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1. What draws you to the fantasy genre?
Fantasy is a powerful tool that enables authors and readers to use their imaginations to connect with and explore their personal mythology. The way we frame our personal histories - or envision ourselves engaging in those of characters we meet in books - is how we make sense of the world and give meaning to both our lived experiences, as well as to our perception of yet unrealized possibilities. Personal power in real life may come down to instinct, to agency, and to goals, but what would/could the internal decision making process look like when illustrated as action with accompanying internal monologue and/or dialogue? What would/could emotional responses look like if they were corporeal and wore clothing? How would/could concepts like morality, guilt, forgiveness, rebellion, and humility speak and carry themselves if they were characters in a real world setting? What color is personal power, and where would/could a person store it or access it? Maybe in wings, or in their solar plexus? What if abuse took gruesome shape and attacked in broad daylight? What if courage was clad in American Girl Doll pajamas weilding a gauntlet of telekinesis? What if the boundary between realms in the multiverse was strong enough outlast centuries of warfare, but fragile enough to be shredded by the desperate sacrifice of one young woman whose only weapon is love?
Fantasy allows exploration of intangible ideas like faith, ego, and the psyche, which rule human interaction in the physical world. Fantasy gives us the ability to interact with ourselves and the metaphysical in ways which would otherwise be unimaginable.
2. How do you go about writing effective stories for young readers?
Authenticity is key. Readers of any age - this is speaking from my personal experience as a reader from birth through (nearly) age 50 - appreciate reading stories that may not have ever occurred, but that could. I believe this is only possible through character-driven stories told or "lived" by flawed protagonists. Action is great, agenda is even fine, but choices that aren't easy and consequences that have real impact are so important for engaging readers. As an author, I create settings that are cognizant of their own rules so the reader doesn't have to be; settings that can be explored and discovered from many different angles and on different levels multiple times. Every reader brings their own interpretation and perspectives to a story, and I want their reading experience to be personal and immersive. My character's journeys are raw and often messy, and I don't pull any punches. Whether readers always like what "happens" in my books and short stories or not, my goal is that they will have an emotional reaction to it, and relate either positively or negatively to my characters. I want the reading process to be FUN.
3. What is the message you want to share with young readers?
I want young readers - or even readers who are young at heart - that know that they matter. Always. Young readers: your choices and your actions are important because YOU are important. I have experienced fear and despair and guilt and shame in my life. There were times when fear consumed me. I was afraid of my own shadow. I hated the very possibility of inconveniencing anyone, but I knew that I was inconvenient just by existing. I did what I was told when and how I was told. I didn't question anything or break any rules. Sometimes I had strong reactions to perceived injustice, but I always felt badly about it immediately afterward, and apologized profusely. I was in my late thirties before I found my voice, and now I never shut up. My message, young readers, is that your voice is important. I love the question that asks, "How do I know what I think until I see what I say?" The answer is: you can't. You won't know what your own voice sounds like until you start using it to ask questions, to challenge rules, to make statements and have them challenged, and to tell stories. The goal in speaking isn't about being right or convincing anybody of anything. It's about learning and growing and understanding yourself and others. The world needs your voice. Please use it!
4. Any advice for young writers?
Write! And read! Keep a journal and read back through it to see how you used to think. If you have a story living in your mind, tell it so you know what it sounds like. And after you tell it once, switch povs and tell it again. Tell it in present and past. Tell it set on the moon and under the sea. Tell it from different genders and ages. Write from personal experience. Watch and listen and wonder and ask what if? Challenge your own assumptions and prejudices. Dive deeper into motivation. Don't get too hung up on grammar and punctuation or how many words you write a day. Don't read too many books written about how other people think you should write, lol. Be raw, be funny, be terrifying, be YOU. And then send me what you write, 'cause I wanna read it!
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