Interviewing HM Long

Hellooo!!!

I recently reviewed the great Temple of No God by H M Long a great epic fantasy story exploring intrigue in a world only just recovering from the war of the gods. It also has a welcome return for Hessa one of the most interesting characters in fantasy and uses a ten year time jump well to explore how we change as we get older. HM Long kindly again talked to the blog about the book and the writing process for this story.

Hey there! Thanks so much for having me!

How would you booktempt Temple of No God?

A priestess at the head of a barbarian army, a crumbling empire, fallen gods and an ancient power waiting to be attained…

What was the appeal of a ten-year time jump?

My editor and I decided on a 10-year gap to give a little more distance between Hall of Smoke and this book, but I was also very glad to tackle a character in an underrepresented age category – the jaded 30ish adult who needs a holiday and has had it up to HERE with everyone’s shenanigans.

How was it writing Hessa now as a leader rather than on her own for a lot of the book as in Hall of Smoke?

I really enjoyed this aspect of writing Temple of No God. Loneliness and learning self-sufficiency are a key themes in Hall of Smoke, and though loneliness is still a thread in Temple (the solitude of leadership) I wanted Temple of No God’s Hessa to have more of a squad around her. This enabled more inter-character dynamics and let me explore how aspects of her personality (unyielding self-sacrifice and loyalty) applied with strained relationships, increasing responsibility for others and the demands of a restless people.

This tale has a lot more intrigue and alliances shifting in the story. Was this fun to plot and how did you keep track of who is with whom?

I had a very technical sticky note beside my laptop! But it went out of date multiple times, since I reorganized alliances at every phase of editing until I found the arrangement I liked best. This isn’t my favourite aspect of writing, but I do love that moment of clarity when everything falls together (or rather, apart) and the knives come out!

What else can we look forward from you in the future and where can we find out more?

A third book in the Hall of Smoke world featuring the daughter of a certain fallen deity is coming early 2023, while Book 4 is slated for early 2024 and will follow a brother and sister duo. I also have two more series waiting in the wings which I am bursting to share more about!

You can get all the latest updates on my socials: Twitter @hannah_m_long, TikTok @hmlongbooks, Instagram @hmlongbooks, Facebook @hmlongbooks, and my website www.hmlongbooks.com

Any recent reading highlights you’d like to share?

I recently LOVED Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan. It was every bit as beautiful as its cover promises and I can’t stop thinking about it, a month later. I’m currently devouring Jade City by Fonda Lee and am eagerly awaiting Hunger of the Gods by John Gwynne, follow up to my top read of 2021, Shadow of the Gods.