Sneak Peeks & Worldbuilding Advice | Author Interview with Jaiden Phillips

Jaiden Phillips just published her debut novel, The Guild of Thieves, a YA fantasy full of pickpockets, colorful settings, and heart-wrenching conflict. And today, I’m SO excited to share this author interrogation – er, interview – I did with her! Jaidie’s such a sweet and talented writer and artist, and I know you’ll love her answers as much as I did!

Onward!

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Release Date: November 3rd, 2023

Genre: Young Adult Christian Fantasy

Author: Jaiden Phillips

Cover Art: Jaiden Phillips

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About The Guild of Thieves

“Being a thief is easy, but getting caught…now, that’s when it gets tricky.”

Dice is a street boy in the poor district of Raheren, forced to be what he must to survive. A liar, a cheat, and a thief. But just like all thieves in Arkrindon he abides by the rules of thieves, stick with your unit, stay in your district, and don’t get caught.

When Dice is jumped by another group of thieves trespassing in pickpocket territory, things quickly escalate. These aren’t just any thieves, this is a whole new breed of thieves, ones who don’t play by the rules. Rogues, burglars, and pickpockets have come together, abandoning districts and uniting under one man, Azic, the master of The Guild of Thieves.

For his freedom and the lives of his unit, the Guild presents a deal: Steal the King’s Jewel or watch everyone in his unit die. If Dice steals the jewel he’s dooming the kingdom but if he doesn’t everyone he cares about will pay the price.

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the interview

Welcome to my blog, Jaidie! *bows with a dramatic sweep of a stolen fur-trimmed cape* Congratulations on the release of your debut novel, The Guild of Thieves!

*Bows dramatically* Thank you for having me, Saraina! I’m so excited to be here! 🙂

How about you begin by telling us some fun facts about you? 

Well, I’m the youngest of seven, (four older sisters and two older brothers 😉 ) and they’re great! 🙂 I’ve been homeschooled all my life in the beautiful Appalachian mountains of NC. I’m a teen author and artist with a burning passion for Christ.

Besides that I’m a diehard HTTYD and LotR fangirl :p . I love dragons, colorful things, ice cream, and BOOKS!! 😉 

What first made you want to become an author?

Well, I’ve always had an overactive imagination and a love for stories. Though I wasn’t the kid with my nose always in a book due to my dyslexia I didn’t actually start to become a bookworm until I was about twelve, but I always loved listening to my dad and mom tell me and my sisters stories before bed. 

And after my dad challenged me and my sisters (Kayti and Rissy *waves*) to turn one of our wild games we’d act out with our horse figures into a book, it sort of stuck. We began to write other stories together then we just started writing books on our own (while still doing our group projects of course 😉 ). So, I’m not sure exactly what was the turning point for me as a writer, I just started and haven’t stopped since, I feel like I’d go crazy if I didn’t write now…lol… 

As a writer and an artist, how do you balance the two creative pursuits?

It isn’t easy…lol… somedays I feel like there just isn’t enough time for all I want to do XD . I usually split my day for both, I draw before lunch and write after til dinner, or vice versa depending on the day. I couldn’t survive without art or writing so, I just try the best I can even if that means some days no art and other days no writing. But they work out together in the end as I do design my own book covers 😉

One thing I adored about The Guild of Thieves was the insanely vivid, creative worldbuilding! What advice would you give to fantasy writers who are struggling to create a unique, original world for their story? 

First off, thank you, that means a lot to me!

Well, I think my best advice is to not overthink it. Don’t get caught up in the ‘that’s cheesy’ ‘that’s unrealistic’ reasoning, just build, you can work out the kinks later 😉 

For me, my kingdom of Arkrindon is a mix of a bunch of places, cultures, and even time periods I like. 

The easiest way to create a vivid world is to ask yourself these questions—

What climate is it like? Since Arkrindon’s climates change very rapidly, I use this list per each city I introduce (you can use it for your whole kingdom, one city at a time…ect) but I’ll use Raheren as an example since it’s the most exotic of my locations. Raheren’s landscape is very Arabic, sandy dunes, and scalding heat and sandstorms.

What cultures is it based off of? Raheren is again very Arabic so is the culture, colorful clothes and spices, exotic foods, and very partying people.

What time periods is it based off of? As a full Arkrindon has a very Victorian era feel.

Once you know this much, you can begin to add your own fantasy elements, creatures, changes to the climate (made up plants, twisting more than one climate together ect…), people statuses…ect. Anything you want! I hope this made at least a little sense and if you want to know more just let me know and I’d be more than happy to expand in a full post in the future 😉

You also designed your own cover art! (And it is STUNNING. 😍) What was the process like for that? 

(Thanks ❤ ) 

My process for GT’s cover was actually a little different than my normal cover process. So first I draw the sketch in my sketchpad, adding notes in certain areas on details that need to be added in the digitizing process. Then I take a picture and put it into Krita, and start coloring. I do this a little differently than others…lol… instead of doing an outline, I just color one thing at a time, in this case I started with Dice’s coat. Once the base colors are there, I blend them together, and vala! I make a new layer and do the next thing the same way, adding textures when needed 😉

Then I put the finished work in Canva and sit there while Kayti puts my desired script on because me and Canva don’t get along too well…lol…  (also putting script over my drawings is kinda painful XD ) and then we’re done! Yay! 😀 

Any tips for authors who want to design the cover for their own book? 😉

My tips would be to take it one step at a time, don’t get over zealous, cover art takes time. I like to look at pictures on Pinterest similar to what I want and study the body language, colors of real pictures and then I like to study drawings in the same media I’m going for. I usually make a few thumbnails to get a better grip on the design I want before I start on the actual cover. 

My second tip would be not to settle. If it doesn’t look like you want it, don’t push past it, try and try again. I say this because while you’re drawing you might not mind the mistake but once it’s an actual cover there’s no going back, and I say this from experience…lol…

What were some of the high points and low points of writing The Guild of Thieves?

Honestly I think the lowest point in writing it was the middle, the beginning and ending were so thrilling and easy to write whereas the middle was a little slower to get down. But honestly I enjoyed it all, The Guild of Thieves is my favorite project I’ve ever done or have done since. There’s just something about it, the characters, the setting, the plot… I just love it! (Not to toot my own horn or anything…lol…)

What are some things about Dice (or some side characters) that you personally relate to?

Oh, wow… hmm. Well, I relate a lot to Dice that he would do anything for the people he cares about and that he just has this burning desire to be the best he can in their eyes. Always longing to make them proud, and I guess we all feel that way sometimes, we know they’re proud of us and we don’t want that to ever stop. 

Dice also inherited my family’s stubbornness issues…lol… when he puts his mind to something nothing can stop him.

And as bad as this sounds, Azic inherited a bit of me too, quite frankly my sarcasm…lol… 

Can you share a few of your favorite lines of dialogue from the villain, Azic?

Ooo, of course! I’d be happy to! So, here are some of my favorite ‘unspoilery’ quotes from Azic. A lot of my favs have spoilers or are in a very long discussion with Dice and wouldn’t make sense alone. So, these will have to do 😉

“Ah, Dice of the pickpockets, welcome, my boy, to the Guild of Thieves!”

“It doesn’t belong to you either, so why would I give it to you?”

“Why the shock, Dice? We’re Thieves, wanted criminals. Did you expect us to steal apples?”

“Don’t you see, my boy? Why stop? Why stop with good enough? Why merely survive when we can thrive?”

 “Come on, my boy, don’t be foolish. Don’t you know the rules? What’s yours is mine, and what’s mine is, well, mine.”

What books or movies would you recommend to readers who loved The Guild of Thieves?

Oof, this is kind of a hard one, seeing as I write most of my books because I can’t find many things that are similar…lol…

Um, let’s see… movie wise…

Aladdin (I prefer the live action, but they’re both good 😉 )

BBC Robin Hood (Best Robin Hood ever, in my opinion 🙂 it’s so good!)

Books…

Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxiur 

And that’s all I can think of…lol… I haven’t read/seen much similar, sadly :(. If you know of anything similar, feel free to recommend it to me ;).

What might your readers expect from you next?

Well, more books definitely ;). Hopefully something new by next year! 😀 

Since GT I’ve finished a MG Contemporary Fiction Novella titled ‘This Gray Canvas’. But I’m working on another YA fantasy right now, and have tons more ideas coming, so we’ll just see where editing TGC and writing take me 🙂 . 

Thank you so much for letting me interrogate you, Jaidie! *passes out strawberry cake and vanilla ice cream for the celebration* Congratulations again on your novel!

*Takes cake and devours it before anyone can steal it* Of course! Thank you so much for having me! 🙂 

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a quick note

I was scheduled to post my review today, but I’m still reading The Guild of Thieves, so I can’t 😭 Make sure you stop by the other stops in the tour for other readers’ reviews! Until I can post my full review, though, lemme just say that I’ve read enough to know that I love it. Vivid characters, a colorful setting, and so much angsty conflict…it’s so good!

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Find the Book!

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Follow Jaiden Phillips!

Pinterest: Pinterest

Goodreads Author Profile: Jaiden Phillips (Author of Unfortunate Events) | Goodreads

Art Blog: https://jaidenphillipsart.wordpress.com/

Blog: www.sisters-three.com

Newsletter: https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/93248/59816909004080388/share

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Tour Schedule

Monday, Nov. 6th

Sisters Three – Blog Tour Launch Announcement 

Rhys-Marie Whitnell – Spotlight

Tuesday, Nov. 7th

Issabelle Perry – Character Interview

Kylie Beevers – Spotlight and Sneak Peek

Virginia Henderson – Book Spotlight

Wednesday, Nov 8th

The Introspective Introvert – Sneak Peek and Spotlight

Jaiden Phillips Art – Character Art and Spotlight

Thursday, Nov. 9th

Lorelei Angelino – Spotlight

Writers’ Vision – Spotlight and Sneak Peek

Friday, Nov. 10th

Old Fashioned Book Love – Review and Spotlight

M.C. Kennedy – Review

The Introspective Introvert -Author Interview

Saraina Whitney – Review and Author Interview (you’re here!)

Sisters Three – End of Tour Post

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Did you enjoy those snippets of dialogue from Azic? (He is an epic villain. 😂) Have you ever thought about designing your own covers? What books are you hoping to read this November?