Zaria Fierce – Page 3

Recap: Grand Opening of Titusville Splash Park

June 16, 2017 By Keira Gillett

I had a great time last Saturday at the grand opening of the Titusville Splash Park. I heard about the event through my friend Amy. She knew I was looking for opportunities to bring my books to the public and this community event was a perfect match. I even got to meet the mayor! The kids had a great time with the goodies provided by the various vendors and the splash park was a huge success.

Lots of wonderful people came by the tent to inquire about my books and I gave out lots of cards, encouraging them to look me up on Amazon and to check the books out from the county library system. Zaria and I made some new fans which is great. I couldn’t ask for better!

One thing I plan to get, and in fact have already ordered, is an official banner to put in front of my table for future events. It’s the only thing I would change. Thanks everyone for stopping by and saying hello. Here are some highlights of the day!

4 Reasons Every Fiction Author Should Go On Escape Room Adventures

June 1, 2017 By Keira Gillett

Escape room games are a new source of entertainment sweeping the nation and gaining in popularity. I didn’t know much about them, other than my hubby saying the idea for them is based off the Saw franchise. I’m not into horror so I put the idea of doing one on the back burner. I didn’t really think the rooms were all designed for cheap horror thrills, like a haunted house, but I didn’t know what to expect either. It wasn’t until seeing Geek and Sundry’s Escape Room web series that I got super excited. It was the catalyst for me to jump in head first and try one out.

Having now completed two different scenarios (technically escaping only one, and missing the other by a one-to-two minute margin), I fully recommend trying them out for all, and feel that every fiction author should do one to improve their writing, and not just for mystery writers, but for any genre. Here’s how:

Finding Clues: Escape rooms are all about observation. It teaches gamers about what’s worth noticing. When it comes to sprinkling legitimate clues and red herrings, escape rooms are a great way to sort through possible clues in your writing. For instance, if you see a locked door, obviously you want to open it. In a recent room I did, the locked door was a red herring. If you focused too much of your time on opening it, you’d never complete the scenario. What sort of clues can you sprinkle in your writing that draw your characters’ and readers’ attention while also planting the real clues more subtly?
Solving Puzzles: Escape rooms will chain together puzzles. Not in every case, but in enough to be mindful that not everything is one and done. Sometimes clues are doubly important. Solving them takes creative thinking, matching several observations together, deduction, and other skills to put it all together. These will help you as an author, figure out how to get your characters to arrive at the solution, and bring your readers along with you in a way that makes sense and doesn’t feel half-baked.
Teamwork: Escape rooms are not a single person effort. It requires many people, communicating and noodling their way through the scenario. As fun as the Sherlock Holmes archetype is, your main character shouldn’t always be the one with the solution or the observation that leads to winning the day. Sometimes puzzles are unsolvable alone, someone else has part of your puzzle. How can you get your characters involved with other people to find the crucial missing pieces? Do they talk to an authority? A witness? A neighbor?
Immersive: Escape rooms are an experience, as oppose to playing a puzzle game on your computer, which is not immersive. In an escape room there’s sounds, lights, props, sets, and more. Everything you do in one involves your senses. Everything is chosen specifically and with purpose. They draw you in. Your writing should do the same. When you build a scene, start with your theme and go from there. Add your touches to pull in your readers’ imagination. Play to their expectations when creating atmosphere and scenery. Then surprise them. Delight them! Make them want to dig deeper. Your choice in words and storytelling should be evocative.

Escape rooms are a wonderful tool in author’s toolkit, and plus it’s so much fun to do. Your readers will also thrill in solving puzzles, chaining together a series of clues, and completing a set of challenges. Good luck and may you have a great escape! 🙂

Thinking of other books, which feature fun immersive games/challenges, off the top of my head, I enjoyed the Triwizard Tournament from Harry Potter, the 74^th and 75^th Hunger Games from the trilogy with the same name, the Encyclopedia Brown mysteries, Nancy Drew mysteries, the Testing in the trilogy with the same name, and the Selection in the trilogy with the same name.

In the Zaria Fierce Series there are two such sequences a few books apart. The first in book two involving the fey in Niffleheim. Zaria and her friends must win two of three challenges. The stakes are high and they can’t afford to be outmatched. Now the next trials they’ll face is in a future book, also with the fairies. If you recall from book two, I said fairies love games. You’ll see what I mean when the gang reaches Niffleheim again.

What are your favorite tests/challenges/puzzles/trials/tournaments in books?

Write Ahead of Your Publishing Schedule

May 25, 2017 By Keira Gillett

I’m a huge advocate of writing ahead of your publishing schedule. Whether it is self-imposed, or a deadline set upon you by your publisher, the quicker you can crush that deadline, the better off you’ll be. Getting ahead of the game provides great benefits for you and for your writing, such as freeing up your time and your energies for other tasks and activities. When you’re ahead in your writing, you’re not stressed or pressed for time, and you can step back, think, and make adjustments to the story line. It’s a great position to be in, and you can be right there with me, if you aren’t already.

When I started publishing Zaria Fierce, I cut my timeline short between writing and publishing by two months, because I was so excited to get the book out and become a published author. I wrote the book and published it within a six month time span instead of an eight to 12 month time span, which hampered me in some respects. I wasn’t as prepared for book one or book two as I could have been. This is especially apparent to me from a marketing standpoint. I’m still figuring this whole marketing thing out, so I don’t beat myself up too badly about the abbreviated timeline. And happily, I built back into my timeline those missing months and even more time besides.

So how far along am I? I’m about a one-fifth to one-quarter of the way through the newest story and conclusion to Aleks Mickelsen’s trilogy. No, you didn’t read that wrong. Today, as I am nearing the publication of the fourth book in the Zaria Fierce series, which is the first in Aleks’ trilogy, I’m writing book six. This is fantastic, because I can make changes to book five if something comes to me as I’m writing book six that requires foreshadowing or prior-knowledge from one or more of the characters.

I have done this before with previous books. Something has nearly cropped up in all of my books that requires planting it’s seeds in an earlier one. An example I can give that doesn’t spoil readers (at least for the upcoming books in Aleks’ trilogy) is the time I went and added the term “Golden Kings” to book one due to developments in book two. This type of detail fleshes out a world and gives it more depth, a common history/knowledge/vernacular, and vividness. If you’re not giving yourself the space and time to be able to add these nuggets into your writing, you could potentially miss out on chaining and building really great story-telling elements into your books.

Being as far ahead as I am in my own writing schedule, I am able to research more for future books, and work on my marketing for the books which are already published (something I really need to do!) I can also use this free time to build my newsletter list, write blog posts, or hold a book reading/signing event. I can use the time to plan a vacation or attend a friend’s wedding. The only true thing I have to worry about now is not spoiling for readers what happens next, because I know so much more than they do or will even after the Twice-Lost Fairy Well comes out.

I hope I’ve sold you on my writing style and its benefits. If you want to be in a similar position I have a few tips for you, which will get you there.

3 Things You Can Do Now to Crush Writing the First Draft for Your Current WIP

Set goals like a crazy person. The more writing goals you can set the better. When I set writing goals, I ensure that they chain together, and help motivate me to reach the next goal, and the next, and the next. Each one acts like a springboard to push myself to the next level. I do this by setting word count goals (off-set from 500/1000 to 200/700, so even my non-goals of 500/1000 act like goals). I set chapter goals (big picture items, plotting, pacing, and planning for a certain number of chapters). I set micro goals – e.g. finish the scene. I set macro goals – e.g. link these two areas of the story together. The more goals I have across the various levels the better off I am, because it keeps me constantly moving and writing and before I even know it, I’ve written thousands of words and finished my first draft.
Make writing a habit. Not only should you be setting writing goals to churn out word count, you should be making your writing a long-term habit. Write on a schedule. If you want to write every day, set aside time to do so. If you only want to write Monday through Friday, plan for it. Set aside a place to write and a time. You can even take it a step further by securing the clothes you’ll wear, the food you’ll need, your drink of choice, your writing music playlist, shutting off your phone, unplugging your modem, whatever it is. Minimize interruptions and distractions. Stick to your plans and your butt-in-chair time will equal progress on your current draft.
Do not edit. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Do not waste time editing now. Don’t look up stuff now. This time is for writing the book. Got a question? Can’t remember a character’s hair color? Don’t know who did what or said what in what scene from before? Write down what you think you know. Highlight it. When you come back for your second draft, do the research then. It’s not worth losing a train of thought to fix something immediately that you can fix later. Your train of thought is the most precious thing your book has got going for it. Don’t screw it up by focusing on the nitty gritty. Write. Write. Write. It’s okay to be thin on facts and details as long as you get the ideas out there. You can always edit until your blue in the face later, fixing what you got incorrect and fleshing out sequences that are missing their “potatoes.”

As a self-published author, being ahead of schedule is huge for me. I work hard (and play hard) to get the first draft out. Afterward, because I have built-in time, I can set aside the draft, instead of racing into editing. I can wait on notes from beta readers and trusted persons, to learn what worked and what didn’t. And while I wait for those notes, I can start the next book. See? Always chaining those goals together even across WIPs.

I hope these writing tips have helped you, and fired you up to tackle your WIP. Good luck my friend and happy writing!

Good Gracious! Are Those Actual Parents?

May 16, 2017 By Keira Gillett

When writing Zaria Fierce I made the conscious decision to go against the typical relationships found in middle grade and young adult novels between parents or guardians, and the kids in their care. Absent/neglectful/cruel adults make it easier to send kids on adventures in books, but I wanted to see a bond between parents and their progeny that drew from my siblings’ and mine experiences in my family growing up.

So Zaria is adopted, an only child, has lovely parents, and is well adjusted. Queue the *horror.*

What will you write about without all that teen drama?!?!? Wait! Adopted?

Adoptive parents can be absolutely wonderful people. They’re not all mean. Just like step-parents aren’t all nasty despite the rampant evil stepmothers throughout fairy tales and literature… or aunts, uncles, grandparents, foster parents, and other guardians… take your pick. Fictional kids can be like real kids and come from happy homes. I wanted my heroine to experience the same.

As for the relationships, I modeled Merry Fierce and Zaria’s relationship off of my relationship with my mom. Mom Gillett is a cool mom if I do say so myself. If I wanted to play hooky, she’d play hooky with me. If I wanted to be checked out for a lunch date, we’d do that. If I wanted to desperately attend a midnight premiere for Harry Potter while on a family road trip she somehow made it work. In high school, she let my best friend stay with us while her dad was out of the country. We traveled the world together and are the best of friends. (Love you mom!)

When it came time to write, I poured that love into Merry’s and Zaria’s relationship.

And I don’t stop there.

Colonel Fierce is hard-working, attentive, loving, strict, and obliging.
Emma Johansen (Christoffer’s mum) is kind, concerned, intelligent, and loving.
Samuel and Naia Mickelsen (Aleks’ parents) are attentive, supportive, and kind.
Aleks also has a good relationship with his grandparents. Ava on one side and Remigus on the other.
Mrs. Storstrand (Filip’s mom) is strict, fair, and loving.

The adults are all good people and yet the kids still get to go on adventures all over Norway to reach Gloomwood Forest. See parents don’t ruin all the fun! So how do the kids do it? Aha! Good question. Discover the answer in Zaria Fierce and the Secret of Gloomwood Forest. It has to do with a mysterious egg-shaped object.

What other books have you read where the adults are good people and have good relationships with their kids or wards?

World-Building: Zones in Zaria Fierce

April 25, 2017 By Keira Gillett

Jötunheim – Giant-land. The giant’s home is north of Gloomwood Forest. The giants are known for their master craftsmanship, farming, and love of music. Giant artisans make gorgeous furniture in miniature (full-size for humans.) Giants are poor musicians, but they love music and iPads.

Álfheim – Land of elves. The city is built in the trees surrounding a wide glade near Gloomwood Forest. The light there is always silver from the frosted glass architecture of their buildings. The elves domesticated bears, wolves, reindeer, and winter-wyverns. Elves thirst for knowledge and are particularly interested in various sciences. They’re adapting to human technologies but focus most on water and solar energy extraction.

Elleken – Home of the ellefolken. Ellefolken or elk-folk are forest folk who prefer living around alder trees. Some would say they are cousins to the elves and there is much intermarrying between the two groups. The ellefolken live in the midst of Gloomwood Forest. A special place to them is a glade called the Golden Kings. Most of their population is female. There are three males at any time: the king, the heir, and the spare.

Under Realm – Queen Helena’s turf. The realm is a prison, hidden inside a mystical void whose barriers are defined by the roots of the Elleken kings. The dragons of the world have been hunted and entrapped in the realm. The Gjöll river flows between the Under Realm and the real world, spanned by the Gjallarbrú bridge. You will need a special pair of shoes to cross the bridge to enter the realm and you’ll have to find a way to get them off your feet to leave.

Trolgar – Mountain-troll kingdom. Hidden underground between human civilization and Gloomwood Forest lies the kingdom of mountain-trolls. Their king has a deep connection to the mountain and bedrock. He can make the mountain grow stalagmites as tall as buildings. The trolls are very good hunters and lead a Wild Hunt to track down threats to the realm.

Glomma – Olaf’s river. Olaf is a river-troll with an agenda. He controls the Glomma and can demand tribute from all who can cross it. Mountain-trolls vary from river-trolls in appearance and mannerisms. Olaf is a solitary creature whereas the trolls in Trolgar are very social and live in a city. Don’t get on Olaf’s bad side!

World-Building One Word at a Time

April 20, 2017 By Keira Gillett

I started my writing career as an elementary kid with a penchant for fairies. Young as I was, even back then I was writing a book series in which every book relied on the world-building I had created. I was a bit haphazard in my approach, after all I was a kid, but I took the lessons I learned and funneled them into the next project, and the next, and the next.

These days I write about fantasy adventures set in Norway, following a group of kids as they take on bad guys in their attempt to save the world. Each book builds on the last and adds new dimension to the world I’ve created. Have you ever wondered how to do that yourself? From my experience it takes time and patience, trial and error, research, and a willingness to explore the world as if you were the reader and not the author.

Let me take you through the journey of how Zaria Fierce came to be.

If you’ve followed me for some time, you may have heard the story of how I started the books with my main character, but I had no idea what to do with her. Zaria was an enigma waiting for me to puzzle out. I tried placing her in different places and with different settings, but nothing gelled. It was pretty frustrating because Zaria Fierce had become like a friend to me. She and I were on a journey together, but every start proved to be the wrong move.

Eventually, I had an eureka moment. Zaria and I landed in the middle of Norway. Immediately, the setting felt right to me. Zaria had a home. She didn’t have much else, but she and I had made progress. We were no longer searching in the dark for a place to start her story, we had found it and it was just right, as Goldilocks would say.

Next, came figuring out her antagonist. We had tried several things along the way in our search for the right setting, but nothing had panned out. I didn’t want any of those bad guys. They were too pedestrian. So Zaria and I wrote about going to school and seemingly out of nowhere a bridge appeared and then a troll! It wasn’t out of nowhere though. I have loved Norwegian folklore for a long time – one example of this is that my favorite ride at Epicot was the Norwegian ride when it was Maelstrom. I had a rich background to draw upon and I immediately followed up by reading other folktales.

It’s been a few years and a few books later from those humble beginnings. Zaria and her friends have encountered a lot on their adventures. We have seafaring trolls, giants with whale pods, wyverns that can fly, wyverns that can swim, ellefolken princes who transform, a witch in the woods without a name, and a changeling who wants to be human.

Speaking of that changeling, Aleks Mickelsen is going to be taking on the mantle of storyteller in the next three books. We’ll be seeing the world through his eyes. It’s been so much fun to dive back into the world Zaria and I created together. Aleks’ stories will plumb the depths of the world and bring out new facets. We’ll meet troll kids and befriend new creatures and face new bad guys. I hope you’ll join us on the next Fierce Adventure – Aleks Mickelsen and the Twice-Lost Fairy Well!

A Rose by Any Other Name is a Cabbage

April 11, 2017 By Keira Gillett

Shakespeare might have said that a rose by any other name smells just as sweet and in normal life this is a truism. However, in the realm of stories a rose is sweet because it is a rose. Words are what an author relies on to convey meaning. This is why naming of characters, places, and things is so important.

Authors agonize over names, searching for the right one, in the same way my college friend loved to take a dozen photos of the same thing in order to choose the perfect one to Photoshop and then share. As my friend would say and many authors too, it’s worth the effort.

Take my stories as an example of how naming is important. Zaria Fierce is here today in all her glory because of her name. I had a small set of parameters when I went to name her. It had to be catchy like Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Artemis Fowl, James Bond, Sherlock Holmes, and other characters we know and love from literature.

It had to mean something. Zaria means princess, which is integral to the storyline. Fierce, because Zaria would be taken through a transformative character arc, where she starts out shy and withdrawn and ends up as a fabulous and fierce heroine.

Many characters in the Zaria Fierce Trilogy benefit from similar attention to detail. Names are evocative and denote a lot on their own and through social context.

Olaf might be to you a happy snowman from Frozen, but to me he is a mean-spirited troll with an agenda to reclaim a river that was once his.

I like to juxtapose preconceived notions of names. I also like to cater to those in the know and find names that feel like other names. These more aspirational names are sprinkled around and the prime example is Floki, a dwarf prince. You can guess from his name that he’s not the kindest of dwarves.

I even choose names that sound like something else we know, like Koll, the first dragon. He’s pitch-black with red scale patterns just like the live coal his name evokes.

Do you have a favorite name in the Zaria Fierce realm? Who do you think is named the best?

(Bonus, do you know what flower I shared with this article? Hint: It’s not a rose.)

Open Mic Night: Reading from Chapter 2 of Zaria Fierce and the Enchanted Drakeland Sword

February 23, 2017 By Keira Gillett

I got an opportunity to head to a friend’s open mic night that they hosted late last year. Should have posted this earlier. Whoops! It was quite fun. Lots of wonderful individuals stood up to sing, play music, read poetry, and book excerpts. I got to do the last one. Let me know what you think!

Animated: Hart’s Transformation

February 23, 2017 By Keira Gillett

I am truly humbled by the enthusiastic support of Michele Carpenter, the narrator for the Zaria Fierce Trilogy. She loves the books as much as I do and spends her days thinking about them just like me. Today she shared with me an outstanding animation she did of a pivotal scene from the third book in the series. Watch as Hart becomes Henrik!

You will need to be on a computer to view the animation properly.

Be sure to tell her how much you loved her animation project! We may just get more if you do. 😉

Thank you so much Michele! I absolutely love it!!!

Mark Your Calendars for a Fierce Book Event: 12-17-16 at the Suntree Viera Library

December 2, 2016 By Keira Gillett

Join me for a reading from the third book in the Zaria Fierce Trilogy at the Suntree Viera Public Library. Following the reading there will be time for a Q&A and a chance to get your books signed. There will be a limited number of books available for purchase at the event. Zaria Fierce is the perfect gift for a reader in your life. I look forward to seeing you there!

When: Saturday, December 17, 2016
Book: Zaria Fierce and the Dragon Keeper’s Golden Shoes
Time: 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Where: Suntree Viera Public Library

Address: 902 Jordan Blass Dr.
Melbourne, FL 32940
Phone: (321) 255-4404
Hours: Sat. 9AM–5PM

Facebook Event Link

Second Draft Complete on Aleks Mickelsen and the Twice-Lost Fairy Well

November 15, 2016 By Keira Gillett

Hello lovely readers!

I’ve been busily writing and working on Aleks Mickelsen and the Twice-Lost Fairy Well, the next in the series for Zaria Fierce and her friends. A new dragon is on the loose. Trouble is throttling full steam ahead and our changeling hero is about to bite off more than he can chew with this adventure.

Stats:

First Draft Completed: Aug 10, 2016
Word Count: 39,395 words

Second Draft Completed: Nov 3, 2016
Word Count: 45,061 words

Who’s ready for another trip to enchanted Norway?

Get a Sneak Peek of the Enchanting Lands of Norway Map + Interview with its Artist, Fantasy Cartographer Kaitlin Statz

September 13, 2016 By Keira Gillett

Keira Gillett (Author): I am absolutely, positively thrilled to share with you all a sneak peek of the Enchanting Lands of Norway Map that’s going to appear in future books of the Zaria Fierce series. Kaitlin Statz is the artist, illustrator, and fantasy cartographer behind the map and she’s done the most outstanding job. After the map was completed I asked her if I could interview her and she graciously agreed. Let’s get started! Kaitlin, I heard you are a self-taught artist. How did you get started? What was your first medium?

Kaitlin Statz (Artist): I have been drawing since I was a child, though not all my childhood pieces could be considered art. I moved around a lot as a child and I enjoyed being able to take my hobbies with me wherever I went. As a kid pencils were my primary medium and I could sneak sketches and illustrations into my school notes or the backs of notebooks. As for starting on real works later in life, I had standard art classes in High School but I took them really seriously. I would sign myself out of study hour to go to the art room, stay after school for hours working on pieces, and take pieces home for extra time. It was during High School that I placed some pieces into a local art show or two and after I won some ribbons I was hooked. I didn’t take art classes in college, in fact my college would not let me, but I created art in my spare time and crafted my own course to study archaeological illustration with my archaeology professor. I was never going to let art go, and it took until after my Master’s degree to actually embrace art as my career.

Keira: What got you interested in cartography? How does that differ from other art that you do? How is it the same?

Kaitlin: I became actively interested in cartography in college. During my archaeological illustration course I had an assignment; taking an archaeological site map drawn topographically and interpreting it into a Maler map. This was published in a Spanish-language archaeological journal I believe, but the experience sparked my enthusiasm for cartography.

While my first map was for more certain scientific purposes, the fantasy maps I create differ from most art I make through the application of more specific knowledge. Topography, geography, weather patterns; I like to attempt to include logical assumptions and interpretations in every map I create.

Keira: That is ridiculously cool. It’s no wonder your fantasy maps are so beautiful and detailed. How did you come to start drawing fantasy maps?

Kaitlin: Dungeons and Dragons! My first fantasy map was a quick D&D sketch that went nowhere, but soon enough I had friends who wanted maps for their ever-growing games. From there, my fantasy cartography skills spread to people outside my social circles and to realms outside D&D.

Keira: That’s fabulous! Who knew that a favorite pastime could lead to what you do today. What’s the hardest part about drawing maps? The most fun?

Kaitlin: The most difficult aspect of drawing a map can be interpreting an author or creator’s ideas into a full illustration. When I work with people to create their worlds, I must take extreme caution and care build the world they have been dreaming of. This is something that I can help solidify for the creator, but that I can never fully understand myself.

As for fun, personal maps, it feels most fun to create mountain ranges. I know that sounds like a tiny part of the job, and it is, but something about mapping out mountains and inking them in feels the most like bringing a world to life.

Keira: You did take good care of Zaria Fierce’s world. The map is stunning and I too love your mountain ranges. They pop! What are some of the differences between a city map and an overview land map? Does your style change from one map type to another?

Kaitlin: The major difference between city maps and landmass maps is detail. In a landmass map, I draw whole mountains, but in the city map I have to draw in small windows, or the tiles of a roof. A city map drawn in a 4-inch square will take up to six times longer than a landmass drawn in that same tiny square. I’ve drawn several city maps and due to the amount of detail and planning required they are the most difficult fantasy cartography projects I have ever undertaken. While I don’t believe my style changes between the two types of maps, there can be little to no overlap in the types of symbols used. A city map may never show a tree, while a continent may be covered in them.

Keira: I love all the trees on the Enchanted Lands of Norway map, it’s amazing how a few trees can shape a landmass map. What does the process look like for creating maps? How do you go from concept to actualization?

Kaitlin: My fantasy cartography process has several steps, starting with consultation. Every client has his or her own imagined world. Some have it down on paper, others only in their minds. The consultation process is a step-by-step interpretation where I take their words and ideas and begin to form the shapes and symbolism needed for their world. After I believe I have an interpretable understanding, I begin sketching. Everything is drawn in light graphite and is easily editable, able to change to fit what the world should be through the minds of the original creator. After several stages of edits, when I finally receive the perfect ‘okay’, I will ink the map, adding the smaller details and definition needed to make a striking piece that people enjoy getting lost in.

Keira: You did a great job interpreting my doodle maps and breathing life into the world. It’s so much fun to see everything all perfectly laid out. I absolutely love it. What was your favorite part about illustrating the Enchanted Lands of Norway map for the Zaria Fierce series? What were some of the challenges?

Kaitlin: There were two major challenges I faced when creating the Enchanted Lands of Norway map for the Zaria Fierce series. First, creating an accurate representation of the complex and island-populated shoreline of Norway. The second, getting a feel for the books’ atmosphere and world so that I could incorporate the fantasy elements into the real-world map. This also turned out to be my favorite part. I enjoyed drawing in the tiny illustrations to denote areas of the map and tie the map more directly into the books. The inclusion of such illustrations in a map was a new endeavor for me, and one that I am proud of.

Keira: Well I for one think you did a fabulous job. The shoreline is wonderful. It’s fun to get lost in the little islands, and the illustrations to highlight the magical places on the map are some of my very favorite things too. I love your whales for instance by Seiland Island and Trolgar and the Glade of the Golden Kings, to name just a few. If you were a magical creature or being from the books what would you like to be? Your choices are sorceress, elf, fairy, giant, dwarf, river-troll, mountain-troll, brownie, ogre, hulder, mare, dragon, witch, wyvern, and banshee.

Kaitlin: Dwarf. Though, I may be biased from years of playing D&D. I always envied how hard dwarves can work and the idea of living in one of the grand underground cities such as Jerndor or Malmdor is breathtaking, certainly if adorned with gems! So, either a dwarf, or something that can fly. It’s contradictory, I know, but I either want to live beneath the ground or fly above it!

Keira: Oh yeah, Jerndor has a ton of gems. They’re everywhere, decorating shop signs, on jewelry, clothes, shoes, you name it, gems probably decorate it. Which magical kingdom in the Zaria Fierce world would you most like to visit and why?

Kaitlin: Does the Glade of the Golden Kings count as a magical kingdom? I am specifically interested in seeing some amazing talking gold trees, but if I had to live somewhere, I would probably choose the land of the dwarves.

Keira: The Glade does count, it’s part of the ellefolken kingdom. In fact you and I talked about their roving camp, Elleken, which has yet to be introduced into the series, and made sure it was on the map. With which character in the series do you most identify? Who would you want to meet in person?

Kaitlin: I identify most with Zaria. As a child I struggled with self-doubt and with understanding things about my path in life, or if I was strong enough to ‘defeat’ something, and Zaria faces many problems in relatable (and fantastic) ways throughout the books. She also has some wonderful, reliable friends, and I feel like I can rely on the people in my life just as much!

As for someone to meet… any of the dragons! I know they are frightening, but who would not want to meet a dragon!

Keira: Which dragon is the scariest to you: Koll, Fritjof, or Egil?

Kaitlin: I would have to choose Koll. A tricky sly dragon that aspires to raise a whole army of dragons, that’s some frightening initiative!

Keira: Indeed! Good choice. What does a typical day look like for you?

Kaitlin: Sadly, a typical day is just that, typical. I wake up and work out before breakfast and tea. Starting my actual work changes time depending on what I need to do that day. Sometimes, being an artist puts me on my computer answering emails or sending out notifications for hours before I can actually get a pen in my hand. I work until 5, and I work from home so lunch sometimes takes only ten minutes to eat. After that I make dinner! I love to cook and I am vegan so I cook a lot of my own means at home. It’s one of my hobbies. After dinner my partner Travis and I will walk our dog, Eezo, around the neighborhood. Afterwards we’ll watch a movie, play D&D or another game, write, or read most days. Overall, I live a rather normal life, just with more art and fantasy elements thrown in along the way.

Keira: Sounds like a great day to me! What are some things that you love to do outside of art?

Kaitlin: When I’m not working on art I enjoy many things! I am currently running a D&D campaign, but that only happens once every two weeks or so. I play with and walk my wonderful 10-month-old 80lb puppy, Eezo. I write scripts for the Parsec Award finalist podcast Liberty: Critical Research as well as short horror tales. Also, I spend time with my partner, Travis, watching movies, reading, and playing video and board games. We love to travel, but great adventurous trips are reserved for special vacations.

Keira: Who are your favorite classical, contemporary, and fantasy artists?

Kaitlin: I am inspired by the works of the contemporary traditional fantasy artist, Charles Vess, as well as the collections of fantastical art found in the annual Spectrum art books. More classical fantasy artists that I draw inspiration from include the fairytale works of Arthur Rackham and the original artworks of author J.R.R Tolkien.

Keira: If kids wanted to make their own maps what tips would you give them?

Kaitlin: It’s fun, so give it a try! You can even trick your parents into thinking it is educational by asking them questions like, “Where would a swamp form on a river?” or “What kinds of places surround a desert?”. Think about cities; if one city is on a coast, they are probably fishermen, so draw some boats out in the water! Maps are a great opportunity to be artistic and pick up some knowledge along the way.

Keira: Thank you, Kaitlin for joining me today! I had so much fun working with you on the world map for Zaria Fierce. I loved getting to know more about you, too. This was such fun and I hope everyone else will agree.

Readers, I hope you loved this sneak peek at the map. The full version will appear in Aleks Mickelsen and the Twice-Lost Fairy Well which releases next March. If you’re feeling creative, I’d love to see your Zaria inspired maps! If you make one be sure to e-mail it to me or tag me on social media. I bet Kaitlin would love to see them too. You can find her on the web using the links below.

Artist Bio: Kaitlin Statz grew up in a many of different places but currently lives in Sarasota, FL with her partner Travis and their young dog, Eezo. She attended New College of Florida and the University of Oxford for a life in the sciences before returning to her true love, art. She started her work as Statz Ink in 2015 and has been creating art ever since.