Welcome to FAR, Deby.

Thanks -- it's great to chat.

Is The Magister's Mask the first in a series? Do you plan a sequel?

There will be a sequel, although I didn't plan it that way. Series are popular in both the fantasy and mystery genres, but writing a series was not my intention. I simply didn't have room in The Magister's Mask for all that I wanted to say. I'm currently working on a follow up, The Necromancer's Bones, which I'll discuss a bit in a moment.

The story for The Magister's Mask is a thrilling combination of fantasy and suspense. Where did the idea come from?

I had read fantasy for years, so perhaps its natural that my own writing took that shape. After 15 or 20 years, it seemed like most of the books I was looking to buy were almost exactly like something I had already read. That bothered me, the idea that a genre of pure imagination was all about writers imitating each other. In my youth and arrogance, I took it as a challenge to myself to create something original.

Since there were so many themes I thought were over used, I made a list of things I was not going to write about: quests, dragons, prophecy, etc. One thing I realized was how very white the whole genre is. Even elves and dwarves, who are supposed to be alien races, are Caucasian, and the settings were all just like northern Europe. In my search for "difference" I hit on the tropical island setting and people with a more exotic ethnic background.

So I really set out to write a fantasy, not a fantasy mystery. In some ways I may have made it harder for myself because I wasn't as familiar with the expectations in a mystery novel. I had to rely on friends who had read more of them to help me out there. However, I also take special pride in the book's success as a mystery because I had to work harder for it.

The story for The Magister's Mask perceptively deals with corruption, arrogance and the attempted sabotage of an investigation. Did your story automatically have a seed of those issues in it, or did you need to work that in?

The core of the story was always Shenza's struggle to stand up to pressure and not allow her judgement to be dominated, rather than on the novelty of solving a crime with magic. So, yes -- that was definitely built into the story.

What resources have you found to be most valuable when writing fantasy and suspense, especially together.

There are many reliable books on writing both genres, and folks starting out can draw valuable information from all of them. As far as combining the two genres, you'll note that I relied on the knowledge of my friends. There isn't anything I'm aware of specifically on writing a fantasy-mystery. However, one recent trend in fantasy has been to cross over with genres such as mystery and romance. It's possible there may be some specific guidebooks in the future.

For the moment, I would advise writers contemplating fantasy mystery novels to read both genres extensively, be familiar with both, and try to develop your own distinctive approach.

What future books are you currently writing? How are they similar and different from The Magister's Mask?

As I mentioned, I am working on a sequel to The Magister's Mask called The Necromancer's Bones. This book is focused on Shenza's flighty little sister, Chimi, who has her own magical talent. Whereas Shenza is all about responsibility, Chimi just wants to have fun. The Necromancer's Bones is even less a traditional murder mystery than The Magister's Mask, in that the death of Lord Anges hangs over the novel but no new murders occur right away. However, I promise that the reasons behind Anges' death will be fully explained! I also have a romantic subplot planned for Shenza that I hope readers will enjoy.

I am just completing an unrelated fantasy novel, Too Many Princes, that will be ready to market soon. This one does have dragons and a quest, so you can see that the whole "do not write" list is not an ironclad rule for me.

I also have children's work constantly under way. Because these are much shorter, I can have the satisfaction of completing work while longer projects are still going on. I also do school visits and help organize functions for SCBWI (the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) which keeps my name before the public locally.

How did writing fan fiction help develop your story telling ability? What was your favorite fan fiction? Would you recommend fan fiction to aspiring writers?

I'll take these three questions together. Many people are very down on fan writing and will tell you it's a complete waste of time. Especially, some people believe that the only "real writing" is what you can sell. Since you can't sell fan fiction, they say, it doesn't count as writing.

Now that I'm a writer myself, I do understand the mixed feelings some writers have about fan fiction. Some writers are very possessive and don't want anyone messing with their characters. I'm not sure how I'd feel if I ran across something based on my work.

My experience has been that learning to write and develop your own voice require a lot of practice, and fan writing is a perfectly good way to do that. For me, fan writing was a nurturing environment to hone my craft.

As far as my favorite fan writer, that would be Julia Ecklar who wrote Pern fan fiction in the '90s and is also well known as a folk singer. I know she published at least one professional novel, but haven't heard much from her recently.

How do your children's stories and poems differ from your fantasy novels?

Children's fiction is mostly oriented to the real world, family life, school, and familiar childhood settings. Poems are short, commonly just four lines, so they are quick to create but do require careful attention to each and every word. That said, children's writing does incorporate a lot of fantasy elements, and I try to work those in where possible.

Are there any other genres you would like to explore?

A fantasy-romance is possible, but I don't have any specific plans right now.

I am in awe of your variety of genres. Do you need time to switch from one genre to another?

When I have finished a major project, such as the complete first draft of a novel, I sometimes take a few days to bask in the glow of the accomplishment. In general, though, my writing time is limited by family responsibilities, and I tend not to take too many days between. Because my children's poetry is so short, I tend to finish those at the same time I'm working on chapters, so there's no lag there at all.

Is there anything else you would like to share about your books?

In addition to originality, I try to have a core of logic in my stories which will make even the outlandish fantasy aspects believable. For instance, in many novels magic is inherently unreliable, but if magic is supposed to be part of the organized justice system, as it is in The Magister's Mask, it must be very reliable and well understood, or the public could never have faith in the law. That's the kind of logic I mean.

Is there any music that inspires different genres?

I usually write with a radio tuned to my local public radio station, which plays classical music. With each specific project, there may be one or two additional things I put on to get in the mood. For The Magister's Mask it was a CD of steel drum music from Jamaica -- very boisterous! For Too Many Princes, some sections of the orchestral soundtrack from Shrek, where Dragon is chasing everyone.

Do you have a specific routine before you write? Do you write in only one area, or everywhere?

Most days I work around meals, because then I'm alert and have energy from the food and coffee or tea. I'll do corrections during lunch, and writing afterward. Because my kids both go to school now, I have time to work without interruptions during the day.

I also do some work in the evenings, right before bed. I find that if I lie down thinking about my current project, ideas may flow. Sometimes I get up and write myself notes before actually sleeping.

I also have a PDA that I can take places with me, in case I get a good idea when I'm out and about.

Who/what inspired you to write?

Reading was one of my main hobbies as a teenager. Fantasy and science fiction were my favorites, and I'm sure because I read so many of them it naturally shaped my talents in that way. I started writing my own stories in high school, when I had an empty class period that I could spend in the library. This really got me started on writing at the same time every day. That kind of routine works for me, and I've always had some variation of it since.

Who are some of your favorite authors?

The first writer I really followed and tried to find everything of hers was Andre Norton. I still have more of her books in my library than any other writer. She's had a tremendous career. Patricia McKillip is another favorite. She writes lovely, lyrical things, and almost everything of hers stands alone. That's what I like to do, too. J. R. R. Tolkein -- the man who made our genre! Anne McCaffrey, of course; all my fan writing was Pern fan fiction.

Currently I'm following a writer named Rosemary Kirstein. Her Steerswoman series outwardly seems to be fantasy, but as things progress it becomes clear the "magic" is really technology. I'm looking forward to seeing where she'll go with it.

Is there a way other than your web site for fans to keep updated?

There is some information on the Dragon Moon web site, www.dragonmoonpress.com, but my own web site has more information specific to me. At this time, I don't have enough people writing in to start an e-mail newsgroup or mailing list, but that's something I'm hoping to add to my web site in the future.

What final advice would you offer to writers who are seeking publication?

Practice, practice, practice. Read lots of things and write lots of things. Experiment with schedules and techniques until you find what works for you.

Don't worry about selling your work at first. Instead, concentrate on completing every project you start. Do your best and have fun. If you're writing but not having fun, it will show.

If you're already submitting, try to learn from every story you write. Rejection is inevitable. I handle it by always having new projects to focus on. You'll have to find the coping mechanisms that work for you.

Attend conferences and conventions where you can build friendships and get advice from people who understand your situation. However, don't go any farther than you can afford to. One convention is not going to change your career. Only effort will do that.

Getting back to the problem of imitation, I think a lot of writers are told (explicitly or implicitly) that in order to get published you have to do what everyone else is doing. I would just point out that if you pick your favorite writer and try to write something just like him or her, you are setting yourself up to fail. You'll look like a copycat and your beginning work will suffer in comparison to an experienced hand.

Finally, any last thoughts?

I rather feel that I've gone on long enough now!

Thank you, Deby, for taking the time to answer my questions and give us a glimpse into your life and world. For more information about Deby Fredericks and her books, visit her website at www.debyfredericks.com.

Thanks to you, Dena -- it's been fun.

Interviewed by:
Dena