fantasy fiction

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Kasper Beaumont – Hunters of Reloria

In the middle of the Covid-19 crisis, some of us have too much time, others are run of our feet. We all have a part to play. With so many of our normal entertainments no longer accessible – it’s a great time to read, read, read. Over the next couple weeks or months, I plan to interview a number of fantasy or science fiction authors to help you discover some fabulous new reads.

Interview with Kasper

The first interview is with Kasper Beaumont, the wonderful author of the Hunters of Reloria fantasy series, and the Hidden Angel paranormal series. Not only does Kasper write cracking good books – by day she is a superhero working tirelessly in Infection Control to keep us safe from the dreaded virus.

Welcome Kasper. Good to have you on Jeanette O’Hagan Writers. Can you share with us three things that people may not already know about you.

  1. I don’t like beans, more precisely, they don’t like me.  Don’t worry, I make up for a darth of beans with an oversupply of chocolate.
  2. Two of my children have red hair, the other one must have been switched at birth  (just kidding, she’s a super cute lil blondie).
  3. I like to crochet in my spare time.  Spare time is a rare commodity, so that’s on the odd occasion I’m in a waiting room.

Hmm I wonder where the red hair comes from. 😉 So , what were your favourite books, movies and TV shows as you were growing up, and how have they influenced your writing?

Is this so you can guess my age?  Ok I’ll bite.

  • Gilligan’s Island, M*A*S*H, Transformers and He-Man
  • The Neverending Story, The Princess Bride, Star Wars, and The Goonies
  • The Famous Five, Three Musketeers, Robin Hood, and Nancy Drew

I guess it has helped my hone my sense of adventure, cracking wit and modesty LOL

LOL, Kasper, I can see that sense of humour bubbling over. And the sense of adventure and wit are evident in your stories.

Which (perhaps little-known) authors were your best reads in the last couple of years?

Hmmm…that’s a tough one.  I’ll go Marsha A Moore with the Enchanted Bookstore; and Cat Spydell Faeries of Fellyan.  Also did an audio recording from an extract of the Chronocar by Steve Bellinger.  Awesome prologue.  I can’t wait to read the rest.

Fantastic – new authors and books to add to the to-read list.

You have several children’s fantasy stories published now. What do you love about writing in this genre? And have you ever considered exploring another genre or writing for other age groups?

Thanks, yes I have 4 books in the Hunters of Reloria trilogy  (yes, I can’t count).  I think writing children’s stories keeps me young and also connects me with my own children.  They have co-authored a book and also done some paintings for the stories.

I have recently released an angel and demon paranormal book for an adult audience, Captive of the Darkness, which is a fun change for me.  It’s set in a strip club (shh, don’t tell the kiddies).

I’m also doing a vampire flash fiction, and have had a short sci-fi published in an anthology.

Terry Prachett has a four book trilogy, so you are in good company.

I must say, I think one of my favourite characters in the Hunters of Reloria series is Ash. Do you have any favourite characters from your books or do you think it’s best not to play favourites? And if you do, what do you like about them?

Hmm…oh it’s hard not to have a favourite or two.  I like Ash for his devil-may-care attitude and the fact that a dragon sometimes appears when he’s around.  Might just be a coincidence, but hey, he’s quite secretive.

I like Sienna the Huntress for her bravery and archery skills.  She does have plenty of character development which is fun to write.

I also like the dwarven brothers for their drinking prowess and badass fighting.  They’re just the right height to bash the kneecaps of the invaders.

All great characters 🙂 How did you come up with the idea of Hunters of Reloria? What have been the joys and challenges in writing the series?

The first idea I had was definitely of the halflings and fairies being bonded together in a symbiotic relationship.  I wanted to explore things like how their lifespans would mirror each other and what benefits each would gain from their bond.

Throw in an Elven Jewel which sustained the land’s protective forcefield, and then invaders on a mission to steal it.  A novel was born.

The link between the halflings and the bond fairies was one of my favourite things about Hunters of Reloria. I also love the fan art that you include in your covers and on your social media and pages. I curious to know how that came about? 

I had an idea that a way to attract readers would be to give them a chance to have their artwork in the finished book.  After four art competitions over the years, I now have a great catalogue of character pictures to illustrate my fantasy worlds. Seems to be working so far and they came in handy when I published my Choose Your Hunters of Reloria story which has artwork on every page.  I love it.

Yay, the exciting news is your recent release last year – Choose Your Hunters of Reloria story. Tell us about it 😊

Choose Your Hunters of Reloria story is my take on the Classic Choose Your Own Adventure books from my childhood.  I had a whole bunch of them and liked to borrow others from the local library.  I had test readers on this one from age 8 to adult and great feedback that it has broad appeal to all the family.

My version is set in Reloria, in the time of the Elven Jewel novel.  First you do a quiz on personality types, what fighting costume you would wear and your choice of weapon.

Once you have your character, you are thrust into a chase across the lands to recapture the stolen Elven Jewel.  You journey through many perilous places and encounter the invaders along the way.  Only one path leads to success, so you will need to choose wisely and possibly back-track or read again to complete your quest.

The Choose Your Hunters of Reloria story is a fun read. My first foray was rather short after a few bad choices but I made it in the end.

Thanks Kasper for a fun review and also for entertaining, high-octane fantasy adventures in your Hunters of Reloria series.

Why not check out Kasper’s books or her author page on Amazon or Goodreads.

And There’s More

And just before I go, a quick plug for my latest release 🙂

Yet to start reading about Zadeki, Retza & Delvina’s adventures under the mountain and across the sea? Now’s the perfect time. the first three novellas of my Under the Mountain series are now available as a boxed set – Under the Mountain Boxed Set 1-3 at a steal of 99cUSD – but only to the end of the month (30 April 2020).

And to see some other great bargains – check out the SFF Bonzana 99c for April

See you soon with another author interview.

Jeanette

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Scavenger Hunter Winners

Thanks for all who left comments on the blog tour and those that entered the Blood Crystal Scavenger Hunt.

The correct answers are:

  1. Glow worms are insect larvae and can only be found in Australia and New Zealand
  2. Copper was mined in the Adelaide Hills town of Callington.
  3. The agents need sugar more than Sarah
  4. Trajan’s greatest fear is being underground (though claustrophobia or fear of being trapped would be acceptable).
  5. The catacombs are the underground location Nola toured on her trip to Rome.
  6. Delvina and Retza go on a perilous journey in Blood Crystal.
  7. Mt Morgan mine is associated with pollution on the Dee River.
  8. Stalactites are the limestone formations that hang from the roof.
  9. The twins final meal as their food ran out on the journey was dried mushrooms and smoked cave fish (with melt water) as mentioned in the excerpt provided.

Time to announce the winners of the Scavenger Hunt

– drum roll –

First prize – $50 Amazon voucher – to the first person with all the correct answers –

Sally Poyzer

Thanks Sally – your answers were spot on.

Second prize – copy of Heart of the Mountain and Blood Crystal –

Linsey

Great effort Linsey. Loved your detailed answers  – and it’s clear you’ve read Blood Crystal – unfortunately though I loved your  ‘ground-bat’, this was what the twins ate sometime after their food ran out. All your other answers were correct.

I’ll be in contact with you both in the next few days.

Opportunity

Reduced Price – for a limited time Blood Crystal is at the reduced price of $99 US. A great time to purchase it. Check it out here.

Thanks again for the great support through the launch and blog tour of Blood Crystal. I’m loving the reviews.  I’m hoping to have both Heart of the Mountain and Blood Crystal available in print by early September.

Jeanette

 

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December update

These a meme I saw recently that goes something like this:

January

February

March …

blink

December.

I’ve got to say, it does seem like I blinked and the year is almost finished.

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 Since September

  • I’ve released The Herbalist’s Daughter as a e-story on Amazon and other digital outlets.
  • I had a fantastic time a few days in Katomba with the quirky quills & then at the Omega Writers Conference in Mulogoa. Meet old friends, made some new ones, was encouraged and inspired in my writing journey and had the opportunity to inspire others through a Bootcamp session.
  • Had fun at the Be Creative Camp especially in the watercolours workshop – letting my imagination roam.
  • Wrote 50,000 words as part of NaNoWriMo in November
  • Had a short story – Stasia’s Stand – accepted by Birdcatcher books for an anthology in 2017
  • Received some good feedback on Rasel’s Song though the Caleb Competition
  • And also some feedback on Heart of the Mountain’s cover ‘a simple, clean design that makes its point well’ Joel Friedlander, e-Book Cover Design Awards, November 2016

 Anniversaries

This December is the second year anniversary of Tied in Pink: romance anthology (December 2014) and the first year anniversary of Let the Sea Roar, Another Time Another Place, and Like a Girl (December 2015).

The Herbalist’s Daughter (in Tied in Pink) was my first published story. I now have seven short stories and over eight poems published. It’s been an exciting two years 🙂

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 Future Plans

I’m planning on publishing Lakwi’s Lament (a short story originally published in Like a Girl anthology Dec 2015) in January and hoping to have the sequel to Heart of the Mountain edited and published early next year.

I’m also working towards publication of Akrad’s Children, Rasel’s Song and Mannok’s Betrayal.

So far all my stories (with the exception of Sandy:Perfect Plans in Let the Sea Roar and, possibly, Space Junk in Genre-lly Speaking) are set in the world of Nardva – though often in different places, times and/or cultures.

Reviews

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I’ve also been chuffed with some fantastic reviews of Heart of the Mountain: a short novella both on Amazon, Goodreads and different blogs.

“She (Jeanette O’Hagan) skillfully weaves plot and developing relationships into a gripping, high stakes tale and wraps it up lickity-spit with a satisfying conclusion that leaves you keen to read more.” M. Adams, Goodreads

“This is an intriguing novella with a richly detailed storyworld.” R. Rodda, Goodreads

“Jeannette O’Hagan takes readers on a fast paced adventure of intrigue, mystery and action. She leaves us wanting more. The fantasy world that O’Hagan has created has depth and originality with a rich history and fascinating characters.” L. Painter, Goodreads

and many more on Goodreads

 “Jeanette O’Hagan creates a world rich in lore and mystery.” K. Beaumont on Hunters of Reloria

 

If you have read and enjoyed Heart of the Mountain, I’d love you to leave a review (it doesn’t have to be long). And if you haven’t read it yet, copies are available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo and other outlets.

I’ve also read some fantastic books (more on this next post) including craft books and fiction – YA, Sci-Fi and fantasy. (See upcoming post – Jeanette’s 2016 Spec Fic Picks).

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2017

While there has been a lot of sadness and tragedy during 2016, and some challenges for myself and my family – it has also been a year with lots to celebrate and appreciate. I treasure the support and encouragement of my readers and fellow writers.

Wishing you and your families a Christmas time and New Year – full of joy, peace and love.

Jeanette O’Hagan

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My Writing Process – Blog Tour #mywritingprocess

I was asked to join in with this blog tour on My Writing Process by Melissa Gijsbers Khalinsky. You can read her post here.

And here are my answers to the questions given.

1) What am I working on?

I’m working on a few of projects at the moment. My main passion is for my YA/NA fantasy fiction Akrad series. I’ve written three of the books (Book 1, 2 & 4) and am correctly close to finishing Book 3 Mannok’s Betrayal. Pulling all the threads together has been a challenge but one I enjoy. I have started sending out Book 1 Akrad’s Children to publishers and will be soon sending Book 2 Rasel’s Song to my faithful beta-readers.

I am also doing a Masters of Arts (Writing) – two units this term – which involve major writing tasks. Fortunately, I can use what I’m doing with Mannok’s Betrayal as part of my assessment for one of the units.

I participated in Month of Poetry (MoP) in January (the challenge of writing one poem a day) and have continued writing poems as the whim takes me. And I blog both for my own blogs and for a couple of group blogs.

2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?

My Akrad series is secondary world fantasy aimed at Young Adult to New Adult (ages 15-24) audiences. The books are set in an imaginary world of Nardva with complex societies, history, geography, literature, mythologies – but they are not high or epic fantasy (i.e. hero saves the universe from total destruction plot). Nevertheless, they are still full of suspense, danger, adventure, intrigue, romance and mystery. The stories are from the point of view of the younger characters (teens to early twenties) but they continue to interact with other generations. Each book can be read on its own but is also part of an overarching plot. There is also a slow reveal of magical elements with ongoing mystery throughout the series.

3) Why do I write what I do?

I love fantasy and I love writing. Fantasy was my favourite genre as a child (and still is). At about 9 I began daydreaming my own fantasy world with lots of characters and stories. This became the world of Nardva. The Five Lands (where the Akrad Series is set) is a part of this world. Writing my own books fires my imagination and keeps me entertained.

4) How does your writing process work?

Well, it starts with day dreaming. Sometimes I compose the whole story  in my head before beginning to write (often a few times with changes and usually with far more than I can use in the book). However, these days I do start the writing process earlier. I usually have a basic structure – the beginning, the climax and turning points and a good idea of the end as well as the main characters in mind before I start writing. Then I fill in the gaps – and I am often surprised at what comes out in the process. It’s definitely a lot of fun.

Here are two of my friends who will be posting the “My Writing Process” blog tour posts on Monday March 17th. Please check out their blogs next week.  

Lynne Stringer –  Lynne has been passionate about writing all her life. She was the editor of a small newspaper (later magazine) for seven years, and currently works as a professional editor and proof reader. Lynne wrote her YA sci-fi romance novel, The Heir, in 2010. The Heir is the first book in the Verindon trilogy. This book was followed by The Crown. The final book, The Reign, will be released in May 2014. You can find Lynne online at  www.lynnestringer.com

Alison Stegert – Ali Stegert is a daytime school counsellor, night time word wrangler. Her first novel, Summer of the Silk Dragon, is making the rounds of publishers, looking for the right home. Ali blogs about books and writing on Spilling Ink, her personal blog, and about cyber-parenting on e-Quipped. (www.e-quipped.com.au) The link to Ali’s personal blog is www.ali-stegert.com

Enjoy!

Jeanette O’Hagan

You can read a hyptertext teaser for Akrad’s Children – called My Sister – here.

Or join me on Facebook here.

 

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Welcome to Nardva and The Five Lands

“Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.”

― Neil Gaiman, Coraline

Welcome to Jeanette O’Hagan Writes – a compendium of information, imagination and adventure. Please, come in, explore, make yourself at home, stay a while, leave a comment and visit again.

I was on the cusp of turning ten when I took my first tremulous steps in the world of Nardva. Strange lands shrouded in mist, populated with people that over the years became close friends, even allies. Neither wardrobe or blue box was needed to be transported there – all I had to do was imagine – and stories, vistas, histories began to coalesce out of the mist and the world took shape. Some of those stories I have written down, some remain to be told.

This website is a portal into Nardva. Here you can find :

My Books (in Waiting) – glimpses and teasers for the currently three completed manuscripts and another fully plotted and about to be written (as of October 2013).

The Nardva Files – stories, poems, maps, character sketches, artwork, compendiums of flora, fauna, typography and customs.

The Fantasy Files – ramblings, ruminations and reviews about fantasy literature.

News and Events – things I do and markers along my writing and publishing journey as well as announcements (when relevant) about surveys, contests and giveaways.

About Jeanette  – want to know more about who I am? Here I have the perfect excuse to talk about myself 😉

Contact Jeanette – well, I’m sure you can work that one out.

Nardva was not built in a day – and neither is a website. It’s more fun that way.

 

Jeanette O’Hagan

24 October 2013

Brisbane, Australia