Ask the Author: Morgan Rhodes
Answered Questions (37)
Morgan Rhodes
It would be tricky, since the Mytica we see in ABOSAT is a thousand years before the Mytica of Falling Kingdoms. However, if there is a way of doing it, or a quick glimpse, that would make sense to the story and the worldbuilding, then I think that would be a lot of fun!
Morgan Rhodes
I think the main theme in young adult literature is "coming of age." The teens are years when we figure out who we are going to become as adults through the choices we make and the experiences we have. So if a character begins with an immature outlook or a very selfish point of view, it's likely that they will grow and change through the story -- and if they don't, there are definitely going to be harsh penalties they probably won't like!! :)
Morgan Rhodes
Gathering Darkness is book three in the series and Frozen Tides is book four.... so it's definitely best to read Gathering Darkness first if possible. However, I do hope that if a reader picks up one of the books randomly, and hasn't read the ones before it, that they won't be tooooo confused. I try to layer in some backstory when necessary to explain history and characters.
Morgan Rhodes
My main tip on this is to commit to getting the entire novel written before you go back and make revisions and to ignore any potential distractions. At a point in every book (usually the middle, for me) another shiny idea inevitably shows up and tries to distract me, but if I chased after every new idea, I'd never get my work in progress finished. So plug away, get it done, and then set it aside if you have the time for about six weeks or so, so when you come back to reread and edit you'll have enough distance from it to make good editing choices. Good luck!! :)
Morgan Rhodes
Oh, wow, thank you! :) :) Writing from multiple characters' POVs is definitely a challenge. Luckily, each chapter is focused on one specific character, so I can spend some time in that character's head before I need to move on to the next. Plus, I keep a plotting journal which I jot notes in before I start my writing for the day which helps me figure out that character's goals and motivations. Add to that lots of editing and rereading!
Morgan Rhodes
I actually don't regret any of the plot decisions I've made so far in the series. However, I wouldn't mind going back to book one and foreshadowing a few more things, now that I know more about the characters and mythology!
Morgan Rhodes
Here's a secret, but you have to promise not to tell anyone.... I think every writer loses interest in their story about half-way through. Yes, at that moment when the writing actually becomes work and the initial "shininess" and excitement is gone. Good news: this is normal. Bad news: the only way to get through this is to ignore the new shiny ideas that are going to come at you and keep plugging away on the story you've committed to finishing. The love will return, promise! I find that when I haven't plotted thoroughly enough, that's when I get distracted or bored. Now I plot right down to each chapter, then before I start to write for the day, I figure out what I'm going to write. It keeps me on track with far fewer excuses to walk away. Because if you only write half a story every time you get an idea, you're never going to finish a book. So keep typing and before you know it, the book or story will be finished and you will feel really great about it again! Also, if you have an outline and you're not feeling inspired to write the next scene, you can always skip forward to a scene you're really looking forward to writing and write that! There are lots of ways to trick the muse!
Morgan Rhodes
Hey yourself!! :) Lots of things inspired Falling Kingdoms. For one, I'd been wanting to write a series set on a big gameboard with lots of characters and a tapestry of subplots. I had previously written many books that followed one person's journey, or a couple of people, but they were character driven while I feel that the FK series is more "world" driven, y'know? So that was a big challenge. I love the grittiness and twists of Game of Thrones (the TV show...I haven't read the books yet since I don't want to be overly inspired!!!), and other fantasy movies like the epicness of LotR, the humor of The Princess Bride, etc; I loved Stephen King's The Eyes of the Dragon when I was younger, to name only a few inspirations. So, basically, a whole lot of ingredients went into the pot and after it simmered, Falling Kingdoms was born!
Morgan Rhodes
Thank you so much!! I've enjoyed the chance to explore different potential love match-ups over the last four books and I'm sure books 5 and 6 will contain many surprises as well. I think with a cast this big, and love being a huge theme in, well, life in general for everyone, there are bound to be surprises in store. My favorite ship is Rose and the Tenth Doctor.
Oh, wait. You mean in MY series? As if I'd answer that!! ;)
Oh, wait. You mean in MY series? As if I'd answer that!! ;)
Morgan Rhodes
I know what's going to happen to Lucia through to the end of book five, since book five is plotted and in progress. However, things might change as I'm writing to change her destiny -- as well as the destiny of the other characters. I honestly won't know how everything is going to turn out for Lucia or anyone else until I'm literally finished book six. It's both fun and a little scary since I do know how I'd like some things to turn out... hope I'm not surprised toooo much!! ;)
Morgan Rhodes
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Morgan Rhodes
I wouldn't say any of them have been easy, they are very involved books with lots of characters! I will say that my first drafts are becoming JUST A LITTLE less difficult since I've gotten to know these characters so well over four books that their goals and reactions are well known to me by now. I can get into their heads just a little easier than in the beginning, so that definitely helps me produce pages. It's just the subplots I need to juggle now!
Morgan Rhodes
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Morgan Rhodes
Okay, I can do this. Let me think... :)
Cleo... probably Versace. She's all bold and colorful, cutting edge, and definitely expensive, but is strong enough to stand the test of time.
Lucia...I'm thinking Alexander McQueen. As a Limerian princess, I see Lucia as a bit Goth in style, liking black fabrics and skull scarves and gun-metal clutches.
Magnus... he'd probably be into Tom Ford, with clean lines, expensive-looking style, but nothing too in-your-face flamboyant. Monochromatic black preferred.
Jonas...probably The Gap or American Eagle with a few trips to Goodwill for some kickass vintage jeans.
Cleo... probably Versace. She's all bold and colorful, cutting edge, and definitely expensive, but is strong enough to stand the test of time.
Lucia...I'm thinking Alexander McQueen. As a Limerian princess, I see Lucia as a bit Goth in style, liking black fabrics and skull scarves and gun-metal clutches.
Magnus... he'd probably be into Tom Ford, with clean lines, expensive-looking style, but nothing too in-your-face flamboyant. Monochromatic black preferred.
Jonas...probably The Gap or American Eagle with a few trips to Goodwill for some kickass vintage jeans.
Morgan Rhodes
Thank you so much, Lauryn!!
I see Magnus as a cat...a big cat, like a jaguar. But not an adult jaguar, kind of a teenage jaguar who thinks he's all tough until the adults knock him down, or he has to go hunt for his own food and he finds that he enjoys playing with the gazelles more than eating them. (FYI I have no idea if jaguars hunt gazelles.)
I see Jonas more as a dog. A mutt, probably, and enthusiastic and loyal, but trained to protect his people from harm. Perhaps a big easily distracted by shiny frisbees or other pretty female dogs, but he means well.
I see Magnus as a cat...a big cat, like a jaguar. But not an adult jaguar, kind of a teenage jaguar who thinks he's all tough until the adults knock him down, or he has to go hunt for his own food and he finds that he enjoys playing with the gazelles more than eating them. (FYI I have no idea if jaguars hunt gazelles.)
I see Jonas more as a dog. A mutt, probably, and enthusiastic and loyal, but trained to protect his people from harm. Perhaps a big easily distracted by shiny frisbees or other pretty female dogs, but he means well.
Morgan Rhodes
When I was a teen, I read a lot of DC (a lot of Batman, Justice League, and Legion of Superheroes, if I recall from oh-so-long ago) and usually stayed away from Marvel. (No idea why.) I don't read comics anymore. Now I love Marvel movies but prefer DC TV shows! My favorite DC TV show at the moment is Arrow, and my favorite Marvel movie is a tie between Guardians of the Galaxy and X-Men: Days of Future Past, although I have also developed a deep appreciation for all things Captain America.
Morgan Rhodes
I have partial ideas for how I see everything going through to the end of the series, but I plot book by book without getting too far ahead of myself. Every time I write an FK book, even with an outline, things will change along the way which will affect a character's arc and destiny, and that will impact what role they might play in the following book. It's hard to predict sometimes! I would say writing from multiple points of view is more "challenging" than "difficult." When I'm writing a first draft, I really immerse myself in the story and usually try to write a whole chapter per day -- and that chapter will be entirely from one point of view. Then the next day I can focus on getting into a different character's head. They do all feel different for me when I'm writing. Usually before I start writing for that day, I jot some notes down in my journal to help me ground myself in the character's current wants and needs, which really helps. Some pieces and strands of plot and info may get lost during a first draft, but I can find them during the subsequent edits. And I keep pretty comprehensive notes about plot -- and also usually skim the previous books when I'm editing the present book, which helps a lot.
Morgan Rhodes
I certainly hope so! As someone who has been published for a whole decade now, I do know to never expect anything... my road as an author has been a winding one and I'm excited to see what might come next. I love writing multi-POV high fantasy, but I'm open to lots of ideas...and I get lots of ideas. We'll see where my road takes me after 2017!! :)
Morgan Rhodes
I had no idea at the beginning of writing Falling Kingdoms, but by the end I knew there was something special about Magnus. That he has become so beloved by a lot of readers did surprise me. Of course, I do feel that his character arc and growth in the first three books was vital to this affection. If he was the same guy he was at the beginning of book one, I think readers might be rolling their eyes at all of his dark-prince angsting by now. LOL! I know I would!
Morgan Rhodes
Hmmmm.... I'm going to have to tentatively go with Jonas on this. He has the fighting skills, the hunting skills. He's a little like Gale, I guess! (Even though Gale was never officially in the HG.) I can see him being tripped up by wanting to help people he befriends, so that might mess up his chances. Magnus might have a good chance as well. Cleo would probably die very quickly in the Hunger Games. And Lucia would kick butt with her elementia, but there isn't any magic (that I recall) in THG universe, so she's be out of luck there. ;)
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