[Day Seventeen of 31 Days] Author Interview: Denny Swartzlander, author of Eleganta

Another day means another special guest at The Fairytale Nerd. Today, Denny Swartzlander is visiting my blog for an author interview.

I am the author of the 'Eleganta' fantasy series. 'Eleganta: A novel of Fairykind' is book 1. The following two books in the trilogy are being written as the fairies tell them to me.

Stalk Denny here: Twitter, Website, Myspace

 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Welcome to The Fairytale Nerd! how are you today?
Wonderful, thanks!

So for the first question, tell me about your book.
My book is the tale of a very important time in the history of Fairykind, as told to me by actual fairies today. It seems they wanted their tale to finally be heard, and had to choose a human to put their story in print. Though there have been many exciting times in their history, I believe they chose the time period in Eleganta, over one thousand years ago, because it marked the point of their near extinction. It was during that time that the enemies of the fairies, dark and savage beasts called trolls, discovered the way in which fairies reproduced. A baby fairy could only be born if its mother planted the seed in a patch of very special flowers called Elyrii orchids. The trolls set out to find and destroy all of these flowers, thus stopping any new fairies from ever
being born.

For fourteen years no baby fairies were born, and hope for their future was fading as those remaining grew older. Then, a fairy named Ethywyne Eleganta mysteriously found what she thought to be the last remaining patch of Elyrii orchids. She seeded a youngling, and from the orchids was born Lira. Hope had returned to Fairykind. Of course, it would not be so simple.

When the trolls learned of the new youngling, their evil general Sunderin began a march upon the fairy Realms, intent on finding Ethywyne and Lira, and destroying what remained of Fairykind in the process. The book follows Ethywyne’s flight to escape him as she travels with Lira, desperately trying to reach the fairy castle far in the north of the Realms, where she hopes the Queen of the fairies will be able to save her and her child.

Eleganta is a true tale of a time in the history of Fairykind. It hints at the origin of fairies as well. From the tale I was told, fairies naturally evolved on the island featured in the book. From there they spread to different parts of the world, largely with the help of humans. But that story will be for a later book.

Why fairies?
They chose me, actually. Though I have been a fan of fantastical creatures and stories about those creatures for as long as I can remember, I had no real need to write a story specifically about fairies. Perhaps that is why they chose me. I had no bias toward them. Also, though fairies are certainly the primary focus of my book, many other creatures are involved in the tale. Some of those creatures are: goblins, pixies, trolls, ogres, nymphs, and even humans.

What is the message (from your books) that you want to convey to your readers?
The biggest message from Eleganta is one of hope, that even in times of the greatest darkness, light will soon shine. There is a balance of good and evil in the world, and we must simply choose which side we are on. Perhaps it is said best in a quote by the Mother fairy (a wise fairy who watches over Fairykind and keeps the goodness of the world within her) from book 2 of the Eleganta series.

“The ways of darkness are not the ways of the forest, but still that darkness exists. Killing is not the way of the forest, but when killing is born from the evils of this world, the forest will find light within it. We cannot change the balance of good and evil, but we can uphold the good with an unceasing light, assuring that the darkness will never outweigh it.”

Where do you get your ideas for your books?
The telling of tales of fantasy is something I enjoy very much. Reading tales of fantasy is equally enjoyable, as is watching them in the form of movies or television. While all of those things inspire pictures, scenes, and my certain style of writing, I would say most of my ideas come from my rather unhealthy obsession with the creatures involved in my books. I do admit that I find such creatures incredibly fun to write about.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I enjoy coming up with phrases only fairies would ever say, such as the surprised exclamation ‘By the leaves of the trees!’

What is your most treasured possession?
Besides my one year old daughter, I would have to say pictures of my one year old daughter.

What was a time in your life when you felt really afraid?
I once spent a night in a cemetery, which turned out to not be so scary after all. Really it was just cold and rather dull. There was another time when I was camping with some friends and I thought for sure there was an axe murderer outside the tent. Early in the evening we had seen a strange looking man come wading out of the nearby lake. He stared at us and then wandered away in an odd sort of daze. Later that night, something scratched against the outside of our tent and we heard footsteps in the grass. Upon inspection, we found no one outside. The next morning we found paw prints on our tent and in the ground around it. It was nothing more than a raccoon, but still scary at the time.

Who is your hero in real life? What about in books?
In real life, it would probably be Arthur Conan Doyle, because he came up with the amazing ways in which Sherlock Holmes solved crimes. Of course that would be a tie with Michael Bolton and William Shatner. In books, it would probably be Sherlock Holmes, because if there is anyone I would want to be solving the mystery of my disappearance or death, it would be him.

The one who loves you or the one you love?
The one I love

Batman or Superman?
Batman, because even though Superman has great powers, Batman has far more style. I mean, come on, bright blue and red spandex or sleek black armor and leather? No question there. Also, Batman always gets the bad guy, despite having no power. Sorry Superman. By the way, Robocop could top them both.

Apartment or dorm?
House, with no neighbors directly on the other side of any wall, floor, or ceiling.

Viral epidemic or nuclear explosion?
Viral epidemic. Zombies are far more fun than charred ruins.

Harry Potter or The Chronicles of Narnia?
Harry Potter, though I wouldn’t mind a trip to Narnia. Or better yet, how about a wardrobe in a room in Hogwarts that leads to Narnia?

Fantasy or reality?
Fantasy, and making reality more like fantasy. Is anyone building a holodeck yet?

Blind or deaf?
Deaf. I don’t know, I feel like if I couldn’t see, it would seriously exacerbate my propensity to
get motion sickness.

Summer or winter?
Summer is the time of the fairies, and a time to be warm, which I love. I do not enjoy being cold. I would give up many of my favorite things to never suffer another shiver in my life. Besides, how can winter compare to the twinkling of fireflies on a summer night?

Christmas or Halloween?
Halloween, possibly the greatest holiday ever invented. Dress in costume, get scared, eat candy. Perfect.

Ferrari or Lamborghini?
Horse carriage.

What's your next project?
Book 2 of the Eleganta series is currently being told to me. I am working on putting the continued tale in print. Book 3 will come after that, logically.

BUY

Eleganta: A Novel of Fairykind
by Denny Swartzlander

Enter the 9th century, a time of magic and mystery. On a hidden isle in the seas near England, a young fairy named Ethywyne Eleganta secretly gives birth to the first youngling in fourteen years. She and her child become the hunted prize of the wicked troll general Sunderin. Ethywyne must make the perilous journey across the Fairy Realms, to get her child to the Fairy Queen, the only one who can protect her from the shadow that seeks to destroy all of Fairykind.
Her experience takes her from a humble life of gardening and craft-making to the center of an adventure that grows to involve fickle goblins, giant ogres, magic fairy dust, thieving pixies, an enchanted hedge maze, and even Vikings of the Norse lands who happen upon the isle in their plundering voyages.