Demon Storm, Book 5
Young Adult Fantasy
Date Published: 02-13-2024
Publisher: Shadow Spark Publishing
The calm can only last so long.
Now a member of Freehaven's Council, Kari tries to put her past behind her and settle down in her new home with her ever-present Lord and love, Ari.
Cracks in her mind, parting gifts from the heart eater, make planning the upcoming Spring Festival a struggle, but Kari is determined to do her best, even after Guine departs the town.
When a mysterious child appears at the festival and marks Kari, all semblance of normalcy is banished.
A triple threat from her past awaits beyond the walls of Freehaven and options are thin. Not willing to spill any more blood, Kari takes it upon herself to stop them—with Ari by her side.
INTERVIEW
Is There a Message in Your Novel That You Want Readers to Grasp?
Demon Storm’s message has always been about finding yourself in the
dark, not losing your light. Storm’s Convergence’s message is similar—don’t
lose yourself, don’t forget who you are and who you want to be.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
I often find it difficult to edit, especially
when I’m tasked with adding more to scenes. Unless I am in a very specific
headspace, I struggle with describing a lot of basic things like food!
How many books have you written and which is your favorite?
I
have written ~15 books, and it’s very hard to say which is my favorite. I flip
between Heart of the Storm and Storm & Shadow, both of which introduce a
villain I love. Raven and Valeris are my bread and butter, my heart and soul,
and without them, Kari’s journey wouldn’t be worth it.
If You had the chance to cast your main character from
I think I’d pick Jennifer Lawrence. She has a
nice, gritty voice that works perfectly for Kari, and I STILL love her acting
in Hunger Games. Katniss’ trauma and PTSD was absolutely, perfectly done.
When did you begin writing?
I was writing back when I was ten years old! I started off writing what
was essentially fanfic of Kingdom Hearts meshed with a few other games (like
Soul Reaver, of all things). I first created Kari around this time, too, when I
first played Disgaea (a JRPG about demons). Her story began, and I never
stopped.
How long did it take to complete your first book?
From beginning to publication, it took me about
twenty years to complete Birth of the Storm. I started writing very young, had
a few hiatuses, and did not seek “professional” writing guidance until well
into my 20s. My journey was a long one, but without it, I wouldn’t be where I
was today. Kari’s story needed time to grow, and I needed time to mature with
her.
Did you have an author who inspired you to become a writer?
I read a lot when I was
young, so there are a ton of authors I was inspired by. Tamora Pierce, Edith
Pattou, Sara Wolf, and Sherry Thomas are a few—I love their different styles
made me want to do better, to craft a world that was real and characters who
could live and breathe on their own.
What is your favorite part of the writing process?
My favorite part of writing is the painful
scenes. I love heart-wrenching trauma, the begging and crying and pain. I
thrive in my characters’ agony, and often will write those scenes first before
I get around to the scenes leading up to them.
Describe your latest book in 4 words.
Dynamic, heart-wrenching, action-packed, powerful
Can you share a little bit about your current work or what is in the
future for your writing?
I am currently working on book 6 of Demon Storm,
which will be called The Storm Breaks! After that, I will continue with the
series—the 8th and final book will release in 2025, and we have a
lot of work to do until then!
After that, I may take some more time to polish and rewrite my prequel
stories. There are four books that tell how demons came to be and give an
overview of how they changed the world over the course of hundreds of years.
I’m looking forward to exploring that side of my world building more, which
I’ve neglected as I’ve focused on the Demon Storm series. There is a whole new
cast of characters I’ll be able to play with, and I can’t wait!
About the Author
Valerie Storm was raised in Tucson, Arizona. Growing up, she fell in love with everything fantasy. When she wasn’t playing video games, she was writing. By age ten, she began to write her own stories as a way to escape reality. When these stories became a full-length series, she considered the path to sharing with other children & children-at/heart looking for a place to call home.
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1 Comments
This looks like a great novel. Thanks for hosting this tour.
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