The Last Atlantean Blog Tour | Interview with Emily Hayse + Book Review
Today, I’m honored to have the opportunity to interview Emily Hayse, author of Crowning Heaven, Seventh City, and The Last Atlantean! If you love character-driven fantasy, you’ll definitely want to check out Emily’s books!
A B O U T E M I L Y H A Y S E
EMILY HAYSE is a lover of log cabins, strong coffee, and the smell of old books. Her writing is fueled by good characters and a lifelong passion for storytelling. When she is not busy turning words into worlds, she can often be found baking, singing, or caring for one of the many dogs and horses in her life. She lives with her family in Michigan.
I N T E R V I E W
What traits does The Last Atlantean share with your previous novels, Crowning Heaven and Seventh City? What sets it apart from them?
My books so far have had some common themes of courage and dealing with loss and fear and there has usually been some kind of legend tied to it. What sets this apart is its actual use of history (it is set in 1912) as well as a more mature heroine. Hattie is a little more equipped for life, knows her mind and her convictions more than the other two.
You’ve shared beautiful character aesthetics on social media for this novel. Do your story ideas tend to start with a visual element first or something else?
Usually they come to me with a concept and at least one character, but the visual aspect does come in pretty fast. When I first start to get ideas I usually start up a secret Pinterest board and pin a whole bunch of things from the get-go and that does help form the strong impressions I want the story to give.
What is your favorite part of the setting of The Last Atlantean?
The sea, by far. I get to work with both the stormy Atlantic and the jewel-blue Mediterranean and contrast them. I love large bodies of water and they are so fun to describe. It’s like they have a life of their own.
What does your writing routine look like? What would your ideal writing day look like?
My routine at the moment is basically just getting in the words around work and life. When I am working on a project I might put down between 500-2.5k a day. Often I will set certain word or time goals for a particular project, so it can vary depending on what I'm working on. An ideal day would start about 5am with coffee and a couple hour writing session. Then I would have time in the mid-morning to get things done and take care of Instagram, and then maybe do another afternoon session or some editing before doing something to rest or recharge in the evening with the family.
If any character from The Last Atlantean could meet any character from your other novels, what might that meeting look like?
This is tough. It all depends on the characters, I guess. I would love to see the antagonists of the three books locked in a room together...I think Captain Innes would win out over the others. He’s pretty clever. It would also be fun to see some of the more military sorts of characters go after the antagonists of one the other books. There’d certainly be some sparks. But I could do this with combinations forever!
What has been your favorite part of writing and publishing The Last Atlantean? What aspect are you most excited to see readers’ reactions to?
I loved getting to work with history and with the Atlantis legend. It's been something that I’ve been fascinated with for most of my life so to finally sort of delve in and get to read things (mostly for atmosphere) and to get to incorporate these things into a historical setting was really fun. Also the sharks. I studied up on shark behavior and training and that was really fun. As for what I’m most excited to see reactions to, I’d probably have to say the characters (that’s almost always what I want to know from readers) and the climax.
A B O U T T H E L A S T A T L A N T E A N
As
a lighthouse keeper’s daughter, Hattie has always been able to handle
anything the Atlantic throws at her. But when a stranger washes ashore
in a storm, she finds herself unraveling a mystery that will change her
life.
Caught up in a high-stakes game of intrigue and
hidden loyalties, Hattie watches legends take shape before her eyes. But
as kings and pawns prepare for a showdown that will determine the fate
of an ancient world, she wonders whether she has thrown in her lot with
the hero or the villain.
B O O K R E V I E W
The more historical fantasy I read, the more I fall in love with it, and The Last Atlantean has definitely earned a place among my favorites of the genre.
The story begins with Hattie Scrow and her close-knit community by the seaside. Emily Hayse conveys the atmosphere of the story so well, and the comparisons between Maine and Atlantis were perfect. Each setting has its own unique feel, and both are immersive and rich with just the right amount of detail.
The story moves quickly, taking Hattie from the familiar world of her family and childhood home to her new home in Atlantis with Isurus and his quest to reclaim the throne that was taken from him. Atlantis is a world of danger, betrayal, and intricate political moves, with prophecies and warring interpretations of what those prophecies could mean. Is Isurus the Doom that will destroy Atlantis? Is his unexpected survival a sign that he is truly meant to be king?
All of this sets up for a high-stakes attempt to reclaim the throne, woven with betrayals and loyalties and deadly attempts to gain the upper hand. Things don’t always take the turn one might expect, and this makes The Last Atlantean the sort of book that you want to read in one sitting. I was drawn in from the very first page and always had a difficult time leaving the story when I had to set it aside! (And really, I think the only downside of the story is that I wish it might have been a little longer, just to spend more time in the world and with the characters!)
Aside from the atmosphere, another favorite aspect was the characters. I loved how Hattie was ready to fight for and alongside Isurus, even when the odds were against them, and how she remains true to herself even when others would prefer to see her doubt her place in Atlantis. I particularly loved this Hattie moment:
Also: Taurus. Taurus. TAURUS. I loved him from the first moment he stepped into the story and he easily claimed the role of “favorite character,” and you can still find me fangirl-squealing over him, honestly.
The Last Atlantean is a unique take on the Atlantis lore and beautifully written. If you’re a fan of legends and historical fantasy, you should definitely check it out!
The story begins with Hattie Scrow and her close-knit community by the seaside. Emily Hayse conveys the atmosphere of the story so well, and the comparisons between Maine and Atlantis were perfect. Each setting has its own unique feel, and both are immersive and rich with just the right amount of detail.
The story moves quickly, taking Hattie from the familiar world of her family and childhood home to her new home in Atlantis with Isurus and his quest to reclaim the throne that was taken from him. Atlantis is a world of danger, betrayal, and intricate political moves, with prophecies and warring interpretations of what those prophecies could mean. Is Isurus the Doom that will destroy Atlantis? Is his unexpected survival a sign that he is truly meant to be king?
“Some men’s fault is to run from death…his is to stand between death and his people.”
All of this sets up for a high-stakes attempt to reclaim the throne, woven with betrayals and loyalties and deadly attempts to gain the upper hand. Things don’t always take the turn one might expect, and this makes The Last Atlantean the sort of book that you want to read in one sitting. I was drawn in from the very first page and always had a difficult time leaving the story when I had to set it aside! (And really, I think the only downside of the story is that I wish it might have been a little longer, just to spend more time in the world and with the characters!)
Aside from the atmosphere, another favorite aspect was the characters. I loved how Hattie was ready to fight for and alongside Isurus, even when the odds were against them, and how she remains true to herself even when others would prefer to see her doubt her place in Atlantis. I particularly loved this Hattie moment:
“I want to do right. I don’t have any expectations of changing the whole world, but I want to do well what I’ve been given to do and make a difference to the people I love.”
Also: Taurus. Taurus. TAURUS. I loved him from the first moment he stepped into the story and he easily claimed the role of “favorite character,” and you can still find me fangirl-squealing over him, honestly.
The Last Atlantean is a unique take on the Atlantis lore and beautifully written. If you’re a fan of legends and historical fantasy, you should definitely check it out!
** I received an ARC of The Last Atlantean in exchange for an honest review. **
T H E L A S T A T L A N T E A N B L O G T O U R
Interview + Review - Lovely Whatsoevers
I'm so glad that you liked Taurus! He's definitely one of my favorites too. <3
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