Christina Daley has been extremely gracious in stopping by the blog today to answer some questions about her books, as well as give away either Seranfyll or Eligere in paperback form (or both) to one lucky winner!  So, without further ado, I give you Christina Daley!

___________________________________________________________

Hi everyone! Glad to be here, and thanks so much to Shana for letting me commandeer her blog today :)

Since Seranfyll’s release last year, and its sequel Eligere this year, I’ve gotten some recurring questions. Like, “How do you say Seranfyll?” Or, “Where do you get your ideas?” Or, “Is there a ‘real’ Domrey somewhere?” I always have fun answering questions because I love chatting with readers. Y’all are pretty fantastic!

So, here’s a little “behind the scenes” for some of the inspirations in my books:

The Cleaning Things – In Seranfyll, Rain encounters some mops, brooms, and buckets that magically move about on their own. I borrowed that idea from Disney, but I included them because I don’t like cleaning floors or dusting. I don’t mind scrubbing the bathroom or doing laundry and dishes. But dusting, sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming are the bane of my existence.

Coal’s Ethnicity – I describe Coal as having dark skin and hair, and some have asked if he’s black or another ethnicity. And the answer is he’s neither, since our countries don’t exist in the world of Seranfyll. But if I had to liken him to a people group in our world, then he would probably resemble an Indian or other South Asian with very dark skin. Dark-skinned people resembling Africans or aboriginal Australians show up Eligere, and a bunch of different ethnic groups appear in the third book, which I’m working on now.

Domrey’s Bear – Despitebeing a grown man, Domrey has an enviable collection of toys in his room. One, a yellow bear, has significance. I won’t go into details and spoil it for those who haven’t read the book yet, but I had a yellow teddy bear like that. He doesn’t need a key like the one in the book, but he’s real, and he’s currently in my niece’splayroom at my parents’ house.

The Rube Goldberg Machine – In addition to the bear (and other things), Domrey has an elaborate Rube Goldberg machine in his room. But I couldn’t call it that because Reuben Goldberg wasn’t born until 1883, and Seranfyll is set in the 15- to 1600s. So, I don’t call it anything. However, if you were wondering what it was, then that’s what it’s supposed to be.

Amyrania’s Rainy Season – If you’ve made it to Eligere,then you know that the lead characters go to Amyrania during the rainy season. When I was writing this last year, we were in the middle of the hottest summer in Texas, with record three-digit temperatures and Stage 2 and 3 water restrictions in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. We had it good compared to some counties that were restricted from even running their showers and washing machines. Suffice it to say, it was hot, and I wanted to be somewhere with lots of rain and cooler temperatures. So, I gave Amyrania a rainy season.

Ironically, as I write this, D/FW is once again experiencingsearing temperatures and water restrictions.

A “Real”Domrey – I’ve mentioned in previous interviews that some of Domrey’s character is based on the eccentric British MP William Wilberforce. He also has a little bit of Howl from Diana Wynne Jones’ Howl’s Moving Castle. But the biggest inspiration for Domrey is someone whom shall remain a secret :) For now, at least.

Thanks again Shana! And good luck to everyone in the giveaway!

– Christina

__________________________________________________________________________

Thanks so much, Christina!  These are some great answers to some questions I’ve had, and I know other readers have as well! And now for the giveaway, but first, check out my reviews of Seranfyll and Eligere!

This is a USA giveaway only.

All you have to do is enter your name and email to win, but there are extra entries options if you’re interested!

To enter you must:

• Be 13 years or older (or have parent/guardian permission)
• Fill in the Rafflecopter form