Marissa White released her book Syren: (Chronicles of the Goddesses Book One) on January 16, 2019 and books R&B had the pleasure of interviewing her about the same. Check out the synopsis of her book before we dive into the Q&A.
Syren: (Chronicles of the Goddesses Book One)
Secluded in her tiny village, Syren Elyota's only wish is to explore the world she knows is out there. But - unfortunately for her - the day of her sixteenth birthday has arrived and what little chance she had of carrying out her dream has flown out the window. On that night, she will be gaining access to the magical balance - becoming an elemental and joining the workforce on one of the four life paths. It's her nightmare coming true.
She prayed that night - prayed to a goddess she didn't normally give a second thought. And on that night, when the goddess Pax spoke to her, Syren finds that being stuck in the village is the least of her problems. Evil magic has found its way to Kra, draining the magic that is already present. Her villagers are suffering, famine and heat a plague upon them all, and Syren fares no better than any of them - even though the goddess left her with odd marks and powers she can't fathom.
Now, she's given the chance to leave the village by the High Scholar, to hone the powers he believes will combat this evil. But there are more secrets to be found - as well as a girl in her dreams, a blue stone, a city that breeds wicked.
The Interview:
Please introduce your book to us and tell us what it is about? My book introduction: This story is one I've had in the works for years. I can still remember the day I first thought of it -- all I wanted was a main character named Syren. And thus, Syren was born. I built the world next, a world name Kra where magic is the backbone of every nation. Syren is a young girl who is dreading the day she'll gain access to her magic, because in her village, it only means you'll have to join the workforce and do that until your days are numbered. If she was a fire elemental, she would have to become a Fighter. If she was an air elemental, a Scholar. A water elemental, a Healer (like her mother), and an earth elemental, a Laborer (like her father). Syren didn't want to be stuck doing the same thing everyday. She wanted to see the world. But, like many other things, she knew she had no choice in the matter.
But on the night of the sixteenth birthday, the night she was supposed to gain access to the magical balance, something happened to Syren that should have been impossible. She had a dream. It was impossible to dream on this night, but Syren did. And to make matters more interesting, she saw the goddess -- Pax. The goddess spoke to her, showed her the deteriorating magical balance that was causing the heat and the famine in her village. She showed her the slow corruption of the magic, and told her she was meant for great things. But before Syren could get anything else, the goddess left and she was thrown from the room. Syren found herself confused and frightened and no one could figure out what happened to her. Not even the High Schholar, but he did know she was different and there was only one place on Kra for those who were different.
Tistari. Syren is sent to the beautiful magical city, only to learn that she has the power to wield all four elements. But she doesn't go alone, and the wicked that follows her is only interested in one thing -- to take her out using whatever means was necessary.
What inspired your novel ? I was inspired by my favorite game: the Fire Emblem series, and action anime. I wanted to emulate the fighting and such but other than that, everything was made up of my own volition.
What is your writing process? I wish I had one. All I do is sit down and wait for inspiration to strike so I know where to take the story. I must have written four different versions before I was satisfied.
Why do you like working with mystery?
I generally don't write mystery novels, it's more fantasy. But every good novel has a bit of mystery going on because I think it's essential to keeping the reader hooked.
What are you reading right now ? I'm currently reading a book by Robyn Carr called Moonlight Road. I read every fiction I can get my hands on though I prefer fantasy novels.
What do you do when you're not writing? Reading (unless I have work). It really, really helps open up my imagination and it's the number one love of my life. The number two love of my life is watching Youtube videos :)
If there was an author you could meet (dead or alive) who would you it be ? Honestly I'm not sure. It's a cross between Cassandra Clare and Nora Roberts. I LOVE the Shadowhunters series but Nora Roberts is the person who got me interested in writing in the first place and she's always been an exceptional and versatile writer to me.
If you could go back in time and give yourself an advice, what would it be ? STOP BEING LAZY FOR THE LOVE OF GOD AND ALWAYS HAVE A SECOND BACKUP, save yourself the heartache.
Do you think people are leaning towards online/TV series over reading books ? Honestly no. The written word will always be able to convey the sort of message and emotion that a TV series won't be able to emulate, and those who like reading will always favor it. Also, with the amount of books and stories out there, TV series can't catch up.
What's your next plan of action ?
My next plan of action is to promote the hell out of my book and get started on the next one as soon as possible. I prefer to keep my goals simple but these might be the hardest things I tackle for the year.
You can find her book here!