Introduce yourself; who are you and what types of books do you write?
Hi! I’m Elene and I write as E. M. Kkoulla. I’m of British/Greek Cypriot descent and currently live in the North-East of England with my husband and two feline overlords, Zeus and Hades. I write epic fantasy adventure books and short stories. I’m very grateful to Michael for giving me the opportunity to feature on his blog.
What are your books about?
My complete five book Ships of Britannia series is set in an alternate Britain which is still part of the Roman Empire in what we would call 1300 AD/CE. This Britannia is ruled by the descendants of King Arthur, or Artorius, who saved the Empire with the help of the Britannic Mages led by Merlin. Several hundred years later, the country is on the brink of industrialization and becoming a major sea power. The series opens with a young indentured servant, Maia Abella, being blamed for a murder she didn’t commit and hunted for divine powers the authorities presume she has. Unknown to her, a deadly inheritance is dogging her every step and she must survive however she can. Aided by Raven, a blind Mage and Milo, a government Agent, she navigates a world where gods, myth and magic are real.
What was the inspiration behind writing your first book?
When I was seven, my mother bought me a book called Tales of the Greek Heroes, by Roger Lancelyn Green. I read it over and over, then moved on to The Tale of Troy and any other books on myths and legends I could get my hands on. These stories featured the superheroes of their day, told for thousands of years around fires and in halls where our ancestors gathered. This led me to a degree in Classical Studies and a burning desire to be one of those storytellers. Another major inspiration was the monster movies I watched as a child, especially the ones made by Ray Harryhausen. I still love watching his Jason and the Argonauts and Sinbad movies today, together with anything featuring kaiju or Godzilla. I’m also a big Star Trek and Doctor Who fan, which led me to the idea of sentient ships. Anne McCaffrey’s The Ship Who Sang is also a great favourite of mine. I’m fascinated by the idea of humans metamorphosing into something else and whether they can still truly remain human afterwards.
What did you learn while writing your second book?
Not to write it out in longhand! I just sat down with a pad and pen one day to write a story and it grew and grew, branching out into a huge sprawling behemoth. After cutting out 40k, I wrote the second book on my laptop and made myself do a bit more plotting.
What is the most rewarding part of being an author?
For me, it’s when someone says they enjoyed reading my books and they could forget reality for a while. I read to escape into other worlds and I like to think my readers do too, which is why I call them ‘adventures’. I want to be that storyteller by the fire with an enraptured audience.
What elements do you think make for a good story?
Apart from it being readable with correct grammar and layout, I would say whatever captivates the reader is good. Taste is largely an individual thing and we all have our own preferences. What one person loves, another won’t. I don’t tend to read literary fiction, romance or thrillers but they’re very popular. Give me monsters and a lot of action and I’m happy, which is why you’ll find both of these in my series!
What is the hardest part of being an author for you?
Visibility. Thousands of new books are coming out every month and without the backing of a big traditional publisher or a celebrity name it’s hard to be noticed in the crowd. Marketing through ads also costs money, which is hard when you’ve spent your budget on editing, proofreading and a good cover. Technically you could do everything yourself, but I wouldn’t recommend it, especially when it comes to editing. There are also on-going costs, such as websites, newsletter and tech support. It’s not for the faint-hearted! I tend to find most of my readers through word of mouth and social media.
What is your current writing project?
I’m putting together a short story collection linked to my series. Some are standalones within the world of Britannia, others are little inserts or postscripts to the main books, with some of the characters already familiar to readers. After that, I’m not sure. I’ll have to petition the Muse to grant me more inspiration.
What is the best writing advice you’ve ever received?
Don’t be in too much of a rush. I started off as a short story writer, so I tended to be brief and economical with my words. I’ve been chided for not making my books longer, so as the series progressed I learned to expand a little and put more in. Having said that, growing up most of the books I read were only about 80-90k long, if that. These days you could brain an elephant with some fantasy books, so I try to stick to a happy medium.
Where can readers discover more about you and your books?
You can find my website at emkkoulla.com, which has universal links to all my books. If you sign up to my little monthly newsletter, you’ll get a free 40k novella, Son of the Sea, as a thank you. I’m also active on X @EKkoulla and occasionally post on my #Shipsof Britannia FB page. If you’re in the UK, I’ll be at the PASCIFY event at the Great Yorkshire Showground in April and have also booked a table for Fantasycon 2026 in October in Glasgow. If you’re about, please pop over and say hi!