Today I’m really excited to be part of A Pinch of Magic blog tour. I’ll be honest I haven’t read A Pinch of Magic yet but I will this month as part of my Fantasy Feb. But I have huge admiration and inspiration of Michelle Harrison, from a librarian perspective she has sparked the mind of readers. I will share with you a quick anecdote as a librarian.
The student was in Year 7, she would borrow any book she could find, every new one and she would return haven’t not gotten very far. I know she’s desparate to read, I can tell on her face – I thought she might give up. But she asked my help, and I spent quite a bit of time going through what she liked… so I suggested Michelle’s Thirteen Secrets series. A few days passed she came back, I said “Not that one, either?” She said “No miss, I loved it, can I have the next one.” She read the entire series, and she hasn’t stopped reading since. She is now in Year 9 and a junior librarian. If that’s not inpisration, I don’t know what is.
So today I have a Q&A with Michelle which I’m really excited about sharing as it has a bit of me as a blogger and me as a librarian. I hope you enjoy it, but before that here is a little bit about A Pinch of Magic.
Q & A with Michelle Harrison
What inspired you to write a Pinch of Magic?
The idea came from Essex folklore. According to a local story, the village of Canewdon will always have six witches, and when one dies a stone will fall from the church walls. The story stuck in my mind and evolved into a curse: No Widdershins girl can ever leave the island of Crowstone, or they’ll die by the next sunset. When the curse is triggered, a stone falls from the walls of Crowstone Tower.
When you first wanted to be a writer, what led you to write magical fairy tales?
My first stories mostly hinged on the supernatural, mainly because that was what I enjoyed reading when I was a teenager. I became drawn to fairy tales (and fairies!) while studying illustration at uni. My tutor introduced me to Faeries, a book of the most beautiful artwork and folklore by Brian Froud and Alan Lee, and I was instantly inspired to write about that world.
As a reader I find your books to be of a true magical adventure that you lose yourself in. In the mind of writer, what is your writing journey like?
Muddled! It swings from excitement (when an idea takes hold) to frustration and fear (when I’m trying to figure out the threads of a plot, and changing things which often has a knock-on effect) back to excitement and glee when I manage to conquer it. Sometimes it flows, but mostly I find it hard work, and daunting. The joy for me is figuring out those little twists in the plot, and getting first draft down. I tend to enjoy the end product more than the journey, which I guess puts me in the minority.
Out of all the magical worlds you’ve created throughout your books, has there been one where you would like to live?
Hmm. I loved writing about Crowstone in A Pinch of Magic, but I can’t say I’d like to go there because I detest being cold and, like Betty, my hair does not fare well in damp weather! I’d have to choose Elvesden Manor in the Thirteen Treasures books, because it’s riddled with secret passages and fairies in tea caddies. It’s the kind of house I dream of living in.
What were your magical fairy tales when you were younger?
I grew up on Gobbolino the Witch’s Cat and Enid Blyton’s The Wishing Chair, so magical stories were a big part of my childhood. I later went on to darker stories, with Roald Dahl’s The Witches being a favourite. It’s so grisly!
Asking a school librarian, your books have been the inspiration of so many reading journeys, what would you say to your readers to continue reading and what would you recommend next for them to read?
That’s one of the nicest things an author can hear! Reading shaped my childhood, quite simply because I loved it. Reading for pleasure changed my life, and that’s what I want to inspire in my readers. When you read lots, you’ll learn SO MUCH without even realising it, so it’s vital that children are offered choice. To parents I’d say don’t be worried or frustrated if a child wants to reread the same books, because it’s the enjoyment that matters. I read constantly as a child and into my teens, but my reading material was narrow as I liked to reread again and again. It hasn’t held me back! Readers will move on when they are ready. For those who’ve enjoyed my middle grade books, I’d recommend the ‘Rose’ series by Holly Webb, and Sky Song by Abi Elphinstone. I keep a list of recommended books on my website that I’m always adding to, so do check there, too.
Your top 3 tips when writing fantasy whether MG, Teen or Adult?
1. Read! This applies to any kind of writing. Read everything you can get your hands on. You’ll pick up on how writers create suspense, how they make you care about their characters, and how gripping plots are crafted. Equally, you’ll learn the opposite – if a book isn’t compelling you to read on, ask yourself why?
2. For me, the best fantasy is set in the real world, with elements of magic or the supernatural creeping in or waiting to be discovered. When I create magic in my stories, I’m careful not to overdo it so that it loses its credibility. By setting a story in a world which is familiar to us we’re making it so much easier for the reader to believe that magic really could happen.
3. Don’t be afraid to borrow from the genre. That doesn’t mean copy, but you can put your own slant on folklore, fill in the gaps with your imagination, and retell your favourite fairy tales ‒ perhaps from the point of view of another character, or with a different ending. Readers love familiarity as much as they love to be surprised. I’m always thrilled to find books which use the same lore that I’ve written about, because it’s a bit like clapping if you believe in fairies. The more people doing it, the stronger that belief grows.
I really hope you enjoyed it and make sure you pick up your copy. Don’t forget to stop by the other stops on blog tour.
Having more background information on the folklore as well as the overall influence of this novel, has made me want to dive into it.
Great questions!
[…] Interview with Michelle Harrison, author of Waterstones Book of the Month – TWICE, A Pinch of … […]