Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
It’s hard to pick just one theme – there are so many important threads in the book. Essentially, Eolyn is a woman struggling to define her own path in the face of prejudice and oppression, and in a world largely ruled by men. This a theme I think a lot of people can relate to.
So my message, I suppose, is that it is possible to define your own path, to be the person you want to be, no matter how difficult the obstacles you face. But your success depends not only your own effort and determination, it also depends on the friends and allies you make along the way. None of us live in this world alone. In learning to understand each other, we learn about – and liberate – ourselves.
Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?
I don’t have to travel, but I love to do it. I have had the good fortune of traveling all my life, and the places I’ve visited have invariably inspired the stories I’ve written. So, while I don’t conscientiously travel to do research, I always end up doing research while I’m travelling.
As a result, Eolyn’s world – the Kingdom of Moisehén – is a strange amalgamation of different cultures and time periods. At its roots is an imaginary Germanic medieval culture inspired by childhood trips to Germany with my family. The province of Moehn, where Eolyn was born, has elements of the Central Valley of Costa Rica during the colonial period. Eolyn’s home with the witch Ghemena in the South Woods was inspired by the oak forests of the Talamanca Mountain Range of Central America. Add to all this a bit of spice from Pre-Colombian Peru, as well as a dash of contemporary feminist sentiment, and you have quite a volatile mix!
How important do you think villains are in a story?
Villains are essential. And they can be a lot of fun! But in order to work well within a story, they also have to be three-dimensional characters with their own set of motivations, dreams, and internal conflicts.
My second novel High Maga has a ‘true’ villain in the character of Mechnes. I say ‘true’ because he is really unredeemable, and yet in his best (which are simultaneously his worst) moments he is somehow admirable. I mean, you can’t help but respect this guy even as you despise him. Mechnes is one of the most difficult characters I have ever written, but I think he is also one of the best.
Have you started another book yet?
Right now, I am working on the third and final novel of the Eolyn sequence, entitled Daughter of Aithne. I love the writing of this book! Daughter of Aithne will be the culmination of Eolyn’s journey from humble origins to foundress of a new era of magic. Unlike the previous two novels, where male characters have played central roles in the major conflicts, Daughter of Aithne is shaping up to be a conflict played out, for the most part, between very powerful women. I wish I could tell you more about it, but I should probably wait until you’ve had a chance to read Eolyn and its companion novel, High Maga.
Do you have any advice for writers?
Don’t get too stressed about arriving at the destination. Instead, enjoy the journey. That’s what it’s all about.
If you have the opportunity to publish or be published, be prepared to work hard at marketing, but don’t let it take over your life. The priority should always be you: your health, your wellbeing, your family and friends, and all the little details, including writing, that bring joy to your days.
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Genre - Fantasy
Rating – PG13
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1 comments:
Couldn't agree more, Karin. Especially about the writing of true villains. They seem to be so much more complex than the good guys (and girls) who tend to react out of natural 'goodness'.
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