Ask the Author: Lauren Lee Merewether
Answered Questions (5)
Lauren Lee Merewether
Hi! I’m so glad you enjoyed The Darkest Oath, and please thank your wife for sharing it! I love hearing when non-romance readers are drawn in.
Your question about the sorceress is a great one, and the answer is rooted in real history. You’re absolutely right: in the Middle Ages, "commoners" accused of practicing magic or sorcery were often executed, especially women. But kings and nobles? That was a different story entirely.
Historically, many rulers across Europe employed occult advisors (astrologers, alchemists, seers), people who dabbled in what we might now call magic, sorcery, or the “dark arts.” These individuals operated in the shadows of court life, offering their kings secret knowledge, predictions, or protection. They weren’t always officially recognized, but they were real. Think of figures like Nostradamus, a French seer and physician, who advised Catherine de' Medici.
So in The Darkest Oath, the sorceress is imagined in that tradition: not a wand-waving spellcaster like today's Merlin, but a powerful, secretive woman whose magic is deeply personal, mysterious, and morally ambiguous. Her title in the book, the king’s sorceress, is both a position of favor and isolation. Her curse on Rollant isn’t part of a larger magic system; it’s a one-time act of "twisted justice" granting him immortality as a reward for loyalty, but cursing love itself as the price.
That tension between belief and superstition, power and punishment felt truer to the spirit of the time than a structured magic system. I wanted her to feel more like a shadow of history than a character out of a high fantasy novel.
To me, the most terrifying kind of magic is the one without clear rules: the kind that punishes not your vices, but your virtues. A moral echo of the age, and Rollant is left to ponder for all eternity what chained him to immortal life. So, I put the reader in Rollant's shoes.
Thanks so much for reading, and for such a thoughtful question! I hope that is an acceptable answer for you.
And Spoiler Alert:
I did imply at the end of the book that she had intentionally chained her immortality to Rollant's, so when he chose what he chose, she essentially dies. But instead of explicitly stating it, to align with my original intent of mythic mystery, I left it unwritten.
Your question about the sorceress is a great one, and the answer is rooted in real history. You’re absolutely right: in the Middle Ages, "commoners" accused of practicing magic or sorcery were often executed, especially women. But kings and nobles? That was a different story entirely.
Historically, many rulers across Europe employed occult advisors (astrologers, alchemists, seers), people who dabbled in what we might now call magic, sorcery, or the “dark arts.” These individuals operated in the shadows of court life, offering their kings secret knowledge, predictions, or protection. They weren’t always officially recognized, but they were real. Think of figures like Nostradamus, a French seer and physician, who advised Catherine de' Medici.
So in The Darkest Oath, the sorceress is imagined in that tradition: not a wand-waving spellcaster like today's Merlin, but a powerful, secretive woman whose magic is deeply personal, mysterious, and morally ambiguous. Her title in the book, the king’s sorceress, is both a position of favor and isolation. Her curse on Rollant isn’t part of a larger magic system; it’s a one-time act of "twisted justice" granting him immortality as a reward for loyalty, but cursing love itself as the price.
That tension between belief and superstition, power and punishment felt truer to the spirit of the time than a structured magic system. I wanted her to feel more like a shadow of history than a character out of a high fantasy novel.
To me, the most terrifying kind of magic is the one without clear rules: the kind that punishes not your vices, but your virtues. A moral echo of the age, and Rollant is left to ponder for all eternity what chained him to immortal life. So, I put the reader in Rollant's shoes.
Thanks so much for reading, and for such a thoughtful question! I hope that is an acceptable answer for you.
And Spoiler Alert:
I did imply at the end of the book that she had intentionally chained her immortality to Rollant's, so when he chose what he chose, she essentially dies. But instead of explicitly stating it, to align with my original intent of mythic mystery, I left it unwritten.
Lauren Lee Merewether
Hi Hans! It was my pleasure. Thank you for writing such a sweet story inspired by Aviva. To answer your question, I mostly rely on my email list, launch team, and targeted AMS ads for marketing. I also do a promo day on one of my prequels every 1-3 months with one of the reputable promo vendors. I believe the saying "The next book sells the last book" rings true as well. We are both in Self-Publishing School if you would like to connect and discuss more. Thank you for your question and take care, Lauren
Lauren Lee Merewether
Hi Richard, I am glad you are enjoying the story and thank you for compiling the list. Please send them to mail@laurenleemerewether.com and I will make sure they are incorporated in an update scheduled for the summer. You are much appreciated!
Lauren Lee Merewether
Usually darker skin meant the person was from the common class of workers out in the sun whereas royalty usually sat and lived mostly in the shade therby having lighter skin.
Lauren Lee Merewether
My advice for aspiring writers is to keep writing. Write every day, even if it doesn't relate to your story. Treat writing like a sport. You must do it everyday and refine your techniques to become great. Just like in sports, perfection is a forward progressing benchmark. There are always new ways to accomplish goals, new methods to improve performance, and better tools with which to train. In writing, befriend creativity, marry determination and serve improvement.
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more