Interview with A.L. Hawke, author of The Hawthorne University Witch Series

 

Today it gives the Speculative Fiction Showcase great pleasure to interview A.L. Hawke, author of The Hawthorne University Witch Series.

Welcome back to the Speculative Fiction Showcase. We’re meeting to discuss the latest instalments in your Hawthorne University Witch Series: a new box set featuring volumes 4-6 and a preorder for your Xmas witch story Candy Crone (Book 6.5). For starters, what can you tell our readers about the Hawthorne University Witch Series? How did it begin?

Well, my witch series is all about the college student Cadence Hawthorne. It’s really her story about her growth—not only her transformation into a witch, but into a woman. We follow her as she falls in love with Bryce starting in her Freshman year, Beltane Fire, all the way up to her studying in graduate school in Candy Crone (my upcoming Xmas new release).

Cadence narrates the books in first person present tense. I chose this for the cinematic effect. It’s a writing technique rarely used because it assumes the reader is talking to the narrator while the action is happening, something not possible in reality (unless, as in the case of my stories, your reading from a magic book). So the reader intimately joins Cadence, falling in love with Bryce, exploring why the town was named after her, learning why her enigmatic teacher, Alondra, is so interested in her, and all sorts of other witchy fun stuff along the way. And, all the while, we learn all about witchcraft and the occult.

The impetus for starting all this came from simply wanting to write a Halloween paranormal romance story. That was it, nothing glamorous. After I discovered Cadence’s voice, the first book, Broomstick, was born.

Let’s talk about volumes 4-6 of the series. Why are you releasing this box set now?

It’s Halloween. I had planned the release of books 4-6 as a personal goal in 2024. There’s nothing like having a book finished and I envisioned expanding my most successful series with another trilogy with Cadence in graduate school. So, I buckled down and got it done. Now I’m releasing all three in a discounted collection, Books 4-6, for the Halloween season. And with every eBook come audiobook versions narrated by the very talented actress Alexa Elmy.

The Hawthorne University Witch Series comes under the heading “Witches and Paranormal Romance” but the university setting is very important. What can you tell us about that.

I loved reliving college. When I describe Cadence and Maddie’s dormitory, that’s my dormitory. The dining commons and library are how I remembered it back in school. I went to college in both a suburban and a small rural town, so Hawthorne in Georgia is sort of a mix of my two experiences and I loved reliving it all with Cadence.

The protagonist of the University Witch Series is Cadence. How much can you tell us about her and what stage has she reached in her training - and her life?

You know, Cadence starts out as a very sweet and innocent girl in Beltane Fire. Her magical journey changes that. One of my favourite books in the series is Book 5, Ravens, because it’s so transformative. She learns the darker side of witchcraft—black magic. But it’s through learning the darker side that she becomes more balanced as a person and eventually helps the town. Through the journey, from Beltane Fire/Broomstick to Shadow Cast, Cadence goes from very innocent and naïve to a pretty powerful witch.

How do you go about researching the magic for the books and creating something both imaginary and convincing?

When I set out to create these stories, I wanted the university setting to be a believable place. Somewhere readers can believe students go to lecture, but then gather for Friday sabbaths to practice real magic around a bonfire. My fictitious Georgian town Hawthorne is a small college town surrounded by trees in a forest, and I think that dark shadowy background helps set the mood. It’s similar to Forks, Washington in Twilight. And the realism in settings certainly fits Forks in Twilight more than Hogwarts from Harry Potter. So my books are intentionally more realistic with most of the “flights of fancy” in the books being hallucinatory and psychological. Even in my newest book, Candy Crone, which has illusions from the Hansel and Gretel fairy tale, the story is more focused on the psychology of what Cadence sees in her mind over what actually is happening. That’s all to keep it realistic.

Much of my research is from the internet, but I’ve read a few books here and there, like some of Aleister Crowley’s books and Denise Alvarado’s books on voodoo. Incantations and spells in these books are authentic Latin. And many occult practices are from real pagan practices.

What can you tell us about the antagonists Cadence encounters in volumes 4-6? What tests and trials does she face as a young witch?

She fights an insane Samhain Witch named “mud” who lives like a hermit alone in the forest casting spells to hunt down the witches in Hawthorne.  She also fights her archenemy Enora. But, honestly, Cadence’s biggest antagonist is herself. Book 5 is her journey into learning about the evil within herself. She faces real satanic rites and learns the evil side of witchcraft and her that of her shadow in Book 6, Shadow Cast.

Let’s talk about Candy Crone, which is a standalone Christmas short story. Who is the Candy Crone and what trouble does she bring for Cadence?

Well, as Cadence says in the book, the Candy Crone is a ‘textbook’ witch. She is a crouched over brown-clothed old crone with a black headdress and a large wart on her nose tempting children with candy and sweets. This appearance is adapted from Grýla, of Icelandic witch folklore, who takes children and boils them in her pot during Christmas time. So the short story is a mix of Christmas, Icelandic and Germanic folklore, and Hansel and Gretel.

The idea was to have Cadence face the witch from Hansel and Gretel in Hawthorne during the yuletide. It was loads of fun to write. It’s way out there with hallucinatory scenes and it’s full of candy. Lots of cakes and candy.

What treats can your readers look forward to in Candy Crone and what will new readers enjoy?

Cakes, cupcakes, éclairs, donuts, tiramisu, ice cream dishes, cookies, macaroons, brownies, mixed berry parfait, raspberry, powdered sugar, snickerdoodle cookies, chocolate mousse, pina colada lasagna, chocolate soufflé, and some yummy treats that are covered in chocolate and vanilla swirled frosting. (excerpt from Candy Crone).

The Hawthorne University Witch Series is one of several series and standalone novels that you have written. What can you tell us about your other books and do they share the same universe?

No, my other books are completely separate. My Azure Series and Furies series take place in the same Greek mythological world focusing on Cora, the Greek goddess Persephone. The cool thing about the contemporary Medusa books in the Furies series is that they’re linked with my epic fantasies taking place 4000 years ago in the Azure Series. So Cora in the 21^st century is the same Cora character in the bronze age. Those two series are connected in the same world.

Why is the subject of witchcraft (and magic generally) so fascinating in modern (post-scientific) times?

Great question. Well, let me start with books. Not only are witches in, but paranormal romance books are still popular since Twilight. I think readers love paranormal romance for its realism and excitement. Vampires are scary but sexy. I loved the Twilight series and there’s no question I was influenced by Bella in my series. I wanted to bring that vampire allure to witches in college.

As far as society, I think witches are popular because we live in a spiritually challenging time. Many feel like science, and even organized religion, hasn’t solved our problems. So many are turning to magic. In my witch series, Cadence struggles with her own spiritual beliefs. She calls herself Catholic, but she’s constantly studying different religions, Celtic rites, Theosophy, Thelema, Sufism, Buddhism, etc. She’s not only trying to find out who she is, but what she believes in.

What do you think of the term “romantasy” and does it describe what you write?

Sure. Some books are more romance directed than others. I think Windstorm and Alondra are the most classic structured paranormal romances in the bunch. Others like Samhain Witch are a bit more focused on the fantasy side.

Romance is so fun to write. It’s another tool, like action, that breathes life into characters. You can throw a stray glance, or a wave of one’s hair, or even watching another arrange a desk. It infuses attraction into the story. I found it easy to focus on Cadence’s love life with Bryce as a major part of her this witch story. As Cadence struggles with witchcraft, she also struggles with her newfound lover, Bryce, who’s a male witch himself.

Will there be more adventures for Cadence, her allies and her enemies?

I don’t know. I’m playing with returning to the Alondra prequel and possibly adding a few more books there to create another trilogy. I wanted to continue this story years ago, but I wasn’t as confident over my knowledge of the occult as I am now.

The trouble with continuing books about Cadence is that the series centered on her growing up. Well, as she’s living happily ever after with her husband, the only way to move the series forward in that same light would be to either write companion books in the past or to focus on a new heroine. To me, the main adventure in these witch stories are characters ignorant of magic and discovering it. This is why I’m considering returning to Alondra. Liam is still discovering witchcraft through his love for Alondra in that 20-year prequel. So… maybe with Alondra.

Thanks so much for the opportunity to talk about my witch series!

SFS: Thank you, it's been great!

Buy Hawthorne University Witch | Pre-order Candy Crone 

About A.L. Hawke:

A.L. Hawke is the author of the bestselling Hawthorne University Witch series. The author lives in Southern California torching the midnight candle over lovers against a backdrop of machines, nymphs, magic, spice and mayhem. A.L. Hawke writes fantasy and romance spanning four thousand years, from pre-civilization to contemporary and beyond.

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