The Last Sovereign follows an eighteen-year-old girl who is destined to defeat a fallen god who has his eyes set on the destruction of her world. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

Honestly, I don’t think there was any specific inspiration besides general fantasy stories. I write the stories I would want to read. Every fantasy reader loves the ‘small-town-hero-saves-the-world-journey.’ We love to see our heroes come up from nothing so that when they reach the end and look back, we can see how far they really came. As far as a setup, I usually create a world first, inhabit it with people, then think of something amazing that could happen there. For this book, a story of a heroic bloodline that is tied to divinity and destined to destroy a fallen god while bringing together a diverse, dichotomous world of various beliefs, and ending it with a fantastic, over-the-top battle in a bid to save the world—sounds about right to me. Sounds like a story I would like to read. So, I wrote it for myself, friends, family, and most importantly, anyone willing to take a journey. I love this story, but it’s only the beginning.

Lana is burdened with being the last of her bloodline, destined to defeat Ras’Drayev and save her world. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?

I believed there are many ideals behind her development, but if I were to pick one that would play a role throughout the entire series going forward, it would be the ‘weight of expectation.’ Through our lives, we were told what was expected of us whether it was from family, friends, or society. Fantasy characters experience this burden just as much as real people do, although sometimes its fate and destiny pulling the strings. Because of her father’s legacy, Lana was expected to be a hero. She fulfilled this expectation as much as she could. She trained and lived with it. It became her core being. Even as a hero, there remained within her a fear that she would never be enough—not for the legacy of her father, for the people she loved, or the man she admired. Sometimes the weight of expectation of others and ourselves can keep us from becoming who we are meant to be.

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

Yes, The Last Sovereign explored the power of the All-Death, a primordial magic that weaved itself within the creation of all things. It was driven by the sorrow, loss, and anger that came with the emotional turmoil that all living things must endure. It was a representation of my grief. During the process of writing this book, I lost someone very dear to me. In my mourning, I felt destroyed and unwound. As did Lana in the midst of her own tragedy, I felt drawn between the desire of destroying others, things, or even possibly myself, as if my own sadness was devouring me from within. In this terrible ordeal, I felt helpless and yet, at the same time, powerful—dangerous, monstrously powerful in the freedom of losing everything important to me. This strength only grew with my hatred. I feared I may never escape it, but in time, and with the help of friends, I eventually did. For all the moments of despair and every moment in between, I can say that I feel stronger now—maybe stronger than I had ever felt before. The grief still lingers, as the All-Death still lingers within Lana, but it has become now, a sense of remembrance of the one I lost and still loved. Through this remembrance, I push on, as Lana must through the story as well.

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

Actually, I am really excited about The Two Thrones because I am currently working on it. I am happy to say that it will be done soon. I am hoping to release a book in this series every single year. That’s my goal anyway. If all goes well, The Two Thrones will be released in Summer 2024. I am so excited for everyone to read what happens next. I can’t offer much as every story has its secrets, but I can say that we will be exploring more of Shandaria. As the first book concentrated on the Horde and its characters, this book will focus more on the other hidden factional groups. There was more than one group out there seeking Lana. As the Horde was the army of the All-Death, the secondary group, appearing in the next chapter, will be of the All-Life, which is the antithesis of its darker counterpart. We will explore the themes of ruling, leadership, power, heroism, and once again, the influence of family upon our decisions. Lana made a grand decision at the end of the first book, and the consequences of that decision will be described on page one of the next. So, you have to read it to find out. I hope everyone will enjoy the ongoing story because it will only get better from here!

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