Demon Storm, Book 4
YA Fantasy
Date Published: 09-13-2023
Publisher: Shadow Spark Publishing
More than night terrors keep Kari awake at night. Ari languishes beside her, broken by the horrors Raven bestowed upon him.
She hopes he heals, and soon.
When a familiar presence and an unexplainable human with magic happen upon their doorstep, Kari and Ari make a decision: leave Raziac Village in search of answers and a new home.
But the heart eater waits for them.
Interview with Valerie Storm
How many books have you written and which is your favorite?
I’ve written tons of books! Maybe 12ish books finished that are part of my Demon Storm series or within the same universe. My favorite book bounces between a couple of them, but consistently I fall back to Demon Storm’s Book 2, Storm & Shadow, where my main villain Raven is introduced. I love Raven, and writing and reading her early back and forth with Kari is some of my hands-down favorite moments.
If you’re planning a sequel, can you share a tiny bit about your plans for it?
The Demon Storm series is planned for eight books with the fourth (Heart of the Storm) just being released. All eight books are currently written (or in rewrites) and waiting for official editing.
For the next book, The Storm Breaks, Kari deals with the trauma and hardships from Heart of the Storm as well as some villains from the past. The Storm Breaks is one that has given me a lot of hardship, but in the end, I do love it. I love the way Kari and Ari must come together and work harder to keep what they’re trying to build.
Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
I once wished I could write standalone books, but I don’t think that could have ever been the plan for Demon Storm. The eight books will definitely be a complete series, though I do try to add flashbacks and recaps that make it easier to fall into the next book if the previous one wasn’t read recently.
After the Demon Storm series, I want to consider standalones within the same universe!
How did you come up with the title for your book?
Heart of the Storm has stayed pretty static across its creation. I wanted it to be Heart of the Storm to indicate Kari’s return to her first home, and also a nod to the internal conflict she will have related to her feelings.
How long did it take you to write this book?
My brother and I co-wrote this book over the course of a few months. After that, I edited it extensively on and off over the years, never quite finding the right feeling for some characters/their dialogue. All-in-all, I’d say Heart of the Storm took roughly 7 years to be “ready.”
What does the title mean?
I sort of explained this one already, but the title is a little literal. The “Storm” in every title is relating to Kari, or the Catalyst that sleeps inside of her. Heart of the Storm is bluntly pointing at Kari’s heart and the conflicts she will face. It’s also a bit of a play on the term “eye of the storm,” in which Kari finds herself in the middle of so much turmoil and chaos.
What did you learn when writing the book?
When I wrote Heart of the Storm, I realized how much I love writing villains and how good it was for me to make my own personal male villain I could love. Valeris was created purely for this reason, and this story was made so I could have these feelings. When I was able to fit it into the massive puzzle that has been the Demon Storm series, I was so happy!
What surprised you the most?
When editing Heart of the Storm, I was most surprised by Ari, of all people. He starts off the book dealing with some trauma from the end of book 3. He’s so low and broken, and has to climb back up to be the pillar of light and strength that Kari needs, especially when Valeris shows up.
I was surprised by Ari’s emotions and depth, and then the ways that he came back and showed me and Kari how much he was willing to give up to keep going.
Have you ever killed off a character your readers loved?
In general, yes, and I will do so again! Heart of the Storm may or may not be within that range…I’ll have to leave that for readers to see. Later in the Demon Storm series, though…I am very excited about some deaths I’ve written!
What do you do to get inside your character’s heads?
It’s hard to explain how I get inside character’s minds. Kari is the easiest, of course; she’s me. But when I’m trying to write Ari, Raven, Valeris, or the more side characters like Zina, it comes down to finding those threads of my soul that aren’t quite me, but exist within me. Ari is valiant, warm, and kind. Raven is cold, calculating, and hateful. Valeris is similar, but amused and arrogant.
In short, I think it comes down to centering myself and letting the character channel through me.
About the Author
Valerie Storm was raised in Tucson, Arizona. Growing up, she fell in love with everything fantasy. When she wasn’t playing video games, she was writing. By age ten, she began to write her own stories as a way to escape reality. When these stories became a full-length series, she considered the path to sharing with other children & children-at/heart looking for a place to call home.
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2 comments:
I enjoyed the post. This book sounds really good.
The book sounds intriguing. Love the cover.
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