The Prophecy
Daughters of the People # 1
By- Lucy Varna
Genre- Fantasy/ Romance /Romantic Suspense
Maya Bellegarde has spent her entire life searching for a way to break the curse hanging over her and her People. As part of her quest, she volunteers to investigate an anomalous burial at a Swedish archaeological dig where a rare cache of documents has been discovered side by side with an ancient symbol linked to the Seven Sisters, the progenitors of the People.
While in Sweden, Maya meets James Terhune, an attractive archaic language expert, and invites him to take on a position at the Institute for Early Cultural Studies, the People's main historical research branch. James is thrilled by the opportunity Maya extends and intrigued by the attraction he feels for her. He soon begins to suspect, however, that the secrets of the grave are minor compared to the secrets Maya holds, secrets that could hamper their burgeoning relationship and cripple the work they've undertaken for the IECS.
The People aren't the only ones interested in the newly-discovered documents. An ancient enemy of the People resurfaces, threatening the lives of Maya and James' loved ones, and setting in motion a chain of events that could save the People, or destroy them.
Light’s Bane
Daughters of the People # 2
By- Lucy Varna
Genre- Fantasy/ Romance /Romantic Suspense
Daniella Nehring is a fierce warrior with a turbulent past. Born in the earliest days of World War II to unknown parents, she was raised by Rebecca Upton, one of the People’s most notable leaders. Dani has always had questions about her parents’ identities, information Rebecca refuses to reveal, leaving a gaping hole in Dani's own identity.
Dani travels to New York on Rebecca's orders to search for the mysterious woman who stole a copy of the Prophecy of Light from the People. There, she teams up with Dave Winstead, an FBI agent working undercover with the People's most ancient and deadly enemy. Dave has a soft spot for the young warrior that divides his loyalties between her and the job he took in order to fulfill a promise he made a decade and a half before, a promise he's determined to keep, no matter what the cost.
As Dani and Dave are drawn deeper into the hunt for the missing artifact, Dani's immortality is jeopardized, and with it, her ability to reclaim the Prophecy tablet. When she learns the truth about her heritage, Dani must confront her past in a struggle that will change her life forever.
The Enemy Within
Daughters of the People # 3
By- Lucy Varna
Genre- Fantasy/ Romance /Romantic Suspense
After fourteen years, Indigo Dupree returns to Tellowee, Georgia, to face the past she left behind. She's tried of running, tired of hiding, and wants nothing more than to help her mother through the final days of her pregnancy. What she doesn't want is to become romantically entangled, not even to the sinfully handsome Bobby Upton, whose kiss sent her fleeing a decade and a half before.
Bobby is the son of the Blade and a ruthless warrior in his own right. At sixteen, the age of manhood among the People, he tried to claim the woman he loved and failed, and spent the next decade hacking his way through Uncle Sam's enemies. Now a successful businessman, he's given the task of tracking down the People's enemies, including India Furia, the twin sister of his heart's only love.
Duty demands that Indigo atone for the sins of her sister by helping to bring her in. India has other ideas, ones that draw Indigo and Bobby into a deadly game involving the Prophecy of Light, forcing Indigo to choose between her duty and her heart.
Tempered
Daughters of the People #3.5
By- Lucy Varna
Genre- Fantasy/ Romance /Romantic Suspense
Among the People, Hawthorne the Chronicler is well-known for two things: Her faithful rendition of their history and her inclination to behead those who betray her. To mortals, Hawthorne is better known as Al C. Hawthorne, a fantasy writer with a stellar imagination and a knack for complex stories. It is in this guise that she must track down the sources of comic book illustrator Aaron Kesselman's modernized tales of Rebecca the Blade.
Hawthorne's blunt words and lithe grace intrigue Aaron, enough for him to take her up on the offer of sharing her bed. Before he knows it, his heart begins the fall into love, a fall he's willing to take if only he can persuade Hawthorne that she isn't a two thousand year old immortal descended from one of the most ruthless warriors in British history.
The past isn't the only obstacle standing in the way of true love. The Eternal Order is on the move, targeting key members of the People in their never-ending quest to extinguish the Light. Hawthorne soon learns that a strong arm and a sharp blade aren't always the best weapons in a Daughter's arsenal, especially when her heart is involved.
In All Things, Balance
Daughters of the People # 4
By- Lucy Varna
Genre- Fantasy/ Romance /Romantic Suspense
The People are in a time of great need. The Prophecy of Light has been rediscovered, the Eternal Order constitutes a growing threat, and the IECS Archives may hold the key the People need to forever be free of An’s curse.
Moira the Reluctant, immortal Daughter of the renowned Rebecca Upton, journeys from her home in Ireland to assist with efforts to locate Sanctuary, the legendary refuge of the Seven Sisters. There, she meets Tom Fairfax, a reserved archivist tasked with organizing and modernizing the Archives. Tom is everything a Daughter could want in a future mate, handsome, intelligent, and kind. Above all, his touch arouses her in a way no other man’s ever has.
The moment Tom spied Moira, his heart tangled into a knot and hasn’t loosened since. The beautiful Daughter has a sharp tongue and a temper to match, and is not at all the kind of woman he dreamed of calling his own. In spite of the attraction he feels for her, Tom goes out of his way to avoid the fiery Daughter, determined to protect himself from certain heartbreak. Moira is equally determined to have him, regardless of his apparent infatuation with another Daughter.
When Moira’s brother is kidnapped, she and Tom are thrown together in a way neither anticipated, forcing them to trust one another or risk losing their budding love under the crushing weight of the Order’s never-ending quest for continued immortality.
Sanctuary
Daughters of the People # 5
By- Lucy Varna
Genre- Fantasy/ Romance /Romantic Suspense
Jerusha Mankiller has found herself in a lot of tight spots during her century and a half of living, but her current assignment takes the cake. Her mother, the formidable Blade, has sent her halfway around the world to investigate clues to the locations of Sanctuary and the City of the Sisters. The catch? Her cover is as the wife of her brother’s best friend, a former Delta Force Operator with a smart attitude and a wicked smile.
Playing somebody’s husband isn’t a new cover for Drew Martin, but it’s the first time he’s partnered a woman he’s got the hots for. Unfortunately, Jerusha treats him like her kid brother, and when she’s not, she’s instituted a strictly hands-off policy. One kiss wouldn’t kill her, would it? And at least then he’d know if the wild attraction tugging at him affected her, too.
Tracking down decades-old leads isn’t exactly easy, though. Soon, Jerusha and Drew have their hands full countering the problems cropping up around every corner. Someone is tailing them, the Shadow Enemy turns up in the unlikeliest of places, and an ancient Daughter sets her cap for Drew, leaving him wondering what could possibly go wrong next.
About the Author-
Lucy Varna lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of northeast Georgia, surrounded by her large, extended family. She's a voracious reader and enjoys nothing more than losing herself between the pages of a good book. Her writing draws extensively on her background in genealogy, history, and archaeology, as well as on her eternal love of Science Fiction, Fantasy, the paranormal, and suspense.
Links-
1. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
When I was a teenager, maybe younger. I scribbled in journals and spare notebooks for ages before my parents finally bought me a typewriter when I was sixteen.
2. How long does it take you to write a book?
It depends on whether it’s part of my regular schedule or not. The first draft of my first novel, The Prophecy (Daughters of the People, Book 1), took about seven weeks to write. Most take between sixty and ninety days, though I worked on the first draft of Say Yes, an unscheduled companion novel to the Daughters of the People Series, in my spare time for seven months before completing it. I also tend to juggle projects, so the writing times overlap since I’m writing two or more stories at one time.
3. What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
I usually spend the first two hours of my work day catching up on e-mails, updating my websites and blogs, and marketing. When I sit down to write, it’s go, go, go until the ideas are gone or until I’m too tired to write anymore. Since I work at night when everyone else is asleep, that often means I don’t get in bed until after five a.m. or later. If I’m in the middle of a project that’s really captured my interest or that just has to be finished, I may cut back on other activities so I can spend more time writing.
4. What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
My bed is my office! Seriously, I get my best writing done when I’m sitting on my bed. I’ve tried to write in other places, like my couch or at the dining room table, even the library and the passenger’s seat of my car, but I’m always more productive in bed. I’m not sure if that’s something I should share or not, considering the location!
5. How do books get published?
Very carefully and with a lot of elbow grease. I had no idea when I first started writing how much work goes into getting a book published. Writing the first draft is often the easiest aspect. After that, each story goes through a series of edits and revisions (with outside input) before it’s ready to publish. In the meantime, it has to have a cover, a blurb, a website page, and teasers. I self-publish, so all of that is up to me to coordinate. It can take weeks to months from concept to publication, even for a self-published author.
6. Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
I am a huge reader of fiction and non-fiction and always have been, so I have a really diverse knowledge base to draw from, built right into my memory. I also do a lot of research online or elsewhere, in the news and what have you; it’s a great idea generator. Plus, I keep my eyes and ears open for new ideas in books I’m reading, through conversation, or when we’re out and about in the world. My son often acts as inspiration, for example, through his knowledge of technology and science, and has been incredibly helpful as a sounding board for plot ideas and story directions.
My editor also feeds me ideas, if he stumbles across something he thinks I’ll find interesting. He directed me to an article on underground cities right when I needed a grotto for a plot point in Sanctuary (Daughters of the People, Book 5). It turned out to be exactly what was needed for the whole story to gel.
7. When did you write your first book and how old were you?
The Prophecy was the first manuscript I completed. I began it in November 2013 and finished it the next month. I was forty-four at the time. Yes, it took me nearly thirty years after my parents bought me that typewriter to actually write a whole book!
8. What do you like to do when you're not writing?
My son and I take long, winding drives while listening to music or talking. We also watch a lot of movies together. I like to knit, especially socks, and every once in a while, I dust off my guitar and play it. Also, reading. What writer doesn’t read?
9. What does your family think of your writing?
I’ve had a lot of different reactions from my family regarding my writing. They’re all very supportive, but I do get the occasional negative comment about writing romances. My dad once said, “You could write anything!” And I told him, I write romances because I enjoy them, but also because, out of all the genres, Romance offers people real hope. It’s why we read them, right? Because we want to believe in True Love and Happy Ever After, because they help us escape when we’ve had a bad day and really need for everything to work out well, even if it’s only in the pages of a book. Romance touches the heart of every reader at some level. And as a writer, it’s hard to beat that as an end result.
10. What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
That stories are a conversation between the writer and the reader. Too many people discount that symbiotic relationship, but if we didn’t have readers, we couldn’t have writers, and vice versa. So, I always try to treat my readers really well, in appreciation of their support of the stories I offer to them. And when they ask for a story about a certain character, I really, really try to accommodate them. Honestly, these story worlds are theirs as much as they are mine. Who am I to argue with their desire for more?
11. How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
To date, I’ve completed four short stories, two novellas, a short novel, and eight full-length novels under the Lucy Varna pen name. I’ve also published eleven novelettes and a short story under another pen name (which were then compiled into two novels), plus a short story and a satirical essay under yet other pen names.
I don’t have a favorite story per se, though I do have favorite characters. Levi Ewart in Say Yes; Dierdre Bellegarde, who’s shown up in several stories, including The Prophecy, in which her mother was the main character; Bobby Upton, who got his own story in The Enemy Within (Daughters of the People, Book 3).
Sometimes, I think my favorite stories are the ones I’m waiting to write. I have this three-part, almost Epic Fantasy I want to write as a companion novel to the Daughters of the People Series. The main character will be Ankana, a.k.a. the Woman with No Face, who plays a major role in the series. I’m really looking forward to writing that one!
12. Do you have any suggestions to help me become a better writer? If so, what are they?
Write! And write, and when you’re really tired of writing, write some more. The only way to become a good writer is to write. Try to get feedback on what you’re producing. I’m not a fan of critique groups (they’re often like the blind leading the blind, because they’re almost always comprised of inexperienced or non-published authors) and beta readers. Finding a published author who’s willing to act as a mentor is the ideal.
13. Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
I don’t hear from readers often. Usually, I get a slew of e-mails right around the time a new story is released or at the end of a marketing campaign. The most common questions revolve around new releases (“When is the next book in the series coming out?”), but I do get very kind comments from readers telling me how much they love a series or a particular story. I love hearing from readers and appreciate that they liked a story well enough to tell me so.
14. Do you like to create books for adults?
I write primarily for adults, though teens may also enjoy my work. And yes, I enjoy writing at that level of maturity. My stories are often a tad gritty and include adult language, violence, and situations that are realistic, in spite of their being Science Fiction and Fantasy.
15. What do you think makes a good story?
Honestly? It’s subjective. I think the best stories are the ones that grab us by the throat and never let go, and there’s no quantifying why. I read one like this recently, The Last Hour of Gann by R. Lee Smith. It’s a really long book; took me about twenty-four hours to read over a day and a half. I couldn’t put it down! Yet if you asked me why it’s such a good story, I’d be hard pressed to articulate it. I just loved everything about it, from the way Smith spooled the story out one inch at a time, to how the characters faced down the obstacles thrown at them, to the complex and intricate world-building.
The short answer, then, is that there isn’t any one thing that makes a story good. It depends on both the writer’s efforts and the reader’s interpretation.
16. As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
A lot of things! For a while, I wanted to be a translator attached to a diplomatic corps, a fashion designer, an astrophysicist, an archaeologist… Not all at the same time, but each long enough to capture my imagination. Those desires led to some really interesting educational outcomes, in the classes I took and the books I read. The most enduring, probably, were my love of the past and the future. That’s how I ended up writing romances with strong historical and archaeological plot points as well as Science Fiction Romances, all under one pen name.
17. What would you like my readers to know?
That they truly are an important part of the writing process. Don’t be afraid to contact your favorite authors and share your love of a particular story or character, and don’t hesitate to tell us if you’d like more of a series. Authors love hearing from readers!
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