An Interview with Lynn Kurland

 

The Reading Cafe is happy to welcome the wonderful Lynn Kurland as our guest today.

Lynn just released Dreamspinner, her newest book in her The Nine Kingdoms series. We posted our review of Dreamspinner below this Interview.

Let’s begin our interview with Lynn.

 

 

Hi Lynn.  Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions today. We are always looking forward to reading about the author behind the book.

Lynn: Thanks so much for asking me to stop by!

TRC: Would you please tell us about yourself?

Lynn:I’m just an average gal, living the dream, getting to work at home in my pajamas and take copious notes about the antics of the people taking up space on my mental stage. Life is good!

TRC: When and how did you become interested in writing?  Have you always liked to write?

Lynn: I think I was probably just like many big fantasy-reading teenagers of my generation in wanting to be the next Tolkien. I never really considered it on any level until after college and even then it seemed like something too impossible to take seriously. But I started with an idea, rewrote it a gazillion times, put it away and started on something else. I kept at it until I had a dozen things in various stages of completion and I started shopping a couple of them around. Even when I sold, it felt a little surreal. I’m still not sure it’s sunk in completely!

TRC: Many writers bounce ideas and information with either a family member, a Friend, or another writer.  Who inspires you?  Do you have a muse?

Lynn: I’m a pretty private person in general and a very private writer. There’s something about discussing either a work in progress or future plans for other books that ruins the magic for me. It’s almost as if the story needs to stay in my head all by itself so it can take on a life of its own. So I try never to talk about the specifics of what I’m doing until it’s out there on the page and into my editor’s hands.

As far as inspiration goes, I unfortunately don’t let myself read either fantasy or romance anymore simply because I don’t want anyone else’s ideas or thoughts somehow finding their way into my work. I went through a PG Wodehouse phase recently until I realized I was starting to write dialogue that sounded far too much like something Jeeves would say. 🙂 Rachmaninoff inspires me, which seems pretty safe!

About muses: I once--very arrogantly, it has to be said--told someone “I don’t have a muse; I have deadlines,” and subsequently found myself with about six months’ worth of writer’s block as a result, so I think I’d be wise to step gingerly here. 🙂 For me, while the idea of a muse is very romantic, it makes me nervous to rely on anything but my own heart and mind for inspiration.

TRC: You have three major series, which involves Time Travel, Fantasy, Romance.  Each of your series are different, though you have intermingled two series. For our readers who may be new to you, can you give us a brief description of each series.

Lynn: 

               Nine Kingdoms
This is a fantasy series set in a fantasy world with a definite medieval feel. Magic and mythical characters abound!

              De Piagets
The de Piagets stories stretch from the 13^th  century to the present day. It is a family-saga type series, though there are other books associated with this English family that have only a passing reference to them. The books can be read independently.

               The MacLeods 
The MacLeods are Scots. Their story really begins with James MacLeod, medieval laird, who left his own time and came to the future with an American writer, Elizabeth, who had accidently traveled back to the past. Jamie is an inveterate time traveler, attracting all kinds of friends, family, and extended-family who seem to find themselves caught up in similar time-traveling adventures.

TRC: What are the challenges that you find switching back and forth between each series? Do you have a preference when it comes to one of these series?

Lynn: The romances definitely have a lighter tone, which is deliberate. Life is hard and laughter is good! The fantasies are a bit darker and the prose (hopefully) a bit denser, and that’s deliberate as well. I just wanted it all to still sound like me, but have a different flavor.

TRC: How did you come up with the idea of the Nine Kingdoms series.  Also, why did you do this series in a set of trilogies?  Do you have an end in sight for this series?  Hopefully not.  🙂

Lynn:(You’re so kind!) In reverse order: I’m in the middle of the third trilogy and already wondering where #4 will go and who’ll need to star and will people howl if I jump back in time and leave certain people in a pickle in the present? So, no end in sight so far.

I really wanted the books to be longer so putting them out as trilogies was just how my editor thought that could best be accomplished. I wish I could do them every six months instead of every year, but with kids still at home, this is as fast as I can write.

As far as coming up with the whole idea, well, I knew I wanted to write fantasy and I knew I wanted it to have a medieval sort of feel and I definitely didn’t want it to be a rehash of LOTR. It definitely had to have enough romance in it to suit me. (Tolkien and I will someday have a conversation about his appalling lack of the same, believe me!) In the first incarnation, I actually had Adhémar from Star of the Morning as the hero, but I got about five chapters into that and decided he just wasn’t going to cut it. Things sort of got away from me after that. 🙂

TRC: Dreamspinner is your next novel of your Nine Kingdoms series. Can you please tell us a little about this book?

Lynn: It is the story of Rùnach of Ceangail, brother to both Morgan and Ruith from trilogies #1 and #2 respectively. He’s been hiding out in the schools of wizardry for several years, trying to keep a low profile and stay alive because he has no magic with which to protect himself. He goes to his siblings’ weddings, then takes the opportunity to strike out on his own. His goal, despite being who he is, is to find a spot in as a very unmagical swordsman in a very ordinary garrison.

Despite his best intentions, Rùnach becomes caught up in the life of Aisling of a place she won’t reveal. She fully believes she’s under a curse that states if she doesn’t find within a predetermined amount of a time a powerful mercenary to free her country from a cruel despot, she will die.

Only as they start out on a quest together, they both begin to realize that things just aren’t quite as they’ve been led to believe. ..

Links to order Dreamspinner:
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository / BooksaMillion

TRC: Some of our members are big fans of yours, and they wanted to ask you some questions about the Nine Kingdoms.

1.      "Your upcoming release Dreamspinner shows us that Runach is our next hero.  In the first trilogy of the Nine Kingdoms we learn that his father Gair, took his magic during that terrifying day at the well.  In the second trilogy we see Runach as the magicless character he is supposed to be, and yet in a previous book, Miach could sense the echo of something emanating from within him.  The same with a previous book within the second trilogy...a hint that something could be there, and that Runach has secrets.  What can readers expect from our next hero?"

Lynn: Hmmm, I wonder! 🙂 Those are all excellent points. Let’s just say that Gair definitely did take Rùnach’s magic, which Rùnach had resigned himself to. He’d never thought he would need it, but soon finds that the lack of it is a big problem. He’s a clever guy, though, so I have the feeling he’ll find a workaround.

2.      "You have so many well developed, fleshed out secondary characters, Soellier (sp?) for example. It was so sad that he was in love with Sarait, knowing that she would meet her doom, and yet unable to stop her demise.  Is there happiness to be found for this fantasic, and intriguing character in the future?"

Lynn: You know, I really like him too. I would really like to see just what kind of woman can get involved with a man who could unravel the fabric of the world, yet find herself absolutely untimidated by him. I don’t know when or if that will ever happen, but it would be interesting!

3.      "After this last trilogy wraps up, will we possibly see more books set within the world of the Nine Kingdoms, showcasing any previously introduced characters?  Will you continue to write romantic Fantasy?"

Lynn: Yes to all!

TRC: While writing your time travel stories, do you envision a place in time that you yourself would like to go?

Lynn: I used to, yes. Though I’m not sure I would really want to visit it, the Middle Ages has always held an unwholesome sway over my imagination. It’s been a blast to take modern characters back and see how things look through their eyes. I almost think it’s more fun watching medieval characters deal with modern-day life, but that’s just me. These days, though, it’s less about what I want than it is what the character seems to need.

TRC: What are you currently working on? Is there any new projects in the works that you would like to share?

Lynn: I’m in the middle of the second book of the fantasy trilogy that begins at the end of December this year. I have lots of ideas for lots of other things (little ebooks, maybe a YA series, actually updating my website more than twice a year), but it’s just finding the time to make any of it a reality that’s tough.

TRC: Who is your favorite Female & Male Character in your books?

Lynn: For the romances, I think I would have to say probably Madelyn Phillips and Patrick MacLeod. I relate to her probably more than anyone else, and, well, in my opinion he’s dreamy.

In fantasyland, it’s Morgan and Miach, definitely, probably because I lived with them both for so long before they saw print. Well, that and what’s not to like about a gal who wields a sword and a guy who’s unthreatened enough by it to admire her for it?

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Lynn: Just a huge thank you to you and your members for the great questions, and an additional thank you to everyone who has parted with hard-earned money for my books. I hope the trade-off of a book in your hands (or on your Nook/Kindle/ereader-of-choice) is worth it. Thank you so much for allowing me the chance to bring these characters to life!

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: Chocolate

Favorite Author: Tolkien

Favorite Movie: While You Were Sleeping

Favorite TV Show: Get Smart (the 60s version)

Last Movie that you saw: Narnia 3

Last book that you read: Atlas Shrugged – while being very grateful it was on my Nook and not the print copy!

Favorite character (male & female) not written by you: That’s tough. At the moment, Pongo Twistleton or Shakespeare’s incarnation of Henry V (does he count?) and Elizabeth Bennett.

Thank you, Lynn for answering our questions. We look forward to continuing to read your books, and to work with you in the future. Good luck with Dreamspinner.

Link to Dreamspinner Review:

If you want to learn more about Lynn, you can find her at the following link:

Website: http://www.lynnkurland.com/
Facebook:
Goodreads: