Meet N.V. Haskell

Join us in welcoming N.V. Haskell to our fantasy crew. N.V. writes compelling romantasy that’s heavy on deep world building and still manages to move along at such a rate it’s just about impossible to put down until you get to “The End.” The Malice of Moons and Mages is for all the forced proximity, enemies to lovers fans eager for their next escape.

Author Bio

N.V. Haskell returned to writing in 2019 after many years away. Since then, she’s published numerous short stories and won the Writers of the Future contest. She lives somewhere between suburbia and haunted creeks with her long-suffering spouse, rescue dog, and generations of birds, groundhogs, and squirrels that she can’t help but feed.

After many years in healthcare, she remains stubbornly optimistic. When she’s not hiking or staring at a screen, you can find her incognito at Comic Expos or Renaissance Fairs.

Asked and Answered

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I wrote my first story when I was around 7, complete with cardboard cover and electrical tape binding, then wrote all through my teenage years. I stopped writing for a long time when I hit college, but I never stopped crafting stories.

When I returned to writing a few years ago, I became serious about it after some unexpected success including winning Writers of the Future and encouragement from some accomplished mentors.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I write to either complete silence or a combination of C-Drama OST and Swedish Death Metal.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Read, hike, travel, and I’ve recently taken up Chinese Ink Brush painting.

Do you remember the first book you fell in love with?

The Darkangel by Merideth Ann Pierce. It’s a science fantasy about a young woman living on the moon who is captured and made to serve the soulless wraith-wives of an Icarus. I read it when I was eleven or twelve and then reread it approximately thirty times by the time I was fifteen.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

I can keep multiple character arcs in my head and know how it all ends but I cannot stick to an outline to save my life.

What do you think makes a good story?

Believable characters and conflict. Good villains, bad heroes, and satisfying, not necessarily happy, endings.

Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?

I kind of do already and I’ve written previously in another genre under a pseudonym.

What do you hope readers get from your books?

Connection to the characters and a deeper understanding of how the past shapes everyone’s choices and decisions. People who are inherently good can make terrible decisions and vice versa. Maybe it’s due to my years in healthcare and seeing humanity at its best and worst that has caused me to see everything in gray rather than black and white. People are complex and while the villain is often the hero of their own narrative, a complex hero can be the villain in their own internal dialogue.

If you could tell your younger writer self anything, what would it be?

Don’t wait until you have more time. Writing is an expression of internal truths, and it doesn’t have to be perfect to make a difference to someone else. Get your stories out there and keep going.

Also, accept that rejections and criticisms are a part of sharing your work. Both of which can be used to either improve your craft or let it tear you down. Some of the best advice I’ve ever received has been the hardest to take.

As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?

A Raven. I have a lot of ravens including: one in onyx, a stained-glass hanging above my desk that my husband made, several works of art, and a tattoo. They are clever and intelligent birds.

Besides, black goes with everything and if you make them mad, they’ll teach their offspring to remember your face and pass on their grievances. That’s a respectable level of petty requiring a lot of commitment.

What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters of the opposite sex?

Balancing out pride and vulnerability through actions more than words.

Also, when I’ve written spicy scenes from a male point of view, it has given me fresh perspective. I won’t elaborate further, ha-ha.

How do you select the names of your characters?

Google translate. I type in a word in English then translate it into multiple languages until I find something that has the feeling I like. When that doesn’t work, I use a baby name finder app.

Why did you choose Cursed Dragon Ship Publishing?

When I met Kelly at Superstars Writing Seminar I felt an immediate connection through laughter. Then, when Sara reached out, it was her enthusiasm and understanding of the deeper elements of the story that I was going for that convinced me I was in the right place. I had another offer on the table and looked at self-publishing, but I really wanted to work with an editor who would push me to improve my craft and make this series shine. Sara has definitely given me that and I’m glad that I chose CDS.

What was your hardest scene to write?

In this book? There are two characters that were both inspired by a close family member. I grappled with writing one of their deaths and it took some support from one of my writing groups to push me through.

In my short fiction, it’s a tie. One of the hardest stories I ever wrote is called “A Life of Color” and was published in the Australian Magazine Metaphorosis. I cried through all six rounds of edits as I had to dig into a very dark place of old grief. And another story “Beneath the Glass Dark” that was written a few weeks after my best friend of thirty-five years died of cancer.

Do you Google yourself?

Good god, NO. What if everything that is out there is true?

What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?

I struggle with bouts of depression and anxiety that can make me lose focus and sew doubt in everything I’ve ever written, done, or said. Then I will cycle into hyperfixation and write a ton of words in a short period of time while sacrificing all routine. It’s hard to find and maintain a balance between those states.

Does your family support your career as a writer?

Very much. I’m quite lucky in that regard. Not only is my spouse my biggest fan and first reader (followed closely by my dad and brother) but my kids are super supportive and proud of me.

A Glimpse at The Malice of Moons and Mages

Why do you write fantasy?

I grew up reading Grimm’s Fairy Tales like “The Robber Bridegroom” and have always loved reading fantasy (speculative fiction in general). I think fantasy helped me process a lot of traumas in a safe way and enabled me to understand the world around me in a different context when I was young. I think I like writing it now for many of the same reasons. Don’t get me wrong, I love escapism but some of the issues in my stories are very much based in the real world and sometimes not even magic can solve them.

Plus, and maybe more importantly, writing fantasy is fun! Magic bonds, dragons, epic fights, and sentient moons? I would read that.

Did anything inspire this story?

I read and watch a lot of Xianxia (Chinese fantasy inspired by mythology, marital arts, Taoism, and Buddhism), and my work has been influenced by the elements I love in those stories. This story started with one scene and I built the story/world around it. That scene doesn’t occur until the middle of the novel and is still my favorite.

Tell us about your main characters?

Audra is smart, loyal, and carries a lot of emotional baggage that she’s never had a chance to deal with. After her parents were killed during an incursion, she dedicated her life to taking care of her brother, even sacrificing relationships to do what she believes to be the right thing. She’s gained a reputation as a notorious thief while stealing magical relics in order to restore her brother’s health. She has a deep-seated and valid distrust of those not of her tribe, understandable given her people’s history. She must overcome her biases and self-doubts if she’s going to succeed.

Lua is a powerful mage that has spent his life under his tyrannical father’s control. But when his father is killed, and he is set to inherit the throne an unexpected betrayal leaves him vulnerable. After a lifetime of isolation, being used and lied to, he must now rely on someone whom he once took an active part in destroying their homeland and their people if he wants to claim the throne.  

So, when the two are thrown together, they each must make concessions and learn to unravel their prejudices.

What are some interesting tidbits about your world?

There are three tribes with a long, complicated history of conflict.

The northern Moon tribes worship two sentient moons, Song and Silence, which creates frequent internal conflict. They’ve been ruled by a tyrant for hundreds of years and when he is murdered it deepens the growing rift between the two factions.

The southern Starling tribe has spent years gaining power and although they claim to worship the sun (Starling) the true source of their magic is questionable, and their leader is known to be both ruthless and secretive.

The Western tribe has been oppressed by both the Moon and Starling tribes for many years and they’ve suffered the loss of most of their mages and dragons. Although a few people remember the old religion and their affinity for the broken ring around the planet, most have forgotten that they were once a power to be respected and why they were seen as a threat to the other tribes.

Did I mention sea dragons, western dragons, sentient moons, bonds and magic used to siphon another’s power or lives? I love this world.

Welcome to the Crew, N.V.!

The Malice of Moons and Mages is set for release in April of 2025 with the cover reveal scheduled on Tuesday, December 3 at 8 pm Central. Meanwhile, check out N.V.’s website to learn more about her and her other publications: www.nvhaskell.com.