Author Spotlight: Fantasy Author Lauren H. Salisbury
Lauren H Salisbury enjoys all things fantasy and sci-fi, creative, and edible, but not always in that order. An English teacher for sixteen years, she now tutors part-time while trying to figure out how to use an MA in Education as an author.
She lives in Yorkshire with her husband, a rampant Swiss cheese plant, and a room full of books, but she likes to winter abroad, following the sunshine. Her favourite stories include courage and love overcoming all darkness.
Author Links:
Website: laurenhsalisbury.com
Instagram: @laurenhsalisbury
Threads: @laurenhsalisbury
Facebook: @laurenhsalisbury
The Wolf King ebook – Buy Link
As an author of high fantasy, what are your favourite things about working within this genre?
I love being able to take everyday experiences and situations and transport them into something unique and creative for a different perspective. I also enjoy being able to invent worlds full of wonders without having to research every minute detail to ensure historical or scientific accuracy.
What are the challenges of making each book in your interconnected series standalone, and what techniques do you employ to catch readers up on previous character arc or events?
The main issues I have are in making sure existing readers aren’t subjected to too much repetition, and remembering to re-describe physical attributes for new readers. I usually explore the world’s culture and systems as readers progress through each story to avoid info-dumping, and books in a series tend to move to new areas with new issues and focuses, but the initial set up of the characters is a fine balancing act between filling in the essentials without covering old ground. It helps when time has passed between books so I can introduce the new leads based on their recent experiences and show how the old leads have moved on since their story finished. I think that’s a nice way to link them.
Why choose fables as retellings over fairy tales or folklore?
I like to be different. I’ve always felt like I looked at the world sideways compared to everyone around me, and that’s translated into my writing as well. My quirky take on things makes plot twists and subversion of tropes much more fun to write, and gives me a challenge each time to make it work. I think that comes across to readers too, and I love hearing them say I’ve flipped their expectations or completely taken them by surprise.
Which fables have you tackled so far in The Wolf King and The Dragon Stone, and why? Did the plot form from the fables, or was it more the other way around?
The Wolf King was inspired by The Three Little Pigs, and it absolutely came from the original plot. I asked myself three questions before I wrote it.
First, what if they were people instead of animals, kingdoms instead of homes?
Second, what if the wolf character was after more than just them?
And third, what if they caught him instead of hiding?
I kept as many of the elements as I could, and there are references and Easter eggs to it throughout.
The Dragon Stone is based on The Hare and The Tortoise, and this story started with the characteristics of each. One of my leads rushes in and acts before she thinks things through. The other is cautious and thoughtful, always formulating a plan before he carries it out.
I thought it would be fun to put these two together and see how they worked alongside each other. And I can’t say much else without giving away too many spoilers.
What was the inspiration for The Wolf King, particularly the dynamics of the two MCs?
My nieces inspired me to write The Wolf King. When they were young, they’d only walk long distances without complaining if I told them stories they could act out as we went.
They asked for The Three Little Pigs while we were walking around Quarr Abbey, a monastic pig farm, but they wanted romance and a happy ending for the wolf as well as the pigs.
Everything about my version stemmed from there, including the relationship between the leads. I enjoy enemies to lovers stories, so the push-pull relationship interested me, but I wanted them to be balanced as well, their strengths and weaknesses (eventually) complementary rather than one dominating the other.
What was your favourite trope/s to write for forthcoming The Dragon Stone, and what can readers expect from this next book?
The scene I’m most looking forward to writing is where they have to share one wardrobe.
I’ve already done only one bed, and I was reading a thread a while ago about the logistics of the only one horse trope, so I decided to avoid the debate by sticking them in only one wardrobe to hide instead.
Aside from that, readers can expect lots more fun takes on tropes and quite a few plot twists, one of which made even my jaw drop.
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