The Before Series, Book 5
Fantasy
Date Published: 02-28-2024
Publisher: Sword and Thistle LLC
In a time nearly ancient, before a brave Scottish princess defied her mother, a young woman has lost everything.
Except for her unexplainable talent for magic.
Now Magda's being hunted, and in her attempt to survive, loneliness and desperation take control.
Until she meets someone who offers her a chance at happiness, at normalcy, at the fullness of life. Then she discovers something wrong, so shockingly wrong with this hopeful future, and she must make a harrowing decision to ensure her survival.
And she will have to draw on all her magic to do it.
Actions have repercussions -- Magda knows this better than anyone else -- and with her magic, she will ensure everyone else learns that lesson as well.
Tell us about your book?
What
is the PRIMARY benefit, above all others, that your potential reader will gain
from reading this book? (Be very specific. Please do not answer with 'good
read' or 'page turner' or some other worn-out, overused phrase. Be concise and
avoid generalization.)
I have always had a passion for
backstories of characters, especially villain backstories. In books, tv shows,
and films, those were always some of my favorite parts of the overall
narrative. And the books, specifically Before the Emerald Crown, tell the story
of the villain’s viewpoint and take the reader on a journey until they reach
the point where they say “Oh my, I would have done all this, too! I would have
been the villain!”
If
you had to compare this book to any other book out there, which book would it
be?
(Remember:
The audience does not yet know you. It is very important that you reference
something they might be familiar with to effectively and powerfully communicate
what your work is about. You are NOT saying you are 'better than' or 'just
like' this comparative, but are somewhat the same in a very general sense, to
give the listener a point of reference.)
Fans of Melanie Karsak’s fairy tale
retellings, like Spindles and Thorns, Laura Burton’s Under the Sea, and the
Disney Twisted tales series will love this story.
Hundreds of thousands of books come out every year. Why should someone buy THIS book? (What is it that sets THIS book apart from ALL those other books in the same genre or category? What will the buyer get from you and ONLY you that simply cannot be found elsewhere?)
In this story, not only do we have a
villain backstory, we have one that hasn’t been told before – the book focuses
on the witch in the woods character (which is also one of my fave character
tropes) from the Disney Brave film. We haven’t had her backstory yet, and since
watching the film, I wondered, what would make her craft such a twisted curse?
So I wrote that story.
Who
is your target audience? (Be very specific. Gender? Age range? Geographic area?
Primary interests? What benefits does the reader hope to gain from buying a
book like this book?)
Since the book is low steam, it is appropriate
for young adults as well as older readers. Most of the interest in the books
has come from gen z and late millennial readers, mostly women who love fantasy
and romantasy books. Before the Emerald Crown has elements of both, and is a
little dark, so readers who enjoy those elements love the book.
Did your environment or upbringing play a major role in your writing and did you use it to your advantage?
The book focuses on the witch in the
woods character, and I feel like that character a lot – the odd older woman who
hides in her house – so I feel that might have played a part. Outside of that,
I pulled on history, folklore, and fantasy elements to bring this book
together.
Tell
us your most rewarding experience since publishing your work?
Fans who love my book boxes. Right now I
am all sold out and waiting on book delivery because of how popular these book
boxes are! I have a Before the Emerald
Crown book box and a fairy tale book box with my other three fairy tales,
and people love them, the books, the art, the story, the villainous themes that
run through everything. I love how people love the books.
How
would you describe your writing style?
I was heavily influenced by the Bronte
sisters and the Outlander book series back in the 1990s. So I write a mix of
causal and dynamic, thich with emotion, and detailed dark scenes, especially
death scenes. Since I usually write romance, probably not the best . . . lol
Are
your characters pure fiction, or did you draw from people you know?
A mix of both. My primary characters are
fictional, but I include secondary characters pulled from people I know and use
real historical figures in the setting as well.
Are
you more of a character artist or a plot-driven writer?
Yikes! I’m not sure and it depends on
the book. I think more character driven overall, and definitely for Before the Emerald Crown, as there is a
lot of self-doubt and introspection. I see the book as a vehicle, and the
characters drive that car. But sometimes cars go off-roading, and that’s when
the plot takes over.
What
do you hope to accomplish with your book other than selling it?
I have a lot more books planned in the
series, ones outside of the typical Disney fairy tale genre, so I’d like use
this book as way so see what else I will be doing with these books. Even though
it is from a Disney film, it does not have the iconic nature of some of these
other Disney villains, and so I used it as a transition to other fairy tale
stories
How
can our readers get in touch with you? (List your Website URL, Social Media
links, and Email)
All of my socials, newsletter info, and
the like are listed here: https://linktr.ee/mddalrympleauthor
I am pretty active on facebook and have
a reader group there, and on instagram and Tiktok. My newsletter goes out 3-4
times a month with updates, sneak peeks, freebie/discouted books, etc.
Where
can our readers purchase your book? (List different outlets with the link to
your book)
Ebooks and paperbacks can be ordered
widely here: https://books2read.com/emerald-crown
Or readers can use my linktree to see
about ordering books or book boxes directly from me!
About the Author
Michelle Deerwester-Dalrymple is an award-winning author of historical romance -- Scottish, Highlanders, and Ancient! To Dance in the Glen was recently a bestseller! She also writes contemporary romance as M.D. Dalrymple -- police and campus romances, and as Strawberry Chase, paranormal romance author.
Winner of the Top Ten Author Academy Award for 2018, Best Indie Book 2019, and N.N Night's 2021 Winner for Scottish Romance.
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