I have been waiting to chat with this author for too long and I’m excited to welcome Linda Ling to my blog and talk about her exciting debut series, The Land of the Sun.

I’m in the middle of Sundred and finding the pages turning fast! This amazing complex fantasy world was presented in a concise, clear manner and I was able to dive right in and get immersed. I found the division of the lands captivating right off and wanted to know how the rent in the world would be resolved and Faelyn’s part in it. I love all the names of the characters and was taken immediately with Faelyn and Khare.

Here is what one reviewer has to say about Sundred…

This whole year has been tough reading-wise as I’ve only had a few books that I really LOVED.

It’s nice to have another book to add to that list with Sundered by Linda Ling. Five stars!!!

There’s a good amount of worldbuilding upfront that took a bit to get into and internalize. But once I met Princess Faelyn and Khare, I was hooked.

I loved Faelyn’s strength, impulsivity, and passionate personality – as I am writing a similar FMC for my second book, I found myself feeling inspired by how well Linda brought her character to life!

I think one reason fantasy can be hit-or-miss for me is because I always want my fantasy to be grounded in real problems that I can relate to. Even though there are kingdoms and magic and cool creatures (I loved the Sarpentii), there also are struggles of finding your identity, unpacking family trauma, and fighting for your voice as a female in a world of male leaders.

There were several POV changes and while sometimes I struggle with keeping up, the shifts were seamless. Each new voice brought a new perspective to the story within this vast world.

I loved the resourcefulness yet imperfections of the characters, the careful reveal of mysteries, and the beautifully engrained magic and worldbuilding

Well done Linda and I can’t wait to read Forged!!!

Kyle

Let’s meet the author.

All That Glitters Is Not Gold, was just released in July 2023 and is a standalone prequel novel in the Land of the Sun fantasy series.

Thank you for visiting with me today, Linda! [Let me know if this is your preferred name for our interview]

The first question I’ve been dying to ask is how you came up with this world, its place names, and the character names. To me, it is well thought out and crafted yet also organic and real. Did you create the world first, or the story?

LL. Thank you so much for reading Sundered and for your thoughtfully curated questions! The world and its story came at the same time if I think about it. Years ago, I had a dream about a king and queen separated by a desert due to a misunderstanding. I thought, why not write a story where they become reconciled? And why not get a rambunctious princess to lead the way in finding her family? The result, Sundered. 

The races and cultures have a basis in traditional fantasy races like the Fae (elves and fairies and such), but you’ve put your spin on them as well as created hybrid races and new races. This must have been so fun to immerse yourself in as a writer. How long did it take you to craft it all and finish the series? 

LL. The entire series took me 10-11 years to complete. Here’s why. I wrote the first half of Sundered way back when but then hit massive writer’s block. Life also happened (like finishing my residency and kids). It was only some time during the pandemic when I decided to complete what I’d started, and then the remaining books took a year to finish the initial drafts. So it was a very slow start but a rapid finish!

DLL. That’s amazing. So many writers I’ve interviewed had some kind of turning point during the pandemic. Difficult times equal new outlooks on our priorities it seems. I find that fascinating and amazing that you had this story in you for so long.

I love how there is a mix of different levels of technology in The Land of the Sun depending on what side of the rent or separation you’re on. There’s a feel of modern mixed with Medieval. How did that come about? 

LL. I honestly have no idea! I always knew Tir’Sunaa (where we first meet Princess Faelyn in her father’s kingdom) would have tanks and guns but no magic. To contrast that, I envisioned Elvarue (the kingdom of Faelyn’s mother) to be more medieval, and less advanced but bolstered by powerful magic and traditions around magic.

DLL. That must have been a fun way to build this world with two completely different systems to write about, like writing two stories.

The review provided above talks about how fantasy works best if it is grounded in real problems that make the main character and story relatable despite the fantastical settings. Can you talk about the importance of this element to you as a writer?

LL. I definitely try to do that in every story I’ve written, because it makes the story more real, more emotional. I’ll focus on Sundered for this question. This book is special to me because of the strong themes of family. No family is perfect. Each family has its own dynamics, and every member has their quirks. We talk a lot about the found family trope, but I grew up with a huge extended family with its warmth and love, but also clashing points. I wanted to portray that in Sundered. So you have Princess Faelyn growing up without her mom and eldest brother, but having her dad and her slightly-older brother around. Then, she sets out to find all her other relatives and experiences what it’s like getting to know all these people for the first time as a young adult. Found family in both senses of the phrase.

What is the main inspiration behind writing high fantasy and separately, paranormal fantasy? These are my two preferred genres as well and if you’re like me, you did a lot of reading in these genres, but what else motivated you to go this direction? 

LL. I love both genres too! I went with publishing high fantasy first because out of all the stories I’ve written all my life, I felt that Sundered and its subsequent stories were more coherent and complete than the other things I’d written. But as implied, high fantasy is not the genre I wrote in first. My first stories were about vampires in an urban setting, but without other paranormal elements and with some magical realism involved.

This series is categorized as young adult. Is this your preferred market? I believe you’re working on a new vampire series [feel free to correct or modify anything]. Is that a young adult series also? Are there other stories in these or other genres in the works?

LL. Perfect question to follow up from the last one! Sundered is young adult-ish, with a lot of coming-of-age elements. But I would say that as the books progress, the characters mature and develop as more stuff happens to them, and by the end of the series it’s no longer very young adult. This makes the series a challenge to market, I realize. But it’s true to the stories and characters. I’d say that as a writer, I like exploring adult themes while keeping the story suitable for young adult readers who have the capacity for reading these older themes. Therefore, my upcoming vampire series is like that.

DLL. It sounds like you’re striking the right balance for your audience. That is such a difficult thing to do. I can’t wait for your vampire series. As you’ve just proven, these are great genres for generating multiple stories from one, and I totally get it when you say your universe wouldn’t let you go. I had no idea my secondary characters were writing their own stories as my series came to life. And all of them are calling to me. I really wish I could become a faster writer!

What or who is your biggest inspiration and set you on the path to becoming a writer?

LL. I grew up reading Michael Crichton, some Stephen King, Anne Rice, Christopher Pike, and RL Stine (you can see some common themes there). These authors inspired the types of stuff I write about. One very influential TV series was Buffy too. I can’t talk about my vampires without talking about Buffy. She’s the OG bada$$ FMC.

Can you share your top three books? Or in the alternative, top three authors?

LL. That is such a hard question to answer! Let’s go with authors: Anne Rice, first and foremost. And my recent other top 2 are Jay Kristoff and Sarah J Maas.

What can you share with us about being an independent writer and self-publisher? Did you learn things as you went? Do you have a team who helps you with editing, marketing, and artwork? I love your cover art. How did that come about? Do you have favorite tools or software that you use for these services?

LL. All I can say is that self-publishing is hard work! Nothing goes perfectly. But it’s been an incredible learning journey, figuring out all the various moving parts of publishing my books, all the pitfalls, and so importantly connecting with a community of like-minded readers and writers! Thank you for loving the covers of my books. I won’t go into the agonizing details except that I’ve always outsourced my covers and each had its own headaches to deal with, but I’m happy with the results! That being said, I like playing with Canva and CapCut too.

DLL. I appreciate that insight. I haven’t tried outsourcing yet, but I want to! I love Canva, though. Just when I think I can’t come up with something, inspiration hits and it has everything I need. And thanks for the tip on CapCut!

Do you have plans to someday find an agent or go the traditional publishing route?

LL. So I tried to query my romance novel earlier this year and got crickets. Yay, that makes me a real writer, right? I might try again next year. We’ll see how that goes. Otherwise, my fantasy and vampire stuff will remain in the self-publishing realm where I retain full creative control of everything.

DLL. Awesome. I think you’re doing fabulous growing your community and getting your books shared as a self-publisher.

As far as your writer’s life, do you have a favorite place to write? What are your favorite techniques or methods you use to stay creative and productive?

LL. I have a handful of favorite places to write, it doesn’t always stay the same. But I work best when it’s quiet, and when I can put my phone away and not get distracted with social media. I set aside some time every day for writing, reading, and exercise because all of this just helps me relax and unwind, which also helps the creative process. 

What advice can you share on how to balance your creative life with work and family?

LL. I have no easy answers. My kids are no longer so young and dependent on their mom, and they understand that mom likes writing and telling stories. My husband also understands that this is an important aspect of who I am now, and knows to give me my space. Conversely, I don’t let writing and creativity consume me so I neglect my family. That would be a big no-no.

Do you have any parting advice for those who want to pursue a writing career?

LL. Read and read and read. Then write and write and write. Don’t be afraid to learn, to make mistakes, and grow. You’ll only get better.

Fantastic! Thank you so much for visiting with me today and sharing your insights. All the best to you, Linda!

You can follow Linda Ling on Instagram, Goodreads, and TikTok.