As her debut novel, Starborn, is being published, we interviewed new author and bookseller Lucy Hounsom.
Hello, Lucy: welcome to SFFWorld.
Let’s start with your new book, Starborn.
Q: Can you tell us a bit about your novel, please, for anyone who doesn’t know already?
A: On the surface, Starborn is a traditional fantasy in the vein of Trudi Canavan or David Eddings. It’s the story of a young woman called Kyndra who discovers that she (and indeed the world as she knows it) might not be all they appear. After a disastrous coming of age ceremony, she finds herself fleeing her home in the company of two strangers, who take her halfway across the world to a hidden subterranean citadel – the home of the fabled Wielders, who can draw upon the energy of the sun and moon. It’s here she begins to uncover a truth long forgotten by everyone except a fanatical sect living in the depths of the citadel and their mysterious leader – a truth inextricably bound up with her own destiny.
Q: I noticed almost straight away that your main character, Kyndra, is a strong one. She has to be, to deal with some of the things that happen to her! Can you give us some insight into your main character. Is she based on anyone in particular?
A: I wanted to create a protagonist to challenge the concept of traditional heroism. Garion of The Belgariad, for example, exhibits the traits of a hero from the beginning: he’s compassionate, hardworking, down-to-earth and generally a nice guy, who the leaders of the world’s nations end up glad to follow. Kyndra on the other hand can be diffident, a tad inconsiderate and young for her age, despite the fact that, like Garion, she’s had a pretty secure and comfortable upbringing. Those traits echo the destiny awaiting her, which is not wholly a hero’s destiny.
It’s said one man’s heroism is another man’s tyranny. That idea lies at the heart of the story and Kyndra’s character reflects my desire to explore it. The more I move away from the Tolkienesque fantasies of the 70’s and 80’s, the more heroism becomes a concept rather than a character trait. And like any concept, it’s open to interpretation and discussion.
Q: One of the main ideas of the book seems to be that magic is rather elemental. Why did you decide to use this idea in your imagined world?
A: From the outset, I tried not to call it ‘magic’, instead referring to it as ‘energy’, perhaps because (in my mind) it makes it more accessible and less mysterious. I wanted to use a source of power already present and familiar in the world, something of a natural order. I envision it as a way of life for the Wielders, an ability that defines them, rather than presenting it as a gift or curse as magic is often dubbed. The power inherent in the stars is different in that it exacts a price for its use, as all great power ought to.
Q: As the plot develops it is pretty clear that Starborn is, amongst other things, a ‘rite-of-passage’ novel. How important to you was that aspect of the plot?
A: All my favourite fantasy books and especially the ones I read during my teens are at their heart rites of passage. It’s a highly compelling and traditional model that will never go out of fashion because it embodies the journey we all make from childhood to adulthood. It can be a tough even fatal journey, and fantasy is the perfect medium through which to explore it, as the genre deals so heavily in archetypes, which underpin the human psyche.
Q: I understand Starborn is your debut novel, how long did it take to write?
A: The first draft took 13 months. I wasn’t working to deadline back then!
Q: Can you tell us a bit about the process that led to the book being published?
A: The book that became Starborn went through four drafts before I found an agent to represent me. I started sending it out to agencies a bit too early and received some feedback that led to a significant rewrite. When that was done, I began the process again. I had lots more rejections, but several were positive this time, so I knew the book had promise – it was just about finding the right agent. I polished it some more and worked on improving my cover letter and, in August 2013, I finally found representation. I spent another month fine-tuning with my agent’s help and then the manuscript went on submission to publishers. After a few nail-biting weeks, my editor at Tor made an offer and the rest is history!
Q: Now that you have your first book written, what is the one thing that you’re most proud about it?
A: This will sound egotistical, but my characters. And though I’m happy to have introduced them to the world, I still have much more to learn about them (if they’ll continue to tell me their stories, that is).
Q: And I guess we have to follow that question up with ‘What was the hardest thing about writing it?’
A: Definitely plotting and structure. I’m a gardener, as George R R Martin famously puts it, rather than an architect. I start writing with only the vaguest idea of where I’m heading and I use the journey itself as a means of creation. While this works for me, it’s difficult to ensure that the framework of the story is robust enough to support it. Plotting is still my toughest challenge and I suspect it always will be.
Q: I understand that it is the first of a series? Presumably this is a trilogy – how far are the rest of the books in the series mapped out?
A: See above! Book Two is close to being finished, but I still don’t know how it’ll turn out until I actually write the ending. Book Three is an ephemeral cluster of ideas in my head with absolutely no substance until I start writing it. (I hope my editor isn’t reading this…)
Ha ha! OK – let’s move away from the book a little.
Q:How did you start writing? Was there a particular book or moment in your life that spurred you on?
A: My teenage years were shaped by Harry Potter. Those books, alongside Tolkien, literally defined my existence and simultaneously made me want to be a writer. I worked on a fantasy novel for two years whilst at school and finished it around 15 or 16. Although it’s terribly embarrassing now, I had the best time writing it and since then, I’ve never wanted to do anything else.
Q: As if writing a book wasn’t enough, I understand that you’re also a bookseller for UK bookstore chain Waterstones. (Did you know Ben Aaronovitch, of the Peter Grant books, was at one time also?) I know that some may think that this would give you an insight into writing and selling the book – was that the case? Or did it intimidate you when writing? (I have had writers tell me that before.)
A: A lot of booksellers are or become writers – I think the two occupations easily go hand in hand. On seeing new books come into the store, you do get a feel for what’s popular and what’s selling. That’s the commercial side of writing. I’d never dream of telling an author to jump on the bandwagon, but it doesn’t hurt to be aware of trends if your aim is to be published. Every time I shelved books in the sci-fi and fantasy section, it spurred me on to finish my own novel – like a constant reminder of the end goal.
Q: What is it about the genre of Fantasy that you like?
A: The last time I answered this question, it ended in an essay-length article! I love fantasy for its possibilities, its powerful nostalgia for bygone eras. I love the genre’s many faces from dragons to sorcerers to feats of arms. I love magic and adventure and conflict, and the way fantasy embodies essential human archetypes. It allows us to ask poignant questions about society while sweeping us off on an epic journey with characters in whom we come to see ourselves. I guess the short answer is that it calls to something enduring in the heart of me.
Q: What sort of research, if any, did you do for your book?
A: All sorts of little things like how far can horses travel in a day; whether they’d eat grass if left to graze on a hillside (I know nothing about horses)! How long exactly is a league compared to a mile? Geographical questions about rivers and deserts and seas. Also – bit less pleasant – I had to research pictures of burns from mild to major so I could accurately describe what they looked like. One interesting fact I learned was that the worse a burn is, the less it probably hurts – the nerves have been too badly damaged to receive pain signals.
Q: For your own reading, do you prefer – e-books or traditional paper/hardback books?
A: Oh paper – hands down. For me, the act of reading is multi-sensory. The smell of the pages, the feel of them between my fingers…all of that contributes to my experience of a story.
Q: What kind of books do you read for pleasure, any favourite authors?
A: I don’t think it’ll surprise you when I say mostly fantasy. I love grandmaster Tolkien, of course, but also J. K. Rowling, Robin Hobb, Philip Reeve, Patricia McKillip, Susan Cooper, Alan Garner… Most recently I’m really into Jen Williams’ books. They’re just the type of fantasy I love – traditional epic adventure reinvented for a modern audience.
Q: What do you do when you’re not writing, any hobbies?
A: I’ve played the piano since I was 8 and I have an upright downstairs where I go and tinker for a change of scene. I am also a huge Elder Scrolls fan, especially Morrowind and Skyrim. Many hours lost there.
Q: And finally, how are the next books coming along?
A: As I say, Book Two is nearly finished. I’m afraid I don’t have a title for you, as it’s the last thing I tackle. I tend to focus on one major project at a time, so I’ll be sticking with the world and characters of Starborn for a couple more years. I’m entertaining the idea of a prequel, but we’ll have to see.
Many thanks!
Thanks for having me!
Starborn is published on the 23rd April by TOR UK Books.
