I recently read a great new debut book by Alexis Radcliff.
Here is a the synopsis: It is an Age of Revolution, an Age of Industrialism. Constructs, living men who are as much brass and steel as they are flesh, man the factories and wage the wars of a ruling elite who gorge themselves on the fruits of the common man’s labor. Mystech, a brilliant fusion of magic and machine, gives rise to a new class of privileged inventors and merchants even as the country festers with wounds from decades of internal strife.
I’m not a huge steampunk fan, meaning I dont actively read the genre but this book will change that. It is an excellent read. Alexis writes believable and complex characters. The story has twists and intrigue to keep you guessing for the length of the book and more. Alexis was gracious enough to be interviewed. Please pick up her book and give it a read. You can find sample chapters and the links where the book is available in the interview below.
Thank you again Alexis!
Name: Alexis Radcliff
Age: 30
Where are you from?
I grew up in a small town in the Midwest, but I moved out west after college to work in tech and live nearer to both mountains and ocean.
When and why did you begin writing?
I’ve written my whole life on and off, and I worked in journalism all through college, but I didn’t start really thinking about fiction seriously until I was in my mid-twenties.
Do you have a novel/collection published? Would you like to tell us about it?
My first published novel is A Vanishing Glow. It’s an exciting blend of epic fantasy, steampunk, and flintlock fantasy set against a Victorian backdrop with an extremely rich world.
What inspired you to write your first book?
While growing up I read a lot of high fantasy, so by the time I went to college I was hungry for something different. The seeds of the world I built for A Vanishing Glow started there, and it just sort of percolated in my head for the next decade or so.
Do you have a favorite character from your book? If yes, who is it and why?
I’m really partial to Nilya Valsu, one of my two protagonists. I just have so much planned for her, and I think she’s a really fun character to write: she’s resilient, smart, and proactive, but she also has a lot of emotional depth to her.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
There’s a lot of intrigue in my plot, and if I could do it all over again, I might have picked a slightly easier or more straightforward plot for my first book. I’m happy with how it all turned out, but I spent a lot of time wrestling with the plot points to make sure everything wove together properly.
What are your current projects?
I’m currently working on Mystech Arcanum novella, and then the third volume in the series. I also have a very exciting superhero series planned for 2016 that I can’t wait to share!
Do you have any advice for other writers?
The more I see what gains traction and what doesn’t in both social media and sales (from my own experiences and those of other writers), the more I realize how big of a deal writing more books is. Nothing will help you succeed more than having additional books out, particularly at the early stages.
Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
Write. Publish. Repeat!
What book are you reading now?
I am currently bouncing back and forth between a few nonfiction books, Station 11, and Annie Bellet’s Twenty-Sided Sorceress series. All very enjoyable!
Do you remember the first book you read? If not tell us what your favorite book is and why.
I remember that the very first “grown-up book” I read was Piers Anthony’s A Spell for Chameleon, and I was so proud of myself for finishing it! The very first book I read on my own was probably something by Dr. Seuss, but my mom had been reading to us for years at that point.
Other than writing do you have any hobbies?
I run, I play videogames, I hang out with my husband, and sometimes I like to bake. Mostly videogames, though, haha.
Blog: http://www.lexirad.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ARRadcliff
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lexirad
Bio: Alexis Radcliff is an author, gamer, unashamed geek, and history junkie who spent the better part of a decade working in tech before dedicating herself to her first love, literature. When not writing, she spends her time reading, running, playing way too many videogames, and thinking too much about everything.
Purchase links for my novel:
Amazon.com | Goodreads | Read Sample Chapter 1 | Read Sample Chapter 2