1--What is the title of your latest release?
FIVE BROKEN BLADES
2--What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
Five of the most dangerous liars comes together to try to kill the god king Joon
3--How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
I wanted to have a blend of eastern and western, so I created a realm that had previously been four distinct nations long ago—enough to have regional differences. There is also an unincorporated land that is mostly desert and a colony island.
4--Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?
There are six points of view characters in Five Broken Blades. I would hang out with any of them although I might not survive it.
5--What are three words that describe your protagonist?
Deceptive, dangerous, loving. Those words describe all the main characters.
6--What’s something you learned while writing this book?
Oh gosh, I learned so much from deep dive research into Korean history and mythology to how to write high fantasy, to pacing and plotting out a trilogy.
7--Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I have to edit as I go. I’d like to stop, but I’ve accepted that it’s my process.
8--What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
All the pizza, pasta, and bread I can eat in Italy. Otherwise, I can’t have gluten in the US.
9--Describe your writing space/office!
A mess.
10--Who is an author you admire?
Rebecca Roanhorse is doing incredibly imaginative work. I think she seamlessly blends her inspirations to create fresh and new dystopian and fantasy realms.
11--Is there a book that changed your life?
Indirectly, Fourth Wing changed my life. Fourth Wing’s success launched my publisher, Red Tower and it is no exaggeration to say that Red Tower has changed my life completely.
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.
I was picking up my stepson from practice! I am notoriously always on the move when I get important calls or emails, but I was so thrilled that Red Tower wanted to work with me.
13--What’s your favorite genre to read?
Adult fantasy!
14--What’s your favorite movie?
Do people have just one? I can’t answer this any more than I could pick a favorite song or book.
15--What is your favorite season?
Summer.
16--How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
My birthday is in winter, so I celebrate it quietly with family.
17--What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
I absolutely adore the Jade City trilogy. All three books are phenomenal. More recent would be Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo. I thought it was so well done.
18--What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
Korean BBQ!
19--What do you do when you have free time?
OMG what is free time? I love couch cuddles with my kids, reading, and traveling as much as I can.
20--What can readers expect from you next?
Book two of the Broken Blades trilogy!
It’s the season
for treason…
The king of Yusan must die.
The five most dangerous liars in the land have been mysteriously summoned to work together for a single objective: to kill the god king Joon.
He has it coming. Under his merciless immortal hand, the nobles flourish, while the poor and innocent are imprisoned, ruined…or sold.
And now each of the five blades will come for him. Each has tasted bitterness—from the hired hit man seeking atonement, a lovely assassin who seeks freedom, or even the prince banished for his cruel crimes. None can resist the sweet, icy lure of vengeance.
They can agree on murder.
They can agree on treachery.
But for these five killers—each versed in deception, lies, and betrayal—it’s not enough to forge an alliance. To survive, they’ll have to find a way to trust each other…but only one can take the crown.
Let the best liar win.
Fantasy Romance | Fantasy Epic [Entangled: Red Tower Books, On Sale: May 7, 2024, Hardcover / e-Book, ISBN: 9781649376909 / ]
Mai Corland is a Korean American attorney and writer, born in Seoul and adopted into New York. From there, she ran away from winter and studied in Florida at Rollins College and the University of Miami. Due to a variety of questionable decisions, she currently lives in the cold again with her partner, children, and a goldfish who will outlive them all. When not writing, you can find her asleep or clutching her latte machine. Mai writes award winning children’s and young adult books under Meredith Ireland.
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