by D.E. Night
Stories Untold
Ages 8 - 12
Release: July 21st
In Croswald, the only thing more powerful than dark magic is one secret...
For sixteen years Ivy Lovely has been hidden behind an enchanted boundary that separates the mundane from the magical. When Ivy crosses the border, her powers awaken. Curiosity leads her crashing through a series of adventures at the Halls of Ivy, a school where students learn to master their magical blood and the power of Croswald's mysterious gems. When Ivy s magic and her life is threatened by the Dark Queen, she scrambles to unearth her history and save Croswald before the truth is swept away forever.
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An Interview with
D.E. Night
What inspired you to write The Crowns of Croswald?
I have always found joy in being creative, art projects and
things like that. But more than that, I’ve always loved stories, mostly my
favorite animated movies. I’m a Disney fanatic. My draw toward fantasy and my
creative drive sort of forced me to start writing.
For me, it’s not just about the writing, it’s about creating
characters, designing scenes, and imagining everything and anything magical.
Croswald is basically me in a book—fairy tale with an edge. I love fashion,
fairy tales, anything that sparkles, and I especially love magic.
What was your favorite part about creating the world of
Croswald?
I’ m so grateful to be one of those people that really truly
loves what they’re doing. My favorite part of this whole experience is seeing
pieces of my world come to life, whether in the form of illustrations or being
able to hold a physical
book in hand. It’s like a dream. I also love the process of
creating characters
and naming them. I have a lot of fun with that.
Tell us more about creating a character. What sort of
process do you go through?
Well, I don’t know if it’s a process exactly. It always
seems sort of like random
inspiration. For example, eating dinner beside my 11-year-old
brother who loves butter and bread. Emphasis on the butter. Readers get to meet
Woodley Butterlove and understand how my little brother inspired such a
character.
Ivy is a strong, inspirational character. How do you think
she grows throughout the book, and what would you like the reader to take away
from that?
I think a lot of people’s natural talent is hindered by
self-doubt. I think for Ivy Lovely, the first book is all about discovery and
uncovering her hidden talents. It’s all about taking that first step and
trusting your gut. I like to think that her first stride across the slurry
fields may speak to a reader waiting to take the first step in their own
adventure. Everyone should get the chance to step into something magical.
As a debut author, what surprised you most about the writing
process for
The Crowns of
Croswald?
Probably my patience. I think people often get deterred by
the time it takes to complete something. It’s taken me three and a half years
to get to this point and
I was surprised by how calm I was throughout the whole
process. Excited, but calm.
This is the first book in a series. Without giving too much
away, what do you have in store for your readers as the series evolves?
Of course, readers will get to join Ivy on her adventures of
discovery through Croswald full of weird and whacky character. Also a lot of
magic and new inventions. The final show down with the dark Queen is going to
be spectacular!
Your love of magic and fantasy is apparent in your writing.
How did your love
of magic develop?
I spent every birthday visiting theme parks with my best friends.
My mom would pick us up early from school and we’d spend a day in a place of
total imagination. That world of fantasy seemed so vibrant and I always dreamed
of creating a place one day where people can visit. When I wrote, I always
wrote keeping that in mind.
Where can people visit?
What can they see when they go there?
Like I said, I love being creative and writing a book seemed
the perfect fit. Besides being a Disney fanatic, I love that, with magic, anything
is possible.
The Crowns of
Croswald follows the adventures of Ivy Lovely,
a strong heroine who is full of spirit and unwavering courage. Can you tell us
more about her and how her character came about?
The reader meets Ivy when she’s unsure, held back, and
lonely. Through the course of The Crowns
of Croswold, we get to see Ivy become who she is meant to be: impulsive but
smart, studious but adventurous. She doesn’t know it yet, but those are the very traits that will save
her kingdom. She trusts her gut and that gets her pretty far in life, but she learns
to ask for help along the way. Most importantly, she’s compassionate and
funny: two must-haves in any friend, in my opinion.
If you could give readers one message to inspire them from
your book, what wouldit be?
Believe in the magic of your dreams.
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