In Conversation with: Emma Arch

A broken girl, an outcast boy, and an abandoned maiden…

 Emma Arch is an up and coming, indie, fantasy writer who published her debut novel, The Nameless Heir, on February 2nd 2024. The story centres around a badass FMC, Fallon Solveij, who is hell-bent on revenge and claiming her birth right as heir of the Blodvinger Clan. However, when Fallon finds herself in a cell with an endearing Elowen, a Hulder, her plans of vengeance are put on pause as she promises to return Elowen to her home – Elphyne. Along the way she meets a strange boy who promises to help them. Together, this trio of misfits form an incredible bond and set out to reclaim the magical land of Elphyne from Fritjof Aodh, a tyrant of fire.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Emma on her novel, the first in The Sunblood trilogy about her book, her inspirations, and her writing.

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First of all, what inspired you to want to become an author, and when did you know this is what you wanted to do?

I struggled in school for a long time. I was forced to read a lot in an attempt to help with my dyslexia, so I actually hated it. Then, when I was in fourth grade, my teacher read ‘The Lost Hero; by Rick Riordan to the class. I instantly became obsessed. After devouring all of his books, I was eager to find more and my love for reading was born. Once I understood it was authors who were responsible for creating the stories I loved, I knew that is what I wanted to do.

Can you share insights into your writing process? Do you have any particular rituals or habits that help you write?

I write backwards. I like to know exactly how I want my story to end, because it gives me an end goal to write towards. I find it helps me stay on track.

What challenges did you face while writing and publishing your book independently?

Let's just say on the long road of becoming an indie author, I hit every red light, pothole, and stray cat possible. I am thankful for it all, though, and wouldn't change a thing. Because now I have a lot of experience moving forward with future books, and I can offer advice to upcoming writers.

 How did the concept and characters of ‘The Nameless Heir’ come about? Is there a personal link between you and any of the themes and characters?

It all started with Fallon. I had her character in my head, then the rest was just building a world and a story around her.

Are there any specific books and authors that influenced your writing/book?

I really admire the way authors like Holly Black, Neil Gaiman, Rick Riordan, etc use real folklore/mythology in their stories but make it their own. That is something I definitely tried to do with ‘The Nameless Heir’.

In ‘The Nameless Heir’, Fallon not only realises her true potential, but must abolish her old way of thinking that was holding her back. What was writing Fallon like? How did you navigate her shift in thoughts and attitude?

It was easy for me to write, because I have lived it. This book has been a work in progress for seven years, and it definitely needed that much time. When I started writing, I was in a very similar space as Fallon is in the first chapters. I needed to experience forgiveness before I could write it. I really walked alongside Fallon in her journey so it is really special to me. 

The world of ‘The Nameless Heir’ is somewhat rooted in real, traditional beliefs. What went into developing the magical system, and what challenges did you encounter when building such a complex world that not only honours traditional history, but also incorporates your own spin?

I prefer reading simple magic systems, so I wrote one. My worlds are heavily inspired by Celtic and Nordic folklore, both very nature-based cultures so that is where the Fae elemental gifts come from. As far as creatures go, I took real monsters and stories but gave them a purpose and personality unique to my book.

Fantasy involves richly imagined settings. How did you go about creating the world in your book, and what were some key elements you focused on?

I am a very big advocate for “vibes”. Once I knew the vibe of my book, the rest just fell into place. Some key elements I focus on when building worlds are 1) the people. It may feel like a background detail, but the energy/actions of the common people says a lot about the realm/kingdom/world. Are they happy? Are they struggling or poor? How do the wealthy act? Do they love or fear their leader? Are they trusting of outsiders?

And 2) the creation story. Are there gods, and if so, who are they? A world that worships war-based gods is going to be very different from a world that worships nature-based gods.

Fallon’s relationship with Elowen is one that really stuck with me, and other readers no doubt. Why did you choose to focus more on this female friendship as opposed to Fallon and Ronen’s relationship?

Firstly, thank you! Their relationship means a lot to me as well. Female friendship is something near and dear to my heart, so I knew it had to have a big presence in my story. In my own opinion, I think people have been really caught up in smut lately (not that it is a bad thing) and I wanted to bring back the depth of real interpersonal connections. Fallon and Elowen’s friendship is really special. They are polar opposites no doubt, but they are exactly what the other needs.

Were there any scenes or plot points that you found particularly challenging or rewarding to write?

I really enjoyed writing Bhaltair’s story and teasing around his and Enok’s backstories. I think everyone can see that Bhaltair, Enok, and Asta were the original trio of misfits. That is a story I plan to write one day.

What message or theme do you hope readers take away from your book?

Elma said it best: “a circle has no beginning and no end. The only way to escape a cycle is to break it”.

Can you provide any hints or teasers about future projects or developments in The Sunblood trilogy?

In book two readers can look forward to all of Asta’s secrets, more on the Nøkken, and meeting August.

And finally, what advice would you give to aspiring fantasy writers? 

As a fantasy author, you are in a very competitive market. People can only read about vampires, Fae, and demons so much. Try to find something that makes you stand out, and market that.

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For lovers of Throne of Glass, The Lord of the Rings, Brave and Norse mythology, this needs to go on your TBR pile. This book had some of my favourite tropes: found family, enemies to lovers, slow (and I mean slow) burn, and forced proximity and I can’t wait to see how these are developed in the rest of the trilogy. I claim this book as one of my top reads of 2024 and I really look forward to reading the next two books.

The Nameless Heir is available now on Amazon, and you can get it here on Kindle, paperback, and hardcover.