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Must-Read Fantasy & Science Fiction Books | December 2020

New worlds await readers this week thanks to some amazing new releases hitting stores. If you're looking for some new recommendations you won't want to miss our picks for must-read fantasy & science fiction books. You can get the latest from authors Randolph Lalonde, Diane Mayer Christiansen, E. Hall, Anna Finch, Jamie McFarlane, and Mark Goodwin. Happy reading!

NEM: Awakening

by Randolph Lalonde

Release Date: October 31, 2020

Grant has loved fantasy for his entire life. As a Dungeon Master he began creating a world of his own for tabletop role-playing games that has grown to fill bookshelves since his teens. Nem. Outside of his basement game room pursuits, he once trained for and competed in the only medieval tourney held in his home city and won. That was his greatest moment, and it was some time ago. Little does he know, Nem is real and he is uniquely qualified to save it.

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SURVIVOR: Out of the Wild

by Diane Mayer Christiansen

Release Date: November 3, 2020

A post-apocalyptic adventure split between two character perspectives, the plots here move forward quickly and in parallel, as a couple separated following a 50-year frozen sleep by which they escaped the destruction seeks to survive and perhaps reunite. The end of the world comes in a ball of fire. Wren is so not ready, who would be? As she races to the shelter of the cryobanks she has only one thought on her mind, survival. It’s a different story once she awakes fifty years later.

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Wolf Shifter Diaries: Life Fated

by E. Hall

Release Date: September 25, 2020

For graduation, my mom sends me on a trip to Concordia—a European country I’ve never heard of. Apparently, my father lives there...along with werewolves, vampires, and other monsters. Yes, it’s terrifying, but it turns out I’m not that much different. Exactly what I am is another question entirely. What I do know is that I’ve fallen for the leader of the wolf shifter pack. Too bad he hates me. Corbin is a guardian of the former monsters in Concordia. When the Klave, a fringe group, threatens to break the magical bonds that keep humans safe from them, it’s up to him to stop the sinister plot.

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Voiceless: A Mermaid's Tale

by Anna Finch

Release Date: October 20, 2020

Moriah is a beautiful mermaid princess that lives in Zoara-Bela under her grandfather, King Abaddon’s cruel reign. On her 16th birthday, she must undergo her rite of passage in which a young mermaid must transform into a human, and live among them for a day without drawing suspicion from the world above. It’s not until she meets Michael, a young, handsome man, that she witnesses the stark contrast between the openness and kindness of the human world and the bitter reality of her draconian society.

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Junkyard Spaceship

by Jamie McFarlane

Release Date: November 30, 2020

The third book in the Junkyeard Pirate Series by Jamie McFarlane... Albert Jenkins would like nothing more than to putter around his junkyard, selling parts and working on old cars. When an alien spacecraft is shot down by US Air Defense and crash lands on his newly rebuilt home, he’s dragged back into the fight of his life. Lightyears away, a war for the control of Earth looms and humanity’s freedom hangs in the balance.

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Tribulation

by Mark Goodwin

Release Date: December 3, 2020

The first book in the Kingdom of Darkness Series by Mark Goodwin... Accused of domestic terrorism, Emilio Vega was on his way to a Department of Global Security death camp when the mega-quake hit. The streets beneath his transport vehicle buckled, tossing the van in the air like a toy. He survived the crash, but the world is now in ruins. However, for a condemned man, this disaster may be just the lucky break he needed.

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Interview with Randolph Lalonde, Author of NEM: Awakening

What can you tell us about your new release, NEM: Awakening?

NEM: Awakening is about Grant, a weekend Dungeon Master who runs fantasy campaigns for his friends, who gets tossed into his own fantasy world. Literally. There's a lot more to it, including a Goddess who he thought he made up but turns out to be real, a greedy High Priest, a Demon, treasure caches, irritating Princes, and a confrontation involving a desperate goblin tribe. You'll have to give it a read to learn more.

There's a backstory behind this book, too. I started writing NEM at the beginning of the COVID crisis in Canada, when my government asked that everyone who could stay at home do so. I work at home, so that wasn't an issue for me. Sadly, this meant that the tabletop role-playing session that I had planned in the coming week would have to be cancelled. In fact, the whole campaign I was going to run for my friends, who are all enthusiastic tabletop gamers, would be put on hold indefinitely. Sure, this wasn't a tragedy in the grander sense, but I was really looking forward to having a good game with them. A few weeks later, I started writing NEM, which is about a Dungeon Master who gets pulled into his own game world, and I used some of the materials I had developed for the game I was going to play with my friends as a foundation. NEM: Awakening is a fun escape for me that allows me to flex the side of my brain that I would be using as a Dungeon Master, especially since some major decisions about the main character's actions are made by people who follow along with the serialized version on Patreon, and the success or failure of some other actions are determined by the throw of a 20 sided die on my desk while I'm writing. The result is a rather unpredictable romp from reality into fantasy.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

I can't say anyone was my inspiration, because I started writing short stories before I was a teenager. I submitted my first story to Amazing Stories when I was about fourteen and still have the encouraging rejection letter somewhere. I love telling stories, so that kept me typing.

What's on your top 5 list for the best books you've ever read?

It's hard to narrow it down, but here are a few of my favourites across the genres. Cabal by Clive Barker, Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins, Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, Legend by David Gemmell, and The Heroin Diaries by Nikki Sixx.

Say you're the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask?

I'd probably invite Clive Barker. I'd ask him; "If you could switch places with any character in your stories, which one would it be, and why?"

What's your favorite thing about writing?

That changes from time to time, but right now I'd have to say it's the best kind of distraction. I love immersing myself in the surroundings and problems of a different world. Right now I'm focused on fantasy and science fiction.

What is a typical day like for you?

I get dressed, have breakfast (usually oatmeal with random nuts and dried stuff thrown in), then go to my in-home office. While listening to music, I check email, then start writing or editing. In the afternoon I work on the business side of my career. If that doesn't take up the rest of my day, I often do a little more editing, writing, or I work on research for one of the projects I am, or will be writing. Most of the research is conducted online, but I love interviewing people when I can.

What scene from NEM: Awakening was your favorite to write?

It's a tie! There are two that come to mind: The arrival of a full-grown drake, and the moment when Grant wakes up in an unexpected place.

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

Habits are hard to master. The good ones are an uphill climb, the bad ones are a downhill fall. Keep climbing, and don't look down.

Randolph Lalonde is the author of the new book NEM: Awakening.

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Interview with Amelia Shaw, Author of Ava's Coven

What can you tell us about your new release, Ava's Coven?

Ava’s Coven is the first boxset in my 9 book paranormal fantasy series- The Daughters of the Warlock. The 9 books are about three sisters- Ava, Bell and Courtney. And each daughter of the warlock gets her own trilogy. This is Ava’s trilogy. She is the oldest of the three girls.

The daughters of the warlock have grown up with only their mother, having never met their father, in a secret, private realm. Their mother hid them because their father is the High Warlock of all the realms, and the ‘Council’ control him, right down to his arranged marriage and how many children he should have.

The book opens with their mother’s death, and is a roller coaster of a ride as Ava searches out her father, falls in love with a Fae, and tries to stay alive as the Council try to execute her for treason.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

When I first started writing, I was reading contemporary romance mills and boon. But over the years I’ve changed genres and have been influenced by countless authors.

But some of the most notable are Eloisa James, Diana Gabaldon, Sabrina Jeffries, Eva Chase and CN Crawford.

What's on your top 5 list for the best books you've ever read?

The Outlander series- Diana Gabaldon

Royal Villains Academy series- Eva Chase

Shadow Fae series -CN Crawford

The Royal Brotherhood – by Sabrina Jeffries

When Beauty tamed the Beast- By Eloisa James

The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons

(I know that’s 6- hope you don’t mind!)

What's your favorite thing about writing?

The cover art 😊 I went into writing paranormal romance and urban fantasy purely for the incredible covers 😊

What is a typical day like for you?

Well, I’m a mother of 4, so I get up with my baby- who's 3.5 months old around 6am. Get on my computer and get onto emails, newsletters, checking ads and sales etc. Then when the school-aged kids get up I start running. Breakfast, lunches, yelling at kids to get dressed and pack their bags, while I get the 3 year old ready for child care or whatever we’re doing.

Do school run, come home, feed or settle bubs, then its 4-6 hours on the computer for editing, writing, promoting, etc. Being a self-published author means there is a lot more to do than just write.

Then it's school pick up, lots of kids stuff, and after they go to bed, I either relax with my partner, or do some more edits, check on a cover I ordered, etc.

I publish twice a month between my multiple pen names so I have a lot of things going all at once.

What scene from Ava's Coven was your favorite to write?

I loved a lot of scenes in Ava’s trilogy. The action scenes were fun. When she was magically fighting with her Fae lover in the College hall, or anytime she’s with her sisters. Their banter is heaps of fun to write.

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

Never say never, is a good one.

If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.

Amelia Shaw is the author of Ava's Coven.

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Interview with Meredith Allard, Author of Christmas at Hembry Castle

What can you tell us about your new release, Christmas at Hembry Castle?

Christmas at Hembry Castle was written as an homage to A Christmas Carol. It takes place in England in 1871. It was inspired by my love for both Charles Dickens and the TV series Downton Abbey. It has upstairs/downstairs storylines, and there is even a meddling ghost for good measure. It’s a lighthearted, festive celebration of a Victorian Christmas.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

I’ve wanted to be an author for as long as I can remember—since elementary school, certainly. I was lucky because my teachers frequently told me I was a good writer, so I grew up thinking I was a good writer. At first I thought I’d become a journalist, then I thought I’d become a screenwriter, but I realized that with my interests and skills I was best suited to writing novels. Reading Charles Dickens in college helped me see what kind of novelist I wanted to be—I wanted to write stories that were entire worlds the way Dickens did.

What's on your top 5 list for the best books you've ever read?

1. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
2. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (no great surprise, there)
3. Leaves of Grass, a collection of poetry by Walt Whitman
4. Beloved by Toni Morrison
5. Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg

Say you're the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask?

I’ve been lucky enough to interview some of my literary idols. I interviewed John Jakes almost twenty years ago, and I’ve also interviewed Jean M. Auel. They were both lovely enough to answer my questions about their writing and researching processes. My favorite response came from John Jakes when I asked him what his next writing project was. He said he had too many ideas for too many books and he’d never live long enough to write all the stories he wanted to. I remember that answer all these years later because I realize how true that is. I also have so many stories I want to write, and I also doubt I’ll get to write them all.

What's your favorite thing about writing?

I love that I can take these crazy ideas in my head and share them with others. I love that creative writing is about creating new worlds. One of my favorite parts about being an author is hearing from fans all over the world. Thank the literary gods, but many of my books have found a devoted audience all over the world. Connecting with people who have read and loved my books is really a treasure I cannot describe.

What is a typical day like for you?

I’m a teacher, a job I love, so I start my day teaching. After school, I work on my own writing. I’m also a freelance writer and editor, so my days can get pretty busy. At night I love to read, and I’ll read whatever I can get my hands on.

What scene in Christmas at Hembry Castle was your favorite to write?

That’s actually a tough question to answer because I had so much fun writing this book. I found writing Christmas at Hembry Castle a great escape from the craziness of 2020. If I had to choose one scene that I particularly enjoyed writing, it’s the last scene in the book where Lord Staton and his family enjoy a fun, festive Christmas day celebration. Yes, there is a happy ending, in the tradition of A Christmas Carol and other favorite Christmas stories.

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

I love that quote from Walt Disney, “If you can dream it, you can do it.” I’ve found that to be true in my own life. You just have to be brave enough to let your imagination soar.

Meredith Allard is the author of the new book Christmas at Hembry Castle.

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Interview with E. Hall, Author of Wolf Shifter Diaries

What can you tell us about your new release, Wolf Shifter Diaries?

Some people are afraid to admit that they loved the Twilight Saga. I am not one of them. My best friends and I went nuts over the series, formed a book club, watched the movies, and fangirled hard. Since then I've written over 100 books over 4 pen names. Fantasy and paranormal romance has always had a place in my heart. I'd written fae, shifters, and magicals of all sorts then I got the idea for a character torn between her magic abilities...and being hunted by her fated shifter mate. I was Team Edward and was happy to see he and Bella got their happily ever after. Presumably, Jacob did too, but I always wanted more from the wolf world so in a way, this new series satisfies that curiosity.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

Since I was a little girl, I escaped into reading. Then as an adult, I realized I could escape into writing. I enjoy creating characters and entering their worlds...then closing the book and leaving the troubles behind!

What's on your top 5 list for the best books you've ever read?

Twilight, Harry Potter (a given!), anything by Leigh Bardugo, especially Six of Crows, and I really like K.M Shea as well as Sarah KL Wilson's Tangled Fae series.

Say you're the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask?

J.R.R. Tolkien would be my first guest. Before vampires and wolves were in my life it was hobbits and elves. We're big into Middle-earth in my household so I'd survey my family for questions. I'd like to know more about Tolkien's writing process and get a glimpse into how he formed such a vast backstory. I'd also be curious about he invented the elven language and hear him speak it! Also, what he'd think of an orc pnr story.

What's your favorite thing about writing?

This is a tough question! My favorite thing about writing is probably outlining. I do heavy outlines for books and series. This is the part where everything is new and shiny. I get to meet the characters, explore their interests, motivations, and goals. It's like a honeymoon stage. When I get into writing, that's when things get gritty and lose their luster slightly, but I try to keep it fresh with pacing and introducing conflict. Also, I love typing the last sentence of the manuscript. There's something very satisfying about the final period.

What is a typical day like for you?

First thing in the morning I walk my dog to get the blood pumping and the creative juices flowing. I find that I write best in the morning so after a brief check of my email and Facebook and then dive into writing, editing, or proofreading. If I'm not currently writing (which is rare), I'll do some work on the business side of things, plan promotions, and the like. However, I prefer to leave that for the afternoon. Fun fact: when I'm done writing a book, I buy myself a book by a favorite author, a new release, or something I'm interested in as a reward.

What scene from Wolf Shifter Diaries was your favorite to write?

This might be the toughest question! The hardest scene was when Kenna and Corbin met. I wanted to capture the animosity between them, but also the underlying attraction. So I guess I could say it was also my favorite for those same reasons!

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

"Everything is figureoutable!" -Marie Forleo. I believe in looking for solutions to problems and figuring out how to do challenging things...like writing that scene for instance!

E. Hall is the author of the new book Wolf Shifter Diaries.

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Interview with Diane Mayer Christiansen, Author of SURVIVOR: Out of the Wild

What can you tell us about your new release, SURVIVOR: Out of the Wild?

Survivor is my first dystopian novel and it was an amazing experience to write it, especially while in the throes of a pandemic. I worked hard on character development and it's really the story of strength and enduring the most difficult times. I tried to challenge the characters and really wanted to end up with a strong message of girl power. The characters must face unbelievable challenges and I think the key to their survival is wrapped around their choices. The book centers around two characters: Wren, a girl who has never known what she really wants out of life, and Aiden, a boy who has always had a plan. The chapters jump back and forth as they each navigate a world destroyed by a solar flare, both dealing with regret and pledging to make amends.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

I grew up struggling with the neurological disorder, dyslexia and was unable to read until my late twenties. At a very early age, I began making up stories to go along with the pictures in my books. I guess I've always had a creative mind but was unable to express that part of myself. Instead, I developed an interest in science and became a genetic researcher. But in the back of my mind there was always this desire to write. As an adult, I was able to teach myself to read and from that stemmed my inspiration to write.

What's on your top 5 list for the best books you've ever read?

I have to begin with Harry Potter. These were the first books that I could read on my own. It took me months to get through them all. I also love all nineteenth century literature: Bronte' and Hardy. Jane Eyre and Tess of the D'Urbervilles would be on the top of the list. Maze Runner, Uglies and any book written by Neal Shusterman.

Say you're the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask?

F.Scott Fitzgerald is my top pick. I loved the Great Gatsby. He also struggled with a learning difference thought to be dyslexia. I would ask him what it was like growing up in the jazz age and his thoughts on the division of wealth during that time. Also, what it was like writing such emotionally charged literature, often with characters that met tragic ends.

What's your favorite thing about writing?

I always begin with a story in my mind that is fairly thought out. The best part is getting it onto paper and watching it unfold and take new directions. I also love getting to know my characters and being immersed in their world for a time.

What is a typical day like for you?

Most of my story ideas come to me during a long walk so I spend as much time as I can enjoying that activity. I usually write for several hours a day and when it's time to edit my life becomes busy. Edits can take months and many read-throughs. Luckily, I have some great editors because my spelling is atrocious.

What scene from SURVIVOR: Out of the Wild was your favorite to write?

I think my favorite scene is when Briar realizes that it's okay to let others be strong for you. She's a tough chick but there's a scene when they are traveling through a cave and the darkness reminds her of a tragic moment in the past. I think it's nice that Wren can remind her that there are many different kinds of strength, not just tough and hard, but gentle and soft too.

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

Your life is not judged by the hurdles you face, but how you step over them. If you step over them.

Diane Mayer Christiansen is the author of the new book SURVIVOR: Out of the Wild.

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Interview with Michael McGinnis, Author of The Essential Revolution

What can you tell us about your new release, The Essential Revolution?

I’ve been working on it for almost four years. I would say that I channeled the book, meaning it was written through me rather than by me. I believe this book can change the world, as it can help change the people who read it.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

I’d never thought of writing before, then one day something told me there was a story that I was to write. That voice laid out the whole thing at once. My parents are both writers. My father also wrote about changing the world, just in a different way.

What's on your top 5 list for the best books you've ever read?

The Power of Now, I Am That, Conversations With God, The Autobiography Of A Yogi, and The Four Agreements.

Say you're the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask?

Eckhart Tolle… Do you ever get upset at anything?

What's your favorite thing about writing?

The way I get taken over and the words just flow through me.

What is a typical day like for you?

During writing moments I wake up between 330 and 4am and start just before 5am. I continue for as long as I can with only putting lemon water in my body. At about 10am I have a glass of celery juice and go till noon. Then I make a green smoothie and get back to writing for as long as I can. As soon as I eat cooked food the process ends.

What scene from The Essential Revolution was your favorite to write?

I liked writing the second interview scene. The chapter title is Silver for Gold. It took me weeks to finish. I’d say it’s the most dense piece in the book.

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

Be the shift you want to see in the world.

Michael McGinnis is the author of the new book The Essential Revolution.

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Interview with Erica Hilary, Author of Blindsided

What can you tell us about your new release, Blindsided?

‘Blindsided’ is an exploration into the how deeply someone can fall in love when there’s a void and a seemingly made-just-for-me person comes along. And how that kind of passionate love can blur the red flags that would be clear to anyone less blindly devoted. Once in the clutches of a narcissist with sordid secrets and a devious agenda, getting out is more than tricky. It could cost you your life.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

As a broadcaster, I enjoy having a verbal creative outlet and long harbored a desire to write a psychological suspense novel. I minored in abnormal psychology in college so for me, it began and ended with the human psyche. It’s not your typical thriller – rather, it’s through the prism of how people’s minds and hearts can be manipulated. When I was diagnosed with cancer 18 months ago, I decided it was time to pull out the half-done manuscript and live in an alternate universe with these characters during treatment as a distraction.

What's on your top 5 list for the best books you've ever read?

Well, since it’s all about the human condition for me…books that make me feel.

My first ‘moving’ read – ‘Ordinary People’ – Judith Guest

‘Everything I never told you’ – Celeste Ng

‘The Dinner’ – Herman Koch

‘The Woman Inside’ – EG Scott

‘Never Let You Go’ – Chevy Stevens

Say you're the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask?

Having hosted talk shows for many years, my dream guests would be a panel of BA Paris, Shari LaPena, Gillian Flynn and (the late) Sue Grafton to see what induces the psychological twists they all employ so effectively.

What's your favorite thing about writing?

During Covid, I’ve been able to commit several hours a day to writing. By far, my favorite (and my least favorite) thing about writing is what an insular process it is. It’s amazing to get absolutely lost in the world you’re creating, the mind of the person you’re inhabiting – right until it’s not great, and you’re teetering at that get-me-out-of-here point. It’s quite visceral and overtakes all other thoughts.

What scene from Blindsided was your favorite to write?

I most enjoyed (although it was painful) writing the scene when Reilly recovers the recording device she placed in Rick’s vehicle. While she hopes against common-sense-hope that it will reveal nothing, it may be one of the most agonizing, soul-scorching things imaginable for a wife not to just have proof that her husband has someone else – but to be forced to be a party to it.

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

The words I think about often: Talk to yourself the way you speak to those you love deeply, compassionately and unconditionally. And of course: When someone shows you who they are, believe them the 1^st time.

Erica Hilary is the author of the new book Blindsided.

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Interview with Kate Archer, Author of The Lord's Desperate Pledge

What can you tell us about your new release, The Lord's Desperate Pledge?

This is the third book of the series, The Dukes’ Pact. Six older dukes are fed up with their eldest sons not getting around to marrying and producing heirs, so they put them under extreme financial pressure to force them into it. The bachelor lords, naturally, resist. They will all be defeated, one by one, by my fearless heroines.

This is book three and Lord Ashbridge is a renowned, and arrogant, gambler. Lily Farnsworth has paid for her season via a particular skill at piquet. When these two card players collide, they despise one another. Until they stumble on a dangerous plot and are forced to work together.

I had such fun with these two. Ashbridge presents a cool exterior, but the fact is, he’d watched in horror when his inheritance came very close to ruin and takes his responsibility to keep his family afloat very seriously. Lily grew up fighting off creditors and has developed nerves of steel on account of it. Both of them are prickly, and so very well suited to one another.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

I always had a vague idea that I should write something, but it wasn’t until I lived in the Caribbean that I got started. I owned a small restaurant (VERY small) and the slow season for tourists leaves a lot of time on your hands. One year, I decided to write a children’s book for my young niece and nephew. It was terrible—far too long and way too many characters—but I was hooked! A lot of practice novels later, here we are. I have tried so many things in my life—SCUBA instructor, restaurant owner, Emergency Medical Technician, Wall Street consultant—this is the one that stuck.

What's on your top 5 list for the best books you've ever read?

Jane Austen: Pride and Prejudice, then Emma, then Sense and Sensibility

Charles Dickens David Copperfield, then A Christmas Carol

Georgette Heyer – Devil’s Cub or really anything she wrote for something light and fun

Mark Helprin: A Soldier of the Great War – a lovely, lovely book, don’t be put off by war being in the title

Frances Hodgson Burnett: The Little Princess – the first full length novel I ever read (and read and read). It’s worth it for the attic transformation scene alone—Ram Dass can break into my house anytime!

Say you're the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask?

Well, it has to be Jane Austen. So many questions! How did she revise without a computer? Where did her ideas come from? Were her characters based on people she knew? Does she wish she got married, or did she retain her sense of romance by avoiding the day-to-day of marriage? How would Sanditon have ended? What book was she going to write after Sanditon? Could she elaborate on her literary techniques for comedic characters? Now that she’s back to life and can see what came after, does she think Charles Dickens studied those techniques? Which Pride and Prejudice movie or miniseries does she prefer? (Please Jane, tell me it’s the one with Colin Firth) And on and on…

What's your favorite thing about writing?

That I can leave this world behind and enter a world I’ve created. This has been particularly wonderful during the lockdown (I’m in the northeast, so since March). Writing is a fantastic way to get out of your own head. As well, it’s all mine until it’s published and I love noodling around with sentences and finding just the right word or image that I was looking for.

What is a typical day like for you?

During the week I work in social services, which as you might imagine, is particularly grim right now. So many people who never needed help in their lives need help now. On the weekends, I write all day. I like those big stretches of time and am very protective of that schedule. Even before Covid, don’t bother calling me for Sunday brunch or trip to the mall—I’m not coming! I know my books are not a part of the essential response to the pandemic, but I hope they do what all books should—provide a respite from reality. Whether I’m writing or working, a good smoothie is essential. I keep a back-up Nutribullet on hand in case mine breaks and if you even hint you are interested in my recipes, I will send them!

What scene from The Lord's Desperate Pledge was your favorite to write?

The final card game. I don’t want to say too much about it, but it is the culmination of Ashworth and Lily’s relationship and really the only place that could happen was at a card table. For comedy, I am also very fond of the scene when Lily’s intrepid butler prepares himself upon hearing that there have been housebreakers reported in the neighborhood—his bravery far exceeds his actual skills.

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

Onward! Anything short of death can usually be dealt with somehow. I used to be a worrier, constantly scanning all aspects of my life for something that needed fixing. I finally realized that time is often the great fixer. Obviously, this does not apply if your house in on fire, but rarely is your house actually on fire. It is our nature as evolved animals to be always scanning the horizon for danger, and our thoughts can be consumed with emergencies that haven’t happened and never will happen. This particularly plagues adults, as it seems responsible to anticipate problems…but too much anticipation only leads to spending your life needlessly worrying.

Kate Archer is the author of The Lord's Desperate Pledge.

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Interview with Anna Finch, Author of Voiceless: A Mermaid's Tale

What can you tell us about your new release, Voiceless: A Mermaid's Tale?

Voiceless: A Mermaid’s Tale is an exciting young adult with mermaids, magic, secrets, and a fight for freedom. It’s a coming of age novel from Princess Moriah’s point of view, a sixteen-year-old who lives in Zoara-Bela under the reign of her grandfather, the cruel King Abaddon, where mermaids like her are shackled by the role society deems appropriate young mermaids rendering them voiceless.

It’s not until she meets Michael, a young, handsome man, that she questions her place in society and the king’s tight control of her people’s freedom after witnessing the stark contrast between the kindness of the human world and the bitter reality of her draconian society.

Moriah must risk her life to free her kingdom and uncover the secrets of her past and family. If she wants her freedom and the chance to love freely, she must stand up to the wicked king who will stop at nothing to crush any voice of dissent.

Time is running out and the fate of an entire kingdom rests on her shoulders.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

It wasn’t until the end of primary that I really began to love reading, particularly fantasy and sci-fi. Eventually that love of reading became a passion for writing. Since high school I’ve written poems, songs and short stories incorporating both English and Spanish into my writing.

I knew that I wanted to publish a book, probably a collection of short stories, as I had tried writing novels before but I’d always lose interest. I actually planned and came up with the initial idea for Voiceless after watching a number of writing advice videos but I didn’t actually start writing the novel until I decided to participate in NaNoWriMo 2019. When I finished my first draft, I was proud that I finally finished a novel. But if I’m being honest, my students were what inspired me. I wanted to write story that they would enjoy and be able to read regardless of their literacy level. As they wrote their own stories, I wrote mine and told them about it, promising to publish it the following year. And I kept my promise.

What's on your top 5 list for the best books you've ever read?

The Giver by Louis Lowry

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchet

Death Note Another Note: The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases by Nisio Isin

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

The Danger Game by Kalinda Ashton

Say you're the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask?

My first guest would probably be Louis Lowry because I found the way she presented the concept of memory and utopia as dystopia in The Giver fascinating. A world completely devoid of emotion and societal memory, ruled by logic and precision in all things immediately grabbed my attention. I would love to ask her about her writing process and what motivated her to write The Giver in the first place.

What's your favorite thing about writing?

My favorite thing about writing is watching the story unfold in ways that are completely different to my initial plan and discovering the people my characters become by the end.

What is a typical day like for you?

I actually work as a teacher full time in English and Humanities so my typical day is actually lesson planning, marking assessments and face-to-face teaching. But on weekends and school holidays I set aside time to work on my next novel, reading new books (desperately trying to get through my TBR) and making videos for my YouTube channel ‘Finch Press Publishing’.

What scene from Voiceless: A Mermaid's Tale was your favorite to write?

Ooh! That’s a tough one. Without giving too much away, it’s a tie between Moriah’s first official meeting with the Sea Witch and when she was pushed to the edge towards the end of the novel. Both of those scenes were fun to write. The first official scene between the Sea Witch and Moriah (the mermaid) was fun to write as I inserted little jokes in what was supposed to be a serious situation – it didn’t help that I was listening to ‘Poor Unfortunate Souls’ on repeat. The second scene is where Moriah is at her lowest – she knows that she’s outmatched and outgunned (or outmagiced rather) – and she knows that she can’t win in a fair fight. She is desperate and needs to choose between – the right and moral thing to do or casting away those morals and do whatever it takes to win. It was one of my favorites because in real life people sometimes have to make decisions that aren’t right or moral in order to ensure their safety.

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

Yeah, I actually included it in the front of my book in the epigraph section. One of my favorite quotes is ‘Prefiero morir de pie que vivir de rodillas’ or translated into English ‘I’d rather die on my feet than to live on my knees.’ I didn’t actually know who said until I went searching for the exact wording and found out it was Emiliano Zapata. I try to live by it because it’s important that we stand up for what we believe in, to fight for what is right, because staying silent and being a bystander when something is wrong or atrocities occur right in front of you is just as bad as being the perpetrator.