Meet Allie Therin, one of my new favorite authors. I found Allie by accident when looking for an example of a good query letter. After reading the letter my thought was I would read it in a heartbeat. Amazon Prime gave me the opportunity. It was a Prime Reading Editor’s Choice for September. I borrowed it, loved it, bought the next book and preordered the third. I love her work so much that I am giving away a copy of Spellbound. (Rafflecopter at the end of the post.)
To save Manhattan, they’ll have to save each other first…
1925
New York
Arthur Kenzie’s life’s work is protecting the world from the supernatural relics that could destroy it. When an amulet with the power to control the tides is shipped to New York, he must intercept it before it can be used to devastating effects. This time, in order to succeed, he needs a powerful psychometric…and the only one available has sworn off his abilities altogether.
Rory Brodigan’s gift comes with great risk. To protect himself, he’s become a recluse, redirecting his magic to find counterfeit antiques. But with the city’s fate hanging in the balance, he can’t force himself to say no.
Being with Arthur is dangerous, but Rory’s ever-growing attraction to him begins to make him brave. And as Arthur coaxes him out of seclusion, a magical and emotional bond begins to form. One that proves impossible to break—even when Arthur sacrifices himself to keep Rory safe and Rory must risk everything to save him.
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I asked Allie for an interview. Allie, please tell us a little about yourself.
My heritage is mixed Cuban-American, and I also have an autoimmune disease, which I try to be honest about because being chronically ill can be an isolating experience and I want others to know they’re not alone.
I am happy so see you have such an able assistant. I love firsts, so tell me about the moment when a publisher told you they wanted to publish your book.
I was actually on a vacation with my family and missed the call! I was in the hotel room and discovered a voicemail from Angela James (then the editor at Harlequin’s Carina Press). I called her back and she told me Carina wanted not just SPELLBOUND, but the three-book series I’d pitched. Hopefully I sounded somewhat professional on the call because I was jumping up and down on the hotel balcony afterwards, lol. I can't wait till Carina decides to bring out Spellbound in paperback. I also have an e-publisher and it usually takes about seven months.
You mention so many details about 1925 New York – Clothing, food, drinks places, mores. Do you have a favorite tidit you learned by researching?
Oh gosh, I don’t know if I can pick a favorite! There’s so much history I’ve discovered that wasn’t taught in my schools. I loved learning about New York’s immigrant groups and queer community. I loved digging up old pictures--and even film footage--of 1920s New York (and Philadelphia, for STARCROSSED). I absolutely loved learning about Josephine Baker, what a beautiful and fascinating person. Yes! I agree. I never got to meet Josephine Baker, but I did meet Bricktop in Rome in 1961 and got to hear her sing.
What is the most exciting moment, so far, in your writing career?I was sitting in a coffee shop on my lunch break from my day job. I had a physical printout of my first book in front of me, from my home printer, because for the past few weeks I’d been going through it with a red pen. I hit the final page in that coffee shop and I realized—I’d done it. I’d written and edited a book, and now I was going to take that next step and query it. And then you wrote the best query letter I ever read. Here it is, friends. Would you want to see it after reading this?
Dear Editor:
Thank you for taking the time to read and like my #CarinaPitch tweet! I’m excited to query you with my adult historical fantasy male/male romance, SPELLBOUND (68,000 words). I hope you find it matches many items on your wishlist, including an opposites-attract couple with a virgin hero in an intricate fantasy world.
It’s 1925 in Prohibition-ruled Manhattan and Rory Brodigan is hiding in Hell’s Kitchen. Afraid his volatile power to see objects’ histories will trap his mind in someone else’s past—or worse, his own past might find him—Rory isolates himself as he scrapes out a living in a fake antiques appraisal shop. At least, until the big timer with the rush job shows up.
Seven years ago, Arthur Kenzie was an Ivy League quarterback who quit to enlist in the Great War. Now he still protects the world, recovering dangerous magical relics before they fall into the wrong hands. It’s risky business for magic-less Arthur, but at least it keeps him abroad where his illegal attraction to men can’t hurt his political family. Except now he’s back in New York, chasing a lead: an antiques shop in Hell’s Kitchen with suspiciously accurate appraisals.
It’s a rocky start when mistaken identity leads Arthur to trigger Rory’s magic in a Harlem speakeasy. But when a mysterious relic that controls the tide arrives in the Port of New York, Arthur will need Rory’s help to steal it before it’s sold to a telepathic German baron who will weaponize it. Facing Rory’s unpredictable magic and Arthur’s treacherous enemies, they must find a way to save each other, because it’s going to take them both to save Manhattan.
SPELLBOUND is a standalone novel with series potential. The novel’s diverse cast includes half-Italian Rory, an immigrant’s son navigating the charged politics of the Twenties. Of mixed Latinx-American heritage and a first-generation American myself, I currently work as an attorney.
Any advice for new writers just starting out?
Be kind and encouraging to yourself. It’s okay to make mistakes and get things wrong; that’s part of learning! Cheer yourself on like you would a friend. Try different things to see what works for you. Have fun and create art with abandon.
What’s your current WIP?
Currently I’m working on a paranormal mystery romance that spins off from the Magic in Manhattan series. This book is set in 1925 England and brings back two of STARCROSSED’s antagonists, Lord Fine and Sebastian de Leon, for a romance of their own. It’s planned for release in 2022 from Carina Press.
And finally, where can we find you?
You can find more information about me and my books--including my goofy stick figures of Arthur and Rory and some truly spectacular fan art by readers--over on my website, www.allietherin.com. You can also find me on social media:
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Bookbub | Goodreads | Amazon
Thanks so much for having me here!
Thank you so much for being here, Allie. If you don't want to wait, Spellbound is 4.99 on Amazon and the eBook and Audiobook are available free on Hoopla. Here's the Rafflecopter. Happy reading and please stay safe.
