​Note: This was originally written as an author guest post for the Royal Rebel blog tour, and was first shared on @anenglishmajorsdilemma Instagram page.

If you’ve read the Fate of Eyrnithia series, then you know the characters pretty well. But I thought it would be fun to give readers a look at how the Fate of Eyrinthia characters interact with me off the page.

These characters are so alive to me that they are distinct individuals in my head. They can interrupt my thoughts when I’m not even thinking about writing, because they just can’t wait to tell me a line of dialogue or a plot twist. And sometimes, it takes all I have in me to pry anything out of them.

Every character you see on the page has more layers, dreams, and history than will ever make it into the book. But today I’d like to share a glimpse of what it’s like for me to work with them. To do this, I’m going to answer a series of questions to give you a taste of what it’s like for me to have these voices in my head.

If nothing else, this post may be enough to get me committed to the nearest asylum. Enjoy!


Characters most likely to speak to me at inconvenient times (i.e. while I’m driving or in the shower):

Desfan definitely tops this list. He chimes in with a huge grin, without a hint of apology, and just starts telling me things. Lines of dialogue, a joke he wants to work in, a person he wants to meet. He rarely holds anything back, and he will often tell me things about Karim—which Karim doesn’t always appreciate.

Serene. She speaks to me in her own time, which means I can be there puzzling over things for a very long time without getting anywhere, then BOOM. Suddenly she’s very chatty, and I have to scramble to take notes.

Iris. When she has something to say to me, she just sweeps in and starts talking. It’s up to me to grab a piece of paper and start writing things down, because the Poison Queen isn’t going to repeat herself.


Characters who tend to wait patiently for my attention:

Grayson often lingers in the doorway, waiting until he can have my undivided attention. And when he disagrees with the direction I’m taking things, he will respectfully let me know.

Bennick is another who is very patient with me. He’s got a gentle soul, even though he can be so fierce. He wants everyone safe and taken care of. He usually waits for all the chatter in my head to fade before he speaks his mind.

Clare. She’s Bennick’s perfect match in every way, and I can hear it in how similar their voices are in my mind.


Characters that still have secrets from me:

Serene. That girl loves to keep an ace up her sleeve. I can’t tell you how many times I think, “I’ve really got to know this now, Serene.” And her response is usually a little smile and a, “Okay, here’s this much. The finer details can wait. Trust me.” It can be very annoying, but it’s also perfectly in character for her, so I can’t get too mad.

Liam. Though to be fair, he’s a spymaster, so that’s only to be expected.

Henri and Iris. I know so much about them, and yet there are some things I just don’t know, or can’t quite put my finger on. Let’s just say they don’t like to admit to everything they’ve done, so there are some shadows in their pasts.


Characters most likely to ignore me and the whole plan I carefully plotted:

Desfan. He plunges into things with a reckless abandon I don’t know how to handle sometimes. I just have to scramble to catch up, and I very much empathize with Karim.

Imara. She loves doing the unexpected, and yet everything she does also manages to feel perfectly in character. (Like befriending Grayson, for instance. Or finding herself drawn toward a certain prince of Mortise…) I’m not sure how she does it, but it makes for some interesting twists.

Iris and Henri. They go off script a lot, and it’s always disconcerting—and usually the end result is terrifying.

Liam. He tends to surprise me every time he opens his mouth, and I never know quite where he’s going to take a scene.


Characters most likely to make me snort-laugh while I’m writing:

Venn
Desfan
Imara
Zadir


Characters I knew almost everything about from the beginning, but I had to hold back things back because it wasn’t their time for the spotlight yet:

Mia. She obviously had a lot of secrets from the very beginning, but they don’t start coming out until later.

Cardon is another I knew very well, very quickly. He has been there since book 1, but we really don’t know a lot about him at this point, even though we saw a little more in Royal Captive. But don’t worry, we’re going to be learning a lot more about him in Royal Rebel!

Liam. Yes, I know he also keeps secrets from me, but I knew some very important things about him straightaway. He’s got a lot of layers, and we’ve only seen some of them at this point.

Skyer, Imara’s betrothed. We will be learning more about him soon, and that’s about all I can say about that.

Grandeur. Serene’s brother, and the heir to the throne of Devendra. We’ve been learning more about him lately, but there’s still more to learn.


Characters I always get excited to write:

Zadir. That Mortisian pirate is just a lot of fun to write.

Desfan. I never know what he’s going to do, but I know it’s going to be good—or at the very least, endearingly reckless, and probably funny.

Grayson. He just has a huge piece of my heart, and I think his storyline just gets better and better. The youngest prince of Ryden has a more important role in the fate of Eyrinthia than anyone could have guessed in the beginning of all this.

Scenes with Bennick and Clare. They’re just so lovely, and I love them together. Their dialogue always flows, and I love the energy between them.


Well, there you have it. Probably more weirdness than you bargained for when you started reading this post, but this a glimpse of the fun chaos that resides in my head.

I've been getting some FAQ, so I wanted to pop onto the blog to answer them for anyone who might be wondering the same thing.

When is Royal Rebel (Fate of Eyrinthia #4) coming out?
A: I don't have a specific release date yet, but you can expect it early 2023. I will keep you posted via social media and my newsletter (you can subscribe to it here: https://www.heatherfrost.com/contact )

How many books will be in the Fate of Eyrinthia series?
A: There will be six novels.

How many novellas will there be in the Fate of Eyrinthia series?
A: There are currently plans for 5 novellas. Some are set in the past, before the events of Royal Decoy, and the others happen in line with the main storyline.

Will there be hardcovers of the novellas?
A: No. I don't have any plans to make the novellas available in hardcover, because the cost for that format just probably wouldn't be worth it for you for a shorter book.

What order should I read the novellas in?
A: Fire & Ash can be read at any time; I recommend reading it after you've read Royal Spy, because then you'll know Desfan better, but it really doesn't matter. Shield & Blade MUST be read after Royal Captive (Fate of Eyrinthia #3). You can find the series reading order guide (with author notes) here: https://www.heatherfrost.com/post/fate-of-eyrinthia-reading-order ​

Are you working on other books, or just Eyrinthia?
A: Yes, I am working on some other projects as well. I find it impossible not to, and, honestly, working on different projects keeps my creativity flowing and my excitement fresh. More on this soon :)

Do you have any book recommendations that are similar to the Fate of Eyrinthia series?
A: There are some great YA fantasy romances out there! The list below contains some recommendations off the top of my head. There's a wide variety of fantasy (some of the books have magic, some don't) as well as differing romantic heat levels, so you can pick whatever sounds best to you.

• The Kiss of Deception, by Mary E. Pearson (this series is one of my favorites!)
• Throne of Glass, by Sarah J. Maas
• A Court of Thorns and Roses, by Sarah J Maas (this one is probably more New Adult, and the content level reflects it. But book 2 is probably my favorite book. Ever.)
• Touch of Power, by Maria V. Snyder
• Falling Kingdoms, by Morgan Rhodes (this series captures the dual POVs you see in Eyrinthia, and it's been compared to a YA Game of Thrones.)
• The False Prince, by Jennifer A. Nielson (less romance, but it's a medieval fantasy world without magic, and I feel like it's very underrated!)
• A Curse so Dark and Lonely, by Brigid Kemmerer
• An Ember in the Ashes, by Sabaa Tahir (I haven't finished the series yet, but I couldn't put down book 1)
• Snow Like Ashes, by Sara Raasch (I haven't finished the series yet, but really enjoyed book 1)
• Reign of Shadows, by Sophie Jordan
• The Wrath and the Dawn, by Renée Ahdieh

I was bored. That was first my reason for this.

But I also love Harry Potter, so it made sense that I needed to figure out which Hogwarts House my Eyrinthia characters fit into!

Some were super easy to sort. Others were a little trickier . . . But in the end they made known their choice of what house they wanted to be in.

So here they are--our Eyrinthia characters broken down by their Hogwarts House!

Gryffindor
Bennick
Clare
Desfan
Wilf
Venn


Ravenclaw
Imara
Cardon
Iris
Carter


Hufflepuff
Mia
Karim
Vera
Dirk


Slytherin
Serene
Razan
Grayson (But also kinda Gryffindor!)
Liam
Tyrell
Peter
Henri


I probably enjoyed doing this way too much, but I apologize for nothing.

What Hogwarts House are you? Did I miss anyone you wanted to see on the list? Do you agree with my sorting, or what would you change? Let me know in the comments!

It's been a while since I've done a blog post, but I'm here to answer some frequently asked questions! (There will be minor spoilers for the story so far, so make sure you've read Royal Decoy and Royal Spy before continuing!)

I'm really excited for you all to read this book! Who are you most excited to catch up with? Do you have another question? Let me know in the comments!

The world of Eyrinthia is a fun place for me to hang out, and I hope readers enjoy it, too! For this guest post, I thought I would share 5 fun facts about the series.

1. Once upon a time, Royal Decoy was a MUCH longer book. It basically combined Royal Decoy AND Royal Spy. It was far too long to publish, so I had to make some changes, and that was an interesting process, as I had to rethink story arcs and character development for two books. But I’m very pleased with how things turned out!

2. Grayson was a character I didn’t plan on. When I started writing Royal Decoy, the storyline was all about Clare. I still get chills when I remember the moment I started a new chapter...and I was not in Clare’s head. I had NO idea why I was suddenly standing in a corridor in a castle in Ryden, the enemy kingdom, but I went with my gut and wrote from the POV of a dark-haired teenage prince. I had no idea what I was about to discover, and I’m SO grateful that Grayson stepped up and let me tell his story. I later went back and integrated him into the story with some earlier chapters, but that first chapter I wrote from his POV is still in Royal Decoy. (It’s Chapter 10, if you want to check it out ;)

3. Fletcher, Mia’s guard, got his name from my own family tree! Fletcher comes from my maternal great-grandparents, who I actually had the great blessing to know. Adding their name into my story was a way to pay homage to them.

4. In Royal Spy, you’ll meet a character named Yahri. She is an old Mortisian noblewoman--but she wasn’t always! When I wrote the first draft, she was actually a middle-aged man. I made the change because it felt like the right thing to do, and I LOVE the result! It makes Yahri a much more interesting character.

5. Mortise is a fun mix of cultures. I took inspiration from middle eastern countries and India, and it has become my favorite kingdom to spend time in! I’m so excited for readers to see it . . . and for everyone to meet Desfan, the reluctant serjah and current regent to the throne. (He also stars on the cover of Royal Spy.) Let’s just say, I am VERY excited for you all to meet him!

I’ve been getting some FAQ, so I thought I’d answer the most common ones here.

Will there be a paperback version of Royal Spy?
     Yes! Soon. I’m sorry I don’t have a specific date, but it is coming! And it will include a short story, The Decoy and the Bodyguard, which was a pre-order incentive for Royal Spy. The short story is in Bennick’s POV, and follows his first day with Clare. (You know, that carriage attack and the brawl in the tavern? Not to mention the part where Bennick lies about his name...) It's super fun to get a glimpse into what he was thinking during those scenes!

When is Royal Captive (Fate of Eyrinthia 3) coming out?
     Early 2022. (But not January 1st, sorry. I appreciate you guys asking, though!)

Have you no heart??? That cliffhanger in Royal Spy!!!
     I do have a heart, and I’m sorry for breaking yours with that cliffhanger! But I promise, book three will be worth the wait. And you will have Fire & Ash to hold you over. Consider it my peace offering!

What is Fire & Ash?
     Fire & Ash is a prequel novella about Desfan, the heir to the Mortisian throne, and all-around fan favorite. He’s such a fun character, and his novella just sort of fell into my head. More details are coming soon, but it is set years before Royal Decoy (it starts on Desfan's fifteenth birthday, actually) and you will get to see him meet Karim, his best friend and bodyguard. I’m super excited to share this story with you!

When does Fire & Ash come out?
     October 28th (my birthday, in fact!) and you can preorder the Kindle version here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B098SJYHW2?ref

There will be a paperback version as well, it just won’t be available for preorder.

How long is a novella? Fire & Ash, specifically?
      Novellas are short novels, anywhere from 100-200 pages. Fire & Ash is approximately 150 pages, but that number will probably grow in the editing stage and when it gets formatted into a printed version.

How many books are going to be in the Fate of Eyrinthia series?
     Six. That does not count novellas. (And yes, that wasn’t a typo. I said novellas :D)

Are you working on any other books?
     Yes, I have a few other series in the works, and I hope to share more specifics soon!


Thank you so much for reading my books! I truly appreciate the love, the reviews, the messages, and the social media shout-outs. You all are awesome!! And now, I'm going to get back to writing :)

Did your questions get asked, or are you wondering about something else? Let me know in the comments!

This post will be short, but I wanted to answer some of the top questions I'm getting asked right now. And, because it's me, there are probably too many gifs involved.

PS. I avoided answering any questions that might give major spoilers for Royal Decoy, just in case you haven't read it yet. But since you probably wouldn't be reading this if you hadn't read Royal Decoy, it's probably overkill. Oh well.

...Seriously, that's my answer. The resemblance is obvious, but people see what they expect to see, and details make a difference. 

Clare worked in the castle for years without anyone noticing the resemblance, because the people she associated with didn't move in the circles the princess did. All it took was one person taking one longer look, and the connection was made. Then details to alter her appearance happened, and now people see the princess because that's what they expect to see. When she's dressed as a maid, they see a maid--because that's what they expect to see. ​

Q: Are you working on any other books, or just Royal Spy?
A: I do have other books in the works, including a trilogy I'm super excited about and you will be learning more soon.

Thanks for reading! And I appreciate you sharing Royal Decoy with your friends. I feel like I usually find my favorite books through friend recommendations, so keep spreading the word!

Did you ever read those "Choose Your Own Ending" adventure stories? As a kid, I went through a phase where I devoured them. Any that the library had, I read. One of my favorites was an Indiana Jones one, where the MC (me!) was a sidekick to Dr. Jones. I still remember this scene where we were caught in a shootout on some docks, and these were the choices:

1) You run in a straight line to the boat.
2) You run in a serpentine pattern to the boat.
3) You hide behind the nearest crate.

I was probably eight or nine, and I remember feeling so cool because I KNEW serpentine was the smart move, and I made my choice without hesitation. It didn't matter that in real life, I probably would have picked the hiding option (which, for the record, would have gotten me abducted, haha!).

I have found that writing is kind of like those Choose Your Own Ending books. There are so many choices you make as an author--choices your characters have to make. Some choices are big and some are small, and somehow at the end of it, you come out with--hopefully--a story others will love as much as you do. Sometimes you make a choice that you think is a good one, but it leads you into a corner your characters can't get out of, so you have to double back and make a different choice. It can be a frustrating process sometimes, but generally speaking, I love it. The possibilities are all there, so open, and it's a wonderful process to be a part of! It is part of what makes writing so addictive to me :)

Okay, and at the risk of getting too philosophical . . . I think our lives are actually like a "Choose Your Own Ending" story. We determine our destiny through the choices we make every day. Sometimes the choices are smaller, like deciding how we will respond to a situation. Sometimes the choices are bigger, like what we choose for a career, or where we live. We can double back from mistakes we might make, and we can pave a new path whenever we want.

Life isn't meant to pass us by. We should be active participants in our lives. Your life is your adventure, so live it! Run to your goal and chase your dream--don't hide behind a crate :) 

Haha, that got deeper than expected. :)

As a lighter, final note, I want to give a shout out to Author Rebecca McKinnon for putting Choose Your Own Ending stories back on my mind with her super cool new podcast, "Pick The Plot"; this first season is a regency romance story, and the listeners get to vote on what direction the story goes at the end of each episode. Awesome, right?? Check it out: https://rebeccamckinnon.com/picktheplot/

Hi all! Just wanted to drop a quick post to say Royal Decoy is out! I've been so thrilled to see the excitement you all have for this book, and I can't wait to hear how you like it. Thanks for being the best, most supportive readers out there!

It's real, and in hardcover, and I am just so happy that this very long road has led me here.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B085299HQN

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51585276-royal-decoy

----------------------------

So, what did I spend release day doing?

1. Looked at the clock at 12:02am and thought--"This is it. Release day!" And promptly had a hard time falling asleep.

2. Slept in (see above)

3. Made--and ate--Strawberry & Nutella Crepes (see below)

4. Spent hours on social media and email as I checked in with my readers, family, friends, and favorite bloggers, just loving the fact that I'm celebrating an amazing day with amazing people--even if social distancing meant no big party at a bookstore, like I have done in the past.

5. Read some of my library book, because, well, reading is my favorite thing to do.

6. Sat on the couch next to my sister, Kimberly, and kept telling her all the exciting comments and posts I saw online, while she tried to read. 

7. Looked at this picture Kimberly took of me--and stopped bugging her. (I mean, can you say blackmail? I'll share it with you guys because we're friends, but seriously...that's going no where else!)

8. Sent THE PRINCE AND THE PRISONER bonus short story to everyone who pre-ordered ROYAL DECOY (I hope you all enjoy Grayson's story! And if you are still wanting the story, you've got time! Just order Royal Decoy TODAY and fill out this form: https://forms.gle/8h6tj3GNfjAj9qgV9)

9. Read some of the 4 and 5 star reviews on Goodreads, because that makes me feel like my book has done exactly what I wanted it to do.

10. Planning a yummy dinner of chicken bacon ranch pizza and cheesey breadsticks from my favorite local pizza place: Pizza Plus.

All in all, a pretty amazing day. Thanks for celebrating with me!!

I love office supplies. Seriously, love them. Paper clips, binder clips, staplers, folders, recipe cards, notebooks, pens--I adore pens!--holders for pens, and basically anything else you'll see on that store aisle. Do I need to buy any more of these things?

No.

Do I?

Often.

Favorites are hard to choose, but in the office supply family, the Post-it Note is probably mine. So many colors. So many shapes. SO MANY USES. I joke that they are my brain.

It's not really a joke.

Months ago, fellow author Rebecca McKinnon (you can learn more about her and her books here: http://rebeccamckinnon.com/) gave me some of the best Post-it Notes I've ever seen. Recipe card Post-it Notes! They are the size of a recipe card, lined like a recipe card, but they are sticky! And they come in various colors. Best. Gift. Ever!
​
I like to plot stories with them on my walls, as you can see here: ​