A matriarchal empire. A princess with forbidden magic. A mother who would kill to protect her own legacy.
As heir to the Min empire, Tori has learned to wear her collar well — speaking her mind just enough to feel like herself, defying her empress mother just enough to survive the guilt of submission. But she's hiding a secret that would see her sawn in half: a forbidden elemental power tied to the world's mythic past. If discovered, her mother would execute her own daughter without hesitation. And Tori knows it.
When discovery becomes inevitable, she flees into Peach Blossom Grove — a mythic realm of ghost-flowers, sentient forests, and immortals who remember a world before empires. In this ancient realm where immortal masters train magic-wielders and sentient weapons choose their owners, magic is neither blessing nor curse but a reflection of who you truly are. Here, Tori finds what the palace never gave her: belonging. But the trials are brutal, designed to break her before they remake her. And as her mother's ambition threatens war, Tori must choose — suppress the power that could doom her, or embrace it and become the one thing her mother fears most.
Herself.
Whispers of the Elixir begins the Order of the Ember series — a slow-burn, character-driven epic fantasy of legacy, sacrifice, and the strength of a princess destined to rise from the shadows and claim her place in legend.
Here you will find the political intrigue of Andrea Stewart, the immersive worldbuilding of Patrick Rothfuss, and the emotional weight of M.L. Wang.
Read an Excerpt
Tori fought the feeling of being on a leash. She raised a hand halfway to the feathers fastened around her neck, hesitated, then let it fall.
“Is it itching, Princess?” Lady Elnora said, watching her.
“Like all insanity, but no point fiddling with it.”
Her gentlewoman adjusted the feathered ruff anyway, providing no relief whatsoever. It didn’t matter. Collared or not, today she would prove she was not her mother’s lapdog.
She struggled to see above the red filigree rail of the Imperial Observation Pavilion—where the royal family sat, far above the masses—the weight of her ceremonial robes resisting her every effort. Imperial decorum, it seemed, had not been designed with mobility in mind. It was times like these that she regretted her small stature; her mother, no doubt, could see perfectly.
Once she finally shifted forward, however, her three-story vantage point allowed her a perfect view of the float parade winding through the city of Silver Fox Springs in a ribbon of color and sound.
“I still don’t see them,” Tori said, craning her neck forward.
Elnora’s smooth brown finger pointed the way. Blending seamlessly with the sculptures of giant mythical creatures adorning the streets, Tori’s pantomimists balanced on their stilts, waist pouches packed so tight with skades that the little stones stretched the seams. Pantomimists had never been seen before at the Tailu Spring Festival—and would remain hidden, until her plan required it.
Author Interview
Tell me about yourself. Where are you from?
CPS: I’m from Grand Cayman, in the Cayman Islands. It’s a British Overseas Territory located in the Caribbean, just south of Cuba and northwest of Jamaica.
CPS: I’m from Grand Cayman, in the Cayman Islands. It’s a British Overseas Territory located in the Caribbean, just south of Cuba and northwest of Jamaica.
What genre do you read? Name your top 5 authors.
CPS: I read fantasy and the classics, mostly. For fantasy, my top 5 would have to be J.R.R. Tolkien, Patrick Rothfuss, Michael J. Sullivan, Brandon Sanderson, and Jin Yong—though I love many others.
In terms of the classics, Jane Austen is my all-time favorite. I’ve read her anthology countless times, as well as Edith Wharton’s Age of Innocence. Lewis Carroll, Homer, and Shakespeare also feature on my shelf.
What book are you reading right now, and what do you like about it?
CPS: Right now I’m reading The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas. I love the richly-drawn characters—especially the count himself—as well as the themes of justice and revenge.
CPS: Right now I’m reading The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas. I love the richly-drawn characters—especially the count himself—as well as the themes of justice and revenge.
Favorite sports.
CPS: I’m not a sportswoman by any means. If I had to pick a favorite sport though, it would be archery. I’ve only ever dabbled in it, but I loved every minute of it when I did.
How long have you been writing?
CPS: I guess you could say I’ve been writing my whole life. As a teenager, one of my short stories was published in the local publication, but I’ve mostly written privately. The past seven years however, mark an increase in my dedication to writing, and an eventual shift into writing full-time.
What inspired you to become a writer?
CPS: Writing is something I’ve always dreamed of doing as a job. It comes naturally to me and brings me a lot of joy, two things that played a part in inspiring me to actually take the plunge and make a career of it.
CPS: Writing is something I’ve always dreamed of doing as a job. It comes naturally to me and brings me a lot of joy, two things that played a part in inspiring me to actually take the plunge and make a career of it.
What is your writing process like? Are you more of a plotter or a pantser?
CPS: I’m definitely a plotter. I outline my stories beat by beat, keep detailed notes on world-building, and use character bibles.
But my stories definitely develop and expand beyond the outline. This is because, though my overall story is structured carefully, the scene outlines usually just consist of a main event and worldbuilding details. Once I’ve read these, I give myself permission to just flow as I speak aloud into a Dictaphone whatever plays out in my imagination for that scene. Inevitably, unexpected elements introduce themselves at this point. After, I’ll go through several rounds of structured edits to get the story just right.
How did you come up with the ideas for your series?
CPS: These came to me as I read novels, studied history, watched movies, and just observed the world around me. It wasn’t instant, but developed over the course of several years, and as I noted the things that intrigued or delighted me, my series ideas took shape.
How do you celebrate finishing a book?
CPS: I celebrated finishing Whispers of the Elixir by going to an amazing restaurant with my family. We had such a great time just being together.
What would you tell a writer who is just starting? What advice would you give to a writer working on their first book? What’s your writing software of choice?
CPS: I would tell any writer who is just starting to try different things until they find their unique process. Try plotting, try pantsing, try every ratio in between. Write in bursts, and in marathons. Use a timer. A pen. A Dictaphone. Be open to everything until you find what clicks, because once you know what works for you, things get so much easier.
And for anyone working on their first book, be patient with yourself. Do not expect too much of yourself too soon, and don’t be disappointed when your story doesn’t turn out perfectly the first time—because it never does. Keep going, and you’ll arrive.
In terms of my writing software of choice, I use Scrivener until the final line edit, which I find easier to do in Word. I also organize my outlines and revision notes in Trello, because it allows me to easily take things in at a glance.
How do you organize everything and find the time to sit down and write?
CPS: Before I started writing full time, this was challenging, and I had to squeeze writing in whenever I could, and not be picky about word count.
CPS: Before I started writing full time, this was challenging, and I had to squeeze writing in whenever I could, and not be picky about word count.
Since I’ve been writing full time though, I generally have the flexibility to arrange my mornings as I wish, which means that sitting down to write is more a matter of discipline than of finding time. Of course, there are always other important things I could prioritize, but I force myself to leave those until later.
As an author, what would you choose as your spirit animal?
CPS: Though I don’t necessarily associate her with writing, I’ve always loved the lioness. She’s sleek, she’s fierce, and she’s a wonderful mother. She also understands the strength and support that comes from teaming up with other females.
Who has been the biggest supporter of your writing?
CPS: Definitely my husband and daughters. I don’t know what I would do without their support. And since my daughters are my biggest fans, I can always run story ideas past them, which is awesome.
How do you name your characters?
CPS: Usually, I start by putting together sounds that I find pleasing and which evoke both the character’s personality, and whichever cultural inspiration I’m going for. Then, since these initial attempts aren’t always usable, I tweak them until they sound plausible.
Can you describe a typical day in your writing life?
CPS: I normally start my day with a walk, followed by a coffee. Then I’ll look over my outline and see which scene I need to work on. If it’s a first draft, I’ll dictate it. If it’s a subsequent draft, I’ll revise it on my computer.
CPS: I normally start my day with a walk, followed by a coffee. Then I’ll look over my outline and see which scene I need to work on. If it’s a first draft, I’ll dictate it. If it’s a subsequent draft, I’ll revise it on my computer.
Once those scenes are done, I’ll read a craft book and try to implement what I learn. At the moment I’m reading Building Great Sentences by Brooks Landon, a book that focuses on using sentence structure to create beautiful writing.
Finally, if there’s time, I’ll indulge in whichever novel I’m currently reading, before moving on to my family or personal commitments of the day.
Tell us about your current release.
CPS: Whispers of the Elixir is a story about a princess with a hidden elemental magic that, in her culture, could get her sawn in half. And an empress mother who would carry out that sentence for the sake of securing her own legacy. It’s fraught with emotional tension, set against a background of political intrigue and immersive world-building.
It‘s a slow-burn character journey that explores themes of sacrifice, identity, and the cost of power, as well as the relationship between a formidable mother and her daughter.
CPS: Whispers of the Elixir is a story about a princess with a hidden elemental magic that, in her culture, could get her sawn in half. And an empress mother who would carry out that sentence for the sake of securing her own legacy. It’s fraught with emotional tension, set against a background of political intrigue and immersive world-building.
It‘s a slow-burn character journey that explores themes of sacrifice, identity, and the cost of power, as well as the relationship between a formidable mother and her daughter.
C.P. Silver, Thanks for being here at Always Reading. -Melissa
About the Author: 
C.P. Silver writes fantasy set in a world where matriarchy is absolute, with immersive worldbuilding, evocative prose, and emotionally complex characters. A former lawyer who also briefly studied Chinese medicine, her experiences shape the nuance and depth of her debut novel, Whispers of the Elixir, a slow-burn epic centered on legacy, inheritance, and the dangerous cost of power.
Raised in the Cayman Islands, she now lives in Europe. When not writing, she’s usually reading in a quiet nook or walking somewhere green, listening for the next story.
Buy Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F9YVK3NG
All Other Retailers: https://books2read.com/Whispers-of-the-Elixir
Social Media:
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/cpsilver_author
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cpsilverauthor/
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cpsilver-author.bsky.social
Goodreads profile: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/56899835.C_P_Silver
Author website: https://www.cpsilver.com/
C.P. Silver writes fantasy set in a world where matriarchy is absolute, with immersive worldbuilding, evocative prose, and emotionally complex characters. A former lawyer who also briefly studied Chinese medicine, her experiences shape the nuance and depth of her debut novel, Whispers of the Elixir, a slow-burn epic centered on legacy, inheritance, and the dangerous cost of power.
Raised in the Cayman Islands, she now lives in Europe. When not writing, she’s usually reading in a quiet nook or walking somewhere green, listening for the next story.
Buy Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F9YVK3NG
All Other Retailers: https://books2read.com/Whispers-of-the-Elixir
Social Media:
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/cpsilver_author
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cpsilverauthor/
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cpsilver-author.bsky.social
Goodreads profile: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/56899835.C_P_Silver
Author website: https://www.cpsilver.com/
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