Exactly 12 months since the first book of her fantasy trilogy, Shaeli of Purple Leaf, was released to an unsuspecting public, Nambucca writer Roby Aiken, has launched the final part of her opus.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
“I wanted to get the last book (Tower of the Glade) out as fast as possible because the second one (The Thrower’s Apprentice) ends on a cliff-hanger … here is the answer to that cliff-hanger for my readers,” Roby laughed.
Fresh from the launch on Saturday, Roby says while it feels good to have completed an idea seeded by watching hot air balloons taking off 19 years ago, she also misses her main character Shaeli and all those who surrounded her.
“It’s funny because I feel like their world is still continuing and I’m here missing out.
“The process of writing the stories has been amazing – I’ve just loved solving all the problems that arise as plots and characters develop. It’s something I do while I’m driving or washing up or can’t sleep.
“Originally I tried to plot the story but characters make unexpected things come out of your fingers … sometimes I have felt simply like a conduit and when the right words just jump in over your shoulder, it is such a good feeling, it’s fun.”
Back to the hot air balloon moment, Roby said watching them made her think about moving around without the need of wind, “and then I thought: but you’d need a bloody big bird!”
And so her story of traders who transport people and goods around in big ships pulled by giant birds began to take shape.
Giving solid form to that shape was the next step and that came about thanks to the Nambucca Valley Writers’ Group, which Roby joined, and of which she is now president.
“That group has been as big a part of the process as the story itself … they helped me learn what I wanted to do and how to do it.”
After the first book was finished, serendipity gave her a contract with Pan Macmillan and an advance to write books two and three. That relationship ended with the Global Financial Crisis and it has taken Roby a while to find a new publishing path.
That’s where fellow local author Annie Seaton comes in, having organised covers and formatting and connections to Amazon.
“She’s done a beautiful job with the covers and pulled it all together for me.”
The result is three books, accessible to anyone between the ages of 11 to 80, available in both hard copy and online formats (simply search R.L. Aiken in Amazon). Books are on sale at Hilltop Movie Castle in Macksville, Curves in Nambucca Heads or from Roby, writerroby61@gmail.com.