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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Ancient Canada: A Mythological Tale?

I was visiting a friend in New York City, looking for a place to eat lunch. There were fantastic restaurants everywhere with food from all over the world. Thinking about all of those different cultures made me want to create an alternate world full of its own, without infringing on any true cultural traditions.

This story takes place in an alternate Arctic Circle. It only uses the geography of the North, not its cultural traditions, and tells its own story. Without giving away too much, the title still makes sense as you progress through the book.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Ancient Canada: A Mythological Tale, what would they be?

That’s funny, because when writing the characters, I tried to think of what they would be like in our world, particularly what music they would listen to. I’m not sure of one specific song, but Marigold would definitely be a huge Madonna fan. That was fun, and important, for me to think about while writing because it helped me develop some universality to the characters. For Lavender, it would be Annie Lennox. If they lived in our world, Lavender would get into fights with Marigold over music, for sure.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

My favorite genre to read, believe it or not, is actual mythology. I love The Odyssey, I enjoy reading Greek tragedies, and anything really, really old. For current works, the latest book I read was River of Fire, a memoir by Sister Helen Prejean. I highly recommend all three of her books. My favorite genre to write is fantasy/mythology fiction just like this story.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

The Stranger by Albert Camus.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

Probably when Lavender and Marigold are inside the sea monster and the Canadian soldiers fail miserably in their attempt to kill the creature (not to rescue, but to arrest the sisters). The reason I liked writing it was that the scene required a certain precision of detail for the action not to be confusing, and that also brought out a lot of the imagery and movement, making such a bizarre scene so easy to picture.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

Nothing too quirky, but my family schedule tends to force my writing time to be late at night. Most of this book was written between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. on weekends, or when I was traveling for work. Which is probably why it took me a while to write, and why the characters suffer multiple episodes of sleep deprivation throughout the story.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

My grandfather used to say, “The impossible just takes a little bit longer.” He was an educator and a school superintendent, and that motto worked for him. His brother used to say, “Do everything with love.” He was a priest, and that worked for him as well. Those sayings work for me too, when I remember to use them.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

I just hope it’s unlike anything they’ve read before. If they’re expecting sword and sorcery fantasy, they’ll be upset at the lack of wizards and dragons. But I suppose with a title like Ancient Canada: a Mythological Tale, and knowing that it’s not based on actual cultures of our world, I would just hope they’d question the story world, and wonder why things are the way they are.

Clinton Festa is the author of the new book Ancient Canada: A Mythological Tale

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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Silver to the Heart, Light of Adua Book One?

I’ve always loved vampires, magic, and concepts such as parallel universes. So here you are, vampires with magical abilities who are souls from a different realm.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Silver to the Heart, Light of Adua Book One, what would they be?

Well, not a theme song for this book in particular, but one of my favorites is ‘Man That You Fear’ by Marilyn Manson (because I’m old!).

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

In reading, I love any type of fantasy and some well written memoirs. I love space horror type of sci-fi too, but I like them better in films such as Danny Boyle’s ‘Sunshine’. So, yes, I do love the genre I write in.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

I’m really into Joe Abercrombie at the moment, Calder is my favorite. Everything Abercrombie is on my TBR right now. Also, Frank Herbert’s Dune Sage is on my list as well (don’t hang me for not having read them yet).

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

Spoiler alert. Alright, I’m writing the third book of the same series as of right now, (book two is complete and sent off my editor). I rework every scene till it feels ‘right’, so in my opinion they’re all good. I also get emotionally invested in what I’m currently writing. In short, all the scenes in ‘Silver to the Heart’ are good but my favorite from that book is a chapter called ‘Farewell, Father’. My all-time favorite scene as of right now, is in book three because it’s always in something I’m currently writing. When I’m done with that, my favorite scene will be in book four.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

It may or may not involve alcoholic beverages and/or other… things.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Write what you want to read.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

After reading 'Silver to the Heart', Book One, if you could remember one thing, a single thing, and that was it. Remember this: buy book two! Shameless plug: Prophecy for the Warlord, Light of Adua Book Two coming to all retailers January of 2022.

Brien Feathers is the author of the new book Silver to the Heart, Light of Adua Book One

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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write The Spell of the Rose?

I remember it was fall in Michigan when I started writing the story. That’s how I created the world first: a small village where it is always fall. It took me some time to understand it myself what kind of place that was, why it is always fall there, why these characters don’t remember anything of their lives before they got there, and what should happen for them to leave.

It became apparent that they had to travel through different parallel worlds, gather clues in order to accomplish their goal. These worlds are not exactly like the usual places you see in most fantasy novels. They are more of spiritual worlds with physical dimensions, like Fogland is a metaphor personal hell; it’s a place you go in your mind when you feel guilty; Noisy land is the world of music at a state when the music is taken away from it; or The Word, a world of knowledge and wisdom, etc.

My sister Boryana and her drawings were the main inspiration that kept me going. There were times when I didn’t know where these characters were going and what their main goal was and I would abandon the project. But Bo was quite persistent. She kept asking “What happens next? I wanna know!”, so I would go back and figure it out. Also, I wanted to use creatures you don’t usually see in mainstream fantasy. No dragons, no trolls, no princesses and kingdoms, no epic battles. I believe battles can be won in a different way, other than violence.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of The Spell of the Rose, what would they be?

For my main character Fleex maybe Kiss From a Rose by Seal; The Forest by The Cure for Fog (as the illustration of him was inspired by Rober Smith).

What's your favorite genre to read?

Sci-fi, Fantasy, Mysteries, Detective Novels, and some Horror (especially written by Stephen King).

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Stephen King's The Institute and Billy Summers and The Gospel of Loki by Joanne Harris.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

The first scene in the world of Word. The Reader is definitely my favorite character. He is a funny little man; his physical description, clumsiness, and his manner of speaking in rhymes were a lot of fun to write.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

It's more of a habit of our male cat Richie. If I sit on the sofa with a laptop on my lap, he would take place on my stretched legs and stay there for hours. This keeps me writing, as I don't have the heart to disturb him.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

You don't need to be perfect. You just strive to be better than you were yesterday.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

If we lose our love, hope, knowledge, and arts, we lose all that makes us human. These are worth fighting for.

Toni Behm is the author of the new book The Spell of the Rose

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