A Conversation with YA Fantasy Author Erin Rhew

We are delighted to welcome author Erin Rhew to Omnimystery News today.

Erin is the author of The Fulfillment Trilogy, which opens with The Prophecy (BookFish Books; September 2014 trade paperback and ebook formats), and we recently had the opportunity to spend some time with her talking about the series.

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Omnimystery News: Introduce us to your series characters.

Photo provided courtesy of
Erin Rhew

Erin Rhew: The Fulfillment Series trilogy is full of a host of interesting characters, but the main storyline revolved around three:

• Layla — She's a tough, no-nonsense, "let's get things done" kind of gal. She comes from Vanguard, a land where people are endowed with supernatural strength. But she's got a secret: she was born with purple eyes and dark hair, a description which matches the fulfillment of an ancient peace prophecy. While that seems like a good thing, the Ecclesiastics, a religious group dedicated to locating the fulfillment, are determined to find her and bend her to their dogma. Though she's tough, Layla has a strong sense of loyalty and family. She's dedicated to her adoptive family, to her friends, and to the cause she takes up when she's proclaimed the fulfillment.

• Wil — He's the noble, chivalrous prince of Etherea, a group of people who have mind-controlling abilities and have been at war with the Vanguards for centuries. When he's paired with Layla to bring about peace, he's not sure he can work with his mortal enemy. But Wil's good nature takes over, and he becomes an integral part of Layla's life the the prophecy. Wil constantly struggles with what is right for others versus what he wants — the ultimate internal battle for any good royal leader.

• Nash — He's a wild card. Nash has always done his own thing and lived in a place of limbo. He doesn't belong where he is, but he doesn't belong anywhere else either. His whole life, he's been restless to find a place to be, a cause to believe in. And he finds that in Layla, Wil, and their quest for peace. But when his newfound loyalties are tested, he'll have to decide if he's committed to his friends and the cause, or if he's better off alone.

OMN: Tell us something about The Prophecy that isn't mentioned in the book's synopsis.

ER: A publisher's synopsis gives insight into the main characters and the main struggle, but you never see the secondary characters and the secondary struggles. So, interesting characters like Layla's adoptive brothers — Samson and Grant — as well as Wil's spunky sister — Vespa — aren't in my synopsis. And neither are the struggles they individually face as their siblings undertake a dangerous but important task.

OMN: Describe your writing process for us.

ER: I believe in letting the characters tell the story. Whenever I've tried to massage the storyline to fit the direction I think it should go, my characters balk. It's ultimately their story to tell, and I'm just the messenger.

For this trilogy, I wrote a rough outline because I wanted to make sure I had enough story for three books (I have a problem with "filler" second books). But even with the outline, I didn't know how it would actually end. I had to wait for the characters and their story to reveal it.

I do make a "reference guide" regarding each character's physical attributes and quirks.

OMN: What are some of your outside interests? And have any of these found their way into your books?

ER: I love to read, of course. But I also enjoy exercising, particularly boxing. I think this theme shows up in the fact that Layla is a strong woman. I enjoy the balance of femininity and strength.

My husband, Deek, and I also enjoy going on adventures. I think the "spirit of exploration" we both hold definitely makes its way into books. My characters journey to new place and experience new and different cultures.

OMN: How involved were you with the cover design?

ER: Thankfully, I was quite involved in the cover design. Anita at Race-Point created the covers, and I think she did a fantastic job! When I initially considered what to have on the covers, I decided to do a Twitter poll. I asked young adult readers if they prefered people or symbols on books. An overwhelming number said they preferred symbols. They don't like to have people on the front because they like to create the character's looks in their own minds.

So, I told Anita no people on the front. From there, she read all three books and came up with an idea and theme for them. We hashed out the details back and forth until the covers you see emerged.

I can't recommend Anita enough. She's a true professional and does outstanding work.

OMN: What's next for you?

ER: There are several exciting things coming up for Deek and me! First of all, we're moving across the country! But it's not our first rodeo with that; we did it two years ago. Deek's from the Pacific Northwest, and I'm from the South. We agreed that I'd move to the Pacific Northwest for two years while he finished up some important business there, and then we'd move together back to the South. We plan to stay there and be involved with my huge family and network of friends for a while, and then we hope to become professional vagabonds — moving to new places across the country and world every six months or so.

On the writing front, I'm taking a detour from the young adult genre and working on a historical fiction novel. I hope to have it completed this year and start looking for agents and publishers for it.

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Erin Rhew is an editor, a running coach, and the author of The Fulfillment Series. Since she picked up Morris the Moose Goes to School at age four, she has been infatuated with the written word. She went on to work as a grammar and writing tutor in college and is still teased by her family and friends for being a member of the "Grammar Police."

A Southern girl by blood and birth, Erin now lives in a rainy pocket of the Pacific Northwest with her amazingly talented (and totally handsome) author husband, Deek Rhew, and their patient-as-a-saint writing assistant, a tabby cat named Trinity. She and Deek enjoy reading aloud to one another, running, lifting, boxing, eating chocolate, and writing side-by-side.

For more information about the author, please visit her blog and her author page on Goodreads, or find her on Facebook and Twitter.

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The Prophecy by Erin Rhew

The Fulfillment Trilogy

Publisher: BookFish Books

Growing up on a small farm in the kingdom of Vanguard, seventeen-year-old Layla Givens lives a deceptively tranquil existence. But her carefully constructed life quickly falls apart when she's abducted by a religious zealot who proclaims her The Fulfillment of an ancient peace prophecy and whisks her away to marry her greatest enemy.

Wilhelm, Prince of the Ethereals, is reluctant to meet his new bride. He's grown up believing Vanguards are evil, an enemy to fight and fear … not love. Can he set aside his prejudices and work alongside Layla to bring lasting peace after centuries of war?

Nash, a loner who has never fit in, carries a huge secret, one big enough to destroy both kingdoms. When he accidently meets Layla, he's no longer content to live in the shadows, but he must resist his growing attraction — for her safety and for the longevity of the two kingdoms.

When Nash's secret is revealed, a firestorm sweeps through both realms, with Layla at the center. Now she must choose between duty and desire while the fate of two nations hangs in the balance.

— The Prophecy by Erin Rhew. Click here to take a Look Inside the book.