mtmc blog tour – moonlight & fire by ashlyn lance with special author q&a

I’m excited to be taking part in the MTMC Bookstagram & Creative Tour for Moonlight & Fire by Ashlyn Lance. 🗡️✨👑 A captivating first book in The Fallen Princess series, Moonlight & Fire—a coming of age tale set in a medieval world where magic still reigns. With epic romance, mythical creatures and page-turning battles, this is a book you cannot put down!

I’m very lucky to be able to interview the author today, so read on for a behind-the-scenes glimpse on the origin of Moonlight & Fire!

Dive into this book if you love things like… fairy tale vibes, princesses on dangerous quests, an action-packed plot that will keep you flipping pages, and a captivating romance!! (Also can we take a moment for the cover?! OBSESSED.)

Hi Ashlyn, I’m so thrilled to have the chance to chat with you about your beautiful debut, Moonlight & Fire! Can you tell us a little about your publishing journey, from first seed of an idea to finished novel on our shelves?

Thanks for having me! My publishing journey began in 2019 when my two ex-favorite series, Game of Thrones and Star Wars gutted me! (The Rise of Skywalker, particularly) I started writing fix-it scenes to correct the plot holes that drove me mad, but my stories kept growing more and more complex, moving beyond the constraints of their established lore. Eventually, I decided to separate from their characters entirely and craft my own.

My writing process was initially slow. My two young daughters came first, which left me with only late nights to write. It took three sleepless years to complete my manuscript! There was definitely a learning curve in the beginning, but now, as I write my next project, I find myself working incredibly fast and expect another book to be released within four months!

Looking back, getting my beautiful illustrations just catapulted me down the finish line, and once I held my own book, it all became real for me. That was when I decided to make my mark in the scary world of publishing, and I’m glad I did! I’m proud to announce I’ll be writing full-time from now on and am very happy to join the bookish community!

Congrats on writing full-time! Such a fantastic start to your journey. 🥰 What drew you to writing fantasy romance and what was your favourite part of creating your world?

I am a hopeless romantic! The angst, the drama, the moments of happiness in-between, secret trysts—I love it all! I see book one of Moonlight & Fire as more of the “setup” for the story I’ve been absolutely DYING to tell. My favorite part of creating the world was slipping certain scenes that I know will pay off in future books! I meticulously ran through my notes and laid the groundwork for everything I possibly could!

Oooh, already making us keen for the sequels. What kind of themes/tropes do you love exploring in your writing?

I am a huge fan of DRAMATIC character growth, like on an epic scale. I have big, big, big plans for my MC’s (and the villain! 😜) I also really enjoy subverting tropes in a subtle way. For example, it’s Princess Lunielle who spies on the unsuspecting hero in a forest when usually the opposite is true.

Do you plot your novels or just write and see what happens? Do you already know how your series will end?

I plot out the bones of the story, and as I write, I end up sprinkling new ideas here and there that eventually outgrow what I originally came out with! It’s an inefficient process with lots and lots of revision, but it’s how I can ensure I write the best story possible! So to answer the second question, the endgame is already set! I could never start a series without knowing the final outcome!

Thank you so much for these amazing answers!! Wishing you and your beautiful book all the best!

There is salvation beyond the darkness. If only you’ll reach out and take it…
With Evenar on the edge of starvation, prophecies are the last hope for a kingdom in ruin. Their unwilling princess, Lunielle, is forced to uphold their demands, sending her on a journey that reveals the darkness that dwells beyond her world.
With the weight of her people’s survival on her shoulders, the princess encounters Aurion, a man with his own secrets to unravel. Working together to save their homes, they soon discover an inexplicable romantic pull that changes destiny and their lives forever.
But when a powerful lord of a mysterious realms falls for the ethereal princess and demands her hand be bound to his, she must decide—her people’s future or her own?

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Blackwell’s | Goodreads | Website | Instagram 
Out February 23rd, 2023

Tour Schedule

March 27
@thereaderandthechef – Bookstagram & Book Blog
March 28
@amordeluna0 – Bookstagram & BookTok
March 29
@paperfury – Bookstagram & Book Blog
March 30
@dreaminginpages – Bookstagram
March 31
@madies.library – Bookstagram & BookTok
April 1
@bookishqueenreads – Bookstagram & Book Blog
April 2
@thebibliolife – Bookstagram
April 3
@itbeganwiththestars – Bookstagram & BookTok
April 4
@shanayahreads – Bookstagram & Book Blog
April 5
@bookishaurora – Bookstagram & BookTok