#NewRelease #AuthorInterview #Giveaway - The Lost Horseman (The Horseman's Harem Saga #2) by Freida Kalmari

Title: The Lost Horseman

Series: The Horseman's Harem Saga

Author: Freida Kilmari

Genre: LGBT Reverse Harem Fantasy Romance

Release Date: January 31, 2021

Four lovers. Four species. One world to save?

The only thing better than having someone who loves you? Having four.

My memories returned and the horror of my mortal past confirmed, I can’t hide anymore. Not from the world, not from my feelings, and certainly not from the people I’m coming to call family.

But the world is growing more unstable by the day—the magical communities are picking sides and the humans are growing restless at the early signs of war—so it looks like it’s time for the Horsemen of the Apocalypse to come out of hiding.

Damn it all to hell.

Look out world, Horseman of Magic is here!

THANK YOU so much Frieda for stopping by an answering some questions! We hope this gives your readers/fans (old and new) a little insight on all things Frieda!

What got you into writing?

When I was in school, maybe 15/16 years old, we had this piece of coursework for our English class called Original Writing. We were given the prompt ‘What If?’ and 1500 words. That was it. Nothing more. Nothing less. We were given free rein to write whatever we wanted. I was excited to follow in the footsteps of my favourite authors, so I tried so hard to plan a cute little story, but no matter what I handed in as a draft to my teacher, I couldn’t get anything above a D grade. I was heartbroken. After all the hundreds of books I read every year, I couldn’t even write a simple short story. So, with one two-hour lesson to go before the final deadline, our teacher set us up in a computer suite. I decided then and there to scrap my stupid story that was getting me nowhere and start again. I plugged my headphones in and zoned out, not thinking about the words or anything else as I watched a ghost in my mind wander around town struggling to move on. And the words just poured out of me. It took me two hours to reach the end. I handed it to my teacher at the end of the session, hoping for a better grade than a D. Heck, I would have taken a C. She printed it off, marked it there and then, and handed it back to me. A*. This first draft, rushed piece of work got me an A*. And I haven’t stopped writing since.

What author has inspired you the most in your writing career?

I don’t focus too much on other authors. But I do love a few specific series that I can attribute to my obsession with fantasy and romance books. Things like His Dark Materials, Harry Potter, and Skullduggery Pleasant gave me a penchant for detailed world building that I still love; the Hush Hush saga, Groupie, and Twilight started my love for romance; and TV series like Game of Thrones, The Witcher, and Merlin made me obsessed with fictional characters and how they can drive entire fandoms and stories.

If you could write any other genre that you haven’t experienced yet, what genre would you write and why?

I’ve always wanted to write some science-fiction, and I do actually have plans for some science-fiction romance in the future. Fingers crossed I get around it and it does well. Science-fiction also has endless world-building opportunities that I love. And there’s nothing more beautiful than endless scenery as a backdrop for the most stunning romantic moments.

How many work in progress novels do you have?

Hahahahaha. Oh my gosh. I never stop writing. If you exclude my current series (Horseman’s Harem Saga), then I have another five romance projects that are in some state of drafted. Some of them will debut in the next 12 months, but others are slower projects that I need regular breaks from due to the emotional impact of writing them.
I do, however, have a massive fantasy universe in progress that I’ve been writing for ten years and will debut at some future point in my career.

If you could be any other profession besides a writer/author what would you want to be?

I’ve always loved psychology. I think it’s part of what obsesses me about characters. I love delving into minds and seeing where they lead me. So maybe something in that field. I don’t really know; I’ve always wanted to be a writer.

What is your writing process?

Other writers have a process? I’m more of a go-with-the-flow type of writer. I do, however, have to stick out a series until it’s complete before publishing any other series. I’m a bit of a persistent nancy that way. But I’m happy to release standalones between a series’ installments. Typically, I write the first draft, then I do a few rounds of story editing, then I shove it through ProWriting Aid, then I hand it off to my proofreader. Then it’s just formatting and go time!

Have you ever experienced writer’s block?

Not in the way other people describe it. I’ve certainly gotten stuck, needed a mental break, or needed a fresh page to write something random and new on, but I’ve never been totally blocked for days on end. Most of the time, when I’m stuck, it’s because I haven’t been paying attention to my creative health, so I need a break, a fresh piece of writing, or a plotting day.

What is the most difficult thing about being a writer?

Releasing. That release day paranoia gets me hard every time. I’m an absolute wreck on every single release day, enough that I actually need to be taken care of because I can’t function. It’s ridiculous.

How many hours a day do you write?

Two to three for now, but I hope to up it sometime this year.

How do you select your characters names?

Often I just wake up with their names in mind, but sometimes I look at names in other languages or just smash a random selection of keys on my keyboard to see if I can make a name with anything that I’ve typed.

What is the hardest scene to write?

I don’t think any scene is hard, but I do prefer to write dialogue or fast-paced scenes, or scenes with drama. I find the slow ones in between a little dull.

THIS OR THAT

Chocolate or Vanilla

Chocolate

Coke or Pepsi

Coke

Cake or Ice Cream

Ice Cream

Day or Night

Night

Tea or Coffee

Tea (real tea, though, like peppermint or jasmine)

FAVORITES

Favorite flavor of ice cream

I have to pick one? Are you joking? My friends and family would be laughing right now if they saw that I had to answer this question. I’m OBSESSED with ice cream. I love chocolate fudge sundaes, by fruity ones are nice too. OMG, I can’t. I’m sorry.

Favorite dessert

Brownies maybe. Ohhhhh, a fudge brownie.

Favorite season

Autumn. I love the colours and the atmosphere.

Favorite color

Purple, but I’m also quite a fan of burnt orange.

Favorite number

7! It’s my birthday number. ☺

LAST QUESTIONS

What is one thing you would tell inspiring authors?

Write for yourself, but edit for your readers.

Was there a piece of advice you received in your career that has stuck with you?

To enjoy writing. It sounds so basic, but so many people worry about menial things, like word counts or the best language to use. And those things can all be changed later. Just sit down, relax, and enjoy yourself. Writing should be a pleasure, not a challenge.

Who is your biggest fan?

Probably some of my friends and family. I get messages from them demanding sequels and talking about their favourite characters and moments. It’s truly wonderful.

Is there anything you would like to tell your readers or new readers?

I never hold back when writing. If the story goes in a weird direction, then that’s where its heading. I try not to control it too much when writing. It’ll be as it lays. So strap yourself in and prepare for weird shenanigans, dark times, cheesy humour, and a nonsense stream of consciousness. Please do pay attention to the content guidance page at the front of all of my books.

(HERE TODAY)

Freida Kilmari, an author, writer, and editor from south-west England, has a passion for unique fantasy, one that started with the likes of Philip Pullman, Derek Landy, and JK Rowling. With their fantastical words, she spent her childhood and young adult life vying to create her own world of words one day. Eventually, after finishing her degree and settling into being a business owner, she started writing fantasy romance with LGBT+ twists, and from there, she's kept twisting tropes, retelling fairy tales and legends, and seeing just how far you can push the boundaries of sexuality and gender.

Living in south-west England, she owns and runs Penmanship Editing, a fiction editing business that strives to make the most out of each author's unique story, words, and heart. "Every writer is different, and it's those differences that make our work a part of who we are." She's worked on over 100 books in the last two years and has received praise from authors and other editors alike for her encouraging and togetherness approach in a field that is lacking uniqueness and empathy.

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