Lucy A. McLaren is a fantasy author and professional counsellor, passionate about writing stories that include a realistic representation and exploration of mental health issues. She is a lifelong fan of fantasy stories, and enjoys reading, writing, watching and playing them. McLaren’s debut novel, Awakening: The Commune’s Curse Book 1, released from Santa Fe Writers Project in May 2022. She also has a fantasy short story featured in the Reign of Fire anthology which was released from Dragon Soul Press in January 2023.

Fantasy has always been Lucy’s genre of choice, though she loves a good horror, psychological thriller or murder mystery on occasion.

Lucy launched her series last year, and Book One, Awakening, is taking off! You can follow her blog and find her stories at Lucy A McLaren Author where she tells us that for as long as she can remember, she was drawn to the magic of storytelling, whether via books, video games, TV shows or films. 

I’m stoked you were able to stop by and visit with me, Lucy. I have so much I’ve been wanting to chat about. How’s your June going so far?

LAM. Thanks so much for having me, Darci! It’s great to chat. My June has been good so far. It’s just starting to get really hot in the UK, so my husband and I are trying to make the most of that with our toddler (aka trying to burn up some of his ample amounts of energy so he sleeps at night). In terms of writing, I’ve been feeling fairly productive lately with consistent writing for the first time in a while. Saying that, I did realise I needed to take a little break over the last week because I was pushing myself to write every day. It’s a piece of advice I’ve seen a lot as a writer, but actually rest is a valuable part of the process too. Pushing yourself to keep writing regardless of anything else can be really counterproductive in the long term. I’ve seen that from personal experience. How about you, how’s the start of your June been?

DLL. Awesome, Lucy, and good luck with that sleep schedule. We’ve been enjoying a cooler, wet spring, which is unusual for our high desert country, and I’m loving it!. This first week, I also took time out to enjoy my first real break in writing. We traveled to stay with family and attend my niece’s beautiful wedding. 

I’m always fascinated when an author starts out by launching a book that is destined for an epic series. Though I envy writers who can churn out standalone novels, which means they can finish a story and move on to a new one, there’s something so satisfying about creating a big multipart story and a big world that a writer can live in for an extended period of time.

To get us started, let’s jump right into your exciting young adult fantasy series, The Commune’s Curse.

Q. Did you set out to write a series? Or did it grow as the story unfolded?

LAM. I think back on this and I can’t recall The Commune’s Curse being anything but a series in my mind. Because I grew up reading fantasy series such as The Song of the Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce, J.V. Jones’s Sword of Shadows series, and His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman, I wonder if part of my brain just thought writing fantasy meant writing a series! But, saying that, it works as a trilogy. I’ll give the blurb for anyone unfamiliar with Awakening:

The Kingdom of Septima is ruled in all but name by the Commune, a ruthless cult that seeks control of an ancient power that has taken root in unsuspecting children in Septima. To maintain their hold on the kingdom, the Commune will stop at nothing to capture children who show signs of this power, to be weaponised or eliminated.

18-year-old Evelyn Folksman is in hiding. Taken in by a tavern-owner, she is haunted by the horrific events that drove her from her home years before. Evelyn is forced to face her past when two wayward children, Raif and Rose Huntsman, arrive at the tavern, pursued by Commune soldiers.

The children fall under Evelyn’s reluctant care as the trio narrowly escape a raid. Relentlessly hunted by Commander Jonah Sulemon and Commune agent Lord Eirik Torrant, Evelyn and Raif cannot fathom why they pose such a threat to the Commune, until six-year-old Rose unwittingly reveals a terrible secret: she possesses powers more fearsome than any the Commune has unearthed in decades.

There are only two options: to be captured and imprisoned, or to run for the rest of their lives.

The Commune’s Curse

It’s a story that grows with each book, I think. For example, book one takes place in Septima and is centralised around a few key locations in the kingdom (Castleton, the Veritas camp, Lord Torrant’s house). Book two expands on the story and takes the reader to new places, both in Septima and beyond. 

Q. I love a good quest story with a compelling, reluctant heroine who faces challenges, including personal ones, while struggling to reach a destination with her charges. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Can you give us a series synopsis and some hints on what we can look forward to in the next installment?

LAM. That certainly is just the tip of the iceberg! 

A series synopsis, oof that’s a good question. As mentioned in the blurb above, this is a story set in a kingdom ruled in all but name by a ruthless, cult-like government. The ultimate aim is to see them taken down. How we get there will be anything but simple. The overarching theme is about fighting against the oppression of the Commune. Of learning that we can be blinded by our own experiences and beliefs. Of being open to change, being open to forgiving ourselves and those who treat us badly. The four main characters–Evelyn, Raif, Hector and Commander Jonah Sulemon–are each put through some trials. They are led to question themselves. They make mistakes.

That sounds very generalised and I suppose it is. Ultimately, this is a series that I wanted to be very human at its core–because that’s what I find interesting in the stories I read, the characters, their flaws and struggles and how they ultimately overcome them. Or not, in some cases. We can’t all get a happy ending. That will certainly be the case in this series. That’s not so much a synopsis as a ramble, so I hope it makes sense! 

In terms of what’s in store: in book two, we get to learn about Hector’s home, Nook Town, and the religious beliefs they hold that are outside of the Commune’s sway. We also discover more of Commander Jonah Sulemon’s home, the Noman Islands–the place where the powers first appeared. I want to keep readers guessing, not 100% sure where things could go–and I think book two will come with some surprises. At least I hope so, anyway. 

DLL. Thank you so much, Lucy! Getting into your writer’s thoughts on your story themes is a real treat.

Q. One of the most intriguing aspects of your series is how the MC copes with trauma. As a mental health professional, what is it like to blend your work experience with writing fantasy fiction? Were there challenges merging your professional world with writing? Was it imperative for you to create a flawed character when you set out to write fiction? Or was The Commune’s Curse a story waiting to happen, an inevitable, natural element in your storytelling?

LAM. Thank you, yes it was something I felt I certainly wanted to explore within my storytelling. Weirdly, I don’t remember intentionally going into it thinking “this character will have trauma, I will explore this mental health issue”, but as it emerged that Evelyn had past trauma–all of the characters do actually, to some extent–Raif has grief to process, Sulemon is in a toxic relationship, Hector is… well, he’s just Hector haha. But they all have their struggles. I think the main challenge for this is ensuring I wrote these issues sensitively. As a counsellor, I’m aware of the mental health theory I can utilise to understand characters and why they are how they are, but that doesn’t mean I’m impervious to misunderstanding mental health issues. I used both personal experiences, case studies I’ve read in my professional work, and research around trauma in order to write my characters. And I hope I’ve done those issues justice. 

To me (as I’ve already mentioned), flawed characters are the most interesting to read. We are all flawed. We all have struggles. I want readers to connect with the characters I write, to see themselves mirrored or to be able to understand different mental health issues through these characters. That is important to me and something I am very passionate about. So yeah, I believe it was imperative. 🙂

You know, you asking that–whether The Commune’s Curse was a story waiting to happen–makes me think. When I was training to become a counsellor, I found my way back to my love for writing. I hadn’t done it for many years because of anxiety and self-doubt. I was keeping a journal during my training and remember writing, “I’m going to write a book.” And Awakening was the first book I wrote. The story came out in stages. I realised I wanted to include aspects of real-life issues (victim-blaming, mental health, Brexit, oppression). So perhaps some part of me always intended to write a story including those things. Maybe that’s why it was so easy to write that first book. 

DLL. Thank you for taking another deep dive! I really appreciate this aspect of your journey.

Q. Awakening has received some amazing reviews and two things stand out besides the “clear-eyed portraits of trauma in its characters” – Your “exquisite prose” and fast-paced story telling. How did you develop your writing style?

LAM. Thank you, yeah it has received some really lovely praise. Which is wonderful for me as a writer who often experiences strong bouts of self-doubt! I think my beta readers and editor had a lot to do with helping me hone my writing style. You always hear about finding your “voice” as a writer. It’s one of those elusive things that are hard to know how to nail down. Ultimately, I think if you’re writing what you’re passionate about, your voice will come through. That’s what I’ve aimed for, anyway. I do also believe writers are always honing their voice. Book two of The Commune’s Curse is better than book one, in my opinion. And I’m working on a standalone dark fantasy too. My aim is basically: keep writing, keep improving my style, keep finding my voice. That’s all anyone can do, right?! 

DLL. Exactly. And I can relate, and it’s so encouraging to hear how you adapt and deal with growing as a writer. I’m not sure if it was the smartest thing to do, but I went back and applied my (in the process of being) honed writer skills to my series and am republishing books one and two this summer. I wish I could have just left my original story intact, but I couldn’t help refining it, which led to a couple new chapters and fleshing out secondary characters that carry over into the next book. But I need to just get them back up on Amazon and stop all the tweaking. 😊

Q. We connected through the Fantasy Sci Fi Writers Alliance, a great group of writers who support each other in a variety of ways, and I’ve enjoyed hearing through that group how you make time to write while balancing your professional and family life. Can you share your tips on staying on track? What are your favorite things to do during downtime?

LAM. Oh yes I LOVE the FSF Alliance. It’s so wonderful connecting with fellow authors. It can be very lonely writing a book. I highly recommend joining to anyone who is writing an SFF book at the moment (see more below).

You know, staying on track can be tough sometimes. A big thing I’ve learnt recently is it’s okay NOT to stay on track sometimes. Be gentle with yourself. If you need a rest and break from writing, take one. While I’m doing that, I tend to find little ideas popping into my head which I jot down for later. 

When I am in the headspace for writing, for me as the mum of a toddler, it’s about utilising the time I do have. Nap time! I’ve stopped keeping a daily word count expectation as that brings its own pressure. Basically, on the days you do write–any amount of words is fantastic, whether it be 100 or 1,000 (or more, GO YOU). Be proud of any progress you make.

Outside of writing, I love spending time with my toddler (he needs A LOT of attention right now) and husband, playing video games (I’m currently playing Tears of the Kingdom and have just started a cosy game called Potion Permit), reading (fantasy, horror and crime thrillers), and going for walks to find old castle ruins for photographing. I find them to be inspirational for my stories! 

Q. This is where we can chat about your nifty word processor! I enjoy your posts about your FreeWrite Traveler and all the words you bang out in a session thanks to not being distracted with editing as you write. I started my career as a word processor in 1982, so I love retro tech stuff. Give us the scoop. Are you still loving it? 

DLL. Oooh. I so want to get one! You can follow Lucy on Instagram to learn more about her love for her FreeWrite Traveler and her works in progress. Click here to check out the device directly.

Q. What are some of your other favorite tools or methods to help with productivity?

LAM. Definitely notebooks. I am a sucker for a good notebook. I probably (definitely) have too many and I will always be tempted to buy another if I see them in a shop. My husband has to drag me away, ha. They’re handy for jotting down notes, ideas, interesting names and lyrics, all of which I find inspiring. I also find utilising the notes section on my phone a fantastic tool. I don’t always have a notebook close by, but I do have my phone with me basically all day. So when my brain decides to throw a random story/scene idea out at 1.37am, I can pick it up, blearily write it on my phone and know I won’t forget it. 

Q. Who or what was your biggest influence in becoming a writer?

LAM. Ooh, good question. I feel like a lot of things converged at around the same age for me which had a massive impact on my passion for fantasy stories: Lord of the Rings films, I read Tamora Pierce’s Song of the Lioness Quartet and Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy, I was played Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time/Majora’s Mask and Final Fantasy VIII/IX/X. They caused me to fall in love with character-focused adventures with interesting people and places. So becoming a writer felt like a natural part of wanting to create my own stories and, in some part, to recreate the magical feeling the ones I loved left me with. More recently, I discovered writers like Robin Hobb and Joe Abercombie whose books I absolutely adore and whose amazing writing skills I will always aspire to. 

DLL. Here are links besides the ones above to get you started on what influenced Lucy. Robin Hobb’s Assassin’s Apprentice, and Joe Abercrombie’s The Blade Itself (debut series).

Q. What are your top three favorite books or authors?

LAM. Robin Hobb is definitely my favourite author. I adore all of the books of hers I’ve read (I still have many to read. They’re on my TBR but I think I’m almost scared to get to them and not having any more Robin Hobb stories waiting for me. That’s my excuse, anyway.

His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman is my favourite book series. Highly recommend to anyone who hasn’t read it. The characters, worldbuilding and themes are second to none.

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon is definitely up there as one of my favourite books. It’s epic and gorgeously written.

DLL. Awesome. Thanks for sharing more from your list, Lucy!

Q. Another topic I have been excited to cover with you is your participation on panels at writers conventions and other venues. Can you share how you got started and was it a hard thing to do? What are your favorite highlights? How can a writer get involved or be invited to sit on a panel? Do you recommend it?

LAM. Absolutely! So I started when I saw an open call for QuaranCon in 2022. It was an online convention, which became a lot more popular because of the pandemic of course cancelling in person events. With a young child to work around, this became a very convenient option for me. It was (and still is) hard putting myself out there and talking in front of people, but it definitely is getting easier. Tell my 15-year-old self I’m doing this; she’d be astounded. 

My biggest highlight is definitely attending EasterCon in person in April this year. As much as the online conventions are convenient and I love taking part in them, going to an in-person convention is fantastic. I met loads of lovely people, connected with social media friends and was on a panel with Garth Nix, whose books I read when I was like… 10. So that was surreal. 

To get involved in conventions and panels, I’d say search what is available in your country/area. See what conventions have online options (I’ve partaken in American-based ones such as WisCon because they have an online part to the convention). They will generally have an open call for authors to sign up and advise they’re interested in being on panels. Some also offer the option of making suggestions for panel ideas. Basically, keep your eyes peeled. 

And I 100% recommend it. It’s the opportunity to meet new people, speak about topics you’re passionate about, and promote your work as an author. All invaluable parts of being a writer. Also, if you’re introverted (like me) and worried about it–you can do it! Everyone is always so friendly, in my experience. Plus it’ll build your confidence the more you do it; believe me, I know. 

DLL. Fantastic. So encouraging! And I look forward to hearing more about your experiences. Follow the links in the text to learn more about these amazing conventions.

Q. Along with conventions, what is the writing community like in the U.K.? Do you have other ways you get involved locally to promote your stories? 

LAM. I am part of a local writing Discord group but, to my shame, have barely taken part in it. I do know another North-East based writer (Trudie Skies) and we plan to meet up soon, which will be nice. I’ve also had the opportunity to meet fellow authors and good friends who have come over the UK, like Cindy van Wilder and Courtney Denelle. I also need to find local places to promote my stories. Basically, Darci… I’m still working that out lol. 

DLL. You’re doing much better than I am.😊 It is hard to stay involved while keeping productive. And any bit is a good thing.

Q. I’m self-published and after two years of absorbing how other writers market their books, whether traditionally published or independent, it seems to me it’s an uphill climb either way with such a saturated market, and I’m still unclear about the advantages of one over the other. What are your observations?

LAM. I completely agree. It’s very much an uphill struggle. I think the advantages, for me at least–and why I wanted to go down the traditional publishing route–are that you have a publisher behind you to give aforementioned advice and support. I know as a debut author I would have felt overwhelmed publishing a book without that. Perhaps self-publishing is the way to publish quicker because trad publishing certainly takes more time. But it also costs the author more. But they get all the royalties. But they don’t have a publisher behind them for support.

All that being said: ultimately, I say do what is best for you! Just make sure you put the best version of your book out there, either way. 

DLL. Helpful insights. Can you cover a little about how you sought your publisher and developed your relationship?

LAM. Of course! So I was querying for agents in 2019 and saw that Santa Fe Writers Project (SFWP) had an open call for SFF novels. I thought why not submit and went for it. A few months later, I got a response which was a “No, but…” which was amazing! They gave lots of helpful feedback and pointers as to ways to build upon and improve my book. I implemented those, resubmitted a few months later and waited. In May 2020, I was offered a publishing contract and was absolutely thrilled! It’s still surreal to me now, honestly.

Q. How do you work in conjunction with your publisher to market your books? What does your publisher do to promote you?

LAM. My publisher gives me a lot of tips/advice around marketing. Marketing is one of those things I definitely wasn’t fully prepared for as a debut author, so I’m glad to have a publisher like SFWP who are able to support me in it! 

Q. You also enjoy interviewing authors and creators. How did you get started with that and how long have you been at it? 

LAM. Oh I love it! I’ve been doing it in one form or another for a few years now. As much as social media can be a challenge and brings a level of anxiety, I have met so many wonderful people through it. I think I started out interviewing a good friend, Cindy van Wilder, who I met on Twitter back when I joined in 2018. They are a supportive, amazing person who has helped me so much in my writing and publishing journey. I love getting to know other authors, how their writing is going, their writing influences, all that kind of stuff. I’ve recently been doing a series of interviews on writing and video games, considering how the latter has had an impact on people’s love of stories and the way they create their own worlds/characters. It’s been very interesting–and a great excuse to have a nostalgia-trip discussing video games!

DLL. Awesome! You can visit Lucy’s interviews here.

Q. What are your favorite aspects of sharing a writer’s story on your blog?

LAM. I find it quite fun just writing about it, to be honest. It’s quite cathartic! I tend to do more sharing on my newsletter than blog, thinking about it. I try to give advice or share news and hope that it helps others to find new events/things to try in their writing. If just one person reads it and takes something from it, I’m happy. 

Q. You have other stories published. Where can we find your works, and can you share what projects you’re working on in addition to your series?

LAM. I have a short story called The Dragon Harvester’s Daughter published in the Reign of Fire anthology which released in January. It’s a fantastic series of short stories worth checking out if you love dragons! I also have other short stories available on my website, if you fancy some quick fantasy reads. 

In addition to working on The Commune’s Curse series, I’m writing a standalone dark fantasy, working title The Etherstone Project. It’s one I’m really excited about. Based in a Victorian London-inspired city which is being stalked by a vicious killer, it is about two young women from different ends of society who must come together to uncover the truth about the murders and the mysterious EtherGods who control their city.

DLL. Ooh. That sounds amazing!! I can’t wait for that to come out.

Follow the links throughout to find all these great stories and keep posted on Lucy’s progress. Reign of Fire is published by Dragon Soul Press. I love their anthologies and have a story about a selkie and lighthouse keeper in one called Song of the Siren. Check them out if you have a story to submit.

Q. Where do you see yourself in five years as a writer?

LAM. I’d like to have Etherstone finished and out in the world, if not with a publisher ready to be released. The Commune’s Curse series finished and in the world. And on to my next fantasy book/series… Just the thought makes me very excited and anxious haha.

DLL. Awe. Fantastic. I totally get that!

This has been a lot of fun, Lucy! Thank you so much for joining me this week. Do you have any parting words of advice for those who want to pursue their passion?

LAM. Thanks so much Darci, it’s been lovely chatting.

Parting advice: write your first draft without editing it. Get it out of your brain and onto the screen/paper. Edits come later. That is the best thing I’ve taken on board from other writers and it works. 

Post your comments or questions and Lucy and I will follow up.

Thank you for visiting with us!