The Threads That Bind Us Together

Ava Rouge Author Interview

Under Her Spell follows a woman who explores her magical abilities, causing an unexpected disaster that leads her to return to the place she fled, and the man she left behind with a broken heart and no explanation. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

At first, I was just enjoying the fantasy of the brother’s best friend trope, the tension of an age gap and where the nerd gets the girl lol. It’s one of those dynamics I’ve always loved reading. But as Yasim’s character arc started to take shape, the story became deeper and far messier than I expected. It turned into one of those complicated, aching loves we love to read about, the kind that lingers even when everything’s gone wrong. I wanted to explore what it means to leave someone behind without explanation… and what it takes to face them again when life forces your paths to cross. So yes, there’s magic, but at its core, it’s about heartbreak, healing, and all the unfinished things we carry with us.

I find the world you created in this novel brimming with possibilities. Where did the inspiration for the setting come from, and how did it change as you were writing?

The idea for 2100 London started with a simple concept: what if tech and nature didn’t have to be enemies? So many sci-fi or futuristic books paint this doom-and-gloom picture of the future, but I wanted to do the opposite. I wanted to show that people, and the world, deserve a redemption arc. That’s where the idea of NexaGreen came from. It actually first appeared back in Book 1, but I ended up building the world around it. It became a symbol of balance between chaos and peace, past and future, destruction and healing. As I kept writing, the setting grew more layered. NexaGreen became not just a place, but a reflection of the characters’ emotional journeys, especially for someone like Niamh, who’s caught between who she was and who she’s becoming.

What are some things that you find interesting about the human condition that you think make for great fiction?

The way we love. The way we break. And the way we keep trying, even when we don’t know who we are anymore. I think the most powerful stories are the ones that don’t shy away from the grey areas, when characters make bad choices, carry guilt, act out of control, crave things they’re scared to name. Vulnerability, shame, desire, forgiveness… those are the raw threads that bind us together. And when fiction taps into that, it hits different. It feels like truth, it feels relatable even in the most magical settings.

Now that you have completed the Whispers of Destiny series, what is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?

So first, Hers to Tempt, the first spin-off novella, is already out in the world, and I’m honestly still blown away that it won the Literary Titan Gold Award in July. That story holds a special place in my heart.

Right now, I’m working on another spin-off that follows Lucio (Diedra’s brother) and Kaiko (Kairos’s sister). Their connection was undeniable in Inked Into Your Soul, and I knew I had to explore it more. It’s messy, intense, and full of heat, but there’s real emotion driving it too. Kaiko’s trying to start fresh(and far away from someone) in London with her son, but her past, and Lucio, won’t stay quiet for long. I’m aiming for a similar length to Hers to Tempt, and if everything goes according to plan, readers won’t have to wait too long to get their hands on it. Hopefully, before the end of this year.

Author Links: GoodReads | X | Facebook | Website

Under Her Spell – Final book in the Whispers of Destiny Series
Two years ago, Niamh packed her bags and fled to Ireland, leaving Yasim – her brother’s best friend – behind with nothing but heartbreak and unanswered questions. She thought burying herself in her family’s history and learning to control her powers would be enough to move forward.
She was wrong.
When an experiment with her magic causes an unexpected disaster, Niamh has no choice but to leave Ireland. The only place she can turn is NexaGreen in London, and the only person who can help her is Yas – the man she left behind without so much as an explanation.
Thrown back into each other’s lives, the tension between them is impossible to ignore. As Niamh tries to repair the damage her powers have caused, she’s forced to confront the feelings she thought she’d buried. But as danger looms, she realizes this is about more than just fixing what’s broken… it’s about fighting for what matters most.

Posted on July 29, 2025, in Interviews and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment.

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