Interview with the author Julianne Berokoff

I know! It's been a while since I did one of these, but I am delighted to share my interview with Julianne with you today.

I 'met' Julianne via a Facebook Group for Fantasy writers, recently, and we got chatting (as you do). Her new book, An Oath of Blood - the second book in the series The Fae Academy - is out now. The first book in the series is A Gift of Magic.

Hello Julianne and welcome to the blog!

When did you first start writing? And what made you start?
I think my first ever poem was written for some English assignment in middle school. It was about cats. Very deep, I know. But I had so much fun composing it! Needless to say, the years that followed were filled with terribly derivative fantasy short stories, angsty poetry, and abandoned romance arcs.

What was the first full-length novel you ever wrote? (I realise this may not be the same as the first book you have had published!)
The first book I wrote was called What Do You Know of the Dream Walkers. I know, quite the mouthful. It’s a YA fantasy about a girl who can cast an indestructible version of herself anywhere she pleases.

She has no idea what she’s doing. Her best friend is a bird. And someone is definitely trying to murder her. Hilarity ensues.

Anyway, I finished the novel, panicked, and buried it somewhere in my documents folder. Insecurity is a funny thing, isn’t it? But I’ll publish it one day!

Your new book is just out. Tell me more about it?
Yes! An Oath of Blood is the second book of my Urban Fantasy Academy series, The Fae Academy.

Vienna Defante is a straight-shooter princess with a knack for knives who’s thrown into an academy on forbidden Seelie territory.

And why yes, she is being stalked by demons. I’m glad you asked.

In her second semester, Vienna uncovers literal buried secrets in Noqtu Academy. She dives into this mystery because (no spoilers) her family is horrible and someone on campus is trying to kill her.

Normal teenage stuff, right?

What prompted you to write it?
I just love academy fantasy books. Probably because I want to attend one. Desperately. C’mon Hogwarts.

What are you working on at the moment? Are there already plans for the next book after this one?
Yes! Book 3 is coming in April. That’s what I’m working on now!

Cover reveal... Aeron Returns

Cover for book 2

I'm so excited to be sharing this with you. The book will be available for pre-order from this weekend (just as the first book, "Aegyir Rises" goes live). The design MiblArt did, based on the brief I gave them, is amazing. The reason behind the Viking/Norse influences you can see in the background become apparent in the book, and I just love the depiction of Faran in the cover. The typeface they've chosen for the trilogy is perfect.

And... I can also share with you the blog tour details for "Aegyir Rises". Make sure you follow all these guys on Twitter, to see what they're saying about the book and to get some exclusive excerpts.

It's been a long haul, but I'm almost there!

And... last but not least, there are a couple of days left to get "Aegyir Rises" FREE, if you sign up for my newsletter. The newsletter comes out once a month, normally, and has some of my news, plus will also be featuring other books you might not have heard of, but I think you'll enjoy.

But you have to be quick! This offer FINISHES IN TWO DAYS.

Sign-up before 23:59 GMT on February 20, 2020 and get a FREE copy of Guardians of The Realm Book 1: Aegyir Rises

* indicates required

Email Address *

It's getting closer!

It's getting closer! The pre-order is live and there's a special introductory price of 99p/99c.

BUT...

If you want to get it for FREE, all you need to do is sign up below, to get your copy on the 21st - the day before publication. Sign-up will close on the 20th, so don't miss out!

Sign-up before 23:59 GMT on February 20, 2020 and get a FREE copy of Guardians of The Realm Book 1: Aegyir Rises

* indicates required

Email Address *

Have you spotted the runes?

Have you spotted the runes in the cover? And why are there runes there?

Scattered throughout the front cover are runes. They're a little easier to see near the eyes of the demon, but they're all over the upper part of the cliff-face of the cover.

Why are they there? What do they say?

Well, when you read the book (don't forget to sign up below for a FREE copy!), you'll find out!

I've always been a fan of hiding things in covers. The cover for The Wrong Kind of Clouds has a map of Malawi in it. 😊

Don't forget... Sign-up before 23:59 GMT on February 20, 2020 and get a FREE copy of Guardians of The Realm Book 1: Aegyir Rises

* indicates required

Email Address *

Diary is starting to look bonkers...

Not long now until this one goes live!

My diary has started to look a little crazy. As you'll probably all have guessed, I'm an analogue lass and so my diary is an actual, sits-on-my-desk-and-gets-written-in-using-pen-or-pencil kind of thing. I have so many things to remember to do on specific days, leading up to the launches of the trilogy, that I've now resorted to adding Post-It notes to the days. Yes, I could write the task in the day slot, but sometimes, the note for what needs to be done is quite long, but the time it will take to do the task is small, so filling up vast tracts of my diary with notes doesn't seem sensible.

But, in the six weeks from the week before the launch of "Aegyir Rises", to the week after the final book ("War") goes live, I have a gazillion day-specific things to do, and so my diary is now a riot of sticky notes. I'm almost tempted to run a notebook with a page per day, just for these few weeks, in case the sticky notes fall out. It's not as if I have a dearth of notebooks to hand!

So what's on all these notes? Well, there are reminders to send out emails; there are notes about when to make some things live, or to take other things down; notes to check things have happened (or not happened)... Remind me never to launch three books in the space of four weeks again?

And a quick reminder... you can get a FREE copy of the full-length book, just by signing up for my newsletter. What kind of stuff will be in the newsletter? Well, it comes out once a month, generally, and there are updates on what's happening with my writing. Plus, I'll be including book recommendations - things I've read and loved; things my friends have read and loved; special offers on books from other writers... you know. Just lots of good stuff! So, don't miss out. In order to get the FREE copy of Aegyir Rises, you need to have signed up by 20th February, 2020.

Sign-up before 23:59 GMT on February 20, 2020 and get a FREE copy of Guardians of The Realm Book 1: Aegyir Rises

* indicates required

Email Address *

Cover Reveal...

I'm so excited to share this with you all! Here it is... the cover for the first book of the trilogy: Aegyir Rises.

Guardians of The Realm 1: Aegyir Rises

Reagan Bennett has always felt like an outsider. Left at the doors of a hospital at birth, her relationship with her adopted family hasn’t been easy. Especially when one of them almost killed her. Now he’s due to be released from prison and Reagan’s settled world is about to be turned upside-down. But not by him.

Something else – something much older, much darker – is also about to be freed. Something that believes Reagan is an arch enemy, and is obsessed with destroying her.

All of her life, Reagan has dreamed of living in another place – The Realm. Can these dreams really be memories? If so, who is Reagan Bennett?

Reagan needs to figure out who her enemy is, before they slaughter everyone she loves. And to do that, she needs to figure out who she really is.

The ebook will be available for pre-order from 7th February, but, I've had a rush of blood to the head, and decided that everyone who signs up for my newsletter before 20th February, 2020, will get a free copy of the first book of the trilogy: Aegyir Rises.

"But if I get added to your email list, you'll just spam me..."

No I won't. I promise!! I send out a newsletter once a month, with stuff about what I've been up to, plus freebies and offers (when I have any), and you'll get an email when I release any new books. That's all. You won't be added to any other lists and you can unsubscribe at any time. Of course, I'd be delighted if you didn't unsubscribe, but the option is always there.

On February 21st, 2020 I will email everyone who has signed up, a link to the ebook. You have to have signed up by 23:59 GMT on 20th February, or you'll miss out. Those of you who already get my newsletter - fear not, you'll get the email with the link too.

So, what are you waiting for? Sign up now.

Sign-up before 23:59 GMT on February 20, 2020 and get a FREE copy of Guardians of The Realm Book 1: Aegyir Rises

* indicates required

Email Address *

Another plastic-free win...

...and a massive fail.

The win first:
I've been looking for a plastic-free and palm-oil-free deodorant and have found a brilliant one. It's a solid deodorant which comes in a tin and is made in Yorkshire by Cosy Cottage. You rub a bit in your pits (a little goes a long way!) and it smells divine. I didn't expect it to stop me sweating (after all, it's a deodorant, not an antiperspirant), but actually, it seemed to make me sweat a little less.

image from Cosy Cottage eBay listing, with permission

It's £7 for a tin of it, with free P+P. Delivery was quick and the product is brilliant. It came with plastic-free delivery, too. I got mine from eBay - see here.

And the fail...?
Well, I ordered a cover for a notebook and asked the seller if they could use as little plastic in the packaging as possible. I got a lovely message back saying they had tried to use as little as possible. Well, their definition of 'as little as possible' and mine differ wildly. The notebook cover came in a plastic dust bag, wrapped inside another plastic bag, which was inside another outer plastic bag. Not only that, but there was a 'freebie' of a plastic ring binder and some other bits an pieces in another plastic dust bag. The plastic bags don't seem to be recyclable, so I'm using them to send parcels in, so at least they get re-used. I don't know what to do with the plastic ring-binder. I may keep knitting patterns in it, but it's yet another bit of plastic filling up the earth. I tried my best... I really did. At least the cover itself is biodegradable.

Enjoyed reading this? Why not subscribe to my newsletter? It comes out once a month and subscribers get a free novella and all my special offers. No spam, I promise.

Is that some light I see...?

There... right at the end of a very long tunnel?

You know, I think it is!

Yep - the major edits on the third book of the trilogy have Left The Building and are back with Fiona. Phew!!

I should be getting the final round of edits for the second book back next week sometime. In the meantime, I have to get the ebook version and paperback versions of the first book sorted out, so life isn't really any less busy., but I can definitely see some light!

Key dates!
22nd February is when I will have book 1 available. If I get my backside in gear, it will be available for pre-order a week or so before.
22nd February is also when I intend to have book 2 available for pre-order.

2-8 March - the blog tour is booked, organised by the amazing Love Books Group.

7th March - Book 3 goes live; book 3 will be available for pre-order.

21st March - book 3 goes live
[22nd March, I collapse with exhaustion...]

Unfortunately, my partially dislocated thumb (don't ask!) isn't much better, but is easier with the strapping on. However, with the strapping on, I can't hold a pen, so it's all been a bit sore and trying. I can type with it on, so all is not lost.

Right. Onwards! Towards the light!

Enjoyed reading this? Why not subscribe to my newsletter? It comes out once a month and subscribers get a free novella and all my special offers. No spam, I promise.

2020 - I'm ready for you!

Some days, when I've been sitting at my desk, getting on with (yet more) editing, I wonder if I am actually making any progress. I've moved into my 2020 diary, and at the start, it has goals for the year. It's the same design diary as I had last year and I checked back at my goals for 2019.

I'd finished none of them.

Which felt somewhat demoralising.

Two of my main goals were writing-based: publish the trilogy, and investigate screenwriting/start to convert something I'd written to a screenplay. I had a closer look at my year and tried to see why I hadn't completed either of these two things. The short answer is that I vastly underestimated how long it would take to edit the trilogy! Not just how long an editor would take over professionally editing the books, but how long it would take me to go through those edits (especially with a number of family issues this year reducing my available time). But, the good news is that I now have proper data on how long it takes to do these things, so future planning shouldn't be way off.

My third main goal was to be running 10 miles for my 'long run' on a Sunday. A wrecked Achilles put paid to that. I'm working towards it, but I'm only at 4 miles at the moment. Little by little.

So, did I actually achieve much last year? And what am I hoping to get done in 2020?