Hello, hello, hello, Dear Readers!
Today, as you might guess from the blog title, is a piece with some thinky thoughts. These are the thinky thoughts I've been having, on and off, about BAREFOOT ON THE WIND since it came out and since and I began to see reviews of various aspects of the story.
It's by no means a definitive Voice of God type of thing - I've no wish to lay down the law about the book or how anyone else should interpret it. I just thought that it might add value for some readers to know some things about the book and how it relates to my own experience and identity.
So, really this post came into being at this point because of the urging of some lovely folks on Twitter. One person DM'ed me to ask if I had meant for Hana to read as an asexual or greysexual character. I told her that I had written Hana very deliberately as greysexual, because I was a greysexual teenager once - although sadly I didn't even know that term existed at the time! I now identify as asexual, however.
Another tweep listed the book as a piece of respectful representation on the grounds that it portrayed mental illness in the form of Hana's apparent depression, but said she was unsure if she should call it #Ownvoices or not. I told her that I, too, have suffered with depression since being a teenager. What's more, after the death of my Father I also went through a period of what is known as Complex or Complicated Grief in which I was unable cope with my bereavement, suffered with overwhelming feelings of guilt and responsibility for what had happened, and wished fervently that I had died in my Father's place. I based Hana's mental state on these experiences.
It suddenly occurred to me that because I had written this book in a secondary world in which terms such as greysexual/asexual and depression simply did not exist, that some readers who might be eager to find representation of those marginalised identities might completely miss it. I'd already read several reviews which expressed disappointment that Hana's relationship with Itsuki in the book wasn't more 'passionate', or mentioned that it seemed more like a friendship than a romance. Those choices were deliberate - they charted the progression of a greysexual person's developing feelings as I experienced them - but how could readers know that when I'd been unable to put the correct label on Hana's identity without being unforgivably anachronistic? Should I be tweeting about this book and calling it #Ownvoices in order to help ace/greysexual and non-neurotypical readers know that stuff was in there?
I looked on the website of the writer who coined the #Ownvoices hashtag - Corrine Duyvis (Hi Corrine!) - and she said she didn't really want to try regulate the term: she just wanted others to be able to use it in whichever way seemed valid. But she felt as long as the author and the protagonist shared a specific marginalised identity, it pretty much counted as far as she was concerned.
This all led an animated discussion on Twitter. Many people chimed in to say they DID feel the story counted as #Ownvoices. But then the author and We Need Diverse Books founder Ellen Oh (Hi Ellen!) chimed in to say that you can't really call a book #Ownvoices if the author doesn't share the protagonist's ethnicity. And I don't. Although Hana's secondary world is a fantasy one, and her ethnicity doesn't really exist in this world, her culture is BASED on Feudal Japan, which means her ethnicity is, too. And, as Ellen pointed out, for a white author to put the hashtag #Ownvoices into play to promote a book in which the main character does not share her ethnicity feels perilously close to a form of cultural appropriation.
At this point it became clear that this was all way too complex to really sort out on Twitter. So I thanked everyone and went off and continued to think about it for a while more before deciding: yes, I should address this on my blog. Because that way people have the relevant information - a more nuanced and complex version of the information than I can possibly offer up in 140 characters - and they can make their own minds up.
Tl;dr - BAREFOOT ON THE WIND features a greysexual, mentally ill protagonist, and those parts of her marginalised identity were based on the author's own experiences as a greysexual, mentally ill teenager (and on later experiences of bereavement). But the author does not share the character's ethnicity, in so far as that ethnicity is based on Japanese culture.
Phew! I hope that all makes sense! Any questions or comments, muffins - toss them in the comments :)
Showing posts with label BotW. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BotW. Show all posts
Thursday, 23 February 2017
Wednesday, 15 February 2017
ARE FAIRYTALES FEMINIST?
(Originally posted on PewterWolf's blog - revised 15/2/2017)
When the title of this post was suggested to me, I found myself a little conflicted. Can fairytales be Feminist, I asked? Or is this an unanswerable joke question, like whether Grumpy Cat has a Communist agenda?
Let’s just take a moment to remind ourselves what Feminism actually is – untainted by any of the wonky ideas that society may have about it, or any of the behaviour of individual people who reject or embrace the concept. It’s pretty easy:
So... are fairytales Feminist? Maybe that's the wrong question. Maybe a better way to phrase it would be: Can fairytales be Feminist? Do they have the potential to embody Feminism? Or is that impossible?
Because the thing is, folklore and mythology from pretty much any society you care to name certainly seems to depict a lot of highly sexist attitudes, not to mention celebrationg the Patriarchal societies that spawn those attitudes. And this makes sense. Though initially fairytales were contemporary, evolving narratives, they began to be written down - and considered ‘finalised’ - in Western Europe throughout the 18th and 19th century. They reflect those historical modes of living which were prevalent during that time – when men wore trousers and girls wore skirts, and if they swapped at all it was for reasons of comedy or in order to preserve female virtue.
They haven't really been allowed to evolve since then. We consider those versions the 'originals' or the 'classics' rather than just one of many different possible iterations of archetypal tales. As such they’re filled with a lot of ideals that woman are still fighting against - hello, diametrically opposed innocent damsels (virgins) and wicked ambitious older woman (whores) all desperately hoping to snag a man! And there are an awful lot of young, aggressively heterosexual males rushing in to save the day... and the depictions of people of colour or non-Christian people is pretty awful. The depiction of non-straight people is nonexistent.
But fairytales – the ever changing, oral stories to which our current, sanitised, Disney incarnations are only distantly related – stretch right back to the time when humans were still figuring out what humans even were. When firelight was all that stood between us and the howl of creatures in the dark, and for all we knew a fairy, dragon or young God might be lurking around the next tree trunk any time we went out to cut wood. They contain archetypes, larger than life, fundamentally human characters and quandaries which, while they MAY be warped and stretched and manipulated to reflect the politics of whichever person or society promotes them, are still able to rise above – or sink below – cultural mores in order to share essential truths.
What are fairytales about after all? What questions do THEY ask US?
What is love? What is good – and what is evil? What does it mean to be brave? How should we react to injustice? How can we better our own lives, and what are the risks if we try? What makes a monster? What is a hero?
These questions are ultimately ageless. And a-political.
Our individual interpretation of fairytales, the prejudices and perspectives we ourselves bring to these archetypal stories, are what make them either positive or negative. And individual interpretations can vary, at last count... preeeetty much to infinity.
For instance, Cinderella may be a dutiful and obedient girl who never takes any steps to better her own life because her highest goal is the proper, 'feminine' one of attending a ball in a pretty dress – whose beauty is rewarded when she happens to be young and lovely enough to catch the Prince’s eye (marrying up in society being any woman's dream, of course).
OR... she might be a resolute and morally ambiguous young woman, who cunningly uses the ball to leverage her youth and beauty in order to gain the prince’s power for her own ends.
Beauty might be a dutiful and obedient girl who allows herself to be sacrificed in place of her father, and who, after being bullied or emotionally blackmailed into marrying the monstrous being who imprisoned her, is rewarded when he turns out not to be physically repulsive anymore (though his personality may still be in question).
OR... she could be a ferocious young hunter who goes after the Beast of her own free will in order to destroy him and the curse, and who chooses instead to save him, in the end, because he has proven to her that despite his beastly exterior, he is truly worthy of love.
But these Feminist ways of re-imagining our familiar fairytales – taken from my books Shadows on the Moon (Cinderella) and Barefoot on the Wind (Beauty and the Beast) – can be very controversial. Not just among Mans Right's Activists! Even from a Feminist viewpoint.
The recent Disney live-action Cinderella promoted itself with the motto ‘Have courage... and be kind’. You’d think this was a mild enough statement that no one would get cross about it, but you’d be wrong.
Online, many people rose up against the idea that a young woman suffering under injustice and abuse from her family ought to care about being kind – surely survival would be the order of the day? ‘They’re encouraging young women to be weak!’ was the battle cry. ‘Don’t tell them to be kind, tell them to fight!’
But before anyone could blink, an equally strong counter-argument blew up, stating that kindness was a Feminist virtue, that striving for some kind of unrealistic butt-kicking ideal of femininity that eschewed goodness and kindness for macho ideals of ‘strength’ was ignoring the real struggles of real women who had survived – and might still be living with – abuse. ‘Living in a bad situation you can’t get out of isn’t weakness!’ these people declared.
Who’s right? Who knows! Both, most probably.
The fact is that, just as with magic itself, fairytales can be used for good or evil. They have the potential to be both damagingly misogynistic AND empoweringly Feminist. Like most questions of story, the final interpretation is down to the reader themself to make.
When the title of this post was suggested to me, I found myself a little conflicted. Can fairytales be Feminist, I asked? Or is this an unanswerable joke question, like whether Grumpy Cat has a Communist agenda?
Let’s just take a moment to remind ourselves what Feminism actually is – untainted by any of the wonky ideas that society may have about it, or any of the behaviour of individual people who reject or embrace the concept. It’s pretty easy:
FeminismBasically, Feminism is the struggle to ensure that all sexes (there are more than two, FYI, but that’s a whole ‘nother blogpost) have equal rights. A Feminist individual is someone who believes in equality regardless of gender and hopefully works in whatever way they can to bring that about.
noun
“The advocacy of women's rights on the ground of the equality of the sexes.”
So... are fairytales Feminist? Maybe that's the wrong question. Maybe a better way to phrase it would be: Can fairytales be Feminist? Do they have the potential to embody Feminism? Or is that impossible?
Because the thing is, folklore and mythology from pretty much any society you care to name certainly seems to depict a lot of highly sexist attitudes, not to mention celebrationg the Patriarchal societies that spawn those attitudes. And this makes sense. Though initially fairytales were contemporary, evolving narratives, they began to be written down - and considered ‘finalised’ - in Western Europe throughout the 18th and 19th century. They reflect those historical modes of living which were prevalent during that time – when men wore trousers and girls wore skirts, and if they swapped at all it was for reasons of comedy or in order to preserve female virtue.
They haven't really been allowed to evolve since then. We consider those versions the 'originals' or the 'classics' rather than just one of many different possible iterations of archetypal tales. As such they’re filled with a lot of ideals that woman are still fighting against - hello, diametrically opposed innocent damsels (virgins) and wicked ambitious older woman (whores) all desperately hoping to snag a man! And there are an awful lot of young, aggressively heterosexual males rushing in to save the day... and the depictions of people of colour or non-Christian people is pretty awful. The depiction of non-straight people is nonexistent.
But fairytales – the ever changing, oral stories to which our current, sanitised, Disney incarnations are only distantly related – stretch right back to the time when humans were still figuring out what humans even were. When firelight was all that stood between us and the howl of creatures in the dark, and for all we knew a fairy, dragon or young God might be lurking around the next tree trunk any time we went out to cut wood. They contain archetypes, larger than life, fundamentally human characters and quandaries which, while they MAY be warped and stretched and manipulated to reflect the politics of whichever person or society promotes them, are still able to rise above – or sink below – cultural mores in order to share essential truths.
What are fairytales about after all? What questions do THEY ask US?
What is love? What is good – and what is evil? What does it mean to be brave? How should we react to injustice? How can we better our own lives, and what are the risks if we try? What makes a monster? What is a hero?
These questions are ultimately ageless. And a-political.
Our individual interpretation of fairytales, the prejudices and perspectives we ourselves bring to these archetypal stories, are what make them either positive or negative. And individual interpretations can vary, at last count... preeeetty much to infinity.
For instance, Cinderella may be a dutiful and obedient girl who never takes any steps to better her own life because her highest goal is the proper, 'feminine' one of attending a ball in a pretty dress – whose beauty is rewarded when she happens to be young and lovely enough to catch the Prince’s eye (marrying up in society being any woman's dream, of course).
OR... she might be a resolute and morally ambiguous young woman, who cunningly uses the ball to leverage her youth and beauty in order to gain the prince’s power for her own ends.
Beauty might be a dutiful and obedient girl who allows herself to be sacrificed in place of her father, and who, after being bullied or emotionally blackmailed into marrying the monstrous being who imprisoned her, is rewarded when he turns out not to be physically repulsive anymore (though his personality may still be in question).
OR... she could be a ferocious young hunter who goes after the Beast of her own free will in order to destroy him and the curse, and who chooses instead to save him, in the end, because he has proven to her that despite his beastly exterior, he is truly worthy of love.
But these Feminist ways of re-imagining our familiar fairytales – taken from my books Shadows on the Moon (Cinderella) and Barefoot on the Wind (Beauty and the Beast) – can be very controversial. Not just among Mans Right's Activists! Even from a Feminist viewpoint.
The recent Disney live-action Cinderella promoted itself with the motto ‘Have courage... and be kind’. You’d think this was a mild enough statement that no one would get cross about it, but you’d be wrong.
Online, many people rose up against the idea that a young woman suffering under injustice and abuse from her family ought to care about being kind – surely survival would be the order of the day? ‘They’re encouraging young women to be weak!’ was the battle cry. ‘Don’t tell them to be kind, tell them to fight!’
But before anyone could blink, an equally strong counter-argument blew up, stating that kindness was a Feminist virtue, that striving for some kind of unrealistic butt-kicking ideal of femininity that eschewed goodness and kindness for macho ideals of ‘strength’ was ignoring the real struggles of real women who had survived – and might still be living with – abuse. ‘Living in a bad situation you can’t get out of isn’t weakness!’ these people declared.
Who’s right? Who knows! Both, most probably.
The fact is that, just as with magic itself, fairytales can be used for good or evil. They have the potential to be both damagingly misogynistic AND empoweringly Feminist. Like most questions of story, the final interpretation is down to the reader themself to make.
Tuesday, 11 October 2016
NEW ARRIVALS!
Hello, my little macaroons! Happy Wednesday to everyone, and thank you for joing me today. I'm delighted to say that I have pretty pretty pictures to share - because in the last week not one but TWO delightful parcels have arrived for me bearing gifts.
What was in package number one, you ask? Why ask no further, because it was THIS:
The final volume of the Candlewick Press hardback editions of The Name of the Blade Trilogy! A rather lucious jade green this time, with a scale effect and copper typography - and matching green binding with copper foil and endpapers.
And yes, that's a jellyfish in the silhouette. If you've read the book you know why, and if not then you'll just have to buy this and find out won't you?
But even better than that!
Together at last. My fourteen year old self, if she could see this, would be actual-facts-ugly-crying. I nearly did myself. The trilogy is now officially completed and it's so beautiful!
But wait - there's more. ALSO in the post last week was THIS:
Yes, that's a glimpse of the long-awaited sequel/short story/epilogue of Shadows on the Moon, which I hope will satisfy fans of the book at last. But this book, too, is part of a set, so it seemed only right to do this:
Look what they did with the back covers there - isn't that clever? It's almost like the tangle of thorns transforms into a swirl of hair in the same gust of wind the sweeps the cherry blossoms across from one book to another. Gorgeous!
Frail Human Heart will be out in the US at the beginning of November. This new and improved version of Shadows on the Moon will be out here in the UK at the same time.
Once they're both on the shelves... I'm sure not what'll be next for me. I'm out of contract now - I have no new books due out for the first time in a decade. I'm still working on the book I got my Arts Council grant for, and I'm hoping to make a giant leap in progress during NaNoWriMo this year (yes, I'm going to give it another bash, no, I never learn, and yes, I will keep you all abreast of my progress - in fact, why not join up too and friend me here?) but I don't know when or if that will be published. I have some other news about my future which I'm hoping to share soon, but I need to get official confirmation first. Apart from that it's all wide open, which is both scary and exciting. 2017 is going to be an eventful year, I think!
Read you later, cupcakes!
What was in package number one, you ask? Why ask no further, because it was THIS:
And yes, that's a jellyfish in the silhouette. If you've read the book you know why, and if not then you'll just have to buy this and find out won't you?
But even better than that!
Together at last. My fourteen year old self, if she could see this, would be actual-facts-ugly-crying. I nearly did myself. The trilogy is now officially completed and it's so beautiful!
But wait - there's more. ALSO in the post last week was THIS:
Yes, that's a glimpse of the long-awaited sequel/short story/epilogue of Shadows on the Moon, which I hope will satisfy fans of the book at last. But this book, too, is part of a set, so it seemed only right to do this:
Look what they did with the back covers there - isn't that clever? It's almost like the tangle of thorns transforms into a swirl of hair in the same gust of wind the sweeps the cherry blossoms across from one book to another. Gorgeous!
Frail Human Heart will be out in the US at the beginning of November. This new and improved version of Shadows on the Moon will be out here in the UK at the same time.
Once they're both on the shelves... I'm sure not what'll be next for me. I'm out of contract now - I have no new books due out for the first time in a decade. I'm still working on the book I got my Arts Council grant for, and I'm hoping to make a giant leap in progress during NaNoWriMo this year (yes, I'm going to give it another bash, no, I never learn, and yes, I will keep you all abreast of my progress - in fact, why not join up too and friend me here?) but I don't know when or if that will be published. I have some other news about my future which I'm hoping to share soon, but I need to get official confirmation first. Apart from that it's all wide open, which is both scary and exciting. 2017 is going to be an eventful year, I think!
Read you later, cupcakes!
Wednesday, 21 September 2016
MASSIVE REVIEWER REWARD GIVEAWAY
Hello, hello, hello Dear Readers! I hope the week's been great to you so far, and if not, that it takes a turn for the better before the weekend.
Today I bring you, as promised, a giveaway designed to reward those who've answered my appeal here and reviewed BAREFOOT ON THE WIND on Amazon. Thank you all so much! Each of these reviews really does make a difference to the book's 'discoverability' (apparently a real word) online and helps to boost the chances of another reader taking a chance on this weird little Feminist fairytale.
It's been tough to figure out a way to reward everyone who has reviewed so far and also encourage others to review in the future. By definition, people who have written reviews must already have gotten their hands on a copy, whether they bought it or were sent it for review (unless you borrowed it from a library, in which case *fist bump* - libraries rule and deserve our support, thank you). So offering to give away my newly received author copies felt a bit redundant.
After wracking my brains for a little while, I came up with this. If you have reviewed BAREFOOT ON THE WIND on Amazon or if you do so in the next two weeks - that's up to and including the 5th of October - then you are entitled to claim a signed bookplate and gorgeous full-colour book swag from me. If this sounds groovy to you, then get in touch via the contact form on my website here and give me your name and the address you'd like this prize to be posted to, as well as quoting the first line of the review so I know who you are. The book's only out in the UK right now, but if you're abroad and you manage to read and review it despite that then you're still very welcome to take advantage of this offer, so don't be shy!
Here's the really exciting part, though. At the end of the two week period (on the 6th of October) I will enter the names of all the reviewers into a random number generator and one lucky winner will receive a massive special prize. This prize will include, but not be limited to:
This is pretty much the biggest and best prize I've ever managed to put together, and if I wasn't the person doing it, I think I'd very much want to be the winner. Excited? I'm excited.
Things to remember:
Thank you all so much, again, for your support and love for this book. Read you later, muffins.
Today I bring you, as promised, a giveaway designed to reward those who've answered my appeal here and reviewed BAREFOOT ON THE WIND on Amazon. Thank you all so much! Each of these reviews really does make a difference to the book's 'discoverability' (apparently a real word) online and helps to boost the chances of another reader taking a chance on this weird little Feminist fairytale.
It's been tough to figure out a way to reward everyone who has reviewed so far and also encourage others to review in the future. By definition, people who have written reviews must already have gotten their hands on a copy, whether they bought it or were sent it for review (unless you borrowed it from a library, in which case *fist bump* - libraries rule and deserve our support, thank you). So offering to give away my newly received author copies felt a bit redundant.
After wracking my brains for a little while, I came up with this. If you have reviewed BAREFOOT ON THE WIND on Amazon or if you do so in the next two weeks - that's up to and including the 5th of October - then you are entitled to claim a signed bookplate and gorgeous full-colour book swag from me. If this sounds groovy to you, then get in touch via the contact form on my website here and give me your name and the address you'd like this prize to be posted to, as well as quoting the first line of the review so I know who you are. The book's only out in the UK right now, but if you're abroad and you manage to read and review it despite that then you're still very welcome to take advantage of this offer, so don't be shy!
Here's the really exciting part, though. At the end of the two week period (on the 6th of October) I will enter the names of all the reviewers into a random number generator and one lucky winner will receive a massive special prize. This prize will include, but not be limited to:
- A signed copy of BAREFOOT ON THE WIND personalised for you with custom art by me
- A signed copy of the first three chapters of the new fairytale retelling that I am working on right now (which, of course, is subject to change before publication!)
- Gorgeous book swag of myriad different kinds
- More signed bookplates for use in books you already own or may buy in the future
- Delicious gourmet treats (don't worry, I will check in with you about preferences, allergies and intolerances before sending!)
- And last but not least, this beautiful Sterling silver necklace, calling to mind Hana's beloved hunting bow and arrows, which she puts to such good use throughout BAREFOOT ON THE WIND:
Things to remember:
- If you've already reviewed, you're already entered, no probs.
- If you haven't reviewed, then you need to do so by the 5th of October.
- International readers are welcomed with open arms.
- Winner announced on the 6th of October.
Thank you all so much, again, for your support and love for this book. Read you later, muffins.
Thursday, 8 September 2016
AN APPEAL FOR REVIEWS
Hello, my cupcakes - and happy Thursday. I hope the world's been treating you well so far this week. I've been a bit unwell over the past few days, hence why this post is rather short. I'm basically nipping back to make an appeal to all Dear Readers and blogger-pals. It goes a little like this:
If you've read BAREFOOT ON THE WIND - whether that's because you bought a copy or were sent one for review - and you have any thoughts or feelings about it, I would *love* it if you would head over to Amazon and post a review.
If you've already written a review for your blog or Goodreads - and there have been some simply fantastic reviews, insightful, funny and generous - just copy and paste that. Otherwise, a line or two that sums up your feelings would be great (though don't let me stop you from going the whole hog). It doesn't have to be long. It doesn't even have to be positive, if you have a different perspective to offer. But having a number of reviews on an Amazon page really can make the world of difference to a book's sales, not just on Amazon but all over the internet and in the real world - people often flick there first before making their mind up, and if it seems that others are talking about the book, it may motivate readers to check it out now. And believe me, both I and this weirdo little Feminist story really do need that boost.
So that's my appeal: please review if you can find the time and spoons to do it.
Later on, after I've got my author copies of this book (and have a bit of my energy back) I will most likely reward reviewers by doing a giveaway of some kind, with swag and maybe other nice things. But right now I'm just asking you to do it from the goodness of your hearts if you feel that you can.
Love and snuggles to you all, my crumpets. Next week I shall be posting over on Author Allsorts about my favourite poem (which, to no one's surprise, is actually several poems) and will link across from here for ease of finding. Any questions or potential blog topics to offer? Throw them in the comments.
Read you later!
If you've read BAREFOOT ON THE WIND - whether that's because you bought a copy or were sent one for review - and you have any thoughts or feelings about it, I would *love* it if you would head over to Amazon and post a review.
If you've already written a review for your blog or Goodreads - and there have been some simply fantastic reviews, insightful, funny and generous - just copy and paste that. Otherwise, a line or two that sums up your feelings would be great (though don't let me stop you from going the whole hog). It doesn't have to be long. It doesn't even have to be positive, if you have a different perspective to offer. But having a number of reviews on an Amazon page really can make the world of difference to a book's sales, not just on Amazon but all over the internet and in the real world - people often flick there first before making their mind up, and if it seems that others are talking about the book, it may motivate readers to check it out now. And believe me, both I and this weirdo little Feminist story really do need that boost.
So that's my appeal: please review if you can find the time and spoons to do it.
Later on, after I've got my author copies of this book (and have a bit of my energy back) I will most likely reward reviewers by doing a giveaway of some kind, with swag and maybe other nice things. But right now I'm just asking you to do it from the goodness of your hearts if you feel that you can.
Love and snuggles to you all, my crumpets. Next week I shall be posting over on Author Allsorts about my favourite poem (which, to no one's surprise, is actually several poems) and will link across from here for ease of finding. Any questions or potential blog topics to offer? Throw them in the comments.
Read you later!
Wednesday, 31 August 2016
BAREFOOT ON THE WIND IS OUT!
Hello, hello, hello Dear Readers! And happy Thursday to you - especially since today is September the 1st, aka the long-awaited (for me anyway) official release date for BAREFOOT ON THE WIND.
WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!
Ahem.
Yes, my precious baby, five years in the making, is out in the wild, hopefully charming people from the shelves (perhaps even in your very own local bookshop) and possibly making them cry depending on how the ending takes them. I'm super proud of this book. It feels like one of the most me-things I've written, even though several things that turned up while I was writing it took me by surprise. It has shapeshifers, curses, enchanted mazes, the undead, and FEMINISM. All that good stuff!
If you happen to see BAREFOOT ON THE WIND out and about anywhere, in a shop or a library, in the hands of someone reading on the Tube, or even in an Amazon package that you just opened, please do send me a photo. In the meantime, here are some guestposts and interviews I've been doing with lovely blogger-pals to celebrate the release (I've linked to the first two before, but I'll include them too, just in case anyone missed them):
There is a Monster in the Forest... Exploring the darker side of fairytales with Luna at Luna's Little Library.
A Question of Fairytales... Looking at what I think makes a truly great re-telling on Michelle's Tales of Yesterday Blog.
A Q&A with me...Answering some different and interesting questions with Georgia at TeenBookHoots.
And finally... Are Fairytales Feminist, which is exactly what it says on the tin, with Andrew of The PewterWolf.
In addition, here's the Pinterest Board for this book, and the Spotify Playlist I listened to while writing it:
And some absolutely lovely reviews that offer different perspectives on the book, from Lovereading4Kids, Page to Screen Reviews, Luna's Little Library and TeenBookHoots. I'm so delighted that, so far, people seem to be 'getting' this book and reacting to it the way I'd hoped.
Happy book birthday, #BaBBook.
That's it for this week, my muffins - have a great Thursday, and I'll read you later!
 |
| With thanks to Luna of Luna's little Library. |
Ahem.
Yes, my precious baby, five years in the making, is out in the wild, hopefully charming people from the shelves (perhaps even in your very own local bookshop) and possibly making them cry depending on how the ending takes them. I'm super proud of this book. It feels like one of the most me-things I've written, even though several things that turned up while I was writing it took me by surprise. It has shapeshifers, curses, enchanted mazes, the undead, and FEMINISM. All that good stuff!
If you happen to see BAREFOOT ON THE WIND out and about anywhere, in a shop or a library, in the hands of someone reading on the Tube, or even in an Amazon package that you just opened, please do send me a photo. In the meantime, here are some guestposts and interviews I've been doing with lovely blogger-pals to celebrate the release (I've linked to the first two before, but I'll include them too, just in case anyone missed them):
There is a Monster in the Forest... Exploring the darker side of fairytales with Luna at Luna's Little Library.
A Question of Fairytales... Looking at what I think makes a truly great re-telling on Michelle's Tales of Yesterday Blog.
A Q&A with me...Answering some different and interesting questions with Georgia at TeenBookHoots.
And finally... Are Fairytales Feminist, which is exactly what it says on the tin, with Andrew of The PewterWolf.
In addition, here's the Pinterest Board for this book, and the Spotify Playlist I listened to while writing it:
And some absolutely lovely reviews that offer different perspectives on the book, from Lovereading4Kids, Page to Screen Reviews, Luna's Little Library and TeenBookHoots. I'm so delighted that, so far, people seem to be 'getting' this book and reacting to it the way I'd hoped.
Happy book birthday, #BaBBook.
That's it for this week, my muffins - have a great Thursday, and I'll read you later!
Tuesday, 16 August 2016
NEW SHADOWS ON THE MOON PRE-ORDERS ARE LIVE!
Hello, Dear Readers, and happy Tuesday!
A very quick post today to share a nice piece of news - you've probably already guessed it from the blog title, but you can now officially pre-order the new edition of Shadows on the Moon from Amazon here. It's also available from The Book Depository here, Waterstone's here, and from WHSmiths here.
Not only does this reissue of the title possess that gorgeous new cover with so many wonderful deails from the story, which matches the cover of Barefoot on the Wind...
But it will also contain exclusive extra content, including a short story set after the events of the novel, which I'm seeing as a kind of prologue to Yue and Otieno's story, and hoping readers will love as much as I do.
The book is out on the third of November, so I haven't seen any real copies in the flesh yet, but I think it's going to be a very lovely item indeed.
And since we're talking about real copies... look what arrived in the post last week!
The very, very first advanced copy of Barefoot on the Wind! I love the brush-effect on the font so much; it looks just as beautiful on the title page as on the front cover.
This one is out on the first of September, so less than a month to go - and of course you can pre-order this one from Amazon, The Book Depository, Waterstone's and WHSmith too, if you are so moved (you'd be doing me a favour, and you might get the book a few days early, so it's win-win).
Before I go, a quick reminder that my contribution to the YAShot Blogtour is still up at the lovely Luna's blog and that the giveaway for a complete signed set of the Name of the Blade trilogy is still active, so get on that while you can.
That's all for this week, my lovelies, but next week baring unforeseen circumstances I'll be tackling a reader question with regard to fairytale retellings. Read you later!
A very quick post today to share a nice piece of news - you've probably already guessed it from the blog title, but you can now officially pre-order the new edition of Shadows on the Moon from Amazon here. It's also available from The Book Depository here, Waterstone's here, and from WHSmiths here.
Not only does this reissue of the title possess that gorgeous new cover with so many wonderful deails from the story, which matches the cover of Barefoot on the Wind...
But it will also contain exclusive extra content, including a short story set after the events of the novel, which I'm seeing as a kind of prologue to Yue and Otieno's story, and hoping readers will love as much as I do.
The book is out on the third of November, so I haven't seen any real copies in the flesh yet, but I think it's going to be a very lovely item indeed.
And since we're talking about real copies... look what arrived in the post last week!
 |
| Matching nail polish entirely coincidental |
This one is out on the first of September, so less than a month to go - and of course you can pre-order this one from Amazon, The Book Depository, Waterstone's and WHSmith too, if you are so moved (you'd be doing me a favour, and you might get the book a few days early, so it's win-win).
Before I go, a quick reminder that my contribution to the YAShot Blogtour is still up at the lovely Luna's blog and that the giveaway for a complete signed set of the Name of the Blade trilogy is still active, so get on that while you can.
That's all for this week, my lovelies, but next week baring unforeseen circumstances I'll be tackling a reader question with regard to fairytale retellings. Read you later!
Friday, 27 May 2016
BAREFOOT ON THE WIND COVER REVEAL & MORE EXCITING NEWS!
Hello, hello, hello, Dear Readers! Apologies for the quiet period here on the blog - I've had a month of frantic mega-busyness, including a wonderful weekend as a speaker at the Bradford Literature Festival, where I met some of the most wonderful and fascinating people imaginable. Sadly all the rushing around (predictably) culminated in the herniated disc in my spine recurring and putting me on bed rest for a week (look after your spine, my children, you'll definitely miss it when it's gone).
But I'm back today to share the thing I've been desperate to show you for weeks and weeks and weeks now - yes, you know what I'm talking about - it's the cover artwork for BAREFOOT ON THE WIND! Which, just to refresh your memories, is a Feminist re-imagining of Beauty and the Beast, set in a fantasy version of Feudal Japan.
BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE. Before you scroll down to feast your eyes on the undeniable loveliness of the artwork designed by Delightful Designer and the ThereIs artistic studio, I have more exciting news to share - about Shadows on the Moon.
So, BAREFOOT ON THE WIND is a companion novel to Shadows on the Moon, taking place in the same fairytale realm, Tsuki no Hikari no Kuni (although there are no over-lapping characters). As such, and because it's been five years since the original release, Walker Books have been inspired to reissue Shadows on the Moon in a brand-spanking-new edition which will not only have new artwork, but original bonus content written by yours truly.
The new edition of the book will be available just after BAREFOOT ON THE WIND's release (which will be the 1st of September). I'll be sharing the luscious new cover artwork for that next week, as well as giving you more details about the exclusive new material which will be in the reissue. For now, let me just say that it's providing something many readers have been asking me for since the book originally came out.*Eyebrow wiggle*
OK, OK, you've been good patient readers. I'll put you out of your misery - here, without further ado, is BAREFOOT ON THE WIND...
Is that gorgeous, or is it gorgeous? I love it. Everything on this cover - the white, red and green colours, the frosty white thorns, the moths, the red butterflies and the falling snow - is symbolic (Google 'butterflies in Japanese mythology' for a hint) and comes directly from stuff that's in the story. I want to burble on endlessly about how much they nailed making the cover represent the book, but it's basically all spoilers so I'll just be over here quietly squeeing while you absorb this:
The full wrap, including a quote from legend L.A.Weatherly, who calls the book 'Hauntingly lovely'. Don't you love the way that the way the illustration continues all the way around like that? J'adore! J'aime! Also, note the brush-stroke effect in that lovely font - I suggested that! When I first got this I spent at least an hour just staring at it, taking in all the tiny little things that link the art to the story and make it totally unique and meaningful. Ack, so happy. If you're interested in cover design, here you can see the Pinterest board of story-relevant images that the designer asked me to put together to help inspire the illustrator.
Over to you now, Dear Readers. What do you think? Does this live up to your expectations? Make you excited to read the book? Sound off in the comments :)
But I'm back today to share the thing I've been desperate to show you for weeks and weeks and weeks now - yes, you know what I'm talking about - it's the cover artwork for BAREFOOT ON THE WIND! Which, just to refresh your memories, is a Feminist re-imagining of Beauty and the Beast, set in a fantasy version of Feudal Japan.
BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE. Before you scroll down to feast your eyes on the undeniable loveliness of the artwork designed by Delightful Designer and the ThereIs artistic studio, I have more exciting news to share - about Shadows on the Moon.
So, BAREFOOT ON THE WIND is a companion novel to Shadows on the Moon, taking place in the same fairytale realm, Tsuki no Hikari no Kuni (although there are no over-lapping characters). As such, and because it's been five years since the original release, Walker Books have been inspired to reissue Shadows on the Moon in a brand-spanking-new edition which will not only have new artwork, but original bonus content written by yours truly.
The new edition of the book will be available just after BAREFOOT ON THE WIND's release (which will be the 1st of September). I'll be sharing the luscious new cover artwork for that next week, as well as giving you more details about the exclusive new material which will be in the reissue. For now, let me just say that it's providing something many readers have been asking me for since the book originally came out.*Eyebrow wiggle*
OK, OK, you've been good patient readers. I'll put you out of your misery - here, without further ado, is BAREFOOT ON THE WIND...
*
*
*
*
*
*
Is that gorgeous, or is it gorgeous? I love it. Everything on this cover - the white, red and green colours, the frosty white thorns, the moths, the red butterflies and the falling snow - is symbolic (Google 'butterflies in Japanese mythology' for a hint) and comes directly from stuff that's in the story. I want to burble on endlessly about how much they nailed making the cover represent the book, but it's basically all spoilers so I'll just be over here quietly squeeing while you absorb this:
The full wrap, including a quote from legend L.A.Weatherly, who calls the book 'Hauntingly lovely'. Don't you love the way that the way the illustration continues all the way around like that? J'adore! J'aime! Also, note the brush-stroke effect in that lovely font - I suggested that! When I first got this I spent at least an hour just staring at it, taking in all the tiny little things that link the art to the story and make it totally unique and meaningful. Ack, so happy. If you're interested in cover design, here you can see the Pinterest board of story-relevant images that the designer asked me to put together to help inspire the illustrator.
Over to you now, Dear Readers. What do you think? Does this live up to your expectations? Make you excited to read the book? Sound off in the comments :)
Wednesday, 27 April 2016
DELICIOUS LINKITY
Hello, oh lovely readers. Today, I beg your forgiveness - it turns out that the final artwork for the BAREFOOT ON THE WIND cover isn't ready to share yet.
Mea culpa! Please don't throw things at me! I promise I'm not toying with you - they really did say I could share it this week. It just hasn't worked out. I promise will post it the moment that my editor lets me, cross my heart and hope to die.
So instead, this week I have various linky things to share. First up is this post by writing idol N.K. Jemisin: Hello! You Just Used the "Damned if you Do/Don't" Fallacy!
As per usual, this is sheer brilliance from the writer, and for a wonder the comments are also of the highest standard - or they were when I read them anyway. I've faced people (quite recently, not to mention virulently) telling me outright that I, as a member of group A, cannot write about people from group B, forever and ever, amen. But the thing about that argument is, as N.K. Jemisin points out, that it's kind of beside the point because it doesn't really make sense. The point is to man up and do the very best you can to write the thing anyway, and then listen to what people say in response to what you've produced with an open mind. Otherwise none of us would ever write about anyone who wasn't exactly the same as us in any way (in which case, you'd be Jonathan Franzen). I intend to bookmark this and link to it freely. Hopefully it will save me some time in future online arguments.
Following that, here's a hilarious and heart-warming interview with the intimidatingly rockstar-like Sarah McCarry on writing honestly about sex and sexuality and girls of all types in YA, which made me feel rather proud of my chosen genre (and maybe even my place in it, which is nice).
Next up a marvelous post on writing YA thrillers from a mate of mine, the wonderful Emma Haughton. Even if you don't or haven't yet been called to write a thriller, this still offers some really solid tips for anyone who wants their work to *be* thrilling, and have that up-put-downable quality.
Finally, this piece from the Guardian about common crimes against modern grammar made me smile: practical advice without any snobby messing around. I only wish I could give it to one of my English teachers from when I was growing up: I knew I was right. In your face, Sir.
I hope you enjoy some or all of these links, muffins. Have a great week - and let's all cross our fingers that next week I can finally reveal some luscious cover art. Here's a new song I've been enjoying lately, just to see you off - I think it's about Snow White, what do you think?
 |
| SORRY! |
So instead, this week I have various linky things to share. First up is this post by writing idol N.K. Jemisin: Hello! You Just Used the "Damned if you Do/Don't" Fallacy!
As per usual, this is sheer brilliance from the writer, and for a wonder the comments are also of the highest standard - or they were when I read them anyway. I've faced people (quite recently, not to mention virulently) telling me outright that I, as a member of group A, cannot write about people from group B, forever and ever, amen. But the thing about that argument is, as N.K. Jemisin points out, that it's kind of beside the point because it doesn't really make sense. The point is to man up and do the very best you can to write the thing anyway, and then listen to what people say in response to what you've produced with an open mind. Otherwise none of us would ever write about anyone who wasn't exactly the same as us in any way (in which case, you'd be Jonathan Franzen). I intend to bookmark this and link to it freely. Hopefully it will save me some time in future online arguments.
Following that, here's a hilarious and heart-warming interview with the intimidatingly rockstar-like Sarah McCarry on writing honestly about sex and sexuality and girls of all types in YA, which made me feel rather proud of my chosen genre (and maybe even my place in it, which is nice).
Next up a marvelous post on writing YA thrillers from a mate of mine, the wonderful Emma Haughton. Even if you don't or haven't yet been called to write a thriller, this still offers some really solid tips for anyone who wants their work to *be* thrilling, and have that up-put-downable quality.
Finally, this piece from the Guardian about common crimes against modern grammar made me smile: practical advice without any snobby messing around. I only wish I could give it to one of my English teachers from when I was growing up: I knew I was right. In your face, Sir.
I hope you enjoy some or all of these links, muffins. Have a great week - and let's all cross our fingers that next week I can finally reveal some luscious cover art. Here's a new song I've been enjoying lately, just to see you off - I think it's about Snow White, what do you think?
Wednesday, 23 March 2016
FRAIL HUMAN HEART COVER REVEAL + OTHER NEWS
Hello and happy Wednesday, lovely reader peeps!
Today I bring you the cover art for the U.S. Candlewick Press hardback edition of FRAIL HUMAN HEART (the final book in The Name of the Blade Trilogy). I've actually had this for a while, but was asked to keep it under my hat until I had official permission from Candlewick Press.
Well, official permission still has not been granted, but since the cover's turned up on Amazon.com and Goodreads anyway, here it is!
As with the previous Candlewick covers for the series, this is very different from any other cover art I've had - I love the deep green and copper colours, which are all very Art Deco. That is a jellyfish represented there, yes. If you've read the book you'll already know the significance of this; if not, you'll need to get the book, which comes out in November in the U.S., to find out.
Now for some other exciting news - chances for Dear Readers to come and see me! I very much hope that some of you will. I'm going to be participating in two big book events this year.
The first is the Bradford Literature Festival which is a super, super big deal. This festival is huge, with events practically coming out of its ears (most of which I'd love to be an audience member for, even if, as happened rather often when I checked the event details, it turns out that it's meant to be for ages seven and under) and rather stunningly awesome, with days focusing on manga and comics, fairytales, and Harry Potter to name but a few. I'm going to be there for the weekend of the 21-21st of May, taking part in two events with a very interesting mixture of other writers and artists, talking about the difference that comics, manga and graphic novels have made to us as people and creators, and about women's roles in fiction today. Which is super interesting stuff, I must say. I just hope no one is going to be shocked at my massive love for Yaoi/'boy's love' romance manga. I can't help it, OK, bishounen are too pretty.
My first panel will be on the afternoon of Saturday 21st of May, between 3:30-4:45 at the Small Hall at the University of Bradford and is titled We Love Comics. The second one is 21st Century Wonder Women (such a cool title) and is on Sunday the 22nd between 11:00-12:30, at the same venue. After each of these there should be time to sign books and talk to readers. You can get hold of tickets for either or both of these pretty cheaply now. If you're a Northern Dear Reader, please consider coming along to chat and to take part in as many of these fantastic book related activities as you can. You'll definitely have a great time.
The second event I might be even more excited about (because I know and love several of the authors attending and can't wait to spend time with them in real life): YAShot, which will be taking place on the 22nd of October (also a Saturday!) in Uxbridge, London, at at least three venues throughout the borough.
This festival is the brainchild of wonderful writer Alexia Casale. YAShot was a massive success last year - everyone was buzzing about it. I was invited, and really bummed when it turned out that I couldn't take part, which is another reason I'm stoked to be able to be there this year.
There'll be loads and loads going on, with children's and YA writers from all over the UK taking part, and I will be there all day, from the start of the event to the finish. So I may be doing more than one event at more than one location, and I will certainly be signing books and chatting to readers and other writers all day long. If you've ever wished that you had more of a chance to have a proper conversation with writers rather than just snatched time while they were in the middle of signing your book, YAShot will be a great place to be.
The final line-up of authors hasn't been fully announced yet, or all the events organised - but I do know that there will be lots of activity, including a blogtour, beforehand. As soon as I have more details, I will dish.
That's it for today, my cupcakes. I'm hoping that I will very soon have BAREFOOT ON THE WIND cover art to share with you - I haven't seen it myself yet, and I'm giving myself a second ulcer in my anticipation - so look forward to that. Next week I'll be posting on the Author Allsorts blog and will put a link to that here, and the following week, if the BAREFOOT art still hasn't come through, I may do a review for Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, which I'm going to see at the end of March. That's presuming it's either bad or good enough to need reviewing, of course - fingers crossed!
Today I bring you the cover art for the U.S. Candlewick Press hardback edition of FRAIL HUMAN HEART (the final book in The Name of the Blade Trilogy). I've actually had this for a while, but was asked to keep it under my hat until I had official permission from Candlewick Press.
Well, official permission still has not been granted, but since the cover's turned up on Amazon.com and Goodreads anyway, here it is!
*
*
*
*
*
As with the previous Candlewick covers for the series, this is very different from any other cover art I've had - I love the deep green and copper colours, which are all very Art Deco. That is a jellyfish represented there, yes. If you've read the book you'll already know the significance of this; if not, you'll need to get the book, which comes out in November in the U.S., to find out.
Now for some other exciting news - chances for Dear Readers to come and see me! I very much hope that some of you will. I'm going to be participating in two big book events this year.
The first is the Bradford Literature Festival which is a super, super big deal. This festival is huge, with events practically coming out of its ears (most of which I'd love to be an audience member for, even if, as happened rather often when I checked the event details, it turns out that it's meant to be for ages seven and under) and rather stunningly awesome, with days focusing on manga and comics, fairytales, and Harry Potter to name but a few. I'm going to be there for the weekend of the 21-21st of May, taking part in two events with a very interesting mixture of other writers and artists, talking about the difference that comics, manga and graphic novels have made to us as people and creators, and about women's roles in fiction today. Which is super interesting stuff, I must say. I just hope no one is going to be shocked at my massive love for Yaoi/'boy's love' romance manga. I can't help it, OK, bishounen are too pretty.
My first panel will be on the afternoon of Saturday 21st of May, between 3:30-4:45 at the Small Hall at the University of Bradford and is titled We Love Comics. The second one is 21st Century Wonder Women (such a cool title) and is on Sunday the 22nd between 11:00-12:30, at the same venue. After each of these there should be time to sign books and talk to readers. You can get hold of tickets for either or both of these pretty cheaply now. If you're a Northern Dear Reader, please consider coming along to chat and to take part in as many of these fantastic book related activities as you can. You'll definitely have a great time.
The second event I might be even more excited about (because I know and love several of the authors attending and can't wait to spend time with them in real life): YAShot, which will be taking place on the 22nd of October (also a Saturday!) in Uxbridge, London, at at least three venues throughout the borough.
This festival is the brainchild of wonderful writer Alexia Casale. YAShot was a massive success last year - everyone was buzzing about it. I was invited, and really bummed when it turned out that I couldn't take part, which is another reason I'm stoked to be able to be there this year.
There'll be loads and loads going on, with children's and YA writers from all over the UK taking part, and I will be there all day, from the start of the event to the finish. So I may be doing more than one event at more than one location, and I will certainly be signing books and chatting to readers and other writers all day long. If you've ever wished that you had more of a chance to have a proper conversation with writers rather than just snatched time while they were in the middle of signing your book, YAShot will be a great place to be.
The final line-up of authors hasn't been fully announced yet, or all the events organised - but I do know that there will be lots of activity, including a blogtour, beforehand. As soon as I have more details, I will dish.
That's it for today, my cupcakes. I'm hoping that I will very soon have BAREFOOT ON THE WIND cover art to share with you - I haven't seen it myself yet, and I'm giving myself a second ulcer in my anticipation - so look forward to that. Next week I'll be posting on the Author Allsorts blog and will put a link to that here, and the following week, if the BAREFOOT art still hasn't come through, I may do a review for Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, which I'm going to see at the end of March. That's presuming it's either bad or good enough to need reviewing, of course - fingers crossed!
Tuesday, 8 March 2016
WHAT'S GOING ON: YA FANTASY 2007-2016
Hello, Dear Readers! Welcome to Tuesday - I hope the week is shaping up well for you so far.
First up, in the grand tradition of this blog, I share some hair news! This was me last week:
With thigh-length hair, easily long enough to sit on (which, by the way, hurts quite a lot if you do it accidentally), and which had been driving me up the wall for quite some time. Not because I really bothered to *do* much with said hair, I hasten to add, but just because when you have that much hair even the super basic stuff like washing, conditioning and air-drying before putting it into a plait is laborious and time-consuming and I had slowly become very bored of it. So I headed off to the hair place on Friday and this is me now:
Realistically, I know this is still pretty long, but to me it feels incredibly different, and is so much quicker to wash and dry. They cut off over a foot of hair (I had to stand up to have the first cuts made, since otherwise the hairdresser said she would have to lie on the floor to get to the ends) and I have donated the cut-off tresses to The Little Princess Trust, which is almost ridiculously easy to do. If you're losing more than about 8 inches of hair in the near future you should consider doing the same, and making difference to a sick little girl somewhere.
OK, onto the main topic of today's blog, which was inspired by a chance encounter with a guest post I did for PewterWolf (otherwise known as Andrew - hi Andrew!) for the FrostFire Blogtour in 2012. The post was simply entitled YA FANTASY and was me talking about how things had changed since I came into the business in 2007. Reading it again in 2016, made my eyes bulge a bit, so I'm going to reproduce it below, and then talk about what's changed in the four years since it was originally written and what that means for YA fantasy, and my books now.
August of that year gave us Sarah J. Maas' THRONE OF GLASS which took readers by storm. The first of Leigh Bardugo's now legendary Grisha Trilogy, SHADOW AND BONE - originally entitled The Gathering Dark and given a different cover in the UK, but swiftly brought into line with the US version when it took off like a bottle rocket - was out in June! And Rachel Hartman's world-beating SERAPHINA hit the shelves in May of 2012. I even reviewed it, here. Laini Taylor's genre redefining DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE was there before all of them, making it's entrance on the scene in September 2011.
Having waited so long and so eagerly for this explosion in YA high fantasy, you'd think I'd have noticed it happening - but I didn't. I missed it completely, because when I finished writing FrostFire in 2010, I threw myself wholeheartedly into my new idea, my very first piece of urban fantasy and my very first series, THE NAME OF THE BLADE. I spent four years of my life focusing on a completely different area of the fantasy genre. So while, looking back, I can now see what was going on? At the time I was oblivious. I just wanted to write the idea I was in love with.
This sudden drop of interest in the previously bullet-proof genre of urban fantasy/paranormal romance, and the surge towards high fantasy, may have been why, just between you and me, Dear Readers, my beloved trilogy did not do as well as anyone (me, my agent, or my publisher) had hoped it would, or believed it deserved to. As well as I believe now that it might have done, had it only been published two or three years earlier.
High fantasy has a place in mainstream culture now that it was only barely beginning to glimpse back in 2012. Game of Thrones is everyone's favourite guilty pleasure, The Hobbit trilogy (controversial though it may have been) made billions at the box office, Frozen is the cartoon that launched a thousand merchanising deals, Into the Woods was nominated for three Oscars, the average Netflix account or DVD shelf is strewn with live-action fairytale retellings and Snow White and the Huntsman is getting a sequel with added Snow Queen and extra magic.
And the YA publishing industry has been a big part of this change. Not merely following the trend but actually anticipating and *driving* it.
I haven't had a high fantasy novel out since FrostFire in 2012. I effectively missed all of this in my own career. If I'm honest, the thought leaves me a little depressed. It seems that if anyone can be counted on to miss a growing trend, even when she's been sitting right on the crest of it for years, it must be me.
But it's cheering to realise that I'm back in the high fantasy and fairytale saddle in September this year, with BAREFOOT ON THE WIND. I love my Japanese-influenced Beauty and the Beast story. It's dark, and lush, and weird, and it has shapeshifters, talking trees, mazes made of ice and bone, and the undead, and Feminism. While copy editing it I was moved to tears by a piece of writing that I could hardly believe had come from my pen. I think it's a good book. I'm also hoping that it is, for once, the right book at the right time.
Again, Dear Readers, anyone who intends to read this book and thinks they'll have the cash to cover it in September can do me a huge favour by pre-ordering it now. And with any luck there will be more lush, dark, weird fantasies from me for you to enjoy in the future.
First up, in the grand tradition of this blog, I share some hair news! This was me last week:
With thigh-length hair, easily long enough to sit on (which, by the way, hurts quite a lot if you do it accidentally), and which had been driving me up the wall for quite some time. Not because I really bothered to *do* much with said hair, I hasten to add, but just because when you have that much hair even the super basic stuff like washing, conditioning and air-drying before putting it into a plait is laborious and time-consuming and I had slowly become very bored of it. So I headed off to the hair place on Friday and this is me now:
Realistically, I know this is still pretty long, but to me it feels incredibly different, and is so much quicker to wash and dry. They cut off over a foot of hair (I had to stand up to have the first cuts made, since otherwise the hairdresser said she would have to lie on the floor to get to the ends) and I have donated the cut-off tresses to The Little Princess Trust, which is almost ridiculously easy to do. If you're losing more than about 8 inches of hair in the near future you should consider doing the same, and making difference to a sick little girl somewhere.
OK, onto the main topic of today's blog, which was inspired by a chance encounter with a guest post I did for PewterWolf (otherwise known as Andrew - hi Andrew!) for the FrostFire Blogtour in 2012. The post was simply entitled YA FANTASY and was me talking about how things had changed since I came into the business in 2007. Reading it again in 2016, made my eyes bulge a bit, so I'm going to reproduce it below, and then talk about what's changed in the four years since it was originally written and what that means for YA fantasy, and my books now.
I'm a relatively young author. Young enough that when I attended the Lancashire Book of the Year Awards recently, some of the other authors were amusing themselves by placing bets on how old I was (the answer? Not as young as they thought. But nearly!). I was first published in 2007, which means I've only actually been part of the professional publishing community for five years. I cannot claim to have seen or done it all - and I certainly don't have the t-shirt.I think you can probably see why looking back at this now makes me sputter. Because I was right! YA high fantasy WAS due for a massive boom, and it was literally right about to happen as I was typing those words back in 2012.
Publishing is generally considered to be an extremely slow moving industry. It certainly feels that way when you're waiting for your edit letter, waiting for your cover design, waiting for your book to come out. But in other ways publishing moves lightning fast, and in the five years that I've been calling myself a writer, I've seen our entire community undergo metamorphosis, seen the profile of children's and young adult writers shoot sky-high, seen the birth of a whole society of adult readers who defiantly and proudly read YA novels in their YA covers, and seen the kind of books that fill the shops sweep from one extreme (brightly coloured middle grade novels chasing Harry Potter) to the other (black and scarlet toned dark fantasies and romances trailing after Twilight).
Back in late 2005 I finished a fairytale retelling that I titled 'The Wild Swans' after the Hans Christian Anderson story it was based on. I submitted it to an editor who had offered me encouragement after liking but ultimately rejecting my previous manuscript. He told me he thought it was very good, and invited me down to London to meet him and his boss. But, he warned me, although his boss liked my voice and thought I had potential, she wasn't really sold on the book itself.
You see, it was a lyrical, romantic novel. It was clearly the sort of thing that ought to be marketed at girls. And it was a fantasy. The loose framework of the fairytale had been reworked to follow a magically gifted heroine on a quest to save her Kingdom and her brothers, and the plot encompassed magical battles, and shapeshifters and mortal peril. And it was for readers twelve and above, as it had some very dark themes and some extremely scary scenes.
These things, the editor told me sadly, were a hard sell. It was believed that girls didn't like fantasy and wouldn't buy it. Plus, all the recent publishing success stories (like Harry Potter and His Dark Materials) had proved that the 8-12 market was where the real growth was. Young Adult novels were a bit of a poor relation, unless you could gradually shade into YA with later novels of your series as Philip Pullman and J.K. Rowling had done. No one at the publisher was really sure where my book would fit into their list. It wasn't like anything that had come their way before. He explained that his boss would probably ask me to write something else for them instead, maybe a novel for younger readers to fit into one of their established imprints.
Can you imagine an editor saying NOW that girls don't like and won't buy fantasy? That YA is a hard sell? But back then, that was the way things were. So I went into my terrifying and exciting first meeting with real life publishing people fully prepared to fight my corner. I talked about Tamora Pierce and Robin McKinley, perpetual bestsellers and award winners. I talked about Meg Cabot's '1800-Missing' series and Doctor Who. I talked about the girls who loved Harry Potter as ten year olds turning into twelve year olds and wanting fantasy FOR THEM, fantasy with girl protagonists and strong romantic subplots. 'YA Fantasy,' I said confidently, 'Is due for a huge boom'.
Somehow - and I'm still not sure how - my persuasions worked. After listening to me babble on for about forty minutes, the editor's boss said, 'OK. I'm convinced. Let's do some revisions and go for it'. Whooo! Success!
Of course the book got a very small advance and had no marketing or PR budget. It was given a beautiful, unique cover, retitled The Swan Kingdom and flung into the marketplace quite ruthlessly to see if it would sink or swim. If it had sunk I'm not sure what would have happened to my career. But it didn't. It floated aimlessly for a bit, then developed a slow but strong backstroke that allows it to keep selling to this day. So in a way I was right. There was a market for The Swan Kingdom.
But that big huge YA fantasy boom that I had promised my editor and his boss would arrive?
It never quite did.
Twilight came out in the U.K. the very year of my first chat at the publishers office (the UK paperback had an...unusual cover very unlike its iconic US jacket art) bombed, and then exploded worldwide, bringing an overwhelming tsunami of dark paranormal romances and then ripples of urban fantasy which washed up every variety of unearthly boyfriend (vampire, werewolf, demon, angel, elf, pixie, fairy and god). Then The Hunger Games arrived and threw another grenade, opening the way for a Dystopian novels invasion. Science fiction is starting to make a resurgence too.
All these genres are, in fact, varieties of fantasy. Speculative fiction. Books which embrace the unknown. Some of them focus more on romance, others are gritty in the extreme. Some of them are beautiful works of literature, others more pulpy reads. But what none of them are is high fantasy - what the average reader would point at when they say the word 'fantasy'. The burgeoning success of the Game of Thrones series in the U.S. and the intense anticipation for the Snow White and the Huntsman and Hobbit films seems to hint that there's a demand there for classic fantasy taking place in secondary worlds. But the book that can do for YA fantasy what Twilight did for paranormal romance or Hunger Games for Dystopian, or even what Harry Potter did for the entire middle grade category? It doesn't seem to have been written yet.
I'm waiting for it eagerly.
In the meantime, I'm left to look around me at the extraordinary landscape of YA fantasy - and if you want to argue with me about whether Hunger Games or Twilight count as fantasy, feel free in the comments - and wonder... is publishing for children and young people always like this? Does it renew itself completely every seven years as the human body is said to do? Or have I, as a young fantasy writer just starting out in 2007 and just hitting her stride in 2012, been been privileged to witness an extraordinary era of change for my category and my industry?
And most important of all... what's in store for us next?
August of that year gave us Sarah J. Maas' THRONE OF GLASS which took readers by storm. The first of Leigh Bardugo's now legendary Grisha Trilogy, SHADOW AND BONE - originally entitled The Gathering Dark and given a different cover in the UK, but swiftly brought into line with the US version when it took off like a bottle rocket - was out in June! And Rachel Hartman's world-beating SERAPHINA hit the shelves in May of 2012. I even reviewed it, here. Laini Taylor's genre redefining DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE was there before all of them, making it's entrance on the scene in September 2011.
Having waited so long and so eagerly for this explosion in YA high fantasy, you'd think I'd have noticed it happening - but I didn't. I missed it completely, because when I finished writing FrostFire in 2010, I threw myself wholeheartedly into my new idea, my very first piece of urban fantasy and my very first series, THE NAME OF THE BLADE. I spent four years of my life focusing on a completely different area of the fantasy genre. So while, looking back, I can now see what was going on? At the time I was oblivious. I just wanted to write the idea I was in love with.
This sudden drop of interest in the previously bullet-proof genre of urban fantasy/paranormal romance, and the surge towards high fantasy, may have been why, just between you and me, Dear Readers, my beloved trilogy did not do as well as anyone (me, my agent, or my publisher) had hoped it would, or believed it deserved to. As well as I believe now that it might have done, had it only been published two or three years earlier.
High fantasy has a place in mainstream culture now that it was only barely beginning to glimpse back in 2012. Game of Thrones is everyone's favourite guilty pleasure, The Hobbit trilogy (controversial though it may have been) made billions at the box office, Frozen is the cartoon that launched a thousand merchanising deals, Into the Woods was nominated for three Oscars, the average Netflix account or DVD shelf is strewn with live-action fairytale retellings and Snow White and the Huntsman is getting a sequel with added Snow Queen and extra magic.
And the YA publishing industry has been a big part of this change. Not merely following the trend but actually anticipating and *driving* it.
I haven't had a high fantasy novel out since FrostFire in 2012. I effectively missed all of this in my own career. If I'm honest, the thought leaves me a little depressed. It seems that if anyone can be counted on to miss a growing trend, even when she's been sitting right on the crest of it for years, it must be me.
But it's cheering to realise that I'm back in the high fantasy and fairytale saddle in September this year, with BAREFOOT ON THE WIND. I love my Japanese-influenced Beauty and the Beast story. It's dark, and lush, and weird, and it has shapeshifters, talking trees, mazes made of ice and bone, and the undead, and Feminism. While copy editing it I was moved to tears by a piece of writing that I could hardly believe had come from my pen. I think it's a good book. I'm also hoping that it is, for once, the right book at the right time.
Again, Dear Readers, anyone who intends to read this book and thinks they'll have the cash to cover it in September can do me a huge favour by pre-ordering it now. And with any luck there will be more lush, dark, weird fantasies from me for you to enjoy in the future.
Wednesday, 24 February 2016
THANK YOU
Good morning and a very happy Wednesday to all, Dear Readers. Today's flying post is to offer all of you a heartfelt thank you for your response to yesterday's post.
When I 'officially' announced that BAREFOOT ON THE WIND was available for pre-orders on Amazon and said that the more people who ordered it before publication, the better it would be, I really hoped that a few people would respond. But I had no idea that within twelve hours, I'd see this:
This makes me feel so hopeful and so grateful to you all, Dear Readers. On a personal level, it's amazing to know that people are anticipating something that you've created, that they want to share it with you. And, on a business level? It's not just me that will be happy and excited about this. Hopefully my publisher will be too, which, as I said before, increases the chances that there will be more books by me available for you to enjoy in the future. It can make such a difference, guys. YOU can make such a difference.
Massive hugs to everyone who read, RTed or shared yesterday's post, and massive hugs and smooches to anyone who scrounged down the back of the sofa to find the cash to pre-order BAREFOOT ON THE WIND. I really hope that you'll enjoy it :)
As a special thank you, here's a short sneaky snippet from the book (which I'm currently editing, so the final version may be a tiny bit different). Click the cut to read it!
When I 'officially' announced that BAREFOOT ON THE WIND was available for pre-orders on Amazon and said that the more people who ordered it before publication, the better it would be, I really hoped that a few people would respond. But I had no idea that within twelve hours, I'd see this:
Massive hugs to everyone who read, RTed or shared yesterday's post, and massive hugs and smooches to anyone who scrounged down the back of the sofa to find the cash to pre-order BAREFOOT ON THE WIND. I really hope that you'll enjoy it :)
As a special thank you, here's a short sneaky snippet from the book (which I'm currently editing, so the final version may be a tiny bit different). Click the cut to read it!
Monday, 22 February 2016
BAREFOOT ON THE WIND PRE-ORDERS ARE LIVE! (And other news)
Hello, and Happy Tuesday, Dear Readers! I hope you've had a great weekend and a good week so far.
The title of today's post might seem a bit confusing, since I announced as part of last week's blog that pre-orders for my next book were now possible. But a lot of people seem to have skimmed by that bit in order to get to the good stuff further down - at least, I assume so, because when I mentioned it on Twitter everyone was really surprised and shocked! So I thought I'd do another, proper announcement with a few key facts about the book. Here goes!
BAREFOOT ON THE WIND, my eighth novel, will be out on the first of September this year. You can pre-order it here.
The book is a re-imagining of the classic faerytale Beauty and the Beast. In my version, instead of a beautiful young noblewoman volunteering to be a hostage in an enchanted castle in order to save her father's life, we have Hana: a sturdy and pragmatic village girl, who takes to the enchanted woods that surround her village home in order to hunt down the terrible beast which terrorizes her people. It's one of my favourite things that I've ever written, probably because Beauty and the Beast is my second favourite fairytale of all time (after 'The Wild Swans') and also because I had to wait four years in order to finally get the chance to make the story I envisaged a reality.
The book is an official companion novel to Shadows on the Moon, set in the same fairytale Japan, called Tsuki no Hikari no Kuni.
There's more detail about the thought processes that went into the story here, this is where you can add it on Goodreads if you want, and you can listen to the writing playlist I used here. And this is the Pinterest board, for good measure.
Just between you and me, guys, the more pre-orders we get for this book the better. So if you were thinking of ordering/buying this book at some point, and you think you'll have the money to cover it when it's released in September, do me a massive favour and put your order in now. You will be helping to improve the chances of there being more books from me for you to read in the future, and, in addition, I will owe you an epic smooch (collect any time!).
In other - rather lovely - news, this Sunday (the 28th) between 5-6pm I'll be participating in the Guardian Teen Fantasy Twitter chat, hosted by Emily Drabble. Other authors participating are Sally Green, Samantha Shannon, Alwyn Hamilton, Taran Matharau and Lucy Saxon. Anyone can tweet us questions about YA, fantasy or both under the hashtag #GdnTeenFantasy. I hope to see some Dear Readers there, so please don't be shy and chip in with whatever questions or comments you might have!
Next week I'm going to try to (at long last) produce a post about the art and craft of world-building, so if you have any questions related at that, toss them at me on Twitter or in the comments. Read you later, my muffins!
The title of today's post might seem a bit confusing, since I announced as part of last week's blog that pre-orders for my next book were now possible. But a lot of people seem to have skimmed by that bit in order to get to the good stuff further down - at least, I assume so, because when I mentioned it on Twitter everyone was really surprised and shocked! So I thought I'd do another, proper announcement with a few key facts about the book. Here goes!
BAREFOOT ON THE WIND, my eighth novel, will be out on the first of September this year. You can pre-order it here.
The book is a re-imagining of the classic faerytale Beauty and the Beast. In my version, instead of a beautiful young noblewoman volunteering to be a hostage in an enchanted castle in order to save her father's life, we have Hana: a sturdy and pragmatic village girl, who takes to the enchanted woods that surround her village home in order to hunt down the terrible beast which terrorizes her people. It's one of my favourite things that I've ever written, probably because Beauty and the Beast is my second favourite fairytale of all time (after 'The Wild Swans') and also because I had to wait four years in order to finally get the chance to make the story I envisaged a reality.
The book is an official companion novel to Shadows on the Moon, set in the same fairytale Japan, called Tsuki no Hikari no Kuni.
There's more detail about the thought processes that went into the story here, this is where you can add it on Goodreads if you want, and you can listen to the writing playlist I used here. And this is the Pinterest board, for good measure.
Just between you and me, guys, the more pre-orders we get for this book the better. So if you were thinking of ordering/buying this book at some point, and you think you'll have the money to cover it when it's released in September, do me a massive favour and put your order in now. You will be helping to improve the chances of there being more books from me for you to read in the future, and, in addition, I will owe you an epic smooch (collect any time!).
In other - rather lovely - news, this Sunday (the 28th) between 5-6pm I'll be participating in the Guardian Teen Fantasy Twitter chat, hosted by Emily Drabble. Other authors participating are Sally Green, Samantha Shannon, Alwyn Hamilton, Taran Matharau and Lucy Saxon. Anyone can tweet us questions about YA, fantasy or both under the hashtag #GdnTeenFantasy. I hope to see some Dear Readers there, so please don't be shy and chip in with whatever questions or comments you might have!
Next week I'm going to try to (at long last) produce a post about the art and craft of world-building, so if you have any questions related at that, toss them at me on Twitter or in the comments. Read you later, my muffins!
Monday, 26 October 2015
ONE SONG TO RULE THEM ALL...
Hello, Dear Readers! Happy Monday to you all, and thanks for joining me for today's post! What is our theme this fine morning, you might ask?
One Song to Rule them all, One Song to find them
One Song to bring them all and in the darkness bind them...
OK, that sounds... a tiny bit sinister, but I promise it's not. What am I on about, you wonder? Well, the other day I was listening wistfully to my #BaBBook playlist (because it's probably the loveliest playlist I've ever made and I sort of miss it) and I tweeted a link to a particular track saying 'If you want to know what my Beauty & the Beast retelling feels like as a song, this is it.'
Then it occurred to me that actually, there's a song like that on the playlist for every book I've ever written, going right back to my very first YA novel that didn't even get published. One Song (if you will) that just summed up the atmosphere, the central character's struggle, the soul and feel of the thing for me.
Sometimes I got this wrong in my initial playlist and then got stuck and had to re-think because that key track acts as a sort of story linchpin for me, drawing all the other songs, other moods, other characters in towards that unnameable, ineffable thing that I was trying to get at with this particular story.
This struck me as kind of cool. And once I'd realised that, I thought maybe it would be interesting for Dear Readers to able to listen to these One Songs and compare them? So I decided to do a post about it, and here we are.
This struck me as kind of cool. And once I'd realised that, I thought maybe it would be interesting for Dear Readers to able to listen to these One Songs and compare them? So I decided to do a post about it, and here we are.
First up is the One Song for BLOOD MAGIC, which was the very first YA novel I ever completed. I sent this to every single children's book publisher in the UK, and two in Australia, and was rejected by all of them - but it was this book which caught the attention of my first first editor when it landed on the slushpile of my current publisher Walker Books, and launched me on my publishing journey. So it served a very useful purpose in the end.
It was a high fantasy novel about a young noblewoman with a magical ability so terrifying that it would have led to her instant execution if she was found out (which of course, she eventually was). She ended up saving her country and her King's life with that talent, but the story had a bittersweet ending, with her and her lover spared their lives as a result of the King's gratitude, but at the cost of being banished from their beloved home country. Along the way the heroine - Rialenthe, Countess of Kefari (*snorfle*) - lost her father and her best friend. Really, it was quite dark and I think the One Song definitely reflects that! It's Elysium from the Gladiator soundtrack by Hans Zimmer:
Next up is DAUGHTER OF THE FLAMES - the book where I took the 'lost heir' or 'lost prince' trope and tried to turn it on its head by having the lost conquering royal hero who must reclaim their throne and bring balance to the Kingdom be a biracial girl with facial disfigurement and an awesome, disabled husband. I used a lot of the Gladiator soundtrack for this as well, but when I think back to writing it, the song I know I listened to the most, and which summed up the epic, tense, high fantasy vibe I really wanted was The Host of Seraphim by Dead Can Dance:
It was a high fantasy novel about a young noblewoman with a magical ability so terrifying that it would have led to her instant execution if she was found out (which of course, she eventually was). She ended up saving her country and her King's life with that talent, but the story had a bittersweet ending, with her and her lover spared their lives as a result of the King's gratitude, but at the cost of being banished from their beloved home country. Along the way the heroine - Rialenthe, Countess of Kefari (*snorfle*) - lost her father and her best friend. Really, it was quite dark and I think the One Song definitely reflects that! It's Elysium from the Gladiator soundtrack by Hans Zimmer:
The next book is my first published one THE SWAN KINGDOM, which was a retelling of the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale 'The Wild Swans'. The song is called Cumulus by Imogen Heap, but I always identified it so strong with my heroine's character and her journey through the story from tentative, unsure, and afraid, to strong, beautiful and confident, that in my head the song will always be called 'Alexandra'. There's so much in this song that links to the way I feel about the book, and when I listen to it I imagine clouds passing over the sun, ripples moving across the surface of deep green water, and tall rushes singing in the wind.
Next up is DAUGHTER OF THE FLAMES - the book where I took the 'lost heir' or 'lost prince' trope and tried to turn it on its head by having the lost conquering royal hero who must reclaim their throne and bring balance to the Kingdom be a biracial girl with facial disfigurement and an awesome, disabled husband. I used a lot of the Gladiator soundtrack for this as well, but when I think back to writing it, the song I know I listened to the most, and which summed up the epic, tense, high fantasy vibe I really wanted was The Host of Seraphim by Dead Can Dance:
I wrote all the fight scenes to that - I probably listened to it over a hundred times just writing the final confrontation between the heroine, Zahira and the antagonist alone. Incidentally, the singer, Lisa Gerrard, is the same one you hear singing on the track Elysium above.
My third book, SHADOWS ON THE MOON, is a Cinderella retelling set in a fairytale version of Feudal Japan, where the heroine witnesses her family murdered and discovers she has a talent for concealing herself with illusions when this talent is all that saves her own life. After the shocking discovery of whom was responsible for the attack that killed her father and adopted sister, she becomes ruthlessly fixated upon revenge and decides to try to win the Prince's favour in order to use his political power to destroy her enemy.
This book actually had two really significant linchpin pieces - I think because it's so long and took so long to write. The way the heroine exchanges identities throughout the book probably has something to do with it, too. I thought long and hard about which song to include, but eventually decided to go with the first one, because I think the second is more about the mask that the main character is wearing (playing the part of a beautiful courtesan named Yue) in the final part of the book than the person she really is inside (a frightened, bereaved young woman named Suzume). So you get The Meadow from the Twilight: New Moon score by Andre Desplat. It sums up Suzume's desperate search for a place to belong, an identity that feels like it's hers, a family that's worth of her. Weirdly this isn't on the soundtrack that's on Spotify - I had to link to YouTube instead:
The next one makes my dilemma over the One Song for Shadows look like cake, though. It's FROSTFIRE, the companion novel to Daughter of the Flames, another epic high fantasy, this time about a young woman named Frost who lives under a curse of berserker rage that can be triggered at any time and which has ruined her life. In her search for a cure she gets tangled up in the conflict left over after the events of the previous book, and comes to love two men whose lives hang in the balance of that battle.
Now, when I first began writing this book, Frost was a boy. Love interest #1 (Luca) was a girl, and the third person in their triangle was a boy called Arian. But then I realised Frost had tricked me. I knew Frost was a tall, very physically strong person with daddy issues who wielded their father's axe, so I assumed boy, but actually the character was a girl. But I didn't see why Luca should have to change. So I wrote a lesbian high fantasy. But that version just didn't work for my editor - not because of the sexuality of the protagonists, but because in my eagerness to get my first queer love story right I'd focused on that romance to the exclusion of everything else and the voice, pacing, plot, other characters... basically nothing else really worked. So I ended up making Luca a male character, threw out the entire first draft and started again from scratch (I still think of this book as a queer love story, btw, since my head canon is that Arian is bisexual).
Throughout this whole process of changing genders and writing new books with the same title and character names, I went through many, many, maaaaany tracks which I thought might be this novel's One Song. But I didn't find it until midway through writing that final, definitive version. You can imagine my relief! It's The Gravel Road from the score for The Village by James Newton Howard:
This song still makes me tear up a little - it speaks so poignantly about Frost's longing and loneliness, her romantic, loving heart. Plus, there's a certain series of notes within the piece (near the middle) that sounds like the distant call of a lone wolf to me, and that's a very important image in the book.
Now onto the NAME OF THE BLADE trilogy! This is my very first trilogy and also my very first urban fantasy story. It's set in contemporary Britain and is the story of a British-born Japanese teenager who 'borrows' a priceless ancestral katana (a Japanese longsword) from her family's attic and unwittingly unleashes the Gods and monsters of mythical Japan onto the streets of modern day London. The book has an all PoC cast and includes genderfluid and gay characters, plus unexpectedly badass parents, smexy fox spirits and all kinds of chaotic shenanigans.
For a while I was a bit stumped by how to pick a One Song for the trilogy, since each of the three books had a different playlist and a different One Song. And this post is already long enough! But then I whapped myself on the forehead for being so dense, because there's always been a single One Song that I've returned to again and again that just sums up everything I love about the trilogy, everything that makes it special to me - the fast pace, the Japanese influence, the modernity - and everything that makes the heroine Mio (who hangs onto her sense of humour grimly by her fingernails to the very end) a unique character. Long time blog readers have heard it before - it's Paprika from the Paprika score by Susumu Hirasawa (again, not available except on YouTube - whydo you hate me Spotify?):
Finally, it's the One Song that started it all, the track that sums up the essence of BAREFOOT ON THE WIND, my most recent fairytale retelling and the companion novel to Shadows, set in the same Japanese influenced fairytale world of Tsuki no Hikari no Kuni.
This song sums up everything about my heroine, Hana. She's quiet and pragmatic, and just gets on with things - but underneath the matter-of-fact exterior there's such a painfully deep well of feelings which she's desperate to find a way to express. The narrative of the story and the deepening, changing relationships between her and the other central characters builds up inexorably towards a confrontation between Hana, a perfectly ordinary village girl who has only common sense, kindness, and determination on her side, and the monstrous magical forces aligned against her. This One Song really captures that sense of running out of control towards something that may be miraculous or fearful. It's Experience by Ludovico Einaudi and I love it:
I hope this has been as interesting for you to read and listen to as it was for me to write, Dear Readers! What a fun trip down memory lane. Read you later, honeys!
I hope this has been as interesting for you to read and listen to as it was for me to write, Dear Readers! What a fun trip down memory lane. Read you later, honeys!
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