Interview with fantasy author Christy Matheson

Fantasy author Christy Matheson is chatting with me about her new time-slip fantasy novel, The White Deer of Kildare.

During her virtual book tour, Christy will be giving away a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly chosen winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:
Christy Matheson writes award-winning fiction about friends, family, and finding one’s place in an ever-changing world.

She is the author of “The Castle in Kilkenny: Fairy Tales” novella series. Each one sets a traditional Irish fairy tale within a modern blended family, perfect for readers wanting a cozy family adventure.

Christy’s regular historical work (sans fantasy elements) can be found in the award-winning “Feisty Deeds: Historical Fictions of Daring Women,” of which she is also an editor. Her Regency novels are represented by Kristina Sutton-Lennon and have won pre-publication awards for women’s fiction.

Christy is also an embroidery artist, classically trained pianist, and sews all of her own clothes. She lives in Oregon, on a country property that fondly reminds her of a Regency estate (except with a swing set instead of faux Greek ruins), with her husband, five children, three Shelties, one bunny, and an improbable quantity of art supplies.

Welcome, Christy. Please tell us about your current release.
The White Deer of Kildare is a retelling of an ancient myth with a modern frame. You’ve probably heard of Finn McCool, who may or may not be a real figure in approximately 3rd-century Ireland. This is the story of his first wife, Saba, but it is told through Saba’s own eyes.

In most of the versions, Saba is barely a background character in her own story. She is pursued, she is saved, she is tricked, while Finn and “the Dark Man” take all the action. Meanwhile, there are hints that Saba is politically and magically powerful in her own right, and in the end, she saves herself—off page. In my version, Saba is always on page.

What inspired you to write this book?
Have you ever been driving around or watching shows about Europe, and you think “what would it be like to actually live in an ancient castle?”

It would be partly incredible, because you’d be surrounded by so much unique history; partly difficult to squeeze modern appliances into an old building; and partly just your ordinary life, because your partner still leaves their socks on the floor and the kids won’t eat what you packed for lunch.

And that’s what I wrote with the “Castle in Kilkenny: Fairy Tales” series. Each one begins with the ordinary problems that won’t leave us alone, like the mom who just wants to sit down after a long day and a long bedtime routine. But then something unexpected happens, like a deer arrives for a visit. Because if you live in that castle, you deserve the magic, right?

Excerpt from The White Deer of Kildare
“Well then, that’s lovely.” Mrs. O’Connelly gives the van door an expert yank. “I brought Oliver’s friend Oisín no problem, but text me first the next time you’re going to need an extra seat, won’t you?”

Did I schedule a playdate and forget about it? I apologize automatically.

“No worries.” Mrs. O’Connelly smiles in her bland way. “It’ll be great fun anyhow, Oliver having a friend to stay for the whole holidays.”

Now wait. I am positive that I did not invite a child to come stay with us for two weeks.

Oliver jumps down with his gap-tooth smile and a diorama in one hand. “Hi, Mum!”

Another little boy follows, with an equally round face and equally wide smile. “Hi, Oliver’s mum!”

They both roar like dinosaurs, throw their arms around me, and pretend to eat my jacket.

I’m a little stunned. I stare after them as they take off in a wild loop around the Peugeot and into the shrubbery, diorama waving. Aiden helps Oona with her papers and opens the castle door for her, but Kaylee is as shocked as I am, her mouth gaping as she watches the boys run.

“Now then, Maura”—Mrs. O’Connelly sidles closer to me, her brows lowering—“I know you Americans have all these problems with race, but this isn’t the time or place. His name is Oisín, which is a nice Irish name, and he sounds just like we do. So he’s a nice Irish boy and never you mind the color of his skin, you hear?”

“Of course not. Of course.”

Kaylee meets my gaze, eyes round as cookies. We aren’t shocked by the rich brown of Oisín’s skin, we are shocked because he is buck naked and no one else seems to notice.

What exciting project are you working on next?
I’m working on more “Castle in Kilkenny: Fairy Tales”, and it’s so much fun! It’s a complex process, finding traditional stories that could work with my retelling style; and then balancing it with finding the right character who already exists in my world, and bringing it back to the castle and the “everyday-world” problems they have. Each story stands alone, but I also want each one to go more deeply into the questions and characters who have come up before.

I spend a while planning a book before I write, so I have a couple novellas in development. At the end of “The White Deer,” there is a character who does something unexpected and brave. Readers wanted to know what happens to him, so I’m working on his story right now. It has a magical library, and possibly a cat who starts killing everyone.

You can find “The Squire and His Magical Library” here. This was the preliminary blurb…see if I’ve figured out how to add in the murderous cat yet! Oh, and I haven’t mentioned the young woman who will be his friend. Books are always more interesting with a friendship, and there were women in the Fianna (warrior bands) of ancient Ireland.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I learned to read and write very early, before my real memories begin, so perhaps I have just always accepted it. I think if you writer, you’re a writer.

Do you write full-time? If so, what’s your workday like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I have five children. This year, they are between the ages of kindergarten and twelfth grade.

So, first of all, this means I am not “a full-time writer” because my children are always going to come first. I have many, many years of child rearing ahead of me, just like I have many, many years behind me.

Secondly, like pretty much all big-family moms, I’ve developed excellent skills for just getting stuff done, full time, all the time. I think we big-family moms make peace with the fact that we’re never going to get everything done and it’s never going to be perfect. We just do it.

So there is no “finding” time for writing. I excavate it with my fingernails, and then I defend it tooth and claw.

If you’re looking for a more practical answer, I block out my week into sections of time, and when that time block is done, I move on. So if it’s “arrange kids’ summer programs,” I start with the most important ones and then get as much done as I can before my next time block starts. I usually write from lunch until dinner, and then sometimes in the evening after the kids are in bed (but often still awake). Also, I’ve written a lot of fiction while someone is doing math games on the iPad next to me, and someone else is talking to me about light sabers, while a teenager is yelling from the kitchen about where to find the oregano.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
Besides combining historical fiction with light sabers, iPad games, and oregano?

My writing partner says that I use contractions like other people use adjectives…sparingly.

I am always thinking about the rhythm of how the words fit together, and I guess contractions (or not!) are one way that I manipulate the iamb to create mood and emphasis.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was little, I wanted to be a nurse, because my mom was a nurse. Well, my younger aunt became a nurse, my sister became a nurse, and my one female cousin became a nurse, leaving me as the only female on that side of the family who is not a nurse!

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
When everyday life is difficult, I hope you can take a few moments to care for yourself and escape into another world. I invite you to make yourself a cup of tea, and curl up with a snuggly blanket and one of my novellas—it’s an adventure that faces some real-life fears, but you know that love always wins.

I invite you to join my newsletter. I’m about to release a special edition novella for my subscribers only, so it’s your chance to get a glimpse of the “Castle in Kilkenny” world — for free!

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