General FAQ
How many books do you have out?
Four. My debut novel, Banebringer, released May 1st, 2018. Banebringer is the first in The Heretic Gods trilogy. The sequel, Cursebreaker, released in Dec 2019. I also have several other novels planned that take place within the same world and about some of the same people, but are not part of the “official” trilogy. Sweetblade, one of these, was released December 28, 2018 and can be read on its own (but see The Heretic Gods FAQ below for more).
Finally, my most recent release is A World Broken, released October 2020, the first in a new hopeful romantic epic fantasy series, The Chronicles of the Lady Sar.
Are you self-published?
Yes, but I prefer the term “independent author.” I not only write the books, but I do the work of a publisher in preparing the the books for publication. That includes outsourcing certain tasks (cover art and design, for instance) that I can’t (and shouldn’t!) do myself.
Are you “independent” because you couldn’t hack it in traditional publishing?
I did spend several years trying to break into the traditional publishing world by querying agents, etc. However, ultimately, I weighed the pros and cons of continuing to play the traditional publishing game or simply doing it myself, and in my case, I made a deliberate decision to abandon that track prematurely and go independent.
As to whether I can hack it–that’s a matter of opinion! Read my books and decide for yourself.
Are you going to take forever to write the rest of your series? When Heretic Gods is done will you have more?
No, and absolutely yes! The main trilogy will be complete by 2022. Meanwhile, I also have other same-world novels about some of the same characters that will be released after the main trilogy. I also have two other unrelated fantasy series’ planned and many other ideas rattling around in my head.
What other ideas? I need to know!
My next series is a four-book epic character-driven fantasy titled The Chronicles of the Lady Sar. The first of the series, A World Broken, released October 2020.
Heretic Gods FAQ
Will I like Banebringer/The Heretic Gods books?
I hope so, but it’s not my goal to get people who wouldn’t enjoy my books to read them! I’d rather you pick them up because they actually have elements that you enjoy in your fantasy. That being said, if you decide to give Banebringer a try, here’s what you can expect:
A nuanced, “hard” magic system that is integral to the plot without being info-dumpy
A character-driven story
A “frenemy” romantic sub-plot
An independent female heroine
A darker fantasy, but not grimdark or nihilistic
What is Sweetblade and where does it fall in The Heretic Gods timeline?
Sweetblade tells part of Ivana’s backstory; namely, how she came to be who and what she is in Banebringer. The earliest point of the story begins 13 years before the events of Banebringer. I wrote a blog post about Sweetblade here.
Can I read Sweetblade without reading Banebringer? Do I have to read Sweetblade at all? What order should I read them in?
Yes. Sweetblade is designed to stand alone.
No. Sweetblade is a stand-alone character story, the first of several I intend to write. It can be read first, by itself (see #1) or not read at all. However, I will note that it does include set-up for events that occur in Cursebreaker and Bloodmaster. It isn’t essential, but I think you’ll find subsequent books that much more fun if you’ve read Sweetblade first.
All this being said, if you intend to read the trilogy, for maximum reward, I suggest reading the books in publication order: i.e., Banebringer, Sweetblade, Cursebreaker (book 2), etc.
Wait, you mentioned Cursebreaker, Bloodmaster, and “other” character stories. What are those?
Cursebreaker is Book Two in The Heretic Gods (Published Dec 2019). Bloodmaster is Book Three in The Heretic Gods (Target publication date: Q4 2022). The “other” stories will be more character stories about characters you meet in The Heretic Gods. Sweetblade is the first of those. I have no target publication dates for the others; they will likely be released after the trilogy is complete and aren’t an essential part of the series.
However, you’ll be able to read a short story about Danton’s backstory in The Alchemy of Sorrow, a SFF Anthology I contributed to, once it’s available to the public!
Chronicles of the Lady Sar FAQ
What is The Chronicles of the Lady Sar?
Chronicles is my new hopeful romantic epic fantasy series, the first of which (titled A World Broken) I released in October 2020. This is epic fantasy in the classic sense–big, world-changing events–while retaining my love for character-driven stories. This series will have four (BIG) books.
How does A World Broken compare to your Heretic Gods series and if I like one will I like the other?
There are some major similarities and also some major differences. Heretic Gods is dark epic fantasy with angsty, broken characters and is paced more like an adventure/sword & sorcery novel. Chronicles is hopeful romantic epic fantasy with what you might call “noblebright” characters and has a slow-build start to allow you to savor the world.
They both share my love for character-centric stories, significant romance, and nuanced magic systems. If those three things are what you love about my books, you’ll likely connect with both series’.
Other FAQ
I love the cover art for [XYZ] book; any chance I could get a poster/print?
Yes! My cover artist has prints of all my covers for sale at her online store.
What about merch?
As it happens, my cover artist also has a teepublic shop with all sorts of merch, from t-shirts to mugs to pillows.
Are any of your books available in audio?
Yes! Both Banebringer and Cursebreaker have audio versions available, fabulously narrated by Eric Bryan Moore. Bloodmaster will have one as well, after the e-book and paperback are released. At this time, neither Sweetblade nor A World Broken have audio versions planned for the near-future, but I do hope to have audio versions of all my books eventually.