Author's Interview with Tahani Nelson

First, before we move forward with our Authors Interview, I would like to start with an introduction.

1. Could you please introduce yourself to us?

My name is Tahani Nelson, and I write female-led military fantasy. With hundreds of 5-star reviews and an ever-growing army of Faoii at my back, most people know me from author events, Renaissance festivals, news programs, and conventions across the US-- probably because I'm always wearing full armor and a face resplendent with war paint. While my most notable appearances have been at the Indie Audiobook Awards and Fantasycon discussion panels, I also give presentations about empowerment and creating strong, healthy female role models in modern media.

2. Congratulations on your book. So what inspired you to write this book?

I grew up on Fantasy books. I’ve loved them for as long as I can remember. But I never really felt represented in classic fantasy. It always seemed that women fell into one of three categories: 1) They were damsels in distress. 2) They were a love interest. 3) Sometimes they WOULD be the amazing heroine I hoped for–but then about halfway through the book they’d meet a guy and decide to make out with him on some blood-soaked battlefield, forgetting whatever grand wars or internal conflicts they’d faced up until that point.

It was boring. And sometimes nauseating.

So what do you do when you can’t find the book you’re looking for? You write it yourself.

The Faoii Chronicles were built from that idea: I wanted to write the heroines that younger me wanted to read. I wanted to finally have the representation in military fantasy that I craved so desperately in my youth. I wanted to feel empowered and heard by the women in my books, and I wanted them to have grander goals than simply marriage.

I also wanted them to wear armor that actually covers their vital organs.

Is that really so much to ask?

Now I dress up in armor and sign books in all sorts of different places for all sorts of different people. We’re all capable of making a difference in our own lives– I just think it’s easier to do with a sword than a glass slipper.

3. What is the book all about?

The Last Faoii is a powerful and immersive introduction to the Faoii Chronicles.

The Faoii have protected Clearwall with both magic and blade for generations. But when her monastery is attacked and her sisters slaughtered, only young Kaiya is left alive.

Forced to cope without the traditions of her Order, Kaiya travels the country on a mission to avenge her sisters and preserve her heritage. The search brings her not only to dark discoveries and ancient family secrets but also to something she never wanted or dreamed of: an estranged brother.

Thrust into a war at the heart of a broken empire, the siblings face a dark past and darker future while Kaiya learns the true state of the world outside her monastery's walls, the true threat of the army seeping across the land, and her own innate abilities as the last of her kind.

If you like immersive world-building, empowering characters, and epic battle scenes, you'll love The Last Faoii.

4. Why did you choose this genre for your book?

I love epic battle scenes and stories that span entire continents or affect generations. Writing Epic/Military fantasy allows me to create characters that lead armies and forge destinies, and then to explore the deeper implications of societal change.

5. How much time did it take to complete this book?

The Last Faoii took me 5 years to write. The sequels, Faoii Betrayer and Faoii Ascended, took 3 years and 18 months, respectively.

6. What makes your Book Special?

Fantasy and particularly Military Fantasy have historically been male-centric genres. The Faoii Chronicles subvert tropes and give other underrepresented heroes a chance to shine. Beyond that, I've won several awards for world building and prose. When you read the Faoii Chronicles, you don't just get a book-- you become part of the Faoii Army.

7. When is your mext book coming?

Faoii Betrayer came out in 2020 and Faoii Ascended came out in 2021. After the series was completed, I had enough people ask for more that I also released a supplemental anthology filled with fan-requested short stories. Now the complete Faoii Chronicles are available in ebook, paperback, hardback, and audiobook formats!

8. While writing did you get any writers block? What is the Tip that you will give others who are facing a writer's block?

I struggled with Writers Block a lot. A lot of the problem was that I expected too much of myself, so I was often afraid to even start. Everyone else I knew was writing 2000-5000 words a night, and I knew I'd never be able to hit those high numbers, so a lot of the time I wouldn't write anything at all. I was also so afraid of my first drafts not being "good enough," and that kept me paralyzed.

So I started making smaller goals. I told myself I'd write 200 words a night. It only took a couple of minutes, so I knew I could get it done everyday, and if I thought what I wrote wasn't "good enough" I could just delete it without thinking I'd lost a lot of ground. Surprisingly, 200 words was just enough to usually enough to break the dam, and once I started I'd often keep going. Sometimes I would only write the 200, but I NEVER wrote nothing at all. And after a few years, I had all 3 books published. Little goals add up.

9. Apart from being a talented author, what are your other hobbies?

I'm really involved in a lot of Renaissance Festivals in the US. I also like videogames and creating diamond paintings.

10. Last but not the least, How did you feel, while giving this interview?

Pretty good. Sometimes there's a language barrier when I do interviews with people in other countries, but that wasn't the case here. It's nice to stretch outside my regular bubble of readers.

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