Interview with an Author: Cassia Hall

Cassia Hall is the author of the Seasons Cycle, a romantic fantasy series. Her work is character-driven, diverse and inclusive. Her writing has been described as ‘lush and lyrical’, her music as ‘LoTR meets GoT and Witcher, with a musical theatre vibe’.

What got you into writing your own stories?

I had a long hiatus from writing and started again during the quarantine.

Tell us about your WIP.

Winter Wain is the last book in my 4-book Seasons Cycle. It's the longest of the four and has taken the most time as it's basically the culmination of everything that's gone before. I had to tie up all those loose ends and that's been a challenge. But it was lovely to get back with all my characters again.

How would you describe your writing style?

I aim for lyrical but will settle for concise and to the point.

What comes more easily, plot or characters?

Characters come to me and want their stories told. Putting them through different situations shows me their mettle. The plot is what keeps everyone, including me, on their toes.

Do you cross over genres or do you only stick to one?

I do cross genres with my short stories. I have written futuristic romance as well as contemporary equestrian romance. I love magical realism as well, and have tried my hand at urban fantasy. High Fantasy is my first love though, so I tend to keep returning to that.

What is your "writer's den" like?

I write at a standing desk these days, close by the window.

How do you get into the flow for writing? Do you have any rituals?

I always exercise in the morning to get that out of the way. Then a quick shower and brekkie, and I'm ready to write.

Do you read the same genre you write? Why, or why not?

I started writing fantasy because I fell in love with the work of Patricia A. McKillip, C.J. Cherry, Judith Tarr, and many others who'd written beautiful and compelling stories featuring strong female characters. But I stopped reading fiction for many years (life intervened) and have only recently picked it up again. I do love many different genres and have read the classics as a child, and popular fiction as a young adult. The genre matters less to me than a good story well told.

Do you read fellow indie authors' works? Why or why not?

I try to alternate trad-pubbed and indie-pubbed books to give both a chance. I want to see what sells, what's popular, and what appeals to me personally. It's great research.

Is there an author who inspires you?

R. L. Fuentes, a fellow indie writer, inspires me. She has six kids of varying ages, and yet manages to write a lot. Not only that, but she writes beautifully and is not afraid to keep rewriting until she gets to the heart of a story.

Give us three fun facts about yourself.

• Chocolate is my only vice.

• I'm a health nut.

• I try something new every year. This year, I'm learning to draw.

What's one of your funniest experiences?

Feeding peanuts to a chipmunk who doesn't seem to remember where he hides them.

What is something about you that few people know?

I enjoy rock-climbing.

Do you have pets?

No. I wanted houseplants but my husband ended up having to take care of them. The likelihood of me ever getting a pet is tiny, probably non-existent.

Connect with Cassia Hall here.

Featured Book: Songs of Love & Longing

I love fantasy, I love poetry, and I love music. It was magical to find this book which combines all three! Using QR codes was a different experience, but I am glad I did. I highly recommend you do too. Most of these poems follow a rhyme scheme, but that's not surprising since they are also meant to be songs. Every poem has a beautiful rhythm. Everything in this work flows smoothly. I recommend lovers of the fantasy genre read this, even if poetry is not generally their thing.

Why would you like to feature this book?

It's the most popular of my books, which was unexpected as I was told that few people read poetry any more. But some readers told me my poems helped relieve stress for them, which is nice.

Who was your favorite character to write and why?

'The Forsaken Mermaid' and 'The Castaway' are two poems that complement one another. Inspired by Matthew Arnold's 'The Forsaken Merman', my two poems play homage to my abiding love of Romantic poetry.

What was the most interesting random fact you researched for this book?

Frigates, luggers, and brigantines are cool names for different types of ships back in the day.

What was the spark that started this book?

Some of my poems turned out to be songs, mostly the ones I wrote for the characters in my Seasons Cycle. I had to put them together in some sort of order, and one of my critique partners had the great idea of including QR codes so readers could listen to the songs on my youtube channel as they read the poems. And so, this collection was born.

What's the message you worked into this book?

To cleave to the light even when darkness beckons.

Not all my poems become songs, and not all my writing is lyrical, but in a genre that has become darker and more violent, I have kept to Light and Love.