A Brief Interview with Author Lyra B. Sinclair

This week, one of our baristas sat down with Fargo author Lyra B. Sinclair to talk about her latest book, The Flamebearer’s Rebellion. Read on for exclusive incite on the exciting new fantasy book on our shelves.

Amber: Well, Lyra, I’d like to start this interview by welcoming you to our shop. It’s great to finally have you here!

Lyra: I’m happy to be here. This is such a cute store you have.

Amber: How’s your drink?

Lyra: Oh, it’s great! It’s been a while since I had my last cortado.

Amber: I’m glad you like it! If there’s anything we’re passionate about here, it’s one, coffee, and two, books. Speaking of which, we recently got your new book in stock. I read the entire thing this weekend. It really was captivating. This is your first fantasy novel, correct?

Lyra: I’m happy to hear you enjoyed it. And yes, that’s right. I’ve always been interested in trying my hand at the fantasy genre, but it wasn’t until late 2021 that I really began building the world my novel would take place in and outlining the story for The Flamebearer’s Rebellion. Less than two years later, I’m astonished by how natural the writing felt.

Amber: That’s so interesting to hear. For all the readers out there, The Flamebearer’s Rebellion is a fantasy novel set in a dystopian future world. The book follows the story of a young girl as she becomes part of a growing rebellion against an oppressive ruling class that’s taken power using technologically enhanced magic. So, Lyra, as I was reading your book, I was really surprised by how you combined elements of science and technology with a magic system. Was it challenging at all making those two ideas work together?

Lyra: If I’m being completely honest, not at all. It seems to me that the ideas of science and magic are often understood as being at odds with one another. Magic is seen as violating the laws of science, and science debunks magic. In my writing, I was intentional about making a magic system that has a science of its own. It has structure and rules and a formula. Sure, the characters don’t have a full understanding of where it comes from or what potential uses it has, but we see similar information gaps in every field of science. After all, the word “magic” has often been used to describe that which has yet to be understood in a scientific sense. Perhaps we’ll learn more about the science of magic in the next book.

Amber: Oh? So you’re planning for a series?

Lyra: Well, I don’t want to confirm or deny anything at this point, but the ending of The Flamebearer’s Rebellion does leave a lot of room for further writing. Depending on how this book is received, there’s definitely potential for a second one.

Amber: I know it’d be on my bookshelf! On top of learning more about the “science of magic,” as you put it, I’d be interested to see more from the side characters and hear their backstories. I’m curious, is there a particular character who you find yourself personally connecting with more than the others?

Lyra: Actually, yes. To my own surprise, I’ve found that I resonate more with the protagonist’s best friend than I do with the protagonist herself. I think that it has a lot to do with the types of development they go through. The protagonist, Emery, is a quiet and withdrawn kind of character in the beginning of her story but develops into a leader-type character as the book progresses. Her best friend, Blake, is sociable and a little reckless when we first meet her, and her development has more to do with unraveling and addressing some of her backstory. I suppose I just find myself more drawn to this kind of carefree character.

Amber: She was my favorite too! It was fun to see her character develop alongside Emery’s. They have such different personalities, but their friendship makes so much sense. So, Lyra, is there anything else you’d like to share with readers as we wrap up our short interview?

Lyra: I’d tell them to keep an eye on the events and dialogue of the first couple chapters. A lot of foreshadowing happens in the early pages, and you might catch it if you read closely.

Amber: That’s great advice! Lyra, thank you so much for joining us today for our first author feature here at The Coffee Genre. It was a pleasure talking with you.

Lyra: Thanks for having me.

Amber: And for all the readers out there, you can pick up The Flamebearer’s Rebellion in store today! Thanks for checking out today’s post from The Caffeinated Reader.