An Interview with H.L. Hopkins

After years of writing for the worlds of science and tech, Helen has traded white papers for world-building to pursue her lifelong love of YA fantasy. A devotee of literary escapism since childhood, she writes with the hope of giving a voice to all those who need to see themselves on the page.

Self-proclaimed nerd, mother of two, and dedicated caretaker of a small army of pets, Helen is often found battling digital zombies or juggling snacks while knee-deep in pet food. She is thrilled to finally be sharing worlds of her own making.

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What inspired you to start writing this book?

The bottom line is that I’ve wanted to be an author since I was really young. School teachers encouraged me, then people later in life. Two fortune tellers even said I would be an author! Well, one told my mum, the other told me! But, regardless of the encouragement, I didn’t believe I was good enough, and the anticipated sting of rejection made it too scary.

In October, I got to see an author I very much respect speak at a book launch. And they were nervous – terrified, in fact. And it gave me the final push. If they could be brave, maybe I could too?

From there, the story just unfolded. I started with escapism, picked a couple of characters with flaws and eccentricities that might see them overlooked normally, and I let them run away with my imagination!

Tell us the story of your book’s current title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

Wraithbound was easy. I always knew I wanted the series called that. But the ‘Echoes of Artonia’ came at the end. I have a weird niggle about naming chapters. I like chapter names to be mini signposts through a book and to showcase key themes and feels. Once I had done all the chapter names, I had so much that tied back to music and notes from the past, that ‘echoes’ jumped out as the best fit.

Describe your dream book cover.

So, here I’m torn! I personally love covers with emotive faces. We are trained to recognise and read them from birth, and a book is its characters.

I would have loved to have had a zoom tight enough to see a reflection in a character’s eye. Just a little glimmer of a clue for those who look close enough. But that would be for much larger format than a book cover!

This said, I also really like the sleek, more logo-like designs that seem super popular right now. They do look striking when done right.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

Things Can Only Get Better – D:Ream

Flight of the Bumblebee – Rimsky-Korsakov

Roar – Katy Perry

Dandé’s Song (He would object if he wasn’t on the soundtrack!)

Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of – Scarlett Johansson cover

What’s Going On – Marvin Gaye

Do I Wanna Know? – Arctic Monkeys

You Give Love a Bad Name – Bon Jovi

Bad Blood – Taylor Swift

What books are you reading (for research or comfort) as you continue the writing process?

I don’t read masses whilst I’m in a writing phase. But comfort favourite would always be a Tolkien novel – I’m a massive fan.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

I’ve worked mostly in marketing roles, but across loads of industries. Radio, manufacturing, tech, software, medical, even heavy machinery.

Something readers wouldn’t know? Well, Daisy’s brain squirrels were crystallised as a concept when I was trying to describe my complete lack of process as recognisable by another human to a very baffled family member!

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

There is no way I can pin one thing or person down. I think we can all underestimate how much influence we have on people around us, and sometimes just a kind word or action can cause a change of direction that years of reassurance couldn’t quite shake loose! But I’m hugely grateful for all the kind words from friends and family.

I read loads; I’m sure it all influenced to a greater or lesser degree. But forced to pick one, my villains aspire to be as complex as Tolkien’s. His bad guys are particularly brilliantly crafted and written.

Where is your favorite place to write?

Anywhere, everywhere! Wherever I happen to be when a character has a burning need to do something or say something!

In seriousness, ideas have a habit of popping into my brain at inconvenient moments, so I rely on my phone a lot to note them.

What advice would you give your past self at the start of your writing journey?

I don’t know if I would have listened! But I would say that it is terrifying, and that you will probably never think you are good enough. But lots of super-talented people have this. It doesn’t mean you aren’t good enough, it just means you have to be a bit braver!

What’s one thing you hope sticks with readers after they finish your book?

One of Dandé’s quotes, I think: “When you stop seeing the wonder and magic, life gets hard…brittle. It makes the soul fragile, then bad things can creep in the cracks and fester.”

It’s part of a longer scene where he suggests we have a choice over how we see things. And, in a hard world, I truly believe a little magic and escapism is good for the soul.

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