Writers on Wednesday: Shiriluna Nott and SaJa H

Welcome to another fine edition of Writers on Wednesday. This week I am talking with the brilliant writing duo, Shiriluna Nott and SaJa H, co-authors of The Arden Chronicles ...



Tell me a bit about yourself …

Shiriluna: I am an (almost) 30 year old girl living in the southwest US. I grew up in a (tiny) town in upstate New York, a skip away from the Canadian border. I live with my amazing, supportive boyfriend and our four “fur babies”, three dogs and a cat. I’ve always loved reading and writing—the fantasy genre in particular. There is something about being swept away to an entirely new world that enthralls me.

SaJa: I am an aspiring author who hopes to lend my voice to the many equal rights movements across the world. I live with my spouse and children and hope that one day the world will no longer need ‘heroes’ to fight battles for something as basic as human rights. We are all human and we should all be treated as such.

Tell us about your most recently published book?

“A Call to Arms” is told from the perspective of a thirteen year old boy named Gibben Nemesio. His story encompasses what it is to be a poor child in an unsympathetic world. When he’s drafted into the military, as is custom in his land, he’s taken away from his two younger brothers who depend on him, since their parents are dead. Gib is tossed into a world of highborns and politicians and he quickly learns that not everyone is who they seem. The book deals with many real world issues—poverty, war, women’s rights, and LGBT rights. It’s a coming of age story that we feel many people will be able to relate to.

Tell us about the first time you were published?

We just became published on October 15th. It has been a long road since we’ve been writing and planning these characters and plot lines for fifteen or more years now. It is exhilarating to finally have our voices out there and being heard!

As writer, what has been your proudest achievement so far?

Again, being that we are newly published for the first time, our proudest moment is simply getting our story out there. We began developing these characters and stories from about the age of thirteen, so they’re really very personal to us. We are grateful that we’ve been able to take this opportunity to share our story with the world.

What books or writing projects are you currently working on, if anything?

We are currently working on book two of this same series. Gib’s story is going to be five books long and we plan to take the reader along to experience what joys and hardships shape him into the man he will become. The world of Arden will also reflect some of the struggles in the real world and hopefully send out a beacon of hope to others who have found themselves oppressed. We want to be a support for these people and show them they are not alone.

Indie Publishing, or Traditional Publishing?

So far we’ve only experienced indie publishing. If that changes in the future we’ll let you know! But as of right now, self-publishing seems to be an excellent way to get your stories out there for the world to share.

Aside from your own books, of course, what is one book that you feel everybody should read?

SaJa: I am partial to too many series and books to list just one. I would encourage people to read as much and as often as they can. Reading keeps your mind fresh and full of ideas, whether you’re a writer yourself or a reading enthusiast.

Shiriluna: I’ve always been a huge fan of Mercedes Lackey. Her characters are so deep and I always become so invested in their story—she has inspired me to create my own memorable characters. I also love The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice, and the Shannara Series by Terry Brooks.

Finally … is there anything you would like to say to your readers in Adelaide, Australia?

Adelaide, Australia you are amazing. Thank you so much for all of your support and giving us this opportunity. We appreciate the interview and hope to keep on writing and touching the lives of people all over the world.

Links

Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OK3HUSI
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/ShirilunaNott
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shiriluna-Nott/979093392120327
Mailing List:

http://www.shirilunanott.com/mailinglist.html

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