CHRISTMASSY :: Q&A :: Alysha King

“You possess a power as great as that of the false Empress. You do not understand it yet but you will come to learn its true nature. It is the only match to true evil. You doubt it, but you must embrace it or you will fail.”

When Carey Lee discovers that not only is she a witch but also part of a rebel order, she figures it can’t be any worse than the life from which she just escaped. Little is she prepared though for what lies ahead – an all-powerful empire and a murderous Empress, a seemingly impossible quest to rescue her family, and a power so dark that Carey begins to doubt her very existence.

It is my absolute pleasure to have my friend and fellow Canberran, author Alysha King, here on my blog for a Christmassy Q&A tonight. Not only is Alysha an author (she has just wrapped up her #LoveOzYA fantasy series, The Rose Chronicles, which I’m looking forward to binging over summer) but she also makes gorgeous bookmarks for her store Quotation Marks Bookmarks (@quotation.marks.bookmarks on Instagram).

Your brand new novel, The Innocent, which came out on December 1 (yay! Congrats!), is the third and final book in your series The Rose Chronicles. Can you tell us a bit about the books?
The books are YA fantasy and they follow Carey Lee who, in the first book, finds out she’s a witch and part of a rebel order that’s trying to bring down an all-powerful Empire. There’s lots of magic, adventure, back-stabbing, bad guys, and a bit of a love story too. Think Star Wars, but make it magic. 

Do you like to read seasonal books, and do you have a favourite Christmas story or book? 
I don’t have many seasonal books or holiday specific reads – I think I have way more Christmas movies that I like to watch instead! I do love holiday scenes in books though – I used to read a lot of Enid Blyton books as a kid and English christmases always sounded amazing.

Is there a particular book you’d love to find under your Christmas tree this year?
Probably the Chinese translation of Red White and Royal Blue (by Casey McQuiston), which has the most amazing cover. That, or an ARC of One Last Stop!

Do you have a favourite book you’ve read this year then you’ll be recommending (or giving as a Christmas present!) to everyone you know?
My favourite book this year that I’d be only too happy to give as a Christmas present would have to be Invisible Boys by Holden Sheppard. Out of all the books I’ve read this year, that one really stood out to me. Plus it gave me massive Looking for Alibrandi vibes which I know a lot of friends of mine would appreciate. 

Can you share a favourite Christmas tradition or recipe?
I love making gingerbread and gingerbread houses, even if the rest of my family just doesn’t eat that much gingerbread. I honestly end up eating a good majority of it all by myself, but the smell is just so Christmassy that I can’t help but make it!

Finally, are you working on something new and can you tell us anything about it?
I have a few WIPs in mind, but the one I’ve started on in earnest is a major departure from my current series. It’s still YA but it’s a queer historical fiction set in London in the late 1780s. I’ve always loved historical fiction but wanted to write something that wasn’t super serious and had better representation. This one follows the daughter of an Earl and her best friend as they get up to mischief in 1780s London as two queer teens. There’s going to be sword-fighting, drunken theatre goings, the Frost Fair, and some romance. I think I’ll have fun writing this one.

Thanks so much for your time!
Thanks for having me!

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Huge thanks to Alysha for chatting Christmas with me! I’ve read The Order of the Rose, and I’ve been saving The Dragon’s Heart so I could do a binge-read of the whole series – I’m feeling like a summer readalong might be in order!

xo Bron
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Author Bio – Alysha King
Alysha King is an Australian author who loves nothing more than a good book, a well-stocked art and craft shop and vintage fashion. When she’s not writing she can be found madly sewing cosplay costumes for her and her two kidlets or starting yet another hobby.
Alysha lives in Canberra with her husband, two children, their very large dog, and lazy white cat. She is currently working on a new YA Historical Fiction.

Follow Alysha’s writing adventures on her website and Instagram accounts.
You can also find her store Quotation Marks Bookmarks here (@quotation.marks.bookmarks on Instagram).

All three books in The Rose Chronicles series are out now.
Check out Alysha’s website to find out where you can buy her books.

The Rose Chronicles on Goodreads.