Thanks to Rosanne at HarperCollins, I had the opportunity to ask Kiersten White some questions (and receive some very wonderfully amusing answers) about herself and her latest novel, ILLUSIONS OF FATE!
QUICK! Describe ILLUSIONS OF FATE in 7 words or less!
Rectangular! Containing paper and ink! Book! Wait, no, I did this wrong, didn’t I. How about: Magic! Romance! Tea! Birds!
I kind of love both answers! Both are accurate....Do you have any favorite teaser lines from ILLUSIONS OF FATE that you can share?
“Clearly he does not know me if he thinks I am ever in a condition where arguing is not possible.”
What makes Jessamin unique from the main characters of your previous novels? What do you admire most about her?
I always like exploring what it means to be an outsider and how we find ourselves. With most of my main characters, their big arc is discovering themselves. Jessamin, however, knows exactly who she is--and values herself. The society around her tries to tell her what she is (lesser), but she fights against it. I love this about her. It would be very hard to hold onto that sense of self-worth when everything around you tells you not to. Fortunately, Jessamin is very stubborn.
What steps did you take to build the world and setting of ILLUSIONS OF FATE?
Since I was dealing with magic and fantasy, I wanted to layer it onto a very familiar world setting. I based Albion on late Victorian/Edwardian England, and Jessamin’s home on the Polynesian islands. I think it was Laini Taylor who said the more you ground your story in the familiar, the more liberties you can take with the fantastical, and I think that’s very true. Everything I needed was already in place: post-colonialism, a strict and archaic gentry system, and magic, because everyone knows England is just a bit magic already.
If you could spend 24 hours in any fictional world (book, film, TV), where would you go and which two people (real or not real) would you take with you?
Iceland, because everyone knows Iceland is too magical to be real. I would go with Stephanie Perkins and my husband, both of whom are too delightful to be real, and we would watch the Northern Lights, which are too beautiful to be real.
Do you ever leave any calling cards or Easter eggs (literary references or signature characteristics, such as reoccurring themes, symbols, names, style, etc.) in your books?
Oh, so many. As far as reoccurring themes, someday I will write a literary analysis of my books and tell you exactly the ideas I seem to fixate on (identity, the nature of mortality, responsibility to self versus responsibility to others are just a few). Eleanor’s last name, which I think is maybe never even mentioned in the book, is Wynne, after Diana Wynne Jones, author of Howl’s Moving Castle. And she lives on Fitzwilliam Lane, after a certain Fitzwilliam Darcy. Other than that, I like to think my work is subversively dark beneath the humor and magic. Much like myself.
What type of story are you working on next?
I’m working on an epic historical fiction series about Vlad the Impaler, a brutal Romanian prince whom I am turning into Lada the Impaler, a brutal Romanian princess, her brother, Radu the Handsome, and their contemporary, the brilliant young Ottoman Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror.
Thanks to Rosanne from HarperCollins and Kiersten for the interview!
ILLUSIONS OF FATE
Available Now
Downton Abbey meets Cassandra Clare in this lush, romantic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White.
“I did my best to keep you from crossing paths with this world. And I shall do my best to protect you now that you have.”
Jessamin has been an outcast since she moved from her island home of Melei to the dreary country of Albion. Everything changes when she meets Finn, a gorgeous, enigmatic young lord who introduces her to the secret world of Albion’s nobility, a world that has everything Jessamin doesn’t—power, money, status…and magic. But Finn has secrets of his own, dangerous secrets that the vicious Lord Downpike will do anything to possess. Unless Jessamin, armed only with her wits and her determination, can stop him.
GIVEAWAY
I received a finished copy of ILLUSIONS OF FATE from HarperCollins, and I want to pass it along to one of my readers! US only (sorry!), enter using the rafflecopter below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
CONNECT WITH KIERSTEN WHITE
Awesome interview, Lea! Have you read Illusions of Fate yet? I really enjoyed and liked the historical setting. I'm glad to hear she based it on Victorian England b/c that's definitely the vibe I was getting. I can't wait to hear more about her next novel…sounds fascinating!
ReplyDeleteI did get a chance to read it this past weekend! I thought it was great, and agreed about the setting. Such an entertaining story to read! Glad you also enjoyed it.
DeleteI really want to read Illusions of Fate! This is a brilliant interview, and thanks for the giveaway.
ReplyDeleteErin @ The Book Nut
It's a great novel! Best of luck with the giveaway :)
DeleteKiersten White=all the awesome. Seriously, she seems so real and humorous just from reading this interview; it makes me want to meet her one day! And umm okay, this book is just calling my name! I am in the need of a book set in a place like England, because there just isn't enough out there right now! I've only read one of White's books, Mind Games, and I didn't love it, but I enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteOh, I Love Fitzwilliam Lane! Great fact :) Fun interview
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed her Paranormalcy series, so I can't wait to check out her other books! She gives such great voice to her characters and you've gotta love her sass! :) This book looks good. It's definitely going on my Good Reads list.
ReplyDeleteI cannot wait to read this one! Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteMissie @ A Flurry of Ponderings
Aww what a charming lady she is! I wasn't in love with the only book by hers that I have read - Mind Games - but I definitely get the impression that she is such a funny and sharp and lovely person IRL. And I'm super excited for Illusions of Fate! Love that Victorian England. Great job with these interview questions as well, Lea!
ReplyDeleteHeard such great things about this book. I cannot wait to read it!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great interview! I was a big fan of CHAOS OF STARS but haven't had the chance to read anything else from her. And her design team also does a fantastic job with the covers. I want them all to be face out on my bookshelf! I haven't really been hearing too much about Illusions of Fate until recently. Have you read it yet? It seems good! I may have to go read it!
ReplyDeleteI'm such a fan of hers. She just seems so fun. I enjoyed this one -- and I did not notice all those secret little details she snuck in there...
ReplyDeleteJen @ YA Romantics
I can't wait to read this book. The cover looks amazing as well. Thank you for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteHer story about Vlad the Impaler sounds really good! I can't wait to read that one. Thank you for the interview and giveaway!
ReplyDeleteJessamin sounds like a unique character! It's rare to find one that's so self-assured and actively fighting against societal standards when most characters go on a journey as their story progresses and THEN find themselves. And really, any books that have to do with magic and tea? I AM SOLD. Thanks to the both of you for providing such a fun interview :D
ReplyDelete