What’s your pen name?
We’re Chiara and Maria, and our pen name is C.M. Karys.
Tell me about your most recent book you’re writing and the title.
We’re writing the sequel of our newly published book, Ilahara: The Last Myrassar, but the title is still top secret.
Tell me about a trope you love writing.
Found family. It’s a trope that fits well with all other tropes, and enemies to lovers because the frustration of being drawn to your nemesis is very fun to write and angsty to read about.
Have you ever collaborated on a project with another author?
No, we haven’t. To be honest it’s not something we’ve thought about.
What are 3 common characteristics of your average reader?
Our book hasn’t been published for long, but so far we’ve noticed that most of the people who’ve read are women who like reading Fantasy and Romance.
How do you treat yourself when you meet a goal?
It depends on the day. On the calm days we watch a movie or listen to music. When it’s been stressful, we treat ourselves to a new book.
Do you have a pet who supports your writing? Who is it?
Yes! We have a dog. Her name is Kiche.
Where do you live?
We live in the suburb of Naples, Italy.
What does your protagonist and antagonist fight over?
The short answer would be the kingdom of Ilahara. However, at this point in the story Aerella Argarys is trying to eliminate the threat to the legitimacy of her reign, while Asharaya Myrassar is interested in staying away from the politics and only seeks revenge on the woman who brought about the death of her entire family and her beloved dragon.
Tell me the first sentence in your most recent book.
“Maenar Elvik had never been a brave man, but he was loyal.”
What’s the average age of your readers?
18 and up.
What emotion do you hope to capture most in your writing?
We want them to have fun, but we also want them to suffer and be happy about it because it means they love the characters that much.
How often do you send out newsletters and how can a reader sign up?
We only send them out when we have updates to share, so not too often. Readers can sign up by going to our website, cmkarys.com. For daily updates on our writing, or the books we’re reading, or some fun shenanigans, they can follow us on our Instagram accounts.
What’s your writing goals for 2022?
Finish writing and publish Ilahara 2.
How would your antagonist deal with COVID?
Aerella Argarys would lock everyone up. Her son, Derron, who she sends to kill Asharaya, would self-isolate and spend the day either training with his swords or playing the piano.
How would your protagonist deal with COVID?
Shara would stay indoors, reading and painting.
Tell me about a book you’d like to advertise and why?
Ilahara: The Last Myrassar is our debut New Adult Fantasy. It follows Asharaya Myrassar, who lost her family, her dragon, and everything she held dear on the night of the Coup of Fire when Aerella Argarys usurped the throne. She flees to the human continent and is believed dead until fourteen years later a seer prophesized her return. Friends and foes alike set out to find her, and the new queen sends her son, Derron Argarys, to find her and kill her. If you like fae, assassins, elemental magic, romance, found family, lost princesses, ancient rivalries and dragons, this is the book for you!
Do you have a “brand” logo and if so, who made it?
Our friend Kimcarlika is an amazing artist. She designed the chapter headers in Ilahara, which is the silhouette of a tree with the top shaped like a dragon. We use that design also on our website and on our newsletter header. You can find her on Instagram on @kimcarlika and @kimcarlika_art.
Social media links:
C.M. Karys website: https://cmkarys.com/
C.M. Karys Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cmkarys/
Chiara’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_ckarys/
Chiara’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/_ckarys
Chiara’s Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@_ckarys
Maria’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_mkarys/
Maria’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/_mkarys
Maria’s Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@_mkarys
Cassie Swindon 