Danita Minnis

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. C.P. Silver will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Author Interview: C.P. Silver

1. How did you choose your genre? What made you write this book?

Fantasy has been my favorite genre since childhood, so I was naturally drawn to writing it. As to why I wrote Whispers of the Elixir, it had to do with exploring ideas that fascinated me: What would a fantasy world be like that was ruled by women right from it origins? What would it feel like if your own mother valued her own legacy over your life?

And is it truly possible to choose yourself, even if it costs everything?

2. Writers write what they know and must observe the world. Are you a first born, middle or last child and how does this shape your view of the world?

I’m the youngest of 4 children. With 3 brothers who were several years older than me, I spent much of my time playing alone, which I loved. I mostly occupied myself with drawing and with imagining stories for my dolls, which was so much fun. The world my Strawberry Shortcake characters inhabited was intricately crafted by my imagination, and I still feel warm whenever I remember it. I suppose these experiences were the origins of my love of worldbuilding.

In terms of how my birth order shapes my view of the world, being the only girl and so much younger than my brothers made me the focus of a lot of tender affection. Having received kindness from a young age has, I believe, given me compassion for people around me—and even for my characters.

3. Where is your favorite place to write?

My little attic office, with its bookshelves and plant stand and skylights. It’s quiet and bright and always warm, three of my favorite conditions for comfort.

4. How do you feel about killing your darlings, and what do you do with the remains?

Killing my darlings is painful, but I’m ruthless about it anyway since it’s necessary for giving readers the best experience, which is my top goal. And I often recycle things I cut—parts of scenes, snippets of conversation, or even entire characters—and reuse them for other projects.

5. You are introduced to your favorite author. Who is it, and what is that one burning question you must ask them?

It’s J.R.R. Tolkien, author of Lord of the Rings, and I could find endless questions for him. But I suppose the one burning question would be, “How did you keep writing, in spite of everything going on in your life?”

Tolkien is definitely the right person to answer this, since, in addition to all the usual ups and downs of life that we all experience, he created his masterpieces through not one, but two world wars.

6. Inquiring minds want to know…tell readers something about you that no one knows.

When things feel out of control in my life, I do Sudoku. It’s a trick I learned from a psychologist friend. It works because, however small, it returns a level of control to me: It’s something I can choose to pick up and put down at will, and by figuring out the right sequence I can determine the outcome—something that often eludes us in real life.

7. You are stranded on a deserted island with only a backpack for company. What three items are in your survival pack?

As a practical person, I’d instinctively pick a water distillation kit, a first aid kit, and a fire-starting kit. A water distillation kit, since without water, it would all be over for me in about 72 hours, making every other consideration irrelevant; a first aid kit, since I imagine it would be easy to get hurt while searching for food, and I’d rather not die stupidly from something that’s easily treatable; and a fire-starting kit, because if I do manage to find food, I can avoid food poisoning by cooking it, and if I don’t find any, then at least I’ll be warm and cozy while I starve to death.

8. If you could have one superpower in your existence, what would it be?

Definitely flying. I’ve done it countless times in my dreams, and I love the feeling.

9. Favorite snack?

“Mulino Bianco” Italian cookies filled with lemon cream—though it’s probably more honest to call them an addiction than a snack. I forcibly turn my head away whenever I cross their aisle in the supermarket, because if I buy them, I’ll devour the whole bag within 24 hours.

10. Indy 500 – Do you know how to get where you’re going, or do you drive the speed limit?

When it comes to writing, I know my destination because I’ve always got a detailed map. Which doesn’t prevent detours and roadblocks along the way that force me to figure out alternate routes. Not to mention that my characters themselves will often grab the wheel, taking me down beautiful, unexpected paths.

A matriarchal empire. A princess with forbidden magic. A mother who would kill to protect her own legacy.

 

As heir to the Min empire, Tori has learned to wear her collar well — speaking her mind just enough to feel like herself, defying her empress mother just enough to survive the guilt of submission. But she’s hiding a secret that would see her sawn in half: a forbidden elemental power tied to the world’s mythic past. If discovered, her mother would execute her own daughter without hesitation. And Tori knows it.

When discovery becomes inevitable, she flees into Peach Blossom Grove — a mythic realm of ghost-flowers, sentient forests, and immortals who remember a world before empires. In this ancient realm where immortal masters train magic-wielders and sentient weapons choose their owners, magic is neither blessing nor curse but a reflection of who you truly are. Here, Tori finds what the palace never gave her: belonging. But the trials are brutal, designed to break her before they remake her. And as her mother’s ambition threatens war, Tori must choose — suppress the power that could doom her, or embrace it and become the one thing her mother fears most.

Herself.

Whispers of the Elixir begins the Order of the Ember series — a slow-burn, character-driven epic fantasy of legacy, sacrifice, and the strength of a princess destined to rise from the shadows and claim her place in legend.

Here you will find the political intrigue of Andrea Stewart, the immersive worldbuilding of Patrick Rothfuss, and the emotional weight of M.L. Wang.

Read an Excerpt

Tori fought the feeling of being on a leash. She raised a hand halfway to the feathers fastened around her neck, hesitated, then let it fall.

“Is it itching, Princess?” Lady Elnora said, watching her.

“Like all insanity, but no point fiddling with it.”

Her gentlewoman adjusted the feathered ruff anyway, providing no relief whatsoever. It didn’t matter. Collared or not, today she would prove she was not her mother’s lapdog.

She struggled to see above the red filigree rail of the Imperial Observation Pavilion—where the royal family sat, far above the masses—the weight of her ceremonial robes resisting her every effort. Imperial decorum, it seemed, had not been designed with mobility in mind. It was times like these that she regretted her small stature; her mother, no doubt, could see perfectly.

Once she finally shifted forward, however, her three-story vantage point allowed her a perfect view of the float parade winding through the city of Silver Fox Springs in a ribbon of color and sound.

“I still don’t see them,” Tori said, craning her neck forward.

Elnora’s smooth brown finger pointed the way. Blending seamlessly with the sculptures of giant mythical creatures adorning the streets, Tori’s pantomimists balanced on their stilts, waist pouches packed so tight with skades that the little stones stretched the seams. Pantomimists had never been seen before at the Tailu Spring Festival—and would remain hidden, until her plan required it.

About the Author:

C.P. Silver writes fantasy set in a world where matriarchy is absolute, with immersive worldbuilding, evocative prose, and emotionally complex characters. A former lawyer who also briefly studied Chinese medicine, her experiences shape the nuance and depth of her debut novel, Whispers of the Elixir, a slow-burn epic centered on legacy, inheritance, and the dangerous cost of power.

Raised in the Cayman Islands, she now lives in Europe. When not writing, she’s usually reading in a quiet nook or walking somewhere green, listening for the next story.

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F9YVK3NG

All Other Retailers: https://books2read.com/Whispers-of-the-Elixir

Social Media:

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Goodreads profile: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/56899835.C_P_Silver
Author website: https://www.cpsilver.com/