Nightblood, the final installment of the Frostblood Saga, by Elly Blake

I’ve been delighted to feature the books in Elly Blake’s Frostblood saga, both here, and here. The final in the series, NIGHTBLOOD, debuted yesterday, and it looks excellent:

Ruby’s world has changed more than she ever could have imagined. She’s in love with a powerful Frost King. She’s the heir to the Fire Throne. And she may be a Nightblood–the spawn of a vengeful deity hellbent on releasing his wraithlike Minax from their prison. Once freed, these beasts will roam the earth, devouring every last person until he or she is nothing but an empty husk. But Ruby is able to control the Minax to a degree, and now she, her beloved Arcus, and her friend Kai must find a way to bring Frostbloods and Firebloods–sworn enemies–together to make a stand against a foe more deadly than any they’ve faced.

In this heart-pounding finale of Elly Blake’s gorgeously written and action-packed Frostblood Saga, the fate of Frostbloods, Firebloods, and all of humanity is at stake.

In our last interview, you said, “Publishing can be tough, but the writing community is a rewarding one and there’s always so much more to learn, which I find fascinating and energizing!” What is one of the most significant lessons you’ve learned lately in this regard?

I think my biggest lesson was to reach out for help from critique partners sooner. After surviving an anxiety-soaked sophomore slump writing the second book, I had hopes that my third book would be easier. Ha! I mean, the first draft wasn’t as hard to write, so I had hopes of a smoother ride. But as it turned out, the draft that I thought was fairly solid didn’t really work. I ended up having to rewrite most of it (which is a thing that happens, and I certainly accept—after all, we all want it to be the best book it can be.) But then the rewrite didn’t quite do the job, either. So, a third draft, which incorporated pieces of the first and second drafts, as well as new material, became the clay that we, my editor and I, molded into a book. In retrospect, some of this angsty process could have been avoided if I had reached out to critique partners before sending the draft off to my editor. I have a tendency to put off sending my work to CPs until late in the game because I hate people—even my friends!—to see my unpolished words. But sometimes sending earlier is better. A critique partner can look at an early draft and give you big picture changes. Those big changes are a lot harder to stomach once you’ve buffed and polished all those darlings. In future, I intend to tidy up my first draft and then send it off for other eyes. Perfectionism be damned! 🙂

Yes! Better that we collaborate, rather than wither in isolation. NIGHTBLOOD is the finale in the Frostblood Saga. What will you miss most about the world and characters you’ve created in this series?

I will absolutely miss these characters and their world so much. I’ll miss the action, the elemental magic, the romance and adventure, but most of all I’ll miss the dialogue and interactions between characters. Ruby, Arcus, Kai, and company still live in my heart. I still find myself daydreaming new interactions, new tender moments, new conflicts, new clashes. I’ll miss Ruby’s quips and comebacks and her high emotions, Arcus’s steadfast devotion and grumpy protectiveness, and Kai’s wry, whimsical, and flirtatious comments. It would be nice to return to this landscape and these characters someday. Fingers crossed.

And toes too! You also wrote a short story, “Dimes Into Lightning,” for The Hanging Garden. What do you like most about writing short fiction and why?

Oh, thank you for asking about that! I’m grateful to The Hanging Garden for giving me the opportunity. This was quite a learning experience for me! I had never written anything short before. My first attempt was to revamp the beginning of a YA sci fi that I started years ago and pass it off as a short story. I sent it off to a critique partner and she liked it, but detailed the reasons why it didn’t quite work. It felt like what it was – the beginning of a long tale instead of a complete short story. So, on my second attempt, I had this image in my head of a traveling show in the early 1900s and rolled with that. I found that I really enjoyed the brief format. There was so much freedom in it! No worrying about continuity or what I was setting up. It was a welcome break from editing and rewriting Nightblood, which was a long process (see above answer. Haha.) I’d like to try my hand at more short pieces in the future.

Sounds lovely. What are some of your current projects?

To be honest, my next project has been slow in coming to me. Writing the Frostblood trilogy, while incredibly rewarding and wonderful, also took a lot out of me creatively. I’ve been waiting as the well slowly fills up again. Since I’ve been reading a ton of historical romance in the last few years, I’m considering trying my hand at a historical YA fantasy, but that is still very much in question as I do research and ask myself whether this is really something I can do. I do have a germ of an idea about a girl with a special power, but it’s not much more than a spark. Hopefully the story forms in my mind and I have something to share soon!

Thank you for allowing me to contribute to your blog, Karen!

And thank you, readers! Wishing you a good book and a quiet spot to read in! xoxo