#Interview: Sara Hanover & The Late Great Wizard

I am excited to welcome author Sara Hanover, who is getting ready for the her debut release of her first Wayward Mages novel, The Late Great Wizard.

A young woman must work with a magician who is not what he seems to find her father in this new contemporary portal fantasy series.

With her father vanished under suspicious circumstances and her old life destroyed, Tessa Andrews is determined to pick up the pieces and forge ahead. If only their borrowed house didn’t shake and rumble as if haunted. But at least she and her mom have a roof over their heads, so her luck couldn’t be all bad, could it?

As if to prove her wrong, Tessa gets an urgent call for help one night from crusty old Professor Brandard, one of the people on her charity meals route. She dashes over, only to find the house in flames and the professor gone. A handsome young man steps out of the ashes to request her assistance, claiming to be the professor and a Phoenix wizard. She not only has to believe in him, but in magic, for an ancient evil is awakening and it will take the two of them, plus a few shady friends, to stand against it.

Because the rejuvenation ritual has gone horribly wrong. The late, great wizard desperately needs to get his mojo back, for only if Brandard regains all his magic do they stand any chance of defeating this deadliest of perils.


Have you always had an idea as to where the series/novel is going?
Yes. I am both a plotter and a pantser but mostly a plotter. I have this roadmap to get me from the first scenes to the final ones. I had the opening scenes and characters firmly in mind, and I have an ending for them too. Of course, the side journeys will be even more exciting.

Do you know where it is going or is the storyline evolving as you write?
The storyline does evolve, as the characters grow, and I like to leave “wiggle room” in my outlines.

What kind of reading experience are you hoping to create for your readers?
I wanted THE LATE GREAT WIZARD to be a fun romp, with a suspenseful impact. I’d love for them to say to themselves, what’s going to happen next.

What do you want them to come away from your books saying, thinking, and feeling?
In this instance, sheer enjoyment. This particular book has a deep side but I mean for my reader to feel a certain success as my character grows.

Does your mood ever affect the direction that your stories take?
It can and has, particularly when I’m trying to write something deeper.

Has any of your stories began one way, but by the time you wrote The End, had the mood drastically changed and how did it affect the story?
I had an epic fantasy series which took a very dark note but the characters rescued themselves and it all worked out, I thought, quite well.

Is there any particular legend or mythology that you came across that was the root of inspiration for you that was used more than others or was there a wide source?
I draw from reading voraciously so I can’t point to any one influence. The most familiar mythology I used is Celtic, but there are (faint) strands of Egyptian mythology and there will be other, more diverse myths to come.

For my readers unfamiliar with your work, what would you say to convince them to pick up a copy of your book?
Tessa doesn’t believe in Magic, but Magic believes in Tessa. She’s about to do battle to settle their differences. It’ll be a wild ride.

What are you working on? What do readers have to look forward to?
I’m about to finish Book 2 in this series and you’ll have another exciting romp, I hope, and more romance. Magic opens up but Tessa learns that there are prices that must be paid.

When you’re not writing, what are you reading?
I read fantasy, urban fantasy, paranormal, romantic suspense, thrillers, mystery, literary fiction, the news constantly.

Do you have a geek side? Explain with examples.
I made a steampunk costume for Comic-Con this year. Does that count? And, of course, any media-tied movie, I’m there. And I love Kaiju movies. I play computer games when I have time but I had to give up WoW. I don’t belong to a guild or join with other players because of time and work constraints, so the dungeon runs got just too hard to accomplish…ummm…there’s more. I just got back from New Zealand and one of my best days I spent exploring Hobbiton.

Do you have a process of how you start to write one of your novels?
Often I start with a character in a dilemma and how it will affect them. Sometimes it’s idea driven, such as a What If…

Is it the same or different with each novel you write?
It’s different every novel unless I’m working in a series. Then I have to pick up with the last obstacle I threw at the characters.

How did you feel when you finally saw your first published book out in print?
I was in Seventh Heaven. To see the finished product with the cover and the interior design…it’s an incredible rush.

If you were stranded on a desert island, what 3 things would you have to have with you?
I would definitely want An InFallible Rescue Beacon, an enthusiastic sea captain, and a priceless treasure map only I knew existed.

If you could be one urban fantasy creature/person/magical thing, what would you be and why?
Now that I don’t have a glib answer for. One day it could be a dragon (I already hoard books). Or a Pegasus. Or a Unicorn. Or a Gryphon. Or a Tolkien elf. Or a cloak of invisibility that was a family heirloom. Or…


Meet Sara Hanover!

Sara Hanover lives with a hoard of books, rather like a dragon, and works on improving her imagination daily. She loves plot twists and cats, family and crispy autumn leaves, traveling and good food. She thanks her parents for supporting her first efforts in writing, and her husband for continuing to encourage her, along with the many good people at DAW Books.

Sara can be found on: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | Instagram

The Wayward Mages is Sara’s debut series!

  1. The Late Great Wizard
  2. The New Improved Sorceress (2019)
About Jackie 3282 Articles
I am a 30-something SAHM with two adorable boys and a supportive husband who is very tolerant of my reading addiction. I love to read and easily go through about a dozen books a month – well I did before I had kids. Now, not so much. After my first son was born, I began to take my hobby of reviewing a little more serious and started Literary Escapism to help with my sanity. I love to discuss the fabulous novels I’ve read and meeting all the wonderful people in the book blogging community has been amazing.