Angela J. Ford - An Unusual Connection with Mythical Beasts

Angela is an award-winning blogger and author of the international bestselling epic fantasy series, The Four Worlds.  Her books have been ranked bestsellers in multiple categories.  As our Author of the Day, she tells us about her book, Realm of Beasts.

Please give us a short introduction to what Realm of Beasts is about.

Realm of Beasts is the origin story of Citrine and Tor Lir. Citrine is an enchantress who has an unusual connection with mythical beasts. She comes across as bold, direct and impulsive. Tor Lir is more reserved and quiet, he is an immortal with powers he does not fully understand, nor wish to. The two meet in the land of paradise which is in trouble, a dark influence is taking over and the two join forces to stop evil from taking over paradise.

What inspired you to write about a nameless one who knows that he was born to bring balance in the world?

I’m a huge fan of Doctor Who, and I loved the fact that no one knew his true name, so I decided to create the Nameless One. Of course, like Doctor Who, he needs a mission, a purpose, an all-consuming driving goal. The Nameless One believe his goal is to be balance to the powers of good and evil, however, as he dwells among the mortals, his mind is awakened to a new potential.

Tell us more about Citrine. What makes her tick?

Citrine is a hot-head. Everything makes her tick, especially someone threatening her beasts. Citrine has witch-like abilities, she’s very close to nature, creates spells and potions from herbs, and above all, protects her mythical beasts.

Why Fantasy? What drew you to this genre?

I grew up reading fantasy and I’ve always been drawn to a world where anything is possible and everything is not as it seems. As a fantasy author, I’m able to create all the rules and I love that all-powerful feeling of being in control of an entire world and the destinies of the creatures within it.

Do you have a set of rules for your world? Is there a process you go through that helps define these?

The rules are centered around magic. People with magic have limits to their usage of it, and one can run out of magic or have it stolen, even if it was inherent magic. I decided on these rules because I wanted magic to be something that could be gained or lost, like currency, and I didn’t want any individual to hold unlimited power for too long.

Does writing about surreal worlds and enigmatic scenes present any particular problems?

No, I haven’t come across too many issues. Keeping consistency throughout the stories is important and I rely on beta readers and editors to help me out.

Besides writing, do you have any other secret skills?

Other than writing I build websites and enjoy working with marketing technology.

If you lived in the world of your series, who do you think you would be?

I would live in the South World in a village by the sea where I could watch the comings and goings of the travelers and listen to their stories. I’d probably have a tavern or inn because I prefer to be behind the scenes, watching the events happen around me.

Do any of your characters ever take off on their own tangent and refuse to do what you had planned for them?

Always! They are quite unruly. I’ll plot out my stories and then the characters will just take off and go their own way, which I love. It makes writing much more exciting because I never know what will happen. I love it when everything comes together at the end and I get that eye-opening moment: ooooh that’s why they behaved the way they did!

Which of your characters has been the most challenging to write for?

Both Citrine and Tor Lir have been difficult to write. They have unique personalities and different motivational goals. I especially had a hard time writing Realm of Ice, the 3rd book in the series. Each chapter was tough but it turned out excellent in the end.

Do you consider yourself a disciplined writer? Do you have a schedule that you stick to, or is it more in the moment?

While I consider myself a disciplined writer, I don’t write every single day. I do have a schedule write 5-10,000 words a week. I think it’s important to take breaks and stay motivated, so I only write 5 days a week instead of seven. It’s like a full-time job, you need to take breaks so you don’t get burnt out.

When working on a new book, what’s the first thing you do?

Usually I have an idea in my head and I’ll write the first chapter. Once I have the initial thoughts down, I’ll work on the overall plot, character names, locations, maps and the title. Then I’ll keep on writing. I’ve found each book is different. Some I can fully plot out from start to finish, but others I need to just write, and once I’m in the middle of writing the plot unfolds by itself. It’s like having a muse sit on my shoulder.

What are you working on right now?

I have two full-length novels I’m working on which are both about warrior princesses and the adventures they are faced with. There’s lots of action, adventure, and romance in both of them along with sorcery, magic, demons and fae.

Where can our readers discover more of your work or interact with you?

I can be found via my website: www.angelajford.com

Feel free to interact with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/angelajfordauthor

Or Instagram: www.instagram.com/aford21