PROSERPINE author Pagan Malcolm released her eleventh book earlier this year, and she\u2019s still only 27 years old!<\/p>\n
Now going by the name Pagan Alexandria, the Proserpine local \u2013 she grew up and started writing in Proserpine \u2013 is a fairytale retelling author.<\/p>\n
Growing up in Proserpine, she gained the inspiration for her debut novel, which was published in 2012 and \u2018intended for young adult audiences\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u2018Stuck on Vacation with Ryan Rupert\u2019 (published under P.S. Malcolm) is a fast-paced contemporary romance and was inspired by a trip to Daydream Island.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey say to write what you know, so I doubled down on my lived experience, growing up next to the Whitsunday Islands, and drew from the real-life settings around me,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Pagan quickly realised she had a love for blending contemporary worlds with fantasy.<\/p>\n
She went on to write a seven-book fantasy series, The Starlight Chronicles (signed by Lycaon Press, in 2015, and The Parliament House Press, in 2017).<\/p>\n
Not long after, she walked away from traditional publishing to go completely independent.<\/p>\n
Now relocated in Perth, she is best known for her dual retelling of classic tales \u2018Snow White\u2019 and \u2018The Little Mermaid\u2019.<\/p>\n
Today, Pagan continues to write dual retellings of beloved fairy tales, filled with star-crossed romance, morally grey characters, supernatural twists and a sprinkling of spice.<\/p>\n
Her fantasy and contemporary titles continue to be inspired by the Whitsunday region.<\/p>\n
When she isn\u2019t writing, she\u2019s making charcuterie boards, playing cosy video games, and recording her podcast \u2018Bestseller Energy\u2019.<\/p>\n
Now, the ten-times published, bestselling Whitsunday author is taking her books Australia-wide with her new release \u2018Blood Magic\u2019, her eleventh book.<\/p>\n
Pagan\u2019s books are available under the name \u2018Pagan Alexandria\u2019 including at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and Dymocks.<\/p>\n
MORE ABOUT PAGAN<\/p>\n
The 27-year-old author from Proserpine has written and published 10 books, ranging from contemporary romances to dark fantasy retellings.<\/p>\n
She has been contracted twice by international publishers in just three years.<\/p>\n
Her most recent instalment of books (formerly published under pen name Tara Quinn and released in 2022) is titled \u2018Kingdom of Sirens and Monsters\u2019 and is a dual retelling of Snow White and The Little Mermaid, set on the fictional island of \u2018Odyssey Bay\u2019 (loosely inspired by Hamilton Island).<\/p>\n
\u00a0Pagan commented on her most recent duology\u2019s success:<\/p>\n
\u201cIn 2019, I received some feedback on my second fantasy series regarding the need to improve my worldbuilding skills.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey say to write what you know, so I doubled down on my lived experience, growing up next to the Whitsunday Islands, and drew from the real-life settings around me.<\/p>\n
\u201cKingdom of Sirens and Monsters has sold better than all my previously published titles combined and is currently being considered for foreign rights acquisition on DropCap marketplace, which is why I brought it back under my real name.\u201d<\/p>\n
This milestone comes 10 years after writing her debut novel, in 2012, Stuck on Vacation with Ryan Rupert\u2014a fast-paced contemporary romance intended for young adult audiences that was inspired by a trip to Daydream Island.<\/p>\n
Stuck on Vacation with Ryan Rupert has been sold at local bookstore Beach Book Boutique, and is a long-time favourite purchase for tourists visiting the Whitsunday region.<\/p>\n
Now, Pagan is taking her growing brand interstate as part of her relocation to Perth, WA, and has stepped into a new genre with her eleventh release, Blood Magic (published under pen name Pagan Alexandria).<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I finished writing the Kingdom of Sirens and Monsters duology, I knew I was done writing about teenagers and wanted to write characters closer to my actual age,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI took a two-year break from writing to pivot into New Adult fantasy fiction.<\/p>\n
\u201cBlood Magic is my most mature book to date and is a dual retelling of Rapunzel and Sleeping Beauty, loosely inspired by the movie Barbie Rapunzel.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe book is already reviewing extremely well, with multiple five-star reviews from early readers on Goodreads and social media, and has been featured in a recent article in Writer\u2019s Digest.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pagan\u2019s books are now all available under the name \u2018Pagan Alexandria\u2019 and available where all books are sold, including at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and Dymocks.<\/p>\n