As we count down to the launch of Into the Fire, I wanted to introduce you to my two awesome guest hosts. Selina Fenech is an amazing artist – her stunning paintings grace the covers of Into the Fire, Into the Storm and the Into the Mists books – but she’s also an incredible writer. She’s the author of the beautiful fantasy trilogy Memory’s Wake, and the intriguing paranormal series the Empath Chronicles. Find out more at www.selinafenech.com.
And you can find out more about co-host K. A. Last here.
You’ve recently re-released all the books of your Memory’s Wake trilogy with gorgeous new covers. What inspired that?
The cover for Memory’s Wake was first done back in 2011, and over the years the tastes of readers, and my own tastes and illustration skills, have changed, and the old cover was feeling a bit dated. I was also feeling a bit nostalgic for the series, so felt like it was time to do an update and spend some time with Memory again.
Memory is a wonderful, complex and kick-ass character – was it fun to write her?
She is one of my most favourite characters, and I loved building the journey she goes on from a selfish, emotional wreck, to a selfless, powerful leader. I also enjoyed giving her some of the best one-liners I could come up with to match her weird sense of humour. It was fun trying to come up with some truly crudely hilarious phrases, like: “I hate you so much right now if someone doesn’t get you out of this room I’m going to pull your eyeballs out and vomit in the empty sockets,” and then contrasting her with the ever-sweet Eloryn.
Do you miss the beautiful, magical world of those books?
Often. I put so much time and thought into building that world and the twisty-turny complicated plot of those stories. It still feels almost like a real place to me.
How different is it writing characters like Livvy from your Empath Chronicles?
Livvy starts her journey from a much more stable place, with no tragedy or hardship (but still some selfishness until she realises how good she has it). The Empath Chronicles are also set in pretty much the normal world, so there’s a lot less world-building involved, other than creating the lore around the Empath powers themselves.
Livvy drinks coffee, and Memory laments the lack of it. Are you a tea or coffee person?
Mostly tea, English Breakfast with a dash of milk is my go-to drink. I make myself a big pot of loose-leaf in the morning and drink it throughout the day – I even just got my first tea-cosy to keep my pot warmer for longer! I love the ritual of it as much as the tea. But I don’t mind coffee either, depending on my mood, but can only take it very weak.
Does your art inspire your writing, and vice versa?
I find the writing inspires my art more than art inspiring my writing. Coming up with a story I want to illustrate happens more often than illustrating something that then becomes a story.
What are you working on next?
I’ve been mostly focused this year on getting some more big, detailed paintings finished and developing a more consistent painting style, but hope to get some writing done on the Empath Chronicles before the end of the year to continue that story for another two books.
Check out Selina’s books at SelinaFenech.com.
Visit her US Amazon page here.
And you can grab stunning art prints, tote bags, clothes and swimmers, mugs, pillows and more at her Fairies and Fantasy store.
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