Author Interview – Fiona Ingram

How important are villains in a story? Villains are sometimes the best part of the story. Besides, a hero can only be heroic if there’s a villain to offset his bravery. Villains and their evil machinations make life interesting. Someone has to stop them or foil their nefarious plans. I like all the villains in my books, those written as well as those planned. Villains are usually clever and wily. They rely on their brains, not brute force.

Their motives and desires are actually often as grand as heroic ambitions, just really on the side of bad, not good. Villains are also self-absorbed but they can see the bigger picture. A clever villain knows when to retire from the battlefield. After all, ‘he who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day.’ Villains keep the plot going. A multifaceted villain, such as a baddie who loves his mother, or volunteers at an animal shelter, is a villain with interesting angles. No one wants a thug: they want Machiavelli because he’s more intriguing.

Do you have to travel much concerning your books? I am such a globetrotter that I think my adventure series has just given me lots of excuses to pack and explore! I began travelling from an early age and I found the contact with other cultures shaped my vision of life and matured me.

I began to see life differently, and to appreciate how other people live, think, and feel about life. When the idea for the series grew, I just knew setting the various adventures in unusual countries would appeal to young readers. The Secret of the Sacred Scarab was inspired by my trip to Egypt. The next book was sparked by my trip to Britain; and hopefully I will complete the research for the third book by going on a trip to the jungles of Mexico.

Can we expect more books from you in the future? Absolutely. I am whizzing along. When I began researching the ‘mythology’ behind The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, I discovered such a deep and wonderful world of legends and ancient teachings that the book began to grow almost a ‘super identity.’ This back history became so compelling that I knew it couldn’t end with the first book.

The end of the first story then became the beginning of another. Writing the second book (The Search for the Stone of Excalibur) was quicker because Dark Ages Britain (the time when the historical Arthur lived) is not as complex or as well documented as Ancient Egypt. The themes are different, but the medieval world of ancient manuscripts and monasteries is as fascinating. Secret associations, poisons and cures … murder most foul … lots of good stuff.

I don’t get bored with the characters at all because their responses to each new story and situation bring out different aspects of them. Each book has such a strong theme, and a powerful message that goes beyond the mere story. For example: Book One emphasized the value of cultural heritage; Book Two (The Search for the Stone of Excalibur) will highlight the value of recorded history and the (often dangerous) power of knowledge; Book Three (The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper) will uncover pressing environmental issues in the Mexican jungles, and so on. Each country I have chosen also has a unique aspect that enables me to give more to the reader without consciously hammering home a message.

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Genre – Juvenile Fiction

Rating – G

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