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| Photo courtesy of Sara Scott and Jenn Simeone |
What was your inspiration for “Cinder?”
KW: Cinder is a conglomeration of several ideas. My little boys were
enthralled with the movie Firehouse Dog, so I guess firefighting scenes and
dogs were floating around in my head at the time that I saw the call for
ghoulish tales from World Weaver Press. I'd always been fascinated with
great ghost stories, so I knew I had to give it a try. Add in my
obsession with retelling fairy tales, and Cinder began to emerge from all those
sparks of inspiration.
The opening scene of the fire is both frightening and
fascinating. How were you able to capture what to me seemed like a very
real description of what it’s like to be in a burning building?
KW: After meshing out my idea for "Cinder," I decided I needed to do a bit of
research on firefighting. I read bits of books and articles, watched
Youtube videos of firefighters at work, and found websites that listed
requirements for firefighter training, equipment, techniques and also listed
terms used by firefighters (which can very greatly by location and
department). I inquired of friends of mine who are married to volunteer
and army firefighters as well. But I have a confession to make.
When it came to finding a truly passionate portrayal of firefighting, I watched
one of my all time favorite movies, "Backdraft," over and over again, analyzing
the most dramatic scenes with a writer's eye. Just talking about it makes
me want to watch the movie again!
Fairy tales are a recurring theme in “Cinder.” How have
fairy tales influenced your writing and/or your point of view?
KW: Fairy tales provide many well-known motifs that seem to flow through every kind
of writing, whether intentional or not. I found these motifs in my own
writing enough times that I started rereading fairy tales to figure just how
many of my ideas were truly my own, and how many came from tales of old.
This easily led to reading retold fairy tales, which I enjoyed so much, I began
writing my own. Adding that fairy tale/folklore element to my
pre-existing ideas gave my stories new dimensions and greater ties to
history. Now, I simply can't help weaving bits of fairy tales into so
much of my work!
Do you have a favorite fairy tale? If so, what is it
and why is it a favorite?
KW: Oh my. You want me to choose just one? I am finding new and
enthralling fairy tales I'd never heard of before every day! But, there
are several from my childhood that have evolved into fascinations of late
because of all the history they hold and the unique variations I've
found. As a little girl growing up on the shores of Lake Michigan, I
spent many days dreaming about living life in the water and what it would be
like to be a mermaid. After outgrowing my girlish fascination with Disney's "The Little Mermaid," I found Hans Christian Andersen's tale and fell even more
in love. This wasn't the predictable happily-ever-after I was used to; it
was so much better! So I guess you could say "The Little
Mermaid" is my favorite, for the simple fact that it was the catalyst that
started my fairy tale obsessions. My most favorite, recently found
adaptation of the mer theme is the Chilean folk tale "Mariana and the
Merchild."
Do you have a particular genre in which you enjoy
writing? Why or why not?
KW: Umm… several! I love fantasy. I like playing God I guess; making up
creatures and worlds and magical abilities. Who doesn't? Folklore
and fairy tales are easily slipped into a fantasy backdrop, but I also love
fiction as a whole. I write young adult fiction as well, sometimes
speculative, sometimes not. Science fiction is also an interest of mine,
though every time I pick up a science fiction novel, I find myself disappointed
for some reason. Maybe it's because I'm looking for that perfect science
fiction story I have yet to write? Who knows? I never did think of myself
as much into horror, but when it comes to ghost stories, I often find myself
totally enthralled! I also see romance showing up in a lot of my work, but
only as an underlying motif, not as the main plot. The same goes for
nature motifs. Biology was my major in college and for me learning about
wildlife and the natural world around us is as fascinating as any speculative
fiction novel. I guess I'm all over the place, but speculative fiction
and YA fiction are the yarns I find myself spinning the most.
And, of course, have you ever had a ghostly encounter?
KW: I have had a few occasions in the past where I thought I might have seen a
ghost, but nothing definite. However, I recently went on a ghost walk at
the Sweetwater County Library in town and at the end of the tour, as the
librarian told us how the area used to be a playground before it was a library,
we heard the sound of children's laughter resonating from the dark, abandoned
hallway behind us. It was very real, loud enough to startle us, and
several people heard it, including me. It was pretty cool,
actually! You can read more about my experience on the ghost walk on my
website http://authorkw.wordpress.com/.
Thanks so much, Kristina! And we look forward to the release of Opal!
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