Interview with Cinda Williams Chima

Photo by Augusten Burroughs

Cinda Williams Chima

Author of:
The Warrior Heir
The Wizard Heir
Dragon Heir

The Demon King
The Exiled Queen

Author Website 

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The world-building in the Seven Realms series is very intricate. When you were writing the story, did you have a map drawn? (This is a sneaky way of asking if we'll ever get to see a map of your world).

The Seven Realms is a world I created for an adult high fantasy series that I never finished. While shopping The Warrior Heir, I wrote the first two volumes of a planned trilogy called The Star-Marked Warder, set in the Seven Realms. I drew a map at that time, and kept redrawing it and adding places and features as the story progressed. Maps help writers stay oriented in fictional worlds (in the real world, too--I often referred to a map of Ohio when writing the Heir Chronicles.)

I put The Star-Marked Warder aside after The Warrior Heir sold, and began writing The Dragon Heir and revising The Wizard Heir. After finishing the first three books in the Heir series, I wanted to write more books for teens, but try something different. I loved my Seven Realms world and the characters in it, so I decided to go back to that. I took two characters (Han and Raisa) back to when they were teenagers, back to when they met. And that's how the Seven Realms series came about. When the series sold to Hyperion, they hired a cartographer to redraw my lame map, and it appears on the flyleaf of the hardcover. It is also posted on my website at http://cindachima.com/Demon_King/Places.htm. You can print out a pdf of it there for reference, if your book doesn't include it (it was not included in the first printing of the paperback Demon King or most of the foreign editions.)

My ARC of The Exiled Queen didn't include a map. Neither did my finished copy of The Demon King. I'm SO happy that there is a map to reference all the places that we hear about in the book.

Which perspective was easiest for you to write, Han or Raisa? Which did you enjoy the most?

It's probably easier to write Han's perspective, because I'm used to writing from a boy's POV. I felt a certain amount of pressure with Raisa because I wanted to accomplish so much with her character. I wanted her to be strong, yet flawed enough to be realistic. Probably the most difficult task was showing the growth of Han and Raisa through the four books of the series. It's difficult enough to make sure that characters are consistent through a long series. But to  achieve a believable arc of character and maturity takes the kind of planning I don't usually do.

Can you explain your writing process? Do you outline? Free-write? 

I don't outline ahead of time. I wish I did. I actually blogged about plunging vs. plotting here. http://cindachima.blogspot.com/2010/02/plotters-vs-plungers.html  I generally have a loose framework to begin with, and I generally know how my story ends. I begin with characters, their desires, and the obstacles in the way. Then, as I write, I layer in more conflicts, more complications, connections and relationships. This kind of writing requires a lot of revision.

What do you wish more people knew about publishing? 

I often hear from young and unpublished writers who have questions about publishing. That's one reason I have lots of blog posts about publishing, including this one. http://cindachima.blogspot.com/2010/12/so-you-want-to-find-publisher.html  The biggest mistake I see writers make is neglecting craft in their rush to publish. Writing is like any other skill--it takes study and practice. Finding a publisher is as competitive as winning a major golf tournament. You wouldn't expect to play a game or two and then get into the Master's.

Without giving too much away, what can we expect in the next book in the Seven Realms series?

HUGE reveals, ruthless politics, scheming wizards, ramped up romance--the usual.

Any tactics for writer's block?

I got links for that, too, of course. One key to overcoming writer's block is to turn off that editor in your head--the one that says that everything you write is terrible, it will never work, this project is a failure like all your others. You have to be willing to write badly in order to finish a first draft. Once you have the bones down, you can always revise, but you can't revise a blank page. Often writers have difficulty getting started because they think they need to have everything figured out before they begin. You don't. Just begin. Here are two posts about Writer's Block: http://cindachima.blogspot.com/2008/02/writers-block.html and http://cindachima.blogspot.com/2010/01/young-writer-writes-i-recently-started.html.

Since you've built such a complex world, do you think that you'll ever write a spin-off series from another character's point of view? 

I love living in the Seven Realms, so there's a chance I might. I would also like to do something with The Star Marked Warder, which is a kind of sequel to the Seven Realms series. It would require some revision, but my beta readers really really seem to want me to finish it.

Thank you so much to Cinda for dropping by. Her blog and website have a wealth of knowledge about writing, and I highly recommend them.

The Exiled Queen by Cinda Williams Chima: Review

The Exiled Queen
By: Cinda Williams Chima
Copy received from Disney/Hyperion for review

Synopsis (From Goodreads): You can't always run from danger...
 Haunted by the loss of his mother and sister, Han Alister journeys south to begin his schooling at Mystwerk House in Oden’s Ford. But leaving the Fells doesn’t mean danger isn’t far behind. Han is hunted every step of the way by the Bayars, a powerful wizarding family set on reclaiming the amulet Han stole from them. And Mystwerk House has dangers of its own. There, Han meets Crow, a mysterious wizard who agrees to tutor Han in the darker parts of sorcery—but the bargain they make is one Han may regret.
Meanwhile, Princess Raisa ana’Marianna runs from a forced marriage in the Fells, accompanied by her friend Amon and his triple of cadets. Now, the safest place for Raisa is Wein House, the military academy at Oden's Ford. If Raisa can pass as a regular student, Wein House will offer both sanctuary and the education Raisa needs to succeed as the next Gray Wolf queen.

The Exiled Queen is an epic tale of uncertain friendships, cut-throat politics, and the irresistible power of attraction.
My Review: Oh this series is amazing.  I enjoyed The Demon King, but I absolutely loved The Exiled Queen.  Cinda Williams Chima is a master at world building, and the setting in this book is almost like another character that moves and grows with the story.

There were a few things about the story that I think were lacking. There was a lot of story as it related to Han, but very little about Raisa for most of the book. Which I thought was a little strange given the title of the book. Also, I think that the potential for a story with Fire Dancer has remained untapped. But, there are still two books to go, and from my readings of Cinda's website, they are two very large books.

Even though there wasn't as much of the Raisa story as I would have liked, what was there was very good.  Raisa has definitely grown up, and is learning more about her identity.  Her romances are very real and fun to read about.  My husband and I read the book aloud and found that even reading the "lovey dovey" parts wasn't uncomfortable.

Han's story was definitely setting up for the next book in the series.  Thus, it did drag a little in parts. However, as long as the information that we learned about Han and wizarding history proves useful in the next book, I don't mind much at all.  Also, I did find that I wanted Han to be a little more perceptive than he seemed to be at times. I found that I could easily anticipate his next move, and waited a few pages for him to realize something that I had known was coming.  But, his character remained true in this book, and that's really the most important thing to me.








As I mentioned above, one of the best parts of this series is the world building. What is truly amazing about this book is that while the setting is totally unfamiliar, unlike other high fantasies, there aren't a lot of different races and terms to keep track of. There really aren't even a lot of characters.  I didn't feel like I was so caught up in trying to keep places or people straight that I was missing the point of the story.


Like the Demon King, I really enjoyed the ending.  There was a clear ending of the story arc, but I was definitely left wanting more.  I can't wait for the next book that will be out next Fall.  If you enjoy fantasy, this book is a must read.


My Rating:
 

Profanity: None
Sexuality: Mild
Violence: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol: None

The Demon King (audiobook) by Cinda Williams Chima: Review

The Demon King
Audiobook Edition
By: Cinda Williams Chima

Synopsis (from Goodreads): Times are hard in the mountain city of Fellsmarch. Reformed thief Han Alister will do almost anything to eke out a living for himself, his mother, and his sister Mari.  Ironically, the only thing of value he has is something he can't sell.  For as long as Han can remember, he's worn thick silver cuffs engraved with runes.  They're clearly magicked-as he grows, they grow, and he's never been able to get them off.

While out hunting one day, Han and his Clan friend, Dancer catch three young wizards setting fire to the sacred mountain of Hanalea.   After a confrontation, Han takes an amulet from Micah Bayar, son of the High Wizard, to ensure the boy won't use it against them.  Han soon learns that the amulet has an evil history-it once belonged to the Demon King, the wizard who nearly destroyed the world a millennium ago.  With a magical piece that powerful at stake, Han knows that the Bayars will stop at nothing to get it back.

Meanwhile, Raisa ana'Marianna, Princess Heir of the Fells, has her own battles to fight.  She's just returned to court after three years of relative freedom with her father's family at Demonai camp - riding, hunting, and working the famous Clan markets.  Although Raisa will become eligible for marriage after her sixteenth name-day, she isn't looking forward to trading in her common sense and new skills for etiquette tutors and stuffy parties.

Raisa wants to be more than an ornament in a glittering cage. She aspires to be like Hanalea-the legendary warrior queen who killed the Demon King and saved the world. But it seems like her mother has other plans for her--plans that include a suitor who goes against everything the Queendom stands for.

The Seven Realms will tremble when the lives of Han and Raisa collide in this stunning new page-turner from bestselling author Cinda Williams Chima.

My Review:
I got the audiobook from my library's website. It was a daunting 10 hours long. But, two trips up to Idaho and a couple commutes to work did the trick. I have to admit, the narrator's voice took a little getting used to for me. Carol Monda, the narrator, did a fantastic job with the male voices. I could tell who was speaking just by the different voice she used. But, oddly enough, her female characters sounded pretty masculine. I also would have liked to have a little more theatricality in the reading, perhaps some sound effects or music. But, overall, it was very entertaining to listen to and moved at a very good pace.

The world building in this novel was phenomenal. I haven't read The Warrior Heir or its series yet, but if this is what all of Cinda Williams Chima's books are like, then I'm hopping on board. This was a complex environment with court intrigue, wars, political feuds, gangs, and a bit of native spirit.

Han was a fantastic protagonist in all his reformed bad boy charm. I don't like bad boys, but if they have reformed, I can get on board. Han had a rough life and it seems that no matter how hard he tried to stay out of trouble, it keeps finding him. I loved how incidents at the beginning of the story that were almost skipped over at the beginning became very important to the story.

Now, about Raisa. I loved her, hated her, and then loved her again. I could not understand her fascination for Micah. What a little snake (Micah, not Raisa). But, she has a good heart, which tells me that I may like her a little better in the sequel. She was spoiled and extremely naive, which is why I hated her. However, as time went on, she definitely grew. I suppose it is unfair to hold Raisa accountable for her actions at the beginning of the book since she really was sheltered by no fault of her own.  She has conviction, and while many of her actions were selfish, she does acknowledge that later in the book and even makes penance!

My favorite characters in the book were Aman Burn, Corporal Burn, Willow, and of course Averil Demoneye. Some may find the sheer number of characters overwhelming, but maybe because I was listening to the audio version, the different voices made it a little easier to tell them apart.

Here is my one complaint about the book. Many of the major climactic events in the story had several pages/minutes of dialogue leading up to them. After about 2-3 minutes of dialogue I knew exactly what was going to happen. This wasn't a bad thing in itself, but it was a little lengthy. At one point I yelled at the audiobook, "Oh just get on with it already!" It, of course, did not respond. The book could have been a little more succinct and just gotten to the point a little faster.

The ending of this novel was PERFECT! I do not like cliffhangers. Catching Fire may be the only book I've ever actually thrown, and it was for this reason. The Demon King wrapped up beautifully. Many of the main conflicts in the story were resolved, but there is definitely more to the story. I am kind of reminded of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. At the end of that book, you knew there was more to the story. Voldemort was not defeated. It was only the first leg of a journey. This is how a good series should be.

I can't wait to read The Exiled Queen when it is released in September. Until then, I have many more Cinda Williams Chima books to keep me company.

My Rating:
 

Profanity: None (Only the fake, made up kind like "Hanalea's Bones!")
Sexuality: Mild (kissing and the like)
Violence: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol: Mild

Book-a-likes: Harry Potter