In our weekly feature, we will take you behind the scenes with some of the talented authors who have been interviewed on Beyond the Pages by Deb McIlroy & Erin Shea on our YouTube channel. Get a glimpse into their creative process, inspiration, and the stories behind their stories. Stay tuned for exclusive insights and anecdotes from the minds behind some of your favorite books.

What was your motivation for writing your latest book? Can you elaborate on the process behind it?

My motivation for writing the Whispers series was a picture of a model holding a coffee and the song Infinity by Jaymes Young. Those two things inspired the entire trilogy with a love that is the definition of devotion and unwavering.

This week, we have the pleasure of chatting with S.K May, the talented author of Whispers in the Blood (Book 1.) and Whispers From the Curse (Book 2.).

Could you describe your writing routine and how you maintain focus and creativity throughout the process?

I have a chaotic writing routine, I write whenever I can. I run around after three young children and work full time. I will spend maybe an hour some nights writing or while I am holding my kids in the middle of the night. The smallest things inspire some scenes, whether it is from music or from seeing something while I am out shopping.

Which themes resonate strongly in your writing, and what draws you to these particular themes?

With all of my books so far, I write the ‘he falls first’ and I always have a strong female character. These are the two themes I have used for nearly all of my writing. I also find that I have a tendency to create elaborate worlds with the characters constantly developing.

What message or impression do you hope to convey to your readers through your work?

This is a hard one, I am not sure, to be honest. I want people to feel empowered, and I want them to enjoy the escape that I give them from the challenges of everyday life.

What is your approach to crafting character arcs, and how do you ensure that they are relatable to readers?

I love to throw spanners at my characters to see how they would react, I try to make them as relatable as possible because life isn’t always easy, and things happen.

What has been the most surprising or rewarding part of your writing journey so far?

All the amazing people I have met, the book community is very accepting, and they are so lovely. I have made some wonderful friendships through this journey. I will forever be grateful for meeting them. (Shoutout to Coral, Dani, Josie, Krystal, and Steph)

Buy the book Here

Whispers in the Blood-Book 1.

Entire countries were destroyed when the nuclear war started. The vampires never wanted to reveal their existence, but they took control of the world to ensure that it survived.

Larissa lives a sheltered life in a small town, where she's grown to accept the life laid out for her. After the sudden tragic death of her mother, her sister, Lucianna, convinces her to move to London so they can both have a fresh start. She agrees, ignoring the warnings from those close to her.

Just as things start to go her way, Larissa's life is turned upside down by her new boss, Nik Dankworth. He is the deathly attractive Lord Vampire of the region, who has set his sights on her. As Larissa discovers the hidden world of supernatural creatures, she learns that the life she knew was nothing but a lie. A lie that threatens to destroy the newfound freedom, independence, and love that she's worked so hard for.

Can Larissa survive? Or will the secrets rip her life apart?

How do you tackle the challenge of pacing in your narratives? What techniques do you use to keep readers engaged?

When it comes to pacing, I had a general rule when I was re-reading my writing: if I am bored of my own story, then something has gone terribly amiss. That was when the scissors came out and I started cutting whole sections from the narrative, passages that I had thought would be interesting detail but turned out to be rambling nonsense and absolute filler. I then had family and friends read it with an eye to pacing, and the feedback was all positive. I knew that the average crime/thriller is between 80,000 and 120,000 words – and when my final draft came to about 102,000 words, I felt like I’d hit my goal.

Keeping readers engaged relies on the plot, the characters, the pacing – peaks with action set pieces, moments when the tension builds, and quieter passages when the characters are allowed to reflect. All I can hope is that I have achieve this delicate balance in my writing!

In what ways do you incorporate feedback from your peers or readers into your writing?

I listen to my beta readers and understand that they see the world differently from me, and I will happily fix little things to clarify for readers. One surprise that people picked up with regards to book 3 of the Whispers Series is that the story is actually not Larissa’s. It starts with her, but the story has always been Nik’s.

How do you make your settings come alive in your stories? Are there particular methods you use?

I picture them in my head as I am writing, and the words just flow. I see what I am explaining, and I use that to write. It is hard to explain. I will close my eyes and focus on what the smell and feel would be like.

Whispers From the Curse-Book 2.

In the aftermath of a brutal attack, Larissa finds herself in the arms of an unexpected saviour. As she begins to unravel a web of dark secrets that threaten her very existence, Nik is determined to protect her, enlisting the help of his brother, Roman.

While grappling with the shocking truth about her parents, Larissa becomes increasingly entangled in a perilous curse. Balancing her responsibilities at Refresh Marketing with the chaos surrounding her, she feels the crushing weight of the world.

Nik's devotion is unwavering; he vows to keep Larissa safe at all costs, even if it means proposing marriage sooner than expected. He suspects her mother's death was no accident and that a sinister force is orchestrating events from the shadows.

With threats emerging from unexpected places-friends turned foes, vengeful witches, and lurking werewolves-Larissa and Nik must navigate a treacherous landscape of betrayal and magic. Will they uncover the secrets hidden in the darkness, or will Larissa ultimately succumb to the curse?

The stakes have never been higher in this gripping tale of love, danger, and blood.

Buy the book Here