This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Janae will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC or a signed paperback copy of the book to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
The characters I create feel like real people to me. Over the years of crafting stories and developing personas, my fictional friends have taught me invaluable lessons that I’ve been able to apply to my life. The most important things I’ve learned from my characters are to have courage in the face of adversity, to stay true to yourself, and to keep an open mind. In this blog post, I’ll elaborate on these key takeaways and how various characters have shaped my perspective. The lessons we learn from fiction can be just as profound as those we gain from real relationships if we keep an open heart. Though my characters only live on the page, their effects reverberate far beyond.
I have been working on The Witches Prophecy for a decade so I know them intimately to where I can pinpoint what they’d say and how they’d react to certain topics and experiences. Perrish is a character. It houses many secrets and has a rich vibrant history just as an aged human would have. Yes, there are cold, austere buildings and even colder streets but the things that have occurred there left imprints on it.
Speaking of characters, there is a bevy of them in The Witches Prophecy. Of course, there is Lydia Ferell, the protagonist. Xaivier Christopher Stalphe the best friend and love interest of the protagonist. The spunky, fun-loving free spirit Digits or Sasha and the sweet geek that you can bring home to mom, Zander Tsui. My fictional friends have taught me important lessons that I’ve been able to apply to my life. The most valuable insights I’ve gained from my characters are to appreciate the journeys of others, to embrace my creativity without fear, and to handle adversity with grace. They maneuver through the pages in the driver’s seat, kicking butt and taking names.
Now, let us talk about Lydia or Trouble, as I prefer to call her, the spirited protagonist of my dark fantasy romance series. Trouble’s young life was rife with tragedy and sadness, but what is being blocked is all the fun she had which will be discovered in later books. She was born a witch. How is that? Well, the way it is explained in the book is that you come back in the form that is the strongest and the prevailing form for Trouble was an all-powerful witch. She must reckon her duality; light and dark. Trouble and Lydia. She considers one weak and one strong. Through Trouble’s experiences as the “chosen one”, I learned to empathize with those who feel marginalized for their talents, race, and gender. Trouble also taught me to unleash my creativity without self-doubt, holding me back.
Another impactful character of mine is Xaivier. He started out completely different from the iteration he is now. At first, he was a womanizer. Ew. Yeah. I changed him into my ideal mate, with the looks of Superman (I have a thing for superheroes real and imagined) with a good sweet heart. Xaivier spent years trapped in northern Perrish. Perrish is a modern place where racism is rife even in present day. Xaivier or X, as Trouble calls him, is a superhero without a cape. He learned from his youth as the cruelty of adults that should have known better taught their offspring. But X had his father, Xaivier Stalphe the first and his maid Loula. Loula was black, and she taught him that love has no color and no man was above any other. His father taught his to be a man and how to judge a man by character before jumping to incorrect assumptions.
Of course, when X meets Trouble, he immediately wants to save her. From what? Everything. Including herself. Xaivier inspired me to handle adversity with resilience, drawing on inner strength I didn’t know I had.
As an author, I’m grateful for the diverse perspectives my characters have revealed to me. Through giving each of them a story, I’ve grown. Their hard-won lessons now shape my worldview and approach to overcoming challenges. I learned to follow your own path and to be brave. The connections I’ve forged with my own characters reinforce that stories have profound power to change us. Which of your own characters has resonated most deeply for you as their creator? Please share in the comments!
Within the shadows, a prophecy-bound assassin emerges, holding the fate of our world in their lethal grip – the key to salvation or the catalyst of our downfall.Trouble Ferell is your average gun toting assassin, never once caught she revels in anonymity. But she can’t face the demonic force that has come for her. She can no longer trust herself but burgeoning from her is that what you’d call magic. Now, as a sorceress with divine lineage she must face creatures from other realms in a race against time.
Confronting the truth, she must rise to the occasion of becoming the most formidable witch throughout history. She is tasked with banishing abominable entities back to the depths of the Underworld, all while ensuring her own survival.
Pity. It’s on Tuesday.
Read an Excerpt
When Darkness looms, the world finds its hero…
In “The Witches Prophecy,” Trouble Ferell, a renowned assassin, yearns for normalcy and acceptance. However, her world turns upside down when she discovers her involvement in an ancient prophecy and unlocks her long-dormant magical abilities. Doubt and uncertainty fill her mind as she grapples with her newfound identity and the visitations of a powerful deity.
With her best friend turned lover by her side, Trouble must confront monstrous beings in human bodies and an impending apocalypse orchestrated by Chaos, an entity seeking her as his bride. As interdimensional gates creak open, Earth dangles on the edge of peril. Trouble must embrace her role as both a Demi-goddess and witch, rallying against her half-sister’s ascent and thwarting Chaos’s pursuit of the formidable Darkveil Talisman.
In a race against time, Trouble and Xaivier unravel the tapestry of their shared history, hurtling towards an epic clash that pits good against evil. ‘The Witches Prophecy’ weaves a spellbinding tale, where ultimate victory tips the scales for but one contender. Pity. It’s only Tuesday.
About the Author:
Janae’s family is from Louisiana and Georgia. She is the middle child of three. She began her writing career as a teenager in high school writing steamy love scenes for her classmates. She wasn’t convinced as a writer until her English teacher found her stories and told her she should be a writer. She treasured those words for all of her adult life. She has a bachelor’s degree in information Technology. She is a dedicated mother, friend and writer. She is usually found hunched over her laptop dreaming of different ways to entertain. She lives in Savannah, Ga with her cat Persephone and son. She loves dogs and wants to own a Husky and loves making people laugh and feel comfortable. She has a podcast called How Not To Write with Janae and her favorite color is blue. She is a Cancer.
Buy the book at Amazon.
Thanks for hosting!
Sounds like a good read.
It is great be sure to pick up the paperback copy at either Amazon or Barnes and Noble!
Thank you for having me!
Thank you for stopping by and best of luck with your book!
Thank you for having me!
I enjoyed reading the post. This story sounds good.
Thank you so much for reading. I really happy you loved the post. The book is even better. I don’t have to censor myself lol. It is available on Amazon and B&N. Don’t forget to give it a review!
This looks like a very interesting book.
Oh trust me, it is a great book. I know, because I wrote it! You’ll have a great time. It’s a cross between True Blood and Lord of the Rings. Book Two is coming soon as well. I
Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
Yes. Write. I know it sounds crazy and cliche but write often. And don’t be afraid to promote yourself. People will ignore you at first and that will hurt but don’t let that deter you. You might get discouraged by bad reviews. Don’t reply. Write. Show them through verse not anger. Your fans will come. It might take forever but until then write. Try different genres. If you don’t feel like you can write the genre research it until you understand it. Then write it. As an indie you have to wear a lot of hats. Don’t let that discourage you. Keep journals. I jot down song lyrics, dreams, words from Youtube (be careful here.) You never know what is going to be your next novel. I hope this helps.
Does your family support your career as a writer?
Lol this is a weird question for me. My family isn’t close. I am actually the black sheep. On surface level yes they do. I don’t know how they “really” feel about it. My daughter is quite supportive. She’s the one that encouraged me to pick this book back up when I’d forgotten about it. See I started this book in my early twenties. Life happened and I forgot about it. She found some of my journals about Trouble and she and I bounced ideas to make it fresh in my mind again. So the easy answer is yes they do, the ones I wish to support me. Don’t let that be a deterrent. You don’t want to be about to die and wishing you’d had that writing career or wrote that book. Live for you. Always.
Thanks for such and insightful and inspiring response and I wish you much happiness and success!
Have you ever traveled as a research for your book?
Unfortunately I have only relied on my imagination and my local traveling around the USA for my novel. The city of Perrish is from my imagination. As far as the second book part of it is in Paris and I had to do heavy research for that. I’ve been to most of the states on the Atlantic in the south. On the other side of America I lived in Washington State and visited Arizona. Where do you live?
Enjoyed reading the post and excerpt. Sounds good.
Thank you for tuning in and thank you. The book is available on Amazon in Kindle Unlimited or without and in paperback. It is also available in paperback on Barnes and Noble. Don’t forget to review and happy reading!
This sounds like a very good read. Especially with Halloween around the corner.
Ooooo! The spookiest time of year is a great time for this dark fantasy romance. And it has a action thriller spin as well. Available for free on Kindle Unlimited. Or in physical paperback in Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
What does a successful author look like to you?
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What elements do you believe every good book should have?
Enjoy your weekend!
How have your goals or dream changed over time?
How you had an amazing Thursday!
Happy 2024!
Any new years resolutions?
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Are you watching the Super Bowl this Sunday?