The Morrigan – Celtic Goddess of War, Fate and Death. I am a warrior of the Tuatha de Danann. History writes us as a supernatural race in Irish mythology that battled demons and the Fomorians – a race similar to ours and our rivals. The last thing I remember, I fought alongside King Arthur and his men against the Fomoire and an evil God. Then… I remember nothing. I am Morrigan, but I am no Goddess and no myth. The world has spun on for centuries without me and my people. The only traces of us existing are in the legends we’ve left behind. There are mysteriously few demons and new creatures I’ve never encountered, vampires and werewolves, that roam the world. The Gods are back to playing their twisted games for power, threatening to end the entire realm. There is little hope until – we are awakened.
Hello book lovers! Today is a day where I will be writing another author spotlight for a well-accomplished author whose work I have loved. As you know book lovers I love learning about authors and the inspiration behind their work, it fascinates me and adds to the depth of the book because the reader will be able to better understand it. That is how the author spotlights were created because I soon discovered that you lovely readers ALSO love learning about author’s, so I am excited to tell you a little bit more about author N.A. Montgomery whose books Forged and Awakening thrilled and captivated me from beginning to end. I personally would recommend these books to all of those that love fantasy and mythology but really the books can be read by anybody as it is flawlessly written and highly enjoyable. With today’s author spotlight for N.A. Montgomery, a biography of the author and an interview between us both will be shared, and I hope that you book lovers enjoy reading it! To kick this off here is an author bio about the wonderful N.A. Montgomery!
I am a mother of three, a fitness instructor, and in the bits of time in-between… a fantasy/science fiction author. I am usually reading several books at a time, depending on my mood. I adore fantasy novels but I tend to get swept up in biographies and historical pieces.
My days are spent mostly in the gym teaching fitness classes and running a large studio. Evenings are spent shuttling kiddos around, but once everyone is in bed – my laptop comes out and I get to create a world of magic.
Now, how wonderful does N.A. Montgomery sound?! The author is a truly exceptional writer and I hope that you lovely readers have a read of the author’s work because you will not regret it! Please see below an interview between us both, I hope that you enjoy the author’s answers to my questions, they are incredible and provide some great advice too!
Thank you for joining us today at Red Headed Book Lover! Please tell us more about yourself.
I am a mother of three, a studio manager in a suburb of Kansas City, and in the bits of time in-between… a fantasy/science fiction author. I am usually reading several books at a time, depending on my mood. I adore fantasy novels but I tend to get swept up in biographies and historical pieces.
My days are spent mostly in the gym teaching fitness classes and running a large studio. Evenings are spent shuttling kiddos around, but once everyone is in bed – my laptop comes out and I get to create a world of magic.
Could you please tell us readers about your book and what inspired you to write your book?
The Morrigan Chronicles is a series based on a mythical Celtic race of people. They battled alongside King Arthur and his knights until an evil god cast a spell, putting them to sleep for over a thousand years. They are awakened in present time where strange creatures they’ve never encountered such as vampires and werewolves roam. The gods are battling for control and hell is literally about to open up, unleashing millions of demons. Morrigan and her people begin a quest to save earth.
I was inspired to write this book because I’m an avid reader. I read several “bestselling” books in the fantasy genre, which I LOVE, and was greatly disappointed by several. I couldn’t understand why the female protagonist had to be snarky, make poor life decisions, and act like a teenager throwing a temper tantrum. The storyline would be great but I couldn’t tell if I was actually supposed to like the main character because I most definitely didn’t. It was my, “Hold my beer, I can do better than this” moment. So, I just did it and enjoyed every moment of the process. I didn’t care if I was the only one who read my book. I did it as a challenge to myself and was very proud of the end product. I didn’t tell anyone that I was doing it. Everyone was rather shocked when I announced my book was for sale on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. They were even more shocked when it wasn’t a nutrition or fitness book but rather a fantasy novel. My kiddos were just relieved that there was an acceptable reason why there were so many demon and monster searches on my laptop.
What would your advice be for aspiring writers?
Do it because you love it. I enjoy the creative process of coming up with the story, and the tedious process of breaking everything down during the editing process. The only reason to do it is for yourself. I’ve never been concerned if anyone bought it because that wasn’t why I did it. I write stories that I enjoy and it’s a bonus if I can connect with others that enjoy them too. I’ve made some great friends in this journey. If you enjoy writing and meeting others that do as well, then keep at it and your heart will be full.
In your opinion, what is the most important thing about a book?
As with any story, it’s about the connections made between the characters and the growth that they undergo in their journey. It doesn’t matter what genre it is, if the characters aren’t someone that you are rooting for, it doesn’t matter how great and creative the story is, nobody cares.
What is your writing process like?
Having three kiddos, I spend a LOT of time in the car. I generally don’t drive with music on and that’s my “daydreaming” time. Once I have a general storyline I play it out in my head from beginning to end several times, tinkering with it until I think I have a rough idea of what I want. That’s when the laptop comes out and I start researching myth and lore to fill in the details. I write out a rough outline and then break it down by scenes. Then it’s write, re-write and write some more. I go through the complete work four times before I send it to the editor to get fine-tuned even more.
What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
The Morrigan Chronicles weaves together Arthurian legend along with Celtic and Norse mythology sprinkled with a little Egyptian and Greek as well. Vampires, werewolves and demons are mixed in and if that weren’t enough, there are some other creepy monsters like Redcaps that I’d never heard of. Needless to say, if my laptop was ever confiscated I would look like an insane evil person. I try to use creatures and beings from “real” myth and folklore. I also am very particular about every name of each character. I spend a lot of time looking up name meanings to depict each person. Researching is one of my favorite parts of the process and occasionally causes me to change direction because it sparks a new idea. I couldn’t begin to tell you how many hours I put in, but it’s generally more than it takes me to write the first draft.
Do you have a set schedule for writing, or do you only write when you feel inspired?
I’ve never sat down to write and not felt inspired or unable to write. My biggest problem is finding the time. There is always something to do and I force myself to carve out specific times to write. If I don’t schedule it, it won’t happen.
Do you read much and if so who are your favorite authors?
I am always reading. My favorite is Patrick Rothfuss. I also love Bill O’Reilly and historical biographies. Shannon Mayer is another go to of mine. She writes great series and I’m in awe of how fast she churns them out.
Lastly, when can we readers expect to read more wonderful books from you?
I’m working on Raze, the third book in this series. I’m hoping to have it out by Summer 2019.
Its official book lovers, I am obsessed with N.A. Montgomery! If you have liked what you have read about the author and are interested in learning more about N.A. Montgomery, then please do have a browse of the links below and be sure to have a read of the previews too! You will not regret it.
Goodbye for now book lovers,
