Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m Tamara, the author of the “Shadow Crucible”. I’m British born but I grew up in North Africa.
I studied archaeology and developed an obsession with shamanism and occult practices, and spent many years delving into it. I am a Londoner and a big lover of ancient cultures, the esoteric and history.
My debut novel is coming out the 25th of April and hopefully my second one after it.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My debut novel coming out is “The Shadow Crucible: The Blind God”, I was inspired by my studies really, shamanism, gnostic christianity, kabbalah and the esoteric. I grew up fascinated with mythology and the pre abrahamic religions.
Myths and folkore provide such a richness and a wealth of wisdom and an insight into our old beliefs, I found the Nag Hammadi texts in particular to be phenomenal in it’s interpretation of Christianity.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I cannot write at tables, I find it awfully distracting and I feel I am back at school. I tend to write anywhere else perfectly fine.
It does help to have a good drink before diving into writing!
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I grew up reading Tolkien, then as I grew up in a French environment, I read a lot of the French classics which are deeply philosophical and thought provoking. I read a lot of fantasy and there are so many excellent authors! but I would have to say myths and legends of all cultures influenced my way of thinking earlier on in life.
What are you working on now?
I am currently working on my third book, It doesnt yet have a title, but it is based on my mother’s experiences after World War 2 in the refugee camps in Germany. It inspired me to write a fantasy novel, mingling real events with folklore, I’ve mixed a lot of slavic fairy tale figures with some dark High Fantasy stuff, as usual my writings are a conduit for my philosophy.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I try to spread awareness through social media, it is very hard to stand out, but I do my best.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Persevere in your writing, do not let yourself be discouraged by rejections, they are what shape you and basically give you an incentive to succeed.
It creates a certain drive to prove yourself and excel and when you break through, you realise there is very little that can sway you.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If you believe in your writing then look at all the authors who were faced with endless rejections, just to succeed in the end… keep pushing, just push.
What are you reading now?
“Man, the State and War”, I find it very interesting.
What’s next for you as a writer?
write more books and explore other avenues of self expression, I would love to see my books eventually turned into films.
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?
That is tough, but if I had to choose then I would take: 1) The Silmarillion, I am a mad Tolkien fan
2) A collection of works by Guy de Maupassant
3)The sacred and the profane by Mircea Eliade
4)Return of the Dark/Light mother by Monica Sjoo
Tamara Lakomy’s Social Media Links
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