Q: Will the map for the Four Kingdoms, Beyond the Four Kingdoms, and Return to the Four Kingdoms be updated with the new countries?
A: Yes, it will! The plan is to go through all the books to gather more details and then commission a new map.
Q: Do the books in the three sets of Four Kingdoms series need to be read in order?
A: No, my fairy tales are designed to be stand alone. Each story features a different couple and a different kingdom. However, the stories are interconnected and previous characters make appearances in future books, so the series can be best enjoyed if read in order.
Q: What about the books in the different Mage series?
A: Unlike my fairy tales, my other book series have larger stories that follow the same set of characters. Although different challenges are faced in each book, they do need to be read in order.
Q: Do the Mage series take place in the same world?
A: Yes and no. The Spoken Mage and the Hidden Mage series belong to one world, while A Mage's Influence and A Mage's Apprentice are set in another world. Timeline wise, the events in the Spoken Mage and A Mage's Influence occur first in their respective worlds.
Q: Will you write any more fairy tale retellings after Return to the Four Kingdoms?
A: At the moment, I have plans to write a duology with a retelling of East of the Sun and West of the Moon. It will release in 2024.
Q: Will Clarisse have her own story?
A: I get a fair few enquiries about whether there's a story for her, but given she's a widow in her twenties recovering from an abusive marriage, her story really wouldn't work as a YA book! She and her second husband do appear in the bonus epilogue I wrote to A Crown of Snow and Ice, however, and she then also appears as a secondary character in The Mystery Princess (which returns to Rangmere where she lives), and she does share some of her backstory (including how she found love again) with Daria in that book.
Q: What’s up with your spelling?
A: This is a good question! I live in Australia, and Australian English is much more closely aligned in spelling with British English than with American English. (Think fewer instances of z and more of u.) My Four Kingdoms series was originally written in Australian English.
However, having become increasingly aware that a majority of my readers live in the US, I decided to publish my current series, Beyond the Four Kingdoms, using American English. I have since also published new editions of the existing Four Kingdoms books in American English. I hope that all my Australian, British and Canadian readers will forgive me for the change!
Q: What is the name of the kingdom in The Princess Companion? Is it Arcadia or Arcadie?
A: Arcadia is the name of the kingdom. Arcadie is the name of the capital city of that kingdom. (Think Mexico and Mexico City.)
Unfortunately, this seems to have caused a fair amount of confusion. I have learned my lesson, and will aim for more distinct names in the future! :)
Q: I have a favourite fairy tale. Will you be writing a retelling of it?
A: If you’d like to see a favourite tale retold, send me an email or comment on Facebook and let me know. You never know what might inspire me!
Q: What age range are your books appropriate for?
A: My books are all young adult—meaning the main characters are aged around 16 to 18 years old and are on a journey of finding where they belong in their world. This doesn't mean all my readers are young adults, though! Many adults—including me!—love to read young adult books, and many readers have commented that they share my books with their children. I don't feel comfortable giving a specific youngest age to read my books as I know that each child and family is different. However, if my books were movies, I suspect they would have a PG rating. Romance is always a specific element, and many books end with an engagement or wedding, but the romance doesn't progress beyond kissing. In terms of other content, the books do not include bad language, and while there is violence, it is generally not described in graphic terms.
Q: Are your books available to purchase in paperback?
A: All my books are currently available in paperback, with the paperback usually becoming available about a week after the ebook. They are available to be ordered online from Amazon stores worldwide (just go to the book page on any of these sites and make sure you've selected the paperback tab). All of them are now also available from a wide range of online booksellers worldwide (including barnesandnoble.com, bookdepository.com, booktopia.com.au, etc).
Q: Do you have any message for your readers?
A: Yes, I do! You guys are all amazing, and you are the ones who allow me to create new worlds and tell fun tales. I couldn’t do it without you, so thank you! (Ok, so maybe this isn’t actually a FAQ, but I wanted to say it anyway :D)
