Today, I’m bringing you a different post. We’re going to be celebrating a BOOK BIRTHDAY!

Happy birthday, Visions of Zarua by Suzanne Rogerson.

Synopsis

Two wizards, 350 years apart. Can they save the realm of Paltria from Zarua’s dark past?

An ancient darkness haunts the realm of Paltria.
Apprentice wizard Paddren is plagued by visions of a city on the brink of annihilation. When his master dies in mysterious circumstances, the Royal Order of Wizards refuses to investigate.
Helped by his childhood friend, the skilled tracker Varnia, and her lover Leyoch, Paddren vows to find the killer.
The investigation leads Paddren down a sinister path of assassins, secret sects and creatures conjured by blood magic. But he is guided by a connection with a wizard from centuries ago – a wizard whose history holds the key to the horror at the heart of the abandoned city of Zarua. Can Paddren decipher his visions in time to save the Paltrian people from the dark menace of Zarua’s past?

Universal Purchase Link – Universal book link

 Visions of Zarua is only 99p for a limited time to celebrate the book birthday.

 

Q&A with Suzanne Rogerson

Q: What is your writing routine?

A: I try to fit in some form of writing or writing related task every day. I’m lucky not to be working, so I have more time than most to dedicate to writing and all the marketing and social media jobs every indie author has to contend with.

I still find it hard to get going sometimes though. Being at home there are so many distractions and social media can eat away time if I’m not disciplined with myself.

I find I write best when I have something more pressing to do like cook the dinner or hang out the washing, or go to bed!

Q: Where did you get your inspiration for Visions of Zarua?

A: I’m not sure where the inspiration originally came from. Sometimes I just write the first thing that comes into my head and for this book it happened to be a woman and her two dogs hunting in the woods.

I love nature and wildlife, so I suppose it was natural that Varnia would be someone more comfortable out in the forest than in the confines of manorial life. With her I was able to explore my love of the natural world. Even though I hate everything to do with modern day hunting, in a medieval setting it’s a necessary job to provide food for the people and one Varnia is uniquely skilled at. I don’t agree with Varnia’s profession, but I didn’t chose it for her, she’s a strong willed woman who does whatever she wants.

Q: Do you ever think Visions of Zarua will get a sequel?

A: I don’t think I’ll write a sequel to Visions of Zarua, at least not at the moment. The story reached its natural conclusion and I was more than happy to allow Paddren, Varnia and Leyoch to have their happy ever afters. But if I did sit down and really think about it, I know the characters would be eager to start a new adventure.

Q: Any upcoming projects you’d like to share?

A: I’m finishing a heroic fantasy trilogy called Silent Sea Chronicles. At the moment I’m working through book 3 and also thinking about a prequel. I’m also quite excited by the idea of publishing a short story anthology, though I need to write some more stories if that is ever going to happen.

Q: Do you have any advice for writers that want to self-publish?

A: From my own experience I would say don’t be afraid of it, but don’t jump straight into it either. Do your research and make a marketing plan months in advance, which includes making connections with book bloggers and reviewers. I wish I had known this in advance!

Ask for help. There are loads of indie authors happy to share their knowledge and advice.

Pay for an editor so your final book is as polished as possible. It’s well worth spending the money so you have a finished book you can be proud of.

 

Thank you so much, Suzanne, for the answers! As an indie author myself, I appreciate your advice on self-publishing. Also, good luck with book 3 of your Silent Sea Chronicles!

Giveaway

Enter for your chance to win 1 of 3 Paperback Copies of Visions of Zarua! (Giveaway not run by Bound to Writing.)

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About the Author

Suzanne lives in Middlesex, England with her hugely encouraging husband and two children.

She wrote her first novel at the age of twelve. She discovered the fantasy genre in her late teens and has never looked back. Giving up work to raise a family gave her the impetus to take her attempts at novel writing beyond the first draft, and she is lucky enough to have a husband who supports her dream – even if he does occasionally hint that she might think about getting a proper job one day.

Suzanne loves gardening and has a Hebe (shrub) fetish. She enjoys cooking with ingredients from the garden, and regularly feeds unsuspecting guests vegetable-based cakes.

She collects books, loves going for walks and picnics with the children and sharing with them her love of nature and photography.

Suzanne is interested in history and enjoys wandering around castles. But most of all she likes to escape with a great film, or soak in a hot bubble bath with an ice cream and a book.

Social Media Links 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon author page | Goodreads

Thank you for allowing me to be part of the special day, Rachel! And a final Happy Birthday to Visions of Zarua! I hope you all enjoyed this post.

Do you get your writing inspiration from your own experiences? Have you read Visions of Zarua? Want to say Happy Birthday? Send a comment down below!

 

 

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Disclaimer: Images above were provided to Bound to Writing for this post by Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources.

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