JQM Literary Chat Welcomes Catrin Russell
TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF:
I am 31 years old, living in Sweden and working as a registered nurse. I have two children, with a third one on the way, and two dogs. My husband is from England, and he moved here 7 years ago. We live a busy life, like most parents do, with a joint interest in games, a variety of creative tv-shows, and – of course – anything fantasy related. I have been writing for as long as I can remember, but only recently (in 2019) took the step to actually publish my work. I also try to read as much as my schedule allows, preferably fantasy with a sprinkle of romance, not unlike what I write myself. During what time I have left, between working, writing, kids, household, and dogs, I like to squeeze in a bit of drawing (because it sounds like I have plenty of free time, right?)! I do all my own artwork, drawing the characters from my stories, and create cover art and promotional pieces for my books. My mother is an art teacher, so she would have me written out of the will if I didn’t. Lucky for me, I love drawing, so I’m in my happy place then! However, the best time is spent with my family and friends. It is where I can relax, reload my batteries, as well as fish for inspiration for any new WIPs I’m currently working on!
WHAT INFLUENCED YOU TO WRITE YOUR GENRE(S)?
With a lifelong fascination of all things fantasy, it felt natural to me to delve into this world when writing. I have always played games that are heavily influenced by Dungeons and Dragons (including the original table-top variation), which also focuses a lot on the medieval period, and I have therefore developed quite the love for this time period. Through my background in game design (studying the subject for 3 years at university), I also want to incorporate the bigger picture, and add worlds where thought-provoking topics are covered and reflected upon. And as a true fan of fast-paced, action-based Japanese manga and anime, I want plenty of action, blood and gore, to show my interest in the darker side of things. The real world is far from lovey-dovey, and so are mine. However, this does not make me avoid love stories. Quite the opposite, but I put my characters through a world of hurt as they navigate their worlds.
WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE AUTHORS?
David Gemmell, Janny Wurts, and – most recently – Lois McMaster Bujold.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS?
To elaborate on my choice of favourite authors: David Gemmell’s Waylander books from the Drenai Saga, Janny Wurts’ To Ride Hells Chasm and Lois McMaster Bujold’s The Curse of Chalion.
WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE LITERARY CHARACTERS?
David Gemmell had a real talent making believable and beautifully broken characters. That is a part of why Waylander has stuck with me through the years, as he is most definitely one of those. Lord dy Cazaril from The Curse of Chalion is another believable and broken character. I do not know why, but this type of character really speaks to me, perhaps in the way they are portrayed as far from perfect, and thus more relatable. I create my own characters in a similar way, where I obviously love all of them, but one that is particularly close to my heart is Edric, a man featured in The Prime Series. He comes with a really dark past, abused in more ways than one as a child, and his story centres a lot on how he tries to deal with this in his daily life. It does not only affect his self-esteem and personal choices but also how he interacts with other people. Edric really allows me to highlight mental health issues and the long-term effects of abuse. He was much inspired by a person I knew in real life, and, in a way, Edric is an homage to him.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH POTENTIAL READERS?
The Power of Conviction, and The Prime Series as a whole, has been a real labour of love. Even if it was initially written only for my own indulgence, it is most definitely worth publishing for others to enjoy, hopefully as much as I cherished writing it. So if you are looking for your next exciting read in Dark/High Fantasy, you might just find yourself loving The Power of Conviction and The Prime Series. The Power of Conviction, the first book of the Prime Series, is now available as both eBook and Paperback. The second book is currently only released as eBook, but is scheduled for release on Paperback in April. The third book of the series will be released this year, but the date is yet to be decided, so keep an eye out! And, of course, there will be more projects coming up! So keep up to date with my bookish adventures through my social media. Links are featured below!
My book is offered for free when signing up to my newsletter. Link: https://www.subscribepage.com/catrinrussellnewsletter
It is obviously completely free and people can unsubscribe whenever they want.
WHERE CAN WE GO TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOU AND YOUR LITERARY WORKS?
My website is an excellent place to start! There, you can find information about me, my books and where to find them. But if you want to keep up to date with my daily bookish things, then seek me out and follow me on social media! I am available on plenty of sites, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and more.
Links:
Website: https://catrinrussell.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RussellCatrin
And more through linktree: https://linktr.ee/catrinrussell
James Quinlan Meservy - Author 