Looking for memorable dark high fantasy? Author K.V. Wilson does not disapoint! Her books serve to sweep the reader away to distant lands where fantastical creatures dwell and adventure reigns. Her novel To Speak with the Stars is a read worth checking out. Today, I’ll be interviewing this lovely author about her craft and what we can expect next!
Cross: K.V. Wilson! Thank you for this interview. So, let’s get started. What inspired you to write To Speak with the Stars?
Wilson: I’ve been reading mostly indie books over the last decade, and one thing I noticed most of them had in common was the diversity. Vibrant, colourful worlds, and representation of all sorts of people–different races, cultural backgrounds, shapes, sizes, sexualities, disabilities, and neurodivergent traits. Everyone is different. And that’s what makes a story interesting–seeing all sorts of people come together to achieve a common goal. That’s what I wanted to accomplish with To Speak with the Stars, and it was a lot of fun to write because of how unique and vibrant each character and creature was. I enjoyed bringing my own high fantasy world to life and doing whatever I wanted with it, inspired by our world and its mythology but also with some unique creations.
Cross: What does your writing process look like?
Wilson: I’m a plantser. I do a bit of planning with the basic skeleton of my stories, but the rest is pantsing (winging it). I find it’s easier to get the right amount of tension and unexpected twists when I let the characters take the lead. Most of my cliff hangers at the ends of chapters are unplanned and surprise even me.
Cross: Love the term plantser! So, what do you hope readers feel the moment they close the final page of your book?
Wilson: I want them to feel like they’re not alone. Found family is the most important takeaway–that no matter who you are or what you’ve been through, there are people out there that care about you. You may not be related, but you’ll care for each other and stand up for one another just the same.
Cross: What’s a surprising or little-known fact about you that people might not expect?
That’s a hard one. I listen to metal music. Not the songs where they really scream because I enjoy being able to understand the lyrics, but I do love some hard guitar and drums. My favourite band is Starset, an electronic / symphonic hard rock / metal band that focuses on sci-fi and space-travel themes. The word “starset” appears in my series, too, due to the fantasy realm calling its star “the star” rather than “the sun”.
Cross: What’s next for you? Are there any upcoming projects or goals you’re excited about?
Wilson: I’m working on book two of the Apprenticed to the Gods series (To Speak with the Stars is book one). I’m planning on making it a duology, and then writing more short stories in the same universe. I already have the first short story out. It’s called The Shiniest of Scales and is a standalone prequel that shows how the ice dragons and fauns became allies. One of the dragons is the comic relief character of the series. He’s sarcastic and selfish, but deep down, he’s a big softie. The short story is $0.99 at most online sites and is free for anyone who signs up for my newsletter.
Cross: Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions K.V. Wilson!
To check out her books and buy them today, visit: https://www.kvwilsonauthor.ca/ and learn more!
Till next time!
