Amelia Wood is a teen author who writes in the magical world of The Dragon Heir. When she isn’t delving into writing, she can be found with her dog Hazel or dipping into more fantasy books. Read on to get some information on Amelia and her up-and-coming book, The Phoenix Traitor.
From where did you draw inspiration to craft the magical world of The Dragon Heir?
I’ve read hundreds of fantasy novels in my life, but what really called me to the world of The Dragon Heir was the dying magic within. I loved the idea of creating a fantasy world with little magic left and really leaned into this as I shaped the setting.
Has fantasy always been your go-to genre? What about fantasy do you feel draws you in as a reader?
Yes! I knew that I wanted to write fantasy novels from a young age. Something about escapism and the lure of magic always draws me in. The idea that there could be worlds out there that have dragons has always been interesting to me.
If you could choose any other genre besides fantasy, what would be most exciting to write in?
Dystopian, for sure. I adore the dystopian genre, and I’ve dabbled in it with some of my short fiction, but I haven’t committed to a full novel yet.
One of your characters suffers from substance abuse; what kind of research was involved with making sure the substance abuse and its effects on Asher were accurate to real life?
I read a lot of academic journals and articles about substance abuse and how people both recover and relapse with it. I wanted to ensure that I was accurately representing what real people go through without making him into a stereotype.
As a teen author, are there any nuggets of wisdom you’d like to give to your fellow aspiring young authors?
Write, write, write. Even when you hate your writing, even when you’d rather do anything but write, keep going. Share your writing, take the criticism, and learn from it. The only way to get better is to keep trying!
Which character from The Dragon Heir do you share a kindred spirit with? Was there a character that was difficult for you to write because they were so different from you?
Ember represents the worst parts of myself—her anger and selfishness especially, as those were things I had to work through before becoming the person I am now. I struggled with Asher at times due to how different our personalities are, but he’s still one of my favorite characters!
Your next book, The Phoenix Traitor, is up and coming. Are there any juicy tidbits you can give us about it?
There’s a new character who has been extremely popular with my editor and beta readers, and I can’t wait to see what people think of her!
Amelia Wood is a phenomenal writer, and kept audiences captivated with The Dragon Heir.
We’re on the edge of our seats waiting for The Phoenix Traitor since Amelia is great at weaving worlds in the realm of fantasy.
Ready to enter the realm of Fantasy again? Check out this article.
Rather check out a Dystopian instead? Try this list.
