Interview: Victoria Hanley

Violet Wings, the new YA novel by Victoria Hanley, is an infectious fairytale that tween girls will love. In this interview, Ms. Hanley talks about what makes a compelling heroine, creating the fairy world, and what our earthly society can learn from it.

Lisa Fary: First off, Violet Wings is an utterly charming novel that succeeds on multiple levels. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and just wanted to say that.

Victoria Hanley: Thanks!

LF: Utterly charming, but also a bit subversive (which I love) in that 14 year old Zaria literally has to question and defy the authority of not only the adults in her life, but her own government. A) I have my own thoughts on this, but what is your intent with this aspect of Violet Wings? B) How do you think this aspect will be received by young readers and their parents?

VH: Well, I must be true to Zaria’s character! Events in her life shaped her into someone who questions what’s going on around her. She has been lied to, and she can no longer accept everything she’s told.

I think it’s natural, normal, and wonderful for young people to ask questions and look for the truth. Maybe Violet Wings will open up some good discussions.

LF: Why was it important to you that the residents of Zaria’s magical world don’t have unlimited -  or even equal – magical abilities?

VH: In our earthly society, certain things are distributed unequally and are overvalued, I believe—such as physical beauty and charisma. Those things don’t have any intrinsic value; it’s what people do with them that counts. And scads of wonderful people have average looks but are highly gifted in other ways; such people often grown up undervaluing themselves and negatively comparing themselves to others who are physically prettier.

In Feyland, magical ability is unequal and it’s overvalued. One of Zaria’s friends, Andalonus the genie, has no magic to speak of, and he’s encouraged to think less of himself because of it. But by using his other gifts–intelligence and loyalty and such, he helps to save the day.

LF: Violet Wings is a bit different than your other novels, which seem to be firmly in the traditional fantasy genre. While still presenting serious themes and events, VW is also very whimsical in its setting. What was the motivation behind that shift?

VH: Ooh, the truth is, when writing my other fantasy series, I was going through a miserable time! Now, I’m happy, and in daily life I act silly a lot and love to laugh—it must have spilled over into Violet Wings. Fun to bring in some whimsy.

LF: What qualities do you think make a compelling heroine?

VH: Having a mind of your own; listening to intuition even when “logical” voices around you insist that you’re wrong; admitting mistakes; daring to brave the unknown; giving a high value to friendship.

LF: Would you discuss the development of Zaria as a character?

VH: She started showing herself about three years ago. At first, she was a bit reticent—probably because I wasn’t used to the idea of her world or writing in first person! But the more time I spent thinking about her, the more I liked her and wanted to write her story.

LF: How about the world in which she lives?

VH: As soon as Zaria was clear, Feyland seemed to arise fully formed. I could see it so clearly in my mind: the great domes made of gold and silver, copper and platinum; the gemstone towers; the gloom hanging over the Iron Lands; the menacing land of the trolls; King Oberon’s sheltered island. . .

LF: Just out of curiosity, what did you do for work before you were able to make your living as a writer?

VH: A lot of things! I’ve baked bread, taught anatomy, worked as a bookkeeper, and been a certified massage therapist among other things.

Violet Wings, published by Egmont USA,  will be available in stores and online in September 2009. You can read more of Ms. Hanley’s blog tour at Drey’s Library.

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Lisa Fary’s early exposure to classic Battlestar Galactica in 1979 is largely responsible for her lifelong interest in science fiction and her childhood ambition of being an intergalactic space cowgirl. She thinks diagramming sentences is a fun alternative to Sudoku.

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