Although I admire many writers, I don’t think I’ve been influenced by anyone, simply because I believe no good comes from attempting to write like someone else—I’ll never be able to write in their style as well as they do. So I don’t try. 

Amaya Ash – 24 October 2020

The Back Flap

In Arilloa, the royal family uses their magic to win the respect of the ordinary populace. But Leonie, a princess and second in line to the throne, has a terrible secret: she’s barely magic at all. The only person to ever find out her secret is Armand, a boy training to become a Knifecloak, one of the elite castle guards.

Leonie’s younger brother Hiss, on the other hand, is a child prodigy with greater powers than anyone else in the family, capable of creating monsters out of thin air. One day Hiss goes missing and resurfaces at the head of a rebellion, using his powers to strike against the country and the crown. Monsters against soldiers, magic against normality. Leonie and Armand must find Hiss and stop him while the monster-driven war rages around them.

About the book

When did you start writing the book?

I began writing around Christmas a few years ago, while I was visiting family. It was bad timing, but the plot came together in my head and I just had to start!

How long did it take you to write it?

About a month of almost nonstop writing.

Where did you get the idea from?

There were actually two ideas coming together, and I don’t think I got them from anywhere. For a long time, I’d been milling over the idea of an unequal war, one side fighting with monsters and the other side having to make do with normal weapons. I had a mental image of a monster slinking through an ordinary city at night while the citizens hid in bunkers—something like the London Blitz but with magical beasts instead of bombs.

Separately, I had the idea of a relationship between two siblings, one of whom was so magic as to have trouble functioning, and one of whom was normal.

But I didn’t know what to do with either of those ideas until it occurred to me to combine them. As soon as I put them together, I knew what I was going to write.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

No, it all poured out of me so quickly I could hardly type fast enough (and I’m a pretty fast typist). I was afraid that the character of Hiss would be the hardest to get right, but as it turned out, he pretty much wrote himself.

The practical issue of finding the time to write was the most difficult part, because I have young kids.

What came easily?

All of it, luckily!

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

They’re entirely fictitious. I wish that Leonie and Armand were based on real people, though, because I miss them.

We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

Although I admire many writers, I don’t think I’ve been influenced by anyone, simply because I believe no good comes from attempting to write like someone else—I’ll never be able to write in their style as well as they do. So I don’t try. The metaphor I use is that we’re all different colors: that author over there may be red and I may be yellow, but even if I adore the color red, there’s no point in me trying to become redder—I’ll only end up as a murky kind of orange. All I can do is be the color that I am, as vividly and deeply as possible.

Do you have a target reader?

I write YA, which is usually defined as being for teenagers, although a lot of adults (myself included) enjoy the genre too. My audience would probably be mostly female.

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?

I lie in bed because that’s the most comfortable position for me for some reason, I put on music, I reread the last page of whatever story I’m jumping into, and I write for as long as I can. I like to put aside solid blocks of time so that I can immerse myself and feel as if I’m really living in the world I’m inventing. When it becomes like lucid dreaming, that’s the best feeling ever.

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

When I begin a book, I usually don’t know the ending yet. It’s like walking through fog: I have a general direction in mind, but I can only see a few steps ahead of me at a time. I find that the story evolves more naturally and dynamically that way.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?

I definitely edit as I go. I’m a compulsive editor.

Did you hire a professional editor?

No, but by the time I’ve finished a book, I’ve probably combed through it and edited it hundreds of times.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

I loop the same song over and over until I don’t consciously notice it anymore, because silence is more disturbing for me than white noise. I tend to pick songs from Broadway. Lately I’ve been listening to the musical versions of Heathers, Mean Girls, and SpongeBob SquarePants.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

I already have a literary agent.

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

Usually I work with my agent to submit my work to publishers, but with this project I decided to go indie. In the past, under a different name, I published a book with a large, traditional publishing house, and I didn’t enjoy the amount of creative control I lost during the editing process. I usually have a very specific vision in mind. With The Unmagic Trilogy, I wanted to be able to make the creative decisions on my own in order to make sure the book remained true to my intent.

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

I have an illustration portfolio and enjoy creating digital art, so I did it myself.

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

I have a rough plan, but this is the first time I’ve handled the marketing all by myself, so I’m sure my ideas will change as I learn more.

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

I’d probably advise them not to wait. I’ve been toying with the idea of going indie for years and now I wish I’d started sooner.

About You

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in lots of different countries. My family was very nomadic. The main countries in my childhood were probably Thailand, Canada, Italy, and the United Arab Emirates.

Where do you live now?

I live in the south of France. It’s lovely here.

What would you like readers to know about you?

That my books mean a lot to me and are a real labor of love.

What are you working on now?

I’m working on another trilogy set in the same world as The Unmagic Trilogy.

End of Interview:

For more from Amaya Ash, visit her website and follow her on Twitter.

Get your copy of Hiss from Amazon US or Amazon UK.