Wielders of Woe: Inferno follows an exiled prince who has to discover his family’s secrets and reclaim his birthright to save his people. What was the inspiration that drove the development of the world the characters live in? 

I have always loved science fiction universes that mixed with fantasy tropes and settings. I came about the first chapter by just luck and began writing and when I finished I realized that I have something here. It was the summer of 2020, so pandemic era, and I spent most of it writing, developing, and writing some more. I’ve always wanted to tell a story of a prince that had been forsaken and a family dynamic where they all love each other but something happened to cause a split and this was it.

I found Prince Halcion Skyborn to be a remarkably well-written and in-depth character. What was your inspiration for his emotional turmoil throughout the story?

I wanted a character that stuck to his principles no matter what and wouldn’t let the world around him bend or break his character. Hal is a staunch follower of the Code of Athos and that helps him overcome a lot of problems, but it can also get him into some problems. I want him to be the pinnacle of sticking to your principles but also showcasing how, if done too much or unwilling to change, it can also hinder you. Its a part of his character development to learn how to balance it.

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?

Like above, sticking to your principles, but also learning to trust others who aren’t exactly in your same mindset and always keeping your faith alive. Hal keeps his faith by following the code and Kristilin keeps her faith by following her religion, which will be explored further later. Always having something to believe in is important to everyone. I also wanted to showcase a sibling rivalry that no one wanted to happen and show what it takes to fix it. Hal and Miri are two sides of the same coin so it’ll take some work!

When will book 2 be available? Can you give us an idea of where that book will take readers?

I am currently writing the first draft of book 2 right now so it’s hard to say. Book 1 took 3 years from first draft to publishing! So I hope a little sooner! And I don’t want to spoil a lot about it but at the end of book 1 we know they’re going to Velra… but what they find there we’ll have to wait and see!

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