A Taupō woman is celebrating the release of her second fantasy novel, with a free community event planned to mark the occasion.
Holly Bowen releases her second novel Between Wind and Stone on Monday 14 April. The book is the sequel to her debut, By the Moon, and the second instalment in her Anguard Archives series, which she describes as "Mulan meets the Hobbit."
The young adult fantasy series follows a young woman named Feyla on a quest through a richly imagined realm, with Bowen drawing inspiration from works like Harry Potter and The Hobbit, as well as video games including Horizon Zero Dawn and Red Dead Redemption.
Bowen is self-publishing the series independently, and says the response from readers has already exceeded her expectations.
"I opened pre-orders and straight away I had 30 sales, which was so cool. And the reviews just have blown me away," she said.
The books are stocked in local independent stores, including Paper Plus in Taupō and McLeod's Booksellers in Rotorua, as well as online through Amazon and her own website. Her debut novel is also available through the Taupō Library, where Bowen says it always seems to be on loan.
To mark the launch, Bowen is hosting a free author Q&A at the Taupō Library on Tuesday 15 April at 3:30pm. She says the events attract aspiring young writers alongside fans, and she welcomes questions about everything from where she gets her ideas to the practicalities of self-publishing.
A limited number of signed, numbered copies of Between Wind and Stone are still available for pre-order at hollybowen.com, with each including a signed bookmark and a bonus chapter.
