Louise Cusack is an International award winning fantasy author whose best-selling Shadow through Time trilogy was selected by the Doubleday book club as their ‘Editors Choice’. This series is now available as eBooks, published by Pan Macmillan’s digital imprint Momentum Books.
In 2006 Louise presented the
Louise also runs her own business Writers: Working with Louise Cusack and has completed over 150 manuscript assessments and tutored more than 80 writing workshops.
So over to Louise now...
Despite the fact that I’m an Australian raised in suburban Brisbane, when I was a little girl I thought I was the missing Russian Princess Anastasia, because Cusack does sound like Cossack if you say it quickly. My family felt unfamiliar to me, especially my little brother who kept popping the heads off my Barbies, so I invented another life where I was an exiled princess, stranded far from my kingdom, waiting to grow up and return to my homeland (where a different brother awaited).
As fantasies go it was a harmless one, but for some reason it was also persistent. I kept drifting back into it as I grew, learning more about the sepia world of Ennae and its inhabitants. As a teenager, I developed crushes on boys who didn’t know I existed, and around that time a champion entered the fantasy, a young man destined to protect her, who wasn’t exactly handsome but he was incredibly kind and strong, and more importantly, desperately in love with the princess who . . . just didn’t think of him that way.
But what had started as wish-fulfilment fairytale soon evolved into something that had a life of its own, and when I was married with small children and finally had the time to write about Ennae and the princess who returns to it, one book had grown into three. So it’s with much pleasure that I introduce my Shadow Through Time romantic fantasy trilogy which follows the fates of the Princess Khatrene and her champion Talis: Destiny of the Light, Daughter of the Dark and Glimmer in the Maelstrom, now published as eBooks by Pan Macmillan’s digital imprint Momentum Books, and available where all good eBooks are sold.
To celebrate the release of the trilogy I’d like to give away a copy of the first book of the series Destiny of the Light to one lucky commenter.
I love the idea of turning fantasies into stories. The imagination is so very powerful. I particularly like the exiled princess fantasy. I had one of those too, many years ago LOL
ReplyDeleteSo glad I wasn't alone in that! Are you a writer, Maria? Maybe you could pen that fantasy and share it?
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of little girls dream of being a princess, and that's probably why those fantasies appeal so much when we grow up :-)
Oh! Interesting fantasies!
ReplyDeleteWe have a review of these books at
http://rbh-fantasy.blogspot.com/
I tell my children that the feeling of disconnection with the world is not something they are alone with. Nice to know it can turn into something so special and real.
ReplyDeleteGreat to see you at Romance Reader Louise. I love these books and was thrilled when I downloaded them onto my kindle. I've re-read Destiny and adored Talis as much as I did when I first read him. Am looking forward to getting in book two soon.
ReplyDeleteHi Louise
ReplyDeleteGreat to see you here!
I love fantasy and I love romance. I grew up reading all the books on Princesses and still fancy myself as one:)
Hi Louise,
ReplyDeleteI too lived in a fantasy world as a child, though I was The Hardy Boys' little sister. I have lived in a fantasy world all my life, coming back to reality every now and then. During one such reality check, I discovered I had married and had children. Now I hide in my fantasy world to escape two very active children and a husband I love to death, but who is not hero material...he couldn't sweep me into his arms and carry me anywhere, sigh...
Hey Fiona, thanks for dropping in. I'm told a lot of writers feel like they don't belong in their families. We might be born that way so we'll spend an inordinate amount of time alone daydreaming - the perfect training for writing novels. I'm glad your kids have such an understanding mother!
ReplyDeleteHi Helen, so glad you enjoyed Destiny the second time around. Always lovely to find someone else who adores Talis!
ReplyDeleteElaine, I think there are a lot of grown up princesses around - not princess in a demanding sort of way, just women who feel special. I'm glad I haven't lost that feeling of excitement and glamour. I've found it's helpful at one in the morning when I'm overtired (and caffeinated to the max so I can finish a project) to think of it as my royal duty :-)
ReplyDeleteEscaping husbands and children is what fantasy is all about, Mickey! And I think that break away makes us appreciate 'real life' even more when we come back to it. Or at least tolerate it better!
ReplyDeleteI love how this story has been growing with you through all the years you, yourself, were growing. The characters and setting must have become a part of you and felt very real. And how cool that you wrote it and then went on to write two more novels! What an amazing story your journey has been! Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteThose characters do feel real to me, Lyn! In fact, when people say "If it was a movie who would the actors be?" I find it hard to imagine actors in the roles.
ReplyDeleteI've had lovely feedback from readers as well, saying the characters were very real to them so I'm glad it's not just me :-)
Yes, Louise, I am a writer. Thanks for the idea.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome Maria!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was little I had fantasies of having a different life. That does spur the imagination.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on being editor's choice and all your other successes. :)
Congrats to Louise! What striking covers.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the congrats Medeia, but to be honest the thing that means most to me is reader feedback. It's lovely to win awards, but reader approval and enthusiasm for my books is way more important to me!
ReplyDeleteI love the covers too Talli! Momentum Books did such a great job of creating them. The first covers for the trilogy's print release were much more fantasy oriented, but they're fantasy romances, so I'm thrilled that the new covers reflect that.
ReplyDeleteOoh, I think I'd really enjoy these books! I must add them to my TBR pile.
ReplyDeleteYay! Would love to hear what you think of them, Rebecca!
ReplyDeleteOooh - what a great premise! I was fascinated with Anastasia, too - a missing princess, how mysterious!
ReplyDeleteYes it was all very mysterious to me when I was little Susan. I actually thought Russia must be another world, so I'd imagined myself to be a little alien, and sometimes I wouldn't even speak English. I'd speak Gobbledygook to my brother and then strut off all haughty and princess-ish when he couldn't understand me. How delicious would it be if you could get away with those sort of delusions as an adult?
ReplyDeleteLove the idea of childhood dreams becoming inspiration for stories!
ReplyDeleteMe too, Deniz. It's nice to have all that daydreaming turn into something special. Although I must admit it's actually nicer that my childhood dream to be an author came true (like my hero Lewis Carroll, who had the same initials as me - LC!) Having the fantasy I'd dreamed up back them become a published trilogy was icing on the cake.
ReplyDeleteHi Louise!
ReplyDeleteSeems you had a lovely time chatting with all the RR followers and friends!
All the best for your Shadow Through Time Trilogy!
Thanks Nas, it was lovely to be here!
ReplyDeleteHi All Friends!
ReplyDeleteThank you all for coming along to chat with Louise Cusack!
random.org picked out the name of Rebecca Bradley as winner of this giveaway!
Congratulations Rebecca! Please contact Louise through her website!
Thank you to Louise for taking the time out to be here with us chatting and for this giveaway!
Riya.
Those covers are incredible!
ReplyDeleteHi Peggy!
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading and your comment!
Riya
look like great story..
ReplyDeleteThanks for saying that Petty. I love the cover too!
ReplyDeleteSorry, I meant to type Peggy! Must be tired. Just back from a writers festival on the Gold Coast. Too much talk and not enough sleep :-)
DeleteThanks for saying that Fedo! Much appreciated. And thanks for dropping by.
ReplyDelete