Rebecca Attfield: Building a New Epic Fantasy World Through R. L. Attfield

Science Teacher with a Love for Fantasy

Rebecca Attfield is a British science teacher and fantasy writer who crosses over between two worlds which seem very different from each other: the strict discipline of science and the free and unlimited imagination of fantasy. Rebecca, writing under the pen name R. L. Attfield has turned her lifelong love of fantasy, history and character-driven storytelling into an ambitious literary project.

She writes because she is fascinated by human nature and what people choose to do in extraordinary circumstances. Instead of just watching the age-old struggles between good and evil, Rebecca explores the emotional and moral dilemmas faced by individuals having to question their beliefs, their allegiances and their perception of the world around them.

Meet R. L. Attfield and Lantern in the Fog

Lantern in the Fog is Rebecca’s first novel and the first book of The Dawnshield Order, an epic-fantasy trilogy set in the richly imagined kingdom of Altheryon. The novel is a major step in her career as an author, taking a thought that had only lived in her mind and turning it into a finished manuscript on its way to publication.

The story follows Captain Evander Drake, a dedicated paladin whose concept of duty and honour is tested when he is confronted with an ever-widening gap between the ideals he has sworn to protect and the institution that professes to represent those ideals.

Rebecca opens the door to questions of loyalty, morality, responsibility, compassion and the difficult decisions that come when deeply held beliefs are challenged in Evander’s journey.

Epic Fantasy With a Human Heart

One of the distinctive features of R. L. Attfield’s approach to fantasy is her emphasis on the human side of the genre. The Dawnshield Order has the epic fantasy scale, world-building and political intrigue you expect, but it is rooted in relationships and moral choices.

According to Rebecca, kindness and compassion are genuine forms of strength. This philosophy manifests itself in the themes of her storytelling, where characters are not characterised simply by their power or position but rather by their reaction to difficult situations and the people around them.

It’s this mix of grand fantasy and emotionally grounded storytelling that gives Lantern in the Fog its unique foundation. The world of Altheryon is the backdrop for adventure and intrigue, but the characters are the heart of the story.

In Making the Kingdom of Altheryon

Writing The Dawnshield Order is more than just finishing three books for Rebecca. She is creating a whole fantasy world with its history, characters, mythology and underlying traditions.

Much of her creativity is spent on the details of Altheryon, and contemplating how its past has formed the people and institutions of the present. This commitment to world-building allows for her stories to be part of a larger historical and cultural context.

The end result is a fantasy setting created to support not just the main trilogy, but stories beyond the trilogy. Rebecca’s ideas take us back to earlier periods in Altheryon’s history, providing opportunities to explore characters and events that predate the main story line.

The Satisfaction of Completing a First Novel

Perhaps the simplest, yet most significant of Rebecca’s accomplishments is that she proved to herself that she could complete a novel.

Lantern in the Fog was a story she wanted to tell while she was still a full-time teacher. But over time the original idea blossomed into a whole fictional world, a completed first novel and plans for a larger trilogy.

It has taken a lot of persistence to balance writing and teaching, marking, commuting and day-to-day activities. It’s not easy to find the time and energy to write a novel alongside a demanding professional life.

So, seeing Lantern in the Fog transition from an idea in her imagination to publication has become an especially meaningful milestone in Rebecca’s creative journey.

Teaching and Writing Balance

Rebecca’s road behind her writing career is a significant part of her career as a science teacher. Teaching involves preparation, patience, organization and the ability to communicate complex ideas clearly, all of which can help you develop the discipline needed to complete a long-form creative project.

Writing a novel while holding a full-time teaching job has meant working around a busy schedule, not waiting for perfect circumstances. Rebecca’s story shows that you can have professional commitments without giving up your creative aspirations.

But persistence and consistency can allow an idea to grow gradually into something tangible.

Greystone Press Creating an Author Identity

Rebecca is getting her first novel ready to publish and has created Greystone Press as her publishing imprint. The imprint is meant to give a consistent identity for The Dawnshield Order and her future novels.

This is yet another step in Rebecca’s journey as an independent author. As the first novel approaches the process of professional production and publication, she is not simply preparing a book, but creating the groundwork for a larger literary identity.

For a fantasy writer starting out, it can be an important part of establishing a long-term relationship with readers to find a familiar identity.

Getting Lantern in the Fog ready for Publication

Lantern in the Fog is now in the final editing phase, and will then go into professional production and publication. Now the novel moves from the creative work of writing to the practical work of getting it to readers.

For Rebecca this is the result of years of imagination, persistence and development. What started out as an outlet for her own creativity is now on its way to the next stage, publication.

Along the way, readers will also encounter Altheryon, Captain Evander Drake, and the wider world of The Dawnshield Order.

A Trilogy With a Larger Story To Come

Rebecca’s vision for The Dawnshield Order is a lot bigger than Lantern in the Fog. Her main story is planned as an epic fantasy trilogy, so she can flesh out the characters, conflicts, political landscape and mythology over the span of several books.

But her plans for Altheryon don’t stop there. Rebecca also has ideas for three possible prequel novels, each of which would allow her to explore earlier characters and events in her fictional world.

The possibilities demonstrate how much Rebecca’s imagination has advanced the world of Altheryon. It began as a story, but it may have grown to become much more of a literary universe.

Future Goals of R. L. Attfield

Rebecca’s immediate aim is to get Lantern in the Fog into the hands of readers, and to establish The Dawnshield Order as a strong and recognisable epic fantasy series.

She hopes to continue writing stories set in Altheryon in the future, and to build a community of readers who connect with its characters and themes. She also looks forward to going to fantasy and book conventions, where she can meet other writers, fantasy fans and readers.

One of her most important long term goals is to see all three books of The Dawnshield Order on readers’ bookshelves together.

A Journey of Creativity and Perseverance

Rebecca Attfield’s journey as R. L. Attfield is a story of translating imagination into reality. From juggling a full-time teaching career while still nurturing her passion for writing to creating an entire fantasy kingdom, she possesses the tenacity needed to take a creative idea from conception to publication.

Rebecca is beginning an exciting new chapter. Lantern in the Fog is ready to enter the publishing world and The Dawnshield Order continues to grow.

Her work presents a vision of fantasy that marries epic world-building and political intrigue with something deeply human: the conviction that compassion, kindness, relationships, and moral courage can be powerful agents.

The story of Altheryon is only the beginning of R. L. Attfield’s literary adventure. The future is bright with new characters, untold histories and further adventures in a world that started with one story, and is now the basis for an ambitious fantasy series. 

Rebecca Attfield: Interview with R. L. Attfield on her journey

What was the inspiration for writing Lantern in the Fog and creating the world of Altheryon?

Answer: I love stories of fantasy, history and character. Lantern in the Fog started out as a story I wanted to tell, but as I wrote, it became far more than that. Altheryon’s world expanded with its history, characters, mythology and political conflicts. I was particularly interested in what happens when normal human compassion is tested by extreme situations and how characters respond when their beliefs are challenged.

Why is Captain Evander Drake such a key character in The Dawnshield Order?

Answer: Captain Evander Drake is a dedicated paladin who is committed to the values and beliefs he has vowed to defend. But as the story moves forward, he is forced to deal with an increasing distance between those ideals and the institution that claims to embody them. His journey lets me explore questions about loyalty, morality, duty, and personal conviction. I wanted him to be more than just a fantasy hero in the traditional sense. His greatest challenges often center on the choices he has to make and the beliefs he has to question.

How do you find time to write while being a full-time science teacher?

Answer: It’s definitely taken a lot of perseverance and discipline to do both teaching and writing. I don’t have unlimited time set aside for writing, I write around the realities of teaching, marking, commuting and everyday life. Lantern in the Fog was a project I wanted to work on alongside my career, and finishing the novel has shown me what is possible with consistency. It’s been so rewarding to see something that was once just in my imagination turn into a finished novel on its way to publication.

What will readers find in the larger Dawnshield Order series?

The Dawnshield Order is an epic fantasy trilogy set in the kingdom of Altheryon. Readers can expect epic fantasy, political intrigue, detailed world-building, relationships, and moral choices all rolled into one. The story is about the people experiencing the larger conflicts in the world and not just the conflicts themselves. I also have three ideas for prequel novels, exploring characters and events earlier in Altheryon’s history so there is the potential for the world to grow far beyond the main trilogy.

What are your hopes for Lantern in the Fog and your future as R. L. Attfield?

My first priority is to get Lantern in the Fog into the hands of readers and to make The Dawnshield Order an epic fantasy series with a strong and recognisable identity. I’d love to keep developing stories in Altheryon, build a community of readers around the series, and eventually go to fantasy and book conventions. But most of all I hope to see all three books of The Dawnshield Order sitting together on readers’ shelves. It would be an amazing achievement to build that journey from the first novel onward.”