Welcome to another Weekend Interview! Today we have Rachel Griffin, the author of Khyrus: Deity of Virtue & Strength.
Jo: Thanks so much for coming to say hi to us, today! Can you tell us a little something about Khyrus: Deity of Virtue & Strength?
Rachel: To avenge his fallen parents and to preserve what they’ve fought to protect, Khyrus must defeat Nirjin, Deity of Destruction. Khyrus’ heart is made of gold and has longs for the day where evil will rule no longer, but will gain the strength and will? Will his companions assist him in succeeding or will they fall at his side?
J: That sounds good! What inspired you to write it?
R: I was inspired to write it because I wanted to attempt to branch out from what I usually did (poetry, newsletters, etc). I wanted to create an actual story that has a message/lesson to learn by the end of the novel. The more I pushed myself, the more creative and determined I became to complete Khyrus: Deity of Virtue & Strength. My husband and my life in general were also my inspirations. I wanted to be able to prove myself wrong and make myself proud. My husband was my inspiration and motivation because he was a constant reminder of what I’m capable of and to never give up on what you want.
J: That is so awesome! I always love to hear about writers with supportive families. So many don’t have that. Who is your favorite character in the book?
R: If I had to pick a favorite character, it would be Leona. She starts as a really close friend of Khyrus during the years they were training. She was the one who kept Khyrus’s head leveled and was his right hand person through it all. I don’t want to say more because it’ll spoil part of the ending.
J: She sounds like a good character! What was your favorite part of writing Khyrus?
R: My favorite part of the writing process was being able to type to last few words. Typing those last few words and the end of the last chapter gave me one of the best feelings ever because I could finally say I completed a book. The feeling I had after publishing was even better.
J: That is a great feeling! What was your least favorite part?
R: My least favorite part was figuring out where and how to publish on my own. The whole process was completely new to me, so getting through that for the first time was quite the challenge. Though it was my least favorite part then, it’ll me my favorite with the next books I write.
J: Yeah, publishing can be overwhelming the first time, but it gets easier and easier with each book. Speaking of future books, what do you have planned next?
R: I’m currently working on my first trilogy novels. These will be compilations of poems I’ve written pertaining to my different types of trauma. Some are relationships. Others are loved ones passing away. The rest are pertaining to relationships: family, boyfriends, friends, etc. I’m also in the middle of planning more charity events for the remainder of the year.
J: That sounds great! Can you tell us an interesting fact about you?
R: I never knew what I wanted to be as a child. I didn’t fully figure that out until I was in 12th grade.
J: I understand that. I’m not sure I’ve decided what I want to do yet, haha! Where can we find more of you and your work?
R: I have a website called Pen & Camera. I own an online Photography and Writing company and have all contact info, some of my work and pries for everything. I also have social media. I can be found on Instagram as @penandcamera1. I’m on Twitter as @penandcamera12. Follow me on Facebook.com/SnapAndWrite. I also have Tumblr and LinkedIn profile. Those links, along with other social sites and contact info, are included on my company site.
J: Very cool! I love photography, too! Thanks so much for coming to see us today, and thanks to our readers for stopping in. Be sure to check out Rachel’s photos and her novel Khyrus: Deity of Virtue & Strength. You can find it on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08X3TQT29
Rachel Griffin is a photographer and the Founder and CEO of Pen & Camera. She’s also the author of the new novel Khyrus: Deity of Virtue & Strength. She began writing poetry in middle school and continued throughout high school into adulthood. She soon began writing newsletters about events issues. Then she began branching off to national and international events while still including coverage on her business. It wasn’t until 2019 that she began taking on writing novels. In 2020, she published her first novel Khyrus. One book down, many more to go!
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Amaranthine by Joleene Naylor 