Today, my guest is an author from New Mexico with a vivid imagination. She writes fantasy books for adults. When I saw her on Google+ I was attracted to her unusual name Teagan Riordáin Geneviene and the striking cover of the book she was writing “The Delta Pearl”. The sepia tone of the cover and the entire imagery made me fantasize being on the river boat and immediately took me back to that Jazz era I like so much. People say don’t judge a book by the cover…
I let Teagan speak.
1. Your last publication is a series of novelettes called “Dead of Winter” that you started to publish monthly in Jan.2021. What is the series about and what inspired you to write it? Will it be over in December 2021?
I’m not certain of the end date for the monthly publications. I expect it to finish either this December or in January of 2020.
Dead of Winter is a high fantasy, published monthly in novelette-sized installments. It takes place in a world that resembles some lands in the past of our own world. The heroine, Emlyn, is a 12-year-old girl who sees and hears spirits.
The religious fanatics who took over Emlyn’s homeland say she is an abomination. She escapes, and is taken in by travelers belonging to the Deae Matres — a society of intelligent women who travel the world, seeking out and preserving knowledge.
Meanwhile, Emlyn’s encounters with spirits become more frequent, because the Veil, which separates the world of the living from the realm of the dead has become dangerously thin. As the Veil deteriorates, chaos ensues when the dead begin to cross into the living world. I invite everyone to Journey with Emlyn as she explores her world in Dead of Winter.
2. How did you select the names of your characters for this series?
I admit that I can obsess about names. The importance of name meanings goes unnoticed in our modern world. As I researched the real-world places and mythologies that were at the core of my various inspirations for the story, I also researched names from those areas – and their meanings. For instance, the character “Osabide” in addition to being a teacher and mentor to the young heroine, used to be a healer. One meaning for the name Osabide is healer.
3. What was your hardest scene or situation to write, if any?
There were two particular scenes that were difficult, but for differing reasons. Journey 6, The Fluting Fell, includes the origin scene of a supernatural character. That involved a brutal assault. Through an accidental shared dream-memory, 12 year-old Emlyn experiences the assault as if she had been there. As a survivor of abuse, I put a huge amount of thought into how to handle and word that scene.
Another challenge was the two-prong climax of the story. In the part dealing with the arch villain, my original ending is unfittingly gruesome for the rest of the story. So, a task ahead of me is rewriting that climatic scene. I don’t want it to be that much more violent than the overall story.
4. Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?
Hmmm... That’s a great question, Valentina. Haha, I hope not. Certainly not in Dead of Winter. In some stories I make references to things that not everyone would get. However, those are not anything that would impact whether or not they understand the story. For instance, in Hullaba Lulu, a Diesel-punk Adventure, I give a nod to “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” Douglas Adams fans would pickup on it right away, and laugh. People who are unfamiliar with that classic would just think it was more Lulu zaniness.
5. What kind of research did you do for this series, if any?
Some people think fantasy stories don’t need to be researched. Me, I research intensely for every story. I did volumes of research for Dead of Winter, from the topography and lay of the land in the UK and European locations that inspired my fictional countries, to the meanings behind place and character names that I created. There are well over 300 character and place names in the overall manuscript. That’s why I include a list of characters and places at the end of each volume, which grows as the Journeys progress.
Some leftover research (legends that I didn’t use for Dead of Winter) ended up providing “loose inspiration” for my Atonement, Tennessee urban fantasy stories. If you couldn’t tell by now, I’m a huge research geek!
6. You write mostly fantasy books for adults, how did you come about to write in this style?
Various genres were my favorite at different points in my life. High fantasy and urban fantasy became my favorite books to read. When I eventually took writing seriously, the most frequent “advice to writers” that I found was to write what you know. I knew that genre best, so that was what I started out writing. During the past decade I became fond of the may types of “punk” stories (steampunk, diesel-punk, atom-punk, etc.), and I started writing those too.
7. What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?
Seeing the ending. I’m very much a pantser, writing by the seat of my pants. It’s very difficult for me to see the ending in advance.
8. Why did you decide to start writing books?
My author bio used to include a bit about how one day, I realized that I had read every book I owned several times, and there was no new book at hand to read. So, I decided to write one – and I’ve been writing ever since.
9. Most artist like to be creative in their arts and don’t like to market their work. How do you feel about marketing and selling your books?
Yes, I’m in that group who does not like marketing. I didn’t even like touching social media. However, as an independent (indie) writer, it was obvious that I would have to get over it. That is an ongoing challenge for me. I wasn’t simply brought up to be modest. When I was growing up, if it even looked like I was about to say something good about myself, I was cut down harshly.
It makes me feel a little better about blowing my own horn if I can promote others. That’s one reason why I enjoy featuring people at my blog, when I write my “three things” style of spontaneous serials. I just started a new one in August. It’s an “atom punk” fantasy (1940s – 50s for the level of technology) called “The Armadillo Files.” I publish an episode each weekend, at www.teagansbooks.com.
10. If you wanted to leave a message for posterity in one of your books what would it be?
I suppose, in a way, I’m taking a cue from Shakespeare with to thine own self be true. Most of my heroines have to be true to themselves, regardless of the lack of acceptance that might come with it. Whether they are just a bit different than their friends, or quirky, particularly unusual, they are themselves. Sure, we all want to be accepted and be part of things. However, we can’t underestimate the value of our uniqueness.
Valentina, thanks very much for letting me visit with you today. Any of my books can be found via my Amazon author page. Here’s a universal link: relinks.me/TeaganRiordainGeneviene
It is a pleasure to have you as my guest, Teagan. I always admire your imagination.
I can also be reached through these social media links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/teagangeneviene
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeagansBooks
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/teagangeneviene/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoM-z7_iH5t2_7aNpy3vG-Q
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teagangeneviene/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Teagan-Riordain-Geneviene/e/B00HHDXHVM
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I am a bit like you, Teagan, when it comes to marketing my books, I don’t like to sell, but I must. Allow me to showcase my books. They are on Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Valentina Cirasola is an interior-fashion designer/consultant, author of 6 published books, a storyteller, and a blogger of many years. She writes about many subjects. Her books are non-fictional practical ideas to apply in the home, fashion, cooking and travel. She has conceived a few new books to be published in the immediate future to which she is working simultaneously. Amazon Author’s Page
Valentina Expressions 