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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