Author Interview with Hazel McBride

Happy Friday! If you're looking for a new read to spend your weekend with, don't look any further. Hazel McBride's new Celtic-inspired fantasy filled with dragons, romance and political schemes is out! In today's interview, Hazel shares more about the book, what inspired her, what challenges she had to face in her publishing journey, and so much more!

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Thank you for joining us, Hazel! Could you start by introducing yourself?

Hello! I’m Hazel McBride, author of the romantasy novel A Fate Forged in Fire. I grew up in a small village just outside of Glasgow, Scotland but now I live in the Netherlands with my Dutch husband and border collie Whiskey.

We would love to know more about A Fate Forged in Fire and what inspired you to write it!

I think it was two-fold. Firstly, I was hugely inspired by the TV show House of the Dragon and wondered what might have happened in a succession war if the societal ‘norm’ was to put women on the throne instead of men. Secondly, I took a trip home up to the Highlands and Hebridean Islands of Scotland and was hugely inspired by the landscape which helped massively in worldbuilding Erisocia. When you’re standing in the valley of Glen Coe, it’s not difficult to imagine a dragon emerging over the mountains!

What drew you to the romantasy genre, and what do you love most about it?

Honestly, I’ve always been a sucker for a good romance - the tension, the angst - and when you combine that with a high-stakes fantasy plotline, I’m hooked! As a genre primarily written and read by women, it is unfortunately often belittled. When men write about war and dragons it’s hailed as ‘epic fantasy’ but when women write about war and dragons it’s ‘dragon smut’ simply because it has romance? I feel like this narrative does the genre a disservice. I have read some of the most compelling prose, complex characters and poignant social commentaries in romantasy books.

Your book includes dragons – and oh, we so love dragons! Tell us more about the magical system. What was the starting point and how did you build upon it?

When I was building the world of Erisocia, I knew I wanted the society to be matriarchal, so it only made sense to have people worship Goddesses who blessed them with magic. When I began researching Celtic folklore, there were a few who stood out to me - not least of all Brigid, Goddess of fire. I made the decision to have one territory represent one element and have the magical creatures residing there also symbolize that element. So in fire territory (Tìr Teine) we have dragons, phoenixes, chimeras and more! 

Celtic Folklore is heavily rooted in bargaining with faeries and can be a little macabre, so I decided to make the Goddesses discriminate with their blessings. Some people would end up with more magic than others and would seek bonding to a mythical creature as a way to amplify that magic - which gives rise to interesting political and societal conflicts when there are only three dragons left in existence. 

Can you tell us a little bit about your characters? Which, if any, do you identify with most and why? 

We have a large cast of characters but our FMC Aemyra is probably who I wish I was the most like? She is so unapologetic in her love for both men and women, with both male and female love interests on the page. As a bisexual woman myself - I wish I could have read about a character so comfortable in her own skin when I was growing up. 

And which characters do you hope your readers will connect with the most?

Within the book we meet so many different women from different backgrounds who have all been affected in some way by the violence of men. There are some jarring parallels with what we are seeing in our current society and I hope watching these women take back their power, or refuse to let it be taken from them, can give readers courage to do the same in their daily lives. 

You’re originally from Scotland, but you’ve lived in the Caribbean, Spain, France, and now the Netherlands! How did those places inspire you? Did any lore specific to these countries find a way into your books?

I’ve definitely been lucky enough to work all over the world and experience so many different cultures, but specifically for this series I feel like it’s almost a homecoming. For a decade I was seeking to get away from Scotland but it was only after leaving that I realized how much I missed it. 

A Fate Forged in Fire is steeped in Celtic mythology and Scottish culture - with characters wearing kilts, eating bannocks, attending ceilidh’s and playing shinty. 

That being said, each territory of Erisocia feels slightly different, in a similar way to how different areas of Scotland have varying history - whether they were originally Gael, Pictish or settled by the Norse. 

You have also written a fantasy trilogy, Ocean’s Daughter. How was that experience different from writing A Fate Forged in Fire? 

I originally indie published my Young Adult fantasy trilogy Ocean’s Daughter which was such a different experience overall. I began writing book one when I was seventeen and I have learned so much since then - not only about writing but about life in general. I initially went into that project wanting to make it a sapphic love story between a mermaid and a young girl, but was told that no-one wanted to read sapphic YA stories, so I changed it. I would love to revisit and rework that story one day. 

Of course, with A Fate Forged in Fire being traditionally published, it feels like more of a team effort. With my editors, agent and beta readers input they really help you see your story in a different way and push you to make it better. 

Have you come across any challenges during your publishing career? How have you overcome them?

Indie publishing was extremely challenging simply because it requires you to be a ‘jack of all trades’. You aren’t only writing the book, you’re formatting it, distributing it, marketing it, and it really can get quite overwhelming. 

When I started writing A Fate Forged in Fire and was approached by my agent, I very quickly signed with her because I knew that traditional publishing would give me the support I needed to realistically make this my career. 

I am autistic and while writing allows me to manage my days in such a way that I don’t get overstimulated and I can spend hours in my fantasy world - there are still moments where things might get lost in translation via email or where I want to be able to over-explain something and it simply isn’t possible that can be tough to handle. Book events can also be very overstimulating and draining but that doesn’t take away how fun and exciting it is to connect with readers and go on tour. A lot of it is about managing my time correctly and ensuring I can find a balance. 

Are you a plotter or pantser, and did any additional research go into the story? 

I did a lot of research for the worldbuilding - looking at Celtic mythology and pagan worship systems specifically - but when it came time to write the story I’m much more of a pantser. For this reason, I knew I would need the detailed worldbuilding document I built which contains a family tree for our FMC Aemyra going back 200yrs so I wouldn’t make any mistakes with the lore. 

As a pantser, I love nothing more than a blank word document and letting the story evolve and grow as I type. Most often, if I try to go in with a plan, I change the plan - so it’s easier just not to waste time! Although, I will say this usually makes re-writes a little bit of a nightmare!

We’d love a hint about what readers can expect from you next! What are you currently working on?

Book 2 is in edits as A Fate Forged in Fire is the first book of a duology, and I’m currently working on drafting the second duology! There will be one standalone duology per territory of Erisocia and I cannot wait to explore them all with readers. 

If you had any advice for writers who, like you, would like to to turn their hobby into a career, what would it be?

Don’t let the fear of someone having written a story similar to yours stop you. No one can tell a story like you can. 

Our podcast focuses on media we’re currently loving. Are there any books, shows, movies, or games you’re enjoying at the moment? Any recommendations for our audience? Bonus points if it includes sapphics!

I recently read The Lady of the Lake which is a sapphic Arthurian retelling by Jean Menzies which follows the story of Morgan (Arthur’s sister) and Viviane (the lady of the lake). 

About Hazel

Hazel McBride grew up in Scotland, gaining her BSc in Psychology at the University of Glasgow, before moving to the Caribbean, Southern Europe and has now settled in the Netherlands with her Dutch husband and overly energetic border collie and is fluent in four languages.

As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, and being hugely proud of her Scottish heritage – having both feature prominently in her novels is hugely important to her.

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