Hey'a! It's time for the second Broken Mirrors release: Madisyn Carlin's Shattered Reflection. This is a non-magical take on The Snow Queen, which promises to be fascinating. You can, of course, read my whole review over on Light and Shadows, or you can stick around here to get a little insight into the author herself in the interview I did with her. And, of course, you can check out the rest of the tour stops and the giveaway on the release main page. And now, let's learn a bit more about both the book and the author!

About . . .

Shattered Reflection

Princess Nordica Icerri’s crown will be purchased with blood—her blood. Now the sole heir to the throne, she is determined to be the queen the Snowlands deserve, but that comes with a price: a numbed heart and soul. Only when she meets kidnapped physician Loren Alocer does Nordica allow herself to hope she can become queen without completely losing herself. But not everyone wants what’s best for the Snowlands, and Nordica’s upcoming rule is compromised at every turn. Can the criminal physician—and his faith—thaw Nordica’s heart, or is she destined to be the heartless queen she is being forced to become?

War shattered not only Breac Finson’s heart, but his faith as well. Tired of fighting, Breac only wants to be left alone, but his efforts are for naught when a friend calls in a favor. He soon finds himself in an unexpected alliance with Layree Alocer, a woman determined to find her wrongfully-kidnapped brother at all costs. Can a broken soldier help right a wrong—and find his faith again in the process?

Sides must be chosen and loyalties will be tested as a new war approaches. Can broken lives be mended in time to help save the Snowlands, or is evil already too deeply embedded?

Find it on: Amazon || Goodreads

Madisyn Carlin

Madisyn Carlin is a Christian, homeschool graduate, blogger, voracious bookdragon, and author. When not spending time with her family or trekking through the mountains, she weaves tales of redemption, faith, and action.

Find her online via her LinkTree.

Interview with Madisyn Carlin

Welcome to the blog! To start out, please tell us a little about yourself. Who are you, what are your favorite hobbies (aside from writing) or favorite books (outside your own), and do you prefer coffee or tea?

Thank you for having me, Sarah! I am a Christian, homeschool graduate, bookdragon, logophile, and nerd. Outside of my own books, some of my favorites are The Ilyon Chronicles by Jaye L. Knight and The Ravenwood Saga by Morgan L. Busse. As for coffee or tea, I am one of those rare breeds who likes neither.

Ay, fellow former homeschooler! That's awesome. Where did you get the initial idea for your particular twist on The Snow Queen, and how (if at all) did the concept shift from its original version?

Hoo boy. The initial idea was a combination of reading the original fairy tale, listening to Ruins by Ledger, and seeing the name Nordica. Those meshed to create the beginning concept of Shattered Reflection. The plot shifted quite drastically in some areas as I wrote. I had snippets written down from when it was just an idea, and none of those snippets were used. They would have taken the story in a completely different direction. One of the main characters, Breac, wasn't even included in the beginning, and another main character, Marcus, went through seven different names before I decided which one fit him best. Breac's cousin, who portrays the Little Robber Maiden, was supposed to be different as well. I can't reveal more than that lest I give away the story, but, yeah, things changed.

I love "Ruins," so it's super cool to learn that it was part of your inspiration. What was something you learned (whether it's about writing, about yourself, or just a random thing from your research) while writing this book?

One of the things that intrigued me most about Shattered Reflection was the idea of making a nonmagical retelling. To do that, I had to tap into medical research and devise and create my own nonmagical methods for incorporating the ice and freezing aspects. God designed quite a masterpiece when He made the human body, and it is quite complex. I had to dig to learn which nerves were connected, which areas of the body would be affected, and really plan out what would happen if a substance with the ability to freeze and kill emotion entered the bloodstream.

Sounds like a lot of work, but I'm sure it paid off. What's another fairy tale you'd love to retell but haven't yet gotten to write your take on?

I would really like a shot at retelling The Riddle. It's packed with sarcasm, sass, intrigue, odious villains, and so many questions that go unanswered.

Oooh, that would be very cool! Finally, can you tell us a little about what you're currently working on and what we can expect from you next?

I am currently working on two projects (which I don't recommend). The first is 1.5 in my other fairy tale series, The Redwyn Chronicles. It began as a Little Mermaid retelling, then shifted---kind of---into Snow White and Rose Red, but neither of those really fit the concept, so I'm on the hunt for another fairy tale that will work. Lord willing (and if I can get my characters and plot to cooperate), KEY will release in March.

The second project is Book Two in The Shattered Lands series. Again, the fairy tale retelling element is eluding me, but I have the basics down and these sassy characters are so fun to write. I hope to release it in June or July of 2023.

Yeah, working on multiple projects at once is tough, but both of those stories sound pretty cool. Thanks for stopping by the blog and answering my questions! And thank you to all my readers for visiting!

Did you enjoy the interview? What's something cool you've learned or researched in the course of writing a story? Please tell me in the comments!
Thanks for reading!