Author S. T. SANCHEZ: Interview with Kay MacLeod author of Heirs of Power

Welcome Kay, thank you so much for taking the time to join with us today. Tell us a little about yourself.

Hi everyone, I’m Kay MacLeod and I’m addicted to fantasy. For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved the concept of magical worlds. I was the kid with dragons doodled around the edge of her school work, the one with her head constantly buried in a book. As a teen, I shunned partying to play Magic the Gathering and DM Dungeons and Dragons games.

Through the years, I’ve always made up stories and took characters on amazing adventures, in the privacy of my own mind. Now I want to share them with other people.

I live with my husband and cat in Nottinghamshire in England. When I’m not writing (or planning something I’m writing) I’m usually working, reading, playing bass for my church’s worship team, playing computer games (World of Warcraft, Dragon Age, Pokemon, Minecraft) or drinking tea.

Mmm, time to put the kettle on…

An author after my own heart. I love that there are no limits when writing fantasy. If you can imagine it, then it can happen. Will you share an excerpt from Heirs of Power with us?

The grey-skins still hadn’t used any of their powers, but they may have been waiting for their troops to wear down the Lucidians, and it was a frustrating niggle in Kitty’s mind as she did her best to pick them out among the scramble of the battlefield. She spied one and honed in on him, swiftly firing four arrows in the direction of the grey-skinned man, killing him along with another soldier he was conferring with.

Asher had apparently found what he was looking for as well, and he tapped a hefty soldier he had been fighting, Juggling Kaphira directly into the path of his blade and swinging it with enough force at her throat to take off her head. The impact jarred his whole body as the sword barely bit into her skin, leaving a thin line oozing almost-black blood. The enhanced loyalist snarled and drew two long serrated knives from the folds of her wraps, driving one into Asher’s side as he attempted to wrench the sword from her neck.

Although Kitty didn’t remember lifting Venethos, the look of panic on Kaphira’s face struck her, the woman was uncertain whether Tenebri defences would stave off Lucidian magic. Kitty fired masses of conjured arrows into the creature that had dared to cut down another Constellation in front of her. The grey-skin managed to turn sideways, taking most of the arrows to the arm and shoulder, and in the next moment Kaphira’s minions were pulling her back, shielding their mistress with a wall of bodies as she escaped in a blast of enhanced speed, black and white arrows hanging from her skin.

“Asher!” Kitty gasped, “Are you alright?”

Somehow, he was still up-right and only a small dark patch the size of a finger-tip showed above his left hip where he’d been injured.

“Just fine, love. Nice overreaction.” She could feel him grinning even though he was faced away and poised for the next attack.

“I thought she stabbed you, you idiot!” Kitty nearly sobbed.

“Juggled it for some guy’s rolled up bandana soon as it touched me.” He shrugged while finishing off another foe. “Hope I find it later, that was a nice blade.”

“Now I feel like stabbing you,” Kitty grumbled, driving head-shots into the men closest to Asher, hoping he was annoyed that she was stealing kills.

“Get in line, love. These fellas were here first, and I reckon that ugly wench wants another go… Will you stop that?” He sighed as she took down another soldier he was about to face off with. “You’re a bloody nuisance.”

Which do you prefer: print books or ebooks?

I’m not too bothered, it’s way more about the words for me. As long as the story is good, I barely notice the world around me, including what I’m reading it on. EBooks probably come out slightly ahead though, because although having a physical copy is nice, they take longer to get hold of. One-day delivery is too long when you really need to know what happens next!

I agree there are some definite advantages when you go with an ebook. If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go and why?

I would love to go on safari. Just visit the gorgeous scenery across Africa in general, but the animals would be enough for me. If I got to see a wild cheetah on the hunt that would be the perfect experience, they’re my favourite animal, and so beautiful. I even cried the first time I saw a real one in a zoo, I’m not that emotional usually but that was an amazing moment.

Well I hope you get to that safari soon. I just went to the zoo where the keeper told me Cheetahs will be extinct in the wild in ten years if we don't do more. They are beautiful creatures. I hope I was misinformed. Currently, what are you working on?

The second book of The Constellation Saga! The first draft is done so it’s getting close to completion, I’m just tweaking and improving some bits and it’ll be off to my awesome beta readers very soon.

Beta readers are awesome. I don't know how some authors get by without using them. Kay can you tell us a little bit about your main characters?

Kitty Fairlow is the main character who finds out that she’s inherited the Constellation’s spirit of The Archer. She has some cool powers like enhanced senses and a magic bow called Venethos that creates its own arrows. I love Kitty because she’s so normal in a situation that’s suddenly become alien to her. Now, magic exists, and she’s expected to defend her entire world from an invasion of creatures that fuel their abilities by draining the life from other beings. Kitty’s a gentle soul really, nurturing and a little naïve at times, but at the same time she’s pretty badass and steps up to the challenges her new life brings. She struggles with inadequacy, like we all do sometimes, and crowded social situations, especially with the intense amount of information her powerful senses take in. I try to show that having magic and being a hero isn’t always a great thing.

Asher Grey thinks he’s the main character… He’s another of the Constellations, with the power of The Juggler. If he can see an object similar to the one he’s touching he can switch their positions, this is great for combat because he can move enemies or weapons around to put himself at an advantage or move his friends out of danger. It’s also good for annoying people, which is one of his hobbies. Asher’s quick-witted, mainly using this special ability to thoroughly insult people, but also for coming up with creative plans to help the heroes achieve their goals. He’s quite irritable and arrogant sometimes, but, as Kitty says, ‘if he’s got a heart, it’s in the right place.’

Serena Olbridge also likes to think she’s the main character haha. And in many books, I think she may have been. A descendant of the royal family, she’s spent most of her life playing the body double to the princess. She’s used to being adored and obeyed, living a strange life that teeters between having the opulence of one of the most important people in the world, balanced with the very real threat of assassination. She’s inherited the spirit of The Dancer, along with a pair of magical, bladed fans and a host of physical abilities that make her near unstoppable in combat. Serena finds just being herself difficult now that she’s been removed from her job, it’s hard work trying to get people as obnoxious as Asher to cooperate when you don’t have the authority of a princess.

I am a fan of sequels, 1 book is never enough. Good luck finishing up book number two. How did you decide on what to title each book?

I tried to condense the very essence of each book, what it was really about, into as few words as possible. Heirs of Power isn’t just about Kitty. Yes, she’s the main character, but the journey is as all-encompassing and life-changing for every one of the Constellations. They’ve all inherited not only great gifts and powers, but a huge responsibility that demands sacrifice. The story belongs to all of them.

Book Two is titled The Mage-Lord’s Legacy. You get to find out a bit about the Mage-Lords in Heirs of Power, but you’ll have to wait to read the second part to find out what they’ve left as their legacy ;)

Do you have people read your drafts before you publish? How do you select beta readers?

Yes! It’s so important to get feedback on what you write. Depending on the day, what I’ve done so far is either the greatest fantasy novel in existence or the worst piece of rubbish to sully a monitor screen and should be immediately deleted. Sometimes it’s even the same piece. And there’s a good chance that neither is true.

I’m so blessed to have my sister, I send her each chapter as I finish the first draft and she tells me the truth about what’s there. Including if it needs changing, even two or three, or eight, times. Then she reads it all at the end and helps me fix it. And gives it an extra proof after it’s edited. She’s awesome.

I have other beta readers too, I go for people that enjoy reading the genre, so they know what it has to measure up against. Every one of them provides valuable feedback and helps me shape the finished novels.

It's difficult but vital to find readers who find the flaws in your story. But they are so valuable. Who designed the artwork for your cover? Or did you design it yourself?

It was done by the very talented Olivia from oliviaprodesign on Fiverr. Get one of her covers. Even if you aren’t writing a book, just own one. They’re pretty :D

What brought about the idea for your book?

As an author, I want to do things that are different, so I thought of a few common traits seen across a lot of fantasy books and attempted to flip them around. Instead of a chosen one, I decided to have a group that were all just as important as each other. I wanted powers that had never been seen before, hence Asher’s Juggling gift. And it was important for me to have an enemy that weren’t evil just because they’re bad, the Tenebri need the life energy of others to survive- they aren’t striving for power or greed. They’re in this to survive.

What are your hobbies aside from writing, if any?

I’m a massive geek, really! I love computer games, if I’m not reading or writing it’s what I love to do most. I especially enjoy RPGs that have epic storylines and well-written companion characters (Dragon Age!), or anything Pokémon. If I ever get some free time in my life I’d love to get back into playing Dungeons and Dragons, I tend to play as the Dungeon Master because it’s just another excuse for me to come up with stories. And I’m a lapsed Magic: The Gathering fan too. I’ve started collecting Malifaux miniatures recently, it’s a steampunk tabletop game and I’m really looking forward to getting some painted and played with.