Thanks so much for agreeing to be with us today, Archer!
Thanks so much for having me, Becky! It’s great to be here.
What 5 things should readers know about you?
- I *LOVE* fantasy and science fiction, so all of my stories tend to be on the side of these (sometimes at the same time!), though I love putting the romantic spin on them with a focus on LGBTQA+ characters. I also write poetry.
- Behaviour, psychology, and ecology are some of my favourite things! That’s probably why I push my characters’ buttons just to see how far they’ll go and what it takes to break them. I adore getting to the heart of why they do what they do, and how it’s all connected – and then I love giving them their happy endings.
- I love, love, love chocolate, cake icing, and brownies. Never underestimate how quickly I’ll gravitate towards a brownie in anything.
- I seem to be one of those rare (and odd) writers who doesn’t drink coffee, tea, or alcohol. (Coffee and tea make me nauseous, and alcohol tastes like vinegar. It’s… complicated!)
- My undying love of music is nothing short of a head shake. My tastes run the entire spectrum, from the very, very ancient-old (aka. Mediaeval and further back) to what’s hot right now.
Too bad about the tea, but I’m with you on the coffee and alcohol. Can’t stand either!
Where did the inspiration for this book come from?
A tweet of birthday cake and unicorn ice cream, actually! Pictures of brightly coloured treats that got me to thinking about unicorns and shapeshifters. It was an extremely random trip down a very deep rabbit hole, and I followed the journey to see where it would lead. Things just started throwing themselves onto the list—my brain doing it’s usual “Oh, what about this? And this? And THIS???” I just started writing notes down, whatever came to mind, and at some point, the plot showed up, giving me the rest of what I needed to get the book (and series) started!
Since then, I’ve been thrown into a vast world inspired by a whole bunch of things: The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle, which was one of my absolute favourite movies as a child, and Star Trek: The Next Generation, my first foray into the world that is Star Trek. Add a touch of other shows, movies, and books I really love, plus my undying love for fantasy and science fiction, and you get this book. It’s a complicated salad going on here!
Well, that might take the cake for the most unique inspiration yet…pun totally intended! 😉
How long have you been writing, and what (or who) inspired you to start?
If we go from my very first story, I’ve been writing for the last 34 years. I started when I was 5, and the story was about a boy who’d lost his mitten. I don’t remember what the inspiration was, but I do remember it was during a night when my parents were late picking me up from my babysitter’s house. I may have been looking for something to keep me busy while I waited, or maybe it was something for school – that part’s a big foggy. I just remember finding out afterwards the reason why they were late was because my grandfather died that day, so that’s more ingrained in my memory. Is there a deeper connection there, some kind of unknown inspiration from the universe I caught on to but didn’t realize? I don’t know. But it’s interesting to look back and think on how little me was hit with the inspiration to write my first ever story on the same day I unwittingly lost someone so dear to me.
I kept going after that, though, especially since my teachers and parents were really supportive and encouraging about it. So I did, and creative writing easily became one of my favourite school subjects! By 7th grade, I was convinced that being an author was something I really wanted to do. It took several years of meandering, but I finally committed to getting published in 2013 and haven’t stopped since.
(Incidentally, the babysitter mentioned above was the same one who introduced me to the The Last Unicorn, and I watched her copy of the movie over and over. Talk about interesting timing! All of this seems to be connecting right now as I work on this Horn & Haven series, which deals with loss and life after that. Funny how things work, eh?)
Does that babysitter know what kind of influence they had on you and your future? Impressive!
What are you working on right now? What can readers look for from you in the next year?
I’ve got 3 projects on the go right now!
The first is the sequel to Fate in Suspension. This second book in the Horn & Haven series is called Shifting Surety, and it’s about one of the other brothers in the brotherhood, Ratchet. Anyone who reads the first book gets a solid dose of Ratchet, since he owns the clubs where Tai and Gates meet. He’s about to find his match in Halo, a top exec of a hugely successful travel agency and total space nerd. I’ve just started working on chapter 2, and I’m really looking forward to where it’ll go!
The second project is Rebel Call, which is book #5 in my other series, The Republic. That series is really different from Horn & Haven: it’s high fantasy, and the romantic relationships at the heart of the books span the LGBTQA+ spectrum. Rebel Call is an M/NB/M romance featuring Dawne, Massy, and Geyle, who are all descendants of their world’s goddesses, so they’re magical but secretive about it. Things are getting really messy in their world at this point in the series, and their story is an important chunk of that from their perspective.
And finally, I’m working on the first book for a totally different series! This book is called After the Harp Sings, and it’s the first in a series of more fairytale/folktale stories. It’s based off the story of The Twa Sisters, which is pretty dark, so I’ve gone and put an MM fairytale-esque spin on it just to give it some new angles and a happier resolution. The first draft is almost done!
I’m not sure what all I’ll get done in the next year, but readers that are interested in reading along as these stories are written can find them on my Patreon!
Wow! You’re going to be busy for sure!
What are you currently reading, and what are your thoughts about it so far?
I’m currently in between books right now. But in the last year, I’ve read a couple that I’d love to mention for any of your readers that might be interested in something new!
For anyone who loves YA/coming-of-age science fiction, there’s Sunrise (Chronicle of the Errant Stars Book 1) by Perry Sabey, which I really enjoyed. It’s a great story about friendship and finding one’s self during tough times. Also, it takes place on Mercury!
And for folks who enjoy dark romances and thrillers, there’s Natural-Born Cullers by Jack L. Pyke, which is part of her Don’t… series. It’s definitely for readers that love really dark stories, especially ones that get really messy and complicated and complex, full of psychologically heavy stuff. (Just beware: there are a lot of trigger warnings that apply!)
Love the name on that second one! I’m going to have to look it up!
If you had to “sell” your book in a single Tweet, what would you say?
Unicorn shifters … hooking up… on a mission to reunite found family. These aren’t your average unicorns! 🦄
✅ MM Paranormal romance!
✅ BDSM things & fairy wings!
✅ Family, friends, banter + more!
✅ Road trip!
FATE IN SUSPENSION
Buy now @ https://books2read.com/FateInSuspension
OMG, I love it! I don’t know that you needed to say anything past “unicorn shifters,” though–who’s going to say no to unicorn shifters? ;)Thanks again for stopping by!
About the author:
Archer Kay Leah is an LGTBQA+ romance author that you’ll often find getting lost in strange, fantastical worlds with characters who can’t help but find trouble and shake things up. Fantasy and sci-fi romances are Archer’s speciality, especially when they’re complex and emotionally charged. But at the heart of Archer’s stories are friendship, family, and there’s always a happy ending–it might just take a whole lot of complications to get there!
When not reading and writing for work or play, Archer is a nerd of much geekery, loves music to depths that will never be contained, and is fascinated by behaviour, psychology, and ecology. Born and raised in Canada, Archer lives in London, Ontario with a non-binary partner who loves all things out there in the vast space of the universe.
Author links:
https://archerkayleah.wordpress.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7923905.Archer_Kay_Leah
https://www.facebook.com/ArcherKayLeah
https://twitter.com/ArcherKayLeah
Fate in Suspension
by Archer Kay Leah
(Horn & Haven #1)
Publication date: June 30th 2022
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
Quiet. That’s how he likes life, no drama to clean up…
Tai Xen-Vorsy leads a straightforward life: work, time at the local clubs where shapeshifters like him can play without fear, and the comforts of home with a cat that’s more than half attitude. After breaking up with his last submissive, he’s even taking a break from Dom duties.
Meeting Gates changes everything, and when Tai’s childhood home is destroyed, his simple life goes up in flames.
The Callensdale haven was his refuge as an orphan, a hideaway that saved his life. Now it’s time to return the favour. Bringing in the Fluff Brigade Brotherhood would make all the difference… if he could just get them back together. Tai won’t give up—he’s not that kind of unicorn. But can he reunite the brotherhood and keep his new relationship with Gates kindled at the same time?
The darkness is dragging him into the shadows, one case at a time…
Helping others is all Gates Colfaethe wants to do, being mostly unicorn shifter with a splash of Faerie. But years as an agent on trafficking cases leave him fearing just how far he’ll lose himself in the job before he burns out completely.
A random hookup with Tai might be the very change he needs. A new Dom means new rules and the chance to create safe distance from work—until his worlds collide in a twist Gates should leave well enough alone. What he knows is bad enough, but running headlong into danger could kill him.
Horn & Haven is an MM+ romance series featuring a found family of unicorn shifters brought together by tragic circumstances. Friends out to save a magical world in trouble. Family fighting to protect those they love. Lovers falling for the kinkiest unicorns this side of their universe… Welcome to the Fluff Brigade Brotherhood.
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61329889-fate-in-suspension
Purchase:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3cS1hIP
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fate-in-suspension-archer-kay-leah/1141346994?ean=2940165834608
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/fate-in-suspension-horn-haven-book-1/id1618849167
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/fate-in-suspension-horn-haven-book-1
Thanks for hosting today, Becky!