Meet Fantastic Fantasy Queen, Sheri-Lynn Marean
Since joining TikTok (I know, it took me way too long!) I've met some fantastic authors from all over the world, so let me introduce you to one of them right now! Sheri-Lynn Marean is the author of some incredible fantasy novels, and check out that gorgeous cover on her latest, Dracone's Awakening! Let's chat...
Hi Sheri! Tell us where you live, and a fun fact about yourself that might surprise people.
I live in British Columbia Canada, and I’ve been an artist since age twelve. I’ve sold many original pieces of art along with limited edition prints. Around six or so years ago, I began to learn photoshop, and started creating my own book covers. Once I felt I knew enough about what each genre requires for cover, what colors and fonts, where to get licenced stock, I opened an author cover business to help supplement my writing career. It’s since taken off, so now I do both covers and write. I love creating shiny pretties and telling unforgettable stories. Though I no longer draw with pencil and create physical art, I still do the occasional piece when it pertains to my books and characters. (I have been working on black and white pencil art to go with my current Kickstarter. :) )
What first sparked your love for romantic fantasy worlds, and how did that evolve into writing your own fantastical stories?
Sherrilyn Kenyon and her amazing books got me hooked on romance in the fantasy and paranormal worlds. I love her massive worlds, her large cast of characters and how each couple gets their happy ending. There are other authors who continued that love, like JR Ward, Nalini Singh, Lara Adrian, Larissa Ione, along with some urban fantasy authors; Faith Hunter, Patrica Briggs just to mention a few. I’ve also always loved stories with mystery and suspense, psychological thrillers, so I love to combine it all with magic, mystical beings and other worlds. One of my beta readers; Sharon Richmond, who’s been with me for a very long time paid me a huge compliment when she said: "Sheri's writing is like reading multiple authors lol, take Ann Rice, Dean Koontz, James Patterson and a few others and putT them all together as one mind."
What was the first thing you ever wrote that made you think, ‘hey, I wanna keep on doing this?!
Dracones Awakening is the first book I published, and it took me eight years from start to finish, with a bunch of years where nothing happened as my kids were small and there wasn’t any time to focus on it. Then when I got back into it, I ended up doing some re-writes. It originally started off as a young adult story in first person, but then I changed it to Paranormal Romance, and then re-wrote it again in third person. When I started to get reviews and readers that wanted more, that quickly joined my street team and my reader group, I realized that this is what I was meant to do.
What themes or messages do you hope readers carry with them after finishing one of your novels (in particular your newest?)
I believe and think/hope my stories convey that being different is okay. It’s life and we should be more accepting of others. Also, everyone deserves love, and finding that love is not impossible, nor does it have to be what’s expected. The world would be a much better place if people were more accepting of others. In my books, I used different races of beings with characters who have abilities, one of which is empathy. It allows my character to see what’s underneath the facade people put up, often as a shield to prevent being hurt. And, while I’m not very romantic in real life, or don’t feel like I am, lol, I seem driven by a desire for everyone to triumph over adversity and discover their soulmate. Even when watching TV, I’m matchmaking, lol!
Your worlds are rich with mythology and lore—what draws you to the supernatural, and do you believe there’s truth to any of the legends?
I find it hard to believe that there’s all this mythology and lore without there being some sort of truth behind it. What that is, I’ve no idea. A lot of it sounds amazing, and it would be cool if there was a supernatural world hiding out there. I feel like I’d want to be a part of it, but honestly, the reality would probably be horrific, lol. I’m just drawn to the idea of magic, mystical beings and having unique abilities. I like to imagine how that world would look, as there’s be the heroes, the morally grey and the evil villains.
What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned about yourself through writing fantasy?
That I can? Lol. I never thought I’d be an author, never mind published… I used to work in sales door to door. I spend most of my life working with horses, some of those years at the racetrack in Alberta and Ontario, or doing other physical work.
If you could spend a day in one of your fictional worlds, where would you go and who would you spend it with?
I did an interview with one of my characters from Dracones Awakening a while back, and went to their home up on the mountain north of Spokane Washington. I loved the idea of getting to meet everyone I wrote about, and see how they were doing. But I’d also love to have Treya from my Dragon Assassin book take me on a tour teleporting from realm to realm to see them all, so it would be a toss up between going back to the mountain and seeing all my 52 realms.
What drives you to keep creating, even on the tough days?
I have so many stories stuck in my head that I have to get out, and my characters are all so unique and some are fun, some tough, some broody, they deserve to have their stories told.
Tell us about your newest release and how you came to write it.
The last book I released was in 2024 and it’s a MM story called Beat of my Heart, with 2 characters from my Dracones Cursed & Hunted series. I’ve known about Toren since the beginning, and kept trying to pair him with a female. His destiny was to mate the youngest daughter of mating age of the Raizarch wolf pack, in order to free them. However, no matter how I tried, who I tried pairing him with it didn’t work. I started his story a few times, and it wasn’t going anywhere. Then he basically told me who he loved, and it was a male wolf who joined their pack briefly. Yet how could he forsake helping the 1000 wolves who’d been trapped for so long under a tyrant’s rule?
What’s next for you and your readers?
I currently have a Kickstarter up for pre-launch. And as for writing, I’m working on the 10th book in my Cursed & Hunted series (and the 2nd book in my Enforcement for Preternatural Protection) called Splintered Shadows. I have the whole story plotted out and in my head, playing like a TV show, so will hopefully get it out soon. I also have a million other stories I want to write, one being something that I dreamed. The details of it all still amaze me. I dreamed it last year after my dad passed away when I was sleeping a lot.
It was a complete romance story, again, like a tv show, only I could feel what they felt. It’s a rejected mate, kind of like a fairy tale story. It was in full color, with the characters' names, and I have started it. I don’t know if I’ll find a way to set it within my 52 realms world, or if it will be a standalone.
We can't wait to find out, and read more Sheri-Lynn, thanks for taking part in this interview! Check out Dracones Awakening right now.
Link up with Sheri-Lynn on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram. And keep up to date with all her news via her newsletter, and on her Amazon author page.
