Today’s post is a milestone for me – the 50th newsletter – and I felt this needed to be celebrated. As a thank you to all of you who have followed me on this journey, Dawn of Purple and Grey, book # 1 of The Hyllethan Gifts Trilogy will be FREE on 20 September. The 20th is also Stuff your Kindle Day where thousands of e-books are discounted to Free. So if there’s that one book you’ve been dying to read, including mine ( 😊 ), head over to Amazon on the 20th and check it out!
Now on to today’s Author Interview:
Book: Awakening: The Commune’s Curse Book 1
Genre: Fantasy
Author: Lucy A. McLaren
I’m excited to welcome fantasy author Lucy A. McLaren. Hello, Lucy. Can you tell us something about your book?
Lucy: Hello! Thank you for having me, Caroline. I’m Lucy A. McLaren, a fantasy author and lover. My debut book, Awakening: The Commune’s Curse Book 1, is a multi-POV, character-focused story featuring found family, ancient powers, animal companions, an authoritarian government, toxic love, mental health exploration and LGBT+ representation.
Why did you choose Awakening as title for the book?
Lucy: Awakening may feel a bit generic but it also applies well to what happens in the story. Each of the four main characters awakens about an aspect of their past and present experiences throughout the book. It fits, it just could have been better! (Hindsight, eh?)
What do you consider to be something unique about your work?
Lucy: There’s a lot of focus on mental health because I am very passionate about that. I’m a counsellor and utilise psychological theories to create more realistic, relatable characters.
That’s so interesting. What are your plans for the future?
Lucy: The second book in The Commune’s Curse series is largely written and to be edited. In the meantime, I am writing a standalone dark fantasy story inspired by Jack the Ripper/Victorian London.
Your cover is so striking. What are your thoughts behind this choice of design?
Lucy: Thank you! I love it. The idea with this cover is to represent main character Evelyn. That is her battered sword depicted. The white flowers are called Veritarra’s Gift and are an essential part of the plot of the three books. Book 2’s cover will represent main characters Hector and Raif, and Book 3 will represent Commander Jonah Sulemon.
Thank you so much for joining me today. One last question: Where can readers find out more about you and your work?
Lucy: You can learn more about my writing and sign up to my newsletter to receive a free bonus chapter at my author website: lucyamclarenauthor.com. You can also follow me on social media, my most active being Instagram @lucy_a_mclaren.
About the Author:
When not writing, you can find me looking after my toddler, playing video games, reading, watching TV or films, and taking photographs of nature/old castle ruins. I’m a fantasy nerd in many ways!
Link to book on Amazon: https://mybook.to/ATCCB1
I is for Ichthyocentaur
An Ichthyocentaur, or sea-centaur, is a sea-dwelling creature with the torso, arms and head of a man, the forelegs of a horse and the lower body and tail of a fish. Sometimes they have a pair of lobster-claw horns on their heads.
Ichthyocentaurs are tough creatures, fast swimmers and can raise or calm storms. They can also communicate underwater with other water creatures. Ichthyocentaurs live long lives, sometimes for centuries.
Ichthyocentaurs are peaceful, wise creatures who value family and friends and rarely have issues with other sea creatures.
In Greek mythology, the first two ichthyocentaurs were the sons of the Titan god Kronos and the nymph Philyra. They have often been depicted in ancient mosaics and relief sculptures.
One of the more benign fantasy creatures, don’t you agree? This creature reminded me of a short story I wrote about a shape-shifting hippocampus. You can read Whisper of the Waves online here.
Some self-promo!
When sixteen-year-old Shael helps a mortally wounded messenger, he entrusts her with delivering to the queen three magical statuettes stolen from the Hyllethans, her country’s feared enemies. But Shael accidentally cuts her fingers while handling the statuettes and magic links her to them—any breakage or pressure on the clay is felt on her flesh. Shael’s fate is now inexorably tied to the Hyllethans, the statuettes, and the political turmoil in the land.
If you like magic, enemies to lovers, twists and turns, harrowing escapes and family drama, then you’ll enjoy The Hyllethan Gifts Trilogy.
Dawn of Purple and Grey, Days of Wind and Snow, and Night of Rites and Wraiths (The Hyllethan Gifts Trilogy) are available through Amazon as ebooks and paperbacks or as an ebook Complete Series Box Set.
Till next time,
Caroline
Caroline Sciriha 