My author interview with Fantasy Writer Rebecca Maeve Hartwell, editor and author with a profound passion for storytelling. Today, we delve into her captivating Unlocked series, exploring the intricate themes of trauma, healing, and resilience woven into her work.

Main Themes:

Inspiration Behind the Unlocked Series: Rebecca Maeve Hartwell shares the unique blend of influences that gave birth to the Unlocked series, from her love for “Once Upon a Time” to the deeply personal experiences that shape her storytelling.

Exploring Trauma through Fantasy: The series introduces us to a world where magic is born from trauma, set against an alternate reality of an Italian fascism-led new Roman Empire.

Characters at the Heart of Healing: Meet Angie and Daniel, the central characters of the Unlocked series, whose stories of overcoming trauma and emotional barriers are at the core of the narrative. Hartwell highlights the importance of representing complex, underrepresented experiences through her characters, such as Angie’s portrayal of autism.

Themes of Ancient Curses and Global Collapse: Hartwell gives us a glimpse into the broader themes of the series, including ancient curses, immortality, and the consequences of a fallen shadow oligarchy within the magical community.

Advice for Unpublished Authors: Drawing from her dual expertise as an author and editor, Hartwell offers invaluable advice to unpublished authors on navigating feedback and staying true to their story’s essence.

Hartbound Editing: Through her editing services at Hartbound Editing, she helps fantasy, romance, and historical fiction authors ensure their stories shine in their truest form.