Set in an imagined past, this dark fantasy-adventure is for fans of Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass. Features Jemma, a fiery-headed heroine held captive in Agromond Castle, yet destined to save mist-shrouded Anglavia.
Fiery-headed Jemma Agromond is not who she thinks she is, and when the secrets and lies behind her life at mist-shrouded Agromond Castle begin to unravel, she finds herself in a chilling race for her life. Ghosts and misfits, a stone and crystals, a mysterious book, an ancient prophecy—all these reveal the truth about Jemma's past and a destiny far greater and more dangerous than she could have imagined in her wildest fantasies. With her telepathic golden rats, Noodle and Pie, and her trusted friend, Digby, Jemma navigates increasingly dark forces, as helpers both seen and unseen, gather. But in the end, it is her own powers that she must bring to light, for only she has the key to defeating the evil ones and fulfilling the prophecy that will bring back the sun and restore peace in Anglavia.
Why did you decide to write high fantasy?
I
never actually made a conscious decision to write fantasy, or anything
remotely epic. I was scrawling down a few quick synopses to shake out
some ideas, and the third one reached out from the page and pulled me
into it, a story that was demanding to be told. The essence of it was,
“Girl trapped in castle…abducted…dreams of escape”--the bare bones of THE FLAME IN THE MIST. As
I began to flesh it out with the Mist, the creepy Agromond family…well,
it became clear that it was clearly not quite of our world!
Having a central symbolic element around which there’s a high-stakes
destiny for the main character is another thing that to me, marks high
fantasy. In THE LORD OF THE RINGS it’s the Ring; in HARRY POTTER it’s
horcruxes; in HIS DARK MATERIALS it’s Dust. In THE FLAME IN THE MIST
it’s the Mist, a symbol of suppression (not just Jemma's, but the whole
country's), and Light, representing Jemma's true self, her Power.
However I didn’t sit down and think “How can I add this kind of
symbolism?” so again, these elements weren't a conscious decision; they
just evolved naturally once the larger background of how and why Jemma
got to Agromond castle began to emerge.
What are some of your own favorite high fantasy books/authors?
The
first two that spring to mind are HARRY POTTER, and Philip Pullman’s
HIS DARK MATERIALS trilogy. I love that both are rooted in familiarity,
with parallel worlds that exists alongside, or within, the real one. The
Muggle world is literally our own, and Book 1 of Pullman’s trilogy—THE
GOLDEN COMPASS (NORTHERN LIGHTS in the UK)—opens in a steampunkish
version of Oxford which is still recognizably Oxford.
C. S. Lewis also comes to mind, not just for the children’s books most
of us at least know of, but also for his adult sci-fi SPACE TRILOGY. I
read them at college, and the last in particular stayed with me, with
its brooding sense of big, dark doom.
Fast forward to current series-in-progress, and I have to add Leigh
Bardugo’s fabulous GRISHA TRILOGY. I loved SHADOW AND BONE (and Alina
and Jemma have Light in common!) and can’t wait for SIEGE AND STORM.
What is the most challenging part of writing high fantasy?
Any
fantasy world has to have its rules, which have to be consistent: If a
character suddenly steps out of line with them, the reader will be
jarred out of the story. So one tricky part is establishing that world's
logic and making it feel as natural as if it were part of our known
reality.
Another mark of high fantasy being an epic quality, which demands high
stakes, the tension has to be kept up throughout. Even in passages of
relative calm, you can’t afford to let the main issue disappear from the
page for too long. It has to constantly be there, lurking around a
corner or under a rug, ready to pounce on your hero or heroine. That can
also be tremendously challenging.
If you could have any fantasy power, what would you choose?
Being able to fly! I dream about that quite a lot, and it feels fabulous.
Can you tell us anything about what you are writing next - is The Flame in the Mist the start of a series?
Well, there might be a sequel, which might be about three quarters
written, and might have to involve a spoiler alert if I say much about
it! I’ve also had two other ideas brewing for a while. One, already
started, is a dystopian fantasy told from three points of view. It has
similar paranormal elements to THE FLAME IN THE MIST, though in a very
different setting. The other, told from two points of view, flips
between a dystopian current world and Tudor England. At the moment that
one is pulling at me more.
When you aren't writing, how do you enjoy spending your time?
I
love reading. Walking. Cycling. Hanging out with friends. Cozying up
with my husband to watch a movie. Any of those things might win,
depending on my mood and how energetic I feel—or not. Widening the lens,
spending time with my gorgeous niece and nephew in England, when I can
get over there, is high on the list. So is traveling and exploring new
places, which I’d love to do more. It's a great way to stir up new
ideas!
You can find out more about KIt Grindstaff and The Flame in the Mist at her website.
There are two contests you can enter. The first is a Rafflecopter giveaway, just fill out the form to win:
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1 comment:
Got interested in the flame in the mist book, Is this available in retail bookstores?
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