Two Crowns, Three Blades
Legends of Baelon Book 2
by Robert A Walker

A kingdom in turmoil. A murderous plot. A search for buried treasure. In the world of Baelon, everyone’s got an axe to grind–even those seeking true love.

Still grieving over the loss of his wife and daughter, King Axil of Aranox declares war on the Guild of Takers. The GOT’s High Order responds, strengthening its efforts to kill both of Baelon’s monarchs. Tristan Godfrey seeks his brother’s murderer, and true romance is made to wait again as Sibil Dunn–more skilled than ever–embarks on a solitary crusade. Saved from the guillotine, Guild Overseer Reynard Rascall looks to avenge Spiro’s death while retired Royal Guard, Rolft Aerns, recovers from his wounds and puts away his sword–until, that is, he learns of Sibil’s quest. Marshal Carson matches wits with The Magister, and leads the army of Aranox into battle in The Lawless Lands.

And all of Baelon hangs in the balance.

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Lily:  Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview, Robert, I’m looking forward to diving into Two Crowns, Three Blades. If you could write this same story from another character’s point of view, who would you choose?

Robert:  That’s a tough question, because Two Crowns, Three Blades is already written from multiple characters’ perspectives. But one of the minds we do not get inside is that of Charise, the seductive assassin. Seeing the world through her eyes would be quite exciting!

Lily:  I think she’d definitely add a unique perspective. Which character did you relate to, or empathize with, the most?

Robert:  The king’s marshal, Erik Carson. He’s a thinker, principled and loyal to the throne, but also troubled by the weight of his position and the dilemmas he is forced to face.

Lily:  He sounds like a great character. Which one was the most challenging to create? Why?

Robert:  The most challenging character for me was the young protagonist, Sibil Dunn. There is so much going on inside her head and heart, and she’s still maturing physically as well. Getting all that right was critical to the overall story’s success because she is such a central figure. I spent considerable time trying to convey how she processed the world around her.

Lily:  Based on book one, I have no doubt you’ve managed to convey her complexities within the story. Are you planning a sequel? If you are, can you share a tiny bit about your plans for it? If not, what’s your next/current writing project?

Robert:  Two Crowns, Three Blades is the sequel to Six Moons, Seven Gods, the first book in The Legends of Baelon series. But yes, a third book in the series will be required to tie up loose ends and put the conflict between The Takers Guild and Baelon fully to rest.

Lily:  I’m looking forward to reading it when it comes out! Now, we’d like to talk about you as a writer. Has writing and publishing multiple books changed the way you see yourself?

Robert:  I don’t think it’s changed the way I see myself so much as it has changed the way others see me. I’m still the same old guy. I don’t look or feel any different. I don’t act differently. But I’m asked quite often now how the writing’s going, how difficult it is to get published, or about the ins and outs of book marketing. It’s clear that a lot of acquaintances, regardless of how they saw me before, now also see me as “author”.

Lily:  I can see how that would change how people view you, especially because you’re also an award-winning author! Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?

Robert:  I do occasionally hear from readers, and that’s the highlight of my day. Most often, they write to tell me how much they enjoyed a particular story line or character. Earlier this year, one reader wrote to tell me that the two book releases they were most looking forward to this year were the latest prequel to The Hunger Games (Sunrise on the Reaping) and Two Crowns, Three Blades. You can imagine how that made me feel!

Lily:  That’s awesome! Do you aim for a set amount of words/pages per day?

Robert:    I consider myself a slow writer. When I’m in work mode, I aim to average 500 words a day. But that’s an objective to motivate and inspire, not a hard or critical target. If I miss it, I’m not worried. So many things can influence my productivity. One day, a snag in the plot might slow me down. But the very next, the words might just as easily come gushing out.

Lily: Sounds like you know your limits, and that’s not a bad thing. Let’s finish up with some fun questions and get inside your mind. What do you probably spend too much money or time on, but it is totally worth it?

Robert:  Ice cream! My wife makes a hot fudge sundae with bananas, nuts and whipped cream that is to die for! Absent that, a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Chubby Hubby or Baskin Robbins’ World Class chocolate will do. I have to be careful, though, because I can easily devour the whole pint in one sitting. But yes, totally worth it!

Lily:  We have an amazing ice cream place nearby, if it was slightly closer I’d probably end up spending too much on ice cream as well. Would you rather spend the weekend with pirates or ninjas?

Robert:  That depends. If I get to be one of them, I’ll choose the ninjas. So cool and talented! But if I have to battle them, I’ll choose the pirates. They would be much easier, I imagine, to outsmart or dupe into a drunken stupor. Plus I know a thing or two now about swordplay, so I might stand a fighting chance with the pirates. But those sneaky ninjas…!

Lily:  I’d have to agree with your assessment on both, and I’ll say you do get to be one of them, at least for the day. Do you think dreams have any significance, or is it just your brain doing maintenance?

Robert:  I’m certain they have significance. The challenge is figuring out what they represent. I mean, a bowl of oatmeal climbing a ladder while parachuting dogs drift by? C’mon! Seriously, I do think dreams have meaning. My challenge is remembering them; most of mine fade from memory mere moments after waking. What’s that all about?

Lily:  It’d be interesting to find out what some of the more wild dreams represent, but I admit I’ve never dug too deeply for most of mine. What is or was your most treasured clothing item?

Robert:  I’m not a clothing freak. My wife is the fashionista in the family. But I do own a pair of SpongeBob SquarePants boxer shorts my kids gave me one Christmas. They’re pretty cool.

Lily:  That’s actually pretty awesome, and I love that it’s something your kids gave you. What would you do with a real bag of holding?

Robert:  I’d fill it with gold to just below the weight limit. Gold kingsheads to be more specific. Half of them portraying the bust of King Axil of Aranox, the other half the bust of King Tygre of Tegan!

Lily:  That would be awesome, and an easy way to make sure you always have what you need on hand, no matter which side of the battle lines you land on. How can readers discover more about you and your work?

Robert:  They can visit my website at https://rawalkerwriting.com or email me directly at fairytalepub@gmail.com. I’d love to hear from them!