I’ve had a few questions lately…

Hi everyone,

I’ve had a few questions lately, so I thought I’d interview myself (Oprah was not available) and give you some answers. If I’ve missed anything, let me know. Facebook or email are good ways to get in touch. I’ve been known to answer questions on Goodreads too.

Right, so here we go…

Why is Hallow Wood NOT the end of the series? Grrrrr…
I’ve had a couple of people mention this, which, I confess, did surprise me! I guess it’s all about what you enjoy as a reader and what your expectations were before you began the book. I like reading series that go on forever. Does that terrify you? Ha! But seriously, I don’t plan the books, and I haven’t mapped out the series. It unfolds organically. I can guesstimate that there might be two more books to go, but I could just as easily finish it with book 5 or go onto book 8. For all of you who want an answer, I’m sorry I can’t provide anything more definitive than that. As a ‘seat-of-the-pants’ writer, I have no expectations and no grand plans. I use the writing experience as a deep dive into the characters and their world myself, and where it ends up is quite often a shock and surprise to me, which, I must say, is part of the fun!

When is book 5 going to be released?
Mid 2019. May/June. I’m about to start writing it after a small, not-really-a-break sort of break, and I’m very interested to see what will happen. I’ve switched Osterland off for the past few weeks and when I turn it back on again, I expect to be inundated with an explosion of ideas. Can’t wait. I’ve really missed those characters.

 

 

What is the deal with Eadmund?
Everyone gets frustrated with Eadmund! I hope Hallow Wood gave you some more understanding of what’s been going on with him and why life is not as simple for him as other people. I like complex characters and Eadmund certainly is that. I’m a fixer by nature and Eadmund is the ultimate challenge for me. And Jael too. Don’t give up on him yet…!

Will your books ever be available on other platforms besides Amazon?
Not in the foreseeable future. To make your books available for Kindle Unlimited you have to be exclusive to Amazon, so for now that’s where I shall be hanging out.

What about audiobooks?
They are very much in the works, and something I’m eager to start, but at the moment it’s a matter of finding the time. It’s pencilled in for 2019, and I’m hoping to narrate them myself. At this stage…

Is Evaine going to get what she deserves?
Evaine definitely deserves a dose of something, but as I write this, I’ve no plans for her just yet. We all know that Jael would love to have a go at her. So would Fyn. Edela has a bit of revenge to dish out too! So yes, there will be something coming for Evaine…

What do you do when you’re not writing?
I am either editing or asleep. Mostly editing, wishing I was asleep.

What sort of books do you read?
I’ve not been reading as much as I’d like to (see my previous answer) but I love historical novels most of all. I like gritty battle scenes, a bit of romance and intrigue, a mystery to solve, and the longer, the better. I really like to lose myself in a world where the time is taken to develop characters and stories that make you care enough to feel a sense of loss when it’s all over. I’m about to start the Duncan M Hamilton ‘Wolf of the North’ series which is teed up on my kindle, ready to go.

Have you based any of the characters on people you know in real life?
My husband asked me this question, I think with a view to discovering which character I’ve based on him. His fear is that it’s Haaron Dragos! The answer, though, is no, not really. I know a very lovely head-tapper who inspired Meena. My Swedish grandmother was the general inspiration for Edela, and Jael is very much my alter ego, but the rest are just my own creations, patchworked together with a mix of observation and imagination. I love watching people, and I’m fascinated by body language, so I’m always soaking up little oddities that I add to my characters to flesh them out in a way that’s hopefully interesting and relatable.

And now, onwards to book 5…

Wish me luck!

Amy
x