Author Jamie Dalton Spotlight
This week’s Finding the Magic Podcast brings you the fantasy author Jamie Dalton spotlight. Find out all about Jamie and her books.
Q: How many books have you published?
2 currently on my own, 3 on my own by Nov 15 and 3 Antholgoies by Dec 13
Q: Are you self-published or are you represented by a publishing company?
Self Published
Q: Why do you write?
I love the escape of it. I love getting to create a new world and play out the what if situations. I also love getting to give readers their own world to escape to. I know for so many years it was my only escape when things got rough.
Q: Why do you write in your specific genre?
I knew I loved fantasy. I have read mostly fantasy most of my life. The dark fantasy I guessed at but it was a complete surprise when I published my first book and Amazon put it with dark fantasy horror. I’m the biggest wuss when it comes to anything scary. I felt better when I saw that some of my favorite authors who are not scary writers also were labeled as it.
Q: Why did you start writing? Was there a specific experience that spurred you to write?
I’ve written off and on most of my life. I officially took it seriously though when I had my daughter. I needed a creative outlet that was just for me where I could still be myself. Writing lets me keep a part of my identity while I am needed every moment and so often forget that I am more than just a mom.
Q: What do you love most about writing and being an author?
That’s so hard. I love creating the stories and building a beautiful package. I love seeing the readers who were touched by what I wrote. I love the energy of the author community and helping others.
Q: Tell me about your books and series.
My very first publication was in an anthology, Season of the Witch. I fell in love with the cover and I wanted to publish along side other authors first so I could see what it was really like. The Black-Backed Mirror was a short story that was sassy and fun and even now is picked up frequently every day on my website for free. It’s the start of a gender bender retelling series. The first book, Throne of Slumber, releases in December in Faeted Mates. It’s a plus sized sleeping beauty retelling. The dark fae’s prince is trying to save his family from a curse that put them to sleep. The light fae princess is pretty sure her father is the one behind the curse and disguises herself as a man to help break it. It gets messy, especially once he reveals that she was his first love and that he still loves her without knowing it’s her. Worldwalker was the first book I released on my on in Feb of 2022. A YA sword and sorcery where Adalyn is the first person in hundreds of years in her kingdom to have magic. She can worldwalk (a sort of magical teleportation kind of thing) both her physical body and her spirit outside of her body. Her kingdom had trapped another kingdom in time for 500 years while losing a great war and someone has partially broken that spell. The enemy is attacking again and they don’t know that they are no longer at war. There’s elves, dwarves, golems, ghosts and just a touch of a sweet romance. Book 2, Dragonborn, released October 4. Goddess of the Broken releases Nov 15, 2022 and is definitely a heart book. I had a close family member take their life and I book cover that I had made suddenly had a story for it. One of a goddess who was an empath times 1000. A goddess of the broken who was truly broken herself. She abandoned the land of the gods to live among the mortals until Fate calls her to the emperor left for dead in the middle of the desert. She must enter a contest to become the next empress, an honor she never wants to win, and figure out who tried to kill the emperor. Most of these books are also on Kindle Vella and their next books are being put on there as they are written as well for those who don’t want to wait until the next book releases.
Q: Who is your favorite character in one of your books.
The golems in Worldwalker and Dragonborn. They are a mix of regal, sassy, trouble makers who just don’t care what anyone thinks about them. If you’ve ever played Dragon Age and remember Shale, you get a pretty good idea of what kind of golems they are.
Q: What inspired you to write?
My daughter. I don’t have much for her but my books will be her inheritance from me.
Q: Who are your favorite authors? What genres do you read?
Honestly I read pretty much everything other than Thriller and Horror. I am the absolute worst at names so remembering my favorite authors names is tough as well. The first three that come to mind are Frost Kay, Casey L Bond and Kristin Britain.
Q: Do you have/make writing goals.
Honestly I get writers block when I do.
Q: Are you a plotter or panster?
lol both. I plot and let my characters decide where they weave in and out of it.
Q: What do you want readers to experience or take away from your books?
I want for them to be entertained. To find solutions to problems in their own lives in an entertaining way and to feel as if they aren’t alone.
Q: What else do you want readers to know about you?
I am an absolute hot mess. lol really I am. I never thought I could actually write anything and my life has been anything but easy. Technically, when I first graduated from school and I felt like I needed to know my life’s path, this career wasn’t really an option. I’ve made many mistakes in my life and done a lot of career changes, but ultimately all of it has become life experience that has prepared me for this. Don’t ever think you are too old to go for your dream. Think of it as becoming prepared and take a leap of faith.
Jamie Dalton is a NC transfer who grew up in Oregon and Idaho. She lives with her husband and feisty toddler in a small two story shop that they converted into a home so she could take care of her disabled mother. You can find her on TikTok, and on her website.
Happy reading & listening (for you audiobook lovers),
Tricia Copeland
Tricia Copeland believes in finding magic. She thinks magic infuses every aspect of our lives, whether it is the magic of falling in love, discovering a new passion, a beautiful sunset, or a book that transports us to another world. An avid runner and Georgia native, Tricia now lives with her family and four-legged friends in Colorado. Find all her titles from contemporary romance and fantasy, to dystopian fiction at www.triciacopeland.com.