Author bio: Marie is a multi-award winning fantasy and science fiction writer with a serious reading addiction. If she wasn't writing about all the people in her head, she'd be lurking about coffee shops annoying total strangers with her stories. So really, writing is a way of saving the masses.
She has a completed space opera trilogy, The Asarlaí Wars, a completed six-book fantasy series, The Lost Ancients, and a steampunk series, The Adventures of Smith & Jones which will be continued in late 2019 with The Mayhem of Mermaids.. When not saving the masses from coffee shop shenanigans, Marie likes to visit the UK and keeps hoping someone will give her a nice summer home in the Forest of Dean or in northern Wales. Marie is also a member of SFWA (Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America) and RWA (Romance Writers of America). |
· Genre: Humorous fantasy
· Synopsis: Magic, mayhem, murder, relics, true love, and drunken faeries. Taryn St. Giles has had a very eventful year. And the troubles are just beginning. Taryn has been through a year of changes—to her and her world. As a digger, she’d searched through the past to find out who the missing elves and Ancients had been. Now she knows the elves and they are helping her uncover the secrets of the Ancients. Secrets she’s not sure she wants to know. A few too many up close and personal encounters with the relics that were left behind leaves her shaken and on the run. Even from the people she loves. The relics were part of a weapon that led to the destruction of the Ancients. Now Taryn and Alric, must get a goddess, hundreds of faeries, and the rest of their friends to work together to destroy the weapon before anyone can use it again. But when her world comes crashing down around her, will Taryn have the strength to do what needs to be done?
· Publish date: April 2019
· Publisher: Marie Andreas
Author Interview Questions:
Kasper: Welcome to the Readers Lounge, Marie. I'm so looking forward to getting to know you..and your drunken faeries.
Marie: Thanks Kasper. I'm glad to be here.
I notice your fairies seem rather merry. Can I ask why they're drunk?
That's a great question. The honest answer? They really like the taste of ale!!
LOL, too funny. OK, now for some serious questions...
What makes your writing unique compared to others in the genre?
I like to have humor in my writing. I’m not a heavy or dark writer and my angst level is extremely low ;). I like to read about characters that I’d like to be friends with on some level, and that’s who I write (not the bag guys and gals though ;)).
It takes talent to write the light and humorous themes too. Good for you.
How do you develop your characters?
My characters develop as the plots do—organically. I have an idea of who the two leads are, sometimes more general than others. I just run with it. They show me who they are by reactions they give. (Yes, I know I’m creating them, but it works-LOL).
Do you have another job outside of writing?
Yes, a very soul sucking job dealing with financial aid. It does keep me focused on my writing though—and my boss and co-workers have been very supportive of my books.
So lovely to hear they support you. Sounds like you all need some lightheartedness.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to write a book?
Do it. Learn everything you can. Take writing workshops, go to conferences, join writing groups, READ everything to see how it’s done. And don’t let anyone stop you.
I love this!
What music do you listen to when writing? Movie trailer music—but it’s all background music, not trailers that you’d go, “OH! That’s from Jaws!” It picks up my writing pace and is amazing for fight scenes.
What are you working on now? Finishing the second steampunk, The Mayhem of Mermaids, finishing the first book in a new fae driven urban fantasy, The Girl with the Iron Wing, editing and expanding a novella unrelated to any other series. WAY too many books in my head, but I have found recently that multiple projects keeps the words flowing. What’s your writing routine? Mon- Fri: Wake up at 4:30 am, start writing by 5am, write for an hour and a half, get ready for day-job. Home from day job about 5pm, start writing by 6:30-7pm. Weekends it’s less structured. |
Describe your road to publishing your book:
After years of looking for an agent, and finally getting tired of people loving my books, but them not fitting what NY was looking for I went self-published. I gave myself a year to research, hunt down editors, cover artists, etc. The Glass Gargoyle came out in March 2015. I have ten novels and a novella in print right now.
Who are your four favourite authors?
It all depends on what I’m in the mood for, but some ones I always love: Mercedes Lackey, David Eddings, Anne McCaffery, Elizabeth Peters.
Quick quiz:
Favourite thing to cook: Pasta salad—mostly because I love to eat the type I make. Or cookies—same reason ;).
Silliest saying: Not my circus, not my monkeys
Best holiday spot: US: Santa Cruz; outside of US: Conwy, Wales
Most played song: Could have been me by The Struts
With writing, are you a plotter or (seat-of-your) pantser? PANTSER ;)
Do you prefer to read SciFi or fantasy: Love both, but tend to lean a bit more toward fantasy
Best superpower: Freezing time
Number one thing to do on your bucket list: Buy a cottage in a village in the UK
And lucky last....You have multiple series out now, and more on the way. How do you keep so many people in your head?
It’s weird, but all of my characters are very real to me, so of course I wouldn’t confuse Vas with Taryn, or either with Nettie. The pacing for my series are all different as well, so that helps keep them separate. And, I’ve found having multiple books/series actually seems to help me be more productive! I get easily distracted, so by having other book options to work on, I’m less likely to have a completely useless writing session. One book isn’t working, I can hop to another.
Thanks Marie, it really has been a great insight into what makes you tick. I hope the readers will check out the links below. Thanks again for joining us on the Readers Lounge.
Marie's Links
Website: www.marieandreas.com/
Blog: http://faeriesdragonsspaceships.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marieandreaswriter
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarieAndreas1
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Marie-Andreas/e/B00SX81KIM
To find out more about the books, and future series, please visit her website at www.marieandreas.com--especially if you happen to have a small cottage to give her.
The Lost Ancients series:
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