Fantasy novels take a lot of work: it’s not enough to write a gripping story, you also have to create a new, intricate, consistent world to set it in. Last year I was fortunate enough to pick up a copy of The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima, the first book in her Heir series (written for young adults, but accessible to all readers).
I was instantly hooked. Jack, a modern-day high school student, forgets to take the medicine he’s been taking since infancy. It turns out that he is the last of a dying breed, and a target of a group of evil wizards. A different group of wizards and enchanters has been keeping him safe all his life — but now he’s taking matters into his own hands.
Not only does Williams Chima have a compelling and interesting story, she has created a world that exists alongside our own — and it’s actually quite believable. The amount of work that went into the novels is clear.
When I added the series to my list of books at Goodreads.com, I found that Williams Chima also had a page there. After spending an hour combing through the books she has read (and adding quite a few of them to my to-read list), I decided to send her a message.
She was extremely polite, and when I asked about an interview, she took the time to answer some of my questions.
TheTorchOnline: What made you want to be a writer?
Cinda Williams Chima: It began with a love of reading and the habit of making up stories. I used to give voices to all our pets and stuffed animals, and I did a lot of live-action role-playing before RPG’s were invented. We would play spies and pirates in the woods, or be characters in our favorite TV shows or movies. My Barbies were always international jewel thieves or government agents, never teenage fashion models.
TTO: Who has influenced your work?
CWC: Ideas are everywhere, and many, many of my own experiences have been incorporated into my books. I have loved fantasy since I was in high school, and there are lots of fantasy authors who have influenced me and whom I enjoy today — Tolkien, Mary Stewart, David Eddings, George R.R. Martin, Tamora Pierce, Robin Hobb, plus lots of other young adult authors. J.K. Rowling gave a gift to all YA authors — she expanded the page count of YA books so fantasy writers could better fit in.
I read all kinds of books, though, not just fantasy. The other major influence was my mother, who instilled in me a love of reading.
TTO: What was it like when your first novel, The Warrior Heir, was published?
CWC: It was like Christmas. A dream come true for me. I’m still a bit giddy, after three books. That said, probably the biggest surprise for me is that getting published doesn’t solve all your problems! There are always new things to worry about and sweat over.
TTO: Out of the awards your current novels have won, which are you most proud of and why?
CWC: Wow, that’s hard to say. Different awards are special for different reasons. The Warrior Heir was a 2006 Booksense Summer Reading Pick. That was the first award I received, and so that was a huge confidence booster. One local recognition really touched me as well — I received a fiction award from the Lit Center in Cleveland. That is an organization of literary poets and writers, so that award meant a lot.
TTO: When you’re not writing, what do you like to spend your time doing?
CWC: I’m always writing, promoting, putting together workshops, and answering mail. Until a year ago, I was a college professor as well as a writer. Now that I write full time, I’m hoping to get back to some of the other things I enjoy, such as reading, doing genealogical research, handweaving and other needlework, playing guitar, traveling, and cooking things that take longer than half an hour.
TTO: Since you’re always writing, is there somewhere special you like to write most?
CWC: I do most of my writing at my desk in the den; I plug my laptop into an awesome 24-inch video display and external keyboard. I also often write in a coffee shop in order to get away from the Internet. On vacation I love to write on a balcony overlooking the ocean. 
TTO: Is there any advice you’d like to give to aspiring authors?
CWC: Focus on craft. The mistake many aspiring authors make is jumping ahead to how to write a query letter or pitch an agent before the work is really ready. I was as guilty as anyone. Learn from my mistakes.
TTO: What are your views on fanfiction?
CWC: It’s interesting, and it’s very like what I used to do in role-playing. I think it can develop writing skills, but I encourage young writers to find and develop their own characters and stories! Yours may be better than mine!
TTO: Your next book, The Demon King, is slated for release on October 13, 2009. What is this book going to be about?
CWC: The Demon King is set in the mountain queendom of the Fells, which is going through hard times. Han Alister, a reformed gang leader and thief, is trying to make a living for his family. The only thing of value he has is something he can’t sell–the magical silver cuffs he’s worn all his life. Meanwhile, Raisa ana’Marianna, the Princess Heir, is struggling to navigate the dangerous Gray Wolf Court. Wars rage to the south, the impoverished population is close to rebellion, and the ongoing feud between The Wizard Council and the Spirit Clans threatens to ignite into flame.
TTO: Where did you get the idea for this book?
CWC: I had previously written two fantasy novels set in this same world, which were never published. I took two of the characters and made them the viewpoints of this new series. So a lot of the groundwork was already laid–the magical system, the worldbuilding, etc. 
TTO: What different ways do you advertise for this upcoming novel? Do you do a lot of work on your own, or does your publisher do most of the work?
CWC: My publisher has been very supportive of my books, and I am very grateful. I will be touring for The Demon King during October, and have quite a few author events scheduled between now and then — writing workshops, library and school visits, and conferences. My husband maintains my Website and I have blogs on LiveJournal, Blogspot, MySpace, and Facebook. I make it a priority to respond to fan mail, though it gets overwhelming at times.
TTO: Since you’ve had three books published prior to this one, do you think this was easier or harder to write this one?
CWC: It was easier to believe I could finish a novel, having had that experience before. I think one of the most important things I’ve learned is that it’s possible to make a major revision in your book. You can tear your book apart, and it doesn’t “break.” It’s very freeing.
TTO: How often have you had to go back and rewrite major portions? Does the end result resemble the original draft?
CWC: The Warrior Heir was revised over 4 years, so the end result was dramatically different than the first draft. I was learning more and more about writing during that time. The Dragon Heir was also greatly revised. My editor asked me to take a character out, and I did. The Demon King was revised very little, but that project had been fermenting for a long time.
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