Interview With Author Lyneal Jenkins
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
With bipolar, ADHD, and a touch of ASD, it’s no wonder I get bored easily. Over time, I’ve learned to manage the downsides and lean into the positives, especially when it comes to creativity. Writing is my main outlet—I’ve already completed an award-winning 10-book dark fantasy saga, with another six books in various stages of editing.
But it doesn’t stop there. I’m always building or making something, whether it’s sets for film shoots or decorating my house for Christmas (eighteen people at the table this year, and the theme is Narnia—my ice palace looks spectacular). Friends once told me I could create a masterpiece out of a room full of scraps. Naturally, I took that as a challenge and turned my boys into a TARDIS from donated scraps. We went on many adventures in that. Shame they had to grow up.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My next book, due for release later this year, is Trials of Ash and Blood. It follows Micah, a half-elf teenager, kidnapped and forced into a Consortium Academy. Dark and gritty, it’s the story of a boy fighting to hold on to his humanity in a world where only the brutal survive. The book has already received a five-star seal from Readers’ Favorite.
The new world of Valeith was partly inspired by my love of steampunk—my wardrobe still holds a few outfits I wish I could live in. Each book explores a different angle: Trials delves into dystopian brutality, while Ryn’s upcoming story is a high-tech heist, due after Easter. The world seems to contain a little bit of everything, which not only entertains me, but gives me endless room to explore.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have plenty of unusual writing habits. For starters, I never title my first chapter—not even as “Chapter One”—until I’ve passed 10,000 words. It doesn’t feel like a real book until then. When I’m drafting, I change my phone screen saver to an image that reflects the book, and I’ll often listen to the same song (sometimes just one on repeat for hours) to stay in the right headspace.
I also plot conversations aloud when I’m walking down the street—both sides, with full enthusiasm. Unfortunately, I can’t pass it off as a phone call, which is awkward if I'm voicing an argument!
For my first ten-book series, I kept no notes at all. I knew it so well I could pull up a single line from any of the books. But with my new projects, the scope is so vast that I have notes scattered across scrap paper all over the house, plus a massive whiteboard with personalised magnets to track timelines and character cameos.
Even editing has its quirks. I often do my structural edits in my head while relaxing in the bath with a mocha—there’s something about water that helps me problem solve.
And when I want a concept for a new book, I mentally go fishing. After finishing my ten-book Phoenix Rising saga, my head felt strangely empty—I could almost see tumbleweeds rolling through. On a dog walk, I cast the intention into the ether: I wanted a world that mixed tech and magic, with mythical races and political intrigue. Twenty minutes later, I had outlines for three books. By the end of that walk, I knew I’d hooked something much bigger—the foundation for the biggest project of my life.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve been reading across genres since I moved on from the Famous Five at age eleven, and countless authors have shaped me along the way. Stephen King can be blamed for nurturing my dark and twisty side, while Jeffery Deaver sparked my fascination with cause and effect — especially what drives people to act, whether for good, bad, or something in between.
My love of fantasy was first piqued by C.S. Lewis, but it was television that truly inspired me — which probably explains why I write in such a cinematic fashion. Since then, I’ve devoured many of the greats, from J.R.R. Tolkien to Robin Hobb, enjoying everything from high fantasy epics to romantasy when the mood takes me.
What are you working on now?
I have started a huge project expected to be approximately 20 books long, set in a completely different fantasy world with beings from humans to myths like minotaurs, and a few other races to add spice. It follows several characters, and their trilogies intertwine, with many characters making cameo appearances in other books. It starts in the depths of a Consortium Academy, where children are turned into fighting machines while being used to make credits – a gritty, dystopian, gladiator-type story. But this is only the beginning. Other books show Goddess prophecies, advanced technology like programmable matter and bioengineering, and so much more. Not that it stops at the writing. I'm currently building a huge 12' by 6' by 6' rig to resemble the inside of one of the crawlers (Valeith's most popular vehicles) for a cinematic trailer involving a kidnapped half-elf boy and a chained Minotaur.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
PR is the dreaded part of being an author that I spend a lot of time avoiding—I’d much rather be behind my laptop creating worlds than worrying about algorithms. I struggle with the basics, like posting quotes or tropes, so instead I’ve decided to go big.
For the world of Valeith—particularly Trials of Ash and Blood—I’m working on two cinematic trailers and even a propaganda campaign for the Consortium that rules my world. I’ve commissioned incredible artwork, I’m writing short freebies to go alongside the main books, and I’m even teaching myself Blender so readers can one day explore a walk-through of the Academy and terradomes.
As for where I’ll actually post it all? I’ll probably use every platform available—or, better yet, find someone who knows social media better than me to handle that part. Here’s hoping I find them soon!
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be true to your characters, no matter what. If you force them into out-of-character reactions, readers will know.
Expect your first draft to be messy—that’s what editing is for. The first draft belongs to the characters; the edits are for the readers. Never insert yourself into the story. For me, I’m only the translator, and my opinions have no place in their world.
Don’t let bad reviews crush your confidence. Learn from them where you can, but never let them silence you. And above all, keep reading, keep writing, and keep developing your craft. Every page you write makes you stronger.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
There’s a lot of amazing advice out there, and I’d always encourage new writers to listen to what the greats have to say — they rarely steer you wrong. But instead of the best advice, I’ll share the worst I ever heard: write what you know.
For me, I can’t think of anything worse. I live my life — I don’t want to write it. Don’t get me wrong, you can incorporate real experiences (my main character in Phoenix Rising has bipolar, like me), but one of the things I love about writing is stepping outside the comfort zone and challenging myself with new — if imaginary — situations. It’s had me laughing, crying, raging… and that’s just a few of the emotions I’ve lived through while writing.
Of course, it also makes for a very colorful Google search history. Here’s hoping the police never have cause to look at mine. We live in an age where you can learn almost anything with a few clicks — why wouldn’t you take full advantage of that?
What are you reading now?
Right now, I’m indulging in some Suzanne Wright—an indie author who writes some of the funniest shifter romances I’ve ever read. It’s nothing like what I write, which makes it feel like a vacation while I work on my next first draft. Unlike in my own books, I can relax knowing all her characters are going to live—which is a nice change of pace.
What’s next for you as a writer?
For the next few years, most of my focus will be on Valeith and its looming invasion from another realm. But I’m not stopping there—I already have two of four middle-grade paranormal books written, plus a spin-off for the Phoenix Rising series ready to go.
Outside the writing itself, I’m diving deep into cinematic storytelling. I have full trailers planned for every Valeith book, with teaser clips of unseen scenes woven between them. Let’s just hope the crawler rig I’m building is the biggest set I’ll need—my lounge is currently full of wood and tools!
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Only four books? Am I in hell? Surely I can exchange that pile for a Kindle and a mini solar charger?
No? Then it would depend on my mood at the time—though I’d be forced (very reluctantly) to choose.
Right now, I’d take The Stand by Stephen King (because it’s massive and endlessly layered), Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb (for the depth of her world and characters), and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (a childhood favourite I never tire of revisiting).
For my fourth… probably something practical about surviving on a desert island. Unlike my characters, I’m not particularly suited for traumatic, sparse survival scenarios—give me a coffee, fluffy blanket, and a good book, and I'm in my element. Though they’d probably say the same. None would ever call me a kind puppeteer.
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