Spotlight & Giveaway: Ship of Spells by H. Leighton Dickson

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome romance author H. Leighton Dickson to HJ!

Hi H. Leighton Dickson and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, Ship of Spells!

 
Ahoy Mateys! Thanks for having me aboard!
 

Please summarize the book a la Twitter style for the readers here:

One Piece meets Shadow and Bone in this lush tale where magic rules the seas. A shipwrecked royal mage-in-training wants to join the crew of the infamous pirate ship who rescued her. But first, she must not only prove herself to the infuriating captain, but also to the sentient ship, the Ship of Spells, that’s bonded to him.
 

Please share the opening lines of this book:

I remember the first time I ever saw the Ship of Spells because, in fact, I didn’t.

It was a stormveil, conjured to keep the notorious ship unseen as she sat moored in the busy dockyard of Hodgetown. The day had been sunny, the eastern wind strong and heavy with salt. I’d just turned twenty-two and was celebrating alone in a tavern by the docks when I found my eyes looking everywhere but the empty slip on the pier. It’s subtle, my mother had said, back when I would listen.

Please share a few Fun facts about this book…

• I built the magic system around music! You can have natural talent. You can take lessons. If you have talent and take lessons, you’re making magic, in my opinion!
• I met the actor who (in my head) plays the character of Echo, the doctor. (It’s Doug Jones, btw…)
• The sea shanty I wrote for the introduction is being recorded for an album.
• I used a Cambridge professor’s paper on period-accurate curse words as research for the character of Smoke.
• I collect model sailing ships, and I have the model of the HMS Surprise, which was the inspiration for the Ship of Spells.

What first attracts your main characters to each other?

He falls first! Captain Kier Gavriel Thanavar finds Ensign Honor Renn adrift in the ocean after a naval battle has sunk her ship, and he’s immediately taken by her courage, her tenacity, her honesty, and her fierce will to live. He’s built walls, however, so he keeps those feelings bottled up tight. For her, she loves magic and HIS magic is fascinating, spellbinding, visceral and deep. It’s unlike anything she’s ever known, and she’s drawn into his whirlpool, wary but wanting more. It’s Pride and Prejudice – she’s Lizzy, doggedly poking holes in his armor, while he’s a bit more like Darcy, afraid that giving in to his feelings will shipwreck his secret plans.
 

Using just 5 words, how would you describe your main characters”love affair?

Stormy. Yearning. Freeing. Slow Burn.
 

The First Kiss…

…surprises them both! They’ve just won a terrible battle that Renn’s pride has almost caused them to lose, and the future is dark for them all. But with one powerful spell, her rogue magic changes everything and she does the impossible. Kier is stunned, impressed, overcome, and suddenly, sees her with new eyes. There’s been a few ‘almost’ kisses, but this time, he doesn’t fight it. He catches her in his arms, and rushes across the cabin to slam her back against a wall. He stares at her for a long moment, holding his breath, waiting for a sign, and she grins wickedly. Bam. Kiss! (and maybe more…)
 

Without revealing too much, what is your favorite scene in the book?

(I have many favourites but this is one I love! It’s just a sweet, fun, relationship-building moment with her, the captain and the crew:)

I heard a cheer from the rigging and looked up again. Thanavar was climbing down the shrouds, and he leaped the last bolt, his bare feet slapping hard on the deck.

“Mr. Buck!” he cried. “Fetch your harpoons!”

“Aye, Captain!” called Buck, and another cheer went up from the crew on the main.

“Full sail, Mr. Oakum,” the captain called, and he swung around. “Oh, Ensign Renn.”

He strode over to us at the wheels. His sleeves were rolled up in the heat, and his waistcoat fluttered unbuttoned and free. His linen tunic was damp and clung to his lean body like a second skin. He had loosed his collar, his gold-laced skin glistened with sweat, and once again, I could see the pendant stark across the hard lines of his chest.

It had to be a hawk.

I could be a hawk, I thought to myself. If I was ever a mirrormage, I would be a hawk.

“Good to see you back on deck,” he said. “Have you ever seen a school of sailsquids?”

I swallowed and forced my eyes up to his face.

“No, sir. I have not.”

“You told me you like animals, yes?”

“Yes, sir,” I said, not stopping the smile now. “I do.”

He held out his hand.

Damn me to hels and back again. What had I just told myself? Something about being careful?

With a deep breath, I took it, and his fingers closed over mine. He spun on his heel and all but dragged me toward the prow. Forge, he was stronger than most swabs, and I wondered if it were a Rhi’Ahr trait or just his. The crew parted for him as he sliced a path through to the very cat, drawing me up beside him at the rail. I tore my gaze away and sent it to the ocean. What I saw took my breath away.

AN OCEAN OF COLORS FROM MOTHER THE SEA, sang the Touchstone in my head.

A host of colorful creatures raced at the headwaters, keeping pace with the Touchstone and leaping beneath her prow. Red, purple, blue, and green, they burst out of the sea and skimmed across the waves before plunging back in with a splash. They were larger than sharks, and their long heads had pointed beaks that looked like they could stab a whale. Their fins were wide like stinging rays, but razor-thin, and they caught the air like sails when they leaped from the waters. Instead of tails, they had tentacles and two long barbs that whipped in the waves.

There were dozens of them fanned out before the prow as if leading us through the gap and toward the Dreadwall.

THE OCEAN IS MOTHER WITH TEETH IN HER WAVES.

“Suns!” I laughed over the roar of the wind and the sails. “They’re amazing.”

“They hunt wyrmaids,” he said. “And wyrmaids hunt them.”

“Wyrmaids aren’t real!” I cried.

“Oh, they are,” he said, his eyes bright and dancing. “There are creatures in the oceans that would make your head spin. It would take every lifetime to discover them all.”

WE RACE AND WE CHASE AND WE BRING IT ALL DOWN.

My skin was awake by his side, and I tried to keep my gaze fixed to the prow.

The wind whipped my dark hair into my eyes, and this time, I didn’t want to hide. I pushed it off to see him leaning far over the rail, feeling the spray of the waters on his palm. He was smiling like the suns, and the crew was laughing along with him. Damnations if he didn’t make my heart race and chase, and I swallowed quickly, turned my eyes to the creatures at the prow.

Touchstone, help me, I begged, but I could have sworn she just laughed..

If your book was optioned for a movie, what scene would be absolutely crucial to include?

(This is a bit from the first time the captain begins to realize what her rogue magic can do:)

The cannons boomed their lethal shots, but most fell short, only to splash into the waters at the Marelethan’s stern. She returned fire, but it was sloppy, her balls striking the waves and dissipating chimeric into the drink. I hissed as runes burned from my new scars with each splash, and I cursed my lack of control. From the quarterdeck, Thanavar glanced down at me.

“Come here,” he commanded.

My heart thudded in my chest. He wasn’t my captain. I didn’t have to obey him. In fact, he was the enemy, and I was tasked to kill him swift and sure. I’d be commended if I did that. Promoted, even. But I had no weapon save my rebel tongue, so I exchanged the rail for the quarterdeck, raising my chin as I stood before this enemy captain.

“I hate you,” I snapped.

“Good,” he said.

“And I will kill you when I can.”

“Even better.” His gaze narrowed as he grabbed my wrist and pulled it up, pushing the glove to my palm.

“Fire again, Mr. Fahr.”

He did not release. I would not pull away. His grip was cold like ice on a river.

“Molly Boom!” Fahr cried. “Take out her topsail, if you will!”

A cannon thundered, shaking the deck boards beneath my feet. I bit my cheek, praying the pain would overcome the fear of this terrifying man and his gold-shot eyes. I heard, rather than saw, the ball tear through the distant rigging. Heard, rather than saw, the responding fire, and I didn’t hiss when the enemy’s shot hit the water on our starboard side.

But the scars on my wrists lit up, and I gasped with the pain.

“Kirianae ik thay’ell,” the captain said in a language I’d never heard before.

“Kirianae sil,” said a voice I didn’t know.

But it was me. The words had rolled off my tongue, but they weren’t mine. My mouth, my voice, but not my words.

“Sister Moons,” Thanavar said, his sea-deep eyes growing darker as he stared at me. “What have you done?”

My breath caught in my throat, but I set my jaw, kept my eyes locked with his. I had no idea what he was asking, but I’d be damned if I let him see my fear. Besides, he hadn’t flinched at the touch of my skin like Fahr or Echo. But, like the chimeric, he was Rhi’Ahr. Perhaps they both burned deep.

Readers should read this book …

Because it’s a fun, romantic, sweeping story of magic, warfare, sea battles and flawed characters who fall in love. The ship is remarkable, the crew prickly but lovable, and they all make you want to stay at sea forever. It’s a perfect tale to get lost in as we sail toward winter!

What are you currently working on? What other releases do you have planned?

I’m currently working on Ship of Spells 2, and a third book in my Dragons of Solunas series – Dragon of Salt and Bone.

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: An eBook copy of SHIP OF SPELLS!

To enter Giveaway, please share this post and leave a comment to this Q While I’ve learned some skills on small sailboats, I’ve always dreamed of spending weeks or months on the deck of a tall ship. If given the opportunity, would you live on a sailing ship for that long, or do you prefer to keep your feet on dry land? What would be the scariest thing about living out on the ocean?

This giveaway closes 3 days from the date of this post.

Excerpt from Ship of Spells:

By the dawn of the fifth day, I was strong enough to belay myself. It was a dark morning, the skies heavy with storm clouds and the sails snapping in the winds. Even with such rough seas, my legs now braced naturally against the curve of the ship. One hand twisted around the ropes while the other embraced the life and the currents of the sea. The moment my fingers touched the surface, the “chase” rune in my palm burned like a beacon and the chimeric lit up the waves. It was strong on this fifth morning, and I sensed we were close. I wasn’t surprised, then, when Buck hauled me back up at noon.

“Water,” said Echo, handing me a cup. I drank it gratefully, asking no questions.

“Rum,” said Buck, handing me another. I drank it greedily, asking even less.

“We’ve spotted something,” said the doc, taking the empty water cup back and leaning against the rail.

I pulled on my gloves and looked to the dark horizon. In the distance, the rain clouds had burst, and it was hard to tell where the sea ended and the sky began. All was gray and blue and black, and a chill wind swept up my spine.

There was a light on the water.

No. Two lights.

No. Many.

I peered over the rail, cupping the rum in both hands, Buck and Echo on either side. The lights were Rhi’Ahr, and I understood the need to stop the chimeric trail. If they saw the chimeric, they’d know we were coming, and they’d be prepared. While we were skilled and stealthy, we were sorely outgunned.

“The ships that attacked Hodgetown?” I asked.

“You were chasing their chimeric, yes?” said Echo.

I had been chasing the Rhi’Ahr ships, yes, but I hadn’t fully thought out what we’d do once we caught ’em.

“Captain thinks they may have formed a Dreadship,” said Echo. “Isn’t that right, Buck?”

“They do that,” the bosun said. “Fearsome big. Hard to sink.”

Now, that was definitely something I remembered from Berryburn Yard. A Dreadship was two or more ships joined together to form a larger vessel. The Emperial Navy had never been successful, but clearly, the Rhi’Ahr had mastered the skill. Another reason we needed the Dreadwall to keep them from our shores.

“Hand sail, Mr. Buck,” called Fahr over the winds. He was with the captain on the pup and holding a spyglass to his eye. “We have a Dreadship of two. There’s a third out here somewhere.”

The bosun grunted and left my side, shaking his horned head and barking commands to the crew. Hand over hand, they began to reef the sails, slowing our speed as we rode the choppy waves. The harpy, whose name I’d learned was Kithriit, or Kit, sprang between the masts, dousing the lanterns that swung from timber and beam.

I looked up to the high pupdeck, where captain and first mate stood. I had to admit they cut fine figures on the deck of this ship, like day and night, sun and moon. Thanavar wore mystery like a cloak, whereas Fahr was as bright as a coal fire. I watched the first mate lift the spyglass again, his dark hair whipping in the sea wind. He’d be a natural at the wheel of a Navy frigate or Emperial man-of-war. Why he would trade such a life to walk in the footsteps of an enemy captain, I’d never know.

I studied that enemy captain now. A Rhi’Ahr warrior in the coat of a Navy officer, and it set my blood to boil. Tall and lean, he was wrapped in moonslight and fury. Black hair escaping its queue behind those bloody elven ears, and cheekbones that could cut paper. Like a stormshear, he was, all riptide and clash, a whirlpool of shadow and sky. I found myself pulled into that riptide, whether I wanted to be or not.

He turned his face, and, for a brief moment, our eyes met. Lightning shot down my spine, and I fought the urge to look away. Instead, I steeled my jaw, refusing to stand down, daring him to see me. Me, the wretched girl from the lost frigate. Me, the vain, insignificant ensign Blue, the wayward woman adrift on the sea, filled with the chimeric that called to us both…

CHASE, whispered that voice once again, echoing the excitement growing in my chest. ARO’EL, CHILD. CHASE.

Swiftly, I glanced away, pretending to study the ocean, but my toes curled inside my boots, and I took breath after breath to still my racing heart. Chimeric, Rhi’Ahr, Ship of Spells, war. I was alive with something that I didn’t understand, so I buried it deep down beneath my iron will and the anger that was my lifeboat. These were stormy seas, and with a captain like that, I’d need all the anchors I could get.

Excerpts. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 
 

Book Info:

A war-scarred mage. A sentient ship. A secret that could drown empires.

When Ensign Bluemage Honor Renn is rescued from the wreckage of her first naval post, she expects death or disgrace. Instead, she wakes aboard the Touchstone, a mythic vessel whispered of in dockside ballads and royal war rooms alike. With a crew of misfits. A mysterious, elven captain. And a mission tied to the Dreadwall, the crumbling barrier that has kept the Overland and Nethersea from open war for a hundred years.

But the tragedy that sank her last ship didn’t just take lives―it left something behind.

Now Renn carries a secret everyone wants. A magik that’s chimeric, arcane…and slowly killing her. But the captain’s mission may be her only chance to survive, even if he still doesn’t trust her.

Caught between privateers, princes, and spies, Renn knows each choice could sink her future―or set the sea on fire.

Ship of Spells is perfect for readers who crave the raw grit of Arya Stark, the world-building of Samantha Shannon, and the slow-burn tension of enemies who should never trust or want each other.
Book Links: Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Goodreads |
 
 

Meet the Author:

H. Leighton Dickson grew up in the wilds of the Canadian Shield, where her neighbours were wolves, moose, deer and lynx. She studied Zoology at the University of Guelph and worked in the Edinburgh Zoological Gardens in Scotland, where she was chased by lions, wrestled deaf tigers and fed antibiotics to Polar Bears by baby bottle! She has been writing since she was thirteen and pencilled her way through university working for DC Comics.

Now repped by Looking Glass Literary & Media’s D. Ellis Wilson, Heather got her start as an indie author with the Sci/Fi fantasy series, RISE OF THE UPPER KINGDOM. Next came the Gothic thriller series, COLD STONE & IVY and then award-winning DRAGON OF ASH & STARS: The Autobiography of a Night Dragon. Her next novel, SHIP OF SPELLS, is due November 2025 from Red Tower Books.
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