Blog Tour & Interview with Amalia Dillin

1. When did you first start writing, and was there something in particular that inspired you?

I started writing in the first grade. For show and tell, I would bring little illustrated stories I’d written about my cat to share. But the biggest inspiration for me was definitely my older brother, who I absolutely worshipped as a kid – he got his BA in Creative Writing, and of course I wanted to be just like him! The more I wrote, the more I fell in love with writing, and here I am!


2. What first attracted you to your genre when it comes to writing?

I love mythology. Wherever mythology fits in the genre-debate, that’s where I feel most at home. But I never really sat down to write with genre in mind, and I actually always thought I’d end up writing science fiction, growing up. Heinlein was another of my heroes and influences, and Anne McCaffrey, too, who writes on that line between science fiction and fantasy. I guess the fantasy side won!


3. In regards to your own characters, who is your favorite and why?

Thor. To anyone who follows me on twitter or reads my blog, this is no surprise at all, but I *love* Thor. He’s such a tragic hero, and so loyal, but with that hint of danger just because he is so incredibly powerful, and you know if he lost his temper he could swamp the world, or forget his strength and crush someone into dust. But he has the most amazing heart. I will always, always love Thor.


4. What other genres (besides your own) do you enjoy reading?

I read a lot of romance (all subgenres), some science fiction (Heinlein and Anne McCaffrey, as well as Lois McMaster Bujold – Space Opera all the way!), and I enjoy historical fiction, particularly when it’s steeped in mythology. I also really love contemporary YA. Anna and the French Kiss is maybe one of my most favorite books in that genre. I actually read less fantasy than anything else, though YA fantasy has been growing on me.


5. If you could not be a writer, what would you be?

I used to be set on zookeeping (Big Cats are my favorite) but more recently, Comic Book Shop Owner has had a certain appeal. Otherwise, maybe I’d go back to school to get an MA in Old Norse Religion or something Greek Heroic Age.


6. As a reader I know how difficult it can be to name a ‘favorite’ book, would you mind listing your top three? (Past or present authors)

Let’s see…
Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold
The Crystal Singer Trilogy by Anne McCaffrey (that isn’t cheating, right?)
And…
Either Giants of the Frost by Kim Wilkins or else Mary Renault’s Theseus books! I can’t decide!


7. What are some must haves when you sit down to write?

Glass of water and my laptop. Access to the internet for research. And a blanket because my windows are super drafty. That’s about it!


8. If you became trapped as a character in a book or series, which would you choose and why? (Any book, any series, new or old)

Ahh! This is the hardest question. When I was younger my answer would have been Star Wars. Star Wars FOREVER. And this totally counts because there are a million Star Wars books! But now – hm. Dragonriders of Pern, maybe! Or the Talent books by Anne McCaffrey. Those worlds are definitely the most vivid in my mind, and there’s a lot of room to live and grow inside them without worrying that you’re going to be caught up in a galactic civil war and wiped out immediately.



Forged By Fate:
After Adam fell, God made Eve to protect the world. — Adam has pursued Eve since the dawn of creation, intent on using her power to create a new world and make himself its God. Throughout history, Eve has thwarted him, determined to protect the world and all of creation. Unknown to her, the Norse god Thor has been sent by the Council of Gods to keep her from Adam’s influence, and more, to protect the interests of the gods themselves. But this time, Adam is after something more than just Eve’s power — he desires her too, body and soul, even if it means the destruction of the world. Eve cannot allow it, but as one generation melds into the next, she begins to wonder if Adam might be a man she could love.

Every god, from each of the world’s pantheons, mythologies, and religions — they’re all real in this enthralling fantasy romance that spans centuries.


About the Author:
Amalia Dillin began as a Biology major before taking Latin and falling in love with old heroes and older gods. After that, she couldn't stop writing about them, with the occasional break for more contemporary subjects. She lives in upstate New York with her husband, and dreams of the day when she will own goats--to pull her chariot through the sky, of course.

The first novel in her FATE OF THE GODS trilogy, FORGED BY FATE will be published by World Weaver Press in March 5, 2013.


Find Amalia:
Website | Twitter | goodreads