Describe Starflower in 3 words!
Romantic Fairy Tale!
Where did your inspiration come from / What inspired Starflower?
It's actually a bit difficult to remember the initial inspiration. I conceived of this idea when I was seventeen years old, wrote various short-story versions of it, and shelved it until I was twenty-four. I believe Starflower's story was first inspired by the classic Maiden and Wolf motif that we see in Fairy Tales, most prominently, of course, in Little Red Riding Hood. This story is NOTHING like that fairy tale . . . and yet, it has a fairy tale flavor that is almost familiar. The Maiden and Wolf theme is such a part of our unconscious love of stories, who's to say where it originated?
So very true! Were there any road bumps in the story process?
Several years' worth of bumps from the beginning of the idea until the novel actually took shape! But when I sat down to write the novel as it is now, it took me only eight months.
Did you always want to be a writer?
Oh, yes. I grew up knowing that I wanted to be an author. My mother was a professional romance novelist with sixteen published titles to her name (including the award-winning Faithful Traitor), so professional writing always seemed very possible to me. I wrote my first "novel" when I was nine, enjoyed it so much, and never stopped!
Do you read for motivation?
I do. When I'm drafting, I keep stacks of books by my favourite authors close to hand. These authors include Sir Terry Pratchett, Diana Wynne Jones, Megan Whalen Turner, Robin McKinley, C.S. Lewis, and many great fantasy and fairy tale writers of our day. I also make certain my copies of Shakespeare and Grimm are within easy grabbing distance if I need a quick plunge into fairy worlds.
Any advice for aspiring writers?
Read. Read and read and read! Read things you love, read things you don't love, and study how and why they were written that way. Read the classics . . . those writers knew how to tell a story that lasted, so you can bet they've got things to teach you! Read poetry, read history, but especially read the genre you love most, because that's the genre you should write.
For other writing-related advice, be sure to check out my blog (anneelisabethstengl.blogspot.com) every Friday for a Friday Tidbit. These are weekly offerings of writing advice that many young writers have found useful.
Great advice! Future books in the works?
Absolutely! Book 5, Dragonwitch, is scheduled to release summer 2013! And I just finished writing the rough draft of Book 6 in the Tales of Goldstone Wood (untitled), which will release spring 2014. So plenty more fairy tale adventure to come!
We will have to keep an eye out! Now for the Random Questions! -
Hobbies?
I paint and sketch, play the piano, sing, bake pastries, used to fence (haven't been able to for a little while), crochet (very badly), and quilt (rather well, actually). My favourite hobby is kitten rescuing, however. I catch wild kittens in my city, tame them, and find them new homes. It's a fun and rewarding hobby . . . and it means there are always lots of sweet kittens to cuddle whenever fur-therapy is needed!
You can follow my various kitty-related endeavours on my cat’s blog: www.minervawritesherthoughts.blogspot.com
Special Writing Habits?
I drink LOTS of tea while I write. Strong, black Ceylon tea with a little cream and sugar. I had the good fortune of marrying a Sri Lankan, and he knows his good teas, so I drink only the best! Especially if I am struggling with writer's block, I will brew myself an enormous mug and say, "You just have to write until the tea is gone!" This usually is enough to get me over the creative slump and into creativity again.
Favourite Book? (Apart from your own of course!)
I really adore Sir Terry Pratchett's alternate-universe YA historical, Nation. It is a beautiful, brilliant, hysterical, heartbreaking story that charms me every time I read it. (Actually, I want to re-read it now . . .)
I am also a HUGE fan of Megan Whalen Turner's Queen's Thief series which, if you haven't read it, is so amazing! I cannot recommend it enough.
Thank you for having me on your lovely blog, Claire! And I hope all of you readers will find the opportunity to read Starflower.
About the author:
Anne Elisabeth is the author of the Tales of Goldstone Wood, a series of fantasy adventure novels told in the classic Fairy Tale style. The series so far includes Heartless, Veiled Rose, Moonblood and Starflower, with Dragonwitch due to release summer of 2013.
Anne Elisabeth is married to the handsome man she met at fencing class and lives with him, a gaggle of cats, and one long-suffering dog in NC. Her first novel, Heartless, won the 2011 Christy Award for Debut Novel and was an INSPY Award finalist. Her second novel, Veiled Rose, won the 2012 Christy Award for Visionary Novel and was a Romantic Times Inspirational Novel of the Year finalist.
Author Links:
Starflower -
Anne Elisabeth Stengl
Released: November 1, 2012
Publisher: Bethany House
Anne Elisabeth Stengl
Released: November 1, 2012
Publisher: Bethany House
When a cursed dragon-witch kidnaps lovely Lady Gleamdren, Bard Eanrin sets boldly forth on a rescue mission . . . and a race against his rival for Gleamdren's favor. Intent upon his quest, the last thing the immortal Faerie needs is to become mixed up with the troubles of an insignificant mortal.
But when he stumbles upon a maiden trapped in an enchanted sleep, he cannot leave her alone in the dangerous Wood Between. One waking kiss later, Eanrin finds his path entangled with that of young Starflower. A strange link exists between this mortal girl and the dragon-witch. Will Starflower prove the key to Lady Gleamdren's rescue? Or will the dark power from which she flees destroy both her and her poet rescuer?
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