Today we’re pleased to present indie fantasy author, Vanna Smythe, author of the high Fantasy Anniversary of the Veil series. Please welcome here to our little…conversations!

Hi, Vanna, thanks for being with us. Can you tell us what was the inspiration for The Anniversary of the Veil series?

Vanna Smythe: Hi Juli. Sure. I once did some research into the phenomenon of Twin Souls and soul mates and thought it would make an excellent fantasy plot line.  Twin Souls are basically two halves of the same soul, existing in separate bodies.  In my story, Issa has a Twin and she feels a very strong pull to join again with him.  This is a central point of the story, but I build a very complex world around it 😉

Care to name a few of your influences?

Vanna Smythe: I have many of those, spanning a lot of genres 😉 I guess George RR Martin, Tolkien, Hemingway, Mark Twain and Agatha Christie to name a few.

What kind of research did you have to do, in order to write the first  book, Protector?

Vanna Smythe: I didn’t do a lot of research. I kind of just drew on my previous knowledge of how stuff works, and adapted it to fit the world I was creating. I’m not much of a world-builder hence I don’t do meticulous research. I prefer to focus on the characters, their motives, feelings and emotions.

What type of books do you like to read, for your own enjoyment?

Vanna Smythe: I read a lot of fantasy, some spy and crime fiction, and Harry Potter 😉

Ah, Harry. 🙂 Who hasn’t had him on the TBR lists from time to time? Getting back to Protector, what do you consider the part of the story within Protector, that would most entice a reader to the book? Give us a little taste of Kae and Issa’s story.

Vanna Smythe: I guess the thing that holds the most weight in the books is the choice between doing your duty and following your heart. As in, if you are really in love with someone but something is preventing you from following your heart and being with this person, what would you do?

This is Kae’s dilemma in the story. He’s in love with Issa, but Protectors are not allowed to wed. So he has a choice to make. Will he stay a Protector or leave to be with Issa?  I won’t answer that question though, since I’d be giving too much of the book away 😉

Oh, very well. Keep your secret for now. We’ll see what the book says. 😉 You also wrote a book of writing prompts for authors. How did that come about?

Vanna Smythe: Before I wrote my first book, I had a website for writers where I posted simple writing prompts a couple of times a week. Once I started writing I stopped updating the site, so I thought I’d make an ebook. I might do a second installment sometime down the line.

Blogs can be good inspiration sometimes! Good idea. You’re about to release another book in the Anniversary of the Veil series, care to share a little about what faces Kae and Issa?

Vanna Smythe: I released Decision Maker at the end of December 2012. It’s the second book in the Anniversary of the Veil series and concludes the story started in Protector.  Basically, Protector ends on a cliffhanger and Decision Maker pulls it all together.

In short, the choice Kae is faced with in Protector takes on a new and wider significance. But, once again, I don’t want to give too much away 😉

Since we are just passing the holidays, have you ever twisted a holiday to add into your stories, and if so, which one?

Vanna Smythe: Nope, didn’t do that. But I might have, if my story did not take place in such a short time frame.  Basically, only a month passes in the story, so there really wasn’t any room for holidays. I did twist a few proverbs though 😉

Cool. Can you tell us a little more about the books? Give us a teaser, perhaps?

Vanna Smythe’s Books:

I made the first 21 chapter of Protector (Anniversary of the Veil, Book 1) free on Amazon and elsewhere:

Anniversary of the Veil-Beginnings: The Beacon

Blurb:

Kae has trained his entire life to become an elite Protector of the Realm. Untold magic and forbidden love for Princess Issiyanna awaken inside him once his wish comes true. When Issiyanna is abducted, Kae must make a choice. Will he stay true to his duty as a Protector, or allow his love for Issiyanna to guide his future path?

Magic, loyalty, greed, and love clash as Kae is forced to make his decision.

Protector (Anniversary of the Veil, Book 1)

Decision Maker (Anniversary of the Veil, Book 2)

And here’s the link for the free sampler, The Beacon.

These look awesome, thank you for sharing! Thanks again for spending time with us today, Vanna. Before I let you go, where can my readers learn more about you?

Vanna Smythe: Thanks for having me, Juli.  I can be found online at:

My Website: www.vannasmythe.com

Twitter: @Vanna_Smythe

or on Facebook: www.facebook.com/VannaSmytheAuthor

Bio:

Vanna Smythe is the author of Protector, the first book in the Anniversary of the Veil fantasy series. She has been writing creatively since her early teens, though one could say her creative writing efforts started long before that. While still in kindergarten, she once tore up a library book to make alphabet soup, and has been fascinated with what words can do, the pictures and worlds they can create, ever since. Book Two of the Anniversary of the Veil series, Decision Maker, is already available.

It was awesome of you to stop in, today, Vanna! Best of luck with everything and most importantly, with the Anniversary of the Veil series.