My next author interview is with E. B. Repetto, who wrote the fantasy duology, The Goddess Maker.

Alexis: Tell us about yourself! What would you like readers to know about you?

Repetto: Hi everyone! I'm a 29-year-old epic fantasy writer hailing from a small town in southeast Ohio, now residing on the east coast in the Greater Boston area. I released my debut novel, Lightning & Ember in the Fall of 2023 and recently released the second in the series, Blazing Sun, in May of 2024. As a self-proclaimed weeb, my series is action-packed, featuring a diverse cast of characters, magic, and court intrigue.

Alexis: What book or books have most influenced you as a writer?

Repetto: I generally read a lot of sci-fi/fantasy novels and manga/manhwa, so my inspirations are somewhat spread out. If I had to pick one, I would say Scott Westerfield's Uglies was one of the first sci-fi novels to stick with me. I loved the world-building and the character interactions, and it was refreshing to see a capable female lead in a genre that, at the time, was mostly dominated by men.

Alexis: Interesting! I’ve never read Uglies, but it sounds like a fascinating series. What are some tropes of fiction in your genre that you love/hate? Why?

Repetto: I love a good hidden truth. There's something about a mystery that makes a story complete in my mind and they're so much fun to unravel. I've been challenging my beta readers to find the ultimate antagonist in my works (thus far, no one has been able to name them, but they are on the right path). Beyond that, I think I have a love/hate relationship with most other tropes, so I tend to play around with them. Sometimes, I follow them straight--other times, I might make a character knowingly follow one only to do so with an ulterior motive. I'm all about subverting expectations (for good or for bad).

Alexis: Who is your favorite character in your book? What do you like about them? (or, which character do you hate most and why)

Repetto: This one is tricky! My main trio are all gripping in their own ways. At the end of the day, though, Akina is probably the closest to my heart. She's a woman that knows her strength and how to wield it. It's a quiet skill that doesn't go unnoticed by the people around her, and truthfully, one I wished I knew how to master.

Alexis: She sounds like an interesting character! What TV shows/Movies do you like to watch or stream?

Repetto: Given the aforementioned weeb comment, I tend to watch a lot of anime. My recent favorites are Jujutsu Kaisen, Blue Lock, and Kaguya-Sama: Love is War! My husband and I are always on the hunt for a bingeable action/adventure/sci-fi series, however, so we tend to hop between what's new on the big streaming services.

Alexis: You should check out Delicious in Dungeon, which is my favorite anime recently! Do you have pet(s)? If so, share a picture of your pet!

Repetto: I do! I have a 4-year-old German Shepherd and a 1-year-old Australian Shepherd. Yes...there is a lot of barking in our house (in fact, that's how the Aussie got his name--Echo!)

Alexis: How do you choose what books you want to read?

Repetto: I tend to shop for books at physical, local bookstores, so I generally rely on staff recommendations when picking out a book. While I tend to give preference to stories from diverse authors, I'll read anything if the recommendation is glowing enough. From there, I do what I call a "random page test" where I'll flip to a random page in the middle front of the book and read about half of it. If I'm grabbed by what's there, I'll walk out with it.

Alexis: Do you like Greek/Roman/Norse/Asian/African mythology or folklore? What’s your favorite myth?

Repetto: I love a lot of Greek mythology. The Iliad and the Odyssey were two of the first books that I bought when I moved to Boston. I particularly love a good hero's journey, so the Odyssey is probably my favorite of the two. Down the line, I've been toying with the idea of creating a sci-fi series modeled after the Greek Primordial Deities. It's still in the early planning stages, but so far I'm excited about the prospects.