Author Interview: Rachel Carter on 'So Close to You' and Time Travel

So Close to You
by Rachel Carter

Realms Young Adult Fantasy Literary Magazine: Will you give us a brief background about who you are and where you’re from?

Rachel Carter: I grew up in Vermont, in a log cabin in the woods. My dad makes maple syrup every spring, and my first job was working on a ski mountain. I always knew I wanted to be a writer; I started my first novel in high school. It was very, very terrible––about a secret society of teenagers who live in the forest––and I only got through about twenty pages.

I studied English at UVM (the University of Vermont), and then I moved to New York to get my MFA in nonfiction creative writing at Columbia University. I really loved living in NYC, writing and learning and growing. That’s where I made the connections that would eventually help me publish my first book, So Close to You, in 2012. About two years ago, I decided to move back to Vermont. Now I’m living in the mountains again and working on a new young adult trilogy.

Realms: Your trilogy, So Close To You, is a young adult series involving time travel. What do you think is the defining feature that separates it from other time travel stories?

Rachel: I really do love all time travel stories. There’s something about the idea of a romance transcending space and time that just appeals to me. But I think what sets So Close to You apart is the government conspiracy aspect of it. Lydia, my main character, stumbles upon something called the Montauk Project––which is a real life conspiracy theory. People believe that Nikola Tesla faked his own death and created a time machine under the ground of Camp Hero in Montauk, New York. I think by basing it on something real (or realish!), it lends a sense of possibility to So Close to You that might not have been there otherwise.

Realms: What appealed to you about writing from the point of view of a YA character?

Rachel: I’ve always been fascinated by coming-of-age stories. Even when I was in grad school and writing nonfiction, all of my essays were about my teenage years. It’s not that the biggest events in my life happened in high school, but that’s when I felt the most strongly about everything that did happen. I love capturing that heightened sense of emotion, when every event––like getting asked to a dance, or having a fight with a friend––has such huge meaning for your characters.

Realms: Do you think adults have something to gain by reading YA stories?

Rachel: Yes. I wrote a long essay about this for the New Republic actually, but here’s the gist: YA is a complex, interesting genre with more layers and themes than it’s often given credit for. There’s something for everyone in YA, whether you happen to be a teen or an adult. And there should certainly be no shame in loving YA, regardless of your age.

Realms: What do you think your readers will connect to the most about Lydia, the main character in So Close To You?

Rachel: In the beginning, Lydia is very naïve and driven, almost to the point of being reckless. She doesn’t understand––or is unwilling to understand––the consequences of meddling with time. Her world has been a safe bubble for so long; when that safety is destroyed, it takes her a while to comprehend what that means. By the third book, Find Me Where the Water Ends, Lydia is almost a completely different person. She’s more cautious and more capable, but also closed off and angry. I always find myself connecting with characters who go through a huge transformation in a book or a series, and I hope readers feel the same about Lydia.

Realms: What is it about YA Fantasy that draws you?

Rachel: Before So Close to You, I never thought I would write a sci-fi or fantasy novel. I always assumed I would write realistic fiction––it seemed closer to my writing background and I do love telling complicated love stories. But then I heard about the Montauk Project, and I couldn’t pass up the chance to write a time travel story. There are so many choices when your world has a little more leeway––whether that’s magic or science fiction or mystical creatures. It opens up the plot, allows your characters to become special in a very unique way, and, honestly, it’s just really fun to write.

Realms: You also have an MFA in nonfiction writing. Do you find that your nonfiction writing skills crossover into your fiction writing?

Rachel: Sometimes! I wrote a lot about being a teen myself, so I think that has helped me empathize with the emotions and milestones my characters are facing. On a writing level, it can be both helpful and a little tricky––when I’m writing memoir or nonfiction, I have a tendency to over-explain my feelings. That’s something I had to train myself not to do in fiction, instead showing a character’s feelings through action, description, and dialogue. But certain things stay the same regardless of genre: at the end of the day, people just want to read a good story.

Rachel Carter

Realms: Can you tell us about what you are currently working on?

Rachel: I’m knee-deep in a fantasy novel right now, and I should have a first draft finished by the spring. I can’t say much about it, though I can tell you that it involves a lot of magical elements––something I’ve never written before!

Realms: Which author(s) influence you the most?

Rachel: There are so many! I love magical realism and lyrical writing, so I’ve always loved Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Michael Ondaatje, and Angela Carter. I read their writing to get into the headspace to write myself. In terms of YA writers––I love John Green for his realistically quirky, portrayal of modern teenagers, Carrie Ryan for her creepily lush prose, and Holly Black for her insane imagination.

Realms: What is your favorite YA fantasy story?

Rachel: Probably the Graceling Realm series by Kristin Cashore. So beautifully written and such a fully realized world. There’s a huge fantasy boom in YA right now, but her books came out years ago, when it wasn’t really the trend. Despite that, people just flocked to her series from the beginning. She does fantasy right: a strong heroine, a compelling romance, and villains who are more than they seem.

Realms: If there was the kind of magic in this world that is in storybooks, what would you want to be or be able to do?

Rachel: That’s a tough question––there are a lot of powers I would want (flying, teleportation, telekinesis) and a lot I wouldn’t want (reading minds, anything I couldn’t control). I think it would be cool to be a witch, but only if I never went over the dark side. Magic is very unpredictable––it might be the kind of thing that seems like a blessing but is actually a curse.

So Close To You is a novel about a girl, Lydia Bentley, who stumbles on the Montauk Project, which is surrounded by several conspiracies. Her grandfather believes it was the cause of his father's disappearance. As the two search for clues at Camp Hero, an abandoned military base, Lydia is transported back in time to 1944, a few days before her great-grandfather's disappearance....

You can buy So Close To You on Amazon, and/or check out what else Rachel Carter is up to on her website.

Young Adult Fantasy vs. Adult Fantasy

A friend of ours once asked, "What makes YA fantasy different from other fantasy books or stories?"
          If he couldn't quite draw the line and learn the difference, then we're willing to bet some of you don't clearly know the difference, either. The major difference, of course, is that YA fantasy is intended for the young adult audience and features young adult characters. Other fantasy books are intended for children or adult audiences. Every story needs an audience, a focal point, to define. If you don't have a target audience, then you're not sending a message, and if you're not doing that, you cannot write a story. The target audience helps define what the story is about.
          We told our friend that YA fantasy centers on material related to young adults, but that's not to say adults, or even middle grade readers, can't read YA books. In fact, adults make up 55% of those who purchase YA books, and 78% of those claimed they were the intended reader of the book. Interesting, right? So what is it about YA that fascinates adults, who aren't even the intended audience? That's a whole other discussion, right there, but it largely has to do with re-experiencing adolescence.

Howl's Moving Castle
by Diana Wynne Jones

          For teens, YA fantasy helps them grow and learn about themselves, as it, along with other YA books, largely focuses on coming-of-age, dealing with "firsts" (first loves, first parties, first adventures, first you-name-it), and coping with change. It's an unstable, yet exciting and mesmerizing time of life, which is why teens and adults love it.
          "Well," our friend said, "does that mean adult fantasy can include some things that YA can't?"
          This question was slightly trickier, because the answer is no. YA fantasy can include sex and violence, but, most likely, not as explicit as in an adult novel. However, that, again, brings up the question: how is it different?

Stardust
by Neil Gaiman

          YA fantasy can explore deep themes like adult fantasy, but the difference is that it's written in a way that appeals to the YA audience. Books like Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones delve into appearance versus what people are on the inside, or Stardust by Neil Gaiman, which is about going out into the world to discover who you really are and what you're capable of. We've found that YA is quicker-paced than adult fantasy, allowing young adults to engage in writing that matches their lifestyle. We heard someone say once that he (an adult who taught screenwriting courses) preferred reading YA books because they were similar to watching films and moved quickly, directly striking the heart of the matter.
          The real difference returns to our first point: the writer needs to get in character to make the protagonist, and all other characters, relevant and likable. How a teenager reacts to a situation might be completely different than how an adult would react. What makes YA is the characters, not necessarily the plot. It's about experience and change, and what it's like to grow into the person you will become. Characters change in adult fantasy, too, but do not have as much room to grow, and have some past experiences to fall back on for advice. YA is seeing the world anew again, where everything is an adventure.
          You tell us, did we answer the question? Comment below if you have other questions about the differences between YA fantasy and other types of audiences!

Realms

Realms Review: 'Angel Burn'

We were more than hesitant when we first picked up Angel Burn by l. a. weatherly. We'd heard of "all those fallen angel stories" from hush hush to Fallen to Halo. When we opened the first page tentatively, we thought, why are we putting ourselves through another angel story with, undoubtedly, a similar plot to the others? Well, that's where we were wrong. Weatherly crafts an angel story like nothing we've ever read before. Because angels aren't servants of God in Angel Burn; they're creatures that feed on human souls for sustenance, and our protagonist, Willow, is something impossible. She's the daughter of one.
          Willow is one of the most developed female protagonists we had read about in a while. After a reading slump, we found someone that brought the excitement back, our half-angel. She only wants to protect her family, but when an angel hunter realizes she's not quite what he was told, he winds up rescuing her and she has no choice but to go with him, or she will be killed. Angel Burn is the first book in an intense and engaging trilogy where angels are the bad guys. Willow's personal interests and well-rounded personality help her solve problems on her own and work with the hunter, Alex, to figure out why the angels have been brainwashing everyone and why they're after her. The romance that slowly blossoms between them is realistic and enticing, leaving you dying to know their fate.
          Weatherly's writing and plot twists will keep you turning pages. We give her book 4 out of 5 stars for its stunning originality, full characters, and quick pace. Angel Burn is a book that you will finish within a few days because you can't put it down.

Realms Review

Diversity in Young Adult Fantasy

#WeNeedDiverseBooks Campaign

We love Young Adult Fantasy. That’s a given, but that’s not to say that the genre is sometimes lacking. YA Fantasy is still predominantly white, and though our industry is slowly trying include more books with diverse characters (different races, sexuality, etc.), it’s going, well, slow. With that in mind, we wanted to create this list of YA Fantasy books that feature more than your typical straight, white protagonist.

Love in the Time of Global Warming by Francesca Lia Block: A young, bisexual girl named Pen must survive post-apocalyptic California and find her family with the help of three friends.

Huntress by Malinda Lo

Huntress by Malinda Lo: Two teenage girls, a sage and a fighter, travel to the city, home of the Fairy Queen, to save their land. Along the way, they fight obstacles and develop feelings for each other.

Tabula Rasa by Kristen Lippert-Martin: This books is pitched as The Bourne Identity meets Divergent. The main character, who is half Latina, wakes up in a prisonlike hospital that’s tried to rip her memories away, but they’re returning to her.

The Fire Wish by Amber Lough: A jinni and a human trade lives in this epic fantasy set in the Middle East. They each have to play the part of the other to avoid being killed by their enemies.

The Girl from the Well by Rin Chupeco: This book centers on Okiku, a centuries-old ghost bent on killing murderers as a way to avenge her own death. Based on a Japanese ghost story, this tale grows complicated as the main character encounters a demon that’s latched onto a boy.

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale: In this masterful fantasy set in the Asian steppes, Dashti, a maid, is locked away in a tower with her mistress, Lady Saren, when her mistress refuses to marry. As supplies run low, and an outside force threatens them, the two must make drastic decisions.

Witch Eyes
by Scott Tracey

Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey: Braden has a witch eye that lets him unveil secrets and unravel spells, but his gift soon becomes a curse when he realizes he may have to kill the boy he loves.

The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, and Maureen Johnson: Follow the daunting and witty adventures of Magnus Bane, a bisexual warlock from Indonesia with class, style, and a sharp mind.

The Culling by Steven dos Santos: Lucian Spark must compete in a violent military training competition, imposed on him by a totalitarian government. If he fails, they will kill his only living family member, his four-year-old brother, but as Lucian falls in love with Digory, one of the contestants, he realizes love is the weapon used against him.

If you know any good diverse YA Fantasy reads, comment below! This is just a list we’ve made from a quick online search and from books we’ve read. If the #WeNeedDiverseBooks Campaign interests you, visit their website. 

Realms

Realms Review: 'Love in the Time of Global Warming'

When you think of global warming and other aspects of climate change, you probably don't think of Homer's The Odyssey. We at Realms have just finished reading Love in the Time of Global Warming, written by Francesca Lia Block. For those of you who don't know, it's a story about a girl who's been separated from her family after a catastrophic earthquake wrecks all of California, and perhaps even the world. The story is about her journey to reunite with them, though she fights the giants that caused the apocalypse and makes new friends along the way. Ultimately, it's a book about transformation, something we all can relate to.

Francesca Lia Block's prose is phenomenal. She carefully weaves in Penelope's (the main character) narration with stunning visuals and relevant bits of The Odyssey. From the beginning, we were hooked, and for a while it was unclear how to distinguish reality from fantasy, an aspect of this book we loved. Was everything that was happening actually happening or the result of an overwhelmed, anxious, and unreliable narrator? The book constantly had the reader guessing until the last page. Hope and longing dripped from every page. Despite how heart-wrenching it is, when Pen (Penelope) encounters new characters who've survived the earthquake, the witty dialogue that follows will make you laugh out loud.

Even after the apocalypse, people are capable of smiling, forming new relationships, and celebrating love in a time of terror. If you love fantasy and the classics, we highly recommend this YA Fantasy novel, which we've decided to give 5 stars. It will leave you in tears, though you'll have to figure out the "why."

Realms Review

Author Interview: Elizabeth J. M. Walker on Dragons and Teenagers

She Dreamed of Dragons cover

Realms Young Adult Fantasy Literary Magazine: Will you give us a brief background about who you are and where you’re from?

Elizabeth J. M. Walker: I live in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. I currently work as a freelance journalist/photographer for an online community newspaper. I grew up being involved in dance and theatre, including writing scripts for dance theatre shows. Dancing often finds its way into my stories, including She Dreamed of Dragons. I’ve always loved books and writing.

Realms: For those who don’t know, can you give a brief synopsis of your debut novel, She Dreamed of Dragons?

Elizabeth: She Dreamed of Dragons follows a young dragon mage named Trina as she unwillingly attends a competition to find a new prince or princess for the fantasy world of Dorlith. The novel is a YA fantasy adventure, but is also suitable for Middle Grade readers.

Realms: What was it that inspired you to write She Dreamed of Dragons?

Elizabeth: When I was in high school, I remember watching the very first season of American Idol, when “reality TV” was first becoming popular. I thought it’d be fun to write a fantasy story about young people attending a competition to find a new prince/princess.

Realms: What appealed to you about writing from the point of view of a YA character?

Elizabeth: I write YA because the teenage years are such an interesting and life-changing part of life for everyone. Things like first romantic relationships, feeling like you’re growing up and changing into a new person, and making choices that will ultimately affect you for the rest of your adult life can all happen while you are a teen. It can be exciting, wonderful, frightening, and stressful––or a combination of all of the above and more. For a writer it creates a wealth of material for stories, whether they are contemporary fiction or fantasy.

Realms: What is it about Trina, the protagonist who is a dragon mage, that you think readers will find relatable?

Elizabeth: Even though Trina has magical powers, I still wanted her to be a very down-to-earth and “normal” character. I think some readers would be able to relate to her feeling awkward and unsure of herself, but her confidence grows throughout the story.

Realms: What would you like your readers to take away from the book?

Elizabeth: I would like readers to be able to enjoy a fun, fantastical story. However, on a deeper level, a lot of the book is about accepting others’ differences and accepting who you are.

Realms: Do you think adults have something to gain by reading YA stories?

Elizabeth: I have never stopped reading YA, even though I’m no longer a teenager. I think it’s an important part of life where many interesting stories can be told.

Realms: Currently, your book is only offered as an eBook and/or PDF. Are there any plans to have it available in paperback or will there be any sequels?

Elizabeth: I believe Musa Publishing is gradually adding all of their books to a Print-On-Demand option. A few of their books are currently available with this service, but She Dreamed of Dragons has not been added yet. Hopefully within the next year or so it will be available as a paperback.

I have ideas and outlines for sequels, but have some other manuscripts closer to being finished that I would like to work on before fully committing my time to a She Dreamed of Dragons sequel.

Realms: Since you are also a contributing author in our upcoming issue, we would like to know your opinion about us. Do you think it is important to broaden the YA Fantasy genre and open it up to short stories, poetry, and other writing forms?

Author Elizabeth J. M. Walker

Elizabeth: I think there are a lot of wonderful YA fantasy novels out there, but not too many places that focus on fantasy short fiction for the YA audience. I think it’s great that Realms is around to provide readers with some great fantasy short fiction and poetry.

Realms: Do you believe there is magic in the world? What kind?

Elizabeth: If you look in the right places….

Realms: What is it about YA Fantasy that draws you?

Elizabeth: Ever since my dad read The Hobbit to me when I was little, I loved reading about fantasy worlds. I enjoy reading to escape, and reading about a fantastical world is the best way to do so. There are all kinds of fun and magical ideas waiting to happen, but at the heart of good fantasy stories there are always great characters that bring everything together.

Realms: Which author(s) influence you the most?

Elizabeth: When I was a teen, the first YA fantasy stories I fell in love with were the Song of the Lioness Quartet and The Immortals Quartet by Tamora Pierce. I think she has influenced a lot of current authors who write about strong female heroines in fantasy settings. Some of my other favourite YA/MG fantasy authors that I find inspiring are Kristin Cashore, Maureen Johnson, Eoin Colfer, and J. K. Rowling.

Realms: What is your favorite YA fantasy story?

Elizabeth: I guess I would have to say Harry Potter. I think the first book came out when I first started high school, and the last book came out after I was done with high school for quite some time. Like a lot of people, I feel as though I grew up with the books, and Harry and his friends. I have a lot of fond memories of borrowing the books from friends at school, discussing the books while waiting for the bus, going to see the first couple movies together, watching the DVDs and bonding with new friends while living in university dorms, and the final book being delivered in a special box on a Saturday, even though we usually don’t get mail delivered on Saturdays.

Realms: If there was the kind of magic in this world that is in storybooks, what would you want to be or be able to do?

Elizabeth: I think it would be pretty amazing if we had fantastical healers who could heal every disease. And…I’ve always wanted to be able to teleport, so I wouldn’t have to spend time driving everywhere. I could also travel the world for free and be able to visit family more often.

She Dreamed of Dragons is a YA fantasy adventure that follows Trina, a struggling dragon mage, as she competes in a competition to find a new prince or princess for the fantastical Kingdom of Dorlith.

She Dreamed of Dragons can be purchased at:

Musa Publishing

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Elizabeth J. M. Walker is also the writer of “The Sea Rider,” a short story that will be featured in the first issue of Realms. You can read an excerpt on our website.