THE FIRE CHILDREN, Mythology, and Coming-of-Age with Lauren Roy

Lauren Roy, author of THE FIRE CHILDREN joins Fresh Fiction to talk about mythology, coming-of-age, and books she loves!

Jen: Lauren, thank you so much for joining us at Fresh Fiction.

Lauren: Thank you for having me!

Jen: I love the world you’ve created in THE FIRE CHILDREN. It is extraordinarily beautiful and richly imagined. The mythology is unique to this world, but it resonates because the stories of Mother Sun, Father Sea, Sister Moon, and the Wind because they feel like they could be part of our mythology. What kind of research went into THE FIRE CHILDREN and how did it shape the story in unexpected ways?

Lauren: I’m a big fan of mythology in general and creation stories in particular, so I’m not sure if years of gobbling them up like candy counts as research (at least, not consciously), but it definitely shaped the book. In my early plotting stages, I considered letting the stories just be stories – that Mother Sun was a plain ol’ star, and Sister Moon’s visit was simply an eclipse, but it never felt right. Their backstory was as compelling to me as Yulla’s, and when I thought about all those stories I loved where the gods were real, and the stars and planets had personalities, I realized it was the way I wanted this story to go, too.

Studying desert ecology, and knowing that some of the driest places on earth used to be covered by oceans gave me a lot of fodder for Father Sea, though the science is felt more than seen in the book. It didn’t hurt that while I was writing it, Curiosity was on Mars learning about the oceans that used to exist there as well. (I’m kind of a space nerd.) (I promise Kaladim is not on a far-past Mars.)

Jen: Yulla is compassionate, curious, and brave. She’s also on the verge of adulthood. I love the versam, the dance they perform on their sixteenth birthday to mark their transition away from childhood and into adulthood. Why do you think these coming-of-age rituals are so important to a culture?

Lauren: Our teenage years are so full of changes in a short span of time. That’s true of early childhood, too, but I think there’s a point in our teens where those changes become obvious to the kids going through them just as strongly as it is to the adults in their lives. Not only is the world throwing more at you, you’re learning how to handle it. Sometimes the problems that drop into your lap are grown- up ones, and you’re forced to deal with them, ready or not.

Coming-of-age rituals serve both as a way for the adults to acknowledge that the kids in their lives are growing up, and for the kids to get some of the recognition they deserve for making their way across that rickety bridge between childhood and adulthood.

Jen: I hope THE FIRE CHILDREN isn’t our last visit to the world of Kaladim because it’s so beautiful and richly described. Will there be a chance in the future to see Yulla and Ember?

I haven’t ruled it out! The two of them could definitely find more adventures out there, and Yulla’s curiosity is bound to lead her to wherever the excitement is. I’ve also toyed with telling the story of how Mother Sun and Sister Moon met, if the prequel itch starts up.

Jen: You also write the Night Owls series, which has a lot of sassy, humor from the main characters. Will we be seeing more of Elly and if so what can we look forward to at The Night Owl?

Lauren: The series is on hold for the moment (booo!), but I have book 3 milling about in my head (and also outlined, which didn’t kill me!) It’s called DEAD LETTERS, and would see the Jackals coming back to Edgewood to make everyone’s lives miserable. Elly has some hard choices to make regarding her parents and this odd little family that’s cobbled itself together.

Jen: What book has most influenced your writing?

Lauren: It’s actually two books: Stephen King’s THE STAND and Robert R. McCammon’s BOY'S LIFE. King taught me about character and plot, where McCammon taught me about voice. I’ve read them both more times than I can count – my copy of BOY'S LIFE is held together with a rubber band. The only reason THE STAND isn’t the same way is because it’s a hardcover. I can vouch for the quality of the binding!

Jen: Lauren, thank you so much for being with us today! I loved THE FIRE CHILDREN and can't wait to see what you'll write next!

GIVEAWAY

What books have you read so often it's held together with a rubber band? Leave a comment below and be entered a chance to win a copy of THE FIRE CHILDREN. 3 winners.

About Lauren Roy

Lauren M. Roy started out as an independent bookseller, moved on to Hachette Book Group (where she has been a telephone sales representative for ten years), and is now completing her bookselling hat trick as an author.

She has done some freelance writing for tabletop role-playing games, including Dragon Age, Trail of Cthulhu, and A Song of Ice and Fire Roleplaying.

Lauren lives in southeastern Massachusetts with her husband, their cats, and the ghosts of houseplants she forgets to water. She is a graduate of Viable Paradise, the science fiction and fantasy writers’ workshop

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About THE FIRE CHILDREN

Two children escape the darkness of their underground dwellings, to find adventure, magic and terrible danger await anyone who ventures above ground.

Fifteen years have passed since Mother Sun last sent her children to walk the world. When the eclipse comes, the people retreat to the caverns beneath the Kaladim, passing the days in total darkness while the Fire Children explore their world. It's death to even look upon them, the stories say.

Despite the warnings, Yulla gives in to her curiosity and ventures to the surface. There she witnesses the Witch Women — who rumors say worship dead Father Sea, rather than Mother Sun — capturing one of the Children and hauling her away. Yulla isn't the only one who saw the kidnapping; Ember, the last of the Fire Children, reveals himself to Yulla and implores her to help.

Trapped up above and hunted by the witches and the desert wind, Yulla and Ember must find a way free his siblings and put a stop to the Witch Womens' plans, before they can use the Fire Children to bind Mother Sun herself.