BooksChatter: ℚ A Wizard's Choice: The Magicals [2]

Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with author Maya Tyler to talk about A Wizard's Choice (17 July 2019, Tirgearr Publishing, 170 pages), a Paranormal Romance, book two in the The Magicals series.

“I just finished A Wizard’s Choice today and really was blown away…I am really enjoying this series and I can’t wait to see what’s next…” – Jennly Reads

“…I don’t read many books about witches and wizards, but I found this one to my liking. It wrapped some actual history into a fiction story, and the author did it well…” – Clarice’s Book Nook

|| Synopsis || Teaser: KCR Preview || The Series || Author Q&A || About the Author || Giveaway & Tour Stops ||

A very warm welcome to Maya Tyler; thank you for joining us on BooksChatter!

What was the inspiration for A Wizard's Choice?

"A Wizard’s Choice became a book I had to write about a year after I published A Vampire’s Tale. One of my secondary characters, Kurtis Warde, wanted me to tell his story. But it wasn’t until after I’d written the book that I identified my true inspiration.

Kurtis was angry because he feels torn between familial obligations and his personal dreams. Then, on a quest to learn more about his parents, he discovers a secret buried in his past that changes the way he thinks and feels about his entire life. I realized I was Kurtis. Writing this book really helped me process things that were occurring in my real life at the time."

How much of yourself is reflected in this book, and how?

"When I reread my work I usually learn new things about myself. They, the so-called writing experts, suggest writing about what you know. My demons certainly aren’t magical beings, but I do reflect my personal experiences into my work.

A Wizard’s Choice is no exception. I unknowingly wrote myself in as Kurtis, my protagonist. His anger was my anger. His betrayal was inspired by my own life-changing realizations. The freedom he gains became my freedom."

The first thing that draws me to a book is its cover. Can you tell us about your cover for A Wizard's Choice - why you chose that concept and who the artist is.

"My cover was designed by Evernight Designs. I completed the standard cover art form, and I also sent my publisher some hand drawn sketches.

My first idea was to feature my hero and his two potential love interests with a starry background. I hadn’t realized that readers might think the book was a ménage. Which it isn’t. My second idea was to feature my hero with a male assassin lurking in the background. I hadn’t realized that concept could be mistaken for a M-M romance.

Thankfully, I had help fine-tuning my ideas. I picked one love interest and a pose for the pair. In the end, the cover effectively captured the essence of my story. A sullen, aloof hero. A bold, possessive heroine. A lurking darkness surrounding them."

Why should we read A Wizard's Choice and what sets it apart from the rest? What makes your book unique?

"In A Vampire’s Tale, I combined a number of common vampire tropes—my vampires are different (selection of noncontradictory traits), friendly vampire (not all vampires are evil killers), power of blood (where blood is contractual, symbolic, and magical), and your vampires suck (the disproval of other author’s vampire versions).

In A Wizard’s Choice, I adopted many features of the classic wizard… Long dark robes, long white beard, the illusion of age… and I also incorporated other common wizard tropes—using a magic wand, being born magical, and training a magical gift.

The Magicals Series is different from other similarly themed books because they are based on my vision and imagination. I’ve created a compelling cast of characters who represent aspects of my personality and life."

Can you tell us something quirky about A Wizard's Choice, its story and characters?

"I like to choose character’s names based on origin and/or meaning. Kurtis’ surname “Warde” means guardian. The surname was first found in the Northern parts of present-day Germany where the Warde family was known for their status and influence.

In A Wizard’s Choice, my wizards were originally from Germany and appointed as guardians for the supernatural world."

Who would you recommend A Wizard's Choice to and what should readers be aware of (any warnings or disclaimers)?

"I would recommend this book to lovers of paranormal romance, especially those who enjoy vampires, wizards, and fairies.

I would warn potential readers that this book contains coarse language, violence, and consensual sex with a taste of kink."

If you could / wished to turn A Wizard's Choice and the The Magicals series into a movie, who would be your dream team?

"If A Wizard’s Choice were adapted into a movie, then it would take place in the Chicago area. Amy Adams and Chris Hemsworth would play my leads, Dresandra and Kurtis."

What do you like to write and read about? Do you stick to a particular genre or do you like to explore different ones?

"I love writing. I have difficulty expressing my feelings out loud so writing is a way for me to process.

I don’t think I have a particular preference for what I like to write about. I usually incorporate whatever is going on in my real life into a story. I like my heroes with protective instincts and honourable ethics. I like strong heroines who understand true strength doesn’t always mean going it alone.

I love romance—reading and writing. I write mainly paranormal romance because I enjoy the creative freedom. I read mainly paranormal/fantasy and historical romance. A Wizard’s Choice is the first book where I incorporated historical events into my storyline."

What is your writing process?

"My writing process has been informally developed into a number of steps.

Step 1: Think of an idea.
Step 2: Imagine my story emerging like a movie in my mind.
Step 3: Possibly make an outline.
Step 4: Conduct research and select character names.
Step 5: Cry and bleed over my pages… er I mean write.
Step 6: Let my story percolate.
Step 7: Reread my book and look for inconsistencies and ways to improve. (Not quite editing.)
Step 8: Engage self-edit. (Performed in a number of steps.)
Step 9: Submit for publishing.
Step 10: If accepted for publishing, then ready the book for release.

The entire process could take me a year or two. I started writing A Vampire’s Tale in 2015 and published it in 2017. I started writing A Wizard’s Choice in December of 2017 and published it on July 17, 2019."

What is in store next?

"I can definitely envision future books in The Magicals Series…possibly a fairy could be my next headliner.

In the meantime, I’m participating in a summer writing contest on the app Chapters: Interactive Stories with my book Duet at Midnight. It’s a young adult contemporary romance with a splash of paranormal."

And as a final quirky thing, to get to know you a little bit better... do you have a pet or something that is special to you that you could share with us?

"Buddy, our nine-pound shih tzu, joined our family almost thirteen years ago. He is our first dog. Neither my husband nor I had a dog growing up.

My husband and I picked Buddy up as an impulse purchase (a very rare occurrence), and it was kismet. Buddy is intelligent and sensitive. Over the years, he’s watched us add two baby boys to our family and stayed by our sides as we battle serious health issues.

Two years ago, he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. As we have never had a dog before, we have never lost a dog before either. Buddy is more than a pet to us. He is our first kid. We’ve shed many tears thinking about losing him. So far, he’s surpassed the time given to him by our vet and a cardiologist. He hates taking his medicine, but he still loves going on walks and playing. Every day, we are thankful we have another day with him. He’s an inspiration to us."

Hello Buddy! You are gorgeous; lots of head-scratches and belly-rubs to you :-)

Maya, thank you for sharing Buddy with us; we wish him all the best, we know how it is to have fur-babies with serious health issues...

We hope you are having a great tour!

You must understand where we come from to know where we are going.