Fantasy Authors Interview

Meet Atheina

We've got another awesome Fantasy author for you today. Hailing from the country of Italy, please welcome, AtheinaVismark, and let's hear what they've got to say.

What is your country of origin?

Italy

What other languages aside from English can you speak fluently?

Italian as it's my first language, German in middle school and a bit of Japanese in private during high school because of my undying love for anime.

Are you writing under a pseudonym? Is there a story as to how and why you came up with it? Please tell us about it!

I am indeed writing under a pseudonym! My pen name is an ode to Athena goddess of wisdom, war, and creator of olives. While my surname is the fruit of a little whim of mine: I liked the surname of Otto Von Bismarck and decided to adapt it a little bit to make it sound a bit rounder to my ears.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? Why do you want to be a writer?

I started as a reader, climbing in my parents' bed, begging my mother to read me a tale from this particular book called: "Favole al Telefono," which I still keep beside me at night. I started with fanfictions when I was 10 in specific with anime, then moved onto HP fanfics before I finally started planning my stories from scratch. It's been 10 years since I first started my very first story. As for why? I always wanted to give others my own tale for them to read and hear, to make their eyes widen at every turn and twist.

Please tell us about your story/ies on Wattpad so that readers could find them.

I'm currently working on a New Adult Dark Fantasy story named Oath of Steel, the first of a trilogy, set in a world remotely evocating my favourite historical time: London during the reign of the great Queen Victoria. A cruel and uncaring world filled with intrigue and politics, Oath of Steel centres around the figure of Lady Rosalynde Steel: personal attendant to the apparent heir Pharah Des Reslow, general advisor to the Crown and assassin that will have to team up with an elusive banker named Hector Grey to save their twisted world from falling completely into chaos. It currently is the only book I've wrote up until now than really has taken a spot in my heart, full of morally grey and daring characters with lost humanity, Oath of Steel that has made me mature in ways I at first did not think were possible.

I currently even have two books on hold and many others hidden in my drafts: all Fantasy too! that are A Mask of Death and Shadows: featuring a young forger named Kara that to protect her master and saviours' honour has to win a magical competition while the winds of war are slowly picking up pace among their land and Blade of Winter currently published.

Blade of Winter is a Fantasy-Romance following the return from exile of the former guardian of the Winter Lands called Vexana to take part as Guardian for her ruler during the Winter Solstice Meeting, unjustly exiled for her upright and honourable ideals, she'll be aided by ambassador of a neighbouring land placed beside her to stop what they think is going to be an attempted treason against the three Great Courts.

But beware – I stand by the fact that Oath of Steel is currently my best work!

For you, what is the importance of having a process in writing? Do you have a process? If so, please tell us about it. If not, why?

I do prefer having the start of the story and roughly the ending. I like to think and hope that the remaining ideas come naturally as the story advances, and when they do, I like placing the ideas that came to mind in a timeline to remember when to use them!

What makes for an appealing character in Fantasy stories? Why?

I'm a sucker for morally grey characters with a traumatized past and I adore badass female leads that won't hesitate to follow their heads over their hearts in order to do what for them sounds like the smartest thing to do. If it's a mix of these then count me in!
I do have a one-sided love for plots full of twists and unexpected revelations. One-sided, as they usually make my heart and mind go crazy without them caring at all.