Hi! So, apparently, one of my Spotlight/Interviews falls on the 1st of June and the official beginning of the 9nth annual Self-Published Fantasy Blog Off. That honor goes to Palmer, who’s been writing fiction since she was eight (incidentally, this is the same age I started, too!) and her novel …

Heliotrope

Genre: Epic Fantasy/Heroic Fantasy/Sword & Sorcery

Teleo is a retired soldier descended from Mages, who were cast out of power generations ago. After years of war and sorrow, he wants nothing more than to live a quiet life on his farm and work his stonemason’s craft.

His wife and daughter had been murdered during a war raid several years earlier and his young son stolen by the enemy side. He spent years unsuccessfully searching for his son and returned home broken-hearted. At the local castle, he comes upon a war orphan stolen by his side from the enemy and rescues him from abuse, adopting him as his foster son.

Teleo is working at the castle when he finds himself in the middle of a coup. This launches a journey to protect his new family, uncover the secrets of the ancient ways, and reclaim the magic of the Mages.

A cast of lovable characters:
Teleo – A gritty warrior who would do anything for you, unless you cross those he loves, then you will meet his blade.
Dinsmora – A reclusive herbalist who weaves shadows.
The fosterling – Orphan who forms a family and softens the toughest of hearts.
The animals – Characters in their own right who carry burdens and bring glory.

Magic:
Magic was outlawed generations ago but lingers in the blood of the kingdoms. There were good reasons it was outlawed and reasons it must rise again.

Now with that fascinating introduction to the book …

Onto the Questions!

As a Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO) Entrant, you’re not just independently published, but self-published. Can you start by explaining a bit about why you chose that route and how it’s been for you?

To be frank, I got tired of getting rejection letters and just decided to do it myself. I have worked in the publishing business (non-fiction), so I understood the process and knew what I was getting into. It’s a lot of work, and can be expensive, but I find it very fun and satisfying. I like having complete creative control. I like learning about all the aspects of self-publishing, including marketing, and best of all, I’ve met a lot of great people and made some good friends along the way. I think this is a great time to be a self-published SFF author. The Indie SFF community is definitely giving the trad world a run for its money. It seems that indie authors are breaking new ground and taking more risks. It’s a very fun space to be in right now.

Especially if the marketing aspect is not your nemesis, like it is for some of us! It is fun in so many ways right now!

On a related note, why did you enter the SPFBO contest? How do you expect to find it? Refreshing your blog’s page every five minutes, or sit back and chill?

SPFBO9 is my second time entering the contest. I entered my debut novel, “Moon Deeds,” in SPFBO5 and was a semi-finalist. I learned about the contest over breakfast at a fantasy convention in Los Angeles. Dyrk Ashton told me about it (SPFBO Finalist for “Paternus” in 2016). Dyrk was very passionate about what a great community SPFBO is, and how much it helps indie fantasy authors. He was right.

Regarding obsessive versus chill, I’d say I’m somewhere in the middle. I check social media pretty much every day, and I’m part of a fairly large community of SFF self-published authors, readers, reviewers, and booktubers on Twitter and Discord. Plus, I check Mark’s blog site and the Facebook page regularly, so I expect that I’ll learn about the progress of this year’s contest as soon as any decisions are made. That said, the first phase takes five months, so I anticipate that things will be fairly quiet for awhile.

I think it goes in fits and spurts for a time!

And one of my personal favourite questions: Why did you choose the title you did for your book?

My book’s title is “Heliotrope.” It refers to one of the main magic systems in the book. I wanted a name that was somewhat made up, but not completely nonsensical. Helios is the sun god, and also close to the word halo, so I liked that. Turns out, Heliotrope is also the name of a flower, and there are quite a few books out with the title Heliotrope, so that makes it tough to find sometimes.

It’s a catchy title, though. And I don’t think I’ve seen many epic fantasies with the name, so it stands out nicely, doesn’t it?

I won’t ask for your favourite scene since I know some people don’t have those (like me; I never have favourites), but can you share a (non-spoiler) scene you really like and you just can’t believe how awesome it is every time you go back to re-read it? Alternately, you can share something about a character you really like. Or both, if you want.

Hahaha. Yeah, I like a lot of scenes. Hmmm, no spoilers … I really like the first chapter. It’s very low key, but also beautiful, and sets up a few foundational elements of the book. To be somewhat cryptic, and mostly for the benefit of those who have already read the book: I also like the scenes about the magic of the Heliotrope. And I like the scenes towards the end with the generals. I also really like the final poem. Regarding characters, well, of course I love the MC, Teleo, and his two young sidekicks. And the animals. Probably worth special mention though is Dinsmora. I think she is an excellent character.

I’d figure, reading your character introductions! I bet the animals are super cute!

What are some elements or themes, or combinations thereof, that really make your book stand out to you?

Many people who have read it mention that it’s a slow-burn and very descriptive, but that they couldn’t put it down, or they read it very quickly (it’s almost 800 pages), or they didn’t want it to end.

The writing style has been compared to Robert Jordan and Robin Hobb. People who like that kind of long and immersive style will probably enjoy this book. And those who don’t like description-heavy prose may not like it so much. I wrote that style on purpose because that’s the kind of experience I like: I like getting totally immersed in story and character, and I was striving to achieve that feeling of entering another world for my readers.

This is a single POV book, with a relatively linear plot, and prose that is easy to read. Themes have to do with class systems and being recognized for your merit versus what family you were born into. There are themes of loss and grief, self-worth, friendship, love, family, greed, and retribution. Tropes include a retired warrior called back into service, found family, animal companions, and rediscovering ancient magic.

Ooh, that is a nice combination! Slow-burn but couldn’t put down.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with us?

Heliotrope is a heart-felt book and was a joy to write. I hope it brings those same emotions to readers. As a standalone, it can be a refreshing break from long, complex series. It was a break, for me, from the long series I am writing (Star Children Saga), which is complex and intense, with some heavy and dark themes. I specifically chose a pure epic fantasy genre with a single POV character, to make things easy on myself and my readers.

One of my goals with my writing is to create something unique. I think Heliotrope unfolds differently from other epic fantasy novels these days, and several readers have noted that it is unlike anything they have read before. Star Children Saga, on the other hand, is a genre mashup (science-fantasy), and I think it is also somewhat unique, with unexpected twists and turns. I am currently working on the third book of that series, “Anaximenes.”

I hope to release the first book of another series later this year, called “Dark Town.” This is LitRPG, but beta readers have mentioned that it is done differently from other LitRPG books they’ve read. That is unsurprising, since I have never read a LitRPG book, lol, and had never even heard of the genre. But when I did, thanks to Kris the Fictional Escapist, I said to myself, well, that could be fun. I like video games, so let me write a fantasy book with video game mechanics (but without the “ding ding ding, you have leveled up” tags). Dark Town has been aptly described as a “palate cleanser.” If all goes according to plan (and if I get in during the first 30 seconds of next year’s lightning-round contest entry window), I will be submitting that to SPFBOX.

That all sounds fun! And I hope SPFBOX doesn’t fill up QUITE that fast. Maybe 2 minutes?

Palmer has been writing fiction since she was eight. She received her BA in American Studies from Wesleyan University, with concentrations in Religion and Race Relations.

She currently works in Silicon Valley in the gaming industry and high tech. In addition, Palmer holds a certificate in Chinese Acupressure, is a certified solar panel installer, and studied Tibetan Buddhism with the 14th Dalai Lama.

She lives and writes in the magical redwood forest of the Santa Cruz Mountains, California.

Visit Palmer’s Website, or check out her Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Check out Heliotrope on Goodreads or get it from Amazon or B&N here.