We chat with author H.M. Long about Black Tide Son, which is a swashbuckling adventure on the high-seas, full of magic, betrayal, redemption and fearsome women.
Hi, Hannah! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hey there! I’m Hannah, and I write under H M Long. I’m Canadian and live in a little cabin in the forest with my family. It’s the perfect place to write! I love travel and hiking, and, of course, reading SFF.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I started writing as a child. I lived in a small town with a small library, and soon ran out of books I wanted to read, so I started to write my own. I just never stopped!
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Little House on the Prairie
- The one that made you want to become an author: Sabriel by Garth Nix
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne
Black Tide Son is the second installment in your Winter Sea series and it’s out July 9th! ! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
“Why is there four moons?”
What can readers expect?
A prison break, a desperate flight in enemy territory, a few kisses, lots of magic and meddling spectral creatures, and a grand maritime battle.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring further?
Benedict Rosser, Samuel Rosser’s twin brother. Getting to know him more during this book was both daunting and intriguing.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing the sequel?
Many! I was pregnant while I wrote this book, and editing pretty much right into the hospital to have my son. Writing during this chapter of life was very much a one-day-at-a-time endeavour, with lots of naps, a few breakdowns, and plenty of support from my incredible author friends.
Can you tell us a bit about your process when it comes to worldbuilding?
I’m a big fan of discovery worldbuilding – getting into the head of the character and learning about their world as they move through their story. I rarely sit back and work something out off page. So essentially, I begin with a character and a setting and let it all unfold from there, backtracking to flesh things out and make it all consistent.
What’s next for you?
I have a lot on the go, with four more books coming in the next two years or so. Entwined is next in March 2025, my Gilded Age-inspired fantasy romance with a race to reclaim a missing artifact in a city divided between mages and non-mages. The third book in the Winter Sea Trilogy will be out soon after that in July 2025, with the second Entwined book (it’s a duology) coming in 2026 along with a standalone called Ashmarked (The Shadow of the Gods meets Kings of the Wyld). I’m very excited for all of these!
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed so far this year and are there any that you can’t wait to get your hands on?
My reading so far this year has been sparse, sadly, but I can’t wait to get my hands on Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett, and The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne!
You can H.M. on Instagram and TikTok at @hmlongbooks, and at www.hmlongbooks.com.
