Interview with an Author featuring Alice Ivinya

The Literary Vixen presents…

Joining us today is Alice Ivinya! Her newest release, Feathers of Blood (Kingdom of Birds and Beasts Book 2) released on October 6th 2021.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

Hello! I live in Bristol, UK with my husband, toddler and the best dog in the world, Summer.

I work as a small animal vet three days a week for a charity treating the pets of those who would otherwise be unable to afford medical care for their pets. The rest of the time I look after my toddler, or write books when he’s asleep! I also love reading and walking my dog.

Have you always wanted to be a writer?

I have written stories for as long as I can remember. The first books were about a group of kids who ran away and became rulers of all the sharks in the sea. Worryingly they all got married at the age of 12-14 but that was old to my 8 year old self! I wrote my first full length novel at 11. It was about a magician’s apprentice who was bad at magic. Throughout my teenage years I wrote epic fantasy after epic fantasy that my poor parents had to read, even when they went over 200,000 words! As a child I was badly dyslexic and struggled with sentence structure and spelling to the extent that many of my early stories were illegible until I typed them up. It took me much longer than all the other children in my class to both write and type, but I just loved to tell stories and have never been able to stop telling them. Slowly I developed techniques to get around my dyslexia and now it never holds me back. I now have eleven published full length books and seven short stories.

What time of the day do you usually write?

Until six months ago, I would write in my son’s midday nap, but just after he hit two, he stopped sleeping in the day unless it was a quick nap in the car! Now I write in the evenings. This was easier in lock down, as now the world is opening up again, I feel there is a lot competing for my time! I now have Wednesday morning child-free where I try and get a good 2-4k words down!

How much ‘world building’ takes place before you start writing?

It depends on the book. Normally I know what I want the world to ‘feel’ like and everything stems from there, rather than knowing the ins and outs. Often as the characters discover the world for themselves, I’m also discovering it!

Which of your books were the most enjoyable to write?

Hands down Feathers of Snow and Feathers of Blood. SO MUCH FUN! I’m so excited to write the last book in the trilogy!

I also have a book coming called The Widow and the Beast, which is like my pick me up project when I need a break from my bigger books. It is set in the land of faery and is so much fun, it always gets me back into the mood.

What book is currently by your bedside table?

The Fair Queen by Lyndsey Hall, which is excellent.

Do you hear from your readers much? What do they say?

I do, and I have made some amazing friends! I am especially honoured and excited when they make fan art! Mostly they want me to write faster haha!

Favorite book when you were a kid.

Spellfall by Katherine Roberts until about the age of 12 when I became obsessed with Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time and then Brandon Sanderson.

If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?

Hufflepuff, Divergent, Family.

What advice would you give to other authors?

Keep writing! Every book published is a game changer!

What is the one thing you want people to know about you and your books?

I really hope my books strengthen people to overcome whatever challenges they face. Plus animals. There will always be animals!

Thank you Alice Ivinya for chatting with me! I will include her information down below. Check out her series, Kingdom of Birds and Beasts today!

~Synopsis~

In Brianna’s new world of ice and snow, the coldest things by far are the eyes of her betrothed…Brianna bears a deadly secret: she’s not the princess she is pretending to be. If the prince finds out, her life will be forfeit and her country plunged into war.But there is more to the icy prince than meets the eye, and Brianna slowly unravels the secrets of his dark past while surviving in a strange culture.However her goodness and wit will only get her so far. Terrifying beasts stalk the border and a murderer is at work in the town. They know the truth of Brianna’s identity and will stop at nothing to destroy all she has fought for.

Alice lives in Bristol, UK, and has loved fantasy all her life. Her favourite author is Brandon Sanderson. When she’s not off gallivanting in other worlds, you can find her looking after her young son, working as a small animal vet, hanging out with her church family, or walking the best dog in the world with her husband.