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1. What kind of fantasy do you write?
I write paranormal fantasy romance, mostly steamy. It’s set in my 52 realms, and usually has a large cast of characters who become family.
2. Can you tell us a bit about you and your background? Any personal stories to share?
I live in British Columbia, Canada, surrounded by a great mountain view, though I dream of warmth, sunshine and beaches, lol. I never thought I’d be a writer, and certainly never a published one. I used to work with horses, and draw and sell animal/pet artwork. However, I’ve always loved reading, movies, and tv shows, and would imagine what could come after. Then in 2008, when indie publishing was becoming popular, I read a book with an ending that annoyed me. It made me wonder if I could write a book. It wasn’t anything I’d ever considered, but my parents had raised me to go after what I want, that nothing was impossible, and to work for what I want. It’s how I bought my first horse, and everything I have.
At the time, vampires and werewolves were popular, but I hadn’t come across any dragon shifter stuff. I dreamed up immortals who change into dragons, but only if they survive the transformation to release their dragon during their 21st year. Two of my characters (Samarias-Sami & Jaxsaron-Jax) had personalities like Sam and Dean Winchester from supernatural, only these guys would get a soul mate. Tierney popped up as Jax’s soulmate and that’s when the dracones were born. It was my own tv show playing out in my head. But after about a year of writing I stalled out, 2 of my 3 children were very young and life was crazy busy.
But the show kept playing and in 2014, I got back to writing. I spent the next 2 years changing it from YA to PNR, cause they were all finding mates and it was getting steamy. I also changed it from first person to third, lol. Then I went through the beta reader process. Most of the readers loved it, but one older lady didn’t. And that was fine, I knew not everyone would. (She didn’t like Jax) But it did get me wondering if I could make my characters even better. So, I reread Sherrilyn Kenyon’s (McQueen now) Dark Hunter Series again, and I studied what I loved about her characters. Then I went to work on mine and made it even better. 2016, I finally released Dracones Awakening. It’s set in the 52 realms and that world has expanded to include so much more.
3. Of your work, what’s your favorite setting you’ve created?
I love my 52 realms setting, and while the Dracones are mostly set in the USA, I love creating the other realms. I’ve opened up one of my spin-off series: The League of Supernatural Assassins to other authors to write in as a shared world, and now they are also helping to create some of the realms. It’s been a blast, with so many different creatures and beings.
4. Who is your favourite fantasy author and why? And which book of theirs is your favourite?
Sherrilyn McQueen (Formerly Kenyon) is my #1 fav, I love both of her Dark Hunter and League series. I love her characters as well, but Acheron is my fav character and book in the Dark Hunters. JR Ward is an extremely close second with her Black Dagger Brotherhood series.
5. What would you name your pet dragon, and what would they look like?
Probably Ash, for Acheron, lol. They’d be massive, probably black, with red glowing eyes, and red lava under their scales.
6. What’s the weirdest thing that’s ever inspired you?
There’s been so many, that I don’t really know. Often pictures and sayings can inspire strange ideas, and sometimes dreams. I was once looking up names for gods and goddesses and mythical creatures, when the fates inspired me to write them into my books and I have a WIP that is about the father of all wolf shifters who started off as the moonlight. 😊
7. If you were a paranormal being, what do you think you would be and why?
Definitely a dragon shifter, I love the beauty of them and the ferocity, and while I love wolves and other supernatural creatures as well, a dragon would be a little harder to mess with, lol
8. Where can we follow you? (3 things)
Website: https://www.sheri-lynnmarean.com
