Introducing Erica Rose Eberhart

Author of Tarnished

I'm an editor by trade and mother by choice. I grew up in the Catskill Mountains of New York, went to college in Eastern Pennsylvania, and worked in Washington DC for years before settling in the Finger Lakes region of New York. I have two degrees in English and am passionate about continuing to learn about anything and everything I can get my hands on. 

What made you become a writer?

The desperate need for stories to be real. As a child, I often would dream of stories I wanted to read or see in movies, but having them in my head wasn't enough so I began to write them. That desire has continued as I've aged and writing them out makes those stories take a more substantial, real form.

Where did the idea for Tarnished come from?

That magical space on Christmas night, honestly. I had the inklings of an idea for years but they never really clicked into place until Christmas 2021. After that, it was a whirlwind of inspiration. I wanted to write something that had the romantic feeling of Ladyhawke, the swell of emotion like Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and the lyricalism of VE Schwab. I wanted to see a sapphic knight and princess romance. The words came tumbling out and the draft was written in a few short weeks.

What is Tarnished about?

Tarnished is about a solitary female guard, Ailith MacCree, who grabs the chance to help her family with financial gain. After living with poverty for most of her life, being offered the chance to take something out of the kingdom with the promise of life-changing pay is almost a dream come true.

But what Ailith doesn't realize is that the item she's taking out of the kingdom is actually the king's youngest daughter, being snuck away because she has illegal powers that are quickly developing with no control.

Together they go across the continent searching for help while the king searches for them. As they begin to develop feelings for one another, there's also the realization that a curse has been made, and neither know if they'll find help before the king catches up or the curse takes hold. 

Tell us about your main characters. Are they based on anyone you know?

I've always heard that it's best to write what you know, and I feel there's a significant truth to that and I've seen it in books I've read. You can tell when someone writes about what they are most familiar with. So, I tried to take aspects of myself and place them into my main characters. Even if it's a characteristic I do not personally have but one I wish I could amount to, I brought it into them.

Ailith is solitary, she's neurodivergent and often struggles with her perception of society and how they perceive her. She's an only child and the weight of being the first born daughter is heavy on her. These are all things I know personally. But she's brave in ways I feel I am not.

Caitriona is sweetness personified. I adore her character; her wonder for the world and ability to see the good in all. It's aspects like that I feel I have but they are fleeting and I wish it was a personality trait I dove into more.

Greer, the least featured of the main three, is tough as nails, strong, determined, and incredibly protective. I have a bit of that in my personality, but again, I wish I could have more of it. 

What tips would you give a new writer?

As an editor of various documentation over the course of decades the biggest problem I see with people's writing is that I can tell when it's rushed. If you rush through your writing and do not give yourself the proper time and space to edit and review, it's noticeable. Don't rush. Give your story the time it deserves so that it can shine. 

What are your favourite books?

I truly adore fantasy novels but also books about the environment, mental health, and memoirs revolving around people who are involved with food (farmers, bakers, and chefs). I have too many favorite books to list, but the novels that have stuck with me the most are all rated 5 stars on my Goodreads!

Where can we find you on social media?

I'm on all the major forms of social media under the username @ericaroseeberhart. You can also visit my website www.ericaroseeberhart.com