I feel like this book, in particular, has been a long time in the making. The Celtic Embers came to me, as I have stated, when I was watching a Lord of the Rings marathon. I always got Irish Celtic vibes from the books and the movies. I began researching Celtic Mythology and the idea for The Celtic Veil series came alive.

The strange and most interesting fact about this series was the third book, The Celtic Embers, was actually the book, the story, I thought of first. I wanted to write some sort of adventure, a secret mission to a dangerous place, with a band of beings who were brought together by a prophecy. Adara’s character and her backstory sprung after days of thinking how I was going to bring this part of the story alive and into fruition.

I began developing the characters who were a part of the fabled eight when I was writing the first book to this series, The Celtic Veil. Erin and Lena were the first beings to spring to mind. I wanted two young women who would bring a youthfulness to the mission. I wanted them to complain about not being able to sleep in and the bad weather. I also thought it was important to show their growth and maturity as the story moved along.

Isla came to me early on as well and I knew I wanted to introduce her in The Celtic Hollow. She was a bit of an easter egg and as I was writing the scene, her backstory grew in my mind. I actually stopped writing the chapter as Adara enters the council’s chambers, so I could focus on Isla in my notes. Having her character come to life was amazing when I finally was able to tell her tale. From Isla, I started having thoughts about Moira, and I decided not to have a grand backstory for her. Moira is the essence of what you see is what you get. Her no-nonsense approach I thought was needed, but she does have a somewhat softer side which she lets us glimpse every now and then.

Mick and Freddie began to weave themselves into the story and I absolutely love Freddie. My editor said that if Freddie died, he would quit. Mick was a bit different. I knew from creating him that he was a tad more complex in the beginning, but I do believe there is redemption for him later on. Michael was the last being I developed. I wanted Adara to have a strong counterpart and a vision of a kindly older man sort of sprung in my head. I think Adara needed someone who was a bit wiser to help her with her power and I liked the idea of an elder statesmen of the group.

The mission I had planned out for weeks, but I realized after the first dark faerie attack that it was not going to be as simple as I thought. I, and the team, wrestled with the act of killing the dark faeries and I wasn’t sure how a reader would react if I myself was second guessing their actions. I wanted to be clear that none of them were comfortable with it and after Adara kills the dark faerie when Michael hesitates, I needed to show how this affected her.

Shelley’s cottage. Oh, I did not want to write the chapter when they discover Mick has left the team. I always knew it was going to be him, but the more I wrote him, and the others, I almost wanted to change the prophecy. It was important for various reasons and with a heavy heart, I had to push through it. Of course, this was not the hardest scene to write. The attack on the weapon forges flew from my mind to the keys on the keyboard, but I began to falter after Lena and Adara were brought to Baltore.

Lena’s death gutted me as much as it did Adara and I cried as I wrote the chapter when Morrigan shows up in Adara’s jail cell. To be honest, I shed a few tears over the next few chapters. From Adara’s escape to the moment she arrives at the Keep. This is why the book is structured into distinctive parts. I was just as exhausted as Adara when she finally gets to Merlin and I was also wiped out after they make the climb to the Keep.

Bringing the team back for another mission was imperative and I was smiling as the remaining members of the fabled eight arrived at the Keep. I cried with them when they hugged and I enjoyed writing part two of the book. Like my main character however, I felt a heaviness within me as Adara arrives back home and both Adara and I realized why at the same time.

Living with Lorcan at the Keep made her feel safe and secure after such a harrowing journey and for the first time, Adara became aware that the tools which had helped with her anxiety in the past were not working. She didn’t want to isolate herself so she could cope. She wanted and needed the strength of, not just Lorcan, but those she loved, around her. Adara does not need Lorcan to protect her or stabilize her. She simply wants to share her life with him because he makes her feel comfortable in her own skin, which she has always struggled with in the past.

The Celtic Embers was one of my favorite books to write. Maybe because I had been waiting to write it for a long time and it felt glorious to get it out of my mind and bring the story to fruition.

However…if I thought The Celtic Embers was emotional to write, it had nothing on the fourth and final book, The Celtic Awakening.

Wow.

I do not like to talk about my upcoming books in great detail, but The Celtic Awakening was a challenge. Emotionally and physically. Every chapter had something going on in it and some of the scenes I had to envision in detail as I was writing absolutely destroyed me. I had to say goodbye to a few characters. I had to write battles and there was two side quests I didn’t even have in my chapter notes, but they kind of sprung up organically, and I had to go where my writer’s brain took me. It ended up being the longest book I have written to date and when I had two chapters left to write, I broke down crying because I didn’t think I had anything left in me to continue.

Thank you to my best friend of over thirty years who gave me the strength I needed at one of my top five lowest moments. You, and you alone, answered the call yet again, and I have never been more grateful for my beautiful friend Jen, who told me I could do it in no uncertain terms.

I do hope everyone enjoyed The Celtic Embers. I also hope you are excited to read the fourth and final book, The Celtic Awakening.

And not worry. George, everyone’s fav, has more scenes in the last book!

~Shannon

P.S.

I did do a little hint about when The Celtic Awakening was going to be released.

‘Cause baby, I could build a castle
Out of all the bricks they threw at me
And every day is like a battle
But every night with us is like a dream

If you know, you know.

If not…I will be revealing the book cover and release date officially in a few weeks!