I have exciting news—Emberling by Kaytlin Phillips released this week!!! *throws confetti* I absolutely LOVE this story and I’m so happy that it’s out in the world for you to read now!!! Today, Kaytlin has visited the blog to chat about her book and answer some fun questions, so grab your popcorn and hot chocolate (or sweet tea) and pull up a chair to listen to our conversation!

But before the interrogation—erm, interview, here’s a bit about the book along with my review!

---

One never realizes how large their world is until they struggle to protect it.

Her entire life, Iya has been pursued by the Rangers, who despise her people for the fire in their veins. She has lost everything to their hatred, and now the fate of Uriu hangs in the treacherous balance. The Emberlings are dwindling in numbers, causing unleashed chaos that threatens not only Englewood but the Meadows of Harvanth as well.

Malcolm Cabe is fueled by hatred as he sets out to annihilate the fire-wielding Emberlings responsible for his father’s death. However, his mission takes an unexpected turn when he saves Iyana, a secretive girl haunted by a heartrending past.

Iya must keep her identity hidden from Malcolm and the other Rangers because if they discover who she is…death awaits her. But if the truth is never told how can they find the strength to forgive and unite? Decisions need to be made, and the wrong ones could lead to the destruction of all of Uriu.

---

my review

My heart still hasn’t gotten over Emberling, and it’s a good thing there’s another book coming in the series so I still get to read more about this world and these darling characters!!! It’s everything I love in a fantasy—a richly built fantasy setting with unique cultures and fantastical elements and creatures, with lovable, tortured characters and a plotline of tension-filled romance that stomps on your heart then slowly pieces it back together. Not to mention the spiritual aspect of the characters’ journeys, bringing God to the forefront in a natural, powerful way that doesn’t become dry or “preachy.”

Mal is…my baby. 😭 He has such a heartbreaking past, which fuels his misguided hatred toward the Emberlings. He’s a strong hero, but a toughened and blinded one, crossing into morally gray (or *some* would say straight up VILLAINOUS) territory. I completely understood his fears and motivations even as I wanted to shake him hard to see reason. I loved seeing him with his family (his sister is so sweet and his mother has a heart of gold!) and watching his interactions with his best friend, Ben—who is an EPIC sidekick. The kind every story needs. Witty, caring, blunt, willing to call his friends out when they need a kick in the pants. (And Duncan is another great side character!! I love the guy!)

The slow-burn, burgeoning romance between him and Iya had me shipping them SO HARDDDD. He’s protective, gentle, and caring, and she’s so vulnerable and innocent, caring the weight of a tragedy too heavy for her shoulders. Iya’s struggles pulled on my heartstrings right from the start—Englewood and her family and the Emberlings’ culture was painted in such vibrant colors I felt the loss of it right along with her. As the story progresses, we see her agonizing internal conflict and how torn she is over decisions she made in the past, and it only raises the stakes when *the meeting* between Iya and Mal occurs (CUE THE DRAMAAA) and he sees her as a human, not an Emberling. And thus a tentative relationship starts, built on lies even as much of it is true and good.

I don’t wanna spoil it, but let’s just say, you know it’s building up to THE MOMENT of rEaLiZaTiOn. *shivers* Kaytlin Phillips does not disappoint. Get ready for your heart to be broken. Mine certainly was. *zips mouth before spoilers come out*

The plot is brilliant, guys. Just brilliant. *sobs*

Plenty of high-stakes action and plot twists kept me on the edge of my seat—there’s battles and narrow escapes galore to suit the readers who crave fast-paced adventure, though it’s nicely balanced out with the slow, deep parts. And like I mentioned, the spiritual truths in the story are powerful and play a pivotal role in both characters’ arcs. Both Iya and Malcolm have beautiful transformations that feel so rewarding after all the pain they go through.

I recommend this for everyone who loves Christian fantasy with fantastical elements, a unique, vivid world you’ll feel like you visited once upon a dream, wholesome romance with intense emotions, high-stakes adventure, deep themes, and characters who unapologetically steal your heart.

Disclaimer: I received a review copy free from the author/publisher. All opinions are my own, and I was not required to share a positive review.

---

the author interview

Congratulations on the release of Emberling, Kayti! Thank you for sitting down to let me interview you about this beautiful story! * hands you a cup of tea sweet tea and settles on a cozy couch* So, to start off, tell us about yourself and how you got into writing?

Awww, thanks and thank you for taking the time to interview me! *grabs glass of sweet tea with a big smile*

Well, I’m a southern gal born and raised in the southern foothills of the Appalachians located in Western North Carolina (and I find it super cool that I get to 3 directions to describe where I live. XD). I’m a homeschool grad and office assistant for my mom’s business by day and in the wee hours of the morning and night I’m a writer.

I’ve dabbled in writing since I was 7, but started taking it seriously at 14 after my dad encouraged me and my sisters to write down the elaborate games he heard us playing. XD And, as they say, the rest is history.

What first sparked the idea for Emberling?

That’s a good question. Honestly, I’m not sure. The original concept just showed up. This girl that could wield fire who was running from a past that had literally gone up in flames. The funny thing is the original idea is nothing like the book that you all will read. XD

Iya was originally the last of her kind and the humans viewed Emberlings more as a legend (she also had fiery wings) and Malcolm was 12 and wanted to find her. But after talking to my parents they said it sounded a lot like most other YA fantasy books and we went to tweaking and came up with Emberlings as shepherds of the forest! Giving them a purpose and then I created a reason for men to be hunting them and here we are.

Where did you find the inspiration for the world of Uriu, and do you have any tips for fantasy worldbuilding?

I find inspiration everywhere! Literally. My family likes traveling and we usually vacation once a year. I also love watching YouTubes on weird or random locations that exist in the world. And I like learning about different cultures. So Uriu was born out of those loves. Each location has its own unique look and culture.

The Meadows of Harvanth were inspired by the rolling valleys of Virginia and plains of Kansas, while the people who live there have a Scotch-Irish inspiration.

Englewood is inspired by the forest of the Appalachians and the people who live there have a vaguely Native American feel.

The Wolfe Mountain Range is inspired by the mountains out West such as the Rockies and the dwarves (once I get around to writing them) have a Scandinavian inspiration behind them.

The Shadowlands have an almost volcanic feel to them and the giants have a slight roman inspiration.

And finally, the Coast is inspired by some black sand I saw in a video while the people that live there, the Wavelings, are highly inspired by Native American culture.

As for world building tips, enjoy the process. Don’t be afraid to do something wild and wonky. Don’t be afraid to make something up. Look at the world you love and then put a twist to it as you incorporate it!

What gave you inspiration for the romance between Malcolm and Iya?

Um, honestly, I wanted a fantasy romance that was chaste but also action packed. Like, I like a story to be moving at a good pace, but I like a slow burn romance, so trying to combine those two was fun and just something I wanted to do for other girls like me.

If you had to go on an adventure with only one character from Emberling, who would your first pick be, and why? 

Wow, um….Iya. She’s got her fire powers, so that would be super cool and she’s super sweet and has good advice too. Plus, I think she could use a female friend.

What were some of the highs and lows of the writing process? 

Highs definitely include getting 50k done in a month and writing the false climax. That all came very easily for me.

The lows started once I got to the real climax because I couldn’t figure out how to get rid of the problem I’d created. XD But after talking to some friends (primarily Madisyn Carlin) we settled on a solution.

Also, finishing a manuscript is always a high/low moment for me because I’m excited to be done but sad to see my characters go.

Who’s your favorite side character? 🙃

Oh, easy, Ben! But Gannon is a close second, even though he’s not in the book very much. Then Duncan. 😉

Which artists did you listen to the most during the writing of Emberling?

I didn’t listen to a single artist more than another, but rather just my playlist. Which you can listen to here:

Based on what you learned from writing Emberling, what advice would you give to writers?

Wow, that’s a loaded question. Based on what I’ve learned through the whole process…write the book, worry about the rules later. Don’t get hung up on the proper way to word things or trying to replace the words you use too much, or anything else. Just write.

It’s easier said than done, a little light editing here and there is fine. Just don’t mar yourself down with it. Be flexible, be willing to explore new options, and have a support team. Whether that support team is parents, siblings, friends, a writing group, or all of the above. Going it alone is not an option in my opinion.

And finally, don’t rush the process. If it takes you 10 years to finish the book, fine. If it takes you a month, that’s great too. But don’t rush so much that you have to do an entire rewrite once you’re done.

What is the overall message you want readers to come away with?

With my books in general, hope and the fact that God never leaves them. When my family moved several years back (even though we didn’t move far, still in the same community and town) I wondered where God was in that…we had a lot of other stuff going on, like a LOT and to me moving was the last straw…I didn’t understand.

But, a month after moving into our new house and me getting myself put back together a bit, I realized something…when I looked back, God was there. He had a plan. I just hadn’t seen it at the time.

In a lot of ways, Emberling has that same theme. The plan that God has that we can’t see. The good that comes out of all the bad. The truth that there is hope even in the darkest moments of our lives.

That is what I hope readers can walk away with. A Light that shines in the darkest night. A Light that never goes out. A Light that will always be with them, right beside them, no matter what happens.

Can you tell us anything about the next book in The Chronicles of Uriu? 👀

Well, I can tell you that by the time this interview is released I should have all if not most of the self-edits done and then will be sending it to my sister, Jaiden, so she can read over and tell me what needs work. 😉

Story wise…Book 2 follows 4 characters, Mora, Ben, Gannon, and Shale. The first three are all side characters from Emberling, and the last is a new character. Shale is a Waveling, and his story has been hard…there’s a large mental health rep as well as grief and loss in this book, which is not what I planned going in, but I know it’s what God had planned because the way this story fell into place is beyond what I could have done. I’m excited for you all to get to meet these characters!

And excited for book 3 that I just started working on, as well as a few side stories that I have ideas for!

Congratulations on the release of Emberling, Kayti!!! And thank you so much for coming on the blog and letting me interrogate you! 🥰

Awww, thank you sooooo much for having me, Saraina! It was a pleasure to be on your blog and to get to talk about Emberling!

---

about the author!

She believes in the power of stories and their ability to change lives. And when not writing stories of hope, purpose, and redemption, you can find Kayti (as everyone calls her) reading, hiking, or taking random pictures.

---

ppst! Order Goodies!

If you order* Emberling within the first 2 weeks of release you can claim your order goodies by filling out the form below! Goodies include:

• 1 Sticker
• 1 Double sided bookmark
• 2 Characters cards! (One of Iya and one of Malcolm and his horse Shar)
• A signed bookplate!

All you need to claim your order goodies is a screenshot of your purchase or the order number! 🙂

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScanzf8lYMOm839xP0gjKuySzf9BTuFXO3bljt_yyaRSQWRHQ/viewform?usp=sf_link

*the graphic says pre-order, but this still is good for if you order it up to two weeks after Emberling’s release! You still have time if you buy it now! 😉

---

tour schedule

Monday, Nov 18th 

Sisters Three – Blog Tour Launch Announcement 

Naomi McCollough – IG Sneak peek

Lorelei Angelino – Spotlight and Sneak Peek

Tuesday, Nov 19th – Release Day!

Sisters Three – Release Day Hurrah! 

Gabriella Tejada – Character Interview & Spotlight

Chelsey Noelle – IG Spotlight

Kristina Hall – Review

Madisyn Carlin – Spotlight & Endorsement

Wednesday, Nov 20th

Cora – Instagram Review

K. Florence Writes – Author Interview & Spotlight

Katherine Perry – Sneak Peek

Thursday, Nov 21st

Lillian Keith – Behind the Book Interview & Sneak Peek!

Naomi McCollough – Spotlight/Review

Abby Burrus – Sneak Peek

Friday, Nov 22nd

Gabriella Tejada – Review & Sneak Peek

Saraina Whitney – Review & Author Interview

Lindsey Backen – Author Interview & Spotlight

Abbigail Befus – Spotlight

Sisters Three – End of Tour Post