A Slice of Cake With... Jeanette O'Hagan

This week I am delighted to be having a slice of cake with fellow indie author Jeanette O'Hagan. 

Jeanette O’Hagan enjoys writing fiction, poetry, blogging and editing. She is writing her Akrad’s Legacy Series—a Young Adult secondary world fantasy fiction with adventure, courtly intrigue and romantic elements. Her short stories and poems are published in Tied in Pink romance anthology, Another Time Another Place, Poetica Christi’s Inner Child, FAWQ’s Brio anthology, Let the Sea Roar, Glimpses of Light and Like a Girl Plan anthology.

Jeanette has practised medicine, studied communication, history, theology and, more recently, a Master’s in writing. She has lived in Australia and Africa. She loves reading, painting, travel, catching up for coffee with friends, pondering the meaning of life and communicating God’s great love and is actively involved in a caring Christian community. She lives in Brisbane with her husband and children.

What kind of books do you write?

I write thrilling tales of young (and not so young) people (often human) facing and overcoming struggles in fantastical worlds which are both intriguingly unlike and profoundly like our own.

Can you describe your writing why?

I began entertaining myself stories around the age of nine and these imaginative daydreams grew into a world full of characters, families, history, genealogies, maps, stories. I love the exhilaration of conjuring up the world and feel compelled to share that with others. 

Share with us your favourite passage from the book you enjoyed writing the most.

Hard to pick a favourite, I enjoyed writing all my books. But I am fond of the opening paragraph in Heart of the Mountain.

An updraught caught Zadeki and flung him about like a spinning leaf. Clouds of snow blasted into his face, ruffling his feathers and blinding him. Another gust hit him side on, pushing him off balance. It had been a foolish decision to fly over the mountains. The clear blue sky of the early afternoon was a fading memory as he was caught up in a world of swirling snow and ice. If only he could find shelter, but even with his eagle-sharp eyes, he could see no more than a white fuzzy blur in every direction. Gathering his trembling muscles and spreading out his flight feathers, he fought against the might of the wind. 

As the whiteout lessened for a few moments, a sharp angular peak loomed in front of him. His heart racing, he tilted his wings in a desperate attempt to turn. His flight pinions clipped a ledge. He lurched. His right side slammed into the icy rock, sending him spiralling down, ricocheting off the sheer cliff face. Pain screamed through him as fragile wing bones snapped. All control of his descent vanished. So much for showing the Kinleader he was old enough to be a pathfinder. His thoughts frayed and darkness took him.

Tell us about your latest project.

My most recent publication is Ruhanna’s Flight and other stories. It’s a collection of many of my short stories and one novella (Heart of the Mountain is included) mostly set in my fantasy world — Nardva — and has many of my favourite stories, including Ruhanna’s Flight, and some sci-fi as well. And I had a lot of fun writing a story for the collection — Before the Wind.  A fantastic way to dip into a fantastic world with engaging characters. 

I’m also working on sequels to my novella series and to Akrad’s Children.

What is your favourite cake?

I’d say pavlova, but that’s not a cake, so probably Black Forest cake which combines two of my favourite foods, cherries and chocolate.

I reckon we can count pavlova as cake Jeanette! And for those of you who like a baking challenge, here is a recipe for Strawberry Pavlova.

You can keep in touch with Jeanette across social media:

Like her on Facebook @JeanetteOHaganAuthorAndSpeaker

Follow her on Twitter @JeanetteOHagan

Connect on GoodReads 

Follow her on Instagram @bythelightof2moons

Check out all her books on Amazon

And visit her website: Jeanette O'Hagan Writes 

Sign up to Jeanette O’Hagan Writes newsletter too!

Join me next week when I will be having a slice of cake with indie author Johanna Aldridge, grilling them gently about their writing life and of course sharing their favourite cake.

If you would like to take part in A Slice of Cake With... please fill in the form found here. I'd be delighted to have you.