Author Interview with 2022 Reviewer's Choice Award Nominee Elizabeth Schechter

Title: Children of Dreams
Series: Heir to the Firstborn Book 6
Author: Elizabeth Schechter
Genre: Fantasy & Futuristic Romance
Release Date: November 15, 2022
Format: Kindle
Pages: 583 pages

Weeks into the Progress, and with months still to go, Aria and her Companions have left their allies behind as they move into unfamiliar territory. Awaiting them are friends and enemies, long-buried secrets and truths finally revealed. And a Seer, a son of Earth, who wanders the hills and speaks of the Child, a baby born of all four tribes.

Aria’s child.

The Seer’s visions say that the Child will bring peace to the world.

But at what cost?

2022 RCA Author Interview with Elizabeth Schechter

Interview by Sherry Perkins

Once upon a time, author Elizabeth Schechter heard a line from the play “Fiddler on the Roof” that sparked her imagination and here we are today, celebrating a 2022 Reviewer’s Choice Award nomination for her book, Children of Dreams.

1. What was the inspiration for your Paranormal Romance Guild 2022 Reviewer’s Choice Award nominated book, Children of Dreams, in the Romance/Fantasy/Futuristic/Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Time Travel category?

The Heir to the Firstborn series was originally supposed to be four books, but there ended up being too much story and characters that were way too notional for four. So, I planned five… and this is book six, because, again, too much story and notional characters.

The inspiration for the entire series was a combination of dream image and line from a play — the image was a merman who looked suspiciously like Adam Driver (and now you know my mental image of Aven), and the line was from Fiddler on the Roof — “A bird might fall in love with a fish, but where would they live?”

For Children of Dreams, I needed to bring the series home. And I had already written the epilogue — I think I wrote it before I even started book five. I knew where the story ended. I just had to get there, and I needed to get the most ornery bunch of characters I have ever written to get there with me. I mean it when I say ornery — I’m fond of saying that these characters looked at the outlines, laughed, and did whatever they wanted to do, and I just wrote up the incident reports. So I think part of the reason I wrote the book was to get to the end, and the other part was to see just how this cast of goofballs and misfits who were tasked with saving the world would actually do it!

2. What bit of advice you would give to new writers?

I learned this the hard way — listen to your characters. If something comes out of your fingers and onto the page that wasn’t in the outline, go with it! I have found that if I try to force the book back onto the outline, I will invariably break the book, or get stuck and have to put things aside. I’ll come back to those books and eventually figure out where I went wrong and fix it, but sometimes, that can take years (I think my current record for “I broke the book” is 14 years. I finally figured out the fundamental problem with the book — if these two idiots would just talk to each other, this would be a short story. A boring one. Which is a trope I hate, so my next project is rewriting and finishing a manuscript that I started in the car on the way to Ikea in 2009!)

So, listen to your characters. They’re closer to the story than you are, so they know what happens.

3. Why do you think your book should win — in other words, what makes it unique?

Why should my book win? Ah… because it’s the amazing capstone to a wonderful series that lived in my head for four years, and that I loved writing. Also, it would make me really happy!

AN EXCERPT FROM 2022 RCA ROMANCE/FANTASY/FUTURISTIC/SCI-FI/FANTASY/TIME TRAVEL NOMINEE CHILDREN OF DREAMS:

Aria nodded. “I saw Steward. And…it’s strange, but he seemed to be in a foul mood this morning. Worse than the Smoke Dancers have been the past few days.”

“What?” Owyn gasped. “Really? That’s possible?”

“I’d never have expected it of him. I said good morning, and he growled at me,” Aria admitted, looking down at her bowl. Then she jumped as a growl rumbled around the table in four-part guttural harmony.

“He did what?” Aven snarled. He rested both hands flat on the table and stood up. “Where is he?”

“Aven!” Aria stared at him. “Sit down. You are not going…just sit down!” She reached out and covered his hand with her own. “Sit. And calm down. All of you.” She waited until Aven had taken his seat once more before continuing. “He apologized almost immediately. But something is very wrong. I cannot imagine what, and he would not tell me anything.” She looked over at Del, who was clearly furious. “Del? Do you know?”

Del shook his head. “I’ll find out,” he signed. “Once we’re finished, I’ll go find him. I’m packed already. I’ll bring my bag down before I go, and I’ll meet you at the coach.”

Aria nodded. “Thank you.” She smiled as she looked around the table. “My loves. That was impressive. If someone so much as frowns at me while we Progress, will you growl at them like that?”

“They might faint,” Othi said. “That’s the most fierce I’ve ever heard you, Treesi.” He grinned at her. “You should forget trying to come up with threats. Just growl at me when you’re angry.”

Treesi looked at him curiously. “Would it work?”

Othi’s grin grew feral. “Well, it would definitely get my attention…” he drawled. Treesi giggled, and the mood around the table lightened.

“What’s the plan for today?” Alanar asked. “Are we camping at Cliffside tonight?”

“We thought about it,” Owyn answered. “But I don’t think Mem or Steward would sleep if we did. We’ll be camping rough tonight, maybe seeing if there’s anyone out there.” He looked thoughtful. “It took us twelve days to get from Forge to Terraces. How long do you think it will take us to get…well, not back, but to the Eastern Trade Road? That’s where we’re splitting up.”

“Probably twelve days,” Aven answered. “Maybe longer. It depends on what we find along the way.”

Aria nodded as conversation lulled and was replaced by the sounds of breakfast — spoons and knives clattering on pottery, cups clinking and the soft splash of tea being poured.

“I am heartily tired of leaving places,” she murmured. “Once we get back to the Palace, let’s never leave again.”

“I like that idea,” Alanar agreed. “Except we can’t. Well, some of us can’t. I have to come to Terraces to help Jehan. The Companions each have to take their season. We’ll have to travel sometimes.”

“Can we wait a year?” Del signed. “I’m tired of picking up and moving, too. And honestly, taking my season? Where would I go? I’ve never been to the Solstice village, and I can’t go to the high mountains. For an Airborn, I’m awfully land-bound.”

“Del makes a good point,” Aven agreed. “Where do you take your season when…well, if there’s no place for you to go? Owyn can’t go to Forge, and Del has no connection to the Air tribes.”

“We’ll have to ask,” Aria answered. “For now, we should finish eating.”

“Don’t worry about helping me clean up, Del,” Owyn added. “You go find some answers. Let us know if we all get to growl at Steward.”

ABOUT ELIZABETH SCHECHTER:

Elizabeth Schechter has been called one of the top erotica and alternative sexuality writers in the world. Her writing credits include the award-winning steampunk erotic romance House of Sable Locks, the Celtic fantasy Princes of Air, and 2021 VIVIAN finalist Written in Water.

She was born in New York at some point in the past. She is officially old enough to know better but refuses to grow up. She lives in Central Florida with her husband and son.

CONTACT ELIZABETH SCHECHTER AND ORDER CHILDREN OF DREAMS AT:

Author Website: http://elizabethschechterwrites.com/

Books2Read: https://books2read.com/u/b5jg5R

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Elizabeth.A.Schechter

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/EASchechter