New Zealand born fantasy writer and podcaster Philippa (Pip) Ballantine is the author of the Books of the Order and the Shifted World series. She is also the co-author with her husband Tee Morris of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences novels. Her awards include an Airship, a Parsec, the Steampunk Chronicle Reader’s Choice, and a Sir Julius Vogel. She currently resides in Manassas, Virginia with her husband, daughter, and a furry clowder of cats.
Twitter: @PhilippaJane
Website
Never alone. Never apart.
They are the Awakened, a unique breed of people in a remote corner of the world. Faith is one of these gifted carriers of the Seraphim; and in return of her unconditional love, her Seraphim grants her powers of incredible potential.
But not all carriers embrace their blessing.
Jack loathes being an Awakened. He never asked for it, his Seraphim keeping him alive even in spite of his desire to die. Not even a great war could rid him of this curse.
Now a magician of incredible ability and a walking dead man must find a way to work together to save the Seraphim. Someone covets the power of the Awakened, and will not stop until that power belongs to him.
Q) What inspired you to write this story?
This story is all about my family, a love song if you will. My great-aunt who took over the role of my grandmother when she passed away, was a strong yet wonderfully kind woman. She led a life that just seemed to make everyone around hers better. All the stories of my grandmothers’ and Aunt Ruth ended up in Weather Child in some way. I only wish they were around to read this book.
Q) How long did it take you to write?
Weather Child took about a year to write, but it has been through many iterations. It was initially podcast, and then got edited many times. Finally, after being told by New York publishing that no American reader was interested in reading a book set in New Zealand, I decided I was going to indie publish the book, and prove them wrong. It was what my relatives would have done.
Q) What is your favorite thing about writing?
I love living inside other people’s heads and making up worlds where only my imagination is the limit.
Q) What is your least favorite thing about writing?
When I get too many ideas, and I have to shove some back since I only have so much time to do things.
Q) If you could be any famous person for one day, who would you be and why?
I’d love to be Queen Elizabeth I…just for a day, and that day would have to be when she was just on the throne, having fun and dancing.
Q) What is the oldest thing in your fridge and how old is it?
Oh gosh, I have some parmesan cheese in there from October. I am waiting for it to achieve sentience.
Q) What can readers expect from you in the future?
I have a steampunk YA series that I am working on, a spinoff of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences. Then I am working on an epic fantasy, but I also have more ideas for the Awakened series.
