Hello again readers. It’s nice to see you back. This month’s guest blog I’ll be interviewing a fantasy writer and author of The Siblings’ Tale. She had written stories and independently published them. While publishing her own works, she also does anthologies to raise charity for non-profit. Before we get into that and learn more about her writing journey, I want to say thank you for taking a minute to read each guest blog in the past year and a half. None of this would happen without your support and love. Rather, you are the same person who reads blogs or is new here, THANK YOU! What you do means a lot to me and the person I interview. It shows you took a great interest to learn more. You like what you read and like to be notified whenever I post a new blog, you can sign up on the Newsletter. With that, you won’t miss it, and plus, you are on the list for a quarterly newsletter and future news. Now, let’s welcome Astrid V.J.
Hello, Astrid. Can you tell us about yourself?
Astrid: “I grew up in South Africa and started writing fantasy novels when I was twelve. My love of stories, made-up worlds and the fascinating, diverse characters living in those worlds has grown as I’ve gotten older. I currently live in Sweden with my husband and our two children. The Swedish countryside is proving as inspiring as the South African landscapes I grew up with and the stories and characters in my head aren’t giving me any rest, so I write as much as I can in between taking care of the children and working my day job as an administrator.”
That sounds like you had quite an adventure growing up.
What got you into writing retellings of fairy tales?
Astrid: “I’ve always loved fairy tales and the lovely messages they encapsulate, but I’ve also found that our modern society seems to be forgetting many lovely tales simply because there’s so much focus on a select few. Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella have been retold countless times. Everyone knows these tales and others that will always appear in collections of retellings. I wanted to give voice to the lesser-known tales so that they too might not be forgotten. Brother and Sister, the first tale I retold is one of my favorite Grimm fairy tales. I’ve also drawn on folklore for my retellings and Gisela’s Passion is based on the Slavic folklore that inspired the French ballet Giselle (which is my favorite ballet). I’m currently working on The Tinderbox which is one of my favorite Andersen fairytales.”
That’s cool. There are so many fairytales and folktales out there it’s unbelievable. Of course, each story that was told in one country may tell it differently in another country. But it makes sense why you have the passion to rewrite them from different angles.
You write based on folktales and other origins, why?
Astrid: “Folktales are one aspect that I love to explore because I’m fascinated by the wisdom embedded in folk- and fairy tales. Since becoming a transformational life coach, I see the messages about human potential embedded in these old tales and love to revive them. I also write new tales to contribute to the body of fairy tales but with a slightly more modern slant in the presentation of the tales. The Wordmage’s Tales are a collection of stories I’ve created for my storyteller in The Apprentice Storyteller, but each tale is also steeped in what I love most about fairytales: strong messages about what is possible.”
Yes, I understand why you would write it differently. I’ve seen a couple of YouTubes videos on fairytales and folklore origins. Some were pretty intense and scary. Now these days, people create something different and new, yet it takes back to the story everyone recognizes. What was your first story you wrote?
Astrid: “The Atlantis Series is an African-occult, urban fantasy that starts out in Uganda. I have continued to work on the story, and it has truly grown with me as I’ve expanded my knowledge over the past 20 years. The basic story has remained the same, but many elements of the culture and the message have evolved in tandem with my experiences. I hope to be able to finish this fantastic story soon and give my twelve-year-old dreams the wings they want to fly on.”
I feel that. There are stories I’ve written and hope one day get back and finish it. What other hobbies do you like to do?
Astrid: “I love to cross-stitch and play the violin. And I love to read. Reading is my life-blood.”
LOL, there is nothing reading books. That’s cool, you do cross-stitch and play music. I see you’ve already published quite a few books in the past two and half years. When did you decide to self publish?
Astrid: “After battling self-doubt for many years, I decided to publish in 2019. I considered my options and based on how much has changed in the publishing industry in recent years I decided to go for self-publishing so I could retain control over my creative output. It has been very rewarding and I’m so happy I chose this route because it meant I could publish as soon as I was ready. Querying agents and publishing houses is a long and drawn-out process and I didn’t feel it was sensible when I started out because I felt I’d already wasted almost 15 years with putting my writing and my books down myself. After accepting that it was worth publishing, I didn’t feel like going through a similar process of convincing others my book was good enough. I let it show that for itself.”
I understand. It is hard to get traditional publishing these days. Sometimes we have to find what works best for us. Glad you made the decision to follow your dreams.
What is your favorite manuscript you've written?
Astrid: “One of my favorites would definitely have to be The Siblings’ Tale, my two-part retelling of Brother and Sister. Not only is it my debut duology, but it is also a book I wrote when I was on a gap-year, aged nineteen. I see a lot of myself in the main character, Elisabeth, and also in the villain, Olivia. The redemption arc and the growth Elisabeth goes through are very important aspects of life and I think I really did them justice.”
Nice. I like stories that have redemption between two characters or more. A place where the healing begins. I should definitely check out the story sometime.
Are you planning to do more new series in the future?
Astrid: “Yes, absolutely! I have many, many stories in my head and it’s so easy for new ideas to kindle. I’m still working on my very first story, which is a five-part series: The Atlantis Series. I hope to finish this story that starts in Uganda and combines my love of the African continent with the fantasy genre. I’m also working on a series of short stories, Tales from the Dystopian Mind. The first story in this series, In Pursuit of Independence will be published later this year. Finally, I also have The Last Vasa and Shifting Sands series taking up space in my mind. But I’ll tell you more about those in 2023.
Sounds like you have a good handful of new upcoming books. I hope it all goes well and is successful. Before we close in, do you have any advice you want to share with us about writing retellings of fairy tales?
Astrid: “Something I’ve learned and that I find hugely important, is to write from the heart. Fairytales speak to the heart, so this advice is even more powerful when applied to retellings, but it is true for all writing, no matter the genre. When we write what is important to us, our readers can tell, and they love the books so much more. I hear a lot of people saying that it’s important to “write to the market” because if you don’t give readers what they want, then no one will buy your books. Now, although that sounds like good advice, it rubs me the wrong way, because as an avid reader, I’ve read books like that, and I hate them. I don’t want some meaningless drivel that’s being churned out simply because it’s “in” at the moment. I want to see the author’s thoughts on what’s important to them. Those are the books that really stay with me, and I always write that way too. What I’ve found is that even though I write across subgenres of fantasy and turn tropes on their heads simply because that’s what my creative effort wants me to do, I have found my fans. And they love my work, which means everything to me. Sure, I don’t many books regularly, but my little posse is growing, and I love my readers (I’d even go so far as to say “the feeling’s mutual”).”
Thank you, Astrid, for being here and sharing your journey, in writing and publishing retelling fairy tales and folktales, with us.
If you like to check out her books and get copies of your own, they are available on Amazon. You can follow her on social media Instagram @Elisabethandedvard or Facebook @Astrid-VJ-USA-Today-Bestselling-Author or visit her website www.elisabethandedvard.com see her other works.
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