A Journey Through Fantasy, Romance, and the Healing Arts
Bernadette Rowley discusses her fantasy romance series, the influence of her veterinary career, world-building techniques, and the
balance of romance and fantasy in her captivating Thorius universe.
Bernadette Rowley is a masterful storyteller whose passion for epic fantasy and romance has captivated readers around the world. By day, she is a dedicated veterinarian, but by night, she transforms into an author who weaves enchanting tales set in the mesmerising world of Thorius. With eight books to her name, Rowley has carved a niche in the fantasy/paranormal romance genre, delighting fans with her unique blend of magic, adventure, and love. Her debut novel, Princess Avenger, introduced readers to a world where strong heroines and tortured heroes navigate complex themes of healing, identity, and power. Rowley’s ability to create vivid, immersive settings without overwhelming her readers is a testament to her skill as a writer. Her stories are not just about fantastical worlds but also about the human (and sometimes animal) experience, drawing on her own life as a veterinarian to infuse her narratives with authenticity and depth.
In this issue of Reader’s House Magazine, we are thrilled to present an exclusive interview with Bernadette Rowley. Join us as we delve into the mind of this talented author, exploring the inspirations behind her beloved series, the challenges of balancing romance and fantasy, and the ways in which her veterinary career influences her storytelling. Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to her work, this interview offers a fascinating glimpse into the creative process of an author who continues to enchant and inspire.
Your debut novel, Princess Avenger, features a strong healing theme, which you attribute to your work as a veterinarian. Can you elaborate on how your experiences in veterinary medicine influence your storytelling and character development?
I wouldn’t say Princess Avenger features as much healing as The Lady’s Choice and The Elf King’s Lady, however, scenes where characters heal wounds and cure illness occur in all my stories. Writing fantasy, the author would find it difficult to avoid. Illness and injury were a very serious part of life in the more primitive societies. I use magical healing and more conventional medicine in my books.
Over the years, though I try to escape my day job through my writing, I’ve found it’s never far away. Some of my characters are healers and start out quite insecure in their gift, growing into it during the story and series. I also have scenes from the viewpoint of animals eg from the point of view of the bear or the hawk, when hero, Vard, has shifted.
“Bernadette Rowley masterfully blends fantasy and romance, creating immersive worlds and
unforgettable characters that captivate and inspire readers.”
In Princess Avenger, the protagonist Alecia disguises herself as a man to pursue vengeance. What inspired you to explore themes of disguise and gender roles in this story, and how do you think they resonate with readers today?
I believe it’s fun to dress up and for a princess, constrained by royal demands, she needs to don a disguise to experience freedom. Alecia is both an example of a woman of power wanting to help her people and a woman trying to fulfil her dreams of being queen. This should resonate particularly with female readers, many of whom would aspire to be leaders.
As an author of fantasy romance, how do you balance the elements of romance and fantasy to ensure both aspects are equally compelling and integrated into the storyline?
This depends on the book. Most of the stories in The Queenmakers Saga are primarily romance set in a fantasy world. The secondary themes of political intrigue, magic, healing and war, carry through the entire series, becoming the primary themes in the last four books. So though the elements may be more about romance in earlier stories, as the secondary fantasy themes head toward resolution, they take centre stage. I like to call these later stories romantic fantasy as they have the fantasy front and centre.
Your books are set in the richly imagined world of Thorius. How do you approach world-building, and what tips would you offer to aspiring fantasy authors for creating immersive and believable fantasy settings?
I was and still am an epic fantasy reader and so I’ve been immersed in medieval style fantasy worlds, some post- apocalyptic, for decades. So, my tip is to read extensively in your genre and the worlds that are familiar to you will permeate your writing. Of course, you must paint your world with brushstrokes the reader can see, hear, smell and taste. I try not to belabour my worldbuilding, only giving enough description so that the reader can fill in their own blanks.
Animals, especially horses, feature prominently in your stories. How do you incorporate your love for animals into your books, and what role do they play in the overall narrative and character interactions?
Horses are crucial to my Queenmakers Saga, for transport and as secondary characters. I had close relationships with horses in my youth and that likely comes through in my stories. Having studied and worked with animals of one type and another and been deeply interested in the natural world my whole life, I love to write from the perspective of Vard’s animal forms. This adds a richness not commonly found in fantasy romance. Vard particularly struggles with one of his mounts as it is sensitive to the fact that he is a wolf. The heroine in The Lady’s Choice can mind speak to her stallion, which is something I have often longed to do with my patients.
You’ve released eleven books in the Queenmakers Saga. How do you maintain continuity and keep the story fresh across multiple books in a series, and what challenges have you faced in doing so?
Most of the stories involve two different protagonists in the same world, although I have two major city locations as well as other smaller, unique locations. This keeps it fresh – new characters and new locations and then a secondary character also gets their moment in the sun and their happily ever after. Readers may wonder which of their favourite secondary character, from say book 2, might pop up down the track. And each book moves the secondary fantasy themes along.
Once I reached the end of book 8, I decided I wanted to conclude the series by bringing all the major leading men and women together in an epic conclusion. It was written as one book and took ages. Then it was so long, I had to create three books from it. That was the main challenge I faced – feeding all the characters in and then breaking the story up so it made sense.
