L. Samuels Author Interview

Phoebe Douse follows a young girl that gets invited to a mysterious school in Scotland where a world of fantastical possibilities starts to open. What was the inspiration behind this thrilling novel?

I was inspired by my personal life experiences, cultural heritage, and sparks of imagination. Also, I’ve always been an avid reader of all books—mysteries, adventures, history, contemporary, the classics, and the list goes on. With Phoebe Douse: S3A2, I wanted to blend elements of classical literature with those of a genre fiction.

Phoebe Douse is an intriguing and well developed character. What were some themes you wanted to capture in her character?

Thank you! I wanted to capture the themes of trust, self-discovery, and belief. Phoebe represents the journey of finding who we are, with the inevitable challenges and triumphs that we experience along the way. Further, Phoebe embodies the motif of the moon. The moon has always been special to me, and I believe it brings into the story the idea of our inner potential and the force, within and around us, that can help to empower us.

I felt like this book had a rich backstory. How much of that did you plan and how much of that developed organically?

The backstory started organically, and between intervals of my imagination, I intentionally infused the narrative with planned elements.

When and where will this book be available?

Phoebe Douse: S3A2 will be releasing September 30th, and is currently available for preorder on my website, http://www.lucillesamuels.com. After its release date, it will be available on Amazon and my website. Further, I’m establishing a contract with a major distributor so that it can be available through most retail channels and libraries.

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Grandmother Naan’s superstitious stories seem too peculiar and childish to Phoebe Douse. It’s foolishness, as she likes to say. But when surprising and unfortunate circumstances in Texas lead her to accept a timely invitation to attend a remote boarding school, thousands of miles away in Scotland, Phoebe finds that everything is not what she made herself believe.

Unwittingly, Phoebe is thrown onto the stage of power and danger as events unfold that reveal the extent of her abilities and Naan’s connection to the school. There, Phoebe is introduced to the clandestine world of S3A2 and is forced to decide between her new friends and the promises of power and S3A2 status from the welcoming but strangely mysterious Headmaster Duff.

Will Phoebe be able to develop her abilities in time to protect her friends? Or, will she decide to use her abilities to fuel her own ambitions?