I am Wade Lewellyn-Hughes, fantasy novelist and sucker for a good story, whether in print, on a game console, or on film. When done properly, the audience wants more. When done exceptionally, they demand it—info on your characters, what's next, and all of the threads yet to be tied up or revealed. That's why I focus on the characters in my work. Someone created a thoroughly scientific poll on Tumblr and asked if readers preferred a story with a great plot and mediocre characters or a bad story with great characters. The answer wasn't surprising. What's the point of a great plot if you couldn't care less about those it immediately impacts? Thus, I hope you'll find my work to be character-driven as well as enveloping. As an LGBTQ author, I aim for a diverse array of characters because I understand how important representation is. Opprobrium shares many themes with my own history, growing up gay in the American South and seeking an escape from an oppressive society. Now that the Lamentation's End's main characters' circumstances have changed, I'm excited to open up their world for them and show them just how colorful and magical it can be.