Ask the Author: Kendare Blake
Answered Questions (440)
Kendare Blake
I am TRYING. I’m actually leaving on a writing retreat today to get a good chunk done on it. I probably won’t be able to make the PROPER proper anniversary but I’m going as fast as I can. (Also as fast as I want to, because I’m trying to have fun!)
But if it doesn’t turn out right I won’t release it. If you’d like to stay up to date on this, sign up for my newsletter at my website. I’ll probably be moaning about it on the regular, haha
But if it doesn’t turn out right I won’t release it. If you’d like to stay up to date on this, sign up for my newsletter at my website. I’ll probably be moaning about it on the regular, haha
Kendare Blake
Three Queens had noted short Ascension Years: Queen Bernadine, "The Wolf Queen", Queen Shannon of the storms (for whom Shannon's Blackway in Rolanth was named) and perhaps least surprisingly: Aethiel. It's in her nature to strike fast and strike hard. With zero thought process :)
It's not actually noted which of these queens' ascension was actually the shortest, and it's not reliable to go off of the dates of their crownings, as that was dependent on the whims of the Black Council. Sometimes they were crowned right away, sometimes they waited until the next high festival. Whatever the political climate called for.
It's not actually noted which of these queens' ascension was actually the shortest, and it's not reliable to go off of the dates of their crownings, as that was dependent on the whims of the Black Council. Sometimes they were crowned right away, sometimes they waited until the next high festival. Whatever the political climate called for.
Kendare Blake
The eight poisoner queens were as follows:
Mary
Elisandra
Veronica
Dierdre
Sylvia
Nicola
Camille
Katharine
Caedan, the first Blue Queen, was actually a naturalist. War Queen Olivia was her mother.
There have only been two true Blue Queens born, Plus Queen Andira, who was crowned when both her sisters were drowned as oracles.
War Queen Hadly produced a strong elemental: Queen Marcella, (earth gifted) who quaked a city to ruin.
Mary
Elisandra
Veronica
Dierdre
Sylvia
Nicola
Camille
Katharine
Caedan, the first Blue Queen, was actually a naturalist. War Queen Olivia was her mother.
There have only been two true Blue Queens born, Plus Queen Andira, who was crowned when both her sisters were drowned as oracles.
War Queen Hadly produced a strong elemental: Queen Marcella, (earth gifted) who quaked a city to ruin.
Kendare Blake
I think I've answered this before; you'd think I would have it memorized! But no! So, back to the Fennbirn history books:
Elementals - 6
Naturalists - 4
War gifted - 5
Oracles - 3
Poisoners - 8
Also of note: War Queens tend to produce strong queens. Only two true Blue Queens have ever been born to Fennbirn, and both came from War Queens.
Some of the queens have been lost to time. But these are the ones who are known.
Elementals - 6
Naturalists - 4
War gifted - 5
Oracles - 3
Poisoners - 8
Also of note: War Queens tend to produce strong queens. Only two true Blue Queens have ever been born to Fennbirn, and both came from War Queens.
Some of the queens have been lost to time. But these are the ones who are known.
Kendare Blake
Hi Katherine! I get the feeling that it won't be easy, but I will do my best.
Kendare Blake
You are GOOD. Yes, it's Theodora and her horse. Very early in her reign.
So far, the Aristene have never guided a Fennbirn Queen. Nor a suitor.
I'm going to start working on Three Dark Crowns 5 this summer, which, if it works out the way I hope, will wrap up both series for good.
As far as I know, only two people have ever jumped through the Worlds Gate. Of course, Ferreh and Tiern have traveled through it before, when they arrived. But traveling, not the same as just jumping in willy nilly! If you want to know what happened after the jump, I'm starting work on a short story about it very soon.
So far, the Aristene have never guided a Fennbirn Queen. Nor a suitor.
I'm going to start working on Three Dark Crowns 5 this summer, which, if it works out the way I hope, will wrap up both series for good.
As far as I know, only two people have ever jumped through the Worlds Gate. Of course, Ferreh and Tiern have traveled through it before, when they arrived. But traveling, not the same as just jumping in willy nilly! If you want to know what happened after the jump, I'm starting work on a short story about it very soon.
Kendare Blake
You know, I do have a graphic depicting all of the known Queens and their gifts, and possibly the length of their reigns…I can’t remember at the moment. I’ll try to figure out how to include it or attach it to a newsletter one of these days.
Kendare Blake
She’s Queen Aethiel, legendary War Queen of Fennbirn. She ruled a long time before Mira, Arsinoe and Kat were born but Emilia talks about her in Two Dark Reigns. Champion of Fate and Warrior of Legend take place hundreds of years before Three Dark Crowns. But we’ll see Aethiel and the Aristene again in Three Dark Crowns 5, since they’re immortal and still alive.
That is, if the book turns out to be any good!
That is, if the book turns out to be any good!
Kendare Blake
I was going to answer a different question, but this one seemed urgent, haha. Don’t jump off a building! Even if you’re talking about BASE jumping with a parachute it is very dangerous and makes this elder millennial very uncomfortable.
To your question. The good news: I fully plan to write Three Dark Crowns 5 later this year and that will feature most of the main characters from the Heromaker books as antagonists. It will basically be The Aristene vs The Fennbirn Queens and will complete both series.
The bad news: I don’t think Sar will be in it. Since he’s not an immortal he’ll be long dead by the time the story takes place, and while there are things that I would love to write about him (I would love to see his reunion with Reed) I just don’t think that’s going to happen.
Bonus bad news? I don’t know if Three Dark Crowns 5 will actually be released. But I do intend to write it and see how it turns out.
To your question. The good news: I fully plan to write Three Dark Crowns 5 later this year and that will feature most of the main characters from the Heromaker books as antagonists. It will basically be The Aristene vs The Fennbirn Queens and will complete both series.
The bad news: I don’t think Sar will be in it. Since he’s not an immortal he’ll be long dead by the time the story takes place, and while there are things that I would love to write about him (I would love to see his reunion with Reed) I just don’t think that’s going to happen.
Bonus bad news? I don’t know if Three Dark Crowns 5 will actually be released. But I do intend to write it and see how it turns out.
Kendare Blake
The Buffy: the Next Generation trilogy is complete! But I would love to see more of the new Scoobies sometime. Thank you for coming back to Sunnydale with me!
Kendare Blake
I would like to write one more Fennbirn book. That’s the goal. It would take place after the events of Five Dark Fates and Warrior of Legend and center on the troubled reign of the new Queen Crowned (you know who, but I’m trying to avoid spoilers). Not everyone on the island is happy about how things turned out, and there are false queens starting to come out of the woodwork.
For Heromaker readers, the false queens will lead to a conflict between Fennbirn and an extremely threatening enemy (again, you know who, but spoilers) and someone who has been hidden on the island the whole time will need to, um, help with that.
It’s hard to talk about without spoilers! I don’t know when or even if this will be published, but the story is there, so I imagine it will force me to write it eventually. Hoping to start it in 2025.
For Heromaker readers, the false queens will lead to a conflict between Fennbirn and an extremely threatening enemy (again, you know who, but spoilers) and someone who has been hidden on the island the whole time will need to, um, help with that.
It’s hard to talk about without spoilers! I don’t know when or even if this will be published, but the story is there, so I imagine it will force me to write it eventually. Hoping to start it in 2025.
Kendare Blake
Hi! I would love to write Three Dark Crowns 5. The story is there, pretty much ready to go. (And as a bonus for Heromakers readers features those characters in supporting roles!) BUT…we’ll have to see if the timing works out.
That the series continues to find readers like you, gives it a fighting chance! Thank you so much!
PS if you find the Five Dark Fates paperback there’s an extra epilogue with Arsinoe and Billy ;)
That the series continues to find readers like you, gives it a fighting chance! Thank you so much!
PS if you find the Five Dark Fates paperback there’s an extra epilogue with Arsinoe and Billy ;)
Kendare Blake
Did you receive a confirmation email? If you didn’t, or if you did and you confirmed and are still having problems, email me via my website and I’ll ask my webmaster to take a look!
Kendare Blake
It’s a duo! But there are places for it to go, like back to Three Dark Crowns. So we’ll have to wait and see.
Kendare Blake
Queen Andira’s familiar was an osprey, with an eye band of dark brown feathers. She was an adorably angry chick. Fledgling? I don’t know bird terms but she was still quite fluffy when she joined the Queen.
Kendare Blake
The Golden Girls as Three Dark Crowns gifts! This is such a fun question!
Rose would for sure be a naturalist, and her familiar would be a dog, probably one that is very active and good at herding. A collie of some kind?
Blanche would be an elemental. Her element would be fire, but she could also control a little bit of water. Her shoulder pads and dresses would be legendary, even on the island.
Sophia would be a poisoner. Her poisons would be devious but not always lethal. And she would laugh about it.
Dorothy would be the High Priestess of the temple. Don't cross her, or you'll get the serrated knife.
Rose would for sure be a naturalist, and her familiar would be a dog, probably one that is very active and good at herding. A collie of some kind?
Blanche would be an elemental. Her element would be fire, but she could also control a little bit of water. Her shoulder pads and dresses would be legendary, even on the island.
Sophia would be a poisoner. Her poisons would be devious but not always lethal. And she would laugh about it.
Dorothy would be the High Priestess of the temple. Don't cross her, or you'll get the serrated knife.
Kendare Blake
The Goddess War trilogy! I love these books. They let me go all the way to Olympus and then poof right down to the Underworld. They let me write Ares' wolves, and all sorts of monsters. I MISS THEM *sobs dramatically* Thank you for finding them.
Thanatos and Cassandra do stay together, at least for a while. He's fascinated by the girl who became death, and I must admit, so am I. I still have no idea how things will turn out for those two. All I know is that one day he will FOR SURE try to kill her with a kiss. Whether or not it works I guess will determine how the rest of their relationship goes.
Odysseus forgave Cassandra right away. He knew, like Athena did, that what happened to Calypso was an accident. Cassandra and Odysseus will remain friends, throughout this incarnation.
Thanatos and Cassandra do stay together, at least for a while. He's fascinated by the girl who became death, and I must admit, so am I. I still have no idea how things will turn out for those two. All I know is that one day he will FOR SURE try to kill her with a kiss. Whether or not it works I guess will determine how the rest of their relationship goes.
Odysseus forgave Cassandra right away. He knew, like Athena did, that what happened to Calypso was an accident. Cassandra and Odysseus will remain friends, throughout this incarnation.
Kendare Blake
Aw, thank you! I worked very hard on my 80s/90s theme song bio :) I hope you enjoy the series!
Kendare Blake
That's so cool that you are a quadruplet! If you were the last one born, you would be crowned! Of course if you weren't...
The goddess doesn't have a name, at least not one anyone knows. And the old name of Fennbirn has been lost to time. Also you asked in a previous question whether queens had natural lifespans, or if some lived longer according to the goddess' will:
And the answer is, sort of? None of them lived like, 200 years or anything but both Blue Queens, Caedan and Illiann, had very long reigns, and bore their triplets far later in life than non-queen women normally would. Illiann reigned for 56 years, and since she was crowned at birth "Illiann" would have been 56 years old when she had the triplets. Caedan, reigned for 49.
Also interesting to note is that both of those sets of triplets produced strong queens: Illiann's successor was Queen Shannon of the Storms, who reigned for 24 years, and Caedan's was the oracle Queen Lauriel, who reigned for 32.
Not too shabby.
The goddess doesn't have a name, at least not one anyone knows. And the old name of Fennbirn has been lost to time. Also you asked in a previous question whether queens had natural lifespans, or if some lived longer according to the goddess' will:
And the answer is, sort of? None of them lived like, 200 years or anything but both Blue Queens, Caedan and Illiann, had very long reigns, and bore their triplets far later in life than non-queen women normally would. Illiann reigned for 56 years, and since she was crowned at birth "Illiann" would have been 56 years old when she had the triplets. Caedan, reigned for 49.
Also interesting to note is that both of those sets of triplets produced strong queens: Illiann's successor was Queen Shannon of the Storms, who reigned for 24 years, and Caedan's was the oracle Queen Lauriel, who reigned for 32.
Not too shabby.
Kendare Blake
Hi! I've gotten quite a few questions about film/TV adaptations lately, so I'll answer this, too: Unfortunately there are no projects for Three Dark Crowns currently in development. I do think it would make a pretty cool series though, so hopefully one day more producers and studios will agree :)
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