Interview with romantasy author Allexandra about her upcoming novel, Fated: When Love Becomes Destiny
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
We chatted with romantasy writer Allexandra about her debut book, Fated: When Love Becomes Destiny. In the following interview, we learn about her writing process and what inspires her.
Was the Prometheus fire-bearer story the inspiration for Fated: When Love Becomes Destiny?
Actually, no. The inspiration was the price we all pay to bring a little happiness into our lives. The fire-bearer story (as told in the tales of Prometheus, Coyote, Maui, etc.) seemed like a good vehicle to use to explore this idea. All of these heroes challenged a greater power at risk to themselves in order to give their people the happiness of an accessible source of comfort and relief. This is precisely our heroine’s goal.
Why Fait as the greater power?
When our lives go wrong we frequently blame fate. That makes this entity the perfect (seemingly all-powerful) antagonist.
What part do the sisters of Fait play?
Together they are much stronger than Fait. Dealing with our personal fate can be extremely difficult without something outside ourselves to support us. The strongest supports are Faith (in something like a moral code, religious belief, and/or scientific or individual philosophy); Hope (which tells us not to give up because things may yet turn around); and Love (of or from friends and family, a higher power, or a community). This is why these concepts became the inspiration for the three sisters.
How did you develop the doos system?
This was the fun part. When people talk about paying their dues it is often in reference to gaining success in some enterprise. After acquiring that success, they sometimes wonder if the amount of happiness won was worth all the sacrifices involved…the price of happiness.
Why write an allegorical romantasy?
It simply fell together that way. It started with the doos system symbolizing the dues we all pay in life. Once Fait was selected as Prometheia’s love interest that called for the choice of Faeth, Hoep, and Luv as his sisters. This bit of fun led to exploring other allegorical characters, such as Justas and Deth. Now, I’m on a fast flight on a flying horse I have no notion of stopping.
Do you allow your characters to write their own story or do you keep a firm grip on their decisions?
Unlike Fait, I believe in a lot of Freewill. I try to keep my characters from running rampant, but sometimes they get a little bossy and tell me off. What’s an author to do? I can’t have them forming a union against me, so I make concessions.
What age group does this novel target?
I like to think all ages from 15 on up to 115. But the official call is 18 – 25 (New Adult). There is no language or graphic sex. Some love scenes are spicy (on the light side). There’s lots of allegorical irony, tongue-in-cheek fun, heartfelt moments, and cozy romance. Angst exists on a low level. The world is a whimsical combination of the casually magical mixed with the mundane…immortal spirits and demi-spirits, faeries, and just plain folk all sharing the same sphere.
How cozy is Fated?
Cozy means different things to different people. If you picture a novel filled with cocoas fireside, snuggling with cats, and warm chats, there are only passing moments of these (usually at Secret Cottage). The friendships and familial relationships are close and heartfelt, but the stories do not revolve around these moments. I would say on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being super cozy, Fated stands firmly in the middle at 3.
What about the stress level: Action-packed or easy-going?
As this is the first novel in a series, the initial chapters introduce the world and a few of its central characters...fairly easy-going. The action and intrigue builds up from there, but never reaches the point of nail-biting. I would say more intrigue than action and certainly no cliff-hanger ending. The main points of conflict are all resolved by the last chapter – very happily ever after – leaving just a few small hints of more to come in future books (for instance is there more to Fait’s rivalry with Reaper of Deth and what kind of impact will Lady Justas have on this world…and why does Amandas feel so familiar?).
How spicy is this novel?
No cold showers necessary due to graphic scenes, but sweetly spicy as the heroine and hero draw ever closer…definitely a heated attraction between these two, complete with breathless encounters and stolen (or not so stolen) kisses.
May we look forward to a series of books based on these characters?
Definitely. The second book in the series, Faithful: When Love Conquers Death, is slated to debut in the autumn of this year. The following two books, Truthful: When Love Summons Justice and Hopeful: When Love Takes Heart, need more polishing but should be ready for publication by next year. The final book (I think) in this series will be Beloved: When Love Meets Eternity…just sketching out that one.
Do you enjoy hearing from your readers?
Absolutely…thrive on it! So grateful to have them. Questions, encouragement, and constructive suggestions are always welcome. Just remember, I’m a fairly sensitive soul…so no rough stuff. I especially enjoy hearing how and why the stories have impacted them personally. My contact information and social media links are here on Avicorn Press's website.
Closing Thoughts
That concludes our interview with our debut author Allexandra. We wish her all the best and hope you will enjoy learning more about her characters and realms. Her upcoming romantasy novel, Fated: When Love Becomes Destiny, will be available for purchase at Amazon and our website store this August.
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