Author Lanie (Lee) Bross joins SciFiChick.com today to talk about her debut novel Fates!
Can you tell us a bit about FATES in your own words?
I think it boils down to a girl who truly believes that everything that happens in the universe is dictated by fate, and a boy who believes that he is the only one who controls his destiny, and how throughout their journey they start to understand that maybe neither of them are right or wrong.
Who is Corinthe? Can you tell us why she’s exiled?
Corinthe is one of the girl fates who live in Pyralis Terra. She was exiled to Humana ten years prior for being too curious about the Messengers that transport the marbles between worlds. Fates are supposed to exist without questions and Corinthe is paying for her one mistake.
How much does free will versus fate come into play?
In the world of FATES, the destinies of every living thing is dictated by the marbles. Most destinies fulfill on their own, but there are some that need a little help. That’s where the Executors step in to be sure they come true. Luc, one of the main characters does not believe in fate. He’s had some pretty crappy things happen in his life and is adamant that the choices he makes dictate his own future. You can imagine what happens when Corinthe and Luc meet. She doesn’t understand why he doesn’t believe the universe controls everyone’s destines, and he can’t believe how she could believe that people can’t choose for themselves.
Why is Greek mythology still so popular today? What was the inspiration for you?
Author Kerry Schafer joins us today to talk about her latest book, Wakeworld!
For those who haven’t read Between, can you tell us a bit about Vivian and Weston and catch us up on their story?
Vivian has been handed rather a difficult destiny – with dreamshifter, dragon, and sorcerer blood in her veins, she’s got all sorts of conflicts and challenges to sort out. In Between she has a pretty sharp learning curve trying to get her mind around realities beyond what she had ever dreamed. Since there are already dragons running amok in the waking world, she doesn’t have a lot of time to figure out what dreamshifting is all about and is always running to try to keep up. In Wakeworld she’s starting to get a handle on the dreamshifter business until a powerful dragon locks her out of the Between with Zee (the man of her dreams) on the other side. As much as she hates her inner dragon, she’s going to have to come to terms with it in order to find a way to get to Zee and save the worlds from destruction. She also has to figure out how to work with Weston.
Weston Jennings makes his first appearance in Wakeworld. He was designated as his father’s heir to the dreamshifter role when he was only a child. However, he didn’t want this and resisted, which precipitated a devastating family tragedy that drove him underground. Now he’s being forced to face up to his past and has to make a choice whether or not to finally embrace his power and help Vivian with her quest.
What is a dreamshifter?
A dreamshifter is tasked with the responsibility of guarding the doors that lead from the Between, populated by all manner of dream creatures, and Wakeworld (what we think of as reality). Dreamshifters can also enter dreams and alter them. This is a dangerous proposition, as for them the elements of dream are real and they can be wounded and killed as surely as in the waking world.
Urban fantasy/paranormal novels are popular right now. What is different about The Between series that makes it so unique?
For one thing, The Between books have a rural, small town setting, rather than the usual city. The characters’ adventures in the Between and in Dreamworld involve dragons and sorcery and other elements that tend to be associated more with Fantasy than with UF or paranormal books. There are no werewolves or vampires, although we do have dragon shifting going on. And, of course, the dreamshifter and dream worlds are unique.
How many books do you have planned for The Between series?
I’ve planned the series as a trilogy, but the developing plot of the third book keeps telling me it thinks we need four, so we’ll see.
What’s next for you, after Wakeworld? Any other stories on the horizon?
I really want to write a follow up novel to my Dream Wars Novellas. But first I need to finish up Between 3, plus I’m in revisions on a fun Paranormal Mystery/Thriller called Dead Before Dying.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your experience in writing.
I’ve been writing ever since I was a little kid. Back then it was mostly poetry (very BAD poetry, but I thought it was lovely.) Writing has become a habit I can’t break, and something I would do even if I weren’t being published. That said – I am so excited to be finally living the dream of seeing my books on shelves and websites. Sometimes I’m not entirely sure I’m awake.
Who are some of your favorite authors? What books do you love?
Oh, that’s a dangerous question. Let’s see: Anne Bishop – I first discovered her through the Black Jewels books, but her new Urban Fantasy series is wonderful. Carol Berg – especially the Collegia Magica Trilogy, but everything I’ve read of hers is brilliant. Alex Bledsoe – both the Eddie Lacrosse and Tufa novels. Alex Hughes – her Mindspace Investigations are this awesome mix of police procedural and SciFi. And, oh – The Harry Dresden books, Ursula LeGuin, everything by Guy Gavriel Kay, Madeleine L’Engle, C.S. Lewis, Tolkien – yeah, I’ll stop now but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Books rock my world.
Thanks for your time! Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Thank you so much for inviting me over to your blog! I love to talk to readers, so feel free to hit me up on Twitter where I’m @kerryschafer, or at my FB page – http://www.facebook.com/kerryschaferbooks
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Courtesy of Ace Books, I have a copy of Wakeworld for one (1) lucky winner!
Contest is open to US residents only. No PO Boxes, please. To enter, just fill out the form below. Contest ends February 28. I’ll draw a name on March 1, and notify winner via email.
James Dashner joins SciFiChick.com today on his latest stop along his blog tour. I gave him some topic ideas, but instead of just talking about one, he gave short answers to all of them. So we have a bit of a Q&A instead!
What’s your vision of the future – Roddenberry-esque or apocalyptic?
I hope, sincerely hope, that it’s Roddenberry’s way of things. I like to think that at some point, before we reach a place where humans are about to destroy one another, we’ll finally learn our lessons and spiral the other direction. Clean up the Earth, stop the wars, venture into space, explore the universe. I certainly don’t think we’ll ever get rid of all our problems, never come close to a Utopia, but I also think it’s really stupid to just keep killing each other. I do, however, think that if we want to avoid an eventual apocalyptic scenario, we’ll have to figure out how to leave this planet eventually. Star Trek, here we come!
On writing for YA/children rather than adults
I often get asked how different my books would be if I wrote them for adults instead of teenagers. I honestly think they’d hardly be different at all. I never, ever think about the age of my audience as I write. I just want it to be a cool story with cool characters. To scare and surprise and thrill. To pull out some emotions. I guess I naturally fit in with the young adult audience because that’s when I truly fell in love with reading, the closest it’s ever been to true “magic.” When I write, I go back to that.
Worldbuilding for a scifi series
This is a really tough one for me. I try so hard to be patient, and make outlines, and develop my characters beforehand, and build my world, and all of that, before starting a draft. But it’s all in my head, and I get so excited that I can’t take it anymore and jump in. Writing a first draft is by far my favorite part of being an author. I have so much fun. And a lot of the worldbuilding comes organically as I move through the story. And a lot of it is also instinctual, whatever seems to make sense and jives with my vision. I rely on my brain to fill in a lot of the blanks that perhaps I should have thought out and written down at some earlier point. I don’t know. I do my best. Thankfully, I have a spectacular editor at Random House who helps me where I fail.
Courtesy of Random House, I have a paperback copy of The Kill Order and a hardback copy of The Eye of Minds by James Dashner for one (1) lucky winner!
Contest is open to US residents only. No PO Boxes, please. To enter, just fill out the form below. Contest ends January 31. I’ll draw a name on February 1, and notify winner via email.
