1. Why The Fey? What made you decide on THIS nickname for your main character?
There were a number of reasons for the name. First, “fey” is from an Old Norse word that means abnormal or in the realm of the supernatural. In popular terms, fey means a fairy or sprite.
Alexandra Hargreaves, the Fey, has a number of fairly like qualities. She has an uncanny knack for knowing what’s going to happen. She can talk to the dead. In Chapter Thirty-five, the men talk about how she has a sweet smell which they attribute to fairy dust.
Fey is also a word for an effeminate male. In an effort to protect her, her team calls her Fey as a way of hiding the fact that she’s female. Unless they have met her, usually in some awful place in the world, people believe that the Fey is male.
Finally, the Disney movie, Pinnochio, is a part of the Alex the Fey mythology. The Blue Fairy, for example, visits John, Alex’s husband, to warn him that she will be killed. Alex sees Jiminy Cricket as Death. Alex and Max believe that Max is Pinnochio.
2. I love that your main character is multi-layered. She’s so strong yet damaged and needy at times. She seems at odds with herself for so much of the book. Did that cause any particular issues for you when writing her? Did it make writing the character more difficult and if it did in what ways?
I think that every woman has the experience of one part of her life ending and another part of her life beginning. These transitions in identity can be deeply disturbing and painful. We meet Alexandra Hargreaves in the middle of such a transition. She’s not sure where her life is going. She only knows that her old life is over.
I enjoy Alex, her family and friends. They are great, rich and interesting characters. The hardest part for me is telling their story in a way that people can read and understand them.
3. Tell us about the mechanics of getting a book published? What lengths did you have to go to in order to get The Fey to press? Will things be any different for your next book? If so, how?
One of the key to my process is having a group of early readers. I gave these people the first draft of the book. They pushed me over and over again to create a better book.
After completely rewriting the first draft, I sent it out to another group of people. This time, the response was less of ‘you need to learn grammar’ and more of ‘these are amazing characters, they deserve a better writer’. A third complete rewrite of The Fey brought the story closer to what you see in the book. This book went out to a few of the original group and a few new people. The response was overwhelmingly positive.
To me, the key to getting published is to create the very best possible product you can. Don’t play around with reading groups or contests. Ask people for their feedback on your work. Most people are delighted to participate in the process.
4. What was your favorite part of writing The Fey? Why?
My favorite part of writing The Fey and the Alex the Fey thriller series is getting the chance to meet and hang out with such interesting characters. They are deeply flawed individuals who try hard, love well and most of all are loyal to each other. Who wouldn’t want to spend days, weeks and years with them?
5. What was your favorite part of The Fey? Why?
I have different favorite parts on different days. Today, my favorite part is a little section with John in Scotland.
**Excerpt from yesterday was the part she favored the day she answered these questions.
6. Was the character of The Fey modeled after yourself in any way? If so, explain?
Oh goodness! I wish Alex was based on me! She’s amazing. No, she’s based solely on herself. If she bears any similarities to me, it’s only that I am her scribe.
7. Can I just say? Her husband? HOTNESS. Seriously. The way you described him and the characteristics of a romantic intertwined with less… savory elements of humanity… Yeah… Ummm… is it OK that I dream about this dude?
Feel free to dream about him. He’s pretty dreamy. What I like about John is that he is deeply honest. In The Fey, he betrays Alex by lying about who he is. Rather than defend himself or his actions, he acknowledges his mistakes and moves to resolve them. That’s the kind of man any woman can all spend a lifetime with.
8. Can you tell us a little bit of what is in store for the 2nd installment of Alex the Fey thriller series?
The second book in the Alex the Fey thriller series is called Learning to Stand. In this book, Alex must actually start her next life. While The Fey is about her transition between one life and lifestyle to the next, Learning to Stand is about taking on that next life. She must step into herself and her own capacity. At the same time, the people around her must come together as a team.
9. Why did you decide to write serially on the web?
The Denver Cereal is a true serial fiction. Chapters are published as they are written – a chapter a week. I started that project out of a nudge from a friend. He had read another serial fiction I’d written (the Driver) and wondered out loud if there was a serial fiction set in Denver. There wasn’t so I decided to start one.
After almost eight months of writing, and releasing Denver Cereal, serializing the Fey, also one chapter a week, was a no brainer. I love having people read my work. Love it. Serializing The Fey at AlextheFey.com gives people the opportunity to read the novel.
10. What made you decide to publish a paper version of the novel?
I did some market research on paperback vs. hardback books. Outside of libraries, the only reason people buy hardback is because they want the next book in a series and they don’t want to wait. Paperback books are less expensive and easier to read. They are the ultimate bathtub books.
11. Last question, what would YOU like us to know?
A chapter a week of The Fey can be read at AlextheFey. The Fey will continue through November, 2009 and Learning to Stand will take it’s place in February, 2010. The Fey is also available in paperback at Amazon.com. For a special discount only available to Not a Mean Girl readers, use this code: 7P8FYHLN at our store and receive a ten percent discount.
The best place to stalk me is either at Plurk or on my blog, On-a-limb.com.
One Response
May 26th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
Just stumbled this, and thought:
Don’t forget Morganna The Fey (Morgaine Le Fey, and other spellings) of Arthurian legend
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