"The Bitterbynde is my favorite series. Are you currently working on any novels?"
Thank you, Erica! It means the world to me, hearing that others love walking in the world of the Bitterbynde. Yes, I am working on a Scifi-Romantasy series at the moment. It's happening slowly but steadily. x
REPLY: Thank you for your question, Marg. It's a good one. The authors whose work we love to read play an essential role in our own writing. Here are some of my muses:
Tanith Lee, Nicholas Stuart Gray, George MacDonald, William Shakespeare, Isaac Asimov, Eleanor Farjeon, C.S. Lewis, Arthur C. Clarke, E. Nesbit, Andre Norton, Ann McCaffrey, Charles Dickens, George Eliot, Terry Pratchett, George MacDonald, Jane Austen, Ray Bradbury, Susannah Clark, Thomas Hardy, Simon Winchester, Dianna Wynne-Jones, Douglas Adams, Alan Garner, CS Lewis, Andrew Lang, William Allingham, Hilda Lewis, Charles Kingsley, Emily Brontë, Juliet Marillier, William Morris, Ursula LeGuin, Jackie French, Rosemary Sutcliff and more.
Thank you for such a heart-warming message from you and your mother.
It's messages like yours that encourage me to keep writing!
Regarding the Bitterbynde and Crowthistle Chronicles: My stories have many sources of inspiration. I have heard other writers talk about their inspirations as a ‘rag-bag’, whereby during their daily lives, if an idea occurs to them, they file it away either literally or metaphorically, to use later in a story. That story might end up comprising many or few of the stored snippets.
For the Bitterbynde, for example, I incorporated many of my loves: British folklore and its fascinating creatures, flying machines, historical costume, landscapes and seasons etc. My parents loved fantasy, fairytales and science fiction, and I was raised on genre fiction. The house of my childhood was full of books, and the tales originated not only from the Western world but from many cultures, such as Japan, Russia and the Maori people of New Zealand.
My life was changed when, at the age of nine, I read The Lord of the Rings. I probably did not fully comprehend every word at that age, but the feeling of Tolkien’s work pierced my soul like swords and transformed my inner world forever. Tolkien gave me, as nobody else could, that feeling of yearning for a vanished splendour; a deep, wistful longing for beauty, nobility, and wonder glimpsed at a distance, made sharper by the knowledge that such things are passing away or have already been lost.
I vowed that one day I, too, would write a long fantasy story.
Yet, I would write it in my own voice.
Tolkien’s Middle Earth draws heavily on Scandinavian and Germanic traditions, especially with his dwarves and dragons. (His elves draw from northern folklore too, but they are much more extensively reshaped by his own mythology.)
I love those traditions, but there are others that enthral me just as much. The writing of the Bitterbynde Trilogy was heavily influenced by one of my favourite reads at the time, gifted to me by my mother; Katherine Briggs’s A Dictionary of Fairies: Hobgoblins, Brownies, Bogies, and Other Supernatural Creatures (sometimes called An Encyclopedia of Fairies). I highly recommend any and all of Briggs’s outstandingly-researched books.
This work focuses on British folklore – that is, chiefly English, Scottish and Welsh. The fantasy fiction that had come my way had not featured much British folklore; it was mainly Scandinavian/Norse/Germanic. There were plenty of dragons and dwarves, but not too many spriggans or skrikers. So, I wove those British creatures into the Bitterbynde books.
In the 70s and 80s the amazing artist Brian Froud illustrated many creatures from British folklore, and more recently JK Rowling added some to her stories; for example the ‘house-elf Dobby’.
As for Celtic influences, A Dictionary of Fairies includes material from Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, the Isle of Man, Ireland-adjacent traditions, Shetland, Orkney, and other parts of Britain, but the vast folklore of Ireland (which often overlaps) is covered in other tomes.
The Irish language itself – a Celtic language - is an inspiration. It’s one of those languages that has it all: it sounds wonderful when spoken aloud, and it looks amazing when written down. For me, the visual configuration of the letters in each word has a magical beauty. The idiosyncrasies produced when you translate it literally, word for word, give you a whole new insight on your own mother tongue.
I hope this has answered your thoughtful question. Feel free to ask any others during this week of "AMA".
Yes the audiobooks are wonderful aren’t they! The narrator, Kim Bretton, did an excellent job, especially since she had to navigate some pretty hard-to-pronounce words. She really brought the trilogy to life, with her mastery of so many different accents.
Thank you for your enquiry about the Crowthistle series. Right now there are no plans to make that into audiobooks but I’m hoping that with so many text-to-speech options around these days (many of them free), readers will be able to listen to them some other way.
I would be delighted to chat further about possibly narrating / producing the Chrowthistle chronicles into audiobooks for you if that is something you would like to pursue, and if Kim isn’t available.
You can listen to samples of my previous work at the link in my profile.
It would truly be an honour to work with you on bringing your beautiful words to life :)
Thanks for the offer, James. Right now, we have no plans to put that series into audiobook form. I can see that you have a successful career as an audiobook narrator!
"Celtic mythology features heavily in your works - which creature is your favourite that you'd most like to meet, and which is the one you'd dread meeting?"
Hi Chloe, the one I'd most dread meeting is Nuckelavee. Not only is it utterly malevolent, it looks so horrible that I'd probably be too busy feeling nauseous to make good my escape. It's actually from Orcadian folklore. Katharine Briggs called it "the nastiest" of all the demons of Scotland's Northern Isles. Wikipedia has a good article about Nuckelavee here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuckelavee
As for which creature I'd most like to meet, that would probably be a benign waterhorse like Tiggy in the Bitterbynde. They have a good sense of humour, and they can shape-shift to a human-like form if you want to have a conversation and find out all about their secret world!
Is Fallowblade available as an ebook or audiobook anywhere? Why or why not?
REPLY: Hmm, that's a good question, Margaret! It's definitely not available as an audiobook, and after a quick Google search it doesn't appear to be available as an ebook either. It looks as if it's only in paperback.
I will follow up on the ebook question. |
I do know that producing audiobooks with human narrators can be pretty costly, so that might be the barrier. I have a question of my own - what are your favourite things about Fallowblade?
Cecilia Dart-Thornton I tried to ask on substack but it wouldn't let me... is your new story set in Erith? Or is it new world building?
REPLY:
It's set in a new world, Erryn Lee, and I'm enjoying exploring it! It comes with a blend of fantasy, folklore and scifi, including elements of 'retrofuturism', (which I never thought I'd find so interesting) and a very light sprinkling of steampunk.
I wonder why Substack would not cooperate! I'll post your question there, and this answer, too, in case anyone else has the same question. x Cecilia ✨✨✨✨✨
Are you planning to write any more books in the near future?
REPLY: Thank you for your question, Bill! Yes, I am working on a new Scifi/romantasy series. It began as one book and has, as usual, decided to extend itself beyond the covers of a single volume. I cannot estimate when it will be finished, as I work slowly. But I am enjoying immersing myself in another fictional world. :)
"What are your thoughts about the ethics of using AI? for example, the widespread issue of how there are so many book-inspired images, songs and stories generated by AI which re-use and rely on copyright content that is being used without permission."
REPLY: I understand the concern (many of my own titles have been used to train AI without my knowledge), and it's clear that AI raises ethical questions, especially around copyright and creative work, the environment, transparency, and the effect on working artists and writers. Those are serious subjects, and I’m touched that you value my opinion enough to ask. For my own part, I have decided not to get involved in public debates on controversial subjects, because I find those discussions stressful.
I will say this, though: The human art of storytelling must be protected.
"Is there anywhere online to read the alternative ending for the bitterbynde trilogy? as the kindle version doesnt have it."
For anyone who'd like a copy of the optional clarifying final chapter of The Battle of Evernight, here's the link: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/4o1bmat1it
You might have to join an absolutely fantastic newsletter to get your free copy, but it's worth it, and also you can easily opt out whenever you want.
From @Erica Kerr on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/shatokah
"The Bitterbynde is my favorite series. Are you currently working on any novels?"
Thank you, Erica! It means the world to me, hearing that others love walking in the world of the Bitterbynde. Yes, I am working on a Scifi-Romantasy series at the moment. It's happening slowly but steadily. x
A sci-fi romantasy? Now that's exciting! On the one hand: hope you finish it soon! On the other hand, no rush, art takes time. XD XD XD <3
🥰
I really love the Bitterbynde series. Thank you so much for writing it.
May I ask, which authors have inspired your writing?
REPLY: Thank you for your question, Marg. It's a good one. The authors whose work we love to read play an essential role in our own writing. Here are some of my muses:
Tanith Lee, Nicholas Stuart Gray, George MacDonald, William Shakespeare, Isaac Asimov, Eleanor Farjeon, C.S. Lewis, Arthur C. Clarke, E. Nesbit, Andre Norton, Ann McCaffrey, Charles Dickens, George Eliot, Terry Pratchett, George MacDonald, Jane Austen, Ray Bradbury, Susannah Clark, Thomas Hardy, Simon Winchester, Dianna Wynne-Jones, Douglas Adams, Alan Garner, CS Lewis, Andrew Lang, William Allingham, Hilda Lewis, Charles Kingsley, Emily Brontë, Juliet Marillier, William Morris, Ursula LeGuin, Jackie French, Rosemary Sutcliff and more.
What was your inspiration for the Bitterbynde and Chrowthistle Chronicles?
I know you live in Australia, and yet they have such strong Celtic themes.
Which I absolutely love!
Your way with words is truly sublime and I look forward to going on a Sci-Fi adventure in the future :)
To quote my mother (with whom I am currently listening to The Lady of the Sorrows audiobook)
“Your writing is the most beautiful, exceptional, and captivating I have a ever read. Thank you for sharing your gift with us.”
@jameswood347217
James!
Thank you for such a heart-warming message from you and your mother.
It's messages like yours that encourage me to keep writing!
Regarding the Bitterbynde and Crowthistle Chronicles: My stories have many sources of inspiration. I have heard other writers talk about their inspirations as a ‘rag-bag’, whereby during their daily lives, if an idea occurs to them, they file it away either literally or metaphorically, to use later in a story. That story might end up comprising many or few of the stored snippets.
For the Bitterbynde, for example, I incorporated many of my loves: British folklore and its fascinating creatures, flying machines, historical costume, landscapes and seasons etc. My parents loved fantasy, fairytales and science fiction, and I was raised on genre fiction. The house of my childhood was full of books, and the tales originated not only from the Western world but from many cultures, such as Japan, Russia and the Maori people of New Zealand.
My life was changed when, at the age of nine, I read The Lord of the Rings. I probably did not fully comprehend every word at that age, but the feeling of Tolkien’s work pierced my soul like swords and transformed my inner world forever. Tolkien gave me, as nobody else could, that feeling of yearning for a vanished splendour; a deep, wistful longing for beauty, nobility, and wonder glimpsed at a distance, made sharper by the knowledge that such things are passing away or have already been lost.
I vowed that one day I, too, would write a long fantasy story.
Yet, I would write it in my own voice.
Tolkien’s Middle Earth draws heavily on Scandinavian and Germanic traditions, especially with his dwarves and dragons. (His elves draw from northern folklore too, but they are much more extensively reshaped by his own mythology.)
I love those traditions, but there are others that enthral me just as much. The writing of the Bitterbynde Trilogy was heavily influenced by one of my favourite reads at the time, gifted to me by my mother; Katherine Briggs’s A Dictionary of Fairies: Hobgoblins, Brownies, Bogies, and Other Supernatural Creatures (sometimes called An Encyclopedia of Fairies). I highly recommend any and all of Briggs’s outstandingly-researched books.
This work focuses on British folklore – that is, chiefly English, Scottish and Welsh. The fantasy fiction that had come my way had not featured much British folklore; it was mainly Scandinavian/Norse/Germanic. There were plenty of dragons and dwarves, but not too many spriggans or skrikers. So, I wove those British creatures into the Bitterbynde books.
In the 70s and 80s the amazing artist Brian Froud illustrated many creatures from British folklore, and more recently JK Rowling added some to her stories; for example the ‘house-elf Dobby’.
As for Celtic influences, A Dictionary of Fairies includes material from Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, the Isle of Man, Ireland-adjacent traditions, Shetland, Orkney, and other parts of Britain, but the vast folklore of Ireland (which often overlaps) is covered in other tomes.
The Irish language itself – a Celtic language - is an inspiration. It’s one of those languages that has it all: it sounds wonderful when spoken aloud, and it looks amazing when written down. For me, the visual configuration of the letters in each word has a magical beauty. The idiosyncrasies produced when you translate it literally, word for word, give you a whole new insight on your own mother tongue.
I hope this has answered your thoughtful question. Feel free to ask any others during this week of "AMA".
Sain thee,
x Cecilia
Thank you for such an in depth and thoughtful answer :)
I can now enjoy the remainder of the Bitterybyndd even more :)
I am thoroughly enjoying the audiobooks, and I’m wondering if you have plans for audiobooks versions of the Chrowthistle Chronicles?
Yes the audiobooks are wonderful aren’t they! The narrator, Kim Bretton, did an excellent job, especially since she had to navigate some pretty hard-to-pronounce words. She really brought the trilogy to life, with her mastery of so many different accents.
Thank you for your enquiry about the Crowthistle series. Right now there are no plans to make that into audiobooks but I’m hoping that with so many text-to-speech options around these days (many of them free), readers will be able to listen to them some other way.
Cecilia ✨✨✨
She certainly did do an amazing job!
I would be delighted to chat further about possibly narrating / producing the Chrowthistle chronicles into audiobooks for you if that is something you would like to pursue, and if Kim isn’t available.
You can listen to samples of my previous work at the link in my profile.
It would truly be an honour to work with you on bringing your beautiful words to life :)
Thanks for the offer, James. Right now, we have no plans to put that series into audiobook form. I can see that you have a successful career as an audiobook narrator!
Cecilia
Chloe Anderson https://www.facebook.com/QualityRachni wrote:
"Celtic mythology features heavily in your works - which creature is your favourite that you'd most like to meet, and which is the one you'd dread meeting?"
Hi Chloe, the one I'd most dread meeting is Nuckelavee. Not only is it utterly malevolent, it looks so horrible that I'd probably be too busy feeling nauseous to make good my escape. It's actually from Orcadian folklore. Katharine Briggs called it "the nastiest" of all the demons of Scotland's Northern Isles. Wikipedia has a good article about Nuckelavee here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuckelavee
As for which creature I'd most like to meet, that would probably be a benign waterhorse like Tiggy in the Bitterbynde. They have a good sense of humour, and they can shape-shift to a human-like form if you want to have a conversation and find out all about their secret world!
Do you have a favourite?
From Margaret Benzer on Facebook:
Is Fallowblade available as an ebook or audiobook anywhere? Why or why not?
REPLY: Hmm, that's a good question, Margaret! It's definitely not available as an audiobook, and after a quick Google search it doesn't appear to be available as an ebook either. It looks as if it's only in paperback.
I will follow up on the ebook question. |
I do know that producing audiobooks with human narrators can be pretty costly, so that might be the barrier. I have a question of my own - what are your favourite things about Fallowblade?
x Cecilia
From Erryn Lee on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erryn.lee
Cecilia Dart-Thornton I tried to ask on substack but it wouldn't let me... is your new story set in Erith? Or is it new world building?
REPLY:
It's set in a new world, Erryn Lee, and I'm enjoying exploring it! It comes with a blend of fantasy, folklore and scifi, including elements of 'retrofuturism', (which I never thought I'd find so interesting) and a very light sprinkling of steampunk.
I wonder why Substack would not cooperate! I'll post your question there, and this answer, too, in case anyone else has the same question. x Cecilia ✨✨✨✨✨
From Bill Bransgrove on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bill.bransgrove
Are you planning to write any more books in the near future?
REPLY: Thank you for your question, Bill! Yes, I am working on a new Scifi/romantasy series. It began as one book and has, as usual, decided to extend itself beyond the covers of a single volume. I cannot estimate when it will be finished, as I work slowly. But I am enjoying immersing myself in another fictional world. :)
From Anni Ck on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/akpeony
"What are your thoughts about the ethics of using AI? for example, the widespread issue of how there are so many book-inspired images, songs and stories generated by AI which re-use and rely on copyright content that is being used without permission."
REPLY: I understand the concern (many of my own titles have been used to train AI without my knowledge), and it's clear that AI raises ethical questions, especially around copyright and creative work, the environment, transparency, and the effect on working artists and writers. Those are serious subjects, and I’m touched that you value my opinion enough to ask. For my own part, I have decided not to get involved in public debates on controversial subjects, because I find those discussions stressful.
I will say this, though: The human art of storytelling must be protected.
x Cecilia
From Ian A Bartle on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ian.bartle
"Is there anywhere online to read the alternative ending for the bitterbynde trilogy? as the kindle version doesnt have it."
For anyone who'd like a copy of the optional clarifying final chapter of The Battle of Evernight, here's the link: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/4o1bmat1it
You might have to join an absolutely fantastic newsletter to get your free copy, but it's worth it, and also you can easily opt out whenever you want.
x Cecilia