Today, welcome Andi O’Connor, author of The Lost Heir. Sorry, I'm a day behind schedule this week. Tomorrow come back for an excerpt from Andi's novel.
Tell us a little
about yourself?
I am an avid reader and book lover, and I am the proud owner of 5,043
books. Yes, you read that right. 5,043 actual books. I don’t do the e-book
thing and refuse to own an e-reader, and I cannot walk into a bookstore without
purchasing at least 4 books.
Now that you all think I’m completely loony, I’ll tell you a bit more
about myself. I am obsessed with elves and am genuinely distraught that they
don’t exist. I listen to vinyl, particularly records from The Monkees, and my
favorite drink is a large Jameson, neat. Up until recently, British Comedies
were my main form of visual entertainment, but my two-year-old son has forced
my husband and me to add Sesame Street to our repertoire. I am an avid ballet
dancer, and I am convinced that if everyone took ballet, the world would be a
much more joyous place.
What made you want to
become a writer?
When I was growing up, my mom shared her love of books
with me, and I in turn developed my own book affair. My love of reading led me
to write for fun, and things slowly developed from there.
As to why I write, it goes beyond simply wanting to share
the stories I create. I am a firm believer that books are some of the most
powerful weapons in our society. I am not one who follows the belief that
ignoring difficult or controversial issues will make them disappear, and I do
not shy away from including such topics in my writing. Although I write
fantasy, I have touched on things such as female equality, rape, racial
discrimination, and the discrimination of people with disabilities. People may
agree or disagree, that is not important. What is important, and the reason I
do what I do, is that I get people to confront the issues. Perhaps my writing
will introduce my readers to a new way of thinking and get them to reconsider
their opinion. Perhaps it will help them to better understand the views of
someone who does not share their opinion. Perhaps it will inspire them to take
action in their community and help to bring awareness to an issue. Perhaps it
will aid them to begin a discussion with friends and family. Whatever the
outcome, they are not ignoring the issue, and that is what is important. That
is what will allow our society to evolve and grow.
What genre do your
works fall into?
Fantasy
What about this genre
appeals to you?
I love the freedom I am granted when writing fantasy. I can
allow my imagination to take me wherever it wants to go. There are no
limitations or restrictions to the worlds and beings I create. Yet, what I find
truly magical about fantasy is that a completely fictitious world riddled with
fanciful beings and nonexistent powers can be totally believable.
Could you tell us a
bit about your most recent book and why it is a must-read?
The Lost Heir follows a young man on a journey to a distant world where
he must come to terms with his true identity before he can battle an evil that
threatens the future of both his new home and his old. Only through his inner-strength,
and trust in his new companions, can he begin to accept his responsibilities to
save both Dragonath and Earth from destruction.
I suspect that at one time or
another, many of us have wondered what it would be like to visit a distant
world or discover we had magical abilities. By taking a character from Earth
and introducing him to such a place, I was able to create a distinctive level
of empathy towards Darrak. The scenes in the beginning of the book where I
alternate between the two worlds are intentionally jarring to the reader. When
Darrak arrives on Dragonath, the reader makes the same journey. They experience
the same wonderment, confusion, and fear. They get as close to traveling to a
distant world as they possibly can.
What gives you
inspiration for your book?
I get inspiration from everything. Literally. I
have always been content to be an observer rather than a participator, and I am
continually amazed at how much that affects my writing. I pick up details that
many others might not notice. A particular scene or emotion I am working on
will suddenly jog my memory of something I witnessed months earlier. People,
places, world events, controversial issues, conversations, dreams, books,
animals, expressions, actions; you name it. I’ve even drawn inspiration from
the color and patterns hanging in my office.
Are your characters
based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?
I’ve done both. My husband was the inspiration for Darrak, especially in the
beginning of The Lost Heir when the
reader is introduced to his soda addiction and laundry habits. Other
characters, such as Selantia and Anarra, are completely from my imagination.
Of all the characters
you have created, which is your favorite and why?
I would have to say that
my favorite character is Jae from my short story, Redemption. I was able to get inside his mind on a deeply raw and
personal level. The situation he is in puts him in an extremely vulnerable
state, both mentally and physically, yet there is an air of tenacity about him.
Despite the deplorable actions performed against him, he still has compassion
for others and a willingness to put the lives of others before his own. I
actually find him to be quite inspirational.
What is the biggest
surprise that you experienced after becoming a writer?
The thing I
continually find to be surprising is that I do not experience a sense of
completion when a project is finished. So far, I have written two books and
four short stories. When each one was completed, I experienced a great sense of
pride and accomplishment, then immediately thought, Now, I can begin editing and work on the sequel to this or finish that…
Though, I suppose that’s the great thing about being a writer. I won’t ever be
done.
Is there any
particular author or book that influenced you either growing up or as an adult?
Terry Brooks was my first introduction to fantasy, and I am still a huge fan of
his writing. His Shannara series is what got me hooked to the genre and
prompted me to hunt for other fantasy authors. Philip Pullman is another author
I read when I was younger, and I still think about his writing to this day.
Do you have a day job
in addition to being a writer? If so,
what do you do during the day?
I do
not. I used to teach private cello, piano, and violin lessons, but I stopped
that so I could focus on my writing.
What is your favorite
writing tip or quote?
Do not write to conform to society. Be honest, and be
yourself.
Tell us a little
about your plans for the future. Do you
have any other books in the works?
The
Lost Heir is the first book in The Dragonath Chronicles. I have begun work
on the second book, Awakening, and
have loose plans for 2 other books in the series. I recently finished another
fantasy novel titled Silevethiel. It
is also the first book in a series, so I will begin writing book 2 in the not
so distant future. I also have plans to expand one of my short stories into a
novel, but that keeps getting pushed further down on my list.
Where can we find you
online?
No comments:
Post a Comment