Author Interview: Matt Larkin, Author of Children of Sun and Moon

The Lunar King bargained his daughter away in marriage to end generations of war between the two dynasties of the Skyfall Isles. The King sends his niece Chandi along as handmaid to his daughter. Chandi has two tasks: watch over her cousin, and spy on the Solars. Still seething over the death of her lover during the war, Chandi accepts the task he gives her. The Solars cost her everything she cares about, and now she wants nothing more than proof of their treachery so she can go home.

She knows little of spying, but the blood of the Moon God running through her veins gives her powers mortals can’t match, powers that let her slip into places she’s not supposed to be. Of course, the more she uses her powers, the faster she becomes a lunatic.

When she discovers a Solar soldier, Naresh, watching her, she decides to return the favor and stick close to him. But as he shows her the wonders of the domed underwater city, she begins to realize the Solars are not what she thought. Soon, she’ll have to choose between loyalty to her people and her own heart.

Book 1 in the Skyfall Series
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Buy it here:  Amazon.co.uk  /  Amazon.com

If you could work with any other author, who would it be and why?
It’s a hard choice. I guess Brent Weeks. I really admire his sense of pacing and the
surprises he crafts into his novels. Both of his series rank among my all-time favorites.

What would be a typical working day for you? When and where do you write?
Given the chance, I usually start writing in the morning around 7:00 or 8:00 and write
until dinner time. Of course, many times, I have to make do with what time I can find.
That means sometimes editing after dinner or writing a few thousand works in the late
afternoon.

What is the hardest part of the writing for you?
Of the actual writing? I guess I feel compelled to reconcile a lot of different, sometimes
contradictory ideas. A good novel, especially in fantasy, it doesn’t just come from one
idea, but from many working in conjunction. But the practical realities of publishing are
probably harder than the writing itself.

When and why did you first start writing?
As a kid. I always felt the compulsion to tell stories to entertain my friends. Didn’t take
too long before I wanted to record those stories.

How did you come up with the idea for the book ‘Children of Sun and Moon’?
I was studying Hindu mythology and got caught up in the stories of the different
dynasties of the Kshatriya. I began developing a setting where these dynasties would
fall into a terrible war, and eventually I decided an archipelago was the perfect setting.
My interest in Indonesian mythology made that a natural fit. But really, Children of Sun
and Moon is a love story about two people from different cultures. They have everything
against them, but love refuses to be pushed to the side.

Are you a big reader? If so, what are you reading now?
Yes. Currently I’m reading and critiquing the WIPs for several other fantasy writers. But
normally, yeah, I read a lot of epic and a lot of urban fantasy.


Do you have any advice for other aspiring writers?
Write a lot. The first novel you write isn’t going to live up to your expectations. Read
some good books on the craft, learn the common mistakes, edit those mistakes out of
your work. And keep writing.