Entwined Within the Darkness is a fantasy fiction novel by author Charley Black, published in the year 2022. The story follows Patience, a powerful witch who’s on a quest to uncover her past and know who she is, with her demon best friend, Michael. It is a must-read for all the fantasy readers out there.
After the release of the book, we, at Vowelor, had an exciting conversation with Charley about her writing. But, before we continue with her interview, here’s a little something about her:
About the Author: Charley Black
Charley Black is an up-and-coming writer and author from the State of Rhode Island, US, where she lives with her family and works at a university. Charley’s knack for writing has been developing since she was a child and used to write stories spanning all genres. However, her focus consistently stayed on supernatural fiction which gave birth to the Within the Darkness trilogy, the first installation of which has been recently published and the next two will follow soon.
Further, Charley shared her life, writing journey, inspirations, and more interesting things about herself. Here are all of her interesting answers:
Tell us about yourself, your family, your occupation, passions, etc.
I have been creating stories since I was twelve years old. My early short stories dabbled in different genres, but my passion has always been for romance novels — paranormal romance in particular — had always shone through.
When and where were you born and bought up?
Born and raised in lil’ ol’ Rhode Island.
What made you decide to sit down and actually start writing?
When I picked up my first adult book by V.C. Andrews, I knew I wanted to create stories, but I was not sure how to even do that until I had a dream. A very good dream that I didn’t want to end so I didn’t let it. I decided to write it down but when I neared the end of the dream, I found my pen continued to write adding to the story making it grow, and creating this whole new world that I didn’t want to leave. That was the moment I knew I wanted to be a writer.
Which writers inspire you?
They all inspire me but I love Lara Adrian, J. R. Ward, Amelia Hutchins, Evangeline Anderson, Addison Cain, and M. Robinson to name a few who have really inspired me to expand my writing into paranormal and fantasy.
Writing is stressful at times. How do you relax your mind?
By reading Manga and comics. I find when I am writing and I try to read someone else’s book I either judge them too hard or begin to judge myself which stresses me out but when I read a comic or manga. I can just concentrate on the dialogue which helps my mind relax.
What is your favorite motivational phrase?
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” -Henry David Thoreau
What advice would you give to your younger self?
It will get better.
What kind of books do you like to read personally? What are you reading currently?
I absolutely love historical romances but then I got introduced to the paranormal through Lara Adrian, J.R. Ward, and Sherrilyn Kenyon which led me down a path to fantasy through Karen Marie Moning, Amelia Hutchins, and Sarah J. Maas. Then I discovered my favorite authors Evangeline Anderson, Addison Cain, and M. Robinson. I’m currently reading Filthy Rich Vampire by Geneva Lee Albin.
How is your day structured; do you have a special time to write or is it pretty much random?
Writing is a hobby of mine; just like any hobby, I create time for my writing. When I begin to write I get sucked into this world and I don’t come out for hours on end, so I have to schedule my time carefully. I have a family and I want to spend time with them just as much as I want to write so I must create a careful balance between the two. Oh, and my full-time job as well.
What is the reason you write; is it for the readers or yourself or something else entirely?
I love reading my own stories and I enjoy the characters I created. I love going back into my stories and reading different scenes. My partner thinks I am crazy when they see me laughing at my own writing, but I write stories I would enjoy reading and I hope others enjoy them as well.
About the book: Entwined Within the Darkness
The story follows Patience, a really powerful witch who’s trying to figure out her real identity for a very long time along with his demon best friend, Michael. One of their fun outings takes them to a witch-restricted vampire club where her path crosses with a mysterious vampire, Lucius’. And there starts a story that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat and biting your nails till the very end.Â
What genre is your book? What draws you to this genre?
Paranormal Romance/Fantasy. I really have a thing for vampires. You know I just find them so sexy and scary all at the same time. I think it’s the power they hold. Or I probably just watched too much True Blood when I was younger.
Was there something that made you write this book?
The characters came before the story and I have been trying to complete their story for quite some time now.
What makes ‘Entwined Within the Darkness’stand out in this genre?
The diversity and relationships it brings. The main characters are an interracial couple and their loved ones are gay. The biggest thing is that they learn to put aside the things that make them different to create a better world…don’t want to give too much away.
Why do you think a reader should pick this book over anything else?
I think I have created a world in which any reader would love to get lost in. I find myself getting lost in it every time I read it. Not every character is loveable but they still have growing to do and I think it will be a fun ride.
The book has lots of supernatural elements including magic, vampirism, multiple realms, a lot of thrill suspense and underlying tension, and more. What were the hardest and the easiest things or ideas for you to incorporate?
Worldbuilding is hard and easy all at the same time. Technically, you are making it all up but the key is to make it believable. There were definitely a few parts that involved a horse that I had to take a step back and question whether I believed that could happen.
Is there any special experience throughout the writing process of ‘Entwined Within the Darkness’that you’d like to share?
Worldbuilding takes time and is necessary. Sometimes when reading stories, I am always like we don’t need to know all this but now I realize after publishing a story that worldbuilding is very necessary so is a cliffhanger as well. Even though I hate cliffhangers, they are great at building suspense and anticipation. Also, writing a 900-page book is crazy better to break it up.
Future Plans
What are your ambitions for your writing career?
I would like to finish this trilogy and publish a few more books. I just want people to read and enjoy my stories as much as I enjoy them.
Are you working on your new project? What will be your next book about?
I am finishing up this trilogy and I am actually halfway through writing a whole separate series.
What does success mean to you as an Author?
Success means someone read my story and they truly enjoyed it.
Do you prefer self-publishing or traditional publishing and Why?
I decided to self-publish because I honestly just wanted to get my story out in the world. And I think it is incredible that should be shared. I know I may not be the greatest writer in the world but I believe I can tell great stories so that is what I plan to do. That’s why I thought self-publishing my book would be the best route for me.
One lesson that you’d like to pass on to young debut authors.
If they did not enjoy your story, then maybe it wasn’t meant for them. Believe in yourself and trust yourself.
Your opinion about Vowelor.
Vowelor has been wonderful to work with and really helped with marketing. I’m glad I found them.
Want to know more about Charley Black? Connect with the author on Facebook and Instagram.Â
