BooksChatter: ℚ☄ The Kronicles of Korthlundia [1-3]

Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with author Jamie Marchant to talk about The Kronicles of Korthlundia (2 January 2020, Bewitching Fables Press, 1540 pages), an Epic Fantasy series.

"What a story! [The Shattered Throne] is everything you could ever want in a long and beautiful series. Filled with love and sorrow, fierce loyalty that will bring you to tears and the crudest of betrayals, tenderness and a cruelty that will leave your jaw on the floor and too shocked to believe what you just read! [...] watch your heart... George R.R. Martin ain't got nothing Mrs Marchant!" ~ Cheree~For Love of Books

"Utterly Unique, Dark, and Fantastically Witty. If you love fantasy, Jamie Marchant has written your favorite book. She captures the complexity of people in her characters and weaves them through struggles and triumphs that will make you laugh and leave you a ruined mess. This has become one of my most beloved books." ~ Sarah Citrin, reviewer

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

A very warm welcome to Jamie Marchant; thank you for joining us on BooksChatter!

Here at BooksChatter we love music; do you have a music playlist that you used in The Kronicles of Korthlundia, or which inspired you whilst you were writing it?

"I don’t have a playlist, but there is a musical score on the book trailer that we can share with your readers."

What was the inspiration for The Kronicles of Korthlundia ?

"The Goddess's Choice, the first novel in The Kronicles of Korthlundia, originates deep within my childhood. My sister Jalane--she is ten years older than me--told me stories, fairy tales mostly: "Midas and His Golden Touch," "Little Red Riding Hood," "Hansel and Gretel." But my favorite was always "The Princess and the Glass Hill" or "The Glass Mountain" as my sister titled it. I had her tell that story over and over again. I was captivated by the bold hero on his magical horses of bronze, silver, and gold.

When I had a child of my own, I wanted to pass that fairy tale on. My son, Jesse, loved it every bit as much as I had. One day after telling it to him, it came to me that the story could be so much more than five pages and sparse details. However, I didn’t want to write a children’s story but the type of epic fantasy I enjoy as an adult. I upped the dramatic tension, villainy, and sexuality of the piece to create something far different than the original fairy tale. The Goddess’s Choice is intended for an adult audience.

However, when I finished The Goddess’s Choice, the characters let me know that their story was far from done. It’s hard to say where I got the inspiration for the later volumes in the series, except that the characters themselves told me how to continue their tales."

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

"I believe that books give readers a peak into the author’s soul, and The Kronicles of Korthlundia is no exemption. There is no one character that is me, but my personality, and most of all my values, informs the whole.

The most important values to me are kindness, compassionate, empathy, and forgiveness. It is these values that I believe lead to true happiness and inner peace. People make mistakes, sometimes really big mistakes, but it is from these mistakes they grow. We need to forgive others their mistakes, and even more importantly, forgive ourselves our mistakes. These are the lessons my characters learn, often through great pain and hardship.

If you want to know who I really am at the core, read my books."

The first thing that draws me to a book is its cover. Can you tell us about your covers for The Kronicles of Korthlundia - why you chose those concepts and who the artist is.

"My creative talent is confined to the written word, and I am so not an artist. Another author had covers that I loved, and she recommended Lou Harper of Cover Affairs to me.

Lou designed the covers for all the novels in the box set, except The Ghost in Exile. When I get the money, I will have her redesign that one as well.

The design ideas were mostly hers, that is once I clued her into what my series was truly about. The first cover she provided me for The Goddess’s Choice looked like the cover for a romance novel. Samantha and Robrek were next to each other on a bright sunshiny field. I informed her that rather than being a fantasy romance, my novels were epic fantasy with a romantic subplot. They were also darker. The present cover was the result. I think she did an excellent job."

Why should we read The Kronicles of Korthlundia and what sets it apart from the rest? What makes your book unique?

"If readers are like me, they need to care about the characters before they care what happens to them. The most intricate, exciting plot leaves me cold, if it is not peopled with individuals whose fates concern me. Almost all of my reviews mention my characters as my greatest strength.

Christopher Booker’s book, The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories claims that there are only seven different stories we tell. While I think this is a bit reductive, it is true that it is nearly impossible to tell a story that hasn’t been told before. However, while plots may be limited, people are not. There are over 7 billion people on the planet today and untold billions who have lived, and every one of them is unique.

Like living people, every one of my characters is a unique individual. They are deep, dynamic souls who live in my heart and on the page. They will continue to live within you long after you’ve completed the series.

While I work hard to prefect my plots and my world building, the biggest gift I give my readers is characters they will love and love to hate."

Can you tell us something quirky about The Kronicles of Korthlundia , its story and characters?

"All Korthlundian characters have Celtic names, and the meaning of those names is reflected in the type of person they are."

Who would you recommend The Kronicles of Korthlundia to and what should readers be aware of (any warnings or disclaimers)?

"I would recommend it for adults who love character driven fantasy with complex world building. I create characters, and they direct the story.

Personally, I can’t enjoy a book if I don’t care about the characters, so when I write, I devote most of my energy to character development. However, those characters need a world to inhabit. Mercedes Lackey has her Valdemar. George R. R. Martin has his Westeros. I have Korthlundia.

The caution I would give is that the series is meant for adults. There is some intense sex and violence. A few reviewers have rated The Goddess’s Choice, NC-17. I don’t think it deserves stronger than an R rating, but children or adults who are offended by graphic sex and violence should look elsewhere."

If you could / wished to turn The Kronicles of Korthlundia and the SERIESNAME series into a movie, who would be your dream team?

"My husband claims I don’t like movies, and while this isn’t completely true, it is hard for a movie to please me. I find the time contrast of a movie doesn’t leave enough time to develop complex characters and rich plots.

Because of this, I pay little attention to celebrities. I couldn’t put together a dream team, although I wouldn’t say no if someone wanted to make The Kronicles of Korthlundia come alive on the screen."

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

"In the banner of my website and my twitter bio, I claim I am a “writer of fantasy . . . and the tortured soul.”

I like magical worlds, strange places, and fascinating beasts. But more than that I like characters who have been tempered by hardship and heartache. My characters live rough lives, but because of that they become stronger and deeper.

And yes, this is also what I like to read. I love fantasy, but I can be content with other genres, if they give me those deep, rich characters."

What is your writing process?

"I have always been what they call a pantser. I avoid outlining and write by the seat of my pants. I allow the story to grow in my mind and on the page as it wants to. I know outlining works well for some, but for me outlining my novels is about as useful as trying to control my son’s life. My son is every bit as stubborn as I am (and my mother claimed I was the most stubborn of her eight children), and no matter what plans I had for him, he ended up choosing his own path. I taught him and guided him the best I could, but the decisions were ultimately his own.

My books are nearly as much living creatures (and as stubborn) as my son is. I guide them, but in the end, they make the decisions about the direction they take. Fortunately, I’m very happy both with how my son and my novels turned out, so the process works for me."

What is in store next?

"I’m presently working on the fourth novel in The Kronicles of Korthlundia, which I believe will complete the series. It doesn’t have a title yet, but I call it the dragon book. I wonder what kind of creature it may introduce into my world.

I also have ideas for at least two other side novels involving characters from the series. Eventually, I also want to get back to the other series I started with The Bull Riding Witch and finish that story. "

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?

"I recently adopted three kittens that my son found in a bush outside his apartment. They are Smoke, Mirror, and Milk Shake. Enjoy the picture of me with them. I bet you can tell which two are Smoke and Mirror."