Celebrate the Lunar New Year with 'Dragon Dancer'! - Interview with author Joyce Chng

Joyce Chng is a Chinese-Singaporean author who is passionate about diversity in publishing, particularly children's fiction, werewolves (especially when spotted in urban Singapore and space), and damn good writing, no matter where in the world it's written. 

She has also written a GORGEOUS tale for Lunar New Year with a touch of fantasy. 

Edit added Feb 5th: Take a look at the new book trailer below!

Isn't that stunning? But it's not just the illustrations that make this book special. The prose is so wonderful, reading aloud transforms the room you're in and takes you to a magical place. The illustrations support the story so well they seem to dance off the page. We love it here so much it's become a tradition to read it every Lunar New Year. 

Google doodle for 2019 Lunar New Year - produced by Elaine Zhu
This is actually part of an AI shadow puppet game you enjoy playing HERE.

The dragon, Shen Long (also the name of a spiritual dragon from Chinese mythology) is a character we all fell in love with instantly. The first time we read it, our youngest member spontaneously applauded at the end of the book! Now, older, he still looks forward to it, and requests multiple read-throughs, asking about all the various aspects of Lunar New Year traditions and what they mean, so we are doubly thrilled to be able to ask Joyce a few of his questions on celebrating Lunar New Year in Singapore, and add some questions of our own about her fairy and folktale influences and loves.

Note: all the illustrations for 'Dragon Dancer are by the amazing French artist Jeremy Pailler. You can find more of his work at his website HERE. In the meantime, enjoy a sampling of his work through this interview with the very gracious Joyce Chng.

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Thank you so much for taking time out of your celebrating to talk about 'Dragon Dancer' today Joyce.
JC: Thank you! I am honored to have this opportunity to talk about Dragon Dancer and Shen Long. :)

OUAB: Your writing is very atmospheric and truly dances through the descriptions and story. Having a strong dance background (albeit a different discipline), we were impressed by how much movement you evoked through your text! What was your inspiration? Have you ever been a lion dancer or apprenticed as one? (Could we have caught you acting out the movements as you wrote the text?) 
JC: I love lion and dragon dances. No, I am not a lion dancer nor was I apprenticed under a sifu. I just love the art form and the martial art behind it. I also watch a lot of lion and dragon dances. So I have theoretical knowledge, hehe. :)

OUAB: Is there a Chinese folktale or legend that the sky dragon, Shen Long, is based on?
JC: I don't know if there is a Chinese folklore or legend. But Chinese dragons are known to be benevolent and often are harbingers of great news. 

OUAB: Does Shen Long and Yao's dance describe a similar ritual to that which traditional lion dancers are enacting (seen more often in Western cities than the long dragon performance), or is it unique to dragon dances? (Do dragons also eat lettuces?)
JC: I think the dragon dance has its ritual though it overlaps with the lion dance. The dotting of the eyes symbolizes waking the dragon or lion. (They don't eat lettuce!)

OUAB: What else is included in the book (in words or illustrations) that represents other important cultural customs of a Lunar New Year celebration that people not familiar with the culture and symbolism would miss?
JC: The importance of family and the continuation of tradition. The mention of Yao's granddad. It's during Lunar New Year we also honour our elders (grandparents and parents).

OUAB: What Chinese fairy tales do you wish were better known around the world? (Any you're planning on retelling at some point? Hint, hint!)
JC: Chang' E flying to the moon. (Hopefully... One day...)

OUAB: What is your take on POC authors retelling popular fairy tales, such as Goldilocks, with a (for example) "Chinese twist"? 
JC: I think that's perfectly fine and awesome. That as POC and non-white folk, we view such tales with our own lens and perspectives. 

"I believe mythology and folklore gives us the space to re-myth or re-tell the story in our own terms."  Joyce Chng

OUAB: Apart from buying (and therefore supporting) tales retold by POC authors,  and reading them to diverse groups of kids, how do you suggest folk without an Asian heritage, who dearly love Chinese fairy tales and folktales can help tell and spread these tales? Any do's or don't's?
JC: Ah. I am grateful for the enormous appreciation and respect for Chinese fairy tales. Signal boost and highlight POC telling these stories. Let them tell them. And many of us have grown up in diverse backgrounds (many of us hail from the diaspora). So we bring many perspectives to the table.

OUAB: Are you ready for a lightning round - or should we call it a firecracker round - of questions?

JC: Yes please! 

OK - Go!

Two of your favorite folktales and/or fairy tales?  Chang'Er flying to the moon. Yang women generals.

Two favorite fairy tales/ folktales from any other culture?  The Firebird. The Little Mermaid.

Favorite Lunar New Year food?  Peng cai.

Favorite Lunar New Year custom?  Collecting red packets.

Favorite dragon ever? (After Shen Long of course!)  Draco from Dragonheart.

And... time!

Wow. What a lot of awesome insight you've given us here! 

Thank you so much for being with us today Joyce. 

Wishing you good luck, continuing success in your publishing and health for you and your family in the New Year!

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And readers, if you're wondering what any of these answers are referring to, let us wish you good google-fu as you do a little digging and discover for yourself. ;)

JUST A FEW OF MANY GLOWING REVIEWS:“A visually lush and stunning selection that is textually atmospheric and evocative. A fresh take on one of the most iconic symbols of Lunar New Year. Pailler’s intricate watercolor illustrations truly stand out. They gorgeously complement and elevate the text as Yao and the dragon slither and dance across page spreads and make striking use of white space. – Jennifer Rothschild, Arlington County Public Libraries, VA, for School Library Journal 

‘This is a book that celebrates the power of the imagination and the traditions of another culture. The illustrations waft darkly across the page, never revealing the whole picture but disclosing more the longer you look. The language is evocative and rich; it is a great book to read aloud. Together the illustrations and words compliment each other beautifully creating a dreamlike story that would also be an excellent educational springboard for exploring New Year festivities.’ – Seven Stories, National Centre for Children’s Books 

‘I burst into tears the first time I read it, both when Yao and Shen Long triumph over bad luck, and when Shen Long, as both ancient sky dragon and grandfather, expresses his pride in Yao’s dance. This is exactly the kind of story that I wish I had been able to read to my children, but it’s just as powerful to me as an adult.’ – Jen Zink, Hugo award-winning podcast The Skiffy and Fanty Show 

‘Dragon Dancer is a gorgeous book that draws on ancestry, legend, and tradition for Lunar New Year reading. The text pulses with the energy of the dragon dance, the art coming alive from the page as the dragon writhes, corkscrews, and spins away misfortune and welcomes in prosperity. The music in the story urges dragon and dancer on, and draws the reader into the narrative: you can feel the drums pounding, the cymbals clashing, the crowds cheering. A note from the author provides a bit of personal experience of the New Year celebration. This one’s a definite purchase for my holiday collection.’ – Mom Read It

'Dragon Dancer' is available through many online retailers. We suggest you buy your local library a copy and donate it to be read for the next Lunar New Year!

BUY DRAGON DANCER HERE:

Joyce Chng is also one of the editors of a unique collection of stories, titled 'The Sea Is Ours - Tales of Steampunk Southeast Asia' (edited by Jaimee Goh and Joyce Chng). It's on our 'to read' list. Here's the description:

In The Sea is Ours: Tales of Steampunk Southeast Asia, technological wonder merges with the everyday: children upgrade their fighting spiders with armour and toymakers create punchcard-driven marionettes. The fantastic has always been part of our landscape: large fish lumber across the skies, aswang represent diwata to faraway diplomats, boat people find a new home on the edge of a different dimension. Technology and tradition meld as the people adapt to the changing forces of their world.Steampunk takes on Southeast Asia in this anthology, infused with the spirits of its diverse peoples, legends, and geography. Delving into local alternate histories, we will introduce you to a dynamic steampunk world quite different from the one you may be familiar with.

You can find Joyce Chng in the following places around the web:

Website  -  A Wolf's Tale

Twitter (most days!)

Amazon author page

Review: "Book of One Hundred Riddles of the Fairy Bellaria" by Charles Leland

"The Book of One Hundred Riddles of the Fairy Bellaria features the Scheherazade-like fairy goddess Bellaria: powerful and mysterious, courageous and clever, goddess of spring, flowers, love, fate, and death. In this story, Bellaria engages in a duel of wits with an evil king, a deathmatch of one hundred riddles. Each riddle is spoken as a rhyme and illustrated by an original engraving in the arts and crafts style. This book is a beautiful reintroduction to Leland and his pioneering design. " 

[From the book blurb]

Charles Godfrey Leland, 1853

Review by: Laura Lavelle

You probably don’t recognize the name of Charles Godfrey Leland. He was a moderately popular American writer in the 19th century who is finally getting some recognition for his devotion to preserving the Other. His life’s passion was studying the tales, rituals, and religions of underrepresented peoples. He started his career writing books on gypsies and Native Americans but spent his final days in Italy learning about Etruscan myths and lore. The Book of One Hundred Riddles came from his time spent with the Italian witch/fortune teller Maddalena.

Though it is not a strict retelling of any one particular story, the entire book pulls together familiar elements of fairy tales and mythology. Bellaria herself is modeled after an obscure Etruscan goddess known as Alpan, who is an unusual sort of Venus/Persephone hybrid. She is both a protector of graves and also associated with fertility and springtime. The images we can find of Alpan often depict her with wings, no clothing, and carrying a bouquet. By the nineteenth century, this goddess had become known in Tuscany as the fairy La Bellaria — or, “Beautiful One of the Air.”

Depiction of Alpan

Although Leland’s Bellaria is clearly presented as a wise fairy queen, she is largely a mysterious figure whose nature and past aren’t directly spelled out. The main plot centers on the evil King Ruggero challenging her to a duel to the death. But the King’s duel is a battle of wits, not weapons.  As a supporter of women’s rights, it’s no surprise that Leland would write his fairy queen as an empowering woman who earns the King’s rage as she continues answering each of his tricky riddles with ease. She is like an Italian Scheherazade, from One Thousand and One Nights (an undoubtedly intentional parallel considering the similarity of the books’ titles). As events progress, Leland takes every opportunity to weave pieces of Bellaria’s backstory throughout the narrative. In classic fairy tale fashion, there are several prophecies that do not come to fruition until the end.

Overall, The Book of One Hundred Riddles of the Fairy Bellaria is a masterpiece of poetry and prose, accompanied by drawings by the author himself.  Though elements have been pulled from several texts, it reads as an authentic fairy tale from start to finish.  This book was a breath of fresh air for any reader — a light story about a brilliant woman and her battle of wits against a tyrant.  And though we may never know why the author chose to end the book the way he did (sorry, but we won’t spoil it!), it certainly brought the text around in full circle and closed it off with a nice flourish.

More info about The Book of One Hundred Riddles of the Fairy Bellaria can be found at the University of Minnesota Press site HERE. (https://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/the-book-of-one-hundred-riddles-of-the-fairy)

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Laura Lavelle is a writer from Queens, New York, working in the genres of fantasy, horror, and science fiction with young and new adult themes.  She studied English at Queens College where she won a Silverstein-Peiser award in Fiction before graduating with her bachelor’s degree. However, when she’s not writing she can be found curled up with a book and a cat, hoping that something magical will happen. https://lauralsbookblog.blogspot.com/

Gans' Gorgeous 'Beauty and the Beast' Is On Netflix!

We know lots of readers have been waiting a very long time to see this. Now Netflix has the English language dub of this sumptuous French live action retelling of Beauty and the Beast. (The original actors are the voice dubs -they just re-recorded their lines in English, but the movie was shot in French - so English dub, despite the great voices, doesn't match lip sync.) 

Other great news, you can also choose to watch it in the original French - with or without English (or Spanish) subtitles! (It's been very difficult to find a disc that gives this option.)

It's not Disney. It's French, luscious and has much more in common with the French literary versions. Here Beauty has siblings, her father is a merchant and there is a new-but-feels-old mythical aspect to the Beast's backstory that is probably our favorite addition to the story. There are also a heck of a lot of Cocteau homages and you simply can't help but be amazed by the visual aesthetic brought to the whole production. Even the 'pedestrian' scenes without magic have a glow about them, while any scene with magic is breathtaking.

It's biggest criticism is people finding the beginning slow, or that it has "all these extra things about the family", but if you're expecting a musical with animated objects, instead of the merchant backstory and the tale being told to children, perhaps it might seem that way. This version initially develops the character of Belle in the context of her family, like the written version, and shows the strain which they are all under, echoing other themes throughout the better-known parts of the story. Despite having no dancing enchanted tea sets, and some additional human drama, this version has a lot of magic - a LOT.

Every frame is beautiful and the magic is, well magical, rather than just fancy fantasy.

Take a look at the English trailer:

Yes, it's not Cocteau, but if you like fairy tale and fantasy films, you'll be doing yourself a disservice not to check this out. It's a well made and beautiful film. The costumes are gorgeous, the effects are amazing, and it incorporates the importance - and magic - of the garden and roses. (And we love the use of statues.) There's thrills and adventure, romance, mystery, and sweetness and Belle and the Beast have a feisty, interesting relationship that develops in an unusual way. Vincent Cassel as both Prince and Beast is very compelling, (complete with very decent creature make-up and VFX) and Léa Seydoux as Belle is the stunning and modern fairy tale heroine you wish more films had - accessible and gracefully adapting to princess mode without losing that appeal. Most notably, Belle is so independent and has so much agency, even when staying 'true' to her time period, that it doesn't have that whiff of Stockholm syndrome other versions are criticized for.

The Beast has a story, Belle has a story, everyone in this film has their own story and they weave together affecting each other but none of them change their essential natures until they're ready to take that step themselves. (And you're not disappointed when the Beast transforms at the end!)
           
Here's a full clip (in French with English subtitles) in which Belle is late in joining the Beast for dinner. Just know that his story is more complicated (and satisfying) than it appears, even here.

Possibly the most basic and best thing is that this is a full-on fairy tale film. It's a big story, with a lot of scope and once the magic starts happening you are neck deep in fairy tale mode, never to leave again until the credits roll. It also has all the 'original' Beauty and the Beast fairy tale bits and pieces missing from other remakes (though it doesn't get waylaid by fairies or fairy politics, thank goodness!).

We only wish we could have seen this in the theater.

Highly Anticipated 'American Gods' Series Debuts April 30

We have been excited about Neil Gaiman's amazing novel, American Gods, coming to the small screen in serial form (how could a movie ever explore this world thoroughly enough), and the tailer certainly has a lot of people excited.

We would be counting down the days ourselves, if it weren't for the #bucketsofblood, because, wow. There are many - gratuitously many - buckets! So take that as a heads-up for watching the trailer, by the way. Nevertheless, there will be lots of mythic and folkloric content for those willing to dive in, albeit being wrapped up very contemporary clothes and language, along with heavy doses of 'weird' (that is, in fact, one of the marketing tools for the show: 'expect 'weird sh*t!').

Here's the show's premise:

American Gods, the show follows Shadow Moon, who is thrown into a war between the gods of the old world versus the new. 

When Shadow Moon is released from prison, he meets the mysterious Mr. Wednesday and a storm begins to brew. Little does Shadow know, this storm will change the course of his entire life. Left adrift by the recent, tragic death of his wife, and suddenly hired as Mr. Wednesday’s bodyguard, Shadow finds himself in the center of a world that he struggles to understand. It’s a hidden world where magic is real, where the Old Gods fear both irrelevance and the growing power of the New Gods, like Technology and Media. Mr. Wednesday seeks to build a coalition of Old Gods to defend their existence in this new America, and reclaim some of the influence that they’ve lost. As Shadow travels across the country with Mr. Wednesday, he struggles to accept this new reality, and his place in it.

Here's the trailer (viewer discretion advised):

That should be no surprise to people familiar with the book and most people, including Gaiman himself, are super-excited. Along with perhaps turning down the 'red' on our screens a tad as we decide to put up with the #bucketsofblood for the inevitable good stuff, we will be watching closely for the public response to the series.

This featurette, including an appearance with Neil Gaiman, who Executive Produces the show, makes the series look very intriguing. If you're not up for the trailer, this is a good overview for you (no #bucketsofblood in this one):

One excellent thing to look forward to, is that Gaiman, who always intended to write more of the world than he did for his novel, is seriously looking at creating new stories specifically for the series as well, and he has a specific angle in mind - one we're keen to see explored.
           
From io9:

There’s plenty of material for more stories set in the world of American Gods. Both the book and the show contain a main, present-day story, but are also peppered with “Coming to America” shorts that explore how gods from other countries immigrated to the United States along with people. At the panel for the show at San Diego Comic-Con last year, Gaiman mentioned that he’d originally intended to do a vignette about Japanese internment during World War II in American Gods. 

“It wasn’t even that it got cut,” explained Gaiman about the story. “It just never got written because I was already at 200,000 words and I was being told by my publisher that the novel couldn’t be more than 150,000 words. So now I was already cutting and the internment story was one I was looking forward to.”The show might act as an impetus for Gaiman writing not only that story, but other ones he has in his mind. 

..The show’s tackling of (Essie Tregowan's) story—which expanded it to fill much of an episode,—has inspired Gaiman to write more stories in the American Gods universe and give them to the show to reinterpret for the small screen. “So Bryan is now going we could do more of these big ones,” continued Gaiman. “And I went, well I wanted to do the internment camp one and that would have been a big story. That would have been a 20-30 page short story. And possibly a little longer, it would have been a novelette in my head. And it would have been a kitsune story and I’m happy to write that story now and I’m happy for Bryan to adapt it.”

Gaiman has a lot to say on 'America's hypocritical relationship with immigrants and diversity' and as such, the series is not only highly anticipated, but suddenly become more relevant in this social climate, than it ever has since being published. The fact that it looks like Gaiman will get to focus on this theme is one of the big draws of the show for us, making it very likely to be put on our list of Recommended Resistance Reads and Viewings. #RRR

America has a very contradictory relationship with immigration. The stories we like to tell are about people coming here with nothing but ambition and becoming important or rich. But America is also obsessed with talking about whether or not immigrants have assimilated, and saying that some groups can’t, so they shouldn’t be allowed in. It’s a specific American truth that Gaiman captured in the book and that the show has run with. 

“You have come from an old country, now stop being that thing,” is how Gaiman summed it up. “I love the fact that Canada has the concept of the mosaic. You have come to Canada from your country, we are a mosaic made up of lots of different countries... The American idea seems much more...melting pot. Become one. We are all one, we are like this. No, we’re not! No one is.”

It’s not being American that Gaiman thinks let him write the book.  

... Gaiman’s outsider perspective mirrors how genre fiction has always managed to present volatile ideas in palatable ways. “That’s what it’s for,” said Gaiman. “It’s the distorting mirror, it’s showing you something at 45 degrees, it’s showing you something that you are familiar with from an angle you have never seen it from, to make you see it for the first time.” 

We couldn't agree with this more.

The network showing the series, Starz, is a 'prime paid' network so a lot of folks aren't going to have the opportunity to jump in at the beginning for the journey, but that won't stop an internet buzz from happening, and we expect the big pop culture websites to be all over the premiere and have lots of interesting things to say.

We love how the latest interview Gaiman has given discussing American Gods finishes:

Even with the distance of talking about gods and supernatural occurrences, people connect with the stories in American Gods in very personal ways. It resonates even more now, somehow. Gaiman knows why.

“Because we’re human and we tell stories and telling our stories and telling stories we were told in our childhood is one of the most important and beautiful things we can do. We have stories, now, that are older than any city. Some of them are older than the countries they are now told in. We can trace the age of stories sometimes by landmarks, by volcanoes, by things mentioned in them. And stories last. And stories matter. And sometimes, at my maddest, I like to think that stories are merely the vehicle that stories use to propagate themselves to make sure they continue.”

What a wonderful (and slightly intimidating) way of putting it! Fairy tales are unique as a 'genre' precisely because they behave specifically like living things in the way they spread and adapt, and are one of the biggest reasons they interest us. Myths aren't quite the same but they can behave similarly, and it makes sense that Gaiman's fairy tale influence in telling and retelling myths brings out this quality.

Can you tell we love this creature?

Summary: we're looking forward to seeing what happens with American Gods, both as a series and with regard to social impact. Here's the opening title sequence to give you a taste (no #bucketsofblood in this one, we promise).

Timeless Tales Issue #4 is LIVE!

Although mythology isn't really our focus on here on OUABlog, it is a big element of our partner, Timeless Tales', business. They alternate between publishing retellings of fairy tales and myths and have just released their latest issue. 

All the stories for this particular issue have the theme "Perseus and Medusa". Here's a look at the main cover (above) and just a small sampling of the many mini-covers they designed for each individual story (below). It's pretty neat and you're guaranteed quality stories and a good read, (we're talking a good 75+ pages here!) , along with the option of audio, as well as a variety of (good) surprises.

Here's a quick note from TT's editor herself, Tahlia Merrill Kirk:

Here I am again, standing on the other side of a release date, thinking, "why do I do this to myself?". Give it a week and I'll remember the answer. It's because I love seeing writers teach me something new about a well-worn tale. 

Each theme presents its unique challenges. For Puss in Boots, the challenge was how to overcome the cliche of talking cats. For Twelve Dancing Princesses, it was often the problem of having a short story with at least twelve characters (twenty-six, if you include the princes, king, and witch). Perseus and Medusa's greatest obstacle, I learned as I read through submissions, was the snakes. I've never had so many writers treat an original element SO literally. Not even with Puss in Boots did writers seem compelled for their cats to wear actual boots. 

At first, I grumbled about my submissions' lack of creativity. Must Snow White die by an apple or must Cinderella's slipper be glass? Of course not, so why did no one send me a Medusa with eels for hair or baby alligators? (Mostly joking on the second one). 

And then I found the stories that gave the snakes a purpose. Like the "multiple slithering ids" which coo a Gorgon's darker thoughts in Elaine Pascale's story "Love in the Time of Athena". Convinced that their importance could not be denied, I even stuck a cobra on the cover. 

So suffice it to say that you'll find plenty of scales in this issue. However I tried to pick stories where the hissing hair wasn't mere window dressing on Medusa. And of course, there are some notable retellings that are completely snake-free, like the Russian themed "Long Live the Personal Revolution". I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I did. 

Tahlia Merrill Kirk

Editor of Timeless Tales Magazine

www.timelesstalesmagazine.com

"The Silver Witch" Virtual Book Tour - Interview with author Paula Brackston & Giveaway!

Today we have a double treat for you: author Paula Brackston has graciously agreed to stop by and answer some of our questions about her latest book, The Silver Witch, (see Tahlia's review yesterday HERE), and we also have a GIVEAWAY!

In case you missed it, here's the description for The Silver Witch:

A year after her husband’s sudden death, ceramic artist Tilda Fordwells finally moves into the secluded Welsh cottage that was to be their new home. She hopes that the tranquil surroundings will help ease her grief, and lessen her disturbing visions of Mat’s death. Instead, the lake in the valley below her cottage seems to spark something dormant in her – a sensitivity, and a power of some sort. Animals are drawn to her, electricity shorts out when she’s near, and strangest of all, she sees a new vision; a boatful of ancient people approaching her across the water. 

On this same lake in Celtic times lived Seren, a witch and shaman. She was respected but feared, kept separate from the community for her strange looks. When a vision came to her of the Prince amid a nest of vipers she warned of betrayal from one of his own. Prince Brynach both loved and revered her, but could not believe someone close to him wished him harm, even as the danger grew. 

In her own time, Tilda’s grief begins to fade beside her newfound powers and a fresh love. When she explores the lake’s ancient magic and her own she discovers Seren, the woman in her vision of the boat. Their two lives strangely mirror each others, suggesting a strong connection between the women. As Tilda comes under threat from a dark power, one reminiscent of Seren’s prophecy, she must rely on Seren and ancient magic if death and disaster are not to shatter her life once more.

And some info about our visiting author:

Paula Brackston (aka PJ Brackston) is the New York Times bestselling author of The Witch's Daughter, The Winter Witch, and The Midnight Witch(2014).  

Paula has an MA in Creative Writing from Lancaster University, and is a Visiting Lecturer for the University of Wales, Newport. In 2007 Paula was short listed in the Creme de la Crime search for new writers. In 2010 her book 'Nutters' (writing as PJ Davy) was short listed for the Mind Book Award, and she was selected by the BBC under their New Welsh Writers scheme. 

Paula lives in Wales with her partner and their two children.

What better way to research your setting than to actually live there! Now that we've gotten you up to speed, it's time to welcome our guest.

Hi Paula, and welcome to Once Upon A Blog!

Congratulations on your new book! The Silver Witch has quite a bit for folklore lovers to delve into. Thank you for taking the time to drop by and answer some of our questions today. We are certainly intrigued...

Gypsy: To start with, what was your initial inspiration for The Silver Witch? How did you arrive at the dual/connected story?

Paula: The lake itself was my main inspiration. I live just over the hill from Llangors, and have always found it a wonderfully atmospheric place to visit. I knew I would want to set one of my stories there one day.

My second inspiration was the singular appearance of the characters (which I don't want to go into here for fear of spoiling), and that gave me the theme of visions. I knew then that one of my witches would be a shaman.

I wanted to use two main characters and two time settings so that I could highlight the timelessness of the lake and the surrounding area. Of course Tilda's life is very different from Seren's but the power of the lake, its mystical qualities, its secrets, remain hugely important in both their lives.

Gypsy: How did you go about researching the book? Were there any specific texts of legends you referred to?

Paula: I spent a fair amount of time walking by the lake or just sitting by it. One side has a campsite and boat house, but development has been kept to a minimum.  The greater part of it remains unchanged after hundreds of years. 

Also, the crannog, on which the prince had his palace built on top of the lake, is still there. I was lucky to be able to attend a lecture given on the construction of this little man-made island. It's such an ancient and unusual place, it can't help but fire a writer's imagination. 

The main text I drew upon was the Mabinogion, which is a book of Welsh folklore and legends known to every Welsh person or child schooled here. It is full of fabulous stories which clearly demonstrate the poetic nature of the Welsh soul. 

And the crannog and the prince are mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles! That was a wonderful primary source to have.

Gypsy: What's the significance of Tilda (the modern day woman) being a ceramic artist? Was there anything unusual about working with clay (or clay superstitions or stories) you discovered you weren't able to use in the book?

Paula: I wanted a visual art for Tilda, and the ceramics also gave her creations that nice grounding, being, as you say, made from clay. I toyed with the idea of having her use clay from the lake shore to work with, but the soil is not really the right type, and it was winter, which would have made it difficult. I also felt that clay pots are something Seren would have had, and that the Celtic art used to decorate them could be incorporated meaningfully into Tilda's designs.

Gypsy: The Welsh people I've met have a great awareness of "mythic touchstones" in their day to day. Sometimes it manifests as superstitions, other times it appears in daily folklore rituals and habits. The synopsis mentions Tilda discovering certain powers after her move to the lake but was she one those types of people before then (did she show signs of latent abilities we should watch for)? How does the Welsh mentality show in Tilda's modern day to day before and after her move?

Paula: Tilda's new senses and powers only properly reveal themselves once she comes to live by the lake. Don't forget, she isn't actually Welsh.

Gypsy: I see you have an Afanc in the book. That's a fairly obscure Welsh mythological creature and only the second use I'm aware of in a novel! (*Seanan McGuire's October Daye series has one too - though her creature is quite different of course). Can you tell us more about this creature? What drew you to it in particular? 

Paula: Who doesn't love a water-horse?! There is a well-established legend regarding this mythical beast, which predates written stories, and so relied on the tradition of storytelling to be handed down orally through the generations. It is now affectionally known as Gorsie (in the way that the Loch Ness 'monster' is known as Nessie). In most versions of its story it was tamed by a brave maiden who lived by the lake. She variously sang to it, or spoke softly to it as it slumbered with its great head in her lap.

Scientists tend to scoff at the notion that there might be a real creature like this in the lake. There are some frighteningly large pike in there, and lots of eels, but nothing has been found to suggest anything more 'dinosaur' like. Of course, mythical beasts are famous for being able to evade scientific detection.

Gypsy: Between the facts that Seren (the historical woman) is a shaman, Tilda (the modern woman) discovers powers that connect her with animals and dreams that contain symbolic creatures such as vipers, the manifestation of animals seems to play an important role in the book. Should we be taking a closer look at the types of animals that appear for clues about these women and their states of mind or where they are in their journeys?

Paula: The animals in the book are certainly significant. In Celtic stories, witches are often represented by hares, or sometimes dogs. They were believed to be able to shapeshift into these creatures. And of course snakes were seen as possessing strong powers, whether for good or evil. It is significant that the vipers in this story are always bad, as they were also linked to fertility, and this is an issue that leads to some of the most important conflicts in the story.

Gypsy: In mythology the Afanc is connected with King Arthur (or at least Merlin and Percival, one of the Knight of the Round Table). Are the Arthur, Merlin and Round Table legends important to this book? Are the legends referenced in other ways as well that readers should look for?

Paula: The setting of my story, and the sources I have drawn on, pre-date the main versions of the Arthurian legends. Whether or not the actual king on which they were supposedly based existed, or if he did would have been known to all the Cymru in the early tenth century is debatable. 

I do use the character of Merlin in my book Lamp Black, Wolf Gray, which is out in August. The setting for this story is the thirteenth century.

Gypsy: Is there anything else people who love fairy tales and folklore should keep an eye out for in The Silver Witch?

Paula: I hope the book will appeal both to folklore buffs and those who take the story on without any prior in-depth knowledge. If readers would like to know more about the legends and myths that have inspired me, I recommend taking a look at the gorgeous stories in the Mabinigion.

Gypsy: Thank you so much for answering our questions today! We wish you every success with the book and look forward to seeing more mythology and obscure folklore brought to life in the future.

Paula: Thank your for your interesting questions!

Ladies and gentlemen, Paula Brackston! *much cheering and applause*

Note: All photos were taken by Paula Brackston near Llangors Lake & Brecon Beach in Wales, except for the last photo, which is also of Llangors Lake (the setting of The Silver Witch) at sunset, taken by Karen James.

If you want to hear more about The Silver Witch and Paula's writing and research process, along with her many inspirations, you can follow along on her Virtual Blog Tour. Details are listed below.

The Silver Witch will be available for purchase on April 21, 2015, and is available for pre-order now. You can also purchase other 'witchy' books she's written (all are stand-alones).

And now for the GIVEAWAY we promised!

To be entered into the drawing for a lovely hardback copy of The Silver Witch,

you can do one of two things - or do more than one and get multiple entries!

Note: We have confirmed we can open the giveaway to all countries! However, due to shipping issues, hard copies can only be mailed to US, UK & Canadian readers. E-books will be sent to winners living anywhere else.

1) You can link to this interview here at Once Upon A Blog via a Tweet, Pinterest, Tumblr, Facebook or use any other social media (make it public so we can see please) and put the link in the comments either below OR in the comments of the 'pinned' GIVEAWAY post that will (hopefully) remain at the head of the blog for the week. Our elves will check each link - and each verified one = one entry (yes - that means you could eg. Tweet and Facebook and get 2 entries!). One link only per comment please! (No limit on comments. Duplicates of your own links don't count.)

2) You may instead (or also) put the title of any UK fairy or folk tale in the comments below or in the 'pinned' GIVEAWAY post (that includes English, Scottish, Welsh AND Irish fairy & folk tales for this purpose!). Each verified UK tale = one entry. One title per comment please! (No limit on comments. Duplicates of your own tale titles don't count.)

The giveaway will run until a week from today, finishing on Tuesday April 21st, 2015, at Midnight (PT), with the winner being announced on Wednesday, April 22nd, (after our elves do their number-crunching and calculating...)

Pob lwc!

(That's "good luck" in Welsh)