Flame & Shadow by AK Nevermore

 Wild Women Authors feature AK Nevermore and Flame & Shadow, book one of The Dae Diaries, a contemporary urban fantasy, recently released by The Wild Rose Press. With AK today is the female protagonist who goes by several different names but today we’ll address her as Envy.

Tell us a bit about Flame & Shadow. It’s pretty much an account of how I got screwed over into becoming fae. I mean, not that dying would’ve been better, but I could seriously do without the drama. Or the groupies. They seriously suck. You’d think they’d have video games to play or something.

What did you think the first time you saw Brennan? Um, drool? Because I totally did. Have you seen him? Dae-licious. As in puts a big “O” in hot.

What was your second thought? That he was a di—um, jerk, for kidnapping me. Saving me, whatever. I didn’t like him or his stupid rules.

Do you feel it was love at first sight? Is that seriously a thing? No. And who told you I loved him? I mean I do, most days, but— Ugh! Whatever. Next question.

What do you like most about him? Is this a family show?

How would you describe him? Like I said, dae-licious. 6’ 2”, clean-shaven, seriously cut, raven black hair that gets all mussy and falls over his stormy grey eye…mmm…and that frickin’ European accent of his… How long did you say this was going to take?

How would he describe you? Gorgeous, duh. Like you can’t see I’m pin-up perfect.

What is your biggest fear? That JD’s will close and I won’t be able to get garlic aioli with my waffle fries. That stuff is to die for. Like, seriously life changing.

How do you relax? Beer, Brennan, and bed, in that order. Did I say he puts a big “O” in hot? Yeah, that O, because he totally does.

Who is your favorite fictional character? Psh, easy. The Scarlett Witch. She can change her reality to whatever she wants. I’m thinking beach, cocktail, and some cabana boy role playing right about now.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Not to bargain with a fae. What? I didn’t say I followed it, but it’s solid. That’s like betting against the house. Yeah, you might come out on top, but trust me, it will screw you in the end, and won’t be the fun kind.

Envy, we appreciate you taking the time to speak with us. Now, we’d like to chat with your creator, AK Nevermore.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? I read voraciously, so it’s hard to point to just one, but I would say all those old-school female SFF writers, Andre Norton, Mercedes Lackey, Marion Zimmer Bradley, and the like. It was awesome to see women out there creating all of those worlds I loved to get lost in and it lit a fire under me that I could do it too.

Is there an event in your private life that you were able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? I think it’s more of Envy’s the attitude than anything else. Externally she has this kick butt attitude where nothing gets to her, but inside she’s a mess. I can absolutely relate to putting on a brave face to do what you have to do, which is one of the reasons I write my newsletter, Nevermore News. There’s a lot of “crap, guess what I screwed up now” because I think it’s important for people to see others out there struggling but still attaining their goals. Owning your less than ideal moments is just as important as crowing about the awesome ones.

Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? Flame & Shadow is published is The Wild Rose Press. I hooked up with them through the RWA’s Romance Authors Mentorship Program, so it wasn’t a conscious decision to send them my stuff, but it worked out. I wish I had some grand plan, but that’s usually how I fall into things. The important take-away is just to put yourself out there.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? My Kindle is constantly cycling through dark romance and urban fantasy. I read a stupid amount of books, but I guess the ones that have lingered there the longest are The Bone Clocks and the latest JR Ward novels. I’ve been on a mafia romance kick, so my usual go-to reads have been gathering dust.

Last, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves?

Flame & Shadow just came out and is available here. The next book in the series, Air & Darkness is in production. I think we’re looking at having that out sometime in 2024, and a third book is in the works. If your readers want to know what the world is all about, I have a free download, One Night in Bliss, available. You can check out all of them, along with my dark SFF romance series, on my website, https://aknevermore.com/