New interview with fantasy author Leslie D. Soule

Fantasy author Leslie D. Soule is back in the hot seat. This time she’s chatting with me about Betrayer – book 3 of the Fallenwood Chronicles.

During her virtual book tour, Leslie will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

Welcome back, Leslie. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am a fantasy/sci-fi author from Sacramento, CA. I have an M.A. in English and am currently working on the final book of my fantasy series, The Fallenwood Chronicles.

Please tell us about your newest release.

My newest release is a novel called Betrayer. It’s the third book of my Fallenwood series, which is a fantasy series about a girl named Ash Kensington, who travels to the fantasy world of Fallenwood. There, she finds friends, and danger, and in this book, she finds an intriguing dragon slayer named Draeon.

What inspired you to write this book?

I was in a whirlwind romance – I thought I’d found the man of my dreams and everything was finally working out. That is, until I realized what I was up against, like Ash, in my novel. This guy who appeared to be everything I wanted, ended up being a psychopath and putting me through hell. It’s hard to explain, and I think it’s really hard to understand unless you’ve been through this sort of thing. So I wrote Betrayer as a kind of explanation of how it happens, to show those who haven’t been there. Also, writing is a kind of therapy for me, and I think the beautiful thing about writers is that they’re able to take all this darkness and pain and channel it into something good – something with an important message.

Excerpt from Betrayer:

“What can I do for ya?”

She looked at the bartender and said sorrowfully, “Give me a spell to make me forget.” I’ve wasted so much time, she thought to herself, and now I don’t know if I can get back on track. Malegaunt is out there, and none of the crystals have been destroyed. It drove her mad.

He shook his head and pushed a pint of dark beer across the bar. “This is the best magic I know. That’s why I’m a bartender.” He pointed down the bar a ways to a man who looked to be in his forties, if not older. He was clothed in a black coat, and his stubbled face was hunched over a glass of what looked like whiskey on the rocks. “Now, that guy over there, on the other hand, he might be able to help ya. People call him the Oracle of the Oasis,” he informed her.

What’s the next writing project?

Currently, I’m working on the final book of the series – it’s called Retribution. It’s where Ash finally meets up with Malgaunt and the epic battle of good versus evil, happens. Ash has been through a lot in this series, and she’s gained and lost allies, and been strung along by this evil entity known as Malegaunt. It’s exciting for me to write the final book of the series. Also, though, I’m working on this voodoo killer story with my friend Tom, who’s hilarious! He keeps me in stitches and is a literary gold mine. We started talking about the story as more of a joke, but it’s developing quickly into an actual story. So we’ll see where that goes.

What is your biggest challenge when writing a new book? (or the biggest challenge with this book)

My biggest challenge is that since it’s a series, you want to get the details right. And if you’ve written a few books in the series, sometimes you have to go back and get the details from your other books, since if you’re like me, there’s a lot that doesn’t get memorized. Like, I had to go back and figure out just how many gold pieces Ash took in book 2, so I’d know how many she had to work with in book 3. That kind of stuff.

If your novels require research – please talk about the process. Do you do the research first and then write, while you’re writing, after the novel is complete and you need to fill in the gaps?

So usually, I’ll write a rough draft, and make a note of the things I’ve got to read up on. Such as, I didn’t know a whole lot about the keeping of horses, but Will’s got one in Fallenwood, so I figured I’d better read up. I took a break from writing and read all of this book called A Horse of Your Own by M.A. Stoneridge. It’s huge, but very informative, and I’d suggest it for anyone else who’s writing horses into their novel. On my rough draft, I’ll usually make a note where research is needed, and then randomly go back and do the research, and then do the writing after the research is done.  

What’s your writing space like? Do you have a particular spot to write where the muse is more active? Please tell us about it.

I find that I have to actually write things down, to get the flow going. So I can’t actually sit down at a computer and just start writing. For me, it doesn’t work that way. And at home, I find that I have a lot of distractions. I prefer to get out into the world and find a quiet café’ in the area, get a coffee, and sit down and write. Lately I’ve found this Mountain Mike’s near my house, and it’s quiet enough that I can go there and not feel rushed or pressured or have a lot of people around, wondering just what I’m doing with those Sixth-Sense cards.

What authors do you enjoy reading within or outside of your genre?

I’ve just gotten into reading Terry Pratchett novels. He’s got this dry humor that takes a bit of getting used to, but it quickly becomes endearing. Also, I got my first audio book! It’s Kurt Vonnegut’s novel Fates Worse Than Death. I listened to it on the way up to Ashland to see a Shakespeare play, and back down to Sac. It was fantastic.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers today?

Yes! Well, I think the important thing I’ve taken from writing Betrayer is that you can take the pain and suffering that you’ve been through in life, and transform it into something that no longer hurts you, and has the power to help others. A lot of people shy away from writing painful subjects, but I feel like it can be very cathartic, to do so.

Links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Book trailer

Buy book 1 – Fallenwood: Melange Books | Amazon

Buy book 2 – Forgetting Fallenwood: Melange Books | Amazon

Buy book 3 – Betrayer: Melange Books | Amazon 

Thank you for coming back to Reviews and Interviews!

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Interview with fantasy author Leslie D. Soule

I’m happy to be the kick-off host of fantasy author Leslie D. Soule’s virtual book tour for Fallenwood. I have an interview that gives us some insight into the first book in her Fallenwood Chronicles series.

During her tour, Leslie will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:

Leslie D. Soule is a writer from Sacramento, California. Fallenwood is the first book in her 4-book planned series known as the Fallenwood Chronicles.

Welcome, Leslie. Please tell us about your new release.

Well, Fallenwood is the first book in my Fallenwood Chronicles. It was recently re-released through Melange Books and is available both in e-book and print formats. It follows the journey of 23-year old Ash Kensington, who finds her way into a fantasy world called Fallenwood and it’s entering into this world and figuring out its problems that helps her work out her own.

What inspired you to write this book?

Well, my stepfather influenced me greatly, and when he died when I was nineteen, it had quite an impact on me. Suddenly, it was like my sense of security and the idea that everything was ok with the world, had been ripped away from me. So Ash is dealing with a lot of the things I was at the time, with a deep sense of depression, and she’s wondering what her purpose is, and trying to work through it all and keep going when no one around her seems to care what’s going on at all. Some of the characters are based on people I’ve met – people who walked out of my life that I still wanted to remember (like Will), or people who were just oh-so-charming until you got to really know them (like Akaji’s real-life counterpart). Then there are people who have never existed who I wish did. Fantasy is all about wish fulfillment. Greymalkin and Terces are part of this group. Part of the book deals with my generation – the Millennials – and their intense hatred of bureaucracy. We see that with the scene where Ash, Will, and Rupert are there in the woods:

Rupert: “You can’t do that,” the fire-haired royal servant sputtered. “As stated in Section 6 point 8, Subsection B of Article 1 dash 9, no one who is not a servant to the royal throne of any kingdom is permitted to…”

Will: “She’s still coming with me. You can argue about it ‘til the realms reconnect if you want, but that’s how it’s going to be.”

*Summons fireball*

So there. Hehehe. Fantasy is wish fulfillment, and sometimes my wish is to layeth a mighty smackdown upon the bureaucracies of this world.



Excerpt from Fallenwood:

Ah, that feels better. He yawned. Over the years, he’d become accustomed to the particulars of being a cat. He had not always been one. Once known as a man named Alexander Dorrin in a former life, he had been a royal messenger for the Kingdom of Evendown, and he always wore his favorite white boots trimmed with gold thread—a masterwork. In his messenger days, Alexander knew he just had to own them for himself. They made him feel like a king, and he had been transformed when wearing them. Now, as a cat, he still wore them. He sported other clothes, too, during his transformation, but his boots were the only item that seemed to transfer their colors. Having white paws was one of the only consolations to his change, as they reminded him of his boots and made him feel less naked. 

How completely heartbreaking and humiliating his transformation had been! The thought of it still brought tears to his eyes. 

What exciting story are you working on next?
Well, I completed NaNoWriMo this past year, where you challenge yourself to write a novel in a month. It’s really a wonderful challenge. There’s a site where you can talk to others and check your progress and everything. So technically I’ve finished book 3 of the Fallenwood Chronicles, which I’m calling Betrayer – but as all “finished” NaNoWriMo novels are, due to the nature of the exercise, it’s a jumbled and unpolished mess. So it’s still going to take quite a bit of editing. Meanwhile, I’ve also got a sci-fi novel I’m working on, adapted from a story I wrote back in high school. That one needs some work too, but not nearly as much as Betrayer does.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I’ve always considered myself a writer, but the first time I thought of myself as a “real” author was when I saw my work in print. That’s the goal I’ve always had, the dream I looked forward to for so long.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I wish I could write full-time. My dog Ginger would certainly be happy if I could stay home all the time and write. But Alas, no! I work full-time for the state and I write when inspiration hits me and when I find the time to. As for how I find that time, it just happens when it happens, I guess. Sometimes inspiration hits on a lunch break and sometimes in the shower. It’s all up to the muse in my head. A typical work day involves me trekking over to downtown Sacramento, working in a cubicle at the top of a 19-story building, and then if I have a shift at job #2, heading over there for a couple more hours. I certainly stay busy.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I have to physically write down what I’m working on. If I sit in front of a computer screen, the inspiration just won’t come. It won’t flow. Oh, and my guilty pleasure is those dollar store rollerball pens. I love those things.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a writer and/or a magician. As a fantasy author, I get to be both – to write, and to create things out of thin air.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Yes! Thank you for being a part of this blog tour and I would love to answer any questions you may have.

Social media:

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Buy links:

Amazon | Melange Books

Thanks, Leslie!

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Interview with fantasy novelist Leslie Soule

Leslie Soule is here today as she does a virtual book tour with Goddess Fish Promotions for her novel Fallenwood.

Readers, Leslie is giving away an e-book story to a lucky commentor. Details are below.

Bio:
Leslie Soule lives in Sacramento, California. Fallenwood is her first fantasy novel. She has received her B.A. in English from Sacramento State University and is currently working on her Master’s degree in English at National University.

Please tell us about your current release.
Well, I’m here promoting my novel Fallenwood, a fantasy novel that’s been chosen to be the Read For A Cure book at Decadent Publishing for October. It’s a story I wrote over the course of three years, and it follows the journey of a girl named Ash, as she finds her way into a fantasy world called Fallenwood.

What inspired you to write this book?
A lot of things, really. The main thing was that when my stepfather died, I was a month from turning nineteen years old and it felt like my world had ended. Both my stepfather and I were really interested in fantasy novels, and I started writing as a way of coping, back then.

What exciting story are you working on next?
I’m working on writing the sequel to Fallenwood, bit by bit. I didn’t intend to write a sequel, but now that I’ve started, I feel like I can’t just leave it unfinished.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I really considered myself a “writer” once I got published, truthfully. Before then, I thought of writing as something I liked to do, but wouldn’t consider myself a writer. I don’t know why, it’s just that’s how my mind works, I guess.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I wish I could write full-time. I work for the State, and try to find time to write when I’m not doing master’s coursework. I find time to write because I like to write on my breaks and lunches.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I have to write everything down physically and cannot write by just sitting at a computer.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A writer, a magician, an artist.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Yes – I love feedback, good or bad, so feel free to contact me!

Readers, Leslie is giving away one e-book copy of her paranormal story, "The Devil's Bidding", at every tour stop to randomly drawn commenters during the tour. So, follow the tour and comment. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. Check out the tour dates and stop by other blogs to comment. But start here!