Interview with Jenn Lees, Author of The Crossing

What’s the story behind the story? What impressed you to jot down The Crossing (Arlan’s Pledge Book One)?

I had simply completed studying The Song of Albion by Stephen R. Lawhead, which has a powerful Celtic flavour. Brilliant sequence. I had lived in Scotland for some years however was dwelling in Nairobi on the time and maybe craving for Scotland a wee bit. That sequence of novels simply despatched my creativeness going. This was lengthy earlier than I wrote creatively.

There’s a hill behind a Scottish village the place a buddy of ours used to stay. There are the ruins of an Iron Age Fort on the prime of this hill, and in my imaginings, a wild wanting Celtic-type warrior on a ginormous horse would come bursting by way of from one other world. This was years in the past, and this story has been percolating in my unconscious ever since.

What’s your favourite style to learn? Is it the identical as your favourite style to jot down?

Fantasy. I’ve all the time learn fantasy, proper from major faculty age. I’ve by no means stopped studying it. I learn different genres, however by no means really feel as glad as once I’m in a fantasy story. And sure, I write fantasy. I’ve additionally written a time journey romance set in a futuristic Scotland in a dystopian setting… however actually, it’s a fantasy.

I all the time have romantic parts in my storyline too. Got to have some romance occurring. I’ve tried to jot down modern, however then all the pieces seems to be taking place in a fort, and the heroine is a warrior and there’s magic and… wait! Now it’s a fantasy! So, I give in and write the place my coronary heart actually is.

What books are in your TBR pile proper now?

The Fool’s Quest Book Two of Fitz and the Fool by Robin Hobb. The Blinding Knife Book Two of Lightbringer by Brent Weeks. The Name of The Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. Portal Slayer Hidden Journey by my writer buddy S L Dooley.

What scene in your e book was your favourite to jot down?

Ooh, that’s a tough one. So many of them I loved. That makes it sound like they have been straightforward to jot down. None have been straightforward. But I feel my favorite was when Arlan meets Rhiannon on the Celtic Festival. It’s the primary time the reader will see Arlan, our main man, and I feel he comes throughout fairly impressively. Rhiannon thinks he’s. The factor is although, and he or she doesn’t comprehend it, however they’ve already met. Well, he’s met her, however she’s not met him…but.

Yeah, portals opening to worlds at various factors on a timeline… it may do your head in. Arlan is cheeky and comes proper as much as Rhiannon and provides her a passionate kiss on the lips. She fairly likes it, however she’s having a twinge of guilt, as a result of, nicely, ought to she get pleasure from this a lot from an ideal stranger? But Arlan leaves an impression on Rhiannon that can change all the pieces.

Do you’ve any quirky writing habits? (fortunate mugs, cats on laps, and many others.)

No, however I require complete silence once I write. (Just ask my husband.)

Do you’ve a motto, quote, or philosophy you reside by?

I consider we’re artistic beings made by a artistic Being. So, I faucet into that. I discover I come most alive once I’m within the creating part of writing. I attempt to encourage others to seek out the place their explicit artistic reward/expertise lies, and to go for it. You by no means know who or what you might discover within the course of.

If you can select one factor for readers to recollect after studying your e book, what wouldn’t it be?

We all have an element to play. A particular one thing that we do which can make this world higher, even when it’s only for one different particular person. Some of us have larger duties. They might not be any extra necessary, however maybe extra essential to the occasions by which we stay. But all of us have one thing that’s only for us to do. And we shouldn’t be afraid to do it… we might uncover we thrive on it, and it finally ends up being one of the best factor we may ever do with our lives.