An Interview with Tracey Mayhew
I grew up reading myths and legends so it’s no surprise that my fantasy books reflect that – my first independently published trilogy is based on the legends of King Arthur but with a twist, and I’m currently working on the final book of The Viking Saga, a Norse-inspired trilogy. My romance novels are in the same vein as Hallmark movies but are set in the UK and are inspired by my travels – I have a five-book series set in the Lake District (Romance in the Lakes) and I’m currently working on another series set in the Cotswolds (Appleford). I’ve also published two standalone novels and two Christmas novellas.
By day, I’m a teacher and love to encourage kids to foster a joy and love of writing and reading that will stay with them into adulthood. I’m a cat and dog mama and love spending time with my menagerie of furry friends. I love to get out and about in the British countryside when I can and my travels often inspire my writing – especially if it involves a quaint village or a castle ruin! Besides that, I run a YouTube channel where I post a new video each week, sharing my love of reading and writing and where I can take my viewers along on my writing journey with me.
What inspired you to start writing this book?
Rivers of Blood & Fire is the third and final book in The Viking Saga trilogy, so I’ll answer this question by talking about the whole series. This series was inspired by my love of Norse myths and legends. I always loved the idea of being able to travel between the Nine Worlds and loved reading stories of the Norse gods and goddesses (my particular favourite is Freyja). I also have strong love of history so, when I started writing this series, I knew I wanted to weave together the Norse myths but also have it rooted, in part, in the historical aspects of the Viking world. I also knew that I wanted it to lead towards the greatest battle in Norse mythology: Ragnarok. That is what this book is about: the final battle of gods and monsters…
Tell us the story of your book’s current title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?
To be honest, I always knew what I wanted this title to be – the second book in the trilogy was the hardest to find. I knew that, because this story weaves together my version of Ragnarok, this story would have an epic conclusion, and I wanted the title to reflect that.
What books are you reading (for research or comfort) as you continue the writing process?
Right now, as it’s Christmas, I’m reading a couple of Christmas books for comfort and to read something that’s not as heavy as epic fantasy battles. My current read is Christmas at Applemore by Rachael Lucas and then I intend to read The Secret Mistletoe Promise by Cressida McLaughlin. After that, I do intend to return to fantasy (as I do enjoy reading fantasy alongside writing it) and I intend to read The Hunger of the Dragon by R.M. Schultz before going on to read Of Empires and Dust by Ryan Cahill.
What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?
I am currently working as a supply teacher in the UK so that I can better balance my time between work and writing. Something that my readers wouldn’t know is that when I was younger, I wanted to be a vet but was soon put off the idea when I fainted when observing an operation!
Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?
I have always loved listening to and telling stories and my mum made sure to instil that in me when I was young. I’ve always loved reading and have wanted to be a writer for as long as I could remember. One of the early books to inspire me was The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford – I read that after watching the movie. It inspired to write my first story as part of a school project: it was about a mouse called Gizmo, whose family move house and he gets lost in the move. He eventually finds his way back after making friends with some local rats who help him track down his owner, Jenny!
Where is your favorite place to write?
I’m lucky enough to have a lovely little study/office at home and that is probably my favourite place to write. I light a candle or put on some essential oils, get comfy with a blanket and let myself return to whichever world I’m writing about at the time.
What advice would you give your past self at the start of your writing journey?
My best piece of advice is that you don’t have to write every day, but you must be consistent. Don’t let two weeks pass without picking up some aspect of your manuscript if you can (obviously I know there are times when this may be difficult). Find time to write in the little pockets of time you get throughout the day – every little bit helps.
What’s one thing you hope sticks with readers after they finish your book?
I hope my characters and my settings stick with people after they have finished my books. I love reading character-led stories myself so I hope I can create them for others to enjoy.
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