I was lucky to get an interview with Amber L. Werner, the author of Shadows That Bind Us, one of this year’s #SPFBO9 entries.

Please, tell us a bit about yourself…
I’m a mom of two from Pennsylvania, USA. I have a deep love of all things sci-fi and fantasy. When I’m not writing, I enjoy tie-dying anything and everything, and cuddling my dog Wickit.

Why should I buy your SPFBO9 entry?
My book will appeal to many fantasy lovers. Shadows That Bind Us follows a group of young heroes as they struggle to overcome betrayals and fight the evil forces threatening their world. If you love stories filled with animal companions, dragons, unique magic, fade-to-black romance, and fast-paced adventure, then give it a try.

What got you into writing? And how long have you been doing it?
I’ve always loved reading and writing. I wrote for my school paper in high school and college, but the inner introvert in me was never fully comfortable in that career. I’m much happier alone with the world I create in my mind. I didn’t start putting that world down on paper until about two years ago. Since then, I’ve grown to love the craft of fiction writing, and can see myself publishing dozens of books in the future.

Have you participated in the SPFBO before and where did you hear about the competition?
This is my first year participating in SPFBO, but I’ve been following the contest for a few years, mainly on Facebook. Shadows is my debut novel, and just released Jan 1st, so this was the first year I’ve had an eligible book to submit. I’m so pumped to be featured with all the incredible indie authors this year.

Why did you choose to write fantasy?
The main thing that drew me to fantasy was my fascination with dragons. In my book, I wanted to include lots of adventure, tight-knit friendships, and new love, but with magic and dragons too, so fantasy was a natural choice for me. Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like dragons and magic make every story better.

Which other author has had the biggest influence on your writing?
Just before deciding to write my fantasy epic, I read Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series for the first time. That gorgeous story had an enormous influence on me. I loved the strong female characters, the detailed magic system, and the epic battle of good vs. evil. Although my writing style is a good deal more fast-paced than Jordan’s, both stories have the same classic fantasy vibe.

If you were to win the SPFBO, what impact do you think this would have on your writing career?
Since I’m just starting out in my author career, I’m positive winning would benefit me immensely. Having so many fantasy bloggers' approval would be a huge boon getting my novel out in the world and helping readers discover my books.

What challenges did you face during the writing or publishing process, and how did you overcome them?
Finding time to write while raising two kids has been a challenge for me. What helps me the most is taking advantage of technology to write whenever I have a spare second. That means I originally drafted half of Shadows on the Notes app on my phone. Without that, I’d probably still be working on writing book two or three, instead of just completing the rapid release of book three.

Do you have any tips or an author app, tool, or resource that you can really recommend we try?
I always recommend checking out Brandon Sanderson’s free YouTube lecture series. When I was just starting out and didn’t know exactly how to get started, watching those helped me more than anything. It’s like getting a whole college level course on writing fiction, from one of the most prolific fantasy authors alive today. If you’re new to writing, then give it a watch.

And now it's time to yank out your Palantir! Let’s talk about the future. What new projects are you working on?
There’s more to come in the world of Dracwood. Although the Palisade Trilogy that begins with Shadows is complete, I have a new trilogy I’m writing in the same world. It begins twenty years after Palisade Trilogy ends, and features new main characters, an all-new adventure, and a new, unique magic system. The first book, Bloodfeather Lullaby, will be available in ebook and paperback this fall. And for readers who are eager to read it first, it’s currently available for early access on kindle Vella in the US.

Apps that are based on artificial intelligence (AI), such as ChatGTP and Midjourney, along with apps aimed specifically at authors, have caused quite a stir. Do you expect these new technologies will make your life as a self-published author easier or harder, and do you expect that they’ll mean you’ll earn more or less?
I think those apps can be a benefit as long used as a tool, or for inspiration, and not to replace the skills of a real-life artist, writer, or editor. For example, I have AI editing software that I use to help clean up my first draft, but that doesn’t mean I plan to skip out on a human editor. After seeing some of the idiotic suggestion that software sometimes makes, I believe it will be a long time before AI can hope to replace a human writer. So, for now, I hope those technologies will be more of a help than a hinderance to writers like me.

Do you have any dreams you’d like to share?
My dream is to write many more fantasy books in my lifetime. I’d love to have fans all over the world one day, and know that my stories are touching people’s lives. Just knowing that my books brightened their day, or helped them escape from the stress of their lives for a short time, would be a dream come true for me.

Anything else you would like to say before we close?
First, I’d like to thank you for the interview. I appreciate the opportunity to talk about my story. And I’d love to thank all the bloggers and everyone helping run SPFBO9. I’m so excited to be included with so many incredible novels this year. Good luck to all the entrants!

For anyone interested in reading Shadows, I’d love it if you checked out my website. I have a free prequel novella you can grab if you sign up for my newsletter titled, Fates That Entwine Us. It’s a standalone adventure, set five hundred years before Shadows begins. You don’t have to read it to enjoy Shadows, but it will give you a little peek into the history of the world, and a glimpse at how magic works.

Thank you for some interesting answers, Amber. I wish you the very best in the SPFBO. I hope a lot of readers discover your writing. Thanks for doing the interview!