The End Is Here: An Interview With Courtney Allison Moulton

The End Is Here official blogger

One of the awesome perks of being an EXPERT (that sounds so important, right?) is that I got to pick Courtney Allison Moulton’s brain with questions about Angelfire and the series and what’s next and YOU GUYS I HAVE THE SCOOP. I never have the scoop BUT NOW I DO. I kind of feel like running around all over with jelly arms because I am so excited.

Seriously this GIF is how I felt THE ENTIRE TIME reading these answers over:

Jonah Hill Excited

1. Courtney, Shadows in the Silence marks the end of the Angelfire trilogy. How do you feel about it all ending?

Finishing the Angelfire series has been very bittersweet. I had a very hard time writing Shadows in the Silence and after I turned it in, I got a little depressed. There were a lot of very emotional days and I still have them now and then. It was my first published story, a story that completely changed my life and fulfilled a dream I’d had since I was a child. These books have been my entire life since I first wrote Angelfire in 2008 when I was 22. I got the chance to write a prequel novella about a few of the characters after I’d turned in Shadows and it gave me a lot more closure. I felt better about moving on and saying good-bye, although all of the build-up leading to the Shadows release date has me listening to all the old playlists I had on repeat while I wrote the books and I’m feeling nostalgic again.

2. Keeping this PG13: Kiss, Marry, Kill — Will, Cadan, Marcus?

Kiss Cadan, Marry Will…. I don’t really want to kill Marcus! I like Marcus! Can we kanoodle instead? I could definitely kanoodle with Marcus. He’s kanoodling material, but Kate would flay me alive!

3. If you had to pick a theme song for Ellie, who’s so fierce and loyal and awesome, what would it be and why?

This is the hardest question ever! I’d never be able to pick only one theme song, because music plays such a huge role in the writing process for me. My favorite thing about Ellie is that she is sostrong and fights so hard to keep herself going, but she’s human and she succumbs sometimes when the world is crashing down all around her. Her relationship with Will beyond the romantic aspect of it, the fact that they’ve been there for each other for hundreds of years and his strength gives her strength, is such a huge part of her character. I don’t think that her powers or ferocity in battle is necessarily what gives her strength, but rather her ability to accept her vulnerability, not to hide it, and to pick herself up off the ground and keep going. I’ve narrowed it down to three to describe Ellie’s journey throughout the trilogy: Believe in Dreams by Flyleaf, Buried Beneath by Red, and Lost in Paradise by Evanescence.

4. You spend a lot of time riding according to your author bio and also judging by your twitter picture. Will your love of horses and equestrian skills make an appearance in your future writing endeavors?

Oh yeah! Horses play a role in Shadows in the Silence and in my next series as well! I’m kind of obsessed with horses.

5. Angelfire and the subsequent books Wings of the Wicked and Shadows in the Silence portray a very interesting take on angelic and demon mythology. Did you make it all up or did you incorporate any sort of research?

I built the world of Angelfire based on the biblical stories I grew up with, but I also twisted some of the stories to make characters and creatures unique to Angelfire. I grew up listening to stories about good angels in Heaven, evil angels in Hell, and the in-between Grigori angels trapped on Earth, and I wanted to do something with the story of the Grim Reaper. I imagined there might be angelic reapers of Heaven and demonic reapers of Hell. Old stories say that the demons Lilith and Sammael were lovers and had monstrous demonic children, so I added a twist: their children are the demonic reapers. I used more stories than just what I’d read in the Bible. I was fascinated with the flawed celestials suggested by the authors of ChristianRenaissance literature like John Milton and Dante and how these authors used famous figures like Lucifer as metaphors for our own human imperfections. They made these figures into characters, made them human. I wondered what it would be like to make an angel physically human with a human soul, and that’s how Ellie was created. She’s the angel Gabriel, but she lives and dies as a human girl.

6. Ellie is a strong leading lady who manages to maintain friendships outside of her boyfriend. Can you talk a little bit about incorporating strong friendships within the storyline? I just ask because plenty of books that I read mainlyfocus on the swoons, which is great, but I just loved reading about Ellie’s friendship with Kate and found it to be quite unique.

I’ve noticed that a lot too, and honestly I find too much romance to be really boring. Falling in love for the first time is life-changing, but in the end your friends have been there for you from the beginning. A true friendship is unbreakable and I find them to be more compelling in a story when they are done right. Too often in a book, the main character meets the guy and rushes off on an adventure with him and leaves her friends behind. I find that so unrealistic. Your boyfriend or girlfriend can also be your best friends, but it’s those friendships that are honest and innocent and indestructible that serve as a lifeline for your heart. A significant other can break your heart, but your friends will be there to glue it back together.

7. What’s next for you after Shadows in the Silence?

More books! They’re all top secret for now, but my next series has butt-kickery, magic, and awesome characters just like Angelfire has, though it’s very different. It’s insanely awesome and it’s KILLING me to have to keep this secret. I can’t wait to share it with the world!

Oh goodness you guys! I cannot wait to see what Courtney comes up with next! ALSO! If you are dying to discuss Angelfire, hit up Epic Reads for your chance to dish spoilers in the forums.

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April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.
About April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

Comments

  1. Reading this interview has actually gotten me MAJORLY intrigued about this series. I’m a bit ashamed to admit I haven’t read it yet, but now I really really want to!

  2. Great interview, I love that Courtney incorporates her love of horses into her books.

  3. I LOVE this giveaway! And this series. And Courtney.

  4. Hi, I am trying to make Sims of the main characters. Could someone give me a list of 8 characters and their last name? Currently making Cadan 👌

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  1. […] so you should go read my review of Angelfire, Wings Of The Wicked and my interview with Courtney Allison Moulton to avoid spoilers for the series, obviously I will not post spoilers for Shadows In The […]