All about the book Cry Havoc

Who is Jennifer Williams?

A human woman gifted with all the talents that make her a “starving artist.” This has never stopped her from sharing her love of art, music, books, and writing with the world. She currently lives in the South Western tip of New York State, USA with her dog, Bella (a rat terrier, blue heeler, border collie mix) and her husband of 10 years, whom she calls her Viking. She has several chronic illnesses and deals with chronic pain which affects her day to day life, but she keeps on going through sheer spite some days and great vigor on others. She is also goth.. if that wasn’t apparent. 

What is Cry Havoc about?

They say that all is fair in love and war, but Havoc would disagree, and being the Angel of Love, Fate, and War, she would know. She has loved and lost, fought countless wars, but one thing remains the same, she is her own worst enemy. She fights to make amends for a past that haunts her present, but nothing she does ever seems to be good enough.

Will she ever find the key to breaking her curse and free her of a her punishment? Will she reunite with her hounds, and will they accept her as their rightful ruler, or will they choose to remain the hounds of running and hiding? All will be revealed in the second of the Deadly Sirens Series.

Interview

What was your inspiration for Cry Havoc?

Cry Havoc was largely inspired by Celtic Lore. The Tuatha De Danann and the Cu Sidhe specifically. The Tuatha De Danann are beings of myth and legend known as the “Golden Throng” they had magic and some even thought them Angels. A few were even made saints in the Catholic Church when they were trying to convert the Irish “pagans.” The Tuatha De Danann are sometimes thought of as the first Fae, and  Cu Sidhe literally translates to Fae Hounds and are omens of death or protectors of sacred ground, depending on what lore you read. I incorporated this into my Alternate Universe, as in that universe (the Born Angel Universe), all Pantheons are actually made up of Angels sent to protect or help different regions of the world. 

What drew you to writing?

I’ve been drawn to writing since I was a teenager. I loved reading, and I would play stories out in my head. One day, I saw my sister and cousin writing and thought, “What’s stopping me from doing that?” So, I daydreamed for a while, thought up a Universe, created a lot of lore that I keep in a “compendium” on OneNote, and just started writing about Kalista, the Daughter of the Devil, Lucifer Fallen Angel of Light, Truth, and Knowledge (The Kalista Chronicles). It kinda exploded from there. Now I have two series with more in the works 

How did you choose which character to centre the story around?

Oh, that’s a tough question. Usually I design a character and write their story set in the Universe. But sometimes, like in the case of the next Created Angel Chronicles book, Chaos Theory (coming April 2025) I had a completely different character picked out. It was going to be about Chaos’s adopted daughter Kotys finding out who her father was, but I got drawn in by Chaos, who is sort of like a sister to Havoc (the main character of Cry Havoc). So, sometimes I choose and sometimes they just come forward and change the entire focus. 

What was your process for writing Cry Havoc?

I really don’t have much of a “process.” I sit down and start writing. Usually, I have a plot point or two, but I’m a discovery writer, so I just let the character lead me through their story, hitting the few plot points I had… hopefully. Sometimes I don’t hit them, but 90% of the time we get there eventually. 

What is your approach to world and character building?

Character building is one of my favorite parts. I’ll usually sit down at my desktop, open my 3d Modeling program and make their model while thinking about their character and their book. It helps me better imagine them, while doing something else creative. I also then use their model to make scenes from the book for promotional art and just for fun sometimes too. 

How would you describe Cry Havoc?

Cry Havoc is an emotional roller coaster about Havoc Angel of Death, Love, War, and Music as she works through a past that affects her present and reunites her pack, the Cu Sidhe against the wishes of their chief Feadhna. 

Did you have a favourite moment in the book to write?

There’s this part near the middle where she reunites with her Triumvirate (Three Angels with at least one of the same attribute(s) who bolster each others power when around each other), it was just so moving and the way her Triumvirate comes to help her throughout the book just gets me in the feels every time. 

What was your favourite book growing up?

My favourite book. Hmm… I don’t actually have favourite books. I have favourite series. The first one that comes to mind is the Magic Treehouse series by Mary Pope Osborne. It was the first set of books I can honestly remember reading and not being about to get enough of. 

Do you have a favourite genre to read?

Definitely Urban Fantasy or Paranormal Fantasy. I love the Magic/nonhuman mixed with reality of day to day life. Though my favourite series mostly involve some elements of Crime Thriller as well, like the Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter Novels by Laurell K. Hamilton or the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher.