Today, Feathered Quill reviewer Katie Specht is talking with Emory Faith, author of The Outlaws.

FQ: Tell our readers a little about yourself. Your background, your interests, and how this led to writing a book.

FAITH: Like everyone, I’m a mixed bag. I grew up in the English countryside, which gave me a strong sense of community, and I've always been fascinated by martial arts and without sounding too dramatic, the future of our planet. Now I'm knee-deep in the UK climate tech scene, which is pretty awesome. All these interests sort of collided in my head and I thought I could create a story. So here we are - a book that's part punch-up, part eco-thriller and of course some romance. I basically wanted to write a story that would make people think without boring them to tears.

FQ: What was the impetus for writing your book?

FAITH: I told the story I wanted to read. My goal was to create a world that I saw we could become in the future and explore its cultural dynamics. I wanted to immerse readers in a society that feels both familiar and unsettlingly possible.

FQ: As an author/writer, what famous author (living or dead), would you like to have dinner with, and why?

FAITH:  Suzanne Collins! I’ll insist that she eats nothing all day and then we’ll do hot wing roulette together. That’s a hunger game!

FQ: Where do you think you've improved the most in your writing process and ability and how do you think you have evolved?

FAITH: Writing, like any skill, getting started is the hardest, but you improve the most through practice. However, it's crucial to step back and assess your craft to avoid hitting a ceiling. The most significant growth for me came from sharing my work and receiving feedback. I sent my first draft to The Literary Consultancy, and their critique was brutal but necessary. It transformed my writing from something I now recognize as subpar into a work I'm proud of.

FQ: If you were to teach a class on the art of writing, what is the one item you would be sure to share with your students and how would you inspire them to get started?

FAITH: I'd emphasize that writing is unique in its limitless potential for imagination. You can create entire worlds exactly as you envision them. This freedom is both exhilarating and challenging – it's what makes writing so rewarding.

FQ: Is this the first book, the second, etc. in the series and how many books do you anticipate writing in this series?

FAITH: This is the first book in a trilogy and it’s setting up for big things to come.

FQ: Do you see your series going longer than originally expected? More stories to write than originally planned?

FAITH: When you create a world, that world tends to generate its own stories. While I have a trilogy planned, I'm open to where the narrative might lead me beyond that.

FQ: Many authors say that it's hard to say good-bye to the characters in a series. Do you think it will be difficult for you? Have they become part of your life?

FAITH: Absolutely. Each character stems from my experiences and imagination, so they become a part of me. Letting go will be challenging, but it's also part of the journey.

FQ: Was the plot worked out completely before you started or did it evolve as you wrote?

FAITH: I knew the rough plot from page one, but it was a skeleton. I wrote the story walking around London typing on my phone and it evolved with the story.

FQ: If a character(s) is based on a real person, what made you decide to do that? Did you tell that person he/she is a character in your story and if so, what was their reaction?

FAITH: Anyone who says their characters aren’t are fibbing! One key character in my book is 100% based on someone close to me. They recognized themselves instantly and were furious! So, we’ll call that a win.

For more information on The Outlaws, please visit the author's website at: emoryfaith.com/the-outlaws.

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