M/M Romantasy
Date Published: Jul 8, 2025
Publisher: She Writes Press
Narrator: Nicholas Boulton
Run Time: 10 hours
Until Lucian is truly possessed.
A powerful demon takes hold, twisting his body into something unnatural, horrific, wrong—and no priest, no con, no desperate lie can fix it. With time running out and Lucian slipping further away, Colton has no choice but to learn real magic, break every rule, and attempt the impossible.
Because if he fails, Lucian won’t just be lost. He’ll be something else entirely.
Is There a Message in Your Novel That You Want Readers to Grasp?
I don’t usually think
in terms of “messages.” I just wanted to tell a story about people trying to
find their way through a world that’s messy and full of noise. If there’s
anything underneath it all, it’s probably that love has a way of pulling people
through, and that the person you become is often shaped by who loves you.
There’s also a thread about self-acceptance, and maybe a quiet jab at how much
of politics is just branding and media spin. I want you to come away
enthralled.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
World building,
definitely. I’m good at character work and dialogue, but creating a world where
every rule and system fits together neatly doesn’t come naturally to me. With The
Lavender Blade I leaned into that a bit- it’s slightly tongue-in-cheek
about its own world building (oh yes, handwave handwave we have horses and also
steampunk robots it’s fiiiiiine), which was fun to play with. Marketing is the
harder part, though. Writing a story feels natural; convincing people to read
it feels like dark magic.
How many books have you written and which is your favorite?
I’ve written four,
two of which are published. The Lavender Blade is my favorite because
it’s the most fun I’ve had creating a world. I still love spending time with
those characters — they’re chaotic and alive in a way that makes the whole
thing feel real to me, even now.
My first two were
going to be a trilogy, my amateur crack at a North Korea inspired dystopian
fiction world. I mean don’t get me
wrong, I love it, but my skills as a writer have drastically improved in the
last decade. My first published book, Wild
with all Regrets, is a paranormal LGBT WWI sort of ghost story. It’s way more cerebral and miserable than The
Lavender Blade but I still very much enjoyed writing it.
If You had the chance to cast your main character from Hollywood today, who would you pick and why?
For Lucian, I’d
choose Nicholas Galitzine. He has the perfect mix of charm, poise, and quiet
insecurity that makes Lucian so complicated. Colton would be Jacob Elordi, he
can look both dangerous and kind, strong in an almost unhinged sort of way,
which suits Colton’s contradictions. For Odessa, I could see either Hunter
Schafer or Freya Allan. Hunter has that otherworldly, deliberate elegance that
fits her perfectly, and Freya brings the kind of sharp intensity that would
make Odessa’s presence just perfect. Mai would be Lana Condor, who balances
savviness and warmth in a way that feels exactly right for her.
When did you begin writing?
Since I was thirteen. I started with role-play and
fanfiction and never really stopped. Writing has always been how I connect with
the world… it’s one of the best parts of my life. I’ve written almost every day for the better
part of twenty years, hopefully I’ve become decent at it!
How long did it take to complete your first book?
It usually takes me
around six months to get a first draft of a book, then about two years of
editing before it feels right. After that, there’s another stretch while it
moves toward publication. My process is very café-based: an oat matcha, a
pesto-mozzarella panini, and me writing until I get a butt cramp.
Did you have an author who inspired you to become a writer?
Not really one
author. When I was younger, it was hard for me to connect with people, so
stories became the way I learned how humans work: how they talk, how they hurt each other, how
they love. I connected deeply with fiction because it gave me access to
feelings and relationships I didn’t always understand in real life. Writing was
my way of exploring that for myself.
What is your favorite part of the writing process?
The characters. I
love watching them take shape and become real people in my head. When their
motivations, dialogue, and choices start making perfect sense, it feels less
like I’m writing them and more like I’m following them. That’s the part that
makes the whole process worth it.
Describe your latest book in 4 words.
Witty, elegant,
dangerous, surprising.
Can you share a little bit about your current work or what is in the
future for your writing?
I’m working on a
sequel to The Lavender Blade. Colton and Lucian have more up their
sleeves, and I’m not quite done with them yet. There are new places to explore,
new mistakes to make, and I think they’re both overdue for a little trouble.
It’s still early, but I’m excited to see where it goes. This is all on hold a bit while I learn how
to do puppy heart surgery but once I’m finished with my residency, look out!
About the Author
E.L. Deards grew up in New York City and earned her undergraduate degree at Barnard College at Columbia University, where she studied Japanese literature and biology. She was then accepted to The University of Edinburgh, where she completed her veterinary degree. She remained in the UK afterward, and since then has split her time between her day job as a vet and her truest passion: writing. Emma has authored a number of humor articles for In Practice, a veterinary magazine, and was the recipient in college of two writing awards: the Oscar Lee Award and the Harumatsuri Award. Her first book, Wild with All Regrets, came out in 2023.
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