Blade of Lies | Kaja L'Orange

We are honoured to work with as many authors as we do at Pegasus Publishers – each with their own stories to tell. Their worlds are singular, their characters are relatable and their creativity truly knows no bounds.

This is Author Life, a feature on the Pegasus Blog, that opens the door to each of our author’s creative process and previous literary experience, offering you – the reader – an opportunity to learn a little about the mind behind the novel.

Meet Kaja L’Orange, author of the fantasy novel BLADE OF LIES.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Could you tell us three interesting facts about yourself?

I studied history for one year but found out that was not for me. I still love history as a subject and it inspires my writing, but I did not see a career for me in that direction.

I have worked a few in different jobs throughout the years and have liked the different experiences it gives me. This is where I found my love for reading and writing again during covid-19. That period of life gave me a lot of more time to sit down and try reading different fantasy romance books and find my dream again for writing a book. This is where the idea for Blade of Lies slowly came to me.

I recently moved in with my best friend that I have known since elementary school. I still work full time as I try my best to write more on the side. I have so many ideas and stories inside my head that I one day want to write down and get out there for the world to see.

In your own life, what influences and inspires you to write?

Music is a huge part of what inspires me. It invokes many different emotions that I feel and can relate to my characters. I most of the time think in scenarios or book scenes. Different songs I listen to, for example from and to work, creates perfect scene I know would fit in a book or story I have in my mind. If it comes to me, I must write it down immediately. My notes app on my phone is full of things I need to find a place in my writing. More action-packed type of music inspires fighting scenes or war related moments that I took inspiration too for Blade of Lies.

Which book or author has had the biggest impact on you, and why?

The Blood and Ash series by Jennifer L. Armentrout was one of the first books that hooked me when I started reading again some years ago. I found my love for fantasy romance through her writing and how big of a genre it truly is. It sent me to read so many other great books, but this series is one of my favourites for how big of an impact it had on both my reading and writing. It inspired a lot of my ideas and my motivation while writing Blade of Lies.

Can you tell me about the book?

Blade of Lies is a book about female rage where the main character needs to choose between finding out the truth about her life and family, or exact revenge on those who doomed her life to pain and anger. And of course, there is a handsome she loathes but needs the help from that brings in the tension and potential romance in the story.

What were your first experiences with writing?

Writing stories in school is where I found a love from making up my own universes and characters. To live through others and jump into a whole other world were so exiting from the normal life of a teenage schoolgirl.

In your opinion, what are the key ingredients for a good story or novel?

Intrigue, something that hooks you right in. Letting you get lost in the story and place of the book. Characters that you can relate too or see yourself, someone you want to be friends with.

A good first chapter is always important as both a reader and a writer. It can be so hard to continue a novel if it doesn’t intrigue and excite you from the start and increases your interest for either the story or the characters.

How long should an author spend on their craft each day?

I saw someone talk about writing at least 300 word per day and you have a full novel in a year. I think it is a good start or plan for your writing journey. I tried myself to stick to it, but it’s not always realistic. Most writers must work other jobs and be responsible which could easily ruin motivation and creative writing. I think an author should use the time they have, when inspiration sparks and life isn’t finally in the way, to sit down and write. It doesn’t have to be every day, and you’re not a bad writer for not having the time or putting in the time every day.

What was the most challenging part of writing this book, and what did you learn from writing it?

The most challenging part of writing this book was to find the time. To not let little time demotivated me, and still priorities friends and family in it all. To still find inspiration while being tired of work and with everyday type of problems. Having to work through it and find the energy to write after “normal” life problems.

I learned from writing Blade of Lies that you can always be a better writer, always learn more and structure better. Develop and learn from mistakes, take inspiration from where you might fail. That I can always be better and try again with another story.

What common pitfalls should aspiring writers avoid?

Stopping when it doesn’t make sense or stopping to write perfect correct sentences. If it comes to you, just write. Look at all the mistakes you wrote later, don’t let that stop the creative juices from flowing. Don’t shy away from how the story comes to you, you don’t have to write in chronologic order. Let your ideas and your mind take you there, not the “correct” way of writing.

What writing advice would you offer to your younger self?

Don’t give up, it is possible. Even with dyslexia, you can work around it. You can become better, get help from friends or family. It is not that big of a deal to write mistakes. To relax, not think about the struggles with grammar and reading mistakes. It will work out. Your teachers are wrong, you can do it. You need to believe in yourself as much as your amazing friends end up doing later in life. You will find a great support system that helps you along the way.

BLADE OF LIES is available now in paperback and on the Kindle Store.