Author Danyelle Leafty
Danyelle Leafty writes upper MG and YA fantasy, and is the author of THE
FAIRY GODMOTHER DILEMMA series. Danyelle has always loved fairy tales,
and prefers stories where someone gets eaten, or at the very least,
transmogrified. Much of her inspiration has come from fairy tales,
because as G.K. Chesterton so aptly states, "Fairy tales are more than
true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell
us that dragons can be beaten."
In her spare time, she collects dragons, talking frogs, and fairy
godmothers. She also collects books, and one day hopes to make a house
out of them. She enjoys learning languages, fiddling with her harp, and
perfecting the fine art of mothering. (It's a lot like trying to herd
chickens during a lightning storm while a goat stampede is going on.)
One of her heroes is Albert Einstein, particularly for the following
quote: "Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The
most important thing is not to stop questioning."
INTERVIEW:
What is your favorite fairy tale?
My favorite fairy tale is East O' the Sun, West O' the Moon.
There's something about the winds and the troll princess that have
always intrigued me.
Which fairy tale character is your favorite?
I'd have to say the winds. I love that their personality matches their temperament.
Are any of your characters patterned after people you know?
Bits
and pieces here and there, but I've never taken a whole person and
turned them into a character. My characters usually come to me fully
formed, so trying to mold them into anything else would bring
the story to a screeching halt. (My characters have been known to go on
strike if I misunderstand their intentions or personalities. >.<)
Do any of your characters share qualities, character traits, or anything else with you?
Again, I think maybe in bits and pieces. Every story I write
is woven through with thread of me--my personality, dreams, hopes,
quirks, etc. But every story calls for a different angle, and while the
seeds for the characters may have begun with me, they quickly take root
in their own gardens, if that makes sense.
Do you ever write more than one book at a time? If so, how do you keep everything straight?
Story
ideas and random characters are constantly tugging at me and tackling
me in the dark corners of my mind. I usually jot down notes in my Master
Story List to make sure I don't lose anything Then I sit down and write
the story that's the loudest.
Sometimes I do end up writing more than one story at a time--I'm
usually juggling a couple in various stages. But each story has its own
unique voice that it's easy to keep that straight. What's harder is
keeping the details for that particular world in order.
What books or authors are your favorites?
I
love anything by Patricia McKillip (especially Riddle-Master), Diana
Wynne Jones (pretty much everything, but especially Howl's Moving
Castle), Patricia C. Wrede (her Enchanted Forest Chronicles and Sorcery
and Cecelia), Vivian Vande Velde (A Well-Timed Enchantment and Three
Good Deeds), Sherwood Smith (Crown Duel), JRR Tolkien, William Joyce's
Guardians of Childhood, and Patrice Kindl's Goose Chase.
What is your favorite snack?
Food
allergies and sensitivities make eating not so fun, so I'd have to go
with a really good book. (Yes, I have been known to choose books over
food many
times. :p)
If you could be any character in any book, who would you be and why?
I'd
probably be Raederle in Riddle-Master by Patricia McKillip. Her world
is lush and beautiful, though dangerous. She isn't a typical fairy tale
princess that waits for the prince to come and rescue her. Instead, she
brushes up on her pig curses and goes after the prince in order to help
him save the world. She also learns to embrace the parts of her heritage
that she's afraid of. Plus, she's not afraid to bargain with the dead!
If your book had a soundtrack, what songs would be on the playlist?
With Bettony being the main character, it would probably be an opera of sorts. :p
I'm
not sure if a type of music like this exists, but it would be something
between a sprightly celtic jig and a haunting Romanian lullaby.
How do you celebrate good reviews on your books? How
do you react to bad ones?
I don't. :) Every book I release is
the very best story I could make it at the time. I'm hoping to improve
with each one, but I've made it a general rule *not* to read my reviews.
In my opinion, the reviews are there to help readers decide whether or
not to take a chance on a book. (At least that's how I use them if I'm
looking for a good book, but am on the fence.) I try to respect that
space. :) Each story represents a specific time and place in my writerly
development, and there really isn't anything I'd go back and change
about any of them. I know the stories I have to tell won't appeal to
everyone, and I'm good with that. What I'm working toward is making it
easier for people who will enjoy my books to find them. :)
~Collector of dragons, talking frogs, and fairy godmothers~
myth-takes.blogspot.com
Here is an excerpt:
Her grandmother
shrugged, the lines of sympathy gone from her face. She picked up the
first bottle and added a pinch of the dust to the bowl. “Suit yourself,
missy. But remember that is a choice you made for yourself this very
day. I’ll not countenance you running back to me with complaints. You
want beauty, and you shall have it—and all that comes with it. Are we
clear?”
Fear and wonder and
enchantment had stolen her voice away, so Bettony nodded. Anticipation
rumbled in her center, a bright flame that made her feel heavy and light
all at the same time.
“And if this spell
gets you into mischief, you can’t come running to me to fix it. You make
the mess, you clean up after yourself. Are we clear?” Her grandmother
pulled out the lead stopper on the second bottle. Her hand quivered with
age, but she was very careful only to allow a single drop to gloop down
into the bowl.
Bettony nodded again,
almost giddy. Magic wasn’t going to cause her problems. It was going to
solve them. Once she was beautiful, she’d be able to do whatever she
wanted.
Her grandmother
hesitated before she picked up the final bottle. “No refunds, exchanges,
or regrets. What magic does is done. Do you understand?”
Bettony gave a decisive nod. Of course she understood. She wasn’t a child.
Her
grandmother snorted as though she’d heard Bettony’s thought. “I don’t
think you do, but that’s good enough for the binding. You don’t have to
actually understand, you just have to believe you do. Now, add that frog
of yours, and we’re nearly finished.”
The Trouble with Toads
Once upon a time a young girl wanted revenge. But first, she wanted to be beautiful.
Twelve-year-old Bettony has read enough stories that begin with ‘Once upon a time’ to know what happens to the ugly stepsisters at the end, and she’s determined to escape that fate by any means necessary—even by magic.
Unfortunately, when it comes to magic, there is no place for regret, refunds, or exchanges. Even if you accidentally turn your older sister into a toad.
If Bettony wants her Happily Ever After to end well, she’s going to have to find a way to turn her sister back into a person before their mother finds out she’s been dabbling with magic and grounds her for life.
Tracking down the family magic turns out to be surprisingly easy. Now, if only it came with directions . . .
THE TROUBLE WITH TOADS (45,000 words) is the first book in a new upper MG series The Secret Stepsister Society. The second book will be released Summer 2013.
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Cool interview, Danyelle and nice questions Katie. Danyelle, I notice we share a love for the same authors. Can I also just say I think your book covers are fantastic! Very cool!
ReplyDeleteNice to get to know you alittle bit more here. :)
Thanks, Mira. :)
ReplyDeleteI always love finding people who enjoy the same authors. Especially because chatting with people who have similar bookish tastes often means discovering awesome new authors