My whole life I have been a bit of a story teller, from my earliest memories I recall sitting on a swing and telling myself stories and in high school my friends would do this thing with me (kind of a game I guess) where they would come up with a couple of items or words and then I would have to come up with a story from it while they would try to stump me… I don’t think they ever did though. 

Leisl Kaberry – 20 August 2023

The Back Flap

Afeclin walked nervously to the entry of the cottage. He held his breath as he passed over the threshold. A little cradle was the only piece of furniture left in the building. Afeclin touched the cradle delicately with one finger. All of a sudden he fell backward onto the floor as an image of the fire burst into his mind… He had seen a horrified face that screamed amongst red hot flames.

Found beyond the Elvin borders, Afeclin, a human child, is taken in and raised by an Elvin King. Now grown and longing to learn about the mystic arts, he embarks on a journey back into a land now unfamiliar. Accompanied by his elvin friend, Wolflang, they leave their homes to seek out their destiny. Unbeknown to Afeclin and Wolflang however, the warlord, Moorlan and his confederate, a dark mage, are preparing to bring war to the peaceful Land of Marrapassa, putting their lives and those they care about, in danger.

About the book

What is the book about?

The Titanian Chronicles trilogy follows the experiences of Afeclin, a human with a penchant for magic and Wolflang and Lenna… both elves, after they leave their homeland, the elvin kingdom to seek out their destinies beyond the borders and into the world beyond completely unfamiliar to them. It is through them that we see the Warlord’s efforts to take back a kingdom divinely appointed to him through his birthright and his counterpart, a dark mage with an agenda of his own.

When did you start writing the book?

I started writing the first book in the series in 2001 after the birth of my first child and I was a stay at home mum.

How long did it take you to write it?

It took me 10 years to write and then another few years of re-writes and edits. The second only took about a year but the third took closer to 4 years … once I finished it, I realized why… it was double the size of the first books. Oops! But there was a lot of story to come out and answers to be revealed in book three.

Where did you get the idea from?

I was in a creative mood and needed to do something to quelch it… I started trying to write a song on my guitar, but it wasn’t working. I sat down at my computer. The screensaver was a huge green moon overlooking a beach with palm trees. I imagined who would be sitting right there on the edge of the water, then I wrote a scene around it. That turned into a chapter and by the end of writing that chapter I had the basic plot for the Titanian Chronicles mapped out in my head. That chapter now exists as chapter two in the first book. I was inspired though by Dragonlance books which I had been reading before I was married. I loved opening those books and being whisked away to a completely different world. So my story presented for me an escape to my own world.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

The biggest struggle I faced was being motivated to write when I had 4 young kids underfoot and was doing a university degree at the same time. I have never really struggled with writer’s block or anything like that as I always know if I just take some time out from writing or go for a walk or something and brainstorm ideas… I know they will come.

What came easily?

The easiest part was the story itself… My whole life I have been a bit of a story teller, from my earliest memories I recall sitting on a swing and telling myself stories and in high school my friends would do this thing with me (kind of a game I guess) where they would come up with a couple of items or words and then I would have to come up with a story from it while they would try to stump me… I don’t think they ever did though.

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

My characters have always been fictitious… probably because I like the challenge of creating characters, however my work as a Victim support with the police has given me a lot of inspiration as to what people go through and has helped form my characters’ attitudes and experiences. Having said that, my next book will have a character or two based on friends of mine, one that passed away a few years ago and my best friend who simply asked if she could have a character… so I thought it might be fun!

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?

My biggest influences as to how I write were probably Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis of Dragonlance fame and David Eddings. I liked the way these authors did fantasy and that they were written in such a way that adults could enjoy them, though their audience is based for teen to young adult. When I started writing, I thought I was writing for an adult audience because I was an adult and I was writing for me. The above authors helped me realise I could write a story that all ages could enjoy.

Do you have a target reader?

My target reader is sort of teens to young adults but as I said, really I am always trying to write something that everyone can enjoy. So I write for people who enjoy a little get away from real life for a while, people who want a bit of romance, mystery, intrigue, adventure, action, magic … and a story they can sink their teeth into and maybe even see themselves as one of the characters.

About Writing

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

My writing process has really developed over the years. However, I learnt early on that once I had gotten through the writing process and had done a couple edits myself that I should print it all up and then have a notebook beside me as I read and edit again (sometimes can be easier to spot little mistakes in print form). I write in my notebook the synopsis of each chapter, noting why each chapter is important and drives the plot along, and I note character descriptions, place descriptions, new creatures or plant life etc… so that I have an easy reference to refer back to and so my story and everything within my world remain consistent. Once I have completed this part it is off to the editor and as I get chapters back with notes and grammar, punctuation and speller corrections, I work through the entire story again, reading it out loud to assess the flow while reviewing, rewriting and fixing.

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

Honestly, I started out as pantser, flying by the seat of my pants… I would write and let the story take me where it was supposed to go, which was exhilarating and I loved the experience of not knowing things until the characters got somewhere and discovered for themselves. This only worked for the first book, once I got into the second and third I had to change tact as there were important things that needed to happen. So now I go through and write a description of what I expect to happen in each chapter before I even start… it may be altered slightly as I go and other chapters added or taken away as the case may be so there is still the fluidity I enjoy but with a lot more direction.

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

Once upon a time I did like to write a chapter and then read it back and edit before I moved on. Now I tend to write and then move on leaving the editing to last. Having said that I do write at a reasonably slow pace and really think out each paragraph and then read them back over to make sure they make sense and work with where I am going.

Did you hire a professional editor?

I have been very fortunate to have good friends and family members over the years willing to edit for me which has been super helpful. I only use people who are excellent with english grammar and/or picking up on mistakes and with the first two books I had multiple people do it but my third I just had the one… an English professor who would make a great editor if he ever quit his day job, as he has eyes like a hawk in detecting grammatical problems.

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

I am a music lover and listen to music a LOT… but I cannot listen as I write as I tend to distract myself by singing along. I do have a theme song to my book though… I realized one day when I was listening to Setting Sun by Eskimo Joe (an Australian band) that the lyrics and vibe fit perfect with the theme of my first book. So if I was listen to anything while I write, it would be that as it transports me into my world.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

No, I have never submitted to an 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? .

I had intended to submit my manuscript to a number of publishers after I finished writing my first book but then I discovered Createspace (now KDP) and I loved the way it worked. I decided to give it a try and I haven’t looked back, its easy to prepare the manuscript but certainly a lot more work for me… but the finished product is a book that I am not only super proud of but also own all the rights to and can make my own decisions about.

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

My initial first book cover I had an artist I knew do an amazing art piece as a cover and then I turned it into a full wrap around cover, I loved the art but admittedly it did not look like the most professional job. When my second book was being released she was too busy to do a follow up cover to match the first and so I ended up hiring a book cover artist for the second and to redo the first at the same time. I then managed to secure him for the third to ensure the trilogy all fit together nicely.

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

Marketing is my biggest setback with releasing books on my own… I’m not great at it and I’d much rather devote my time to writing the next book. In the past I have had a hard time balancing the two, when I was writing I was hardly marketing and when I was marketing, I was hardly writing… which is heart breaking as a writer. This time around I have hired BooksForward to market for me in order to give my books the best chance while I get to do what I love… write.

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

I would say have an open heart and mind when it comes to listening to people’s feedback about your book… and make sure you get feedback before publishing. Take into account what they are saying and do not be offended. There are people who will not be into what you have written simply because everyone has different tastes… and that’s okay, and there are people who will be able to spot plot holes and issues or even have a good ideas and be able to help make your writing better. Balance what they tell you against what is true to your story, adjust if appropriate and reject with gratitude if not. At the end of the day you will prefer to hear any problems or things that could be better from friends BEFORE release than in reviews AFTER it is released and out there for the average consumer.

All in all enjoy the process… your enjoyment of the writing will show in the reading and most likely be a better experience for your readers.

About You

Where did you grow up? .

I grew up mostly in Perth, Western Australia after living a couple of years in the very north (of Australia) at a roadhouse in the middle of nowhere and where I had to do school over the radio.

Where do you live now? .

I have been living in Kitimat, British Columbia, Canada the last 12 years but we are in the process of moving to Kelowna, BC.

What would you like readers to know about you? .

Even though I am an introvert (I would guess many writers are… it’s the perfect pastime for someone who likes being by themselves) I do love meeting people and spending time with friends and family. I love to keep active doing yoga, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and snowboarding and I love to sing, usually karaoke, but I am currently in a band as a backup singer working towards a one night only show in Kitimat before we leave for good. Despite my numerous activities writing is something I make a lot of time for and my priority other than my family.

What are you working on now? .

My next project is a second trilogy that follows the first but takes place 20 years later and follows a couple of secondary characters from the first series as well as one that was not born yet. I have written the first book and it has been heavily edited. I plan to publish about October this year.

End of Interview:

For more from Leisl Kaberry follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Get your copy of Journey of Destiny from Amazon US or Amazon UK.