I went into it knowing it would be the most complex thing I’d ever written, and that it would require my every ounce of focus, attention and patience – qualities I didn’t always have in abundance during the pandemic, with its periods of lockdowns and homeschooling. 

Angelika Rust – 9 March 2023

The Back Flap

The rebellion is not over until its purpose is fulfilled.

At the age of six, Ash becomes a Tree – one of the Joined Realm’s elite soldiers. Robbed of his name, his family, and any memories of the time before he took his oath, his loyalty belongs solely to the Realm and its citizens.

At eighteen, he’s forced to fight in a civil war, against the very people he has sworn to protect, without ever knowing why. The rebels retreat, but they don’t surrender. Their purpose remains a mystery.

At twenty-two, Ash is chosen to serve as the Prince’s Man, guard and guardian of the King’s firstborn son and heir.

The rebels return the next day, and Ash faces a host of challenges – protect his Prince or die trying, uncover the truth, and keep or lose his heart.

About the book

What is the book about?

A Tree’s Heart is an epic fantasy tale with everything you could possibly want or expect from such a book – an unrelenting hero, duels and battles, treachery, an invisible conspiracy, and hidden sorcery. The main character is a man called Ash, named for the tree, because that’s what he is – a Tree, one of the King’s elite soldiers. A prankster at heart, Ash is as quick to smile as he is willing to fight and die for his convictions and the people he’s sworn to protect. His story touches upon issues like loyalty and trust, freedom versus safety, and the questioning of lifelong beliefs. The main theme, though, is hope and the things we’re willing to do to maintain it.

When did you start writing the book?

Spring 2020. Yes, that spring.

How long did it take you to write it?

About two years, which is the longest a book has ever taken me, and that’s not counting any rewriting or editing.

Where did you get the idea from?

Well, it was spring 2020… The pandemic had just about begun, the first lockdown had descended upon us, everything was [enter your own favorite expletive here], and all around me authors were turning to dystopia. I badly needed a hero. Not the unlikely or reluctant type, but someone bred for heroism. Someone to get me through it all. An embodiment of hope. And then I sat in the car one day and two songs came on, one after the other. Brothers in Arms, from the Dire Straits, and Cape of our Hero, from Volbeat, and before I knew it, Lord Ash was born. A simple soldier, pressed into service at the early age of six. A man of Mountain folk ancestry, with skin as gray as slate, who suddenly finds himself the personal bodyguard of the King’s firstborn son and heir…

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

Definitely. I went into it knowing it would be the most complex thing I’d ever written, and that it would require my every ounce of focus, attention and patience – qualities I didn’t always have in abundance during the pandemic, with its periods of lockdowns and homeschooling. When worst comes to worse, I’m a mother first and a writer later, and when you’ve spent the day trying to understand quadratic equations well enough to be able to explain them to the kids, you may not have the energy left in the evening to craft perfect sentences. On top of that, the pandemic as a whole wore me out like it probably did everyone. With the borders across Europe closed or impassable due to all the fun rules and regulations, I couldn’t even go home and visit my parents for two years. There were phases when I was running so empty, I had to abandon the story completely, for months.

What came easily?

The horses. Don’t laugh. Or maybe do. During those years, I was helping an acquaintance look after her pony once a week. Pete provided me with a ton of material, not all of which was useful. After all, I needed even the horses to have something of a heroic streak, and he… well, he didn’t have much of one. He pranked me whenever he could get away with it, and his favorite method of stopping was to run headfirst into a wall.

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

They are of course entirely fictitious. Cough, cough. No, seriously. I don’t think any author could prevent traits from real world people sneaking into their characters. There’s no character I modeled exactly on a friend or family member, but I suppose some people I know would nevertheless find themselves in certain mannerisms.

Do you have a target reader for this book?

Anyone who needs a hero. Or an escape from reality. Or both.

End of Interview:

For more from Angelika Rust, visit her website.

Get your copy of A Tree’s Heart from Amazon US or Amazon UK.