Trending 12th June 2025 by Bronwyn O'Neill

By the Book: Lauryn Hamilton Murray Is Taking Romantasy By Storm

Romantasy is the It Girl genre at the minute – blending fantasy books with romance. Think political intrigue, daring warriors and beautiful ballgowns.

Honestly, it’s no surprise why this genre has made its mark on the industry. When STELLAR sits down to chat with debut Scottish author Lauryn Hamilton Murray, we have to ask is she worried about getting lost in the mix. Imagine writing a vampire romance when Twilight was at the height of its game.

But Lauryn promises us that she would have never written in any other genre. We spent our time together giggling, chatting about being beverage goblins (at least three drinks at all times) and joining the annals of romantasy authors.

Hi Lauryn! Tell me a bit about your debut novel, Heir of Storms.

Heir of Storms is a fantasy- romantasy actually. It follows Blaze, a rain singer, who was born into a very powerful fire-weilding family, but her birth summoned a storm destroying all the empire, and that resulted in the deaths of thousands of people, and she’s been hidden away ever since and hated and feared by the people. Until much to everyone’s horror, she is selected to compete in the Choosing Right which is a dangerous competition for the throne that determines the next rulers of the empire. She, alongside her twin brother Flint, are taken to the Golden Palace where she finds herself caught up in court intrigue, caught between two rival love interests and in order to win the throne, she has to find the strength to overcome her past and step into her power.

It’s being compared to really big books in this genre like The Red Queen and Shadow and Bone. Were you feeling that when you were writing it?

Yeah, I think so. At the same time though, I think that fear only came in after I got the book deal. Because, when I was writing it, nobody knew I was writing it and I was like, I don’t have to do anything with this. I could just write this for me, I don’t have to show this to anybody, so I think the pressure to live up to all these huge titles that I’m a massive fan of as a reader myself kind of started after all this kicked off. But it’s a nice pressure as well, like hopefully it gives me something to aim for.


You’re Scottish and we love Scotland! Were you inspired by your homeland for this beautiful fantasy book?

I think definitely to some extent, I am inspired by Scotland. I get all my best ideas when I’m out walking the dogs and so I think that somehow infuses my brainchild a little bit when I’m out in the woods or hiking up the hills. I mean, book one predominantly takes place in one place. But book two, the one I’ve been writing, you see a lot more of the world and I think that Scotland has kind of burrowed its way in there slightly. But I think in terms of other inspirations, like, Blaie, the main character has been in my head since I was 12 and the story just sort of gradually formed around her over the years. I have this memory of being 11 or 12 and looking out the car when it was raining heavily and just thinking oh that would be really cool being able to control the rain. I love elemental magic, and I love political systems that have a bit of a twist. So, I think it’s just a- like my inspirations were a mix of all my favourite things.

What is the first thing you do when you sit down to write?

Well because I live in Scotland, and this isn’t always possible, but I love to write at the garden table. That’s where I get in the zone the most, that’s where it all flows the best. So, ideally, I’ll set up the garden. I have a three-drinks policy, so I like to have coffee, water and sometimes and Diet Coke to keep the energy up. But, if I’m sitting inside and the weather’s a bit miserable, I feel like I’ll try and make it a bit nicer by lighting a candle or putting some instrumental music on.

A lot of authors take inspiration from Scotland and Ireland. But as a Scottish author, are you proud to do it a bit more authentically?

Yeah definitely, I’ve actually been thinking about this quite a lot recently. I did a panel at Comic-Con with another author Hazel McBride, and she introduced herself as a Scottish fantasy author. I would never have thought to do that but I’m going to do that as well. So, after she introduced herself, I was like, I’m also a Scottish fantasy author. I do actually feel like with my writing now a quite of sense of national pride, because I feel like I know Scotland, and I know a lot of American authors and American fantasy authors specifically- they were very inspired by Celtic mythology and Ireland and Scotland and that’s almost a way that they advertise their books. They obviously have an interest in it and I think a lot of Americans, even just outlanders, it’s just a huge thing. People love Scotland, but yeah, I feel, I 100 per cent think it infused my writing a bit.

You’re so right! What is a childhood book that you have carried with you that you still think about to this day?

I think probably The Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton. It’s the book that I remember being able to independently visualise the most as a young child. It wasn’t just my mum, my dad or my grandparents reading it to me and I was actually just seeing it all unfold and that’s when I got really into reading, and I think I’ve just carried it with me a little bit. I’ve still got my tattered copy somewhere in the attic.

Do you have three authors that inspired you?

I think fantasy wise, definitely Holly Black, but I would also say not fantasy-wise, Meg Rusoff. She writes beautiful coming-of-age books and when I’m not thinking about fantasy, I’m thinking about writing them. Thirdly, I might go back to fantasy and say Leigh Bardugo because I’m just obsessed with the Grishaverse.

I’m still devastated they cancelled the Netflix series!

Oh my god I cried when they cancelled it! I actually cried. They were straight out of the book- like I’ve never seen a more perfect cast in my life. It’s criminal that they cancelled it, I’m so angry.

What is the book you’ll never forget? 

I do re-read books but not super often, but a book I’ve re-read like four times is How to Stop Time by Matt Haig. I just really love it, and I think it’s a really unique premise. I just find myself thinking about it because I love the kind of historical fiction as well and I love urban fantasy. I love romance and he’s basically taken all my favourite things and mashed them into one book, and it’s so thought-provoking a beautifully written, so I’m going to say that one.

I know it’s like asking a favourite child, but do you have a favourite character that you’ve written

See a mother shouldn’t have a favourite child, but I actually do. It’s Blaze’s brother Flint. He’s my favourite. He’s just so much fun to write, I just love him and he’s the voice that almost comes most naturally to me. I don’t really like the phrase comedic relief character, because I feel like it’s not giving them the credit they deserve and for me he is not just a side character. But I do think he brings that fun and that energy and he’s a nice ying to Blaize’s yang because I sort of say they’re like grumpy sunshine but the sibling edition which is a fun dynamic to write. So definitely Flint.

If you could go into any book universe, where would you go?

Oh my god, I mean they’re all so dangerous! I’d be dead on page one literally, like I love that I just sit and write fantasy about deadly trials while I’m in my pyjamas with three drinks knowing full well that I would 100 per cent perish at the start of the book if that was me. But I think just because it’s so magical and when I first read it was so unique like I’d never read anything like this would be the Caravel universe by Stephanie Garber. Like I think it’s incredible like the aesthetic alone is just amazing. I love the kind of circus theme, and she is such a beautiful writer that I’m like when I read those books, I can just see it in my mind.


Is there a book you wish you could go back and erase it from your brain and read it for the first time?

You know what, I’m just going to say it, The Hunger Games. Everyone loves it, but no one loves it as much as me. I read it when I was 10 and I just sat in the corner of my school library and I’ve never been that captivated in my life, and it was my introduction to YA and introduction to Sci-fi and dystopian and all the books that I really fell in love with since. I think there’s a reason it’s so popular. It’s absolutely incredible Suzanne Collins’ mind is just… I just think it’s so incredible and I think if I could erase it from my brain and re-read it, I would choose that one, yeah.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

I think in general, my nan always says to me, “What’s for you won’t go past you,” and I really love that because I’m just someone who really fixates on regret. I really worry about things and I’m quite an anxious person and whenever I’m in a situation that’s stressing me out, I just repeat those words like a mantra. It makes me feel better because that just wasn’t for me or it wasn’t the right time. But also, to answer it in terms of writing, I would say: “There’s no such thing as a filler scene”. So like, every single scene, every single page should be doing something. Whether that’s contributing to like driving the plot or character development. I think that’s kind of a helpful tip to remember like when you’re writing.

Everyone always asks about dream dinner party guests, but what are your three dinner party books! Like what are the three books you just adore?

I’m going to say How I Live Now by Meg Rusoff. Tt’s just brilliant like, sort of apocalyptic near future and four cousins navigating the English Countryside after a nuclear bomb has been dropped on London so it’s very intense. It’s very interesting from the perspective of a 15/16-year-old girl and in that situation. I feel like human beings, they go one of two ways. People are either going to want to help everyone and protect each other, or like every man for themselves. It’s just an interesting social commentary, I love that book. So, I’ll say that one. I think I’ll say The Cruel Prince by Holly Black, like chef’s kiss, enemies to lovers’ blueprint, she just absolutely smashed it out the park. That series lives in my head rent free. The third one, I might go a bit rogue and say Pride and Prejudice. I was talking about enemies to lovers there and that’s kind of the OG enemies to lovers and yeah, I’m still obsessed. I think that is the book I’ve re-read the most, I did my dissertation partly on it and I’ve read it a million times, but I still love it which I think says a lot.

Do you have a prized possession?

This is such a weird answer but, I’ve got a stuffed animal called Panda and he’s chilling behind me. He is a panda so a very original inventive name. I would say him because I just don’t think I could live without him. He’s my first thought. People are like, keys, phone, and I’m like, Panda!

 

A more serious question, this is your debut novel, do you read reviews, or have you just been warned off them?

I completely avoid review sites. Like I’ve never been on Goodreads, even as a reader. I’ve never been able to think about a book in relation to whether it was out of 5 stars or out of 10. That’s just not the way my brain works. I’ve never rated books myself. So, never been on there, I definitely did not make an account when I became an author because I was warned off by other authors. That’s not for you, don’t go there. But I think it’s difficult because I’m also trying to be more active and present on social media. So, I get tagged in stuff and I do think there’s this unwritten rule that most people abide by where it’s like don’t tag authors if it’s mean or rude reviews so the stuff I’ve been tagged in, a lot of it’s so lovely. You know, it’s really nice to read and engage with that. But I think in general, especially in the future, I think I probably will try and avoid at all costs. I don’t like when other people’s opinions start to affect my own opinion of my world and my book and you know the book is obviously my baby, so I think I’ll probably steer clear in the future.

Just finish up, what is your favourite genre to read and is it the same one you write?

Yes, YA-fantasy. It’s my favourite genre to read because it’s so immersive and it’s pure escapism and it’s what I love when I’m reading and you know, it’s been the one that I’ve grown up with. Then to write it, I just think there’s so much scope for creativity, like I love world-building and there’s so much to play with and so much freedom when you know you’re literally making everything up and inventing it all. It’s coming from your brain, and I think that I’m really passionate about writing it, because I’m really passionate about reading it which is nice. The two kind of come together.

Heir of Storm by Lauryn Hamilton Murray is out now

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