The Kingdom of Soron is
known for many things, its rolling landscape, haunting history, fiery
sunsets, and its beautiful princess. Princess Madeline woke on her
sixteenth birthday to realize that her future had been planned out, a
life full of privilege, royalty, and boredom... a life with a husband
and knight champion that she did not choose. Using her charm, strength
and stubbornness, she defies the King at every turn, determined to keep
her freedom on her terms.
Freedom quickly turns to disaster as she finds herself seized by a group of wandering bandits. With the kingdom in turmoil over her capture- her Knight Champion eager to prove himself, a group of dedicated suitors determined to win her hand, and a group of exiled wizards join forces in the hunt to rescue her. Follow Princess Madeline in this adventure to find freedom and love.
Freedom quickly turns to disaster as she finds herself seized by a group of wandering bandits. With the kingdom in turmoil over her capture- her Knight Champion eager to prove himself, a group of dedicated suitors determined to win her hand, and a group of exiled wizards join forces in the hunt to rescue her. Follow Princess Madeline in this adventure to find freedom and love.
Hi, Kristen! Thanks
for joining the Privateers! So to start off with, what was the first thing you ever wrote?
Well… I have been writing
since I was a little girl. My parents
laugh, because they say from a very young age, I was a writer… and the first
things I wrote were lists. As a three
year old, I would write complete lists of what needed to be done… play with
toys, sing a song, clean room, etc… apparently I needed structure then, as I do
today.
As for “real” writing, I
wrote several short stories throughout high school, dabbled in children’s
picture book stories in college, and then moved on to longer pieces. “The Escape of Princess Madeline” is my first
published book, and my first attempt to do something professional with my
writing.
Why
did you decide to write middle grade?
I find this age to be very influential and special. This is the time in my life where I truly began to identify with characters, to understand the deeper themes, and when I began to search for and devour books. This is a time when kids are handling complex issues about friendships, relationships, and determining their role in the world. Middle grade fiction allows us to handle these difficult transitions in a fun, relatable manner.
I find this age to be very influential and special. This is the time in my life where I truly began to identify with characters, to understand the deeper themes, and when I began to search for and devour books. This is a time when kids are handling complex issues about friendships, relationships, and determining their role in the world. Middle grade fiction allows us to handle these difficult transitions in a fun, relatable manner.
Where
did the idea for the Kingdom of Soron come from?
I have always been a fantasy girl. Ever since the beginning, when I dreamt about far off adventures, I saw princesses, castles, knights and wizards. When I began to write, this is where my inspiration came from. The characters, the location, the descriptions all appeared clearly in my mind.
I have always been a fantasy girl. Ever since the beginning, when I dreamt about far off adventures, I saw princesses, castles, knights and wizards. When I began to write, this is where my inspiration came from. The characters, the location, the descriptions all appeared clearly in my mind.
Your
story has a romantic element to it, how important do you think this is in a
story
I think it depends on the
type of story and the focus of the story.
In most middle grade, lower young adult fiction, the romance takes a
back seat to other themes. As is the
case in my book, the romance is a secondary theme (first love), as opposed to
the larger themes of parent/child conflict, and finding your individual
strength. It plays a part, but is not
the defining genre.
People
often find it challenging to come up with their fantasy worlds. Was this
difficult for you and what advice would you give to other aspiring writers?
For me, this part was
easy. I was lucky because my fantasy
world was already relatable from the standards of medieval renaissance. It is a time and setting that most are
familiar with, and can easily imagine.
In other settings, world
building can be tricky. It is a tough
balance between describing the location, history, and background, and developing
the characters and plot. Just like
anything and anyplace, you learn things as you go along, it’s important not to
tell it all in one place.
What
inspires you? A song, a person, a favourite author from your childhood?
I find inspiration
in so many things… I find rainbows every day that inspire me to follow my
dreams. In the laughter of my kids I get
inspiration to live life fully… listening to Bon Jovi gets me pumped up, hikes
get me focused… and in the calm moments of my mind, I usually get new ideas for
books and storylines.
What do you find most challenging about writing?
The hardest part will
probably always be finding the time, and staying disciplined to it. I am a full time stay at home mom, so during
the day, I am 100% kid focused, and then after bedtime and before they wake up,
I put my author hat on.
Are you working on anything new?
I am! I am so glad you asked. The sequel, “The Battle
for Princess Madeline,” releases late May 2013, and I am currently writing the
draft for the final of the series. There
are lots of exciting adventures for Madeline coming up.
Finally
who is your all-time favourite character, real or fictional and how has this
person influenced you as a story-teller?
Ooohhhh,
tough one… I would have to say, Indiana Jones. As a teacher by day, archeologist by night,
he has shown me that there is no clear distinction between passion and
work. That you can find that balance,
that every day is an adventure waiting to be discovered, and that treasure is
right beneath your eyes… as a character, he is fun to watch and connect with,
and for influencing my storytelling, he reminds me of the possibilities.
Well there you have it Privateers, sound good to you? Sounds pretty great to me and I just completed Bioshock Infinite, so I'm not easily impressed, y'know?
Links
Links
Website: www.kirstinpulioff.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KirstinPulioff
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