Introduced by Matt Wixey
November’s Writer Of The Month is Claire Buss, who worked in a variety of marketing and administrative roles for over a decade, before being inspired to enter the 2015 Book Challenge after attending a writers’ workshop run by crime writer and Pen to Print mentor Ian Ayris.
Claire’s Book Challenge novel, The Gaia Effect, was placed second and went on to win the Uncaged Book Reviews Raven Award for Favourite Sci-Fi/Fantasy novel in 2017. Since then, Claire has had 21 books published, as well as short story collections and stories published in various anthologies. She also runs regular Book Surgeries, offering marketing help and advice to new and established authors, and was part of the original team involved in creating and establishing Write On! Magazine. She continues to support, work and promote the magazine in her role as Deputy Editor.
Claire went on to write two more books in the Gaia Collection, The Gaia Project and The Gaia Solution and has since also published several books in the ongoing Roshaven series: a humorous fantasy series, set in an alternative world where magic exists – as do fae, trolls, dwarves, vampire mermaids and regular humans, all living together and getting along (mostly). The Roshaven books are influenced by Claire’s love of the Discworld books by Sir Terry Pratchett, as well as the humour of Douglas Adams and Piers Anthony. The main characters in this series, Ned Spinks and Jenni the sprite, have definitely taken on a life of their own, Claire says, and writing down their adventures is a lot of fun.
In the first Roshaven book, The Rose Thief (which won the Uncaged Book Reviews Raven Award for Favourite Sci-Fi/Fantasy novel in 2019), someone is stealing the Emperor’s magical roses, and all of love will be lost if Ned Spinks, Chief Thief-Catcher, can’t catch them. He must go on a quest defeating vampire mermaids, illusionists, estranged family members and an evil sorcerer – what could possibly go wrong?
The second Roshaven book, The Silk Thief, which came out in April 2021, picks up where The Rose Thief left off, but now the Roshaven empire hangs in the balance as the scheming villain plots to steal trade, crown and empress. It sees Ned go up against… well, I don’t want to spoil it for you, but Claire has kindly shared an extract.
Extract from The Silk Thief
It was Griff’s funeral. Ned Spinks, Roshaven’s Chief Thief-Catcher, watched from his elevated vantage point on the upper part of the shore as the crowd congregated by the water. He scanned the throng for any suspicious behaviour. A cool sea breeze carried some freshness his way, combating the aroma caused when you get lots of individuals gathering in one place. It gave him small comfort to see such a large turnout, his own grief was too raw.
‘Yor not on the clock now, Boss,’ Jenni the sprite remarked as she nodded a greeting at the Gingerbread folk. Wary of the water, they stood as far from the damaging liquid as they could without removing themselves from the ceremony.
‘Yeah, well, you know, people,’ muttered Ned.
‘Fourteen’s over there.’
Jenni pointed and they both stared at the elegant Imperial gazebo erected upon the Dead Pier. This was the other reason such a great crowd had assembled, and why the air hummed with animated chatter and gossip. The Emperor of Roshaven had recently revealed she was a woman, and this was her first formal event since that announcement. Unfortunate that it was a state funeral.
‘Mhm.’ Ned’s reply was as nonchalant as he could make it. He hadn’t seen Fourteen since they returned from their quest to save love and defeat the Rose Thief. After their triumphant return to the city, Fourteen had been immediately swept up by her administrators, the High Left and High Right. Every time Ned tried to get in to see her, the Highs cited important imperial duties that couldn’t be disturbed. After several tries, Ned had resolved to leave it for a while. He wasn’t certain if it were the Highs or Fourteen that were keeping him away.
‘Sparkly dress,’ commented Jenni.
Ned knew she was trying to get a response from him and his gaze flicked over again to where Fourteen stood, slightly apart from her retinue. Her short black hair framed her face and her silver gown was shining in the sun.
It relieved him when the opportunity came to change the subject as Momma K, Queen of the Fae, glided past bestowing regal smiles upon individual members of the crowd. Ned noticed he didn’t receive one and Jenni had ignored hers.
‘Things not going smoothly at home?’ Ned inquired. Jenni was the eldest of Momma K’s children, but she stayed with him in the city more often than not.
‘S’complicated.’ She was looking over at people on the pier again. ‘Who’s that talking to Norris?’
(c) Claire Buss, 2021
*****
In Claire’s latest book, The Bone Thief (released this month), Roshaven is being threatened by the Spice Ghosts as they demand the return of their mystical bones. When Ned and Jenni follow the skeletal trail into the dark and dangerous waters of the dread Sea Witch, they must fight to avoid becoming the catch of the day.
For this book, Claire decided it needed a little something extra, so she wrote a Sea Shanty and recorded herself singing it – a fun preview to the book! You can listen to Claire’s shanty here:
