Interview with Katharine E. Hamilton, author of 'The Unfading Land'
Katharine E. Hamilton started her writing career nearly a
decade ago by creating fun-filled stories that have taken children on
imaginative adventures all around the world. By using her talents of imagery
and suspense to illustrate the deep, underlying issue of good and evil within
us all, Katharine extends the invitation for adventure to adults everywhere.
She finds herself drawn time and again by the people behind her adventures and
wishes to bring them to life in her stories.
She was born and raised in the state of Texas,
where she currently resides on a ranch in the heart of brush country with her
husband, Brad, and their two furry friends, Tulip and Cash. She is a graduate
of Texas A&M
University, where she received a
Bachelor’s degree in History. She finds most of her stories share the love of
the past combined with a twist of imagination.
She is thankful to her readers for allowing her the
privilege to turn her dreams into a new adventure for us all.
Visit her website at www.katharinehamilton.com.
Facebook: Katharine E. Hamilton
Twitter: @AuthorKatharine
Instagram: katharineh
About the Book:
A selfish betrayal. Goodness long forgotten. A land with
terrifying power. Something sinister is at work in the Land
of Unfading Beauty, a land that
promises eternal youth and splendor. Something evil. Under the façade of
charismatic leader, Lancer, an enemy stalks--taking life and power in the most
devious of ways.
Prince Edward, the heir to the Northern Kingdom,
abandons his family in pursuit of a beautiful woman by venturing into the Land
of Unfading Beauty, never to return
home. Has Prince Edward been swept away by love, or was it part of a strategic
plan?
Lancer has high ambitions of destroying the Northern
Kingdom and will stop at nothing to acquire its power and
strength. A desperate attempt to save the Realm forces Edward's father, King
Granton, to call upon the rulers from neighboring kingdoms for help. As the
kings and their children unite, relationships are strengthened and loyalties
tested, and Edward's younger sister, Elizabeth, rises as a force to be reckoned
with. Headstrong, yet pure of heart, this young princess breaks the barriers of
her role in order to fight for the safety of her Kingdom. Fierce battles emerge
between good and evil and unexpected heroes arise. But it will take courage,
unity, and strength to overcome the temptation of darkness.
A darkness, invisible to the eye, threatens the safety of
them all.
Can it be overcome?
Can Edward be trusted?
Who is the real enemy?
What Elizabeth
discovers within herself, her kingdom, and her brother, will change the course
for the entire Realm and leave one question:
Where does your allegiance lie?
Q: Welcome to The Writer's
Life, Katharine. Now that your book has
been published, we’d love to find out more about the process. Can we begin by having you take us at the
beginning? Where did you come up with
the idea to write your book, The Unfading Lands?
Katharine: Thank you for having
me! My first introduction to the idea of TheUnfading Lands actually came to me in a dream. I dreamt of a few of the
characters. I woke up knowing I had to write them down. So I did. Those
characters then sat on a jump drive for about eight years before I decided to
bring them to life.
Where and when is this book
set?
Katharine: This book is set in
the fictional Realm of King Granton during the Medieval Era. I do not give
specific realistic locations or dates, due to the land being a fictional place,
but I drew inspiration from Ireland
and Scotland.
Can you tell us a little about
your main character, Prince Edward?
Katharine: Actually, this book
follows more of Prince Edward’s younger sister, Elizabeth. Yes, the book starts
with Edward making a pivotal decision that impacts the entire Realm, but it is
Elizabeth who we grow to know and love in this book. This particular book is
the first in a series of three. So though we are introduced to Edward and other
characters in this first book, the remaining two books will switch from
Elizabeth as the focal character to Princess Alayna in the second book, and
Prince Edward in the third.
Can you tell us a little about
your other supporting characters?
Katharine: I love talking about
the other characters! They are all so special to me… much like I am talking
about friends. Haha. The Realm is divided into four kingdoms: The Northern
Kingdom, Eastern Kingdom,
Western Kingdom,
and the Southern Kingdom. Each kingdom is comprised of some key characters. To
make it easier I will just name a few and why I find them so interesting. Prince
Clifton and Prince Ryle of the Eastern
Kingdom are the epitome of the
‘good guys.’ They make your heart melt while also exhibiting a quiet strength.
They were born to be princes and they know their role well. Prince Isaac of the Western
Kingdom is what I like to call the
‘Casanova’ in the bunch. He’s the wild and free spirit… some would say he is
even a loose cannon. You never know what to expect from him. Prince Samuel of
the Southern Kingdom is an interesting character as well, because he is forced
to experience some major losses in his life, and we learn a bit more about his
personal character despite these setbacks that make him a reader favorite as
well.
Q: What was the most difficult
aspect of self-publishing and would you recommend it to other authors?
Katharine: I highly recommend
self-publishing to anyone! This is actually my fourth book to self-publish, my
first three being children’s books. There is a lot to learn with the process,
but it is worth it. The most difficult aspect would be the marketing. My
children’s books allowed me the opportunity to learn the business: What I wanted,
what I liked, what I didn’t like, etc. Through that learning, I have become
quite comfortable with the entire process and don’t find it all that difficult
anymore. It is like most things in life: You get out of it, what you put into
it. It requires hard work and dedication… and most definitely patience.
Q: Is there anything that
surprised you about self-publishing?
Katharine: The freedom. I love
the creative freedom that comes with self-publishing. I guess I first thought
that no matter what I wrote, there would be someone trying to change it. But
you truly do have full creative control on your work, and it is awesome! I love
that aspect of it.
Q: What other books are you
working on and when will they be published?
Katharine: I am currently finishing
up the remainder of The Unfading Lands series,
book two and three. Book two estimated release being in November of this year.
I am also working on a short story for a collaborative anthology for charity
with fellow indie authors that should be out in December. And I have a couple
of other novels in the works as well… though I’m pretty tight-lipped about
those as of right now. Though I will say they will also be within in the
Fantasy Fiction genre and they are awesome.
Q: Fun question – If you were
awarded the Pulitzer Prize for your book, who would you thank for helping to
make it possible?
Katharine: There are so many
people I would thank. My first, of course, would be my family, because they
have supported me, nudged me, encouraged me, etc. through the whole process. My
husband, Brad, has been super great. He understands when I go into crazy writer
mode and loves me anyway. You can’t beat that. Ha. I would thank my
Beta-Readers, for giving honest feedback on the rough manuscript I had them
read at the beginning. My cover designer/graphic designer, Kerry Prater, (aka
my sister), for all her hard work. She captured exactly what I was going for in
every aspect of The Unfading Lands and she handles all of my marketing
graphics.
And then, most importantly, my
readers. I have pretty awesome readers. A multitude of them have transitioned
with me from my children’s books days to now, and they are supportive and
excited for me along this journey. And the new readers I’ve picked up along the
way have been amazing as well. I love hearing what they have to say about my
book.
Q: Is there anything you’d
like to tell your readers and fans?
Katharine: Keep reading. Keep
sharing The Unfading Lands with your family and friends. And thank you. Thank
you so much for being a part of this journey with me and giving me the
opportunity to write fun stories.
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