Interview with Victoria Strauss

Victoria Strauss is the author of six fantasy novels, including The Arm of the Stone, The Garden of the Stone and The Burning Land. She’s a regular book reviewer for the online journal SF Site, and her articles on writing have appeared in Writer’s Digest and elsewhere. She’s an active member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, where she serves as vice-Chair of the Writing Scams Committee and maintains the Writer Beware literary scams warning website (http://www.writerbeware.com). She welcomes visitors to her own website: http://www.victoriastrauss.com.

Debbie Ledesma: First of all, what led you to become a writer? Was it hard getting published?

Victoria Strauss: I wasn’t one of those people who always knew they’d be a writer. As a child and a teenager, I did do some writing, but not seriouslìy, and certainly not with an eye to a career, even though my mother is a published novelist.

My first novel happened more or less by accident. I wanted to take a
year off between high school and college to live abroad with my family; my
parents were willing to let me do it, but told me I’d have to come up with some sort of educational or creative project to keep me busy for the year.
I’d just taken an English class that required me to write several short stories, and I’d enjoyed it, so I thought: "Hey, why not try and write a
novel?" I wasn’t serious, or at least I didn’t think I was--I was mostly trying to placate my parents. I didn’t actually expect to finish it. But a few chapters in I was hooked, and by the time I was halfway through I’d decided that writing was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

I began submitting the book to publishers (this was back in the 1970’s, when publishers were still willing to look at unagented manuscripts), and
then, totally by accident, got an offer of representation from a brand-new
agent. She diligently sent the manuscript around, but got no takers, and after a while stopped actively submitting. She never forgot about my book,
though, and whenever she thought there was someone who might be interested she sent it out. Eventually, she did get me an offer. I had to completely rewrite the book to make it publishable, which was an interesting lesson in swallowing my authorial pride. But I learned a huge amount from doing it. To this day, I’m grateful to the editor who bought it for taking a chance on a very unready writer, and for being so generous with her guidance and support.

DL: Why did you choose the Fantasy genre to write in?

VS: My favorite reading as a child was fantasy ‘ (especially Arthurian
fantasy--one of my all-time favorites is T. H. White’s The Sword in the
Stone), fairy tales, and historical novels. Perhaps not surprisingly, my
first novel was a historical with fantastic elements. After that, I gravitated toward fantasy--always with a historical bent (people tell me that my books read like historical novels about places that never were). Apart from the ability that fantasy gives me to explore interesting themes, I love the sense of wonder that rises from magic and adventure in imaginary worlds. It’s my goal to share that with readers--really, to write the kinds of books that I myself would like to read.

DL: What authors, Fantasy or otherwise, influence your writ óing?

VS: I’m a pretty eclectic reader. One of my favorite classic writers is Thomas Hardy, for his matchless ability with character and setting. I’m also a big mystery fan--favorites include Reginald Hill and Barbara Vine (a pen
name of Ruth Rendell, whose books under her own name I don’t like nearly as much, for some reason). Mainstream writers who’ve impressed me recently include Matthew Kneale and Ann Patchett; and I recommend Jeff Long’s The Descent to anyone who likes incredibly dark, atmospheric SF-themed thrillers.

Classic fantasy and SF favorites include Ann McCaffrey, Patricia McKillip,
Philip K. Dick, John Brunner, and Andre Norton ï. I admire John Crowley’s literary fantasy, and Tad Williams is one of the best pure storytellers around. There’s also a really exciting crop of up-and-coming writers who are re-thinking and energizing various subgenres of fantasy and SF: Jacqueline Carey, R. Scott Bakker, Ricardo Pinto, Roger Levy (a UK writer who deserves a much wider audience), Scott Westerfeld, and many others. One of the perks of being a book reviewer is that I get to see a lot of terrific new authors.

DL: Do you find it easier writing for adults or young adults?

VS: Both kinds of writing are equally challenging, in different ways.
You’re catering to different audiences, but ê the level of imagination and
commitment you bring to each kind of book is exactly the same.

My YA books are less complex, plotwise, than my adult books, though
that’s mostly a result of the length restrictions that applied to YA fiction
when I was writing it. Nowadays, post-Harry Potter, it’s okay for YA books to be pretty hefty, but that wasn’t always true. My YA books also are less
dark. This also has to do with the needs of the market when I was writing YA; in fact, one of the main reasons I switched to adult fiction was that I
wanted to be able to delve deeper into darker themes. Again, though, the YA market has changed quite a bit in the past decade or so, and books that deal with dark themes and disturbing subjects are far more acceptable than they once were.

DL: How is your new novel The Burning Land different from your previous books?

VS: My two previous adult novels (The Arm of the Stone and The Garden of the Stone) had an alternate-world setting--a world that split off from our own somewhere around the early medieval period--and a lot of the world building was based on a European medieval template. I wanted to do something different with my next book, so The Burning Land has a setting that’s more reminiscent of Asia or the Middle East.

I also did more extensive world building for this novel than I’ve done
for others, in part because I’d like to set a number of books in this world
(right now, the only one scheduled is a sequel). I research all my
books, but I did much more reading for The Burning Land, and spent more time building the setting (I do a lot of world building on the fly, as I’m writing, rather than in advance--but for this novel, with its complicated background of history and culture and religion, I knew from the start that I’d have to invest more time up front). There’s a feature on my website (http://www.victoriastrauss.com) that discusses the research process, and gives a glimpse of the kind of preparation I did.

The Burning Land also has a very different magic system. The Stone books featured a wide range of magical gifts, but in the world of The Burning Land there are only two: Dreaming, a kind of astral projection that allows the Dreamer’s mind to fly out across the world in sleep, and Shaping, the ability to manipulate and transmute matter. Shaping is a limited gift--a Shaper can’t, for instance, create anything living--and it’s also greatly feared, because of abuses in the ancient past. As a result, Shapers are required to vow themselves to the god Arata (who originally granted the gift of shaping to humankind) and to cripple their power with drugs.

The hero of The Burning Land is a Shaper priest, Gyalo, who’s sent into an unexplored desert (The Burning Land of the title) sacred to the sleeping god Arata, in search of a group of Ürefugees from a recently-ended cycle of religious persecution. It’s feared that some of these refugees may be Shapers, free of vows and drugs and therefore extremely dangerous. After many trials, Gyalo finds the refugees, some of whom are indeed free Shapers--but far more amazing is the secret they’ve discovered, which seems to indicate that the central prophecy of Gyalo’s faith has been fulfilled, an event that heralds the destruction and rebirth of the world. Gyalo’s appearance out of nowhere, which at first seems to fit the refugees’ heretical beliefs, later begins to contradict them, and he’s forced to flee, along with a Dreamer named Axane who has also defied her people’s faith. But the church leaders to whom Gyalo returns are as threatened by his discoveries as the refugees were by his arrival. In the crisis that follows, all beliefs come into question, and both Gyalo’s courage and h Ñis deepest-held convictions are tested to their limits.

DL: I’m always fascinated with Fantasy that has mythic themes. Do you use themes from mythology in your books?

VS: Yes, always--though they’re probably not immediately recognizable as real-world myths. My Stone duology is centered around a mysterious magical object called the Stone, which is based in part on legends of the Holy Grail (which in their original form were quite different from the Grail of the Arthurian story). The Burning Land features Arata, the sleeping god whose dreams continually shape and change the earth, and whose rising will restore the world to its original perfection--a theme embodied in a lot of different myths and legends from many different cultures and religious traditions. I also enjoy making up my own myths--there’s one at the very beginning of The Burning Land.

DL: How do you view Fantasy as a vehicle for social commentary?

VS: Fantasy is a terrific medium for a theme-driven writer like me (when
I’m planning a book, theme comes first; plot and character grow out of it).
Because you’re working with an imaginary world whose nature and
principles you control, you can build a setting that embodies the themes you want to explore, without any of the constraints or baggage of real-world history (though in order to resonate with readers, the setting does need to reflect the real world in some way). Or you can use mythic archetypes to address universal issues; or your imaginary world can skew or satirize some aspect of the real world or work as an allegory of it. On the other hand, if you aren’t interested in anything so abstract, you can simply go for pure entertainment, pure adventure. That’s one of the things I love most about fantasy, both as a reader and a writer: it’s infinitely flexible.

The Burning Land does address serious themes, including the corruption of power and the dangers of religious fundamentalism. These are themes that have always interested me--and, as it happens, are reflected by recent real-world events, both in this country and abroad, in ways I didn’t anticipate as I was writing the book.

DL: Movies are a different medium, but do you think any of your books
would make a good movie?

VS: Maybe I’m biased, but I think any of them would! I’m a very visual
writer--I see the scenes and settings in my books like a movie in my head as I’m writing, and though my books are mostly character-driven, they also
feature strong dramatic story arcs. If I had to choose one novel to turn into
film, I think it might be my YA novel Guardian of the Hills. It’s a coming of age story set during the Depression, in which the excavation of a series of mysterious hill-tombs wakes a powerful, malign spirit.

The current interest in films based on fantasy novels is interesting. A few
years ago, fantasy novels stood little chance of ever being optioned. But
fantasy is now perceived as a moneymaker, and with all the advances in
CGI and special effects it’s possible to bring imaginary worlds and powerful magics to life in a way it never was before. Hopefully the “Lord of the Rings” movies have raised the bar for filmed fantasy, and will make film sales more feasible for writers like me.

DL: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

VS: Read as widely as possible, and think critically about what you read.
Apart from actually writing, it’s the best way to learn your craft.

Educate yourself! This is tremendously important. There are a lot of scams
and pitfalls waiting for new writers (in my other life, I’m a member of the
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America’s Writing Scams Committee, and run a website called Writer Beware, which warns about various kinds of literary scams) and your best defense is to know how the publishing industry wo ≥rks before you start submitting manuscripts. You also have a much better chance of success if you carefully research agents and publishers ahead of time to be sure they are legitimate and that your work is appropriate for them. Many writers seem to want to skip the research step--and I agree, it’s tedious. But apart from writing a good book or story, a firm understanding of the industry and solid research are the two things that will best serve your quest for publication.

Don’t believe the prevalent new writers’ myths: that established publishers
won’t take a risk on new talent, that established agents won’t work with new authors, that original voices have no chance because publishers are
only interested in cookie-cutter clones of successful books. There’s some
truth in these maxims, which makes them very convincing--but they are greatly exaggerated. If your work is marketable and you are smart about
submitting, your odds of pu blication are better than not.

Be persistent. This doesn’t just mean about submitting your work. Keep
writing--if your current book or story won’t sell, the next one might. Keep
researching--the market is always changing, and if you keep on top of
it you’ll improve your chances.

Finally...be realistic. Publications aimed at new writers encourage them to
believe that everyone has an equal chance, and it’s just a matter of trying
hard enough or mastering a few tricks of the trade. But this is misleading,
because every writer is not equal. Some are talented--but more are not.
Consistent rejection by the commercial market may be shortsighted and
unfair...or it may be justified. It’s important to have confidence in your
ability, but at some point, you may need to reassess.

DL: What books or stories are in your future?

VS: I’m currently working on a sequel to The Burning Land. As I mentioned, I’d like to do other books set in the same world--I have an idea for a prequel to The Burning Land, based on a historical incident that’s mentioned in the book, but it all depends on whether my publisher is interested. I’m also working on ideas for another young adult fantasy, or possibly a series.

Humorous Fantasy

Humor is an important aspect of human existence. We all enjoy humor whether it is subtle, bringing a smile to our lips or makes us laugh hard. For authors, humor can be a tricky thing to write but some can master it. Several Fantasy authors write humorous books using the Fantasy genre as their playground. They bring us works that give us laughs through many books.

One of the masters of Humorous Fantasy is British author Terry Pratchett. ]He created the Fantasy world of “Discworld.” He uses satire to poke fun at all of the cliches in Fantasy as well as at our modern world. His characters of the wizard Rincewind, the witch Granny Weatherwax and many others bring Discworld to life and gives us many laughs. Mr. Pratchett has a keen talent for humor that extends over several books. The Color of Magic is the first of the series.

Another humorous author is Piers Anthony and his “Xanth” books. Xanth is a land of magic bordering on our world of Mundania. Everyone in Xanth is born with a magic talent. Those that aren’t get exiled to Mundania forever. A Spell for Chameleonis the first book in this long series. It tells the story of Bink and his quest to find a magic talent before he is exiled.These books are pun driven. The series is now over twenty-five books.

Humor is not limited to men writers. Esther Freisner writes some books and stories that are very funny. She has a subtle but wicked sense of humor. Her books range from in your face comedy to a mild undercurrent in some books. They cover a vast array of Fantasy sub-genres. Harlot’s Ruse and Elf Defense are just two books from her considerable talent and imagination.

Following in Pratchett’s footsteps, Tom Holt added his contribution to humorous Fantasy with several books. Expecting Someone Taller tells the story about a character named Malcolm. While driving his car one day, Malcolm hits a badger. The badger granted him two powers, making Malcolm king of the world. A lot of satirical humor ensues. Mr. Holt uses various mythologies to write Fantasies poking fun at society. His books are entertaining.

For slapstick humor, puns and a lot of fun, Fantasy author Robert Asprin fits the bill. He has written several humorous books, especially his “Myth” series. These books tell about Skeeve the magician’s apprentice and the demon Aahz as they stumble through many adventures. Another Fine Myth is the first of the series.

Humorous Fantasy has many books from talented authors to tickle our funny bones. The stories can be subtle, pun driven, slapstick, satire or many other styles of humor. These books are entertaining and can be a change from the usual serious Fantasy. Everyone can benefit from a good laugh. So, find a book and enjoy the laughter.

Interview with Vera Nazarian

This interview appeared a few years ago, but still has a lot of information.

Vera Nazarian is a rising star of the Fantasy genre. Originally from Russia, she brings vivid new stories to Fantasy that readers can enjoy. A writer and artist among other other areas, she is a multi-talented woman. She creates intriguing worlds filled with interesting characters in both short stories and novels. Her two books are Dreams of the Compass Rose and Lords of Rainbow. She is also owner of her own publishing company Norilana Books (http://www.norilanabooks.com). More information can be found at her web site at: http://www.veranazarian.com . Ms. Nazarian tells more about herself in the interview:

Debbie Ledesma: What led you to become a writer? Was it hard getting published?

Vera Nazarian: Good question. I think I became one despite myself -- tricking myself into it, really.

When I was a little kid back in Moscow, Russia, I've always thought I would
become an artist or a folk dancer or an astronomer. In fact, if you'd asked me then about a life of solitary writing I would have said, "Oh how boring! Imagine, to sit at a desk all day and just write." I was forgetting that an artist also just stares at a piece of paper or canvas all day. It somehow never occurred to me to connect these two diverse creative modes.

However I've always been creative verbally, had a flair, my teachers said -- wrote great expository essays in elementary school, scribbled little poems, embraced all writing assignments. And all along I read voraciously -- first in Russian and then, after we left the USSR, in English, and even Spanish. At some point in the US, in junior high, seventh grade, inspired by our recent reading of Tolkien, Piers Anthony's Xanth and Terry Brooks’ The Sword of Shannara, a good friend started to write a fantasy novel. And I said to myself, "Hey, why don't I do that too?"

And so I started to write. And I wrote and wrote all through high school. At some point, sitting in the school library, during reading period, I looked up from my leopard print hardcover composition notebook where I was scribbling a derivative Tolkien epic full of purple prose in tiny handwriting and thought to myself, "Damn! I am a writer! How did that happen?"

In those days, I relished the sweet sense of keeping a unique secret in my
mind -- a wonderful magical universe that I could go to any time, any place, and no one had to know. It was my personal place, better than any I've read about in any other book. And when I wrote, I was in the process of pulling that personal universe out of nothing and into the cold reality of the greater world. The act of sharing with readers was at first too much of an intimate thing. But it evolved into an intense necessity to share.

As far as publication, I was supremely lucky that in my senior high school
year I came upon an issue of _Writers Digest_ with a market listing for Sword and Sorceress #2, edited by Marion Zimmer Bradley. Before, probably around 1982, I had sent out some occasional poems to vanity contests (knowing nothing about the facts of vanity publishing and actually paying one of such poetry anthologies to "feature" my poem). I also sent out humongous and terribly overwritten stories to places such as _IASFM_ and _F&SF_ and _Fantasy Book_, and started acquiring rejections, with my very first one being a personal and very kind scribbled note from Shawna McCarthy. But here, Marion Zimmer Bradley took apart my first submission to her, covered the manuscript in red ink revisions, and told me to try her again. I had never been so reeling with authorial joy as I had been that day, holding Marion's letter and seeing that ravaged manuscript -- finally, it meant that someone cared!

And so I sat down and wrote a short story in two weeks and submitted it to her. And Marion bought "Wound On The Moon" for S&S #2. My first sale and my first pro sale rolled into one.

(See it reprinted here: http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/eBook5882.htm)

Since then I've sold about fifteen more stories to MZB's various anthologies, and many other short pieces to other markets, not to mention
the two novels to the wonderful small press owned by John Gregory Betancourt, called Wildside Press. However I will never forget what Marion did for me by accepting that first story from a stupid enthusiastic kid.

Of course at that point I had no idea that the adventure was only beginning and that the struggle and the rejections were to pile before me, a typical young writer, in an implacable mountain. But I was on my way.

DL: What authors, Fantasy or otherwise, influence your writing?

VN: At first, I would say it was all the Greeks and the Russian classics like
Tolstoy, Goncharov, Dostoyevsky, Pushkin, and the international classics in Russian translation like Victor Hugo, George Sand, Charlotte Bronte, Sir Walter Scott, Mark Twain. Then came fluency in the English language and with it modern fantasists like Tanith Lee and genre icons like Marion
Zimmer Bradley, CJ Cherryh, Andre Norton, Gene Wolfe, Charles de Lint,
Michael Moorcock, Roger Zelazny.

If you ask me now, I think every single writer whose work I've read has had some influence upon me, and I continue to be influenced, subtly, by
everything I read, like a sponge. But then, what writers aren't? Being a
literary sponge is one of the prerequisites for this insanity.

DL: You've written short stories before your novels. Which length do you
prefer?

VN: I am a novelist at heart. Short stories are like individual jewel stones
on a necklace, wonderful in themselves like standalone gleaming entities of semantic intensity. And yes, they often burst to come out, and I certainly
enjoy it when they do. But the satisfaction of short fiction does not come
close to the rich pleasure I get as a writer in the long deep immersion in
the same long work and its growing complexity. I suppose you might say I love to wallow in my characters and imaginary worlds. I love to play with
the whole necklace, not just one glittering stone.

DL: Your book Dreams of the Compass Rose is set in a desert. What do you find fascinating about a desert setting?

VN: Well, right now I technically live in the desert -- Los Angeles being an
artificial oasis -- but my interest stems even farther to my own ethnic roots and to my love of antiquity, of the Old World and of the east.

I also find the desert a wonderful metaphor for desolation and yet the exact counterpart of the ocean with its hidden depths. Both are vast, harsh, implacable, homogenous to the untrained eye, and beautiful. Both
allow the wind to roam on the surface. And both serve as wonderful
vehicles for human survival stories.

A made-up proverb from Dreams of the Compass Rose says, "In the desert, the only god is a well." I love exploring the intensity of such juxtaposition, the dangerous edge. In the desert, water gives life, while in the ocean an island stands to give anchor. Opposites are desirable and necessary. Once again, you see the theme of taking away a precious element of the world or making it rare and precarious.

Also, the desert is an ideal illusion of a blank slate -- so much mystery in endless layers is hidden underneath its bright, pseudo-sterile surface.

What more can you ask from a fantasy setting?

DL: Who is your favorite character in your books?

VN: The answer to this question tends to change, depending on what book or story I am working on at the moment. I usually focus on the whole group of characters in any given work-in-progress, and as a result they become particularly dear to me as I delve into their innermost motivations and live out their lives.

However I must admit that I do have a particular soft spot for the character of the chameleon-trickster goddess Ris in Dreams of the Compass Rose. Ris has gone through the whole spectrum of personal change and has had the longest road of all. And in the end she chooses to come back to the world, to guide, and to help, and to open the eyes of those who are suffering. In that is her true strength and humorous wisdom. I really do like her a whole lot.

DL: What themes do you find most compelling to include in your writing?

VN: One of the things that I've noticed over the years is that I seem to be
fascinated as a writer with the notion that we already have all that we need.

It is right here, all of it, here for the taking, right before our eyes -- happiness, fulfillment, hope, peace, justice. And most of all, there is truth, ordinary and simple, just sitting there to be plucked, if only we get our lazy rear ends off the pillow of complacency. But first, we need to open our eyes to this banal fact. And for that we need a periodic bit of shakeup in the form of an infusion of wonder -- fantastic literature.

And a related recurring theme is the exploration of how we take for granted the things in our immediate environment that are common and ordinary. Existential blindness, of sorts.

Our world is so bursting-full of natural wonder that we are all experiencing a sensory overload. We are no longer perceiving all of Ú the details, just the ones that immediately interest us. Indeed we often engage the defense mechanism of tunnel vision, just to keep ourselves focused on our daily lives. This makes us terribly jaded in our perception of what is really around us.

And here is where I like to burst in as a writer, to take one strong sensory detail or image and instead of enhancing it or directing attention to it by shouting about it, I simply take it away.

For example, in Lords of Rainbow I start out by taking away color from the world, and in the process show color's vital place in our lives. At least I hope that by the end of the book it's a portion of what the reader comes away with -- a sense of how much color perception enriches our lives and how its lack can make our sensory experience incomplete. Even for the people who are color-blind to any degree, I believe their experience would also be affected if everyone else too only perceived the world in colorless monochrome.

In Dreams of the Compass Rose, there is the running theme of the loss of water in the desert, and its ultimate reclaiming.

In some of my other works I take away other elements of the world --
normalcy, sex drive, sense of time, memory, a loved one. Without some of
these basics, characters have no choice but to do something to reclaim
their lives.

Seems to me that there is no better way to experience the depth of loss
than after the fact. No more powerful instrument of imbuing value in an
object than parting with it.

And it is a quiet terrible thing, too, to discover the value of love this
way -- when the object of love is no longer there, when love dies or goes
away or changes. When it is too late.

My characters often start out with a loss of some sort, usually a loss of
emotion or purpose or hope. What I do in the course of my writing is weave a thematic arc of fulfillment. It is my constant theme as a creator. It
also hinges on expectations met and not met, and the act of genuine surprise. I love to fool my readers, but in a good way. If you've read any
of my work, there's a good chance that at some point I surprised you.

DL: Do you use any mythology sources for you writing?

VN: So glad you asked -- I was nurtured on Greek Mythology and the classical epics. I lived and breathed Homer. Other mythologies -- the Russian, the Norse, the Persian, the Indian, Egyptian, etc. -- all came later. First and foremost were the Greeks, and they were all living in my head as though I were Zeus and they were a clamoring Chorus of Athenas.

Everything I write now might have roots in such myths, often disguised,
often dissolved into new multi-ethnic myths of my own making. For example, when reviewing my novel Dreams of the Compass Rose for the _Magazine of F&SF_, master fantasist Charles de Lint called it "engaging and resonant, creating a new mythology that feels so right one might be forgiven for thinking that it's the cultural heritage of some forgotten country or people that have been lost to history." This of course I take as the highest compliment, since it was indeed my sincere intent.

DL: Your latest book, Lords of the Rainbow, is receiving some good reviews. Please tell me a little about the book. Where did you get the idea?

If you knew, you would laugh. The idea came to me about 18 years ago, the summer after my graduation from high school -- yes, this is how long it
took me to write this book. And yes, Lords of Rainbow was the first novel I actually completed.

I was watching TV, possibly Saturday morning cartoons, and saw, stuck
between cereal commercials, a silly commercial for a little kid's doll. There was something to do with the rainbow, some sugary sweet jingle, and the doll was so cutesy that she annoyed me immediately.

And in a weird moment it occurred to me -- what if someone took the
phenomenon of the rainbow and treated it not in this treacle-sweet, cutesy,
little-kid manner but with deadly seriousness? With high tragedy, even? What if I made the rainbow sad, beautiful, ideal, and what if I took it so
far that there was even a philosophy based on it?

And the book was born.

LORDS OF RAINBOW is subtitled the Book of Fulfillment. I admit there were residual influences of all the epic fantasy that has gone before -- but primarily Tolkien and Brooks -- in my kid imagination. I remember reading and liking and yet being dissatisfied on some level, and wanting to write an epic where women and love and emotional relationships were just as important as the world-scope element of wonder (in this case the colorless world). I also wanted to portray a warrior woman whose main personal strength was not brashness or pride or military prowess or even nobility of character -- but humility and simple quiet loyalty.

The book became very complex. In addition to all the character layers
there was also the mechanism of Rainbow, what it stood for, what it meant.
The colorless world itself became a character with personal trait Òs -- the
impotent gray sun, the surfaces that were distinguished only by textures
such as matte or metallic, the fall of night like an instant blackout upon
a gray environment. And superimposed upon this monochrome fabric was color -- an alien, pasted-on thing that could never blend.

In this world, the avatars that were the ancient demigods of each major
color also represented human qualities, almost like a bizarre Tarot system
of personality. I've even come up with a personality test to determine
which of the Tilirr, or Lords of Rainbow each one of us "serves."

(Take the Tilirr Quiz here: http://www.veranazarian.com/lorquiz.htm)

I have been accused by some of mixing fantasy and allegory, of making
something out of nothing when assigning personality traits to the colors
and to the avatar Lords of Rainbow. But my response to that is, not at
all. Having thought long and hard and listened to my instinct as to what
each color represents, on some organic primeval level I honestly believe i Òn the association of red (Werail) with passion and aggression, of orange
(Melixevven) with joy, of yellow (Dersenne) with inspiration and
enlightenment, of green (Fiadolmle) with growth and creativity, of blue (Koerdis) with intellect, and of violet (Laelith ) with love and the higher
senses and the final mystery. What remains is Andelas who represents white as the union of all colors, and Feale who represents black, the absence of all colors.

There is no notion of good and evil, only completion and lack, need and
fulfillment. I would like to underline that I have no intention of associating white with good and black with evil -- that is complete nonsense, as anyone would see if they read the book. My villains are simply alien to the rest of us. They intend no evil, only the perpetuation of their own existence. Without giving any more of the plot away, I'd like to say that my "Dark Lord" is not the typical epic fantasy villain at all but is an integral part of the whole thing.

In short, there is no allegory here, only an alien -- and yes, fantastic -- way of perceiving the elements of our world.

Also, my brand of fantasy is completely devoid of the traditional notions
of magic as ritual. Instead I see the fantastic as a meta-layer of existence beyond the real world.

No waving of enchanted wands but heightened perception. No magic objects, but a transformed and enhanced reality. No spells or chants, but the raw power of the human will to enact supernatural change upon the universal fabric. This is the kind of "magic" that fills Lords of Rainbow - elemental, organic, humanistic -- an extension of reality.

DL: What do you think is the important function of Fantasy literature?

VN: I think fantasy literature is the one true literature of hope and
imagination.

Now, some writers whom I respect very much, like China Miéville and some others of the New Weird, consider the true role of fantasy to be not
Tolkienesque consolation but subversion -- a kind of rebe Ûllion from
complacency. Yes, I can see what is meant here. And I also see the need
to change, to fix, to drastically improve the human lot.

However, I see no profound progress taking place when there is no hope, no inspiration, only drastic overthrow and rebellion. Before having a
revolution of thought there must be real ideals to aspire to, and they are
only to be found within.

These ideals are not new, bright, shiny things but old, hoary, deeply
ancient things. This goes back to my pet notion that we already have all
that we need, merely are oblivious to it. Fantasy plunders the well of our
deepest selves for existent truth instead of creating new truths out of the
illusory fabric of recent events or the flow of society.

Fantasy is not the literature of subversion of the status quo but of
_awakening to_ the status quo.

The difference is in the attitude, in the subtle delicacy of approach.

And consolation has been wrongly reviled. Consolation is not apathy or
inaction. It is not closing one's eyes to the evils of the world. Rather,
consolation is the first step in regaining personal equilibrium and
strength, which necessarily precedes the ability to act.

Thus, true long-term change is brought about not by destructive passion of
the moment but by well-reasoned constructive action. Violent shock of
Armageddon that leaves nothing in its wake but a blank slate is not a
solution, only a postponement of progress. We don't need fantasy to mess with our minds to the point of rendering us insane -- real life horrors do that already.

What we need in fantasy is the sudden balm of clarity -- a temporary
reprieve from life's white noise and clamor of pain, a kind of time-out.
Such clarity, a new perspective, is made possible by fantastic metaphor.
Clad in metaphor, the world becomes newborn to our senses, like a phoenix. It is the most effective fresh presentation of the elements of our life for our jaded, numbed, even ailing sense of imagination.

Why? Because without such a reprieve we cannot pause and regroup and with the newfound strength go on to initiate that very change which is sorely needed by all.

Fantasy, at its best, is balm for the soul. But it is faulty logic to assume that balm is necessarily mind-numbing anesthesia. True balm takes away the painful irritation of life and simply heals, allowing one to begin anew. And that is what fantasy can do for us.

DL: What are you working on for the future?

A number of projects, actually, mostly novel-length. I have just completed
and turned in a far future SF or science fantasy novella titled "The Clock
King And The Queen Of The Hourglass" to the British specialty publisher PS Publishing, to appear in a signed limited edition of 700-800 copies in late 2004 or early 2005.

And now I am at work on a dark fantasy alternate-historical novel riffing
off the Persephone myth. It is called Cobweb Bride and the premise is that death, in the corporeal form of a grim 17th century Spaniard, comes to the world demanding a bride. Until a willing bride comes to him, says death, there will be no more relief and all acts of dying will cease in the world. As a result, the ill and the old and the mortally wounded are fixed in the same moment of agony without merciful release of oblivion. They are not able to pass on and therefore mount a search for the Cobweb Bride. Meanwhile, others who do not want to die ever see this as a selfish opportunity, and struggle to prevent the first group and make sure that no Cobweb Bride ever reaches death. This is very much an novel of ethical choices and sacrifice, and the protagonist, Percy (Persephone), an ordinary plain village peasant girl whose grandmother lies on her deathbed without release, ends up in the middle of this struggle.

This book is yet unsold, and will be marketed traditionally to the usual
publishers.

I also have a trio of other novel projects, but they are next in the pipeline after this one. One is a "kickass romance" aimed at a category fantasy-romance line, called Margot Phoenix Rising, about a female
superhero. Another project concerns the adventures of my character Ruricca NoOnesDaughter, and will likely be a medieval fantasy trilogy. The other, called Pantheon, will probably be an SF trilogy. Goodness knows, this should occupy me for the next 5 years at least. Beyond that, I am sure that inspiration will strike multiple times -- it always does.

DL: Do you have advice for aspiring writers?

VN: My advice for aspiring writers is threefold.

First, read as much as possible, both within and outside the genre you are
working in. By reading you hone your internal ear for style.

Second, write. Everything comes down to it; unless you write, you are not
a writer. This is the necessary applied practice of your skill, just as you would practice to perfect your skills in any other field such as sports or music or baking cookies or scrubbing the bathtub.

Third, submit your work. But -- stop chasing every seductive new market
out there, and stop trying to write for the tastes of specific established professional markets and editors. That way lies mediocrity and eventual
dissolution of your true voice, no matter how embryonic or pronounced it
may be now. The only way to help your unique literary voice grow and
eventually sing like a glorious creature of wonder is to write what you
excites you into a creative passion and brings you pure unadulterated joy.
All else is ephemeral nonsense (of course there are exceptions such as
being pressed for money here and now, but they are not long-term). Don't
believe me? Just try it and see.

Oh yeah, there is one more piece of advice. If you really believe in your
writing, then never give up. Good luck on your journey, friend.

DL: Thank you very much for your time Ms. Nazarian.

Magic Realism

An angel walks into your local grocery story with shiny wings and a glowing halo. Everyone accepts this as a natural occurrence and doesn’t bat an eye. This is a simplistic example of the Fantasy sub-genre of Magic Realism. It is a growing part of Fantasy that hovers on the edge of classic literary works and mainstream fiction. Books in this sub-genre can be difficult reading, but are rich in description and can be very rewarding.

Magical Realism is a Latin-American influenced sub-genre. It consists of stories where the lines of reality and fantasy are blurred. Fantasy elements are matter-of-fact in the real world. The books usually include an examination of the character of human existence and some kind of criticism of society. The Latin-American contribution is felt by some experts to be a way for authors to deal with two separate realities. Many fine authors have been a part of this sub-genre, contributing intriguing books that provoke a lot of thinking.

Gabriel Garcia Marquez is one of th ˇe prominent authors of Magic Realism. His book, One Hundred Years of Solitude, tells the story of the Buendia family in the village of Macondo. It is a vivid story with memorable characters in a realistic setting. Fantasy elements are subtle and give a powerful addition to the story. The poignant scene of a ghost searching the house for water to wash the wound he died from is powerful, especially when the wife puts containers of water all over the house. This is one of many moving scenes in this great book.

Isabel Allende is a writer of powerful Magical Realism too. Her books are full of astonishing images and interesting characters. For example, House of Spirits is the story of three generations of the Trueba family in a fictional Chile. One of the characters has supernatural abilities. The powerful themes and fantastic elements blend with realistic characters to become an excellent book to read.

Ben Okri is an author from Africa and has contributed to Magic Realism. The Famished Road is the story of * the spirit child. He breaks his promise to return to the spirit world after being born as a human, becoming fascinated by his family and refusing to return to the spirit world. His fellow spirits torment him as he lives through an impoverished life in Africa. Mr. Okri brings Africa to life with complex characters and vivid images. His works depict the struggle for Africans to overcome the chaos in their countries.

For those interested in the topic of Magic Realism in more detail, there is Magic Realism: Theory, History, Community edited by Lois Parkinson Zamora and Wendy B. Faris. It contains in depth essays on the history of the sub-genre. The essays talk about how Magic Realism has become a part of world literature instead of w just a Latin American phenomenon.

“Chocolat” is a movie based on the book by Joanne Harris of the same name. It’s the story of a woman and her daughter that come to a French town. She opens a chocolate shop to sell her special chocolate candies that help people. A group of the more conservative town’s people want to get rid of her because they think she is a witch. This magical movie was nominated and won several Academy Awards.

Magic Realism is a sub-genre of Fantasy increasingly being explored by many authors. Once primarily a part of Latin American literature, it has found its way into the literature of many other cultures around the world. Works in this sub-genre are powerful literary stories with realistic characters and fantastic elements. Other writers in this sub-genre are: Alejo Carpentier, Jorge Amado, Jorge Luis Borges, Julio Cortazar, Maria Luisa Bombal,

On Writing Fantasy: Maintaining Professionalism

The economy is in a downturn right now. Many Internet companies have gone out of business or are in trouble. What, you may ask, does this have to do with writing? It serves as a reminder to writers to maintain a level of professionalism in their writing endeavors.

An expanding Internet provides many opportunities for authors to publish their work on the Internet. E-zines, E-publishers and web sites have appeared, opening new venues for writers to explore.

It demonstrates that an author shouldn’t go for the easy thing. Writing is a hard career and getting published even harder. There is a lot of competition confronting you. Along with that, there are other pitfalls too. A writer can’t allow desperation or desire to get published by any means blind them to these things. It can lead to disappointment in the end. A writer must decide on what level they want to be, whether amateur or professional.

Amateur writers don’t need to worry too much. They usually don’t care if they get money or not for their writing. One established author describes a professional writer as someone who gets paid at a professional rate for their work. He maintains that professional writers should get paid for their work, and settling for anything less makes a person an amateur. In a way his is right; a writer should get paid for their work. When you put a lot of effort into your writing, you should receive some compensation. It is never good to settle for anything less because then it turns your hard work into little more than a hobby and leads Å to other pitfalls. Are there times when you should settle for less?

Another established author thinks that a writer should use any means possible, including self publishing to get exposure for their work. Part of this is true and part is false. It is true that you can get exposure, but writers should do this with care. Placing a few samples of your writing on a web site to promote yourself is okay. Maybe let a couple of pieces get published for free. A writer should not resort to self publishing. It is expensive and leads to the perception with editors that your writing is not good enough for them to publish. It also leads to some other serious pitfalls.

Vanity publishers require you to give them a lot of your own money to print books for you. They don’t edit it or help you promote it. Invariably, the author ends up with a bunch of books they can’t sell. Another pitfall is falling äprey to unscrupulous agents. These agents talk unsuspecting writers into spending their money to get a book edited and usually disappear with the money. So beware. With the new growth in E-publishing and Print On Demand technology, writers are facing another new pitfall. One of the new E-publishers has been criticized for the horrendous contract they offer unsuspecting new authors. They grab up a lot of rights and pay the author very little for their books. It is not worth it.

Writers must maintain a level of professionalism. Professionals should get paid for their work. It is all right to put some things on a personal web site, but be careful of the pitfalls of unscrupulous agents, vanity publishers and tricky contracts. Don’t let a desire to be published overwhelm your common sense. I know it is hard because I gave in to it once, but I’m very careful now. Write. Be professional. Good luck.

Laura Resnick Interview

Laura Resnick is a relatively new author to the Fantasy genre though she has published in other genres. She became part of the genre with her first Epic Fantasy book In Legend Born. Daughter of science fiction author Mike Resnick, she has written many books in the romance genre under the pen name Laura Leone. Ms. Resnick has traveled all over the world, including a recent trip to Africa, and this experience she brings to her books. Many of her short stories have appeared in various anthologies. The second book of her Fantasy series will be split into two books: In Fire Forged: The White Dragon, which will be published May 2003, and In Fire Forged: The Destroyer Goddess. She has a new book called Dopplegangster coming out in Jan. 2010.

Debbie Ledesma: I read your biography on the Internet. What inspired you to start a writing career?

Laura Resnick: I was living and working in Sicily, and my salary wouldn’t stretch to pay off a bank loan I had in England. So I was searching for a second source of income, something that would fit into my schedule. A friend suggested I read Kathryn Falk’s How To Write A Romance and Get It Published. At my request, my parents sent me a copy of the book from the U.S. I read the book, and I thought this seemed like something I could do at my own pace and without spending money which I didn’t have. So I sat down and started writing books, and then started sending out queries. The following year, I made my first sale--to Silhouette Books.

At the time (15 years ago), Silhouette still had a publishing program which was growing faster than its stable of reliable writers. So when they found someone whose writing they liked, and who seemed capable of delivering 2-4 books per year to them, they worked on helping that writer develop. I sold them a dozen books in five years. Throughout those years, I got detailed editorial commentary from Silhouette on everything I wrote, including all the material they rejected. So, from my perspective, Silhouette spent five years paying me to learn my craft. That’s a rare opportunity for a young writer and was a huge asset in my development as a novelist.

DL: Did being the daughter of a SF author influence your writing?

LR: As a kid, I often heard my father say things about writing which I now know stuck with me--craft Äprinciples such eschewing self-indulgence and fulfilling your responsibility to engage and absorb the reader. When I was a teenager, my father paid me by-the-page to type the final drafts of his manuscripts. That’s how I learned to type, and also how I learned MS formatting. I probably unconsciously learned about the revision process, since I was typing from his line edits of his own work and thereby seeing the changes he made as he went along, and seeing how many changes a writer might make from initial draft to final version. I also developed an understanding of how polished a writer’s prose and how well-crafted his story should be before shipping a MS. Perhaps because of that, many editors have commented to me how clean and polished my work is upon delivery.

Growing up in my father’s house also influenced my approach to the
profession. For example, I knew from an early age that persistence and
endurance are essential qualities just for breaking into this profession, let
alone surviving or succeeding in it. So, when trying to break into publishing, it never even occurred to me to write just one book; when I sold my first book, I was already working on my fourth.

DL: What authors have inspired or influenced your writing besides your father?

LR: Pretty much everyone I’ve ever read. Whenever I read a book I don’t like, I analyze why it doesn’t work and what would work instead; this practice has formed a private mental university of self-education which has been an enormous influence on my work. I try to engage in a similar analysis of books which I love, figuring out why they work so well. This has been influential, too, though a much tougher exercise: A wel l-crafted novel often appears deceptively effortless and hides the seams of the writer’s painstaking work, making it difficult even for another writer to discover exactly what makes it so good.

DL: After writing many Romance novels under the pen name Laura Leone, why did you choose Fantasy to write your next novel?

LR: After I’d sold eight romance novels, Marty Greenberg and my father invited me to write a short story for an sf/f anthology they were doing. That went well, so they each invited me into more anthologies. (So I blame my entry into sf/f on Marty and Pop.) Then other sf/f pros started inviting me into their anthologies. I was just doing this for fun, as a relaxing change-of-pace from my full-time career as a romance novelist. Eventually, though, I’d sold over twenty sf/f ⁄ short stories, I’d won the John W. Campbell Award (best new sf/f writer), and sf/f types kept asking me, "When are you going to write a novel?" (I’d reply that I’d written thirteen novels for three publishers, but I’d done it under another name in another genre. I think some people thought I was just making a strange joke.)

Eventually, through a series of coincidences too complicated to explain
(though I blame Jennifer Roberson), I wound up with an agent who specialized in sf/f. After a while, it dawned on me that, considering all these combined circumstances, I should probably try writing an sf/f novel. And that was how it wound up happening.

DL: How is writing Fantasy fiction different than Romance fiction?

LR: Wow! There are so many ways, I can’t even begin to address them here--but here’s a basic summary:

Bottom line, for me, fantasy is about the struggle between good-and-evil,
with the epic external struggle leading us to the internal, personal struggle
whi Óch exists in each one of us. Whereas the romance genre is about two people pair-bonding. I’m always amazed at how often people from each genre seem to wholly misunderstand the other genre and define it by its window-dressing: "Fantasy is about magic and world-building," or "Romance is about sex." Understanding the heart of each genre shapes the whole approach to developing a novel there.

Also, for whatever reason, my story ideas and my personal sensibility tend to be much more marketable in fantasy than they are in romance. That makes a big difference in my artistic experiences (and commercial potential) in each genre. As a writer, I personally find the romance genre artistically restrictive, which in turn affects the quality of my work there. By contrast, I’ve found the fantasy genre artistically UNrestrictive, so I’ve grown by leaps and bounds as a writer during my sojourn here, and I also experience better career growth in fantasy.

DL: Where did you get your idea for In Legend Born?

I used to live in Sicily, and the original idea for In Legend Born arose out of Sicilian history. Anyone familiar with a famous 20th-century Sicilian peasant-turned-outlaw-turned-Separatist, Salvatore Giuliano (active 1943-1950), will recognize numerous similarities between his history and the story which occurs in this fantasy novel.

DL: Your Fantasy books are getting longer, how many books do you think it will be?

LR: My second fantasy novel is almost double the length of my first (which was a huge book), and so I’ve had to split into two volumes for publication: The White Dragon: In Fire Forged, Part One (May 2003) and The Destroyer Goddess: In Fire Forged, Part Two (December 2003). However, far from my "fantasy books getting longer," my next two--Arena and The Palace of Heaven, both
stand-alone novels--will be no longer than the first one was, and perhaps
even shorter.

DL: Do you have a favorite character in your books? Which one and why?

LR: It changes from year to year, as new characters torment me and old characters slide off my radar. My personal favorites today are a couple of characters in my upcoming two-part fantasy novel (The White Dragon: In Fire Forged, Part One and The Destroyer Goddess: In Fire Forged, Part Two). Baran is an amoral, witty, and emotionally unstable sorcerer whose company makes everyone else jittery and bad-tempered. Ronall is a drunken, whoring, cowardly aristocrat who’s horribly out of Ò place and trying to find his place in a world of towering heroes and villains.

What draws me to these characters is their iconoclastic charm, the fresh
perspective they bring to the story by being so out of place in it, and the
mass of contradictions in their behavior which ensures that other characters (and, I hope, readers) are torn between affection and loathing, between empathy and revulsion when encountering them. I’m fascinated by the struggle of inconsistencies, contradictions, and extremes in people, and therefore I like to explore this in characters. Additionally, I love irreverence and have a huge fondness for characters who say what no one else will say.

DL: I’ve read some of your short stories, which form do you prefer, novels or short stories?

LR: I enjoy both. A 1,000-page manuscript (or, indeed, a 300-page manuscript) involves a lot more commitment, sustained effort, and passion than does a 16-page manuscript, so I am much more involved in my novels, they require far more of my focus and effort, and I care about them much more. However, although short fiction is not my primary passion as a writer, it’s been extremely important in my development because it’s afforded me so many opportunities to experiment with things which are uncommercial, odd, or which I’ve yet to learn to sustain over the course of 500 pages, in terms of structure, style, tone, format, voice, point-of-view, pace, etc.

DL: Do you draw from mythology for your themes and ideas?

I would say I draw from life for my themes and ideas. Although mythology is one of the many subjects that I include in my background reading for my work, it’s not a starting place for me, nor is it more important for me than other aspects of my research.

DL: Did your experience of the African trip find its way into your stories?

LR: Yes. I wrote a non-fiction book about the trip, A Blonde In Africa, as well as some articles. My experiences in Africa have worked their way into my fiction in any number of ways, most noticeably a romance novel called Fever Dreams (w/a Laura Leone), as well as several short stories, including, "Amandla!" I’ve written proposals for novels set in Africa but, unfortunately, no one’s wanted them so far. Above all, I’d say that my experiences in Africa changed my writing because they changed me as a person, in the way that all major life experiences change us and our work.

DL: Have current events such as 9/11 and the talk of war with Iraq found their way into your writing or influenced it?

LR: In terms of my plot choices, not yet. Thematically--yes, in the sense that
everything that affects me affects my work. I felt a kind of terrible innocence on 9/11. I watched those planes flying deliberately into the Twin Towers to murder thousands of civilians, and I realized that I have to start all over as a fantasy writer, because I don’t really know anything about evil yet.

DL: What do you think is the important function of Fantasy?

LR: What a loaded question! I was just saying to another writer the other day, "NEVER attempt to define your genre in interviews, because as soon as it’s published or aired, other writers in your genre will jump all over you to tell you you’re not just WRONG, you’re also insulting, simplifying, or
overlooking -their- work."

So let’s be clear about this: I only speak for MY work. With that understood: I think fantasy’s function is to explore individual and societal moral struggles in a complex, dangerous, and ambivalent world; to explore the challenges of sacrifice in a naturally selfish world; and to do so in a format which respects and evinces the classic traditions of good storytelling--high adventure, high romance, fascinating characters, and
compelling plots.

DL: What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

LR: The same advice I always give:

Persistence is the most important quality you’ll need, and probably the one
which you currently underestimate the most.

I’m always amazed at how many aspiring writers who complete one book don’t start writing another. As if (a) their first-ever attempt at a novel will
necessarily be publishable and (b) they have no idea that a writing career
entails writing book after book after book after book. I’m also always amazed at how many aspiring writers, after receiving a rejection or two, simply give up. The first dozen agents I ever queried all told me not only that they didn’t want to represent me, but also that (a) I had no talent and couldn’t write, and/or (b) I was writing the wrong thing and should stop. That was eighteen book sales ago.

DL: What books are you planning to write after this series?

LR: I never talk about any work in public except that which is already sold! This is not "someone will steal my idea" paranoia. This is "if I talk about it before selling it, I will be unable to sell it, and everyone I meet for the next five years will keep asking me about it."

DL: Thank you very much for your time.

Animal Fantasy

Many humans believe that animals have feelings and some intelligence like humans. We anthropomorphize them almost daily in TV commercials, movies, cartoons, etc. Fantasy authors contribute stories in the category of Animal Fantasy. These are stories of animals that can talk, possess human intelligence and are told from the animals’ point of view. Whether cats, rabbits, horses or many others, there are many entertaining books in this area.

One of the most detailed books is Watership Down by Richard Adams. This is the story of a group of rabbits seeking a new home to live in after their old one is destroyed. They survive through several trials that a rabbit might experience. Mr. Adams provides readers with a vivid story of rabbit lives along with their myths and beliefs. He shines a bright light on the rabbit world. The book is a classic of Fantasy and literature.

Cats are popular animals, appearing in many Fantasy books. Author Gabriel King contributes two Animal Fantasies about cats to the genre: The Wild Road and The Golden Cat. These books tell epic stories about cats, their lives, interactions with other animals and the secret wild roads they use. Some of these cats possess magic. Another book about cats is Tailchaser’s Song by Tad Williams that is very entertaining.

Rudyard Kipling created some very imaginative Animal Fantasies in his Jungle Books. The books contain short stories of talking animals and jungle life in India. Most of the stories revolve around Mowgli, a boy raised by wolves. With help from animal teachers, he learns the way of the jungle, but is constantly torn between the jungle and the world of man. There are other stories too. “Rikki Tikki Tavi” is the story of a mongoose and his fight against nasty cobras. “The White Seal” tells the story of a seal who leads his people to a safe haven from man. All of the stories are vivid and enjoyable.

Another popular animal is the horse. They appear in many books. A well done Fantasy about horses is The Heavenly Horse from the Outermost West by Mary Stanton. In this story, the last Appaloosa mare must go on a quest to save her breed. She undergoes several trials to attain her place in the horse heaven. The sequel, Piper at the Gate, tells the story of the mares’s son.

Recently a new animal Fantasy book has expanded into a large series. Redwall by Brian Jacques takes place in the fantastical place of Redwall Abbey. There are several different animals that live in and around its environs. In this first book, a young mouse dreams of being a warrior. The evil rat warlord is the villain of the book. The mouse must accomplish a quest in order to face the rat. Mr. Jacques combines epic Fantasy elements, an imaginative setting and wonderful characters in all of his books. Readers of any age would enjoy his works.

Animal Fantasy is a vital subgenre of Fantasy. The works in this category allow us to see the world through the eyes of animals. It provides a different perspective to our human lives. Whatever kind of animal is depicted, readers will find entertaining works to enjoy.

Fay Sampson

History is an important subject. Reading textbooks about it can be dull and dry for some readers even though they have an interest in the subject. Some authors take events in history and create fiction about them. A few Fantasy authors go a step further, adding a twist by including fantasy elements. Fay Sampson is a Fantasy author of young adult and Historical Fantasy.

Star Dancer takes place in ancient Mesopotamia. Ms. Sampson uses the mythology of this culture to tell the story of Inanna. The books follows her all the way through to the descent of the under world to confront Queen Ereshkigal. Mesopotamia is brought to life by the author’s realistic descriptions of a timeless mythologica l tale.

Another book explores the clash between pagans and Christians in A Casket of Earth. This is a story of murder and intrigue that a Christian princess finds herself thrust into after marrying a pagan prince. War looms between the two kingdoms until the appearance of a Celtic saint who intervenes. Many complex themes are explored in this book.

Next, Ms. Sampson explores Britain in the Dark Ages through Edwin in The Flight of the Sparrow. Edwin returns from exile to become a king. He is in conflict with his Celtic foster brother. The story is very entertaining due to the author’s in depth portrayal of the time.

Arthurian Fantasy is represented by the Daughter of Tintagel books. Morgan le Fay’s story is told through the eyes of five people. Wise Woman’s Telling is Morgan’s early life through the eyes of a pagan nurse. White Nun’s Telling is the viewpoint of a nun during Morgan’s adolescence and learning of magic. Blacksmith’s Telling switches to a man’s viewpoi nt, speaking of her married years to King Urien. Taliesin’s Telling is another man’s viewpoint of Morgan raising Mordred. Finally, Morgan gives the reader her viewpoint in Herself at the end of Arthur’s life.

The historic period when the Romans were invading Britain and fighting the Celtic tribes is told in the recent book The Silent Fort. In this book, a brother and sister fight against druids trying to take control of the tribe while dealing with the Romans. Though still young, Melwa os wants to be a warrior. His sister Cairenn is about to be married. Both must overcome many dangers to save their people.

Ms. Sampson has written several books for young adults and children with fantasy elements. One group of her young adult novels are Celtic Fantasies. The stories revolve around the character of Pangur Ban, a magical white cat and his friends. Pangur Ban: The White Cat is one of many of these adventure filled tales. A recent book is THEM, which tells the story of rebels trying to overthrow an oppressive regime.

Fay Sampson is a talented author of Historical Fantasy and young adult books. She takes various historical periods, adds some fantasy elements and creates memorable stories of the distant past. Her books contain realistic characters in interesting situations. Readers of all ages will find entertaining tales from this author.

Fiona McIntosh Interview

Sorry. A day late, but finally got it here.

New authors are adding their unique takes on Fantasy to the genre all of the time. Fiona McIntosh is a bestselling Fantasy author from Australia. Many of her excellent books have been published in the U.S. since 2005. I thought I would share this interview I did with her a few years ago with readers again.

Debbie Ledesma: First, for readers that might not be familiar with your books, could you tell us about your books?

Fiona McIntosh: I write "great, big, fat fantasies". I'm about to commence my third series and my second series, The Quickening, will launch in the U.S. in early 2005.

My first trilogy is Trinity - an epic good vs bad tale where the lines get blurred at the close of the story with its bittersweet ending. It's the tale of a man's journey to discover his true identity and the reason for his strange, undetectable powers in a time when Inquisitors are roaming the land to stamp out all sentients. This series has many layers - it's about friendship, loyalty, betrayal and redemption. Its brutal and filled with magic. There's a wonderful villain to loathe passionately of course and at its core is a touching love story but the breakneck pace of the prose means readers agree that it is a "rattling good adventure which fulfills all the requirements of fantasy" as one reviewer put it. "Wow! Fiona McIntosh wastes neither time nor words in Betrayal. Not for the reader who wants a sedate, bed-time read - once they open this one up, they'll be hanging onto their hats!" The books comprise: Betrayal, Revenge and Destiny.

The next series is The Quickening, a darker tale with a disturbing magical backdrop. General Wyl Thirsk's life takes a frightening turn following an encounter with a witch at her trial and subsequent burning. Again the pace is relentless as Wyl's woes intensify with the sinister nature of Myrren's Gift. The books comprise: Myrren's Gift, Blood and Memory, Bridge of Souls.


DL: How did you decide to become a writer?

FM: I had no conscious plans to be a writer and yet I learned from my mother just recently that at five years I announced I would write books one day - destiny maybe? Perhaps although I believe I've fallen into thi ¥s new line of work, it's more likely that this has been a lifetime's journey and that I've always been headed towards this goal. This is especially so if I look back over my career because everything I've done has always involved the written word from being PR manager for an international airline to publishing a travel magazine with my husband.

DL: Does writing a travel magazine help inspire your writing or change it in any way?

FM: Yes. I've been trained over 20 years to write short, punchy sentences and I notice that I often fall into this same style in my creative writing. Just habit probably and quite a good one to have. It makes the pace of the tale rattle along and prevents long, rambling prose. Also when you write for any publication which is going to be read by the public, you have to produce work which is not embellished with elaborate, florid language. It needs to be simple and convey quickly the gist of your story Æ, be it a cruise on the Mediterranean or exploring the Pyramids, walking down an avenue in Paris or taking tapas in Barcelona. Sights, sounds, smells, all come into it but user friendly language that everyone from a teenage travel consultant to an old experienced pro of 40 years in the business will understand and enjoy. The same goes for my books. I have readers who are 13 and I have readers who are 83 and they come from all walks of life and all levels of education. I approach my work as a journalist approaches their article in the daily newspaper - everyone must be able to understand it and read it with ease. It is important to me that language never gets in the way of the story. One other point I think which is not connected with the writing itself but the production of the novel. When you work for any periodical, you have been trained to having your work edited from very young editors. I've never been shocked by scr ¨awls in the margin or requests to shift around chapters or delete great chunks from the ms. And deadlines. I'm so used to working to a deadline in magazine publishing that I'm not daunted by the notion of having to create a first draft of a novel in 10 weeks or so. I prefer the pressure of a deadline or nothing gets written!

DL: What authors, Fantasy or otherwise, influence your writing?

FM: Guy Gavriel Kay is my great benchmark. His work can actually derail me as much as inspire. I read his work sometimes and wonder why I'm bothering to even try and follow this path and on other occasions I just flip through Tigana - my favourite book of all time - and it gives me this adrenalin rush and that I can produce books to charm a wide audience. His is great writing and I just want to keep reaching for a similar richness of world, language, characters and above all, storytelling. The other author who constantly inspires and influences me is Robin Hobb. I adore her work and her characters have kept me company for many years now in stories I've never wanted to end. She wrings out my emotions and the power in her stories just carry me away. Fitz and the Fool have to be two of the best characters in fantasy and I'd be lying if I didn't admit to getting a bigger kick out of seeing her name on my than my own. I should mention the work of Sharon Penman (historical fiction) who has brought medieval history alive for so many readers. She's a great writer and storyteller so I just give myself over to her and she transports me back in time and I can learn plenty from her work.

DL: Why did you choose the Fantasy genre?

I was a fantasy lover anyway. I had read a lot of the other popular fantasy series available and with nothing grabbing my attention I decided that instead of looking for something worthy to read, I would write something I wante ≠d to read. Betrayal was the result. Even after six novels I still feel I have a long way to go to be anywhere near as good as my favourite books and writers but that's what drives me to keep striving. To be honest though, I never really climbed back through the wardrobe in childhood - one I'd crossed into Narnia, I didn't want to return. Fantasy is where I feel most comfortable and I thrive on the fact that I can just let loose with my imagination and make things up as I go along. I'm not constrained by real life. Plus, I can't help but love the traditional European medieval setting and fantasy works so well in this structure.

FM: Are you planning to branch out into other genres?

Yes, but not yet. What would I write? I would love to write a psycho thriller or some crime but I just don't think I'm wired correctly for these genres. I love to read them, of course and because I tend to write without a plan I think I'd be a woeful crime or thriller author. I'm sure you'd have to know the end and be able to work backwards. Most likely I'd tackle a saga of sorts - a bit like a huge family story.

DL: Do you use any mythology sources for your writing?

FM: Not deliberately although in The Quickening I have borrowed from a medieval Bestiary to capture the idea of creatures of myth. I've used them in a similar way to the signs of the zodiac or Chinese calendar. Everyone belongs to one of these creatures depending on when they are born. It's a very small piece in book one but it certainly gives a wonderful insight into the culture of the region of Morgravia. I also definitely draw heavily on the good v evil concept which always form my favourite stories anyway but I'm teaching myself to blur the lines. Guy Gavriel Kay did it brilliantly in Tigana. Until you knew Brandin the wizard, he was a totally evil guy. Then when you met him he was charming and charismatic, he loved the heroine passionately and you felt his keen sorrow at the loss of his son. The magical element of mythology is also something most of us fantasy writers will lean on at some stage, as well as drawing on the stories of gods and mortals. Wonderful stuff.

DL: What do you think is the important function of Fantasy?

FM: Pure escape Ä would be my first thought. The world today often feels as though it's falling apart - so much doom and gloom and now we live in an age of such terrorism, it's even more frightening. I often want to hide from reality and I'm sure others agree. Where better to lose ourselves than in make believe lands where the violence might be there but we know it's not real ... and some hero, reluctant or otherwise, is going to find a solution and deal with the baddies. Why do we love Frodo, Aragorn, Indiana Jones, Luke Skywalker and Han Solo, even Arnie? The same reason a lot of us love fantasy - particularly the more traditional ones where the good guys, against extraordinary odds, win out in the end. From childhood we've all listened to fairy stories and this goes back to primitive times when people sat around a campfire and told old stories to keep the culture, language, etc alive. Our he Øarts respond to these tales of great adventure and magic.

DL: Which characters are harder to write, the heroes or the villains? Which of your characters is your favorite and why?

FM: I love villains. They're always interesting and tend to be much easier to craft. You can let your imagintion run riot as to how far you're prepared to let them go. It's obviously important to build a picture for your reader as to what makes this villain tick. He or she can't just be bad for cruelty's sake or for a plot device. Readers like to know what motivates them.

Now it's the heroes who are tricky because they need to be a bit larger than life anyway and they always seem to be doing "the right thing" even if they are a little flawed or dented. It's trying to create a 'real' person who is that driven and that decent that they put their life on the line for others and/or for a cause. You don't come across heroic people in everyday life (even though people like the Salvation Army, etc are!) so creating a hero takes a bit of a leap of faith for the writer and he/she needs to emerge slowly and build into this reliable person whom the reader is going to trust and really care about. Reluctant heroes are the most enjoyable for me to write. I like the fish out of water situation and having to discover what these people can achieve when they're up against extraordinary odds and crisis points.

Favourite character is a hard one. In my first series it was Cloot. I liked his pithy humour, his incredible loyalty and love for Tor and his selflessness. He was the true hero for the trilogy.

In The Quickening, it's very hard not to like Wyl. Of course he's so many people but the person who is Wyl beneath the guises is a courageous, strong-willed young man who is required to live on his wits through terrible circumstances. He has to sacrifice so much. The character I can't help but love a little is Romen Ko‘reldy - he's a man to win women's hearts. A laid back fellow with a sardonic manner. Very cool, quite fatalistic really. I hated him dying (oops that's a spoiler isn't it?).

DL: Do you attempt to influence the way people view society through
your writing, and if so do you believe Fantasy can have an impact?

FM: No, I definitely make no attempt to influence anyone. My books are just really good stories to get carried away on. No one could ever mistake them for driving a message. I do believe fantasy could be used to influence, though.

DL: Does living in Australia influence you in your writing?

FM: Not at all. I love Australia and being an Australian but I've got the colour green in my soul. I like muted, soft landscapes with drizzly weather and mist on lakes. I love meadows and alpine forests, rolling hills and peasanty villages and ale-swilling inns. I like Autumn and Winter, castles, sword fights, the clank of armour and medieval courts.

DL: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

FM: Stop talking about it and do it. There are no rules. Write instinctively.
Write everyday. Set an achievable daily word count which suits your lifestyle.You don't HAVE to know your characters, how your story ends or even where it's going. Just write - and see what happens. Read a lot-know your genre but also read widely outside of the genre you want to write in. You'll learn heaps. Join a writing group/reading group and tune in to what people have to say. You will learn so much from listening to readers and what turns them on about certain books. Mix with fellow writers - published or otherwise - they will inspire and motivate you.
Invest in a really good dictionary and a thesaurus. Pay attention to world around you - notice how a tree bends in the wind or what a cloud really looks like; listen to how people speak and their mannerisms; watch animals, watch documentaries, meet lots of people.

DL: What books or stories are in your future?

FM: Well, my third series has a working title of Percheron and this will have a far more exotic setting than my previous two which I don't doubt will be a challenge. Increasingly I find I want my fantasies to not be brimming with magic wielders (as in my first series) but to have a strong magical element and then rely on a good story of human struggle. Story ideas nag all the time. Percheron has come out the strongest but there's another idea at the back of my mind and all I see is a single scene of a man in a dungeon. That's it - that's all I have and yet it persists and I suspect it will blossom and flourish over the next year or so. G

DL: Thank you very much Ms. McIntosh for this thoughtful interview.

Andre Norton

I wanted to share this article that appeared at Suite101.com a few years ago. This wonderful author died after this article appeared.

No article can do justice to an author like Andre Norton. She is a World Fantasy Lifetime Achievement winner and Nebula Grand Master as well as prolific author of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Her career has spanned close to fifty years. In that time she has given readers many contributions to the Fantasy genre for young adults and adults. Her works revolve around young people, animals and accomplishing a goal. Ms. Norton’s books have characters that undergo changes to become stronger. Her themes involve the decent treatment of animals,

Andre Norton is best known for her “Witchworld” series. Witchworld came out in 1963 and exploded into many books. Ms. Norton continued to write in this world to please her fans. The first book introduced a Fantasy world of conflict and witches. A man from our world, Simon Tregarth, travels to this world where he meets Jaelithe. In this world women have the magic and the men are warriors. Together these characters must fight to save their world. Furth ˝er books explore different aspects of this world.

Mirror of Destiny is a Fantasy about a conflict between the human world and Fairy world. A woman, Twilla, wins the king’s lottery and must get married. She must enter an enchanted forest with a warrior and his blind son. The addition of a magical mirror spurs this Fantasy into a remarkable conclusion.

In recent years, Ms. Norton has done many collaborations with other authors. Her talents combine with these writers to produce interesting works of adventure, likable characters, magic and strong themes. Some of the books are:

With Mercedes Lackey, she has written two books in the “Halfblood” series. Elvenbane and Elvenblood tells the story of a war between dragons and elves. In this world humans are slaves, but one rises to help the dragons against the elves.

Ms. Norton teamed with Marion Zimmer Bradley and Julian May for Black Tri ïllium. The books tells the story of three sisters and their quest to save their world. Each writer tells the story of one of the sisters.

Her most recent collaboration is with Sasha Miller. To the King, a Daughter is the first book of a new trilogy. It’s the story of Queen Ysa who fears a rival will take her power.

Andre Norton is a prominent author of the Fantasy genre. Her long career has contributed many entertaining and thoughtful books to the genre for both adults and children. She created one of the most popular Fantasy worlds in her “Witchworld” series. Whether for children or adults, all of her works have interesting characters, strong themes and memorable stories. This article can’t do justice to this prolific wise lady of Fantasy. Seek out her books and travel through her wonderful Fantasy worlds.

“Age of Misrule” Trilogy by Mark Chadbourn

Two strangers witness a horrible murder under a bridge, leaving their concept of reality totally upside down. The world is changing rapidly. Supernatural beings and creatures from Celtic mythology return to the modern world. Society is collapsing under the onslaught. This is the story told in the “Age of Misrule” trilogy by Mark Chadbourn. This series follows five people as they try to save humanity from destruction by the supernatural in these suspenseful Dark Fantasy books, which are set in present day Great Britain.

World’s End begins the trilogy with Church and Ruth witnessing a murder under a bridge. Their search to discover what they saw makes them realize strange events are happening all over Britain and are increasing. On a trip out of town, they are attacked by monsters. A man called Tom saves them from the monsters and a dragon on the main highway. Tom tells them they and three other people have the Pendragon Spirit within them are the champions of the world. Ruth and Church must seek out the other people and four legendary items to foil the evil Fomori plans. All this occurs while they are pursued by the Wild Hunt in a relentless desperation to stop the destruction of their world. This book is gripping and suspenseful to the end.

Mr. Chadbourn does not allow things to slow down in the second book, Darkest Hour. The Fomori plan to bring their god Balor back from the dead. His return would bring around the end of the world for humanity, plunging it into chaos and darkness. Church and his companions struggle to find a way to stop Balor’s return. In addition, they are hunted by a mysterious creature who kidnaps Ruth and cuts her finger off, leaving it behind as a warning. This middle book continues the story of the five people meant to save the world at a break neck pace until the end.

In the final book, Always Forever, the suspense builds toward a final chance to save humanity. The Brothers and Sisters of the Dragon are scattered. Church and Ruth go on a journey into the Otherworld so Church can try to clear the Fomori taint from his blood. This is the only way to get the four sacred objects back to stop the final destruction. Twists and rapid action keep this final book suspenseful until the last confrontation with the god of evil.

The “Age of Misrule” trilogy by Mark Chadbourn is a fast paced Urban Dark Fantasy full of action and suspense. The story of how the world changes when the Celtic gods return creates an entertaining, thought provoking read. Mr. Chadbourn uses powerful themes and realistic characters that keeps readers immersed in the trilogy until the end.

Celtic Fantasy

Hounds bay in the night, getting closer. Horns answer the calls of the hounds. You splash through a mud puddle and scramble up a bank of thorny brush. When you reach the top, you collapse from fatigue. Pain flashes throughout your body. Your lungs burn from lack of enough air. You cannot run no more. Soon you feel the vibrations of pounding hooves approaching. The Wild Hunt is closing in for the kill.


The ancient Celts hold a fascination for us. Very little is known about their true culture and history. We are left with fragments of their mythology and stories, but what is available tantalizes and inspires new ideas. Many Fantasy novels and stories possess elements of Celtic mythology. Writers mine the scant material to create new books or stories of stunning, gritty beauty, powerful themes, mystery and magic. Some of the elements of Celtic Fantasy are pagan religions, the Sidhe, matriarchal societies, druids, tragic endings, the Wild Hunt and many others. Several authors have contributed works to the Fantasy subgenre of Celtic Fantasy.


The Welsh Mabinogion is used by many writers for ideas. It consists of four main stories and several other tales linked to it. In 1970, Evangaline Walton wrote The Isle of the Mighty, a vivid retelling of the fourth branch of the Mabinogion. She followed the success of this book with retellings of the other three branches in The Song of Rhiannon, The Children of Llyr and Prince of Annwn. Other authors used it too. The success of these books encouraged other writers to use Celtic materials.


Lloyd Alexander took elements from the Mabinogion to create his world of Prydain for his young adult series of books. The series tells the coming of age stories of the characters Taran and Eilonwy as they fight against the Horned King to save Prydain. These books can be enjoyed by adults as well as children. They are: The Book of Three, The Black Cauldron, The Castle of Llyr, Taran Wanderer and The High King.


Parts of the Mabinogion appear in the some of the works of Alan Garner mixing with some Arthurian elements too. The Owl Service retells the story of Llew Law Gyffes and Bloedudd in a modern day Wales. A version of the Wild Hunt appears in The Weirdstone of Brisingamen and The Moon of Gomrath.


Guy Gavriel Kay used elements of Celtic myth in his trilogy The Fionavar Tapestry. The three books (The Summer Tree, The Wandering Fire and The Darkest Road) weave Welsh myth and Arthurian characters into an Epic Fantasy of memorable proportions. Even the Wild Hunt appears as a force of chaos. (For more information on this author see my previous article.)


Some writers take Celtic elements and create their own Fantasy worlds. Katherine Kerr does this with her Deverry books. Her characters go through several reincarnations to resolve their burdens. She includes elves, dwarves and dragons in her complex world of magic and honor. The first novels in the series are Daggerspell, Darkspell, The Bristling Wood and The Dragon Revenant.


Patricia Kennealy-Morrison moved her Celts into space for her Science Fantasies of the “Keltiad”. In her series, the Celts fled Earth to found a new empire in space. They encounter humans again and begin a new alliance. Her books are full of Celtic and Arthurian elements. The first book in the series is called The Copper Crown.


Other sources for writers have been Scottish and Irish myths and folklore. Deborah Turner Harris wrote a trilogy of a fantasy Scotland that never existed. In Caledon of the Mists, The Queen of Ashes and The City of Exile she weaves the dark tale of a Scotland trying to free itself from an oppressive England. Ireland is the home of a race of elven beings from another world.


Morgan Llywelyn uses Irish myths to tell some of her tales of Celtic Fantasy. Her books have a strong overlay of the supernatural in ancient Ireland. The Elementals is a collection of four stories of the founding of Ireland after the Flood. In The Horse Goddess, she takes readers to the beginning of Celtic history with its strong heroes and heroines. Later books tell of the mythic Irish heroes Finn MacCool and Cuchulain.


Have writers exhuasted the depths of available Celtic material for ideas? Certainly not. New writers like Kate Forsyth and Sarah Isidore are bringing us new books with Celtic elements. As William Butler Yeats said, "none can measure of how great importance it may be to coming times, for every new fountain of legends is a new intoxication for the imagination of the world. It comes at a time when the imagination of the world is as ready, as it was at the coming of the tales of Arthur and the Grail, for a new intoxication." (from "Celtic Myth and English-Language Fantasy Literature: Possible New Directions" by C.W. Sullivan III, Journal of the Fantastic, Winter 1998) As long as there are new visions coming from writers, there will be Celtic Fantasy.


Other Celtic Fantasy Books:


The Witches of Eilannen by Kate Forsyth


The Pool of Two Moons "


The Daughters of Bast by Sarah Isidore


A Time of Omens by Katherine Kerr


A Time of War by "


“The Age of Misrule” trilogy by Mark Chadbourn (see next article in two weeks)

George MacDonald

The Victorian period in England was a strong influence on the Fantasy genre. Many authors contributed memorable works during this time period. George MacDonald was one of the authors of this time. Born in Scotland, he became a preacher, teacher and writer. He wrote over thirty novels, fairy tales and other things. His strongest contributions were in children’s and Christian Fantasy with strong dream images and fanciful in nature. A religious man, he imbued is books with some Christian symbolism that were allegorical in nature. On the other hand, he wrote light stories for children too. C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton and Lewis Carroll were influenced by this author.

Phantastes is one of his adult Fantasy novels considered a classic. It is the story of a man called Anodos. He finds himself drawn into the land of Fairy when his bedroom turns into a forest. What follows is a series of episodic adventures where he gains a Shadow and fights evil. The book is full of vivid dream-like images that are very descriptive and evocative. Anodos’s varied adventures leads to a wonderful book with many symbols that make a reader think about the book.

The first of Mr. MacDonald’s popular children’s books is At the Back of the North Wind. Diamond is a boy befriended by the North Wind. She appears as a woman to him, but can not enter the country always at her back, living at the edge of the world in the far North. He travels through her to the “land of love.” After seven days, Diamond returns to our world to help Victorian London’s poor people. It is a strange adventure with many strong themes.

The Princess and the Goblin followed the previous book. Goblins plot to steal the young Princess Irene for their leader. Curdie is a worker in the goblin mines. He 5learns of the goblins’ plans and how to stop them. Irene uses a magical spider silk thread to rescue the captured Curdie. A fun story of adventure and thwarted plans ensues. This book has many uplifting themes attached to it.

Mr. MacDonald wrote a sequel with The Princess and Curdie. The characters of Princess Irene and Curdie are older. Curdie has grown lazy and complacent. He kills a pigeon belonging to a wise woman. She sends him on trials to get forgiveness after which he becomes her agent. Princess Irene and Curdie then journey to the capitol to save the king. They are helped by pigeons sent by the wise woman. This sequel has some misanthropy and is darker than the first book.

The second adult Fantasy novel of Mr. MacDonald is Lilith. In this book the main character, Mr. Vane, R passes through a mirror into another world. There he finds Adam and Eve guarding the sleeping dead. He turns down their offer and explores the strange world. Lilith appears throughout the story in various forms to tempt him. Mr. Vane must overcome several problems before returning to his world. This book is very complex and full of potent, disturbing images. It is Mr. MacDonald’s masterpiece of Fantasy.

George MacDonald is a classic Fantasy author of Victorian England. He wrote many stories and books that are memorable today. His vivid imagination provided intense dream images to his works. Christian and children’s Fantasy are richer for his contributions. Authors like C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and Lewis Carroll were influenced by his writing. Seek out his works online or in book form if you get a chance. You will not be disappointed.

On Writing Fantasy: Archetype Cards as a Tool

Half way through writing a story you stop. Inspiration seems to dry up and the story goes no where. A blank page or screen stares at you while you strive to think about something to write. Writer’s block? No. It is just a temporary lack of focus. How to start getting the creativity going? Another aspect for writers is finding something useful for writing exercises. I find Archetypes Storytelling cards a useful tool for Fantasy writing. They are useful for inspiration, writing exercises and combating writer’s block.

Inspiration for writing is difficult to find at times. writers need to find new sources for help. These cards are useful as a source. Drawing different sets of cards for plots, characters and objects sparks my mind to think of new ideas for my writing. The cards are generalized enough to provide something for your mind to focus on and spur creativity.

Another way the cards are useful is for creating writing exercises. Writers, whether beginning or veterans, always need to practice their craft. I use the cards as a means of practicing. I will draw some cards and write a character description or short scene from the ones I draw. Sometimes this leads to a longer piece. They are useful for trying experiments too. The different card combinations lead to some interesting prospects.

Lastly, the cards are useful in combating writer’s block. Keeping your creativity fluid is important as a writer. For those times when you can’t seem to write, playing around with these cards jogs your thoughts. Interesting combinations create intriguing possibilities that spur the mind to life. This can help to break the writer’s block you might be suffering from once and a while.

Archetypes Storytelling cards are a useful writing tool for Fantasy writers. They help with inspiration and ideas, provide writing exercises for practice and help combat writer’s block. The art work on the cards is colorful and good. They are available from the Internet at http://www.thecards.com The site also provides some basic stuff like using the cards online as a tarot and for basic character or objects to write about.