Thank you so much for visiting Books for Company.
I am always so interested to find out about how books came around to being written!
Akasha Chronicles is a fantasy series. Why fantasy? Did it happen naturally?
I did not set out to write fantasy. In fact, I wasn’t planning to write a book at all when the story idea for Emily’s House came to me.
I was going to hypnotherapy to help me lose the “baby weight” I gained with the birth of my daughter. I didn’t lose weight (turns out that relaxing in a chair doesn’t burn many calories ;-). But in my last session, I had a vision of a golden object hovering over a green field. I became slightly obsessed with this vision - what was the object? And where was it?
I scoured the internet at night after I put the baby to sleep and eventually came across a photo of a torc - a golden necklace or bracelet made of twisted strands of gold worn by the ancient Celts. From that point I began researching Celtic mythology, history and spirituality. A story began to develop.
And because I am also highly intrigued by science, from the start I saw the story as a blending of the modern and the ancient, and of science with myth and mysticism. The result is Emily’s House, a story with a unique blending of fantasy and science fiction
I am presently working on a science fiction series, working title H.A.L.F. (the first book should be out in March, 2015), and I plan to write another fantasy story. Because I enjoy reading fantasy and sci fi books (and fantasy and sci fi movies and T.V.), I imagine that my own stories will always tend to have a fantasy and/or sci fi bent.
How did you decide on the age of Emily?
When I began planning the story, Emily was an adult and in college. But the story didn’t seem to work and I struggled for quite some time trying to find the right “voice” for the story.
One day I was getting acupuncture and while lying on the table full of needles, Emily came to me. I still remember my vision of her walking home from school, the wind whipping her long red hair. Her “voice” flowed naturally for me.
So I’m not sure I “decided” on the age of Emily. I think she decided it for me! I’ve been writing middle grade through young adult fiction ever since.
Is Emily a character you could be friends with? What qualities does she have?
Emily is someone I could be friends with. She’s fiercely loyal and has the back of her friends. Her biggest fault/foible is her lack of self-confidence. But her trustworthiness and loyalty override that for her friends.
How would you want a reader to describe this series?
It makes my heart soar when readers and reviewers say that the series was an awesome adventure - a fun ride. I also enjoy when readers appreciate being a part of Emily maturing and going from an insecure young teen to a confident young woman.
Hardest part of the series to write?
The third book, Emily’s Heart, was by far the hardest part of the series to write. I wrote myself into a tight corner with Book 2, Emily’s Trial! I knew, generally, how I wanted the series to end, but I had no idea how to get there. The final book is about 108,000 words, but I have a folder with “lost chapters” and tidbits amounting to another 70,000+ words! I rewrote several chapters up to three times.
While writing Emily’s Heart, I felt a lot more pressure than with the previous books. By the time I wrote the third book, I had dedicated fans so I felt keenly the pressure to not disappoint them and to give them the kick-ass ending they had come to expect from me. I spent about six months struggling with the ending.
But in the end, the muse inspired me and I think the end of Emily’s Heart is the best part of the whole series (and readers seem to agree). Writing Emily’s Heart showed me to never give up!
Find Natalie
Buy Emily's Heart
Interesting to read about how your story/characters came together! thanks for sharing
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