I was lucky to get an interview with Holly Karlsson, the author of Kingdom of Essence, and one of this year’s #SPFBO8 semifinalists.

Please, tell us a bit about yourself…
Hi! I’m an American author currently living in northern Sweden. I’ve loved epic and adventure fantasy since I first picked up a book and had so much fun imagining myself as a character inside those worlds. Naturally, this led me to live inside my imagination a lot of the time and decide I wanted to tell stories.

What was the first thought that popped into your mind when you found out you had made it to the semifinals?
Mostly I just felt a combination of relief and excitement, quickly followed by anxiety for the next part of the competition! It’s both exciting and nerve-racking knowing more people will be reading my book.

Why did you decide to take part in the SPFBO?
I’ve never dared enter before, but after J.D. Evans won SPFBO 7 — we have the same incredible cover artist, Tanya Anor — I decided to see how far I could go. I love the world and magic in Kingdom of Essence, and as it’s always challenging finding new readers, I thought SPFBO might help put my stories in front of new eyes.

Aside from your SPFBO8 book getting the stamp of approval by being in the semifinals, why should I buy it?
If you love Slavic-inspired fantasy adventure with elemental magic, relics, friends with a sunshine and grumpy dynamic, a corrupt Tower of mages trying to ruin it all, and tons of fall vibes, this story might be for you!

What got you into writing? And how long have you been doing it?
A very excitable imagination. I’ve always wished I had magic powers or was friends with a dragon, so I can think of nothing cooler than getting to create and share interesting, epic worlds. Though I’ve been writing since I was a child, I didn’t finish my first novel until my thirties after I had my two kids and was lucky to be able to work from home.

Why did you choose to write fantasy? And why pick this particular fantasy subgenre?
Fantasy has always been my favorite genre since anything is possible! I primarily write epic/high fantasy because I love quests and sprawling landscapes and magical relics.

Which other author has had the biggest influence on your writing?
It’s always hard to point to one particular author as I read so widely, but some of my favorites for scope, setting and vibes are Brandon Sanderson, Mercedes Lackey, Robert Jordan, Melanie Rawn and Anne McCaffrey.

What’s the best thing about being a writer?
Getting to write about things I think are cool, and finding likeminded readers.

What’s the hardest thing about being a writer?
Knowing not everyone will like what I write (rejection is never fun!), and that my first book is not as strong as my second or my third. Of course, knowing I’ve continuously improving at storytelling is also pretty cool.

How do I get into the semifinals? Just kidding! No seriously, might you be willing to share a tip, a scrap of wisdom, or perhaps an app, tool, or resource that you can really recommend to authors?
Besides reading a lot (and widely, outside the genre you write in), I think it’s incredibly helpful to have a trusted critique partner. My stories are stronger because of this feedback, and it’s made it easier to see where I can improve.

What new projects are you working on?
I’m writing the final book in my epic trilogy, Daughters of Fire and Sea. After that, I’ll work on the sequel to Kingdom of Essence (there will be 1-2 more books) and then pick from my long list of ideas I’ve been itching to write. I definitely won’t be running out of ideas for a long, long time!

Anything else you would like to say before we close?
Thank you to all the judges for giving their time and to Mark Lawrence for hosting such an amazing competition! I’ve already found lots of new books I’m excited to read, and I’m so grateful to still be in the running.

Congratulations on the semi-finalist spot and best of luck in the competition, Holly.
Thanks for doing the interview!