Remember how a little while ago I did a book review of Orphan's Song? Well, today I'm very excited to have the author, Gillian Bronte Adams, join me for an author interview! :D I had a lot of fun with it, and I hope you have just as much fun reading it. Enjoy!
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Okay, so, I'm really curious: how did you come up with all the amusing things Amos says? (I laughed so hard whenever he was insulting Balaam!) Did you just make them up in your head?
Sometimes Amos's insults just seem to fly off the tips of my fingers and onto the keyboard. Other times, I have to rack my brain a bit to come up with insulting things for him to say. Some of the words he uses frequently like "bilgewater," "slumgullion," or "boggswoggle" are drawn from his Waveryder heritage, while others (such as "slobgollomly" or "poddboggle") are a bit more uniquely his. Writing Amos is loads of fun! He cracks me up while I'm typing, and every now and then, I have to work terribly hard to rein him in and keep the story moving.
Where did you get the idea to write "Orphan's Song"? How long did it take you to write it?
Orphan's Song started as the tiniest of story sparks. I had two names: Birdie and Amos. I knew she was a drudge at an inn and he was a peddler. And I knew that somehow she could hear a very powerful song that nobody else could.
I started it almost five years ago now. It was the first full length book I wrote to completion and then took through a major rewriting and editing process. So I learned a lot between the first draft and the fourth manuscript which was accepted for publication.
Which character was the easiest/most fun for you to write? Which was the hardest?
Amos was probably the easiest. His character is "bigger-than-life," so much so that at times he seems to write himself. Birdie was probably the hardest. I had to really dig deep to figure out who she was and what she wanted from life, but once I did, it was very rewarding.
What advice would you give to other aspiring writers?
It can be tempting when you're an aspiring writer to compare your work to published books and wonder why in the world those authors are published and you're not. I see a lot of book bashing going on with aspiring writers, and I'll admit that I've been guilty of it in the past as well, but to be honest, it makes me kinda sad. I think that a lot of times it's inspired by jealousy.
If you honestly don't like a book, it's totally okay to say so. But it's good to remember that somebody else out there loves it! And there's an author behind it who's put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into their work. There's room in this world for so many different styles of writing, storytelling, and books ... and I'm glad! If we all read the same things, we'd all think exactly alike, and then wouldn't this world be dull?
So my advice when reading someone else's work is to be honest, to be courteous, and to try not to bash books just for the sake of bashing! And no, I promise I'm not just trying to get y'all to write good reviews of my books. :)
Can you give any information on the sequel(s) to Orphan's Song? How many books long is the Songkeeper Chronicles going to be?
There are three books in the Songkeeper Chronicles, and right now, I'm getting book two ready for a March deadline! Obviously, I can't give away too much yet, but I've thoroughly enjoyed writing book two (and I think y'all will enjoy reading it!) because everything in book two is bigger. We see a bigger storyworld, bigger stakes, and bigger characters. That is, we get to watch the characters grow and be stretched and grow again. Lots of revelations. Lots of battles. Lots of beauty. Lots of heart-aching moments. Something to look forward to!
And, if there was one thing you hope readers could learn from "Orphan's Song", what would it be?
To be honest, Orphan's Song doesn't really teach a lesson, but I think it does illustrate some truths that I hope will stick with the readers. I hope they will be encouraged and reminded that there is something more to life and to our world than what we see every day. And that they will learn to listen to the words the Creator inscribed on their hearts, just as Birdie learns to listen to the Song.
At the end of the day, I hope Orphan's Song illustrates how God uses the weak, the broken, and the failures to His glory, to shame the so called strength and wisdom of this world. Because that is a beautiful thing.
Thanks for joining me today, Gillian! :)
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And, if you missed the book review post, here is some information about Gillian's book and where you can find it. ;)
Who Will Keep the Song Alive?
Every generation has a Songkeeper – one chosen to keep the memory of the Song alive. And in every generation, there are those who seek to destroy the chosen one.
When Birdie's song draws the attention of a dangerous Khelari soldier, she is kidnapped and thrust into a world of ancient secrets and betrayals. Rescued by her old friend, traveling peddler Amos McElhenny, Birdie flees the clutches of her enemies in pursuit of the truth behind the Song’s power.
Ky is a street–wise thief and a member of the Underground—a group of orphans banded together to survive . . . and to fight the Khelari. Haunted by a tragic raid, Ky joins Birdie and Amos in hopes of a new life beyond the reach of the soldiers. But the enemy is closing in, and when Amos’ shadowed past threatens to undo them all, Birdie is forced to face the destiny that awaits her as the Songkeeper of Leira.
