Pentagonal Dominion Series, Standalone
Epic Fantasy (adult)
Date Published: April 8th, 2022
Publisher: Shadow Spark Publishing
“My secret would plunge the world into chaos.” “How much is it worth?”
Calinthe is an asexual dragonfly-person who was sent on a mission to find two missing men. She learns one of the men is from a species thought to be extinct, who had the misfortune of being captured in a matriarchal society where all non-women are enslaved. Though she maintains a disguise with help from her companion’s illusions, Calinthe is actually intersex. If her secret were to be discovered by the matriarchy, she would be enslaved as well.
Interview with Erika McCorkle
How did you become involved with the subject or theme of your book?
Having an overactive imagination, mostly. I’ve consumed fantasy media since I could read. I always thought it was more interesting than the real world. More fun. More colorful. I liked the idea of worlds completely different from our own, with their own rules for society. I created my world based on questions I had asked myself. What if there were sapient people besides humans? What if there was a society where women had all the power? What if there was a large portion of the population that wasn’t allowed to use money? I became involved with these subjects through my own speculation about theoretical societies and worlds.
What were your goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them?
My goal for Merchants of Knowledge and Magic (MoKaM) was to tell a story featuring an intelligent, crafty, and arrogant MC put into an uncomfortable sexual situation provoked by a woman rather than a man. In the meantime, also sharing portions of my world so consistent readers will have a bigger picture of the entire Pentagonal Dominion. I feel I was successful on both these fronts.
What was the hardest part of writing this book?
Since this was my debut, the hardest part was simply getting it published. I looked into various methods of publishing: trad, small indie pub, self. I had concerns that I would have to tone the book’s dark material down if I were to go for trad publishing, and I was unwilling to do that. I ended up finding a small indie house who was happy and willing to publish it, no matter how dark it was.
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
The last quarter of the book, when the dark and traumatic parts ramp up. I enjoy writing that kind of cruelty and the cathartic rage of the one who was wronged as she gets revenge.
Where there alternate endings you considered?
Briefly, when I was outlining at the beginning, I considered having the character Päivi be Calinthe and Zakuro’s companion throughout the entire novel. She would have been involved in the traumatic situation of the final quarter of the book and would have also gone through the hell Kamiko put Calinthe and Zakuro through. I ended up not using this plotline because I couldn’t keep Päivi relevant enough once her plotline was finished and she had no reason to keep traveling with the other two.
Can you share some stories about people you met while researching this book?
Any research done for this book was done through the internet or talking to people on Twitter about topics ranging from chemistry to kinks.
What genre of books do you enjoy reading?
I read fantasy almost exclusively. Occasionally I’ll dip my toes into historical fiction or sci-fi.
About the Author
Erika McCorkle is an avid world-builder and consumer of all things fantasy, whether that be books, video games, or anime. She has been developing the Pentagonal Dominion for over two decades and has just recently begun publishing novels that take place in that fantastic world. She has a Bachelors of Science in Biology and works as a laboratory technician on the graveyard shift at her local blood bank, which qualifies her as a vampire. Her debut novel, Merchants of Knowledge and Magic, is available now.
Contact Links
Twitter: @KiraoftheWind1
Instagram: @kira_of_the_wind
Purchase Links
0 comments:
Post a Comment