I have a special treat for you this week! Today I’m interviewing Hope Ann, the author of Healer’s Bane, Shadowkeeper, and the Legends of Light series.

This is part of my 50-email-subscribers-before-I-graduate campaign. You can read more about it in last week’s post.

My questions are in bold and Hope’s answers are in regular text.

 

About Hope: Hope Ann likes to think herself a dragon-riding, griffin-taming founder of worlds and explorer of legends. Using chocolate, she bribes a wide ring of spies, from the realm leapers of Aslaria to the double agents of Elkbend, for their stories. She thrives on frost, steel, and the tears of her readers which she secretly mixes into iced coffee. Deep in her hobbit hole, her actual life involves staying up too late writing, reading, researching stab wounds, and struggling to remember the difference between ‘effect’ and ‘affect’. Based in Indiana, she is the author of the Legends of Light series. Hope Ann is also the Communications Coordinator for Story Embers and a writing mentor.
Click here to go to her site!

 

Hi, Hope! I’m so happy to have you here on my blog! 

Let’s jump right in with my first question, what inspired Healer’s Bane?

The main driving force behind Healer’s Bane was actually the theme–the idea that no one person can take on the pain of everyone else and fix them, and that being able to isn’t actually a good thing. This theme came from discussions with a friend who cared so much for others that she’d have taken on everything for all of them if she were physically able to. The book was basically for her.

That’s a really good theme! 

 

What was the hardest part of writing Healer’s Bane? (or any of your books for that matter)

It varies from book to book, but one of the hardest things for me, once the story is in place, is figuring out how much to explain and how much to simply show when it comes to backstory and worldbuilding. I have a tendency to under-explain and I don’t want readers confused. Though I also want the powers and world to unfold naturally, not just sit down and explain it all.

I struggle with the same things! Particularly under-describing my story world. I think the powers and world in Healer’s Bane unfolded very naturally. 

 

Now for a fun question: If you could take any of your characters and bring them to life for a day, who would you choose and why?

Probably Ethaniel. He’s from Fidelyon, a work in progress that I’m letting rest for the moment. But he is so sweet and kind and just needs some care. I’d love to spend a day with him.

He sounds like an awesome character! I hope to read that work-in-progress some day. 

 

If you could live in any country (real or imagined) where would it be and why?

I’d live in Lothlorian in Middle Earth. It is so beautiful and peaceful and I could just relax and write.

From my little Lord of the Rings knowledge, I think I would join you there. 

 

I love asking this next question. What authors have influenced you the most in your writing journey?

I feel like Tolkien did some in that he introduced me to fantasy, and I started writing it more after reading and watching Lord of the Rings. Kate Flournoy, my best friend, also influenced me and helped me quite a bit as I was figuring out aspects of prose in writing. And then there’s Brandon Sanderson–his worldbuilding, magic systems, characters, and plots are amazing and I’ve been learning as much as I can from them.

I could have guessed Tolkien. 😉 It seems like everyone but me has read Lord of the Rings. I haven’t read too much Sanderson, but what I have read is awesome. (Confession: I like Sanderson better than Tolkien.) I’ll have to check out Kate’s writing!

Thank you so much for letting me interview you, Hope! This has been so much fun!

Want to read some of Hope’s work? Sign up for her email list and get a free short story! Get it here!

 

Now that the interview is over, I’m going to go back to normal text.

If you remember from last week, I’m doing a giveaway of Hope Ann’s latest book, Healer’s Bane. 

There is still time to enter! If you join my email list by Friday, May 3rd at 11:59 PM, you will be entered! If you are already on my email list, don’t worry, you have automatically been entered!

Join my email list!