What inspired you to write
this book?
I wanted to promote the role
of women as something more than the vulnerable and weak gender that many would
like to believe, and certainly more than something for the 'male gaze'. I wanted to offer a more realistic and
refreshing view, showing women as active rather than passive, as heroes not
victims.
The female heroes in my books
subverts the stereotypical representations of women. All my female protagonists
are survivors, are skilled in weapons and fighting, they are self reliant and
self sufficient. They are fearless.
I also wanted to take the
reader back to a more simple time, a place without technology and distractions.
Though I had to keep it real, because life evolves, people always want more,
and there is always retribution with progression.
What can we expect from
you in the future?
I’d like to write a thriller
or a crime novel - with a woman solving the case.
Can you tell us a little
bit about the characters in A Hare in the Wilderness.
Ajeya represents a child suppressed and
victimised by those at court, eventually cast out in to the wilderness for
nothing more than a mysterious mark on her face - this symbolises the way some
people react when they don’t understand something. Her survival and
metamorphism into a warrior and leader is characterised by her totem - the
hare. Now she is able to take on her destined role as Empress of Ataxata. Also
if you write Ajeya in a certain way and transpose it, it reads A hare. It also
is a homophone for heir.
How did you come up with
the concept and characters for the book?
I have a fascination with
anything ancient and tribal, how our ancestors lived and survived, how mankind
has progressed and grown. I sometimes yearn for a more peaceful and simple
life. Everything now is fast paced, and I fear we have somehow lost sight of
who we really are. Though wherever you go in history there is always someone
who wants more and will go to any lengths to achieve it. Thus the Kingdom of
Durundal was born.
Where did you come up with
the names in the story?
Ancient manuscripts and
medieval names.
What did you enjoy most
about writing this book?
Creating a world that is
really no different to what we have now.
Who designed your book
covers?
Jamie Flack.
How did you come up with
name of this book?
A Hare in the Wilderness, A
Wolf in the Dark, A Leopard in the Mist, A Stag in the Shadows, are all spirit
animals that reflect the main protagonist in some way. The elements of the
wilderness, the dark, the mist and the shadows, reflect the challenges we all
face in our own lives.
If you could spend time
with a character from your book whom would it be?
I actually love Cornelius
from A Leopard in the Mist.
They
persecuted her as a child. Now they have to face her as a woman.
In
the house of Gnaeus, a daughter is born, though when a mysterious
mark appears on her face - the father instantly rejects her. Scorned
and isolated by those at court, she grows up in the shadows, unaware
of the tragic events that caused the defect in the first
place.
Unwavered
by kinship and severing all ties, Gnaeus strips away his daughter's
identity, removes her from court and banishes her to the wilderness
forever.
Cast
out with her mother, they find sanctuary with the clans. Here she
forges a new life, learning new skills, gathering knowledge and
finding love. No one can harm her again this far north. No one knows
who she is.
Until
the day an old enemy appears on the horizon.
Now
a grown woman, and a formidable warrior, she knows she must defeat
this enemy and seek the truth.
That
she is Ajeya, Crown Princess of Ataxata, heir to the subject kingdoms
of Ataxata and all the colonies of the southern most
territories.
Because
if she fails - she will remain as the forgotten heir forever ...
'AN
EPIC TALE OF LOVE, LOSS AND RIVALRY - IN A MAN'S WORLD.'
**
only 99 cents!!**
A
Wolf in the Dark
Kingdom of Durundal Book 2
Kingdom of Durundal Book 2
Lyall
has lived and breathed nightmares since he was fourteen years old. He
believed he knew every horror, and was beyond surprise. He was
wrong.
When
General Domitrius Corbulo launches a brutal attack on Castle Dru in
Durundal, he slaughters everyone inside, including the king and
queen.
Everyone
that is ... except one.
The
young Prince Lyall escapes the carnage through an ancient, disused
tunnel - knowing that he can never go back to his ancestral home, and
fearful of what lies ahead. In the wake of this tragedy, he has to
adapt to a new life and face challenges beyond his wildest dreams ...
and the wrath of the General is always a heartbeat away.
By
the time he reaches adulthood with unrivalled knowledge and a unique
set of skills, he faces the ultimate decision -embrace
the future as the man he has become, or return to his birthright to
avenge a past he can't forget ...
'AN INTOXICATING TALE OF
MONSTERS, HEROES AND SURVIVAL.'
**
only 99 cents!!**
A
Leopard in the Mist
Kingdom of Durundal Book 3
Kingdom of Durundal Book 3
It's
not until you're broken - that you discover what's worth fighting
for.
Cornelius has returned from exile to reclaim his
birthright and take back control of the empire. Offering a peace
treaty with the clans, he approaches Namir, an adversary from old,
with whom he seeks to make amends.
However, the clan is
suspicious of Cornelius. Concerned that his intentions are not
entirely honourable. Worried that his agenda is the same as the
emperor before him; steeped with motives in a lust for power to bring
down the Kingdom of Durundal forever.
Despite the protests
from his wife and the rest of the clan, Namir accepts the proposal
and ventures to Ataxata to sign the agreement. Though when he doesn't
return - suspicions are heightened and they fear the worst. Now the
clans will risk everything in a race against time to find the
chieftain and save the future of his kingdom.
And only one
thing is certain - there will be blood.
'ENTER AN ANCIENT
WORLD OF AVARICE, CORRUPTION AND SURVIVAL.'
A
Stag in the Shadows
Kingdom of Durundal Book 4
Kingdom of Durundal Book 4
In
the Kingdom of Durundal, hearts will be broken, loved ones lost and
thrones burned.
Saskia remembers when the soil of Durundal
hummed with peace, and the future of the kingdom brimmed with
prosperity.
But everything changed the night her home was
attacked.
On the orders of the ruthless King Segan Hezekiah,
she finds herself imprisoned in a tower awaiting a fate worse than
death, her father has been taken to the dark labyrinths of the mine
to dig for gold, and her people are forced to work in the adjoining
grounds. The only person with the power to help is locked up in the
mines alongside her father, and anyone who disobeys the king, or
tries to escape, is targeted and killed.
As danger lurks at
every turn and guards prowl every corner, Saskia feels more helpless
than ever ... but is she?
Sometimes, only the direst
need can teach us our own depths, and Saskia has yet to discover what
she is capable of.
'THE INEXTINGUISHABLE FIRE OF A WOMAN,
SMOULDERING IN THE SHADOWS.'
S
E Turner is a life-long enthusiast of epic fantasy that borders on
the believable. With an abundance of historical research weaved
through the pages, this promises to be an engaging and immersive
experience.
'The
Kingdom of Durundal series is far more than the single genre of
fantasy. Rather, it blends into a prestigious crossroads where
fantasy meets reality, and the surreal meets the sublime. I wanted to
write a series that everyone could read, and I'm happy to provide an
exciting, epic story that a wide variety of ages will enjoy.'
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