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Hope Can Be Hard
Shadow of Hope follows a woman caught in a love triangle who has to choose between love and her obligations. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The story is a reflection of the ways that I feel God speaks to people in different ways, and that was the primary motivation before I thought up the characters. I wanted a dynamic between three characters to contrast in those experiences with what I call “The Spirits” in my story. I wanted young girls to see the main character struggle with something that they might experience–the fight between desire and obligation and to hopefully relate to her struggle.
What was your favorite character to write for, and why? Was there a scene that captured the character’s essence?
I truly don’t know if I can pick a favorite between Kalista, Luke, and Raine. The story is told between their points of view, and each of them has a unique personality. If I had to choose, I think Raine was the most fun to write for. I love the scene where Luke and Raine argue in the hallway outside Kalista’s room as she sleeps. In that scene, midway through the book, Luke demonstrates his confidence, and Raine stands up to him for the first time in a way that changes the game.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Friendship is a theme throughout the series. In the first book there is a lot of turmoil in the friendship department, but in the series, it becomes an important healing point. Hope is a major theme of this book as well. The idea that hope can be hard is something that not a lot of people realize, but we see these characters struggle with hope in a way that hurts but still clinging to it despite the pain.
Can you tell us a little about where the story goes in book two and when the novel will be available?
Dark forces are still at large, and Kalista and her friends will start to seek answers to how they can save the Krasiv Isles from the Rogue Spirits. We start to see that there is much more going on in Valanche than Kalista’s peaceful kingdom realizes, and while they must seek answers, Kalista is trying to win back the heart of the man she wants at her side. The second book has some shocking revelations as each character deals with their own set of personal struggles. The second book should be available in May 2025.
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SHE WAS THE MARK.
THE GIRL I’D VOWED TO PROTECT WHEN I BECAME THE SHADOW…
Was the next name on Mahan’s list, and it had me questioning everything. It had been seven years since I’d seen her, and now she was betrothed to Captain Luke Ramsey. She would never choose me over him, and she shouldn’t. He was an accomplished captain with the world at his fingertips. I was an orphan with a shady past. I had nothing to offer her but lies about who I was and apologies I hoped she’d never know she deserved. Even so, two things were keeping a small spark of my hope alive. One was the way Kalista looked at me. The other was the way she looked at him. If I was seeing clearly, she didn’t love him. I remembered how she looked at me when she saw me in the stables. I had seen it in her eyes. Delight.
The Wondrous and the Terrifying
In The Gatekeeper of Pericael, a 12-year-old boy races to protect the gate that keeps his people safe from the soul thief threatening his people. Where did the idea for this novel come from?
The Gatekeeper of Pericael started as an action-packed adventure without romance for my young sons. While I’ve always liked the idea of magical worlds, I always thought that if there were real kids that grew up in (or beside) a magical world, there would be some who would take it for granted, or even fear it. So, I really wanted to explore how a preteen who sees his magic practice as a chore and has legitimate, valid fears of a dangerous magical world he was expected to protect. At its core, The Gatekeeper of Pericael is about a boy learning to accept the world around him—both the wondrous and the terrifying. It’s about a boy accepting his responsibilities and learning how to move forward in spite of his fear—themes I hoped to impart to my own kids and other readers.
I found the edge-of-your-seat adventure in your novel to be quite appealing. What scene in the book did you have the most fun writing?
I’ve always loved monsters and intense action since I was young, so this was a super fun book to write for me. I think my favorite scene to write was the cave sequence in which Porter and his friends are trying to lead the village away from the Terzi. Between their realization of what the Terzi are, the stakes of so many people depending on them, and Porter really coming into his own—it was awesome to go through that emotional roller coaster with the characters.
Were you able to relate to your characters while writing them?
Absolutely! I think every one of my characters carries a piece of me. Like Porter, I started out as a fearful kid that had to make the conscious choice to be brave. But then, I’ve also had times in life where I’ve felt very much like Fira—frustrated by the limitations of her village’s system and with a steely passion to succeed in spite of it. As I grew older and had to be responsible for others younger than myself, I developed more patience and dependability like Conri. And of course, I feel like it’s the most fun to be like Ames, silly and irrepressibly optimistic.
I find a problem in well-written stories in that I always want there to be another book to keep the story going. Is there a second book planned?
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed it! I’d always envisioned The Gatekeeper of Pericael as a trilogy–the characters growing a year or two older with each book—and I definitely had big plans for Fira, Porter, and Ames. Unfortunately, I’ve found upper-MG/lower-YA creepy fantasy hard to market, so I moved forward with other projects instead. But I wouldn’t be surprised if I find my way back to Pericael one day to continue the series. It definitely calls to me!
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In Pericael, no one goes out after dark…
Twelve-year-old Porter would much rather spend his weekends playing soccer than channeling spirits in the parallel universe of Pericael. Unfortunately for him, Porter’s family has guarded the gate between Earth and monster-filled Pericael for generations, so he’s not getting out of Gatekeeper lessons anytime soon.
But, some after-school activities are more dangerous than others.
When a soul thief threatens the gate, Porter reluctantly comes to its defense… and gets thrown deep into Pericael’s dangerous jungle wilderness. With the help of two fierce native girls, Porter must learn to embrace the creepy spirits and find his way back to the gate. But the soul thief is racing for the gate too, and if he gets there first, Porter won’t have a home to go back to.
Compelling Adventure
Mirror Tree follows four siblings who uncover family secrets as they fight to decipher an ancient prophecy that predicts a devastating war. Where did the idea for this second book in the series come from?
Mirror Tree is a natural progression of the story that began in Drifters Realm that finds the four siblings fighting against time and their Uncle Zane and his Guardians to save their world from destruction. The ideas for Mirror Tree came from a few different places. First and foremost, I wanted to continue and expand upon the compelling adventure by raising the stakes and keeping readers intrigued by the plot twists and turns.
Secondly, the storyline required the characters to evolve from where we left them in the first book, which opened the door for all sorts of mischief from every angle. Finally, there are countless books I’ve read throughout my life that left me wanting to explore themes and ideas that would fit well within the world I’ve created.
Do you have a favorite character in this series? Is there one that is especially fun to write for?
This is a difficult question to answer because I truly enjoy writing the scenes and dialogue between Ori and Tora, and Ori and Hao. That being said, Seth is my favorite character for a few reasons; mainly because he is misunderstood and quite possibly more powerful than the four siblings realize up to this point. In some ways, Seth is the most vulnerable underneath his standoffish exterior, and at the same time, the most willing to risk it all because of his friendship with Roe. Seth is a bit of an enigma—he doesn’t seem to bond with anyone other than Roe, and yet at the same time, he cares deeply as a Navigator about what happens in Drifters Realm.
What were some books or movies that you think were your main sources of inspiration for your writing?
I’ve always been a huge fan of books over movies. When it comes to books, authors like J.K. Rowling, Suzanne Collins, Victoria Aveyard, Luanne G. Smith, and C.S. Lewis have inspired me. Another huge source of inspiration comes from growing up in a neighborhood full of kids who played outdoors endlessly creating our own adventures. My trips to Disneyland have also inspired me. All these things together are the driving force behind my inspiration to world-build Drifters Realm and create the Shadow Stone, Mirror Tree, and Ghost of Ruin, as well as expand upon the Desolation Mountains, Sleeping Giants, Impossible Lake, and other places found throughout Mirror Tree.
Can you give fans a peek inside Book 3 in the Drifters Realm series?
In glimpsing ahead to Book 3, the peril intensifies as the siblings struggle to stop Zane’s plans while solving the rest of the prophecy. To do this, the siblings must cross the Unchartered Territory, discover what is poisoning the benevolent Guardians, uncover who is betraying them, and find the mysterious Blue Wall. The siblings must trust each other to save their world against all odds and to protect Hallows Realm, UnKnown Realm, and TimeLess Realm from their same fate.
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In Mirror Tree, book two of the Drifters Realm fantasy adventure series, twelve-year-old triplets Ori, Roe, and Tora, along with their older brother Theo, must trust their unpredictable magic and each other. Together, they attempt to stop the Guardians, whose supernatural powers are controlled by their uncle, First City Leader Zane. He is determined to steal Ori’s Sorcerer Obligation and impose his oppressive rule beyond their realm.
As peril intensifies, the lines between right and wrong blur and the siblings fight to stay one step ahead of danger. They traverse through forests, deserts, caves, and swamps with the assistance of Ori and Roe’s ancient rings, their friends, and the outcast teenagers known as the Menace. In Mirror Tree, AnneMarie Mazotti Gouveia continues the compelling story of survival and the power of friendship and family.
