Happy Thursday, friend! It’s time for another book excerpt and author interview. All the recent ones, including today’s, have come from books on my TBR and I am enjoying highlighting them! I am chatting with author Alex B. Harper about her novel, Of Light and Nightmares, the first book in the The Ashes of Magic Trilogy. Let’s welcome Alex and learn about the book.
Get to know the author: Alex B. Harper
Hi Alex! Welcome to Armed with A Book. Tell me and my readers a bit about yourself!
Hi Kriti,
Thanks for having me!
I had a typical childhood as a second-generation Canadian born to Chinese immigrants. I grew up in a middle-class family, followed a very traditional education path, completed my post-graduate studies in Business, and eventually became an accountant and built up a career for myself in Finance.
As a child, one of my fondest memories was sneaking out to the fields behind the school portables with my best friend and hiding in the grass to read. We devoured the classics together (well, I consider them classics!), like The Babysitters Club, Sweet Valley High, etc. Books were a huge part of my early years, and I remember that even though my parents were careful with their finances, they always let me pick out books at the school fair or bookstore and spent hours with me at the public library.
Over the past decade or so, books have taken a backseat to life while I focused on building a career and having a family. I ended up with a little extra time on my hands and decided to focus my excess energy on a creative project. Borne out of this was my very first adult fantasy trilogy!
I’m not sure what’s next for me, but I do know that I loved the whole process of creating something. I do have a couple of ideas for new stories swirling around in my head and a brand-new gigantic whiteboard – so we’ll see what comes out of it!
What inspired you to write this book?
Throughout my teenage and early adult years, I adored young-adult fiction. Now that I’m a little older and wiser (the latter is debatable), I still yearn for YA, just a more grown-up version. So, I wrote a story using the well-loved structure of a YA story and added characters who have been through a little more life and are ready, even though they don’t know it yet, for their next adventure. They may think they know who they are, but like life, who you are will evolve over time as you grow, learn, and get more experience.
How long did it take you to write this book, from the first idea to the last edit?
I started drafting an outline in September 2020 and finished the last book in June 2022 – so over a year and a half. Since then, it’s been a lot of editing, editing, and more editing! If given the opportunity, I would be editing forever. Book one was soft-released at the end of May 2023 with a full release intended for November 2023. Book two is in exterior and interior design phase with a winter 2024 target release. Book three is currently in round infinity of editing with a summer 2024 target release.
Who would enjoy reading your book?
This book is for readers who love to get lost in a story that blends the real world with fantastical elements. The story is highly character-driven, diverse, and has a touch of slow-burn romance.
Do you have a favourite quote or scene in the book that you find yourself going back to?
I have a few quotes I love!
The more you resist your pain, the greater your suffering will be.
Of Light and Nightmares
One of my career mentors said this to me, and I’ve seen variations of this as well. We often pride ourselves in hiding our pain and being strong for others, and in doing so, we forget to take care of ourselves and end up doing the opposite of what we wanted. There is incredible strength in admitting when we need help.
Don’t let one person overshadow everyone and everything else, especially your trust in your own judgment.
Of Light and Nightmares
We often give others power over our own self-worth and happiness. Don’t. I’ve used some version of this quote more times than I can count with mentees, friends, and family.
Promise me you won’t remember me as a monster. Can you do that for me?
Of Light and Nightmares
Monsters come in all shapes and forms. I sometimes think that as flawed humans, we all have a little bit of monster in each of us – where most of us have learned to hide that little dark piece of ourselves, and the balance just don’t know how or care to.
What’s the best piece of advice you have received related to writing?
There is no such thing as a book emergency.
As said to me by Sarah, my lovely book designer and on-occasion virtual therapist.
There are so many things I don’t know about the industry and what goes on behind the scenes, and it can be overwhelming, especially when time is a scarce resource. Every time I feel like I’m starting back at square one, I think about this quote, and it instantly brings me back to the real world.
If you could give a shout out to someone(s) who has helped in your writer journey, please feel free to mention them below!
I would thank my better half! He supported me from when this story was just a little spark in my crowded brain to when I was in the trenches and pushing my way over the finish line of the last book. When I needed quiet time just to think and write, he wouldn’t bat an eye and would haul the kiddos outside for hours on end. When I needed to rant, brainstorm, and talk myself in circles, he would sit patiently, dutifully nod his head, and let his eyes glaze over in the most subtle manner. The man hasn’t read a book since high school, but he was my very first beta reader. If that isn’t love, I don’t know what is.
Where can readers find you on the Internet?
Of Light and Nightmares
The Ashes of Magic Book One
Adult Urban Fantasy
Published Year: 2023
When the monsters find you, the nightmare begins.
Heir to her late parents’ fortune, Emmeline is happy to continue their philanthropic work for the rest of her days. But a rare public appearance sends her crashing into a world of monsters and magic.
Emmeline learns that she’s one of two humans who can see those marked to become a nainthe — guardians between the human world and the violent realm of demon-like monsters, the raizour. The guardians have spent decades searching for her — for without her, they are doomed to extinction, and the monsters will devastate Earth.
As Emmeline hones her newfound abilities, other dark and powerful enemies emerge, stacking the odds against her and the guardians.
And her time is running out—because the monsters have astonishing intelligence and a thirst for blood, and they are ready to execute their chaos.
This pulse-pounding urban fantasy will leave you breathless as two worlds collide in a horrific showdown, where even the winners will lose.
Content notes (The warnings are listed in the Author’s note at the front of the book)
Trigger Warnings (in alphabetical order): mentions of ableism, antisocial personality disorder, child abandonment, death of loved ones, domestic abuse, drug use, execution, genocide, hostage situations, infertility, mental illness, misogyny, murder, physical assault, scars, sexual assault, stalking, suicide and self-harm, violence.
Content Warnings (in no particular order): mature subject matters, sexual content, gore and graphic violence, profanity.
Book Excerpt from
Of Light and Nightmares
Chapter Four – Fairy Tales
Emmeline walked through the garden as quickly as her heels would let her with dignity.
I can’t wait to take off these death traps.
Emmeline almost groaned, thinking of her soft ballet flats, waiting for her in Matthew’s car. She looked down and slipped her phone back in her clutch.
Suddenly, something stepped in front of her, and she gasped and looked up indignantly.
And it glowed.
•
Emmeline stumbled back, and a hand gripped her arm to steady her. Another manicured hand grabbed her wrist, hauling her to a dark corner of the garden before letting go.
“If you scream, I’ll clamp my hand down so fast on your mouth that it’ll definitely ruin your makeup,” a bell-like voice hissed.
Emmeline snapped her mouth shut and looked at her assailant.
Correction: two assailants.
The woman with the manicured hand had straight, chin-length black hair, swept back, and her icy-gray eyes stood stark against her alabaster skin and pale, heart-shaped lips. She was statuesque and seemed to have poured her graceful body into a three-piece dark blue suit.
She’s stunning.
Beside her stood the woman who had steadied her.
That’s the woman I crashed into!
The other woman’s chocolate skin, warm copper eyes, and full lips were framed by a loose, medium-length Afro. A simple white dress draped across her left shoulder, skimming her curves and
making her silky skin gleam.
She looks like a goddess.
Emmeline gaped at the two women, and they stared back at her.
“You!” Emmeline pointed at the Black woman. “I ran into you in the restroom. You were … you looked different.” She squinted at the woman in white. “And why are the two of you glowing?”
I must be going crazy.
The two women glanced at each other before turning back to her.
Emmeline looked back and forth between the two women. “And why are you both looking at me like that?”
“You’re the one staring at us like we’re ghosts,” the manicured woman retorted, earning herself a reproachful look from the woman in white.
“Who are you? What are you?” Emmeline reached out and touched the Black woman’s arm to make sure she was solid.
The Black woman covered Emmeline’s hand with hers. “My name is Lesedi, and this is my partner, Anja.”
Anja frowned. “What do you mean, we’re glowing?”
“I’m going crazy, aren’t I?” Emmeline glanced up at the sky before returning to Lesedi and Anja.
They’re still glowing.
She let out a breath and fumbled through her clutch for her phone.
Emia: Mattie, can you come to the garden as soon as possible?
Anja narrowed her eyes, and Emmeline returned an equal glare.
“My brother is coming to get me because I don’t trust my judgment right now, and more importantly, I don’t trust you,” Emmeline said. She drew herself to her full height. “Now, I ask again, who are you?”
•
“We just told you who we are,” Anja retorted.
“You haven’t told me anything. I couldn’t care less what your names are,” Emmeline snapped.
Lesedi placed a hand on Anja’s arm. “We informally represent the LGBTQIA-plus community. I know your family makes a generous annual donation to Pride. That’s very kind of you.”
“We try to support voices that need to be amplified,” Emmeline replied automatically. She heard quick footsteps coming in their direction.
“Emia, are you okay?” Matthew bent to look at her face. He pulled down on her lower eyelid and scanned her pupils.
Emmeline swatted his hand away and gestured to the two women. “Mattie, do you see auras around them?”
Matthew turned to Anja and Lesedi, taken aback by their presence.
“No auras. Do you see an aura?”
“Yes! I see two.” Emmeline held up two fingers to make a point. “Though they seem to be fading.”
Anja’s icy eyes scanned the garden. “Can we find somewhere more private to talk? With you, alone.”
“If you want to talk, it’ll be with the two of us. I don’t keep anything from my brother, so you might as well save me time and talk to us together,” Emmeline said.
Anja narrowed her eyes before turning to Lesedi. “It’s against the rules.”
“Since when do you pay attention to rules?” Lesedi sighed. “I don’t like it either, and neither will Javier.”
“I could just kidnap her,” Anja offered.
“I can hear you; you know that, right?” Emmeline stared at Anja.
Lesedi held up a hand to placate Anja. “Let’s just find somewhere more private, where we can all talk.”
Emmeline raised an eyebrow at Matthew, but he only shrugged.
Anja sniffed. “Relax. If we wanted to hurt you, it wouldn’t be while dressed in these fabulous outfits.”
“You just suggested kidnapping me,” Emmeline reminded her.
“I changed my mind. I don’t want to ruin my clothes and makeup.”
“Fair,” Emmeline muttered.
I wouldn’t risk it either if I looked like her.
•
Emmeline pushed open a door to one of the smaller rooms used by volunteers to rest.
“No one’s here right now. We can use this room.”
Anja walked in first with her head held high and surveyed the room.
That woman walks with the grace of royalty.
“Should we lock the door, Lessie?” Anja asked.
“We aren’t staying in a locked room with two strangers,” Emmeline interrupted. She stood beside the door with her back against the wall.
This probably wasn’t a smart move. And now, I’ve dragged Mattie into this.
“You might want to sit.” Lesedi gestured to a chair.
“We’re fine. Be quick,” Matthew clipped.
“Just try to keep an open mind.” Lesedi paused. “Anja and I are different from normal human beings. We have the unique job of ensuring bad things that don’t belong in this world don’t end up here.” She paused again and contemplated her next words. “For simplicity, you can think of us like demon hunters. We stop bad things from crossing a barrier between this world and another, and when they somehow make it across, we dispose of them.”
Emmeline looked at Matthew incredulously, and he gave her his infamous why am I here? glare before straightening up, signaling that he was more than done.
“I’m a little old for fairy tales,” Emmeline said. “I don’t believe in ghosts, goblins, or gargoyles anymore. Good night.”
Emmeline opened the door when it was wrenched from her grasp and slammed shut.
“We’re not finished,” Anja hissed.
“Move out of the way, or the next conversation you’ll be having will be with our lawyer,” Emmeline snapped.
“Good luck finding me.”
“Anja, that’s not necessary.” Lesedi waved for Anja to come back to her side. “Emmeline, you haven’t asked what any of this has to do with you.”
“We haven’t asked because it has nothing to do with us,” Matthew replied.
“You noticed us because we have an aura, but we noticed you because you have magic in you. It’s faint, but it’s there.”
Emmeline’s mouth fell open. “You both must think I’m a rich idiot.”
Anja’s cool eyes pierced into Emmeline’s. “You’re not a normal human.”
“I can assure you, I’m as normal and boring as they come.”
Matthew tilted his head at Anja in a challenge. “If you can prove you are who or what you say you are, then please do so.”
“Fine.” Anja turned to face the two of them.
The room seemed to darken into shadows as Anja’s ashy irises widened until all the white was covered. Her pupils stretched to span the height of her eyes, and the silver flecks in her irises deepened in brilliance.
And then, she smiled wickedly, showcasing two rows of perfect, sharp teeth.
•
“Matthew, you’re looking a little bit green,” Anja purred.
“Dr. Taylor-Wu,” Matthew corrected her. His voice was incredulous as he gaped.
“Is someone overcompensating?”
“Only when someone’s an asshole.”
Emmeline backed up against the wall, and she couldn’t stop staring at Anja’s eyes and teeth.
That’s what I saw earlier! But it was Lesedi and not Anja. And her skin was gray, but Anja’s isn’t. Emmeline looked wildly between the two women.
“Anja, can you please be kind?” Lesedi frowned.
“They’re the ones who wanted proof, so I gave it to them,” Anja said. “I already went easy on them. You should be giving me a pat on the back and commending me on my incredible self-control.”
“That’s what I saw in the restroom! I thought I was hallucinating.” Emmeline pointed a finger at Lesedi. “I remember seeing your eyes like Anja’s, but your skin was gray and brittle. This can’t be real. Did somebody spike my water?”
Anja smirked. “No one spiked your drink.”
“Mattie, please tell me you’re seeing this as well?”
Matthew nodded and looked curiously at Anja. “May I?”
Anja dipped her head in permission, and Matthew tilted her chin up to examine her eyes. He reached to the left of his chest but was met by the crisp pocket square of his tuxedo. He looked down and muttered a single unintelligible curse. Looking around the room for better lighting, he grimaced as he guided Anja a few steps back. He repositioned her shoulders and pulled her lower eyelid down to get a better look.
“Watch the makeup,” Anja muttered.
“Can you move your eyes?”
Anja did as she had been asked.
“Fascinating.” Matthew pulled down her lower lip. “Can you smile?”
Anja grinned, baring all her sharp teeth. Matthew knocked on her teeth with his finger, and she frowned.
“Thank you.” Matthew let go of Anja’s face and stepped back.
Anja blinked, and her eyes returned to normal. “You’re very odd. Most people would be cowering by now, yet all you want to do is examine.”
Emmeline stepped beside Matthew. “I don’t understand what this has to do with us.”
“You,” Lesedi corrected her. “This has nothing to do with your brother.”
“What does this have to do with me?”
“Do you still see a glow around Anja and me?”
“Barely.”
“I think you have the gift of sight. You can see our kind, where normal people cannot.”
“Great. What does that mean?”
“It’s not just the ability to see us that makes you special. Humans with this gift can foresee those who will become like us.” Lesedi gestured to Emmeline. “There aren’t many of you in the world. You’re quite rare.”
“You mean, I can see the future? Like a seer or a fortune teller?” Emmeline was confused. “I’ve never had an inkling of a vision.”
Lesedi waved her hand to brush away Emmeline’s questions. “Things will become clearer with time. I don’t have enough knowledge of this subject, so I need to discuss it with those who have studied this. I know this is a lot to take in, but I’d like you to meet some of our family soon.”
“Family?” Matthew’s eyes flickered away from the wall and over to Lesedi.
“Well, not family in the traditional sense,” Lesedi said. “No blood relation, except for one odd instance in our history. All we have are each other, so we consider each other family.”
I must be dreaming. Do I believe this is happening?
“Don’t worry, Emmeline; I’ll be in contact with you soon. In the meantime, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t share this encounter with anyone. We value our privacy and would hate to get off on the
wrong foot,” Lesedi said.
“What would happen if we did?” Matthew asked, half-listening to what was happening in the room and half in his own world, cataloging what he had just seen.
Ever the multitasker.
“Then, I’d have to kill you,” Anja said sweetly.
Matthew turned to stare at Anja, and Emmeline shivered.
There’s something seriously wrong with that woman.
“I’m pleased to have found you, Emmeline, and I hope to get to know you better soon.” Lesedi opened the French doors that led to the balcony. “Good night.”
“Good night, Doctor. See you soon, Emmeline,” Anja drawled, and followed Lesedi to the balcony.
With a blur of gray and a gust of wind, they vanished into the cool summer evening air.
“Wait!” Emmeline rushed to the balcony.
Her hands gripped the stone ledge, and she craned her neck over the railing to look around the night sky. Light music filtered up as the smell of late summer blossoms wafted through the room. Soon, the gentle breeze whispered as it curled itself around Emmeline, soothing the blood thundering through her veins.
Interested?
Find Of Light and Nightmares on Goodreads and Amazon.Thanks for taking the time to join us for this interview!
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