| Maxym M. Martineau | Maxym M. Martineau | <div class="ExternalClass8B24C25DE22A4851BD8F3CCAC2B25006"><h2><em>Kingdom of Exiles</em> by Maxym M. Martineau</h2><p><a href="https://phoenix.overdrive.com/phoenix-phoenixpl/content/media/4539212" target="_blank">eBook</a><br><a href="https://phoenix.overdrive.com/phoenix-phoenixpl/content/media/4824485" target="_blank">eAudiobook</a></p><p>Maxym M. Martineau is a staff writer and editor by day, and a fantasy author by night. When she's not getting heated over broken hearts, she enjoys playing video games, binge-watching television shows, competing in just about any sport, and of course, reading. Following her passion, Maxym earned her bachelor's degree in English Literature from Arizona State University. She has two (three, if you count the husband) children and a deep love of coffee and animals.</p><h3>Q + A</h3><h4> What inspired you to write this book?</h4><p>Sleep! I'm kidding. Sort of. Actually, my dreams play a big part in my writing process. They've always been fantastical in nature and very, very lucid. For
<em>Kingdom of Exiles,</em> in particular, though, I actually had a dream about Noc (my main male character). He sat me down and told me his life story, and the emotions he experienced were so visceral and tangible that I knew I just had to put them down. Of course, I made him wait, haha. Noc's backstory comes into play in the second book in the series, so I had to think holistically about how that would evolve, and I ended up starting the series in a different place. The magical beasts, the world itself, and the remaining characters just sort of came to me naturally as I began drafting. I knew I wanted fantastical beasts because of my love of animals, and I wanted a main female character with agency, so everything came together nicely.</p><h4>What attracted you to this genre?</h4><p>Growing up, fantasy was my absolute favorite genre to read. But, I always found myself wanting more romance. So I figured, why not blend the two? These days, it feels like a lot of young adult fantasy has more amped up romantic elements, and I could not be happier with that shift.</p><h4>What book are you currently reading?</h4><p>I just finished
<em>House of Hollow</em> by Krystal Sutherland, which I would HIGHLY recommend if you're into gothic young adult fantasy. It's so beautifully written and wonderfully spooky. And then there's
<em>The Queen of Nothing</em> by Holly Black, which is the conclusion of a young adult fae trilogy, and
<em>Girl, Serpent, Thor</em>n by Melissa Bashardoust. Oh, and I absolutely cannot forget
<em>King of Battle and Blood</em> by Scarlett St. Clair. It's real spicy and has vampires, so be prepared.</p><h4>Are you writing anything now? If so, when will it come out?</h4><p>Yes! I'm currently working on
<em>Shadows of the Lost</em>, which is the first book in an offshoot series from the
<em>Beast Charmer </em>series (<em>Kingdom of Exiles, The Frozen Prince</em> and
<em>The Shattered Crown</em>). It follows the three lovable secondary characters we met during my first three books, and of course there's angst, magical beasts, romance, and undead assassins. It's slated to release during the summer of 2023.</p><h4>If you weren't a writer, what would you do?</h4><p>I actually started at Arizona State University as a biology major with an emphasis on animal behavior. I had it in my head that I wanted to study large cats and work with animals, but my love for writing was stronger. I ended up switching majors, but there's a reason why some of the legendary creatures found in
<em>Kingdom of Exiles</em> are massive felines!</p><h4>Do you use your local library? If so, which library is it and what do you do there?</h4><p>Unfortunately, especially post COVID, I don't spend a lot of time at my local library. That said, I have very strong, positive memories of my days at the Mesa Public Library as a kid. I lived nearby, and I'd always walk or ride my bike there and spend hours reading just about every book I could get my hands on. I learned so much from the adventures I went on thanks to the books I devoured, and I think it's incredibly important for those kind of experiences to be accessible to children and adults alike.</p><br></div> |
