Hello again everyone,
I have have good news for all you fantasy fans out there, as today I am speaking to novelist Victoria Moschou.
PB: Hi! Welcome to pjbermanbooks.com. Tell us a bit about your background.
VM: Hello and thank you so very much for having me. My name is Victoria Moschou and I am a 27-year-old economist from Greece. I work at my family’s business and I also tutoring economics three times a week. When I am not working at my day jobs, I write epic stories and fantasy tales, set in mythical lands, simply because that’s how I can endure reality. A proud Ravenclaw myself, I can hardly say no to a good book, a hot mug of coffee, baking and photography.
PB: Snap! I'm a Ravenclaw too. What made you decide to become an author?
VM: I guess I always dreamed of writing my own books ever since I read Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, and realised the impact this book had on me. I wanted to tell stories about people with whom I could connect with. There were characters inside my head waiting to tell their stories. Some were more intriguing than others. Some have already seen the light of this world. And some are waiting patiently in the dark. That’s what made me decide to become an author; my characters and my favourite stories, that keep inspiring me after so many years.
PB: When did you first start writing?
VM: I remember writing my first ever story when I was nine years old. I’m sure that if I read this story now I will start laughing, in best case scenario, and I won’t be able to stop cringing, in worst. But the idea of becoming an author truly bloomed inside my head when I turned 15 and realised that, although I’d been reading great books at the time, there were certain books that still weren’t on the shelves.
PB: What was the first story that you can remember writing?
VM: I believe it was a Harry Potter fanfic. Come on, it’s a classic after all.
PB: Honestly, literally everyone in my house would agree with that! When you begin writing a new novel, do you always know the ending?
VM: Definitely not. Surely I plot and I try to make an outline as detailed as possible, but it’s the characters that narrate the story, therefore it’s their decisions that will eventually shape the ending of the book.
PB: Tell us about your recent novel, Guardian of the Auras.
VM: Guardian of the Auras is a YA High Fantasy novel, the first in a planned trilogy, that’s loosely based on the Greek myth of Pandora’s box. Set in a world where feelings have been banned and logic dominates, a young Priestess, Aurora, accidentally unleashes the Auras of the world, all the feelings and emotions that were believed to be the monsters of the universe.
PB: If you could meet any of your characters, who would you meet, and what would you say to them?
VM: I’d love to meet Wilona, Aurora’s best friend, and ask her how the hell she manages to remain so freaking calm when dealing with a crisis.
PB: Where did the idea for come from?
VM: The book started out as a short story that was about to be part of a writing competition, but after writing more than 10k words in just a couple of days, I realised there was more to happen and I simply had to see this story through.
PB: Of all your achievements, which are you most proud of?
VM: Honestly, I’ve never thought of that before. I’d probably say that I’m proud I had the chance to be published by Kingston University Press because if it wasn’t for the University and my writing teachers, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
PB: What is your favourite book series to read and why?
VM: I have many favourite series but I recently started reading Bloodlines, by Richelle Mead, which is a spin-off series of my all-time-favourite Vampire Academy, so I really want to see if I made the right decision and started reading this series after so many years of wanting to do so.
PB: What are your long term ambitions with regards to writing?
VM: Aside from being traditionally published, I want to write books that will make people laugh, cry and love with a passion!
PB: If you weren’t an author, what career would you be in?
VM: As I’m already following two completely different paths, I’d probably be working as an economist. Although thinking my life without books and writing seems truly terrifying, like being trapped inside a car that’s about to explode, so I think that not being a writer isn’t an option for me.
PB: I can relate to that. What’s the next target for you?
VM: I want to finish The Auras’ Chest series and then fully dedicate myself to a NA Urban Fantasy/Romance project I started earlier in 2020.
PB: Tell us a random fact about yourself.
VM: I am an only child.
Well, thank you so much to Victoria Moschou for talking to us all today. If, like me, you are interested in reading more of her work, you can do so here:
Until next time, keep reading!
Peter