»It is definitely exciting!«
Interview with Warda Moram: Volume II of the fantasy trilogy Liber Bellorum has been published

»It is and remains simply surreal that I have actually managed to get not only a publisher but also readers out there excited about my book.« With the publishing contract for her fantasy trilogy »Liber Bellorum«, a dream has come true for the up-and-coming Munich author Warda Moram . In an interview on the occasion of the release of Volume II, » Liber Bellorum: Light and Shadow «, she reveals that after the final third volume she is not planning a sequel to the epic about the two dissimilar magician brothers Kyle and Raven: »I respect the beginning and the end that this story has chosen for itself.« But other stories want to be told and new worlds discovered...

With the publication of the first volume of "Liber Bellorum" a dream came true for you. How does this dream feel now that the second volume is already being published?

Warda Moram: To be honest, I still can't quite believe it. It is and remains somehow surreal that I have actually managed to get not only a publisher but also readers out there excited about my book. Even the many reviews on the Internet don't really make it any more tangible. Maybe I have to see some stranger on the subway holding it in their hand for it to become real. But it is definitely exciting.

The many enthusiastic reactions confirm that the fantasy trilogy hits the nerve of the times and, thanks to the committed activities on social media, also finds the right readers. What has changed for your life as an author?

Warda Moram: As unromantic as it sounds, first and foremost everything has become more stressful. Just because the first volume has been published, I didn't become a full-time author overnight - although that would of course be the dream. I still have a normal job to earn my living, like everyone else. But in addition to that, there is now a lot to do in my "free time": texts need to be corrected, expanded or even rewritten, book designs need to be decided and created, and in the middle of all of that, you also have to find time for an interview... Apart from that, not much has changed, but I'm quite happy about it. It's not for nothing that I appear masked and under a pseudonym. I'm quite happy with my middle-class, average Joe life.

Similar to its famous role models, the world of "Liber Bellorum" is as complex as it is mysterious. What do you recommend to interested fantasy fans who want to delve deeper into the myths and magic surrounding the two dissimilar brothers?

Warda Moram: To take up this invitation to self-promotion without hesitation: There is of course the blog at www.liber-bellorum.de , where you can find some background information. Then there are the reading groups on Lovelybooks.de , for example, in which I myself and the two young publishers also get involved a little.

The second part of the trilogy is not only more extensive, but according to the test readers, even more exciting. How does the story continue and what can we look forward to?

Warda Moram: Of course I don't want to give too much away here. But of course there will be one or two twists and turns that will hopefully surprise the reader. After getting past the "tutorial" in volume 1, you not only get to know the characters better, but the world also becomes bigger and finally comes out with some answers. And maybe it's not always something for the faint-hearted... but you have to expect that, because my stories are and always have been on the darker side.

The story of how Liber Bellorum came about is itself a bit fantastical and resembles a winding journey. What can you tell us about it?

Warda Moram: Every story is a journey, but it was only through Liber that I really became aware of that. It forced me to leave my comfort zone and give up control. The journey began in 2007, alongside two brothers who were not so dissimilar to Kyle and Raven. In the same year I wrote the story of a girl who crosses a border and suddenly finds herself in a magical world that already looks amazingly similar to the Alliance. But neither of them really made sense. At the time I simply lacked the patience and foresight to realise that they were not two different stories. In 2010 I came up with the idea of ​​combining the two. It took another year to rewrite the story, and after that I had to gather my courage for another nine years and wait for the right opportunity before I could get a publisher interested in it. The whole story can be read in the blog at www.liber-bellorum.de . 

There is also a glossary with the most important terms on the website www.liber-bellorum.de . Are there any further entries planned, such as short descriptions of the characters involved?

Warda Moram: The glossary is constantly being expanded, and some new terms will be added, especially with the new volumes. But since I see it as a kind of "part of the story," I attach importance to staying "in character." So I'm not sure whether character descriptions can be implemented in this form. But that doesn't mean that there can't be one or two blog posts in this direction. Time is of course a little short at the moment - there's still a lot to do before Volume III is published. But suggestions and requests are always welcome.

The third volume, “Asche & Phönix,” is already in the starting blocks, and readers and fans would like to know: Will there be further projects from the world of “Liber Bellorum”?

Warda Moram: At the risk of disappointing one or two people: No. The story of Liber is complete, and beyond the trilogy there will be no more news from this world. I am rigorous in this respect. When a story is finished, it is finished. Sometimes it has to develop, as happened with Liber , but the plot remains basically the same. Minor changes, additions or appendices are fine. But I will probably never write a "sequel" in that sense. That somehow contradicts my relationship to the writing process. Now and then I myself want a "prequel" to one of my books, for example, or I want to know what happens to the characters if I have taken them particularly close to my heart. But I respect the beginning and the end that the story has chosen for itself. Everything else is left to the reader's interpretation.

Now comes the BUT: There is always a new story with a whole new world and new characters. Storytelling itself has been with me my whole life - I was telling stories before I could even write. So I won't be stopping anytime soon.

Book tip:
Warda Moram: Liber Bellorum. Volume II: Light and Shadow . Mankau Verlag 2022, paperback, 13.5 x 21.5 cm, 396 pages, 17.95 euros (D) / 18.50 euros (A), ISBN 978-3-86374-629-2.

Audiobook tip:
Warda Moram: Audiobook Liber Bellorum. Volume II: Light and Shadow . Mankau Verlag 2022, 1 MP3 CD in jewel case, total running time approx. 803 min., RRP 15.00 euros (D/A), ISBN 978-3-86374-632-2.

Link recommendations:
More information about the book »Liber Bellorum II: Light and Shadow«
To the reading sample in PDF format
More information about the audio book »Liber Bellorum II: Light and Shadow«
More about author Warda Moram
To the blog www.liber-bellorum.de
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