Welcome to my favourite section of the blog. Today we are accompanied by Emma L. Adams, author of epic fantasy and urban fantasy, whose novel The Last Sentinel we have reviewed.

Let’s dive in!

1.- What made you decide on self-publishing?

I started out trying to get an agent with my first novel, a children’s book, back in 2010. After years of rejections, I ended up signing with a small press, which published my YA paranormal fantasy Darkworld series. The first book came out in 2013, but I quickly realised that I was doing most of the marketing myself and that I wanted more control. Since I still wasn’t having any luck with agents, I decided to try self-publishing. I published my first book, Adamant, in 2015, and I’ve never looked back.

I love being indie because I like having the freedom to choose what and how I publish, and to hop between genres if I want to. There are so many opportunities open to authors these days, and while I won’t rule out traditional publishing in the future, I’m happy being an indie.

2.- The concept of living Relics is original, from where did you draw the inspiration?

I’m not sure where I drew the inspiration for that particular piece of worldbuilding. I like creating magic systems with interesting limitations, and magic that can’t be used unless the wielder gets hold of an item containing the power of a deity allows for all kinds of fun conflicts.

3.- Dragons are a classical fantasy creature that each author gives a different interpretation, why did you choose them?

I’ve always loved dragons, so it seemed natural to put one into my first epic fantasy story. With the dragonet, I wanted to create a version of a dragon that was intelligent yet different from humans in many ways. The scenes between the dragonet and Evita and how they come to understand one another were fun to write for that reason.

4.- Which parts of the publishing process do you find more challenging?

I think marketing is often the part that indie authors struggle with the most. We’re generally natural introverts who find it hard to put ourselves out there, and that’s definitely true for me. There’s also advertising, and analyzing data, and taxes, and all that tedious admin that takes time away from writing. Luckily, the process of creating a story makes everything else worth it!

5.- When did you start writing?

Writing is something I’ve done all my life. I was always playing imaginative games when I was younger and I was an avid reader, so I was drawn to the written word early on.

I wrote my first «book» of my own when I was about five or six, which was an atlas of a fictional country that even had its own made-up language. In hindsight, it feels like it was inevitable that I would end up becoming a fantasy author, but I didn’t think of writing as a possible career until I was ten. One day, our teacher announced that we’d be writing stories at school, and she noticed how excited I was about the idea I’d come up with. She made a comment about how I could be a writer, and it was like a lightning bolt struck me. I knew that’s what I wanted to do with my life.

6.- Is there somebody that you want to thank for your writing career?

My first teachers, absolutely. I was incredibly lucky and had some great teachers in primary school who encouraged me to write and to pursue my own interests. That has always stuck with me.

7.- What can we expect from Emma L Adams in the future?

Now that the Relics of Power series is finished, I’m looking ahead to my next epic fantasy series. The details are a secret for now, but I’m hoping to publish the first book in 2023.