What is the title of your latest release?
EXCAVATING FATE
What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
While on a dig in Tunisia, a 19-year-old archeology intern uncovers a relic that thrusts her back to an alternate version of ancient Carthage, where a vengeful god’s plan to destroy Rome could fracture history itself.
How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
I’ve always been a bit of a history nerd, the kind who gets way too excited over dusty ruins and obscure documentaries. The idea for EXCAVATING FATE really took root after I took a DNA test and discovered that I had a smidge of North African ancestry. Suddenly, Hannibal Barca and the lost city of Carthage weren’t just historical footnotes, they felt personal.
Of course, when I tried to share my excitement with my teenage son by queueing up a History Channel documentary, he sat there like he was serving a prison sentence. That’s when it hit me: if I wanted the next generation to care about this fascinating slice of history, I had to make it fun. While I usually gravitate toward adult fantasy, this time I decided to write something that could both inform and intrigue young adults. That’s when the time travel, ancient gods, and a healthy dose of sci-fi and fantasy were born.
Would you hang out with your heroine in real life?
Definitely. She’s highly intelligent, snarky, and loves archeology. Though I like wine and she doesn’t. Understandably so after everything she’s been through. I can’t blame her. (don’t want to give too much away)
What are three words that describe your hero?
• Snarky because she hides insecurity behind her satire and wit.
• Resilient because regardless of what’s thrown at her, loss, danger or impossible choices, she keeps pushing forward.
• Searching, because she’s still figuring out who she is, what she believes in and where she belongs.
What’s something you learned while writing this book?
This book taught me a lot. Personally, I learned to believe in my story even when others didn’t. It took five years and about sixty rejections, but I didn’t give up. After a workshop pointed out the beginning wasn’t working, I brainstormed a new approach, aged-up Amara, and opened with her at a dig site. This really breathed life into my story.
In my research, Carthage’s advancements just blew me away. This civilization had running water, three-story buildings, libraries, thriving ports, remarkable shipbuilding, and even Tyrian purple dye that was only sold to the elite. General Hannibal Barca and his incredible march over the Alps has always fascinated me. Although he’s in this book, I wanted readers to learn more about Carthage, and why it was so extraordinary. This way they understood why Rome was such a threat.
In terms of craft, I learned how to be concise. To fit in the traditional publishing guidelines, I had to cut the manuscript down from 120,000 to 94,000 words. This was tough, but it taught me the power of brevity.
Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I do a little of both. I’ll do light edits as I write, but once the first draft is finished, I print it and usually end up rewriting almost everything since it’s just about getting the ideas down. Then I move into the second draft, print and edit again, and send it to beta readers. After addressing their feedback in a third draft, I polish once more. By the fourth draft, I usually tap out and start querying.
What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
I’d have to say wine, especially how it pairs with different foods. It has so much personality. Since I’m Spanish Basque and Irish, a lot of my meals lean toward the Mediterranean with a side of Irish carbs. Yes, plenty of potatoes. I love lamb, fish and fresh veggies like eggplant, and lots of sauces., and I can’t forget cheese, it’s a chef’s kiss. Manchego is my absolute favorite (and I wonder why I’m chubby). Cooking is also how I show love. Whenever I visit my kids, I’m usually in the kitchen making meals for them.
Describe your writing space/office!
My office serves a dual purpose. As a clinical social worker, I provide counseling via telehealth, so my diplomas and licenses are framed on the wall behind my computer. However, it’s also my writing space, and the bookshelves are bursting at the seams. I’ve always believed writers should read widely, and I surround myself with stories from every genre. There’s something grounding about writing while being encircled by so many voices. When I look out the window in front of my desk, I’m instantly inspired by the forest of oaks and pines behind my house.
Who is an author you admire?
I’ve read so many great works that have challenged me, but more recently, the Nightengale by Kristen Hannah really stayed with me. It’s outside the genre I write, but the emotional weight and historical depth of that book made me think, someday I’d love to write something that serious and powerful. Although I’m currently into writing YA and Dark adult fantasy, books of Hannah’s caliber make me want to aim higher.
Is there a book that changed your life?
I can’t say that any one book changed my life because I have a lot of favorites. I tend to remember books that provoke existential thought. I know this sounds a little pretentious, but I’d have to say PARADISE LOST is near the top of my list. It speaks to the struggle between good and evil, the pull of temptation, and the corrosive power of jealousy, which are all timeless themes.
I also love that I’m not alone in this. Many readers are fascinated by Milton’s Satan, how he’s rebellious, defiant, and almost sympathetic at times. This complexity helped me as an author, reminding me to build villains with multiple layers instead of just making them “bad.” This also seeps into my therapy work. I truly believe that no one is all bad or all good. Humans are complicated, with moments of weakness and moments of strength.
For me, that’s where both writing and therapy intersect. A well written character teaches us that even villains have a story, a reason, a wound behind their actions. In therapy, it’s often about helping people see this same truth within themselves. That their mistakes or darker moments don’t define them, and forgiveness of self is possible. In both fiction and real life, that balance of light and shadow makes us human.
Paradise Lost is the kind of book you can analyze forever, and it makes for a great lab and discussion topic. Also, the language is breathtaking, and the scope is epic, spanning heaven, hell, and humanity’s fall. At its core, Adam and Eve’s story resonates because it’s really about human fallibility: making mistakes, carrying guilt, and finding redemption.
Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published). Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
After EXCAVATING FATE had received so many rejections, I nearly fell out of my chair. I must have read the email from Lodestone Books at least twenty times just to ensure it wasn’t a prank. I’ve been writing seriously since 2008, collecting enough passes on my work to wallpaper a really, really big room. So, this moment felt surreal. It was also validating as an author, that a professional liked my story enough to take a chance on it. The moment also served as a reminder that tenacity and hard work pay off.
I’d like to thank Collective Ink and their imprint, Lodestone Publications, for all their support along the way. This publisher has really made the process easy.
What’s your favorite genre to read?
It depends. I get on kicks. Currently, I’m into Romantasy, but a shift is coming. Next, I might jump into some historical fiction from Phillippa Gregory or Allison Weir. Some Frieda Mcfadden is great for a quick escape into fiction as well.
What’s your favorite movie?
My movie tastes are all over the place. Sometimes I enjoy the suspense of Predator because an extraterrestrial being who picks off some of Earth’s toughest warriors is both terrifying and oddly fun. Other times, I lean toward Chocolat, with its reminder that denying ourselves joy in the name of “virtue” can be just as destructive as indulgence.
However, my all-time go-to is The Godfather Parts I and II, and always in that order. I watched it as a teen with my mother, and we had lots of conversations about Michael Corleone. He personifies the ongoing human battle between morality and darker impulses. I still wonder what he might have been like if Apollonia had lived, more more like his father, a cold-blooded but strangely likeable Don or would he have left the business altogether?
I realize this probably says something questionable about me, that I find mob bosses and their ethical dilemmas endlessly fascinating. But hey, everyone needs a comfort movie, haha. Mine just happens to involve betrayal, crime families, and a lot of pasta.
What is your favorite season?
I absolutely love fall. There’s something about the crispness in the air and the trees turning gold, burgundy, and green that feels comforting. It’s the season that makes me want to curl up under a blanket with a pumpkin latte and rewatch Harry Potter. Fall is also the time I go all-in on decorating my porch (which I’m not very good at) with pumpkins and hay bales. I always have cinnamon scents warming in the wax burner, and cookies or bread in the oven, and definitely a time for all kinds of soups.
Fall just has this perfect mix of cozy and magical, like the world’s giving me permission to slow down, enjoy the little things, and unapologetically take in the scents of pumpkin spice and cinnamon.
How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
For me, birthdays are about gratitude and being blessed with another year of life. I always try to remember that every day is a gift, and I’d rather spend my birthday with the people who matter most. So, I often end up on a girls’ trip where we celebrate everyone’s birthdays at once, which is convenient since they all fall close together. At home, I keep it simple: a nice meal with my family, plenty of time just being together, and maybe indulging in a slice of red velvet cake, one of my guilty pleasures. In the end, it’s the company that makes the day feel special.
What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
I tend to binge-watch a lot of series, so sometimes they blur together. However, a few have stood out recently. Slow Horses hooked me with its sharp writing and messy, reluctant heroes, and Invasion scratched my sci-fi itch. Lioness kept my pulse racing, and Bridgerton is always awesome with its lush setting, and slow burn romance. Though I’ve also rewatched Supernatural so many times, I’ve lost count. The writing on that show is phenomenal.
On the book side, I recently read The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, and it left me in awe. Her ability to pull so many emotions from the reader was inspiring. It made me want to someday write a more serious piece that might carry a helpful message to others. I haven’t figured out what that story is yet, but I like to think my muse is quietly sipping coffee in the background, plotting.
As for podcasts, I enjoy Tales of the Wandering Scribe, hosted by Gabriel Garcia. He’s an indie author who covers a wide range of topics, and I always come away with something new to think about. He also recently hosted me on his show, where we discussed my upcoming YA fantasy novel, EXCAVATING FATE, a story about archaeology, time travel, and the perils of rewriting history. It was such a fun experience and a great chance to talk about books and writing.
What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
Anything that pairs well with wine. I grew up with an eccentric mother who loved to cook, and honestly, she could have put most chefs to shame. Her passion for the culinary arts expanded my palate early on, and since I’m Spanish Basque, a lot of the dishes I make at home carry that influence.
I naturally gravitate toward foods with rich sauces and inventive vegetarian sides, but if I had to choose, Italian and Spanish cuisines are my favorite. They’re comforting, layered, and best enjoyed with people you love (and maybe a glass of Brunello, Rioja or both).
What do you do when you have free time?
I’m still waiting to actually have free time, haha. When I do, I usually spend it with my husband. We love hiking and biking and then rewarding ourselves with great restaurants. We’re also big fans of the arts, so if there’s a good play or opera, we’re all in.
Family time is always at the top of my list. When I visit my kids and their families, it usually turns into a full house. I show up with wine, buy way too many groceries, cook for everyone, and then beat them all at poker. Nothing says quality bonding like bankrupting your children and then giving the money back out of maternal guilt.
I also enjoy volunteering. Since my move to Kentucky, I’ve been considering how best to serve my new community. As a clinical social worker, I’m especially drawn to supporting people experiencing homelessness or women in domestic abuse situations. Giving back is something I want to stay intentional about, no matter how busy life gets.
What can readers expect from you next?
Currently, I have multiple drafts vying for attention. When I wrote EXCAVATING FATE, I wasn’t sure how it would be received. The book has a different vibe. It’s set in ancient Carthage, a civilization seldom explored in fiction, and includes mythological creatures not usually seen in fantasy. There’s even a dark god determined to upend Rome’s rise and rewrite history. When you deviate from what the market expects, it can often lead to low readership.
To my surprise, the early response was incredibly encouraging. ARC readers have shared thoughtful feedback, and an unexpectedly high number of people have already signed up for my Goodreads giveaway of 100 free e-books. For a debut, that kind of response is both humbling and motivating. It’s proof that readers are willing to take a chance on something a little different.
If my November release continues on this positive trajectory, I plan to write a sequel. In it, Amara will march over the Alps with General Hannibal Barca, his elephants and his men. It was one of the most dangerous crossings in history. Hannibal suffered devastating losses but still managed to win a pivotal battle against Rome. I want to capture both the grit and the awe of that journey, while weaving in what readers loved from the first book. They’ll still get lots of action, adventure, a little romance, mythology, sci-fi twists, and even some fun along the way.
Right now, I’m also editing the first book in my Paranormal Therapist series. My usual style leans more toward adult dark fantasy, so when I dipped my toe into the YA waters with EXCAVATING FATE, I wasn’t sure I’d write a sequel. Time will tell. Either way, readers can expect more stories that weave together history and/or mythology, danger, and human complexity.
EXCAVATING FATE by Andrea Franco-Cook
Nineteen-year-old Amara’s dreams come true when she lands an archaeological internship in Tunisia. But her triumph turns to chaos when a historical artifact hurls her into an alternate version of ancient Carthage, where magic reigns. Stranded in a world of warring factions and mythical beings, Amara’s only way home is through a cunning Phoenician god. His price? Complete a perilous mission that could rewrite history itself. As Amara uncovers the god’s true agenda, she realizes that altering one world’s past could shatter the fabric of all realities – including her own. Now she faces an impossible choice: secure her return home or protect the balance of every dimension. The clock is ticking…
Fiction Adventure | Young Adult Historical | Young Adult Fantasy [ Lodestone Books, On Sale: November 4, 2025, Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9781803418964 / eISBN: 9781803419299 ]
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About Andrea Franco-Cook
Andrea’s literary journey began in a home where plot twists were as common as bedtime stories. Raised by an eccentric mother with an ever-evolving novel, Andrea inherited a passion for storytelling that now influences her daily life.
Andrea’s storytelling is also enriched by a tapestry of real-world experiences. Her background as a U.S. Army veteran and Airborne School graduate, brings a unique perspective to her writing. Her current role as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and therapist also provides profound insights into human nature that add depth and authenticity to her narratives.
When not crafting worlds or healing minds in her Kentucky home, Andrea can be found lost in a good book, cherishing family moments or weaving herself into her community’s fabric through volunteer work.
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