TinasBookReviews: Chatting with Authors- Featuring Janni Lee Simner

Today Im thrilled to have one of my favorite authors Janni Lee Simner stop by for a chat. Janni is the author of books like Bones of Faerie and Thief Eyes, she's also a former girl scout traveler and hosts her own blog: Desert Dispatches.

Janni- welcome to the blog and thanks for stopping by today. I would love for you to share with readers a little bit about yourself.

I've been writing stories pretty much since I to write at all, but started telling myself stories long before then. I currently live in the Arizona desert--where I love camping and hikingwith my husband and a couple of tuxedo kitties. (One of whom is working on world domination, the other of whom is working on perfecting her naps. Oddly enough, they get along pretty well.)

I've published three young adult novels: the post-apocalyptic faerie tales Bones of Faerie and Faerie Winter; and the Iceland-based fantasyThief Eyes. I've published four children's books as well, most recently Secret of the Three Treasures, and more than 30 short stories, including one in the recent Welcome to Bordertown anthology. I also have an essay in the just-released Dear Bully.

Ok can I just say cats who strive for world domination are always the best pets!!! Do you know whats even better than cats....your novel Bones of Faerie. Its one of my favorite YA books ever....what inspired you to write it?

Bones of Faerie actually began in the mid-90s, when I was living in St. Louis and just beginning to write seriously. I just sort of had an image and a feeling, and I sat down and wrote this http://www.simner.com/bonesoffaerie/excerpt.html">opening scene about a girl's sister being set out on a hillside to die for showing signs of magic. In it there was also mention of a War with Faerie.

I didn't know where that opening came from, or how one could possibly go to war with an imaginary realm. I did know that the opening terrified me, though--because I loved it, and because I had no idea what happened next. It took me years--twelve of them, in all--to figure out the rest of the story. Along the way I wrote and sold a bunch of other things. In many ways, I spent that time working on becoming good enough a writer to do Bones of Faerie justice, because I wanted--and needed--to tell that story so badly. It haunted me all through those years.

Have fairy tales always interested you and do you have any favorites?

Not a fairy tale exactly, but I imprinted on the faerie ballad Tam Lin back in college, when my roommate had a tape of it being sung that we played over and over again. That was when I began to think of faeries as a bit frightening, because of that ballad with its image of a faerie queen who would gladly turn someone into a tree, or take out their heart and replace it with one of stone, if that they didn't act as she wanted.

I'm also intrigued by the Twelve Dancing Princesses, but haven't explored that one in depth yet. And I love Sondheim's Into the Woods for its explorations of what fairy tales are really about, and what happens after the ever after.

(Note to self: Avoid faerie queens who want to rip my heart out.....)

As a YA author, are there any subjects you're interested in writing about outside the magical/fairy tale realm?

I mostly always write about magic one way or another, but I'm definitely interested in magic outside of as well as within fairy tales. My fascinations include the Icelandic sagas. Njal's Saga--which I was reading when I visited Iceland for the first time--wound up being the starting point for my novel Thief Eyes, a contemporary fantasy set in Iceland. It was in Njal's Saga that I first met Hallgerd, a woman whose uncle said she had the eyes of a thief, and who would go on to refuse her husband two locks of her hair when he needed to restring his bow in battle. I wrote Thief Eyes in part to understand Hallgerd better, and in part because I'd fallen in love with Iceland through my visits. No faeries in Thief Eyes, but there is a companionable arctic fox, a dangerous raven, and a geeky shapeshifting polar-bear boy.

Tacos or Hamburgers?

Oh, hard call. Can I take the chimichanga option instead?

HAHA- yes! My favorite food is enchilada's so I guess we both love eating Mexican food. Usually while Im eating really good food I love watching movies.....whats the last great movie you saw?

I'm incredibly picky about movies. The last few I'd call truly great (though I've seen good ones since then!) would Miyazaki films: Ponyo(most recently) and Spirited Away (before that). Really, anything by Miyazaki is pretty awesome.

I have not seen Ponyo yet, is that about a fish? Im not that picky about my movies...I mean give me a hot man and a decent plot...Im sold.....add some enchiladas and chips n salsa and oh my gosh it could be the worst movie ever and Id love it..but before I get all tangled in a hot men and food movie convo...What are you reading right now?

Silence, by Michelle Sagara, which is due out next year. I love her adult Sun Sword novels (written as Michelle West), so I'm really excited about her YA.

Books already out that I've loved recently include The Shattering (by Karen Healey), Give Up the Ghost (by Megan Crewe), and Pride and Prejudice. (by Jane Austen, of course--because yes, it really did take me until a few weeks ago to finally read it!)

Ohhh, I need to read Give Up the Ghost and The Shattering, they both sound great! Well Janni, thank you so much for chatting with me today, before you go can you share any future projects heading our way?

I just turned the third/final Faerie book to my editor. The working title is currently Faerie After, and it should be out in early 2013. It's been many years since I wrote the opening of Bones of Faerie, and I feel like Liza and I have traveled such a long way together since then and come to know each other well!

Wowza! Cant wait. Im so excited to see where you take Liza! Thanks again Janni for visiting and sending you happy vibes for your future writing!!

Janni Lee Simner was born aboard a pirate ship, but as soon as she came of age booked passage with a caravan bound for the Sahara, and spent the next decade as a seeker of lost cities, hidden tombs, and ancient artifacts. While hiding from assassins in the lost Library of Alexandria, however, she discovered she really preferred telling stories, and so she settled down in the Sonoran desert to write, interrupted only by the occasional map-bearing stranger or man-eating Gila monster.

8 comments:

MissieSeptember 26, 2011 at 10:26 AM

I don't think I've ever listened to a faerie ballad but what a way to get inspired.

And I'd take the taco, hamburger and chimichanga all rolled up in to one. LOL.

Thanks for the interview and for making me hungry.
Juju at Tales of Whimsy.comSeptember 26, 2011 at 11:09 AM

I'm a Mexican fiend myself ;)
JennySeptember 26, 2011 at 11:21 AM

Awesome interview ladies! You've both made me crave Mexican food though and now that's going to plague me the rest of the day. Love that this story took her 12 years to finally get out and that she wanted to be a better writer so she could do it justice. I'm definitely adding this to the list!
Rummanah AasiSeptember 26, 2011 at 12:19 PM

I love how authors get a burst of inspiration for a story and they have to write it out just to see where the story goes. I feel like I do the same thing as a reader. I'll definitely adding the faerie books in my tbr pile. Thanks for a great interview!
Bookish BrunetteSeptember 26, 2011 at 1:13 PM

The opening to Bones of Faerie was SO creepy!!! But awesome!
Jen (In the Closet With a Bibliophile)September 26, 2011 at 5:56 PM

I do appreciate a good man-eating Gila monster. They really are cute. LOL! I LOVE the 12 Dancing Princesses, it is my favorite fairytale. I wish there were more YA novels with that re-telling. It's such an amazing one! I also would love to devour a chimmichanga or maybe a taquito. Mmmm...deep fried...mmmmm!
LaurenSeptember 26, 2011 at 6:47 PM

Oh my goodness! Sounds like a book I'll need to check out--thanks, Tina! And thank you Madam Simner for coming up with something so creative!
Now I want to go for some pollo ranchero...mmmmm :)
PabkinsSeptember 26, 2011 at 7:06 PM

I absolutely loved Faerie Bones! I already but Winter and it is on my shelf right now and I am definitely looking forward to reading it. HOwever, I think I'm going to wait til the last one is almost out. I hate hate hate waiting so long inbetween books. I often do that - shelve books that I know are in a series even though I've loved the first one. I can't help it otherwise I'd have to read them all over again. Sometimes I don't mind re-reading but other times I just don't have the time.

Can't believe it took so many years to write the first one. I loved it!

Pabkins @ Mission to Read