Our SPFBOX interviews continue with S. F. Henne, author of The Last Lunar Witch.
SPFBO (the Self-Published Fantasy Blog Off) is a free online contest run by author Mark Lawrence. 300 authors compete across ten judging teams to see who will be the winner! You can read more about the contest here.
INTERVIEW WITH S. F. HENNE
Tell us a little about yourself and let our readers know which blog you’ve been assigned to for SPFBOX!
I’m S.F. Henne! I am in Covers with Cassidy in SPFBOX. I entered with my debut novel The Last Lunar Witch which is an Urban Fantasy, though Epic Fantasy is still #1 in my heart. Originally from Australia, I now live in Washington State with my family and still struggle with American English (but there are many words I refuse to change. I’ll never stop calling them trolleys, wheelie bins, posties, slippery dips, nor will I change how I say puma, zebra, the letter “z”, aluminum, fillet)
What inspired you to write this book?
This book came about due to the Inkfort Publishing Derby where each entrant was given a penname, cover, and title. We then had 3 months to write, edit, and then publish a story that fit with the cover and title. That was a whirlwind and after that Derby finished I re-edited the story, updated the cover and title then relaunched as The Last Lunar Witch.
Nyssa’s story popped into my head one night – she was a witch with magic that didn’t work quite right but she was doing her best. She loved alchemy and started working at a coffee shop to make magical cookies.
I am always driven to write stories with strong female main characters who overcome adversity, who learn and grow, and will stop at nothing to get what they want.
This is an Urban Fantasy series with a mix of cozy moments and fast action and only a dash of romance. It puts a high fantasy spin on UF, and builds up into epic stakes by the end of this series.
There is a strong focus on healthy relationships which I find lacking in many books to make room for drama. I promote found family, with platonic F/M friendships, healthy F/F friendships, and strengthen blood family bonds.
It’s also a character driven story without skimping on the action and plot. It features a wide cast of characters from all walks of life and each bringing their own unique personality and qualities. No one is perfect, everyone having their own journey and faults to overcome.
Do you have a favourite character from your SPFBOX entry? Tell us about them!
It’s so hard to only pick one – but my two favorites are both nonhumans. Ones a cute little fox familiar looking for her bonded, the other is Divine Coffee which, it turns out, is actually a sentient coffee shop. I’m one of those people who talks to inanimate objects so bringing Divine to life was a blast including their two territorial and grumpy ovens.
Divine is very protective of their employees and like to give them a helping hand. I can also not confirm or deny that Divine has a bad habit of trying to set up customers to have “meet-cutes” by making all the other chairs disappear, or not letting them leave…
I am always driven to write stories with strong female main characters who overcome adversity, who learn and grow, and will stop at nothing to get what they want.
How does your work fit into (or challenge) its genre?
While most UF have a strong, badass FMC who kicks butt and takes names, I wanted to give the “support players” a chance to shine. Nyssa uses her alchemy and more defensive abilities to win the day. It is also both driven by the plot as it is the action, with a big focus on friendships and personal growth as much as saving the day.
This is an Urban Fantasy series with a mix of cozy moments and fast action and only a dash of romance. It puts a high fantasy spin on UF, and builds up into epic stakes by the end of this series.
What are you currently working on?
Book 2 of the series Forged in Moonlight which continues Nyssa’s story as she tries to get back to her normal life. This will be out December 5th this year, and then it’s on to planning out book 3 as well as diving back into book 1 of an epic fantasy series.
The Last Lunar Witch
LI only wanted to control my magic, but a single potion catapulted my life into chaos…
I’m Nyssa Thornheart, a witch with broken magic. I escaped to the big city to pursue my passion for alchemy, and hide from my coven until I fix my powers.
If my unstable gifts are exposed, they will be stripped away. To live without magic, that’s a fate worse than death. So I drank a long-forgotten potion in a desperate bid to harness my volatile powers.
But when I’m cornered by thugs, I unleash a rare and dangerous magic, tearing the veil between our world and a demonic realm. My new powers are growing stronger and resist every attempt to subdue them.
Now I’m a hunted witch, pursued by both demonic creatures and authorities determined to protect our realm from the threat I pose.
Can I master my magic, or will I have to sacrifice my powers before the city falls to demons?
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A fantasy author who loves all things fantasy and sci-fi and enjoy creating stories fill with hope, adventure, heart and action, a dash of humor with a sprinkle of romance. Born and raised in Adelaide, South Australia, Sarah swapped beaches for the ski slopes of Whistler, B.C and started her adventure. Now residing in Washington State with her husband, daughter and lab Luna, she embarked on the next part of her story: telling the tales that have been rattling around her head for years.
