🩸🔥 The Weekly MAsh Presents: Orin Steele — By Blood, Shadow, and Fire

Genre: Dark Romantic Fantasy
Author Vibe: Equal parts chaos, charm, and dark magic ✨

1. Let’s start with the obvious, that title is giving epic. 🔥
What came first: the name By Blood, Shadow, and Fire or the story itself?
The story came well before the name. The name was actually one of the last things I figured out. I’m shockingly bad at naming things and it took me months to come up with the title because I knew whatever format I started with I’d need to commit to and that made me second guess myself at every corner.

2. Every dark fantasy writer has their “one scene that made me question my sanity” moment.
What was yours? 😅
The opening chapter of BBSAF was a strangely difficult scene to write. It was a scene I added late in writing and I kept finding myself making it too dark. It made me question things about myself ha. It made me wonder if maybe I needed to up my therapy sessions. Hopefully I’ve found the right balance.

3. Your tagline; “Caught between duty and desire” has us hooked.
When you write, do you lean more into the duty or the desire? Be honest. 👀
I call BBSAF a romantic fantasy instead of a romantasy because the romance isn’t the driving force behind the plot. There is no big end game that I’m writing towards, it’s really about Islyn and her growth—apart from a man. So the duty is definitely what I lean into when writing. But in the heat of the moment, we all know desire is pulling the strings.

4. Tell us about Islyn, what makes her the kind of protagonist readers will both root for and want to hug (or possibly yell at)?
Islyn is real. She’s a bit older than your typical fantasy MC so she’s not just blindly running into danger but weighing her options with life experience—but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t make mistakes. She has anxiety, she panics, she has to fight self doubt. She’s human in every way that matters. She does her best, but sometimes that’s not good enough. I hope readers connect with her authenticity and can see themselves in her in some way. I know I do.

5. Dark fantasy worlds can get… intense.
What’s something about your worldbuilding that even you weren’t prepared to deal with once it hit the page?
Everything about the Void. It’s a dark and desolate place. To get into the mindset of writing from the god of death, Belthorak, I had to become him in a way and imagine living in his shoes. If I was a heartless, soulless, emptiness, how would I rule my empire? It was a strange mindset to be in, and after too long, it starts to feel a little too much like home.

6. If you could spend a day inside your world, what’s the first thing you’d do, train with the warriors, sneak into a royal library, or run for your life?
If I woke up tomorrow and I was in Santalla the first thing I’d do is find my friends in the local tavern, Crescent and Cask. The folks I’ve written into C&C are the real life guys at Brujos Brewing here in Portland, OR. They have supported me from the early editing stages. I’ve spent over a year working on this book at Brujos and I can’t walk in without them asking for an update. They’re the real deal, so finding them would absolutely be the first thing I do.

7. We have to ask, is there a particular character who totally stole the spotlight while you were writing? (We love a scene stealer!)
Nahara is absolutely my girl. She comes later in the book and I can’t wait to write more of her in book two! She’s a total badass and has the confidence I think we all wish we had. For me, she’s the manifestation of the boldness I wish came more naturally.

8. Magic, betrayal, romance, it’s a full buffet.
What’s your favorite trope to play with in dark fantasy romance?
In this book specifically my favorite trope to play with was the bodyguard/brother’s best friend aspect with Ferric. I don’t want to spoil too much so I’ll keep this vague, he’s desperate, the desire runs deep and writing the mental battle he’s fighting was really fun to play with.

9. What’s one line or moment from By Blood, Shadow, and Fire that makes you think, “Yeah, that’s the one”?
Maybe it’s a cliche but my favorite line in the book is the last one. It’s Islyn big breaking moment when the walls are closing in and she has to decide who or what she’s willing to become. She has to decide if she’s going to become the monster she’s feared her whole life and I think that’s something people can resonate with. How far are we willing to go to do what we feel is right?

10. Every fantasy writer has a secret playlist.
What’s one song that would 100% make the trailer soundtrack for your book? 🎶
If I had to choose one song I think I’d choose Jericho by Iniko. The original. I think there’s a quiet strength in that song that turns into steel by the midpoint and I think it’s a great reflection of Islyn’s journey. It’s on repeat when I’m writing Islyn later in the book. There’s a specific line that perfectly captures Islyn's transformation "Predestined, written in stone I feel it coming in, I feel it in my bones Heavily protected, never alone Tapped in, I'm connected to the unknown.” If you’re looking for book two vibes… The Summoning by Sleep Token. Ronnak and Ruwyn are NOT prepared for what’s coming.

11. You mentioned the book community has really shown up for you, we love that! 🖤
What’s one moment or connection that made you go, “Wow, these are my people”?
If I had to pick one specific moment it would be the first time I got a DM saying I had inspired them to keep writing. I made a video on it with a screenshot because it was, I think, the first time I realized what I was doing—what I was sharing—had an impact on others. That was the day my world expanded and I realized we were all in this together.

12. Quick-fire round! ⚡
morally gray love interest or chaotic good hero?
Chaotic good

dragon companion or cursed sword?
Cursed sword—wait—dragon. Let me channel my inner Khaleesi.

slow burn or enemies-to-lovers?
SLOW BURN. I want it to be painful.

“oops we touched hands” or “I’d die for you”?
Trick question, neither. I’LL BURN THE WORLD FOR YOU.

13. And finally, complete the sentence:
Readers will love By Blood, Shadow, and Fire if they crave ________ .
Feminine rage