Author Interview: Mallory McCartney

Hello my lovely book nerds!

I recently had the opportunity to participate in the Heir of Lies Book Tour hosted by Raven’s Bookish Network. You can find my post on Instagram. I am also hosting an International giveaway, so make sure you to get your entries in for your chance to win a shiny new physical copy!

“Hope was a dangerous thing. It could consume every dream and make them take flight, becoming wild daydreams in one’s heart and mind. Or hope could incinerate everything you thought you knew, burning you down to your core, leaving you raw and exposed for the world.”

Emory Fae has only known one thing–life at The Academy, a school for those who have special abilities. Following in her parents’ footsteps, the pressure to uphold their dream falls on her and one of her best friends–Adair Stratton. An outcast and feared by most, Adair longs to break away from the expectations dictating his future. With whispers of dark magic spreading across Kiero, Adair starts to doubt The Academy is all it seems.

An unexpected visit ignites new tensions as the roguish king from across the Black Sea, Tadeas Maher of the Shattered Isles, and his heir, Marquis Maher, sail to Kiero. Notorious for their pirating and wrath, for the first time in years, they demand the Faes listen to their proposition for a new treaty. Caught in the middle of politics, Adair and Emory, with the help of their best friends Brokk and Memphis, search for the one thing that matters the most–the truth.

Their world is tipped upside down as unlikely alliances are made, and war ravages Kiero. Through the throes of betrayal, lies, hidden magic, and love, Adair is faced with a life changing decision. Will he fight or bow to the darkness within?

But, Adair’s decision will change the course of Kiero forever, setting in motion irreversible destinies for everyone at The Academy as Emory Fae rises as heir.

Heir of Lies is the first book in the bestselling Black Dawn series.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

As a part of the tour spot, I interviewed the author, Mallory McCartney, and here’s what she had to say:

Sohinee: How did you come up with the idea of a setting like Keiro? What was your inspiration behind the setting?

Mallory: Thanks for having me! Kiero really came into shape when I travelled in my early twenties. I spent months in Australia and New Zealand and then coming home to Canada, seeing and experiencing such diverse terrains, the world of Keiro really started to bloom in my mind.

Sohinee: Adair is a complex character. I personally love grey characters and reading about Adair was a treat. What prompted you to write his character and what’s one thing that you would like to tell the readers before they encounter his character?

Mallory: Thank you! Honestly, Adair is my favourite character. When I started my career as a writer I knew going in I wanted my characters to be flawed, to feel human. It was really important to me to have Adair’s origin story in a sense to how he became the villain, and I would like to tell my readers to keep an open mind when it comes to Adair.

Sohinee: I am sure you enjoyed writing about Emory. She had to brave all the odds and as the story progresses, Emory’s character develops as well. What message did you want to deliver through her character?

Mallory: Absolutely! When it comes to Emory, I wanted to deliver on her heart and spirit. She will do anything, risk everything, to give her friends a fighting chance. Writing her as the series progresses was really fun because of how fiercely she protects those she loves and putting her in impossible situations seeing how she decides to navigate them.

Sohinee: Fantasy as a genre is itself very challenging to write. What was your biggest challenge that you had to face while crafting the plot of Heir of Lies?

Mallory: Absolutely! My biggest challenge at first was deciding how I wanted the magic system to work, and how that originated. After I built on that a lot of the past history came into place and piece by piece the plot wove itself together, and the full story that I wanted to tell came to life in my mind.

Sohinee: Lastly, what’s your key takeaway from the experience of writing the Black Dawn Series?

Mallory: My key takeaway is I feel extremely lucky to be able to do something that is not only my passion, but I get to connect with readers and see and hear how they connected to my books as well! Even though writing is a lot of work and is challenging, I look forward to many more years and stories in my career!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mallory McCartney currently lives in Sarnia, Ontario with her husband and their three dachshunds Link, Lola and Leonard. When she isn’t working on her next novel or reading, she can be found day dreaming about fantasy worlds and hiking. Other favorite pastimes involve reorganizing perpetually overflowing bookshelves and seeking out new coffee and dessert shops.

Website: https://www.authormallorymccartney.com/

Twitter: MalMcCartney

WANT TO GET YOUR BOOK REVIEWED?

*I am currently accepting review requests for the month of March. To request a review, send me an email at query.sohinee@gmail.com*

For more details, head over to my Review Policy page.

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Signing off,