Lark has foreseen two things—she
will fall for a young man with sage green eyes, and he will kill her.
Sixteen-year-old Lark Carew is
happiest close to home, tending her garden and gathering herbs for medicines.
But when her Sight warns her that monsters called Troths will soon invade her
village, Lark is summoned on a journey to seek help from the legendary Riders
of Tarnec. Little does she suspect that one of the Riders, Gharain, is the very
man who has haunted her visions. Or that the people of Tarnec have called her
there for another reason: Lark is the Guardian of Life, the first of four
Guardians who must awaken their powers to recover four stolen amulets.
Together, the amulets—Life, Death, Dark, and Light—keep the world in Balance.
To take back the Life amulet, Lark will have to discover her true inner
strength and give in to a love that she swears will be her downfall.
(From Goodreads)
And now, it is my great pleasure to
introduce my fellow inkpot member, the immensely talented Sandra Waugh!
As you know, I loved LARK RISING!
How did you come up with such an interesting and fresh premise?
That a
hawk stopped by on my porch one morning is old news by now, but truly—that was what
that tied together loose threads of a story I’d been trying to understand. I sat down and wrote the first pages based
on that brief moment and the rest followed, fleshed out over many, many
lawnmowings (I think it’s also old news that I work out my stories while mowing
the lawn!). I followed a classic fantasy
trajectory but hopefully (as you say!) from a fresh perspective. It follows from all that mowing that so much
of the story is about Nature and the fragility of Balance.
I work out most of my stories
walking my dog, so I totally understand that!
Your fantasy world is so unique. I loved Lark’s connection to the earth
and all of her creatures. The world was
both achingly beautiful, and at times, terrifying. Can you describe your world building for us?
It’s just past my
doorstep. I live in an old house with
about four acres of grass and garden and woods—it’s my job (beyond just
lawnmowing) to try and hold back the wilderness. It’s basically impossible. But
even so, I kind of love the challenge because it has brought me up close and
personal with my surroundings on a daily basis. I’ve watched Nature struggle
and thrive, and some of the most beautiful moments—the first spring crocus, the
fattest wild autumn raspberries; discovering a hummingbird moth (who KNEW there
are such things as hummingbird moths!) or watching a crowd of fireflies dancing
above the back field. There are, too, the dark things (hearing the coyotes at
night closing in for a kill, or finding too late a vine has sucked the life
from a tree) But… the magic is right there in all of it.
Well, you’ve certainly woven those
elements of danger and beauty into LARK RISING.
I love that your magical world is really just a version of the one out
your window! One of my favorite parts of LARK RISING was the heart pounding
climax. I could not stop reading! Lark, who begins her journey as a timid girl
who loves to toil in the garden and spend her time with her cousin, Evie, and her
grandmother, must dig deep within herself and find the courage to face her
fate, and the dangers that come with it.
Was the climax hard to write?
Actually, I think it was my favorite part! I
love action, and heart-in-mouth threat. I also love that Lark had grown enough
to face such threat. And I loved her bravery in those moments. But… there are some very sad moments as well
and so admittedly I was often choked up while
working.
I shed a few
tears while reading it, too! Which is your favorite character from this book,
and why? They are all favorites—after
all, good or bad, you have to love your characters! But today I’ll choose the Bog Hag. I had the
best time writing her—all knobs, and sticks, and rage, and glee. She flew onto
the page.
Which
character are you most like? Or who would you like to be friends with?
There
are pieces of me in every character, but I am probably closest to Lark, and so
I would love to have as my friends her best friends: Evie and Quin. They are free where she is not. They can cajole her out of her timidity as
well as shield in difficult situations. And
best—they are true of heart.
I would love to have all three of
them as friends! I can’t wait to read
the sequel (hand raised to interview you again!), which focuses on Lark’s
cousin, Evie, who must take back the amulet of Death. Can you give us a hint of what we can expect
from SILVER EVE?
Well… here’s a bit of blurb: A
Healer without home or purpose Evie Carew has found the perfect place to
disappear: Rood Marsh. She can easily fade into the vast wilderness of reeds
and leave behind the violence now claiming her innocent world; leave behind the
tragedy that broke her heart. But the
girl is not alone in the marsh. A Rider, a seer, and Breeders of Chaos all seek
her, for they know something she does not—Evie is one of the Guardians, one who
can help save the world from the coming destruction by reclaiming the amulet of
Death. But fulfilling her destiny, meeting true love or a brutal death, is a
matter of who finds her first.
And now, a few questions for our
readers to get to know you better!
Favorite Book: Pride
and Prejudice, Jane Austen
Favorite Quote: ‘I say
there is no darkness but ignorance.’ Twelfth Night, IV, ii
Favorite Food: crusty
baguette
Favorite Ice Cream: Rum
Raisin
Favorite Place: England.
All of it.
Thanks so much, Sandra!
You can find Sandra on her website
(http://sandrawaugh.com/) and on Facebook,Twitter, Goodreads, Pinterest or Tumblr.
