Today, I have author H.L. Moore in the interview chair. We’re talking about her/they latest series release, Death’s Embrace, a m/m slow-burn fantasy romance.
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1. Hello, H.L. It’s great to have you here again. Can you share what you’ve been up to so reader know what may be coming for them for their TBR pile.
H.L.: Hi Maggie – thank you so much for having me here again! I’ve had a hectic 2025, but hoping to turn my 2026 into a year of writing now that I’m settled in Canada. Some of my recent successes include “Heart of Dust” making the semi-finals of BBNYA 2025, as well as getting through the lottery phase for judging in Phase 1 of the SPFBO11 Awards. Which me luck!
As for what’s coming next… my plan is to finish my “Death’s Embrace” series over the next couple of years, as well as adding a few more short stories to my “Tales from the Jovian Empire” sci-fi series. I’ve always got some extra projects on the backburner, such as contributing some short stories to incredible indie anthology collections, but my next project is definitely Book 5 of the “Death’s Embrace” series – tentatively titled “Shadow of Vengeance”.
2. I see you enjoy fantasy and sci-fi. Share with us why you enjoy these genres.
H.L.: I spend most of my life in an office, so fantasy and sci-fi is my ultimate getaway from the mundanity of real life – and an incredible way to fictionally process difficult themes, situations, historical events, social injustice, etc. While I do often read general fiction set in the real world, I don’t enjoy writing in the real world, mostly because I tie myself into knots trying to get the setting completely accurate. In a sci-fi or fantasy setting, I don’t have to worry about that – I’m in control of the world building and history. Make believe land has anything I want!
3. Let’s talk about the first book in the series: “Heart of Dust.” Explain what the “Black Lung Gang” is.
H.L.: The Black Lung Gang is a gang of ex-miners, led by the former Foreman of the Mines Doran Ó Seanáin and his friends, in opposition to the brutal working conditions set by the Lord Archon of Arajon. Iole City, the capital of Arajon, lives and breathes on its coal mines – coal is the city’s main source of energy and power, its primary export, and is essentially what the entire city is constructed around. “Black Lung” is also known as coal miners’ pneumoconiosis, caused by long-term inhalation of coal dust. It is common in coal miners, and is one of the occupational hazards of being a miner in Iole City. The Lord Archon, Bryson Carlyon, has spent years whittling down the miners’ wages and working rights. Following the death of the main unionist and activist, Rhian Harrington (Doran’s wife), the working conditions became unbearable, driving Doran and his fellow miners to go on strike and form the Black Lung Gang to wreak havoc on the city until the Archon restored rights to the miners.
4. Your second book in the series is “Soul of Ash.” Share with us who Doran Ó Seanáin is, and why readers should root for him.
H.L.: Doran Ó Seanáin is the POV protagonist of “Heart of Dust”, as well as a POV protagonist in the rest of the series. He’s the main character through which the readers are introduced to the world of Iole City, its people, the social turmoil (of which Doran is partially responsible for). At the start of the series, he’s 38-year-old down-on-his-luck widower, ex-Foreman of the Mines, gang leader, and a recovering alcoholic who is trying to heal his broken relationship with his estranged daughter, Grace. He also has a tendency to get stabbed! By the time of “Soul of Ash”, Doran’s fortunes have turned – he’s now the father of the Lady Archon of Arajon and is getting a taste of living in luxury; he’s back as the Foreman of the Mines, and is struggling with his dangerous, forbidden feelings for Nathaniel Morgenstern, the man responsible for destroying his life four years prior.
Doran is one of my favourite characters and so very easy to root for, because at the end of the day, he’s just A Guy in Situations. He’s not magical, he’s not powerful, he’s not some chosen one, he’s not even that good of a leader. But through circumstance, he has ended up connected to most of the main events and powerful people of the city, and he always just seems to have an unnatural luck on his side – even if he doesn’t believe in the gods! He’s charming, easy-going, a little bit angsty and VERY street-smart. You want him to succeed. Or at least, I certainly do!
5. Book three is “Throne of Lies.” Share with us who Grace Harrington is. What you love most about her, and what makes you want to shake her.
H.L.: Grace Harrington is Doran’s daughter – 17 years old at the start of the series, though by the time of “Throne of Lies” she is 18-going-on-19. For several years, she was estranged from her father after he slipped into alcoholism following her mother’s sudden death. She decided to put herself first and abandoned Doran to live with her wealthy grandparents, entering a new world of opulence, decadence, and direct access to the Lord Archon of Arajon – to whom she quickly found herself engaged. But she didn’t leave behind her morals or ideals to help the city and oversee equal rights for the miners and working class – she was determined to use her new connections and access to power to change things for the better… to varying degrees of success. I think what I love most about Grace is that she can be incredibly hot-tempered and impulsive, and that impulsivity is directly responsible for several major upheaval events that takes place in “Throne of Lies”. (Incidentally, this is also why I want to shake her!) Some readers love her and others find her unlikeable – but the main thing is that she makes everyone feel something, positive or negative. She also gets a lesbian awakening in Book 4, which was so fun to write!
6. In book four, “Valley of Secrets,” Nathaniel Morgenstern seems to have done some questionable things according to the blurb. What do you see him as: good guy or bad guy?
H.L.: Nathaniel Morgenstern is probably the most complex character in the series. This is heading into spoiler territory, so if you don’t want to be spoiled, skip ahead to the next question now!
Nathaniel is a former assassin, who spent years addicted to the deadly Death’s Embrace drug to numb him to all emotions while he assassinated anyone whom he was paid to kill by the mysterious Nameless organisation. But one particular target woke him from his drug-induced stupor, and he fled his dark life to atone for his crimes in whatever way he could – by opening an apothecary and turning his hands to healing instead of harming. I would classify him as a good man capable of committing horrific crimes. There is an inherent darkness to him that drives him and he can’t fully escape, though he spends a great deal of time in remorse for his actions. At the end of the day, Nathaniel is tortured, complex, and a good man who has made bad choices and is living with the consequences of those choices every single day of his life. He loves his people deeply, and he would burn the world down to protect his friends and family. What truly drives him now is his commitment and devotion to Doran, the man he loves despite all odds.
7. What would you tell readers if they asked why they should read the series?
H.L.: I would say that Death’s Embrace is the slow-burn MMF polyam romance they didn’t know they needed! But in all seriousness, if they enjoyed stories like Captive Prince, or they’re after a gritty fantasy world with complex relationships, well-rounded characters, angst and drama, yearning and unresolved sexual tension, high emotions and intense situations, then they should give the series a try. With four books out (but no cliffhanger! It can be read to that point with a satisfying conclusion), the series is ready to binge if you’re looking for your next queer, diverse fantasy romance.
8. How about answering some more random questions. Here they are:
- Where is your favourite place in the world to be?
This will sound pretentious, but… The Wallace Collection museum in London, England. I’ve visited three times (each time that I’ve gone to England over the years) and each time I find something new and breathtaking to admire. - What TV show can you easily binge-watch?
I’ve just powered through most of “Taskmaster” (the UK, Aus and NZ versions). I don’t think I’ll ever get bored of it. - What is your favourite sport to watch/or play?
I’ll be honest, I’m not much of a sports fan, to watch or to play – but if pressed, I’ll say chess. (And yes, chess is a sport – it’s officially recognised by the International Olympic Committee as a “mind sport”!) - What is your go-to transportation mode?
Driving where I can, train where I can’t, and bus last. I HATE buses.
9. Lastly, is there anything else you’d like to add?
H.L.: Just to say thank you again for this opportunity. I’m thrilled to have been able to ramble about my books, and I hope those who read this interview will be inspired to check them out!
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Series: Death’s Embrace
Author and Publisher: H. L. Moore
Cover Artist: Damonza
Pairing: MM (slow burn)
Genres: Fantasy (coalpunk)
Note: The stories are best read in order.
Universal Buy Links for the Series
DEATH’S EMBRACE SERIES BLURB
Doran Ó Seanáin, former miner and leader of the Black Lung Gang, and his best friend, Lien, are almost at a breaking point in their ongoing conflict with the city of Arajon’s tyrannical ruler. Just as things are spiralling out of control, Doran crosses paths with Nathaniel Morgenstern, an apotheker with a mysterious past. As their relationship develops against the backdrop of the ongoing social turmoil, the secrets Nathaniel is keeping might threaten to destroy them all…
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BOOK 1
Title: Heart of Dust
Length: 59,000 words
Release Date: 2019
Tense/POV: Third person, past tense, single POV
Tropes: Stabbing leading to meet-cute, yearning, slow-burn romance
Themes: Bisexual romance, dark pasts including alcoholism, drug addiction, atonement, forgiveness, workers’ rights
Heat Rating: 2 flames
Note: It does not end on a cliffhanger, but leaves plot threads unresolved that are resolved in the next 3 books.
Doran had a problem, and it wasn’t that he’d been stabbed.
Blurb: Iole City is in turmoil.
Doran Ó Seanáin, leader of the Black Lung Gang, is determined to challenge the Archon, Arajon’s tyrannical ruler, for his brutal treatment of the miners. But Doran has more to deal with than getting stabbed and a city-wide lockdown that’s seeing his gang of ex-miners slowly starved out of their base. His daughter Grace has turned against him, and the death of his wife haunts them both.
Although he finds reprieve in Nathaniel Morgenstern, the apotheker with a mysterious past to whom he owes his life, the clock is ticking. The fate of the mines hangs in the balance and the Archon is closing in.
Doran’s plan to break the cycle may very well be his last.
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BOOK 2
Title: Soul of Ash
Length: 86,000 words
Release Date: September 2020
Tense/POV: Third person, past tense, two POVs (alternating)
Tropes: Yearning, former assassin, slow-burn romance
Themes: Bisexual romance, dark pasts including alcoholism, drug addiction, atonement, forgiveness, workers’ rights
Heat Rating: 1 flame
Note: It does not end on a cliffhanger, but some plot elements are unresolved (resolved in books 3 and 4)
You can run, but you will never be free.
Blurb: Half a year after the events of Heart of Dust, Doran Ó Seanáin now finds himself trapped between two worlds while belonging to neither: held in contempt by the Bronze for the turmoil he caused during Archon Bryson’s reign, and resented by the miners for selling out. Leonora Darkwater’s pursuit to own the mines may be the answer to all of his problems, but the offer is far more complicated than it appears, and the only person Doran trusts is the same man who threw his life into chaos.
Haunted by his past, hostage to a debt that cannot be repaid, and a slave to the poison that keeps him alive, atonement has never felt further out of reach for Nathaniel Morgenstern. Though the damage between him and Doran is too devastating to begin to mend, they have no choice but to face each other as their lives collide once more.
There is a rot in Iole City. The mines aren’t finished with Doran, and the sand in Nathaniel’s hourglass is running out.
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BOOK 3
Title: Throne of Lies
Length: 63,000 words
Release Date: December 2024
Pairing: MM with hints of developing into MMF (slow burn)
Tense/POV: Third person, past tense, three POVs (alternating)
Trope/s: Political intrigue, forbidden romance, former assassin turned apotheker/healer
Themes: Bisexual romance, dark pasts including alcoholism, drug addiction, atonement, forgiveness, workers’ rights, political intrigue, coup.
Heat Rating: 3 flames
Note: This book ends on a cliffhanger.
There are vipers in Arajon, from the Valley to the Bronze.
Blurb: Grace Harrington, the Dowager Archon of Arajon, is approaching her first anniversary on the throne she claimed following the death of her husband, slain at her own hands.
But her position is so precarious that even the unwelcome presence of the former assassin Nathaniel Morgenstern, watching over her at her father’s behest, cannot protect her from her enemies. The city’s press has turned against her, the Bronze is rallying behind Odessa White, and her last hope of support from the Druids has gone up in smoke.
The lies are adding up. A coup is coming for Grace, and she is running out of people in the city to trust…
“I’m sorry. I, uh… I guess you probably want me to –”
Nathaniel braced his hand against the frame, using his arm to pause Doran’s advancement towards the door.
“Stay,” he said quietly.
He did not suggest it to continue what had been derailed by Leonora’s presence; neither he nor Doran seemed to be much in the mood for it any longer.
But Doran must have needed Nathaniel’s request, for instead of shaking his head and leaving, he closed his eyes and sighed.
“This wasn’t how I imagined the evening going,” Doran said.
Nathaniel laid a hand upon Doran’s chest. “Rest here tonight,” he said, and started to gesture to the main room where the couch was. “I can –”
Doran shook his head, opening his eyes again. “I’m not going to throw you out of your own room,” he said, a small smile finally returning to ease his features.
Nathaniel became sharply aware of the bed behind him, the darkness outside the windows, Doran’s hands that moved to rest upon his waist. The room was dim, illuminated only by a small oil lamp set upon the desk under the window that overlooked Arkadia Lane. Under the faint glow of the light, he held his breath while Doran moved his hands up his body then down his arms, urging his jacket off. It fell to the floor with a soft thump.
Nathaniel raised an eyebrow. “I have a wardrobe, you know,” he murmured.
“Maybe I want to see your clothes on the floor,” Doran replied.
The sudden rush of desire that gripped Nathaniel’s body rendered him speechless. Doran smirked, then kissed him.
It was deep and tender, slow and heated; milk and honey on Nathaniel’s tongue after years wandering the desert, finally stepping foot in the promised land he had denied himself. In that moment, Nathaniel felt there was nothing between them – neither pasts nor crimes, neither guilt nor regret; just them, their souls laid bare, and a barrier of clothes of which Doran was stripping away with barely restrained desperation.
He relished the gentle scrape of Doran’s evening stubble across his chin, groaned when Doran moved along his jawline and kissed his neck, urging him to tilt his head back and bare his throat, which Doran used to break for air and run his hand up Nathaniel’s chest. Then, with the flickering lamplight reflected in Doran’s eyes, his fingers began working the buttons of Nathaniel’s shirt undone one by one. He slid his hands inside under the fabric and around to Nathaniel’s back, up his shoulder blades, his fingers tracing the scars that latticed his skin.
Nathaniel allowed Doran to undress him, stripping his shirt to the floor beside his jacket, and moved backwards when Doran guided him until the backs of his legs collided with the edge of the bed.
“Sit,” Doran ordered.
Nathaniel sank down upon the mattress, his mouth dry as Doran knelt before him and began to unfasten the straps of his boots. He pulled off Nathaniel’s left boot first, then the right, leaving them askew on the floor – then Nathaniel’s hands clenched on the bedcovers and he groaned as Doran ran his hands up Nathaniel’s legs, curving around his calves, then over his knees, and all the way up his thighs and the strained fabric of his pants to reach for the buckle of the belt.
Hoarsely, Nathaniel said, “You don’t have to –”
“But I want to,” Doran interrupted, his voice low and heated. He rose to his feet now and stood between Nathaniel’s legs, gazing down at him through heavy-lidded eyes. “Do you?”
It had been years since Nathaniel’s last intimate encounter; longer still that it had been with someone for whom he had feelings that were not muted by the fog of Embrace. Such a thing was lost to him during his time with the Nameless. The physicality of sex had been heightened, certainly, while he himself was rendered as numb to the act as someone was used to the basic function of washing their hands. With a clear mind, he recalled of himself that some deep part not lost to the drug and his lifestyle must have found the experience undesirable, for he could count the number of unions he had engaged in during his adulthood on one hand.
Doran’s touch was more potent, more electric, than anything Nathaniel had ever experienced under the thrall of Embrace. He felt he would die if he went one more night without knowing how Doran’s body felt against his.
“God, yes,” Nathaniel rasped, and Doran closed the distance between them.
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BOOK 4
Title: Valley of Secrets
Length: 123,000 words
Release Date: January 2025
Pairing: MM that develops into MMF (polyam), and a separate FF fast-burn relationship (femme/butch)
Tense/POV: Third person, past tense, four POVs (alternating)
Trope/s: Political intrigue, resistance against military coup, forbidden romance, former assassin turned apotheker/healer
Themes: Lesbian romance, polyam romance, dark pasts including alcoholism, drug addiction, atonement, forgiveness, workers’ rights, political intrigue, coup.
Heat Rating: 3 flames
Note: Most plot threads are wrapped up. Two further books are planned in the series, but the series can also be finished here.
This city of fools will be brought to order!
Blurb: Deposed, her father presumed dead, her friends slaughtered and the cavern in chaos, Grace Harrington is on the run and entirely alone. The only ally she has left is the man she hates most in the world: Nathaniel Morgenstern, the assassin who murdered her mother and seduced her father.
Grace’s only hope of reclaiming the throne and saving her people is to seek the aid of Éamon Tadhg, the High Druid of Arajon. But she needs to survive the hostile streets of Iole City before she can even think about fleeing to the Violet Valley.
Nathaniel made a vow to Doran to protect Grace, but he could never have imagined how quickly and horrifically their lives would fall apart.
Grieving the dual losses of the man he loved and his new friend Tsa Lien, Nathaniel devotes himself to the service of the overthrown Lady Archon who despises him – even if it costs him everything he is.
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A. L. Moore (she/they) is the author of the Death’s Embrace fantasy series and the Tales from the Jovian Empires sci-fi novella series.
Author Links
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