Interview with Christina Bauer, author of Baculum (Angelbound Lincoln #4)

Baculum, the fourth installment of Christina Bauer’s ‘Angelbound Lincoln’ series is out today! Stop in to learn about the book, get to know Christina with our interview, and enter the giveaway! Courtesy of Xpresso Book Tours!

Title: Baculum
Series: Angelbound Lincoln
Author: Christina Bauer
Genre:Fantasy, Young Adult
Published By: Monster House Books
Release Date: January 26, 2021

Hey everyone! I’m so excited about this post today! Sit down with me as we get to know Christina Bauer, author of the Angelbound Lincoln series, and learn about the newest addition – Baculum! It’s out TODAY!

About The Book:

Watch Lincoln battle Norse monsters in the Viking Games!

As King of the Thrax, Lincoln leads the most powerful demon fighting force in the after-realms… yet he cherishes nothing more than his Angelbound love, Myla. Which is why the king loses his freaking mind when the sinister Ringmaster Kell targets his pregnant wife.

So. Not. Happening.

Ringmaster Kell runs the infamous Viking Games, a series of battles where participants take on the identity of a Norse monster and fight to the death. Sounds good to Lincoln. The king sets aside his crown and enters the arena with one goal only: destroy Ringmaster Kell.

Sometimes, a warrior just needs to ignite his baculum sword and kick a ton of evil ass. But is Lincoln protecting Myla or walking into a trap?

Perfect for readers who love Vikings, Norse mythology, hot princes and cool heroines.

ANGELBOUND LINCOLN
Stories from the perspective of Mister The Prince
1. Duty Bound
2. Lincoln
3. Trickster
4. Baculum
5. Angelfire
6. Rixa

Purchase: Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | Google Play

Interview:

1) 2020 has been a difficult year for many. What are some things that have helped you survive? Have you had any readers or writers blocks this year?

What a shit year! I’ve lived on fried foods and homemade mochas. When it comes to writer’s block, I have it for every book I write. And reader’s block—don’t get started! It feels like years since I’ve found a series I love. But I think that’s more that I read so quickly 🙂

2) We are now four books in to the Angelbound Lincoln series. Do you have an ending mapped out, or are you going through the journey at the same time as your characters?

Honestly, I keep thinking the next book will always be the last. After all, most series focus on a couple falling love. You can do a ‘demon of the week’ thing to keep it going, but I also try to find a new emotional arc, too. For BACULUM, that’s how Lincoln and Myla confront the idea that they’re expecting a baby. I thought that was it, series wise. But then I got the idea that Lincoln has a secret brother (his father was a busy teenager) and what that would mean. So now there’s another book.

Long story short, yes, I am taking the journey at the same time as my characters!

3) How did you come up with your own fantasy world to write about? What is that process like for you to create your own kingdom?

It’s really labor intensive. I create back stories and inspiration boards for all aspects of a world. But once it’s all built, it feels like I’m just taking dictation. That’s a rush that I adore!

4) What are some of the hardest parts of writing a fantasy world? Is it more or less difficult than writing a story in a world that already exists?

Great question! The hardest part is that you can’t rely on a shared world with your reader. For instance: if I say, a guy walks into a bar, you know who I mean. But what if my guy has six arms and he’s walking into a mojo center? How much do you show versus tell? If you show everything, you’ll never get to the story. So it’s an extra layer and you still have to do the work of the inner character journey. But when it works, it makes everything alive and fresh. I live for that bit.

5) I love that you’ve made your heroine a fighter. As a kid, I always looked up to kick-ass women, I even had a Buffy The Vampire Slayer poster over my bed. Who have been some of your female inspirations, literary or otherwise?

You are on a roll! First, I love Galadriel from Lord of the Rings. I memorized whole sections of her poems from the book. Second, there are the stories of Athena from Mythology by Edith Hamilton. Third, I adore the tale of Isis from The Book of the Dead.

6) Did publishing your first book change your process of writing in any way?

My first book was such a slog. I remember spending a full week, forty hours, on a single paragraph. But once I have something down, I can then do it quickly. I worked very hard to try and come up with a unique and active voice.

7) What is your writing space like? Are you someone that has a routine, or likes to change up locations and vibes to help inspire you?

With COVID, my writing space is limited to my house! Normally, I like to write in Starbucks.

8) What is your favorite to work on within your series – characters, plot twists, or a unique story setting?

Oh, I love all three! I don’t know if I have a favorite, but I can certainly share the most important phase. In every novel, I get to a point where I say it’s time to “open a doc and open a vein.” Something sacred and personal needs to go on the page. I don’t know how it works, but readers can tell if it’s there.

9) Have you always been interested in Norse Mythology? What’s your favorite mythological story?

I love all kinds of mythology! There are many strong Norse goddesses and Viking battle queens, so it’s been something I’ve read up on for a long time. There’s a story about a primal Norse goddess who challenges a god to drink a glass of water. She can do it and he can’t. Turns out, she’s tricking him into trying to drink the ocean. I’m pretty sure I’m getting some of the details wrong, but it conveys the overall ‘chicks can be badass’ vibe that permeates Norse myth.

10) Which of your characters do you relate to the most, and why?

I fall in love with every character, even the so-called big bads. But I always come back to Myla Lewis. She’s just so fun to write!

About The Author:

Christina Bauer thinks that fantasy books are like bacon: they just make life better. All of which is why she writes romance novels that feature demons, dragons, wizards, witches, elves, elementals, and a bunch of random stuff that she brainstorms while riding the Boston T. Oh, and she includes lots of humor and kick-ass chicks, too. Christina lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby. She loves to connect with her fans at BauersBooks.com.