Bella Leigh Michaels started writing because she kept getting it wrong. Not the writing. The guessing.
“While reading I would predict the endings or the twists and I eventually started to write down the ideas, since I was always wrong,” she says. “I am terrible at guessing endings, my ideas were always so outlandish.” Those stray ideas stacked into a plot of intrigue, secrets, and angst that became A Court of Broken Promises, the first book in the Kingdom of Adaria and a slow-burn, why-choose fantasy romance.
What is A Court of Broken Promises about?
A Court of Broken Promises is a slow-burn, why-choose fantasy romance and the first book in the Kingdom of Adaria trilogy. Kaia is the sheltered daughter of the king’s elite-guard commander, arrested after her father is accused of trying to assassinate the king he served. Four of his most trusted men, each tied to a different element, break her out, and they become fugitives chasing what her father knew.
The suspense she didn’t mean to write
“Fantasy Romance has always been my favorite genre,” she says. The why-choose was not the plan. It arrived through the characters. “It only became an RH once I got to know the group of MMCs and realized that I loved them all,” she says, “their personalities and backstories grew to close to my heart that I couldn’t possibly choose a man.”
The mystery was even less planned. “The suspense was an accident,” she says, and it came from a craft decision. “I hate info dumps and upfront world building,” so she released the book’s secrets slowly, alongside her heroine: “We’re learning things as my FMC, Kaia, learns them as well.” Her beta readers named what she’d done. “I was told they’re like the detectives connecting red dots on a board,” she says. “That was the moment I realized I wrote a suspense. I personally have never read one!”
One heroine, four heroes, no clear favorite
Bella’s ambition sat underneath the plot: make every man on the page matter equally, the promise a why-choose romance makes and most often breaks. “I spent effort making each character unique and have their own voice,” she says. “I wanted a cast of characters you care for right away.” Reader feedback suggests it worked. “Each POV reads differently and no one can pick a favorite,” she says. “Whoever is on the scene is the favorite.” Her hope for the reader is simple: “Kaia finds a home with these guys, I hope the readers do too.”
The hardest part was never the writing
Ask what the journey gave her, and she names people, not pages. “I think the most rewarding has been working with readers to perfect the book,” she says. Her alpha and beta teams became friends. “When I was in the hospital, several reached out daily to check on me. That’s warmed my heart,” she says. “They still get me out of my head when imposter syndrome hits, which is seriously real.”
The hard part comes after the book is done. “The most challenging is definitely marketing,” she says. “You write this amazing book and then need to share it yet have no idea how to do that.” Even pulling a teaser is a problem when the best scenes spoil the plot. “Talking about myself or my book is stepping out of my comfort zone!” It’s the most common thing I hear from talented authors.
What’s next in the Kingdom of Adaria series?
The Kingdom of Adaria is a planned trilogy. Book two answers what book one leaves burning, with a spin-off planned for two secondary characters and a fairy tale retelling Bella describes as “unlike anything I’ve read before.”
A Court of Broken Promises, book one of the Kingdom of Adaria series, is Bella Leigh Michaels’ debut. Follow her on Facebook, Goodreads, and Instagram for updates on book two.
Are you an indie author who would rather be writing than reverse-engineering a launch strategy at 11pm? Tell me what feels messy.
Frequently asked questions
Is A Court of Broken Promises a why-choose romance?
Yes. It's a slow-burn, why-choose (reverse harem) fantasy romance in which the heroine, Kaia, is paired with four heroes, each tied to a different element. Bella Leigh Michaels says the why-choose structure grew out of loving all four love interests too much to pick one.
Is A Court of Broken Promises part of a series?
Yes. It's book one of the Kingdom of Adaria, a planned trilogy. Bella also has a spin-off planned for two secondary characters and a fairy tale retelling in the works.
Is A Court of Broken Promises Bella Leigh Michaels' debut?
Yes, it's her debut novel.
Where can I follow Bella Leigh Michaels?
On Facebook, Goodreads, and Instagram at @bellaleighmichaels, where she posts updates on book two.