The entire story was birthed from this image in my mind of an eagle fighting a serpent. I couldn’t get this image out of my mind and it was almost like a movie playing out in my head. So I built an entire world around it with the eagle being King Arvid and the serpent being Slange.
Keilah Jude = 21 September 2026
The Back Flap
Ophelia is a starving thief who gets caught stealing by the king of Ezri. But instead of punishment, he bestows mercy upon her, and in an amazing turn of events, he adopts her and she is crowned princess.
Despite her rags-to-riches transformation, Ophelia struggles to live up to the standards of the people in Ezri. When a tragic mistake forces Ophelia to run away, she is lured by a handsome stranger to Ezri’s enemy realm, Midnightroamer. She discovers it is enchanting with beauty, magic, and illusion—but it’s not all it appears to be. Once someone enters, they can never leave because all who cross into the realm are forced to take a permanent marking, stripping them of free will and binding them to the land and its wicked ruler. She knows she should focus on a way to get back to Ezri, but it may be too late. It doesn’t help that she falls in love behind enemy lines and exiting the realm would mean leaving her true love behind forever. Returning seems impossible, and it will cost Ophelia everything just to try.
When war breaks out, she must find a way to escape her marking, which brands her an enemy of Ezri. Her heart shatters as she learns that the man she is in love with is forced to fight against Ezri, and he bears the banner of her enemy. He is the very weapon sent to destroy her and bring Ezri to its knees. To survive and gain freedom, Ophelia will have to choose between protecting her kingdom or the man who has stolen her heart.
About the book
What is the book about?
It’s a YA romantasy that is perfect for readers who love the found family and enemies-to-lovers trope. A thief named Ophelia is caught in the act—but instead of punishment, she’s crowned princess of her realm. When disaster drives her into enemy territory, she hides her identity and falls for a mysterious man in a land where all who enter are forbidden to leave with a permanent marking that binds them to the land. But when war comes, she’s devastated to learn that the man she’s fallen in love with bears her enemy’s banner and he is the very person sent to destroy her. She will have to choose between saving her realm, or saving the man she’s fallen in love with.
When did you start writing the book?
This book is actually inspired by a novel that I wrote at age 15. I wrote a story about pixies, faeries, and sprites by hand in several notebooks. Inspired by it, I wrote Illusion in Ink. So I guess you could say this book began when I was 15 (but don’t worry, it is completely redone!).
How long did it take you to write it?
I took inspiration from the novel that I wrote at age 15, so technically this has been in the works for many years! But if you want to know how long it took to write Illusion in Ink starting at the moment I decided to get it published, I think it probably took around 1 year to write, revise, and edit.
Where did you get the idea from?
The entire story was birthed from this image in my mind of an eagle fighting a serpent. I couldn’t get this image out of my mind and it was almost like a movie playing out in my head. So I built an entire world around it with the eagle being King Arvid and the serpent being Slange. Like I said, when I was 15, I had an idea to write a novel about pixies, faeries, and sprites so that also inspired me. It was a dreadful story but the bones were good! So I decided as an adult to revisit that story and used it as inspiration for Illusion in Ink. I also used inspiration from the biblical story The Prodigal Son.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
I had to do so many edits! I am so thankful to my beta readers (shoutout to Bri and Allie!) who caught so many mistakes too. I also added characters from The Snow Queen’s Heir and that was tricky to match their stories.
What came easily?
The story and plot came easily. The plot really flowed and I really enjoyed setting everything up.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
They’re completely fictitious but I use inspiration from real people.
Do you have a target reader for this book?
Yes, this book is great for romantasy, fantasy, and romance readers.
How was writing this book different from what you’d experienced writing previous books?
This book is the same genre as my last book but it has been so different marketing it. It’s a bit of a different audience so in some ways it feels like a debut book.
What new things did you learn about writing, publishing, and/or yourself while writing and preparing this book for publication?
I think I learned a lot as a writer. I challenged myself with this book to focus more on the prose and writing style and I think it has paid off. I also learned a lot in terms of marketing and experimented with new ways to market my book.
End of Interview:
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Get your copy of Illusion in Ink from Amazon US or Amazon UK.