“Lion” is prequel short story to Candace Robinson (Lyrics & Curses) and Amber R. Duell’s (Forgotten Gods series) Faeries of Oz series, their own successor take on L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900). The first novel in the series, Tin, is slated to be released on December 9, 2020, with book 2, Crow, and book 3, Ozma, scheduled for 2021. “Lion” acts as an entry point to Robinson and Duell’s Faeries of Oz series, with the short story’s blurb stating:
Langwidere has an obsessive habit—collecting heads. She wears a new one each day, changing them out like she does her ivory dresses. But Landwidere doesn’t have the one thing she truly wants: complete power over the territories in Oz. When Lion—the once cowardly fae—shows up at her doorstep, he offers her an opportunity to achieve her desires. Will he use the courage the Wizard gave him to help her succeed, or will he betray her in the process?
Both Robinson and Duell have been gracious to commit to a few questions about working together and creating their Oz series.
What was the catalyst of this prequel story?
Duell: Lion was given his courage a decade ago but never had a purpose for it. When someone finally puts their faith in him, it twists that courage into something wicked and kicks off the events that happen in Tin.
What got y’all into writing your own successor stories in the Oz universe?
Robinson: For one, we love the uniqueness of the Oz world in general and we wanted to play off of that but make it darker and romantic! Oh, and we love fae!
How did y’all get to collaborating with each other?
Duell: We connected due to our other books and became friends. One day, I mentioned wanting to write a Wizard of Oz retelling and she brought up fae and an idea was born. It took a little convincing on Candace’s part because I’d never co-written before but I’m so glad we did it!
What process or methods do you have in place when jointly writing a book together? Advice for other authors looking to do co-writings?
Robinson: Basically, we do a super brief outline. About a line per chapter, but that usually gets shuffled around the farther we get. So, if I write a chapter first, I wait for Amber to edit it, then pass it back to me. While I’m doing her changes, she starts the next chapter. And that process repeats! If you’re going to co-write with someone, just make sure they have similar writing styles and vision!
Any challenges you faced while trying to write a prequel story?
Duell: Not challenges, really. We did have to fill in a couple plot holes we weren’t aware of.
What aspect are you most proud of in this story? And in your Faeries of Oz series?
Robinson: The characters we created! I think because I’m a very character driven person in general so I’m a big fan of their personalities. Next would be the dark aspects in each book. If only I could get Guillermo del Toro to direct these movies and bring these creatures to life!
What is the major thing you want to accomplish with this story?
Duell: We hope that “Lion” draws readers into our dark version of Oz. It sets up the villain for the first novel, Tin, while giving a hint of the cruelty and romance they can expect from the trilogy.
“Lion” was digitally released on Amazon on October 13th.
See below for biographical and social media details on how to stay informed on Robinson and Duell’s writing projects and when Tin, Crow, and Ozma will be published.
Candace Robinson spends her days consumed by words and hoping to one day find her own DeLorean time machine. Her life consists of avoiding migraines, admiring Bonsai trees, watching classic movies, and living with her husband and daughter in Texas where it can be forty degrees one day and eighty the next.
Amber R. Duell was born and raised in a small town in Central New York. While it will always be home, she’s constantly moving with her husband and two sons as a military wife. When not reading or writing, she enjoys snowboarding, embroidering, and snuggling with her cats.