Today’s Feature Friday we’re featuring Author C. E. Page! She’s an Aussie who represents the LGBTQ+ community and has an amazing series out called Sovereigns of Bright and Shadow, and you should go check it out right now. Well, after you read her interview.
First off, introduce yourself and tell us a bit about you and your books!
I’m Cassandra and I like long walks in peaceful forests, emotionally evocative fantasy novels, and never-ending cups of tea. I am an Australian author of character driven epic fantasy (sometimes with a touch of romance). My stories often feature ensemble casts and unique magical systems. They can sometimes drift into some darker themes, but they always carry a undercurrent of hope and end on a happy note.
What inspired you to write the Sovereigns of Bright and Shadow series?
I’m never really sure where the inspiration comes from if I am honest. I am not a plotter, so I don’t ever sit down and say to myself: I want to write a story featuring XYZ, rather I just sit down and let the words flow. I will say that all my stories are influenced by my love of rich fantasy worlds with unique magic systems and the characters that inhabit them. Beyond that they always start with a character. And my Sovereigns of Bright and Shadow trilogy (SOBAS) started with Nea, she came first, and her story followed.
As an LGBTQ+ author, I’m sure you’ve read/seen a number of books featuring queer characters. How well do you feel these characters are represented in the fantasy genre and what do you wish authors would do differently when writing these characters?
I think that diversity representation in fiction has come forward in leaps and bounds in the last decade but there is always room for improvement. Just treat them as you would any other character, they might be gay or trans or disabled or Black, but they are human. Yes, that part of them that makes them diverse is intrinsic to their nature, to their lived experience but it is not all that they are. Don’t fetishise your diverse characters, do your absolute best to avoid harmful stereotypes of those identities, and don’t include them just because you feel you need to tick a diversity representation box. And, if it isn’t your personal lived experience and you are in doubt then ask someone from the group you are representing for feedback. But remember the opinions of one person from a group do not necessarily represent the opinions of all members of that group.
What’s something unique about your book and why should readers check it out?
I wish I had something witty to say here about how my stories are epic and wonderful and you should read them because they are like nothing else you’ve ever read. But I am not great at that sort of thing. I do believe they are wonderful stories, and everyone should give them a try, but I am completely biased.
I will say though, if you love emotionally rich, character driven stories set in strange and magically abundant worlds then you will probably enjoy Deathborn and the rest of the Sovereigns of Bright and Shadow trilogy.
Tell us about your favorite character you’ve written about and why?
My favourite character often changes as I am writing because I write close third person point of view so I spend lots of time inside different character’s heads. At the moment my favourite character to write is Varlan from my Isle of Bright and Shadow trilogy (IOBAS) (yep another trilogy set in the same world as SOBAS). But my favourite character from SOBAS … now that is tough. I can tell you my least favourite but that’s not very helpful. If I absolutely had to choose, I would say Molly was my favourite she’s honest and outspoken, not afraid to callout Nea when she’s being obstinate or question the sanity of the group as a whole. But she’s also compassionate, fiercely protective of her partner Margot, an excellent shot with a crossbow and a surprisingly good cook. She might be a secondary character but she had just as much growth as the main characters over the course of the trilogy.
Without giving us any spoilers, what’s your favorite quote or scene from your book and tell us a bit about it?
All of my favourite scenes contain some pretty major spoilers unfortunately. However, the myths, legends and folk tales of the known realms (the setting of SOBAS) are very important to certain characters and aspects of the story itself so here is a quote from Nea about the nature of some of those stories:
“A lot of people would argue that the old stories are mostly allegory commenting on morality and the hubris of man.” Nea’s tone was dry. “But I think they’re wrong. I believe all stories start with a grain of truth. They serve as warnings but also as beacons of hope.”
Where can readers find you?
I can be found posting very infrequently on Instagram and Facebook and I have just recently started a Substack in lieu of a newsletter. I also have an author website which is desperate need of an update. Oh, and you can follow or friend me on Goodreads if you’re curious about my thoughts on the different books I am reading. A word of warning though, my reviews often involve a good deal of rambling and overuse of emotive and dramatic language.
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/cepageauthor
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cepageauthor
- Substack: https://cepageauthor.substack.com
