Welcome to our interview for this month! We are with this talented author, PhoenixSWhytock, who penned the story, The Keeper.
Dark Fantasy Team: Who or what was your inspiration in writing it?
PhoenixSWhytock: My previous marriage. I got married at a young age, so this first novel was kind of my escape though the abuse I endured.
DF: How and when did you start to write this story?
P: I started writing this novel when I was 19! That almost ten years ago, wow, I feel old. I began writing it a month before my marriage, mostly to voice my own thoughts.
DF: Tell us something about your plot and the main protagonists.
P: Anabelle is the MC for The Keeper. She is a very romantic whimsical person, yet stubborn and strong willed. She'll go to the ends of the earth for those she loves, and I think that's a very big key element for the plot. The antagonist wants to rip away everything she loves, but Anabelle being that stubborn individual, basically tells them to shove it.
DF: Are you planning on making more parts of this book or will it remain an individual story? Tell us about it!
P: It's a trilogy! The Keeper is book one. The second book is already written, and I'm currently working on book three! These book evolve over an actual timeline. The Keeper is set in 1790, book 2 is in present day, and book three is in the future.
DF: How does/did dark fantasy inspire you to write this book?
P: I like my fantasy to be a little bit grungy, and I like my characters to have some grit to them. Dark fantasy is a great way to incorporate both elements.
DF: Do you write only in Wattpad? If not, what other platforms do you write on?
P: I currently only write on Wattpad, but I am getting my novel proofed to send to literary agents!
DF: What interesting things have you learned throughout your journey? Tell us something about them.
P: That I shouldn't control my characters. Sounds silly, but in all reality this is their story, and I am simply just a bystander.
DF: If you could replace your life with one of your protagonists, who would it be and why?
P: If we're speaking specifically for The Keeper, I would have to say Anabelle or Neefar. Neefar is a gypsy and he was taken into the world of magic as a boy and because a shifter. He cheeky, flirty, and loyal. All the things we love, right? But then there's Anabelle, Keeper of the Forest, with a lot of magic and a whole lot of gumption. Probably Anabelle though, I really enjoyed seeing her mature.
DF: What are your future plans about writing?
P: To see my book published. I have my trilogy and my other novels I've written just collecting dust, waiting. I want others to enjoy my characters and their lives just as much as I have.
Thank you so much, PhoenixSWhytock, for being with us and agreeing to our interview. Check out their work, The Keeper, to support our author!
- The Dark Fantasy Team
