Author Interview with Raine Thomas

I have a treat for you today!  Raine Thomas, author of the Daughters of Saraqael Trilogy: BECOMING, CENTRAL, & FORETOLD, agreed to answer my questions about her current and upcoming books.  If you aren't following her on Twitter or Facebook, I suggest you check her out!

My reviews of each book can be found here: BECOMING, CENTRAL, & FORETOLD

The Estilorian world that you have created is so unique, where did you come up with the idea?  

Thanks! I like to keep up with what’s hot in fiction, but I’m also a person who likes to set trends. Vampires, werewolves, wizards and fey have all had their (awesome) moments, so I considered what else I could do. I was raised Catholic, so my family has always talked about angels. I almost minored in history in my undergraduate studies because stories of ancient civilizations and their religious practices fascinate me. So I thought, “Hmm. What if everything humans think they know about all of those other things were based off a different reality altogether?” And voila--the Estilorians were born!

Did you write all three books right after each other, or was there a break between writing each book?

I wrote them back-to-back-to-back. I’m writing my next Estilorian trilogy the same way. I wanted to ensure the same overall voice and tone, as well as keep them consistent. On top of that, I wanted to be sure when I started building a fan base that they had more than one book to read.

How did you decide or create Amber, Olivia, and Skye?  Did you always know what each sister’s strength and weakness was going to be?

I actually didn’t always know. I tossed around a lot of concepts in my head before settling on this one. Every detail was carefully weighed, from their eye colors to their attributes. Because I worked with thousands of children and adolescents in the foster system, I did know that this would be an element for Amber. I’ve wanted to create a hero (or heroine) out of a foster kid for years.

Are the plans to have the books in hard copy form, or will they remain eBooks?  I love that The Daughters of Saraqael Trilogy has action, finding yourself, and love story that I could share with my students without worrying about the content.   

Again, thank you! The plan is definitely to use proceeds from sales of this trilogy to offer these and future books in hard copy format. They’re all formatted for it, but the cost is prohibitive to an author just starting out. Thus, they’re only in eBook format for now.

Did you use any known mythology to help guide your writing?

I did (and still do), particularly with character names. In the first three books, I didn’t do many “tongue in cheek” mentions of obvious human myths or biblical stories because I didn’t want the books to border on cheesy. However, as this next trilogy continues I might throw a few tidbits in there.

I noticed at the end of Becoming, that there is another series coming out.  Can you share more information about that series with us?

The next trilogy takes place eighteen years after the end of Foretold. It features a new class of Estilorian (class name and details to be revealed soon). What I can tell you is that they’re elementals. I can also tell you that I’m currently writing a hero that I think readers will love! He has many surprises in store for us.

Will we hear more about the Daughters of Saraqael after this initial trilogy?

Yes. I certainly hope readers will become attached to the characters and want to continue to follow them. The next stories will move away from focusing on the Daughters of Saraqael, but the sisters will still play a part in the stories.

Random question time:

What is your favorite dessert? 

Fun question! I’m more of a salty-snacks kind of gal, but anything oozing with chocolate and caramel would float my boat.

What book are you currently reading or hoping to read soon?

I’m currently reading Chelsea Fine’s “Sophie & Carter.” It’s amazing so far!

Do you have anything else you would like to share with your readers? 

First, thank you for reading this blog, and if you haven’t already checked out the Daughters of Saraqael Trilogy, I certainly hope you do! Next, I have become something of a social media addict…so please look me up on Twitter (http://twitter/Raine_Thomas) or Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/rainethomas) and I’d love to interact with you.