Please welcome Erin Lindsey to The Qwillery. The Bloodforged, the 2nd novel in the Bloodbound series, was published on September 29th by Ace.
TQ: Welcome back to The Qwillery. Your new novel, The Bloodforged (Bloodbound 2), was recently published. Has your writing process changed (or not) from when the first Bloodbound novel was published to now?
Erin: I guess the main difference would be the amount of planning that went into Book 1 versus the later books. THE BLOODBOUND was really a classic panster; I started off with only the roughest of ideas where the story would take me. THE BLOODFORGED is a more ambitious narrative, so it needed an outline. And by the time I got to Book 3, I found I needed to do quite a detailed outline, just to make sure I’d wrapped up all the loose threads.
TQ: What is the most challenging thing for you about writing?
Erin: I find that I work best when I have a certain amount of momentum going, and it can be tough to sustain that for any period of time. Life just keeps intruding, you know? Things crop up in the middle of the day that break your rhythm, and sometimes you have to be away from the manuscript for days or weeks at a time. It can be tough to get back into the swing of things after that. On the flip side, when you are in the zone, it can be tough to get a good night’s sleep, because your brain is constantly churning out new ideas, playing out scenes, etc.
TQ: What have you learned about publishing since your first novel, Darkwalker as E.L. Tettensor, was published?
Erin: Oh, loads. I actually didn’t know all that much about the process before I got started. I had my sights set on landing an agent, figuring the rest would sort of take care of itself after that. So one of things I had to come up to speed on quickly was the importance of marketing your own books – what you, the author, can do to make sure your work finds its audience. That’s by far the toughest part of the gig, and there’s no magic answer. It’s really trial and error, and I’ll always be learning.
TQ: Tell us something about The Bloodforged that is not found in the book description.
Erin: THE BLOODFORGED dials the action/adventure side way up, while the romance is handled differently than in THE BLOODBOUND. This time, the romance element is more about dealing with the consequences of Alix’s choice in Book 1. We don’t often get to see the aftermath of a resolved love triangle, and that’s something I really wanted to look at in this book. That undercurrent of tension between the main characters continues to influence their behavior in ways that have consequences for the main action of the story.
TQ: Which character in the Bloodbound series (so far) has surprised you the most? Who has been the hardest character to write and why?
Erin: I think the most surprising character has been Alix’s big brother, Rig. He gets his own point of view chapters in this book, and he ended up being quite the scene-stealer. Rig has an easy charisma that’s pretty irresistible, and his scenes always flowed so well and were just a joy to write. That’s pretty true of all the characters, actually. For some reason, I find them all easy to write, much more so than in my other series. They’re such distinctive, three-dimensional people to me that I don’t have any trouble figuring out how they’ll react in a given situation, or how they’ll express themselves.
TQ: The Bloodbound series is Fantasy. What appeals to you about writing Fantasy?
Erin: I like the high adventure of it. You can subject your characters to epic life-and-death situations without having to jump through too many hoops to make it plausible. And I like not being constrained by someone else’s version of reality. I can invent history and geography and cultures and infuse it with my personal experience in ways that make the world truly my own. That’s a lot of fun.
TQ: Why have you chosen to include or not chosen to include social issues the Bloodbound series?
Erin: I’m not sure I consciously chose to include social issues in the book, but they’re definitely there. One of the ethnic groups in the series, the Onnani, were mentioned in passing in Book 1, but they play a much bigger role in THE BLOODFORGED, with several major characters being Onnani. There’s a lot of social friction between the Onnani and other races, and that comes up quite a bit in Liam’s and Rig’s chapters. I wasn’t looking to make a point, particularly; I guess I just wouldn’t find the world to be very realistic if it didn’t have its social tensions and historical controversies. So I included some that made sense to me – and they ended up taking on a life of their own.
TQ: Please give us one or two of your favorite non-spoilery lines from The Bloodforged.
Erin:
“Your Majesty.
Okay, that was the easy part. Now what? Liam glanced down at Rudi for inspiration, but the wolfhound just yawned, showing off a mouthful of wickedly curved teeth.
My enquiries are progressing. That wasn’t really true, though, was it?
I regret to inform you of my abject failure. Accurate, but maybe a touch melodramatic.
I have decided that I would rather be bound naked to the prow of a merchant schooner touring every harbour of the known world than continue in this capacity. “Yes,” Liam said, tapping his quill against his chin, “I think I’ll go with that one.””
TQ: What's next?
Erin: I’m just wrapping up THE BLOODSWORN, Book 3 of the Bloodbound series. At the same time, I’m kicking off a new project, a standalone epic fantasy romance. Expect lots of adventure and plenty of swoons!
TQ: Thank you for joining us at The Qwillery.
Erin: Thanks for having me!
Erin: I guess the main difference would be the amount of planning that went into Book 1 versus the later books. THE BLOODBOUND was really a classic panster; I started off with only the roughest of ideas where the story would take me. THE BLOODFORGED is a more ambitious narrative, so it needed an outline. And by the time I got to Book 3, I found I needed to do quite a detailed outline, just to make sure I’d wrapped up all the loose threads.
TQ: What is the most challenging thing for you about writing?
Erin: I find that I work best when I have a certain amount of momentum going, and it can be tough to sustain that for any period of time. Life just keeps intruding, you know? Things crop up in the middle of the day that break your rhythm, and sometimes you have to be away from the manuscript for days or weeks at a time. It can be tough to get back into the swing of things after that. On the flip side, when you are in the zone, it can be tough to get a good night’s sleep, because your brain is constantly churning out new ideas, playing out scenes, etc.
TQ: What have you learned about publishing since your first novel, Darkwalker as E.L. Tettensor, was published?
Erin: Oh, loads. I actually didn’t know all that much about the process before I got started. I had my sights set on landing an agent, figuring the rest would sort of take care of itself after that. So one of things I had to come up to speed on quickly was the importance of marketing your own books – what you, the author, can do to make sure your work finds its audience. That’s by far the toughest part of the gig, and there’s no magic answer. It’s really trial and error, and I’ll always be learning.
TQ: Tell us something about The Bloodforged that is not found in the book description.
Erin: THE BLOODFORGED dials the action/adventure side way up, while the romance is handled differently than in THE BLOODBOUND. This time, the romance element is more about dealing with the consequences of Alix’s choice in Book 1. We don’t often get to see the aftermath of a resolved love triangle, and that’s something I really wanted to look at in this book. That undercurrent of tension between the main characters continues to influence their behavior in ways that have consequences for the main action of the story.
TQ: Which character in the Bloodbound series (so far) has surprised you the most? Who has been the hardest character to write and why?
Erin: I think the most surprising character has been Alix’s big brother, Rig. He gets his own point of view chapters in this book, and he ended up being quite the scene-stealer. Rig has an easy charisma that’s pretty irresistible, and his scenes always flowed so well and were just a joy to write. That’s pretty true of all the characters, actually. For some reason, I find them all easy to write, much more so than in my other series. They’re such distinctive, three-dimensional people to me that I don’t have any trouble figuring out how they’ll react in a given situation, or how they’ll express themselves.
TQ: The Bloodbound series is Fantasy. What appeals to you about writing Fantasy?
Erin: I like the high adventure of it. You can subject your characters to epic life-and-death situations without having to jump through too many hoops to make it plausible. And I like not being constrained by someone else’s version of reality. I can invent history and geography and cultures and infuse it with my personal experience in ways that make the world truly my own. That’s a lot of fun.
TQ: Why have you chosen to include or not chosen to include social issues the Bloodbound series?
Erin: I’m not sure I consciously chose to include social issues in the book, but they’re definitely there. One of the ethnic groups in the series, the Onnani, were mentioned in passing in Book 1, but they play a much bigger role in THE BLOODFORGED, with several major characters being Onnani. There’s a lot of social friction between the Onnani and other races, and that comes up quite a bit in Liam’s and Rig’s chapters. I wasn’t looking to make a point, particularly; I guess I just wouldn’t find the world to be very realistic if it didn’t have its social tensions and historical controversies. So I included some that made sense to me – and they ended up taking on a life of their own.
TQ: Please give us one or two of your favorite non-spoilery lines from The Bloodforged.
Erin:
“Your Majesty.
Okay, that was the easy part. Now what? Liam glanced down at Rudi for inspiration, but the wolfhound just yawned, showing off a mouthful of wickedly curved teeth.
My enquiries are progressing. That wasn’t really true, though, was it?
I regret to inform you of my abject failure. Accurate, but maybe a touch melodramatic.
I have decided that I would rather be bound naked to the prow of a merchant schooner touring every harbour of the known world than continue in this capacity. “Yes,” Liam said, tapping his quill against his chin, “I think I’ll go with that one.””
TQ: What's next?
Erin: I’m just wrapping up THE BLOODSWORN, Book 3 of the Bloodbound series. At the same time, I’m kicking off a new project, a standalone epic fantasy romance. Expect lots of adventure and plenty of swoons!
TQ: Thank you for joining us at The Qwillery.
Erin: Thanks for having me!
The Bloodforged
Bloodbound 2
Ace, September 29, 2015
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 368 pages
Bloodbound 2
Ace, September 29, 2015
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 368 pages
The epic saga that started in The Bloodbound continues…
As war between Alden and Oridia intensifies, King Erik must defend his kingdom from treachery and enemies on all sides—but the greatest danger lurks closer to home…
When the war began, Lady Alix Black played a minor role, scouting at the edge of the king’s retinue in relative anonymity. Though she’s once again facing an attacking Oridian force determined to destroy all she holds dear, she is now bodyguard to the king and wife to the prince.
Still, she is unprepared for what the revival of the war will mean. Erik is willing to take drastic measures to defend his domain, even if it means sending Prince Liam into a deadly web of intrigue and traveling into the perilous wild lands of Harram himself.
Only the biggest threat to the kingdom might be one that neither Alix nor Erik could have imagined, or prepared for…
Previously
The Bloodbound
Bloodbound 1
Ace, September 30, 2014
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 368 pages
Review here.
Bloodbound 1
Ace, September 30, 2014
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 368 pages
Of all those in the King of Alden’s retinue, the bloodbinders are the most prized. The magic they wield can forge invaluable weapons, ones that make soldiers like Lady Alix Black unerringly lethal. However, the bloodbinders’ powers can do so much more—and so much worse…
A cunning and impetuous scout, Alix only wishes to serve quietly on the edges of the action. But when the king is betrayed by his own brother and left to die at the hands of attacking Oridian forces, she winds up single-handedly saving her sovereign.
Suddenly, she is head of the king’s personal guard, an honor made all the more dubious by the king’s exile from his own court. Surrounded by enemies, Alix must help him reclaim his crown, all the while attempting to repel the relentless tide of invaders led by the Priest, most feared of Oridia’s lords.
But while Alix’s king commands her duty, both he and a fellow scout lay claim to her heart. And when the time comes, she may need to choose between the two men who need her most…
Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million : IndieBound
Google Play : iBooks : Kobo
Google Play : iBooks : Kobo
Review here.
And writing as E. L. Tettensor
Darkwalker
Nicolas Lenoir 1
Roc, December 3, 2013
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 360 pages
Nicolas Lenoir 1
Roc, December 3, 2013
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 360 pages
He used to be the best detective on the job. Until he became the hunted...
Once a legendary police inspector, Nicolas Lenoir is now a disillusioned and broken man who spends his days going through the motions and his evenings drinking away the nightmares of his past. Ten years ago, Lenoir barely escaped the grasp of the Darkwalker, a vengeful spirit who demands a terrible toll on those who have offended the dead. But the Darkwalker does not give up on his prey so easily, and Lenoir has always known his debt would come due one day.
When Lenoir is assigned to a disturbing new case, he treats the job with his usual apathy—until his best informant, a street savvy orphan, is kidnapped. Desperate to find his young friend before the worst befalls him, Lenoir will do anything catch the monster responsible for the crimes, even if it means walking willingly into the arms of his own doom…
Master of Plagues
Nicolas Lenoir 2
Roc, February 3, 2015
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 368 pages
Nicolas Lenoir 2
Roc, February 3, 2015
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 368 pages
“A dark fantasy detective story that takes readers on a dark, sometimes disturbing journey. E.L. Tettensor crafts a tale that makes you think even while you shudder—a delightful combination.”—Fresh Fiction on Darkwalker
Unraveling a deadly mystery takes time—and his is running out…
Having barely escaped the clutches of the Darkwalker, Inspector Nicolas Lenoir throws himself into his work with a determination he hasn’t known in years. But his legendary skills are about to be put to the test. A horrific disease is ravaging the city—and all signs point to it having been deliberately unleashed.
With a mass murderer on the loose, a rising body count, and every hound in the city on quarantine duty, the streets of Kennian are descending into mayhem, while Lenoir and his partner, Sergeant Bran Kody, are running out of time to catch a killer and find a cure.
Only one ray of hope exists: the nomadic Adali, famed for their arcane healing skills, claim to have a cure. But dark magic comes at a price, one even the dying may be unwilling to pay. All that’s left to Lenoir is a desperate gamble. And when the ashes settle, the city of Kennian will be changed forever…
About the Author
Erin Lindsey is on an epic quest to write the perfect vacation novel for fantasy lovers. THE BLOODFORGED, Book 2 of the Bloodbound trilogy, releases on September 29. She also writes fantasy mystery as E.L. Tettensor. You can find her on her website: erin-lindsey.com, or on Twitter @ETettensor.
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