I Still Pray for that Elusive Durable Peace
Eltanin: Worldmaker of Yand continues the saga of Yanara and her family as they rebuild a life on the new moon. What were some themes that you felt were important to highlight in this story?
In Polaris, the prequel, recovery from the trauma of war, was the prominent theme, and also resilience, courage, and perseverance in rebuilding their lives in a new environment with unknown dangers. In Eltanin, as the family looks forward to a new future with their new baby, that future comes crushing down on them: the enemy assaults their descendants in a far-away galaxy! The main theme becomes the pursuit of durable peace, and the change of paradigm it requires to achieve it.
In fantasy novels, it’s easy to get carried away with the magical powers characters have. How did you balance the use of supernatural powers?
My approach is to integrate supernatural powers with the character’s total being. They are not a separate thing that turns on or off. The character behaves a certain way because of who they are in this paradigm. The null between worldmakers (celestial benders) is a natural limit of excessive use of world bending so that Yanara doesn’t inadvertently destroy the universe.
Was there anything from your own life that you put into the characters in your novel?
Yes, plenty. I’m a war refugee. Although I didn’t experience space battles with dragons and flying humanoid archers, the emotions, aftermath, and trauma of a violent invasion are not so different. I also had to rebuild my life as a displaced child—like Yanara’s young kids and grandkids. And I still pray for that elusive durable peace.
I hope to see some of these characters in other books. If so, where will the story take readers?
I’m so excited about my next book! It is adjacent to the Worldmaker of Yand trilogy and delves into the backstory of what happened on the planet Phe’lak that precipitated the events of Eltanin. I am writing the last chapter right now. The book will be called Queen of Highwings. Non-stop action with the beloved characters of Asimia and Snowfox starring, along with George, Hrysa, and of course, Silvia. Oh, and Alex, the Shibal. I also expanded the K’tul POV to make for hair-raising narration of action scenes through their eyes. You’ll love to hate K’nista and Mn’ianka. Launch in three months, fingers crossed.
Sneak peek.
Author Links: Website | Author Twitter | Book Twitter
On the tail of Little Bear, the inhabitants of planet Yand and its moon Yenda won a bloody, lopsided war against a savage intergalactic invader, the K’tul, but only just. In the aftermath, Worldmaker Yanara brought her family to a faraway moon, where they licked their wounds and eked a peaceful existence. Until a stranger arrived seeking aid, a fey girl, disoriented and scarred, dropped from the very fabric of space and time. Across galaxies and centuries ahead, her world is in great peril. Who is she? Will anyone come to her aid? In time?
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/05/02/62298/
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