1--What is the title of your latest release?
STONEWHISPER: CRIMSON FANG
2--What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
Erion spends his days fighting Daemanon's monsters and his nights skirting the line between criminal and victim. He's stuck as a hired thug for the Crimson Fang-forced to pay his father's debt as he tries to keep the Fang from discovering his younger brother's potent Life Magic. When Erion kills the wrong man, he gives the Fang exactly what they need to bring him into their criminal ranks.
When a Guardian of Pelinon arrives to investigate a series of disappearances, Erion and his dodgy allies unearth the truth of the disappearances buried beneath layers of stone, secrets, and death.
Necromancers weave dark rites. Chaos erupts. For Erion, is there any good in being a hero if there's no one left to save?
3--How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
Working in the shared world of Eldros Legacy helped frame a lot of the basics of my novel. The continent my novel takes place on is called Daemanon, and I worked closely with my founder, Quincy J. Allen, to line up a story that intertwines with the main plot while also being able to stand alone.
Daemanon is a continent of monsters, demons, and political intrigue. After I got recruited for Eldros, I knew right away that this was the continent for me. I wanted my final battle to happen in an ancient fortress near the water, so I chose a spot-on Quincy’s map and smacked my story right on the river.
4--Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?
Erion Skala is my poor protagonist… Hanging out with him would probably be great, until he got attacked by a local drug ring or had to take out a giant troll. Things tend to get dicey around him quick!
5--What are three words that describe your protagonist?
Protective, conflicted, warrior
6--What’s something you learned while writing this book?
I did some research into the criminal underground to plot out the storyline and make my villains believable - initiations, gang symbols and tactics used to smuggle drugs and recruit new members. It was fascinating - if a bit dark. In Stonewhisper, Erion gets pigeonholed into joining the Crimson Fang, and spends most of the book trying to avoid the darker corners of his new role.
7--Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I find that if I edit as I go, I get caught up in the edits and it’s harder for me to make forward progress in my drafting. When I sit down to write, I’ll usually review the last 500 or 1000 words I wrote to reorient myself, but if I go back any more than that I’ll end up agonizing over adjectives and then I’ll blink and an hour will have gone by and I won’t have written any new words. Most of my editing happens after the draft is completely written.
8--What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
It’s far from sophisticated, but I love white cheddar popcorn!
9--Describe your writing space/office!
My favorite thing about my office is my 6’x4’ whiteboard. I do all my brainstorming, calendaring, and deadline tracking there. Many colored markers and sticky notes are involved.
10--Who is an author you admire?
My favorite contemporary author right now is Brent Weeks, author of the Night Angel and Lightbringer books. I love how complex his characters and magic systems are, and his plot twists always get me.
11--Is there a book that changed your life?
I’ve read many books that have changed my life in different ways - but by far the most obvious is The Inventor’s Secret, by Chad Morris. He’s a family member who asked me to do an early read of his book, and it went on to be traditionally published! Not only was the book an amazing read (a really great middle grade fiction about a super high-tech boarding school and a missing family member) but having a front seat to his series getting published gave me the final push I needed to start pursuing my own writing more seriously. And here I am—publishing my debut novel!
12--Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)/Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
Stonewhisper’s path to publishing was a little unique, as far as I understand. I met continent founder Quincy J. Allen at Superstars Writing Seminars (I smashed his hand in my car door, actually… sorry, Q!). After a few days of chatting business, he invited me to take a look at the Eldros Legacy project. I read their world bible and the first two books in the series, then wrote a short story in the world as a sort of application. That short, Fang and Fortune, is the prequel to Stonewhisper and available on Amazon now.
From there, I worked closely with Quincy and Todd Fahnestock to hone an outline that fit into their world! Working with a team like this has been unique and so educational - I’ve benefitted from great industry pros who have been dedicated to helping me succeed from day one.
13--What’s your favorite genre to read?
Definitely fantasy novels - the bigger the better!
14--What’s your favorite movie?
Ooh, asking the hard questions now. I saw Moulin Rouge for the first time recently, and really loved that one (to my surprise!). Of all time, I’d probably have to say either The Fellowship of the Ring or A Knight’s Tale.
15--What is your favorite season?
Autumn! I love Halloween, the changing seasons, and the weather starting to get cooler. I hate the heat and suffer through summer every year.
16--How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
Birthdays are usually a quiet affair for me - but any celebration, no matter how quiet, goes best with a mixed berry pie.
17--What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
My favorite recent reads are the Trina Piper books by Steve Ruskin - The Newton Cipher and The Scepter of the Sun King. They’re the Da Vinci Code if Robert Langdon had magic and the villains were part of an ancient secret magical cult. I can’t recommend them enough!
18--What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
I’m a huge fan of Americanized Chinese cuisine. Give me all the Mongolian beef and General Tso’s chicken!
19--What do you do when you have free time?
The idea of “free time” makes me laugh hysterically… but when I scrounge some up I love camping and hiking, preferably in the mountains.
20--What can readers expect from you next?
I have a really excellent, sort-of-secret urban fantasy novel on the docket! It will hopefully release early next year, but in the meantime my short fiction will be released in Standing Free: Stories in the Last Brigade Universe Book 4) and The Phoenix Initiative: First Missions. I’m also working on a short piece of historical fantasy-horror that will come out in a Friday the 13th anthology from Three Ravens Publishing this October.
Lovers of the Night Angel trilogy and the Ember Blade will enjoy this dastardly tale of torn loyalties, a criminal empire, and a fallen hero.
Erion spends his days fighting Daemanon’s monsters and his nights skirting the line between criminal and victim. He’s stuck as a hired thug for the Crimson Fang—forced to pay his father’s debt as he tries to keep the Fang from discovering his younger brother’s potent Life Magic. When Erion kills the wrong man, he gives the Fang exactly what they need to bring him into their criminal ranks.
When a Guardian of Pelinon arrives to investigate a series of disappearances, Erion and his dodgy allies unearth the truth of the disappearances buried beneath layers of stone, secrets, and death.
Necromancers weave dark rites. Chaos erupts. For Erion, is there any good in being a hero if there’s no one left to save?
For lovers of Dungeons & Dragons and GameLit, this is a book from the sweeping epic fantasy world of Eldros Legacy
Fantasy Epic [Eldros Legacy LLC, On Sale: June 13, 2023, Paperback, ISBN: 978-195999445 / ]
H.Y. Gregor was born in Portland, Oregon, but she’ll always call the mountains of Colorado home (where as a kid she was usually reading a book with a flashlight under the covers at night). In college she interned for congressional offices and law firms, and has a bachelor’s degree in political science. She soon discovered office life was not for her, which brought her full circle back to childhood ambitions of being a writer to bring new, fantastical stories to life. After narrowly avoiding law school, she now puts her international relations and government background to use creating intricate, colorful worlds to serve as backdrops for her fantasy fiction novels.
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