and works in scholarly publishing. Her favorite things include Starbucks lattes, lazy summer afternoons at the beach, and stories with characters that make you go “awww.” She lives in New England with her family and furbaby, Snickers the Poodle.

Stay in touch!

Interview With Amanda Marin:

Tell us about the books you’ve published so far. Can you tell us about some of your upcoming novels?

Yes! Young adult fiction holds a special place in my heart. I got really into reading YA almost ten years ago while experiencing some major health issues. YA quickly became my go-to comfort read at the time, and as I recovered, I started to dabble in writing it. It took a couple of tries to get right, but I stuck with it. Eventually, I churned out a draft of my first novel to get published: North to Nara, a YA dystopian romance.

North to Nara grew into a trilogy (the Crimson Sash series), and it’ll always hold a special place in my heart! “North” (as I call it for short) is a forbidden love story that reinvents the Hester-Dimmesdale romance from The Scarlet Letter against a backdrop of modern social issues. I like to think that it has a positive, deeper meaning beyond the surface-level story of the two sweet, beautiful main characters who only want the chance to love each other.

Being a sucker for retellings, I also write fairy tales and mashups with a twist. The heroines in my Happily Other After short story series choose endings other than their originally crafted Prince Charming. I’ll be adding another story to that collection in early 2023. In the meantime, I have two mythology-based academy stories out (or coming out soon!) in anthologies in 2022. I love putting a modern spin on old stories!

What was the moment you knew you wanted to be an author?

Tough question … but mostly because the answer is SO simple! I’ve always wanted to be a writer. Even as a kid, I loved reading and writing stories. I was an early reader, and I used to walk around with notebooks and journals from the time I could write. To me, there’s nothing better than becoming immersed in a story—books are my cure-all when I’m sad and my happy place when times are good.

What are some things you do to overcome doubts about your writing?

I usually find comfort in knowing that other authors have experienced the same sorts of doubts. Imposter syndrome, lackluster reviews, rejections from agents and publishers—all the greatest writers have faced these … as have my own writer pals. There’s comfort in knowing you’re not alone in your struggles!

Have any actual life experiences reflected in your writing?

Absolutely! Without pointing fingers, I will say that some of the guys in my Cinderella story, “Another Midnight,” have a similarity or two to one or more of my exes (shhhh—don’t tell!). Plus, I have lived with PTSD for many years. I drew on some of my treatment/coping experiences in my novel Sky to Sea, which is a sequel to North to Nara. I wish I could say that I could dance, paint, or foretell the future like the muses and seers in my Mythic Academy series … maybe someday if I cross my fingers and keep practicing!

Who was your easiest character to write about and why? What was your hardest and why?

Another great question … My hardest character to write was Micah, the cinnamon-roll hero in my Crimson Sash books. He’s SO good and selfless, especially at the beginning of the trilogy. Writing him made me much more aware that kindness matters in real life as much as a novel! I learned from him even while I invented him, I guess. The easiest to write was Corisande, a siren who falls for her intended victim, in my upcoming novella A Song of Salt and Secrets. She’s shy, awkward, well-meaning, and a bit nervous all the time. I can relate! LOL 🙂

Contact me at nikkiereads@starsbooksandtea.com if you’d like to be featured here!

Author Spotlight: Maria Vermisoglou

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This Week’s Author: Maria Vermisoglou

Book Spotlight:

About The Author:

Maria Vermisoglou is an International Bestselling author of fantasy and paranormal with an obsession for witches. She loves throwing her heroes into impossible situations. Maria draws inspiration from books, travel, and…the ceiling. (So blame the ceiling!)
Maria started writing when the stories she read became too boring and the voices in her mind too loud.
When she’s not writing, she loves a good riding on the fantasy dragon, but a book can also be exciting, along with a cup of tea.
Nowadays, you can find her in Athens, exploring the mysteries of the ancient world.

Subscribe in her newsletter and you can stay up to date with her works and get first dibs on book sales, giveaways, all the fun stuff.https://maraki2311.wixsite.com/creativequill/
Follow Maria on social media: https://linktr.ee/portal_to_the_unknown

Interview With Maria Vermisoglou:

Tell us about the books you’ve published so far. Can you tell us about some of your upcoming novels?

I started with YA novels featuring witches, but I have expanded to shifters, mermen and other paranormal creatures. I even have some holiday, fairytales and mythological books. I mostly write paranormal fantasy because I love magic and unexplainable stuff. My obsession is witches but not the classical evil witches, but I strive to craft a different image than the cliches. Healers, bartenders, fighters, you name it, and their goal is to save humans from demons and themselves. If they fall in love with a human along the way, all the better! Upcoming? I have planned a NA Alice retelling (shifters and elementals), several other witch books in my series and an entirely new series that has nothing to do with magic! *insert shocked face*  A genius on the run. The Irish mafia with a secret plan. Romance, mystery, and heists! I said too much, huh?

What was the moment you knew you wanted to be an author? 

I didn’t know I wanted to be an author. It all started with a story. I always crafted stories in my mind. I took a part of the story and twisted it into something new, but never wrote it down. It helped me come to terms that this story had ended. The last goodbye to the characters I loved so much. Ha, ha. One day, I had finished another great story and the what ifs tortured my mind. What if the character was a witch? What if…? And that’s how my first story was born. I didn’t know if I wanted to know an author. I just wanted to quiet the noise in my brain. Word after word, page after page became a book. And then more books. I joined anthologies and published my own books. I never thought of myself as an author as in I never thought I’d become one, but I love it. Helps me cope with the challenges of life and it makes me happy. As a reader, books were my friends, my escape, so I want to offer that to my readers as well. A gateway to my little portal where we’re all accepted, we’re all heroes and we can all ride giant hippocampi!

What are some things you do to overcome doubts about your writing?

My only doubt is: Someone can write it better than me. I’m a pantser, so half the time I don’t know where the story is going, so it’s challenging to overcome that fear. It never truly goes away, but I believe in my stories and I’ve learned a lot over time. Sure, there are many people who might have done it better, but they’re not me. These characters chose me as their voice and I will do my best to represent their stories as best as I can. My readers love my stories so instead of doubting myself, I should write faster 🙂

Have any actual life experiences reflected in your writing? 

Yes. In the Hands of Zaztice is a Greek mythology novella that’s set in Athens, where I live and most of the story represents real events. Except the monsters. Haven’t encountered them yet. Ha. But even the monsters are symbols. I didn’t have a sword, but sometimes, one step is enough to light the path for you and the monsters to go away.

Who was your easiest character to write about and why? What was your hardest and why?

Hardest: Violet (The Eulogimenoi series). I couldn’t tell what she was thinking. It was a hazy mess that made no sense. The easiest character is Eva because she was a witch and somehow, I could sync with her thoughts and understand her real easy. It’s like the story wrote itself. 

Contact me at nikkiereads@starsbooksandtea.com if you’d like to be featured here!

Author Spotlight: Lily-Ann Johnson

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This Week’s Author: Lily-Ann Johnson

Book Spotlight:

Blondie's Hero (Heart of Teufel Hundens Book 1) by [Lily-Ann Johnson, Ash Arceneaux]

Mary-Alice Roberts (Blondie) owns one of the busiest Marine Bars on the East Coast. Getting dumped via Text Message is just the start of her problems. She also needs an experienced Bartender who can fill in right away.

Marine Staff Sargent, Jake Peterson is medically retired, and needs a job to keep his mind busy and not live in the past. The Bartending job at Teufel Hundens sounds like the perfect solution.

When Blondie’s Ex decides to blame Blondie and Jake for his misfortunes and retaliates against Blondie.

Will Jake be the Hero Blondie needs and save her? Or will revealing his actual wealth and him being the cause of her ex’s anger have Blondie doubting not only Jake but their budding love as well?

Seamlessly Yours (Seamlessly Erotic Fairytales) by [Lily-Ann Johnson]

Cynder Whelan knows three absolute truths in her heart, nothing is better than a man in a well-made suit, both her parents had wills, and forever love exists. Ever since her father died she has been stuck with her stepmother and nasty stepsisters. Cynder has made it her goal to make sure Willow Wolf, the fashion house her parents built stays in business and one of the best. Even if that means working ungodly hours for her stepmother Rachel and never getting credit for her designs.Santon James is a self-made man, who lives by the moto is work hard, play harder. He owns one of the largest high fashion textile distributing company in the city and all the fashion houses want access to him. He only deals with the best and now that he back, he is waiting just to snap up the best the city has to offer even if that means playing dirty. Will a chance meeting between Santon and Cynder spark a connection that will set Cynder free.

Originally featured in Suit Porn 2 Anthology at LLS 2019.

About The Author:

No description available.

Lily-ann Johnson is an amazon best selling muti-genre author who lives in North Carolina. Married very own Marine and high school sweetheart with two amazing boys, a dog and 5 cats. 
If you don’t find her with her nose in a book. She can be found at her local VFW Post supporting various different military and non-profit organizations. 

Interview With Lily-Ann Johnson:

Tell us about the books you’ve published so far. Can you tell us about some of your upcoming novels?

I am currently just finished a Valentines story for the Military Romance anthology Cupid Wore Dogtags. My story is Valentine’s Hart. 
I am also writing a story Seamlessly Tied for Suit Porn 4 for LLS 2022 that will be part of my Seamlessly Erotic Fairytales retellings.  I have two books bookmarked for Heart of Teufel Hundens series. 

What was the moment you knew you wanted to be an author?

I always wrote poems and short stories but I knew I wanted to be a published romance author when I had so many ideas in my head they just had to get out.  Plus who doesn’t love a happy ending. 

What are some things you do to overcome doubts about your writing?

 I have a circle of friends that I bounce ideas off. They are honest and if I have questions about my writing or the flow of the things they keep me centered and give me the kick I need to get back at it. 

Have any actual life experiences reflected in your writing?

I do put real life situations in my books. The crab scene from Blondies Hero actually happened but it was no where near as romantic. Hubby left me on beach getting attacked by crabs while he ran to safety.

Who was your easiest character to write about and why? What was your hardest and why?

Easiest was (Blondie) Mary-Alice because I put a lot of myself into her. Easiest male would be Jazz from Seamlessly Wishful ,as I based him off a real life friend. 
Hardest would have to be Rich from Nikki’s Marine because he didn’t want to be happy at first. 

Follow me everywhere: https://linktr.ee/StarsBooksAndTea

Author Spotlight: Michelle Dare

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This Week’s Author: Michelle Dare

Book Spotlight:

The Ariane Trilogy: The Complete Series by [Michelle Dare]

Enter the world of the Avynwood Pack with this complete trilogy.

A kept secret. A life altered. A new journey.

Ariane lived her life one book at a time. She would never have guessed those books were about to change everything.

They led her to Orion.

Tall, dark, with eyes only for her. The rest of the world ceased to exist when Orion was around. But during a fateful ash moon, he shifted into a wolf. Ari thought she was dreaming, but she’d recognize those eyes anywhere.

Fiction became reality. Fantasy was actually history. And soon, Ari would learn her role in it.

A pack war was on the horizon, and she was the only one who could stop it.

Nothing would ever be as it once was, because Ariane was now part of the Avynwood Pack.

With millions of pages read in Kindle Unlimited, find out why everyone is falling for the paranormals in this romance trilogy.

“One of the best written paranormal offerings I’ve found this year.” – Crystal M., Amazon Reviewer ★★★★★

“Completely obsessed with this new series!! Total must read!” – TracyB, Amazon Reviewer ★★★★★

“This story is AMAZING. I think the plot is genius.” – Nina, Amazon Reviewer ★★★★★

“Well written, passionate characters, suspense, twists and turns. So good!” – Nikki B, Amazon Reviewer ★★★★★

About The Author:

Michelle Dare

Michelle Dare is a USA Today Bestselling Author. Her stories range from sweet to sinful and from paranormal to contemporary. There aren’t enough hours in the day for her to write all the story ideas in her head. When not writing or reading, she’s a wife and mom living in eastern Pennsylvania. One day she hopes to be writing from a beach where she will never have to see snow or be cold again.

Interview with Michelle Dare:

Tell us about the books you’ve published so far. Can you tell us about some of your upcoming novels? 

I write romance in a variety of genres including paranormal, fantasy, new adult, contemporary, suspense, rom-com, and M/M. I’m currently working on book four in my fantasy romance series, The Iridescent Realm. I’m also working on my next co-written series which is M/M sports romance. Rebecca Brooke and I co-write it under the pen name Haven Hadley.

What was the moment you knew you wanted to be an author? 

This is a tough one. I’m not sure there was one moment but once I started writing my first book, it was like the flood gates opened and I got more story ideas than I knew what to do with.

What are some things you do to overcome doubts about your writing? 

Doubting myself is a problem I’ve definitely had to overcome. The more books I’ve written, the easier it’s gotten but I’m not sure it ever goes away. What helps is talking to my readers. They always know what to say. Their love of my stories and their words keep me motivated.

Have any actual life experiences reflected in your writing? 

In every one of my books I like to put in tiny tidbits from my real life. Like a favorite TV show or a pet I had. Maybe a vehicle I once drove. Sometimes it’s the attitude of my characters. I’m very sarcastic and like to joke around. I think that comes through strongly with some of the books I write.

Who was your easiest character to write about and why? What was your hardest and why? 

There are some characters who stay with me. Ones that even after their story is told keep a permanent residence in my mind. Solomon Verascue has been hands down one of my easiest characters. His personality, words, mannerisms flow so well from me. The hardest… I can’t think of one particular character but I can say some books are easier to write. Where I just close my eyes and the words pour out of me. Others can be much more of a struggle.

Follow me everywhere: https://linktr.ee/StarsBooksAndTea