Breathless Reads Week: Morgan Rhodes

Next up? Morgan Rhodes, author of Falling Kingdoms, a high fantasy told from the views of four very different people during a time when no one knows where to look next or who to trust.

Fiction Freak: You've probably answered this a thousand times but...What inspired Falling Kingdoms?

Morgan Rhodes: As someone who's loved movies and books with swords and sorcery, princes and princesses since I was just a kid, I've always wanted to get the chance to write high fantasy -- especially high fantasy for teens --  and feel very lucky to work on this series, which is a fabulous creative collaboration with Razorbill. It's been so much fun to stretch my imagination in these new and exciting directions!

FF: What's your funniest moment?

MR: I'm fairly horrible about remembering faces and names, so sometimes I'll try to be really friendly to someone I actually don't know because I think I DO know them. I don't find this very funny, but my friends seem to think it's hilarious.

FF: How did you feel when you sold your first book? When Falling Kingdoms got in the Breathless Reads?

MR: 1) I sold my first book in late 2004 and -- well, I felt rather overwhelmed and terrified, actually! LOL! It happened really fast from the point I got an agent, so I think I was kind of unprepared for the next step! Happily, I have since recovered and written over twenty books under my other pen name. 2) When Falling Kingdoms was selected to be a part of Breathless Reads I was elated, of course. It's a huge honor and incredibly exciting!

FF: Which of your books was the most fun to write?

MR: I have a lot of fun writing ALL of my books (although they're a lot of work, too!) no matter what genre they're in. I can't pick only one! Sometimes when I get overwhelmed or bogged down with plot, frustrating characters, deadlines, etc., I remind myself to have fun with it. Even my most serious novel is meant to be entertaining, so if I'm not having fun I can't expect the reader to!

FF: Think you can describe your writing process in 10 words or less? :D

MR: Write it fast, then take time to make it better. :)

FF: Do you have a favorite character in Falling Kingdoms? If so, why that character?

MR: There are four main characters in FK that we get to follow and I love them all. If there's one who pulls out just a bit ahead, it's Prince Magnus since he's so complicated and tortured and his scenes are truly a delight to write.

FF: What has been the best part of being a Breathless Reads author? Any new experiences yet?

MR: We're still very early in the game since none of the books have been released yet, and it's still several months till Falling Kingdoms hits the shelves, but being a part of Breathless Reads has been a fabulous opportunity to get more exposure and early word-of-mouth for the book.

FF: Falling Kingdoms is called "Breathless Rebellion" so what is the most rebellious thing you've done?

MR: I'm not that rebellious, I'm afraid! I suppose quitting a perfectly good day job (I was a graphic designer) four years ago to become a full-time writer was pretty rebellious! Also, I once died my hair dark red, but that was a biiiig mistake.

FF: Is it different writing High Fantasy instead of Paranormal? If so, how?

MR: Very much so. High Fantasy tends to have a medieval flavor, so I had to do historical research. Since it IS fantasy and set in a "different world" I am able to take some liberties with my world-building, but it still needs to feel authentic, so this can be a fun challenge. Also, I am unable to rely on modern slang or cultural references, which I use rather frequently in my modern-day paranormals. Both genres are major fun to write, but with high fantasy I need to be a bit more conscious about what's going on the page and how my characters would think and act, and how they're different from "modern" teens -- but also how they're exactly the same! It's a fine balance.

FF: Any words to say to readers/bloggers/aspiring writers?

MR: Just that I absolutely adore the YA online community that's developed over the last few years -- anyone who's passionate about books and reading (and writing) is AWESOME. I really hope you enjoy Falling Kingdoms and the rest of Penguin's Breathless Reads!

Short Author Bio

Morgan Rhodes lives in Ontario, Canada. As a child, she always wanted to be a princess -- the kind that knows how to wield a sharp sword to help save both kingdoms and princes from fire-breathing dragons and dark wizards. Instead, she became a writer, which is just as good and much less dangerous. Along with writing, Morgan enjoys photography, travel, reality TV, and is an extremely picky, yet voracious reader of all kinds of books. Under another pen name, she’s a national bestselling author of many paranormal novels. Falling Kingdoms is her first high fantasy.

Falling Kingdoms Blurb

In a land where magic has been forgotten but peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest is simmering. Three kingdoms grapple for power—brutally transforming their subjects’ lives in the process. Amidst betrayals, bargains, and battles, four young people find their fates forever intertwined:
Cleo: A princess raised in luxury must embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of a magic long thought extinct.
Jonas: Enraged at injustice, a rebel lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country impoverished—and finds himself the leader of a people’s revolution centuries in the making.
Lucia: A girl adopted at birth into a royal family discovers the truth about her past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.
Magnus: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, a firstborn son begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword...
The only outcome that’s certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

Contact Info

Morgan Rhodes's Facebook

Morgna Rhodes's Twitter

Morgan Rhodes's Goodreads