My debut novel, Venom and Blaze, is due out in Summer 2024. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the release date:
What’s the book about?
“During a time when unicorns roamed free and dragons cast shadows across the sun, the wise men and women of the land told stories of a troubled future. The legends whispered of a time when every baby born would be blonde, genial and entirely Good. But straight after it would emerge a baby with black hair, dark eyes – and an entirely different nature. They would be called Mirrors and nobody would know from whence they came or what to do with them once they arrived.”
Venom… wants a normal life where no one can tell her what to do. (Especially her father, King Viper.)
Blaze… wants to be free. (After all, he has been imprisoned in a dungeon since he was a
baby.)
Thorn… wants to get the girl. (Which is a shame, because the girl has other things on her mind.)
At least one of them is going to be disappointed.
Who are the main characters and what are they like?
This is the first book in the Mirrordom Trilogy to have dual perspectives. The story is mostly told through the eyes of two of the main characters in alternating chapters.
Blaze was imprisoned in the castle dungeons along with four other Mirrors when they were just babies. Stone walls and scared faces are all he’s ever known. But he’s determined to get out. And, when he gets out, he’s going to make the man who put him there pay. Unfortunately, the man who put him there is the ruler of the land, King Viper.
Venom is King Viper’s seventeen-year-old daughter, who hates her father almost as much as Blaze does. All she wants is a normal life. All her father wants is to pair her off with a politically-advantageous match. But Venom has never been keen on sticking to the rules. And when she discovers and falls in love with the boy down in the dungeons, everything changes. Oh, and did I mention she can communicate with spiders? Because she absolutely can.
Thorn is a Lawkeeper who looks after and befriends Venom. He quickly falls in love with her – but can he compete with Blaze?
Does the book come with a trigger warning?
Yes – I anticipate that all books in the Mirrordom Trilogy will have trigger warnings. It’s not for the faint of heart.
What ages should read the book?
This book is for older teenagers. There is one intimate, tasteful scene in it (sorry, Mum!) and a few swear words (really sorry, Mum!). There are also quite dark scenes.
Will there be another story in the Mirrordom Trilogy?
Yes. There will be a third. I have a title, a plot and a bunch of cool characters I can’t wait to introduce you to. After that, I have no idea. I do know that none of these characters have let me go. Even once I thought their stories were over, I found there were still more to tell.
Which character from Venom and Blaze is my favourite?
I try not to have favourite characters but I love the character of Queen Saffron. She doesn’t feature hugely, but what she does and says is powerful – and ends up shaping Venom’s character.
Why did you write the trilogy backwards?
Because I’m an idiot.
City and Shadow was written first. And then I wrote a prequel, which subsequently ended up being first in the series. Even though it was written second. If I could go back and do it differently, I would. But I’m not sure I could have done it any differently.
Two of the main characters in Venom and Blaze become the main villains in City and Shadow. But this is far more than just an origin story. You’ll see what I mean when you read it.
Summer 2024 is ages away! What about right now?
It’ll be here before we know it! There’s a lot of work to be done in the meantime, including editing, selecting a cover and book promotion – all of which will be completely new to me.
