Today I have the pleasure of sharing an interview I recently did with Gillian Bronte Adams. She is currently in the midst of releasing her newest series The Fireborn Epic. And if you haven't yet picked up the first book Of Fire and Ash, you have a treat in store. And if you hate waiting for the next book Of Sea and Smoke releases next month!
Thank you, Gillian, for taking time from your busy schedule to answer some questions. If they are like me, I'm sure my followers will enjoy getting to know you and your writing better.
1) How long have you been working on this series? I don't just mean the actual writing, but how long has it been a part of you, growing in your mind?
Over ten years now, which feels completely wild to me. This story came together in two distinct pieces, which is unusual for me. Back then, I started exploring the idea of writing the story of an aspiring warrior queen, a female character who desired to follow in her father’s footsteps and one day lead her people, when her nation is suddenly plunged into war, her father is killed in battle, and she now has to step up and do just that.
I was interested in her story, but all of my attempts to build the world fell flat. There was nothing unique or fascinating about it, and eventually, I set her story aside until I could dream up something better. Later that summer, I was serving as the Head Wrangler at a youth camp, which meant that I was spending every day either in the saddle or running alongside kids as they learned to ride. One evening, I pulled out a notebook and started sketching out ideas for horses with magical abilities—horses who could breathe fire, ride the stormwinds, vanish into shadow, etc. I originally envisioned a western story set in that world, which sounded fun to me, but then I started fiddling with the idea of medieval-era warriors riding those horses, which sounded even better.
But the more I built out the world, the more frustrated I became, because I couldn’t settle on a story that would be epic enough to do it justice. So here I was with a story without a world and a world without a story, and it was still months before it occurred to me to try combining the two just to see what would happen, and years before I felt ready to tackle telling such an epic tale.
2) If you had to pick another format for your books to be shared, what would it be -musical, movie, public readings, serial release(a chapter at a time), or graphic novel?
I would have to say movie, hands down. I think there’s a part of every author who imagines seeing their story on the big screen since that’s how it often exists in our heads, even though the track records of so many book-to-movie adaptations make the idea slightly terrifying. But I think
the scope of The Fireborn Epic, along with the visuals of the different settings and the various magical warhorses, not to mention the intensity of the action sequences, would translate well to the big screen and make for a truly epic movie.
If done by the right director, I agree The Fireborn Epic would make a fantastic movie, on par with LOTR. I personally would love to see all the Solborn in action.
3) What one author, past or present, would you like to mentor you?
Oh, this is a tough question. I can honestly think of so many authors from whom I would love to glean bits of insight on specific elements of storytelling. But if I narrow it down to just one, I think I would have to say J.R.R. Tolkien because he did something so powerful with The Lord of the Rings that has impacted generations of fantasy writers and readers alike. He managed to create a world that you want to live in, which is something that I think we see less of in fantasy today, as stories lean more gritty or dark and worlds become more oppressive. I don’t dislike gritty or dark stories. But even though there is great evil and darkness in Tolkien’s world, his heroes are not just fighting against something; they are fighting for something, for a vision of beauty and of goodness that they have tasted and long to see survive. And it’s something tangible, both for the characters and for us as readers—it’s the Shire, it’s Rivendell, it’s a glimpse of a star high above a smog-choked place—which makes it especially powerful. I would love to have had the chance to talk to Tolkien about that.
I agree that finding hope, even a glimmer of it just beyond the present is what made Toliken's work so powerful. Those pockets of light made the fight worth it.
4) How do develop your setting (a photo, a trip, a random comment)?
If it’s set in an environment that I have never visited or experienced, I will spend a lot of time searching Google images and videos until I can visualize it in my mind. I’m always looking to pinpoint the specific details that will help ground it in a reader’s senses. The specific sounds associated with a place. The sensations. The scents. The flavor.
At the end of the day, I’m not trying to create something that each reader will be able to visualize with 100% accuracy. I kind of think of it as the difference between realism and abstract art. I’m trying to give splashes of color and flavor and choice details to convey a certain atmosphere and vibe that allows readers to fill in the rest in their minds.
5) If you could share a cup of tea (or coffee) with anyone, who would it be?
I would love to share a cup of coffee with a reader who has connected deeply with my books. Someone who found a home away from home in my stories with characters who made him/her feel seen. So much of writing is done in isolation. For so long, as a writer, it’s just you and the story and the characters. Then gradually, the circle grows, and beta readers and editors come in to join you. Then it heads out into the world, and readers get to experience the story. But so much of that happens at a distance, and often by that time, you’re already deep into working on the next thing, so any opportunity that arises to see how your story has touched someone else is honestly such a gift!
6) What's one book would you recommend that everyone read? It can be one of yours or someone else's book.
Oh, that’s hard to answer, because people are all so unique and so I think the stories that speak deeply to each person are equally unique. I do think that there is just so much goodness and beauty in The Lord of the Rings that I’d recommend reading the series at least once in a lifetime, if not more. The films are beautiful and wonderful adaptations, and I will forever love them, but there’s so much to the books and to the characters that the films simply can’t capture in a limited run time—even one as long as all three extended films put together.
If we’re talking about one of my books, I’d recommend starting with Of Fire and Ash, just because it’s my current favorite series!
7) Who is your favorite character in your book? And where did you get your names (Ceridwen, Rafi, Finnian, Jakim, Mindar, etc.)
I honestly can’t pick a favorite. Each one of them is very near and dear to my heart in different ways. I love how Ceridwen makes certain female readers feel seen, including myself. I love Rafi’s sense of humor and the way that he learns to value his own unique strengths. I feel Jakim’s trials and his compassionate heart. Finnian, dear Finnian, don’t we all love him?
But one of my favorite side characters is Markham. He’s gruff and grumpy and his sarcasm and (sometimes harsh) way of speaking the truth is always a surprising element in scenes. Anytime he joins a conversation, things take an interesting turn. He manages to bring things to light about the other characters that I haven’t anticipated, and he does and says thing that often surprise me as the author, which is just so much fun!
Interestingly enough, all of the main characters originally had different names and were once wildly different people (Ceridwen was Gwen, Rafi was Ronin, etc.) But as I discovered each of them and who they actually needed to be, and the cultures and societies that had shaped them, their true names came along with it.
That is interesting. I have to say the names they now have so suit them. I can't imagine them with another name.
8) Where did the unique characteristics of the different Solborn come from? Did you take
them from the character traits and personalities of horses you've personally known? I've
known a couple who could almost breathe fire and easily be a Fireborn.
Over the years, I’ve gotten to interact with a wide variety of horses (with a wide variety of
personalities), and for several years, I managed a herd of over twenty horses for a summer camp. So for the different breeds of solborn, I drew characteristics from some of our real-world horse breeds (fireborn share some traits with Arabians, earthhewn share some with Percherons, etc.), and I had lots of fodder from my own personal experience for the individual horses.
Ceridwen’s fireborn, Mindar, is based on my own horse. He has that fiery personality. He’s quick on the turn, a natural sprinter, always prancing and dancing and excited to go. He is a one-person horse who turns into a grumpy old man in the rain, which is honestly just so apropos for a fireborn. Ghost, Rafi’s seablood, is basically the horse version of my dog, Took. So he has my dog’s personality but horse mannerisms. Markham’s shadower, who you’ll get to meet in Of Sea and Smoke, in one of my personal favorite scenes, definitely takes some personality traits from horses I have had the … pleasure … of working with.
I love how wildly unique each horse that I’ve worked with has been, and I think that’s part of why they can bond with specific riders so well!
9) What one question do you wish you would be asked, and how would you answer it?
Sometimes readers ask where is the best place to buy my books to support me as an author, which is just so sweet of them. I’m honestly so happy wherever readers buy my books, whether that’s through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, ordering through their local bookstore, or requesting that their library buy them. (I love my library so much!) But nothing gets me quite so excited as getting to sign and personalize books for readers. In the past, this was generally only possible at events, which tend to be few and far between. But this year, I made the leap and opened up an online shop on my website where I can offer signed books and a variety of merch options (like t-shirts and mugs) to readers all year long! It’s been so fun to see orders coming in and to get to package up books to ship out to readers.
I know I got one of the Solborn mugs (Stormer) earlier this year and I just loved the graphic. I had planned on gifting it but decided I needed it instead. I can always get another one to gift at Christmas.
