Sarah K. L. Wilson

I write vibrant, fast-paced fantasy novels with surprising twists. As often as possible, I try to solve a problem for the characters in a way you weren't expecting. I like clever comeuppances and things that come full circle. I like to be surprised and slightly horrified by the consequences of actions coming back to bite everyone.

I love bold endings where scores are settled and good triumphs even if my morally grey characters often look like they will never get there.

I write both YA and romantic fantasy. My YA books are fast-paced, heartwarming, and full of magical adventures. My romantic fantasy books are lush and classical, wildly romantic, and feature little elements of horror and strong themes.

I grew up all over Canada and the United States as my parents moved us quite frequently. I think my ability to write strong characters comes from meeting so many different people and experiencing so many different environments. Often times, my characters have a tendency to be lone-wolves as a result of this and my editors and early readers need to remind me to give them friends.

I read whatever I could get my hands on. Favorites included the Asterix & Obelix comics, Lucy Maud Montgomery, J R. R. Tolkien, and C. S. Lewis. In my teens, a friend introduced me to Robert Jordan and I was hooked on fantasy from then on.

If I could write like any author, I would choose Sir Terry Pratchett whose work is bursting with humor and wisdom. Always tempered with common sense and universal truths, his long running jokes and quick quips are perfectly executed and absolutely addictive. I try so hard to write up to that standard, and hopefully one day I will!

Terry Pratchett, T. Kingfisher, Richard Swan, Megan Whalen Turner, Naomi Novik

I've given away Richard Swan's THE JUSTICE OF KINGS to a few people now and it remains my favorite epic fantasy published recently.

Amel Leafbrought in my DRAGON SCHOOL series is a disabled teen with chronic pain and I wrote her story after giving birth to my second child. I'd suffered an injury birthing him and years later I was still dealing with chronic pain and the inability to do things I used to enjoy. Her perseverance and the alternate solutions she found to problems were born out of my own experience living with physical difficulty.

My favorite is the book I just finished writing, scheduled to be published by Orbit Books in fall of 2025. It is currently titled THE FISHER KING, but we are considering changing the title before publication. THE FISHER KING is the story of a woman who bargains for the future of her people only to end up married to the god she blames for their destruction.

My favorite before this one is OF DEEDS MOST VALIANT which is a stand alone epic fantasy featuring a group of paladins locked into the ruins of an ancient (and evil) monastery. They must solve a series of puzzles to break free to the outside world or escape will be impossible.

I write in my living room so I can keep an eye on my kids while I work. I sit in a big, comfy chair with my laptop on my lap, my coffee balanced on my husband's guitar amp beside my chair, and an antique sewing machine refurbished to be a table on the other side. That's where I keep my story notes in beautifully bound books ( I splurge on these) and have a stack of my previously published books for decoration and reference. There are four large windows surrounding me from which I can see the trees in my yard and the vines growing on the side of my house.

I like to read anywhere, but I've always loved the idea of a roofed-over outdoor space with a huge soft couch, many quilts, an outside fire burning close by, and an endless supply of coffee while the rain drips through green plants all around me.