Why I Write Fantasy - Riley Quinn

Welcome, Riley Quinn, urban fantasy author!

Riley: Thanks, Amber, for inviting me to guest on your blog.

Amber: Why do you write fantasy?

Riley: I write fantasy, particularly urban fantasy, because it’s my favorite genre to read. When I got serious about my writing several years ago, I naturally gravitated toward the paranormal and urban fantasy genre. Funny enough, I have two novellas published, one under Riley Quinn and the other under another pen name, and neither are fantasy. I do have a story coming out in August that features different species of the Fae.

Amber: You say that your characters are "just like us. Except for the super-human strength, enhanced senses, ability to do magic and drinking blood. So not exactly like us but they've got problems too. They just have more interesting ways of handling them." Tell me more. 

Riley: In fantasy novels, the supernatural characters have special powers and super-strength. Normally, these attributes would be seen as positives. But sometimes, these same positive can be the cause of problems too. Because of their “quirks”, sometimes their problems require more creative solutions. 

Amber: What are your favorite fantasy novels?

Riley: I love series. When I meet characters that I really like, I want to see more of them. Some of my favorite urban fantasy novels are the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs, the Rachel Morgan series by Kim Harrison, the Karma Consultants series by Vivi Andrews, the House of Night series, by PC and Kristin Cast, The Kitty series by Carrie Vaughn, Vicky Lewis Thompson has some great lighter paranormal books that I enjoyed, A Werewolf in Manhattan, Blonde with a Wand and Chick with a Charm. This is a short list of some of my favorites. Several of these authors are automatic buys for me when new books come out. I’m also open to discovering new authors, too, so if any of your readers have suggestions…

Amber: Why do you think readers love fantasy?

Riley: I like to read as a means to entering another world. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been able to transport into the world of a well-written book. Fantasy allows us to explore new worlds, new species, new experiences that aren’t possible in our world. I would venture to guess that other readers love fantasy for the same reason.

Amber: Would you write fantasy if no one read it?

Riley: Absolutely! I write first for myself. The stories that I’d like to read, the characters that I’d like to meet, that whisper in my head. If others find enjoyment in my stories, that’s a bonus. So, yeah, if no one else read it, but me, I’d still write it.

Riley Quinn is a recent transplant from the central Texas area to Bavaria, Germany. She lives there with her supportive husband and crazy dog. While in Europe, she's taking advantage of travel opportunities and storing up the story ideas inspired by historic towns and scenic countryside. She spends her days writing and in her downtime likes to read, quilt, sew, crochet and watch movies.

Let It Be Me, the the first in her Cupid Matchmakers series, will be released in August from Red Hot Publishing. Riley will be one of the great authors of DigitalDigest, a new blog, offering short fiction and other fun stuff Mondays through Fridays. And each month, an ebook of one of the blog’s contributions. Riley will post twice monthly installments of Power Play. The blog goes live July 1 and will be available for uploading to your Kindle .

Blood Diamond

Dodging an angry warlord and running through the rain forest in Congo Brazzaville was not what Jillian St. James expected when she signed up with Doctors Without Borders. Yet that’s exactly what she gets after a mysterious visit from her brother.

Mercenary Mack Nichols doesn’t have much faith in humanity these days. When a beautiful young doctor denies being part of the theft of a blue diamond from his client, he doesn’t put much stock in her story. Read an excerpt.

Let It Be Me

Emily is through with musicians. After supporting her last boyfriend only to find him “thanking” one of his groupies, she’s thrown herself into her café. The new guitarist she’s hired brings in the customers, but he’s serenading her senses and weakening her resolve about musicians.

Mike plays and sings most nights at The Coffee Bean, but his real reason for being there has nothing to do with music. His attraction to the owner is getting in the way of his true mission. He knows building a relationship on lies can lead to more than broken hearts.

Power Play

 Cassie’s not having a good week. She’s tired of dealing with the mixed signals from her boyfriend and she’s attacked by a large dog. Then it gets worse. Said boyfriend is keeping secrets and possibly using her for his own ends? And the dog that attacked her? Yeah, that was a werewolf and now she’s going to be howling at the next full moon. 

To lean more about Riley and her books check out

her Website 
Her Blog :

Digital Digest Blog (goes live July 1) 

Riley Quinn’s Contest!

Leave a comment by May 20th

for a chance to win a .pdf copy of 

her romantic suspense, 

Blood Diamond!