Eleanor Herman, author of REIGN OF SERPENTS, on making magic believable

by Jocelyn Rish

REIGN OF SERPENTS is book 3 in the Blood of Gods and Royals series, and we’re delighted to have Eleanor Herman swing by to chat about it.

Eleanor, what was your inspiration for writing REIGN OF SERPENTS?

REIGN OF SERPENTS is the third book in a quadrilogy, as I call it, a four-book series based on Alexander the Great at sixteen. It mixes history with magic, and I love both! As an author of many non-fiction historical books, I understand how people thought in the ages before science. Magic was very real to them, and it still is to many people in traditional communities around the world.

What scene was really hard for you to write and why, and is that the one of which you are most proud? Or is there another scene you particularly love?

I loved researching and writing about the ancient oracle of Delphi. I’ve been to Delphi, and if there’s one place on earth where the ancient magic of the gods still exists, it’s there! I also loved writing about Princess Cynane’s crazy husband, King Amyntas, and based him on a mixture of Nero and Caligula. The challenging chapters were those that dealt with magic: the powerful spirit that takes over Alexander, Katerina going into sea creatures, Jacob causing an earthquake with his anger. How do I make the magic believable? More than just believable. How do I make the readers feel the magic gliding through their own veins with its lilting ancient song of power?

How long did you work on REIGN OF SERPENTS?

I wrote it over the course of a year because I was working on a non-fiction book, THE ROYAL ART OF POISON, at the same time. So it really took me about six months of daily work for each one.

What do you hope readers will take away from REIGN OF SERPENTS?

I want my readers to really feel as if they have lived in ancient Greece, that they could walk right into it expecting what to wear, eat, and how to light an oil lamp! I want them to have a great adventure and learn about love, hate, friendship, revenge, and trying to do the right thing when you really have no idea what that is. In ancient Greece.

What’s your writing ritual like? Do you listen to music? Work at home or at a coffee shop or the library, etc?

I have the shortest commute in the Washington, DC area where poor people on average drive an hour each way. Mine is five seconds from my bed and I can make it in my pajamas! So I love that. I’m usually at my desk by 8:30 a.m., write till lunch, go to the gym and do errands, come back, and write some more. I love the sound of silence or cats purring on baskets on my desk, though sometimes I listen to Renaissance music. I’ve got misophonia—something in my brain is wired so that noise can really make me crazy, so I have a hard time working anywhere public, even a library, because people have the terrible habit of talking there.

What advice would you most like to pass along to other writers?

Read like crazy. Then write like crazy. Write short stories. Write novels. Take writing courses. Join writer’s workshops. Write for blogs or your local newspaper. Non-fiction bylines help position you as a writer and helps you with clarity of thought, not to mention grammar and punctuation.

This is a really hard business to get into, and it ain’t that easy once you’re here. You have to have a skin two feet thick. You have to want this so much it is your main reason for living. You have to want it so much you will put up with any amount of rejection and humiliation just for a chance to make it happen. You have to go into it knowing at times there will be tears, frustration, and depression. And if that doesn’t scare you off, maybe you will be a writer.

What are you working on now?

I am currently starting Dawn of Legends, Book 4 of the Blood of Gods and Royals series, set to come out in June 2018.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Reign of Serpents
by Eleanor Herman
Hardcover
Harlequin Teen
Released 6/27/2017

New York Times bestselling author Eleanor Herman entwines the real scandals of history with epic fantasy in this action-packed follow-up to EMPIRE OF DUST.

In REIGN OF SERPENTS, the ancient power of Snake Blood threatens the known world. While Prince Alexander struggles with a very deadly inner demon, his betrothed, Zofia, is on her way to him, to unite their kingdoms…even as she begins to realize where her true allegiance lies.

The fierce Cynane meets her match-not in her future husband, the deranged king of Illyria, but in her great-great-grandfather, Talus, possessor of Smoke Blood, who will teach her the true meaning of betrayal.

And marooned together on an island in the Mediterranean, romantic tension blooms between Katerina and Hephaestion as they learn of lost civilizations and discover a device that could help them do the impossible: kill the last living god.

Purchase Reign of Serpents at Amazon
Purchase Reign of Serpents at IndieBound
View Reign of Serpents on Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Eleanor Herman is a New York Times bestselling author of several highly acclaimed works of nonfiction, including Sex with Kings, Sex with the Queen, Mistress of the Vatican, and King Peggy. Eleanor is also a frequent commentator in the media about royal scandals and has hosted episodes for The History Channel’s show Lost Worlds. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Eleanor graduated with a degree in journalism from Towson University, studied languages in Europe, and worked for NATO’s Nations & Partners for Peace magazine. Fascinated since childhood by the ancient world, she has visited most of the well-known sacred sites, palaces, and arenas still in existence, from Homer’s Troy to the great temples of the oracles. She lives in McLean, Virginia, with her husband and four very dignified cats. Legacy of Kings is her first novel.

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Have you had a chance to read REIGN OF SERPENTS yet? Do you work to make your readers feel as if they are in another time and place? Do you read and write like crazy? Share your thoughts about the interview in the comments!

Happy reading,

Jocelyn, Anisaa, Sam, Martina, Erin, Susan, Shelly, Kelly, Laura, Emily, and Lori Ann

Jocelyn Rish

Jocelyn Rish is a writer and filmmaker who loves researching weird and wonderful animals and sharing what she learns. Her debut was BATTLE OF THE BUTTS, about ten animals that do weird things with their butts. Her latest book is BATTLE OF THE BRAINS, a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection about ten animals with mind-blowing brain abilities. When she’s not writing, she tutors kids to help them discover the magic of reading. Jocelyn has won numerous awards for her short stories, screenplays, films, and novels and lives in South Carolina with her adorable dog. Find out more at www.jocelynrish.com.

Post @ Jocelyn Rish and/or Adventures in YA Publishing. All rights reserved.

Posted: Jul 1, 2017

Category: Imported from AYAP

Tags: YA Author Interviews

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The first slide is an animation of a science/magic room in a castle. A cartoon character of a mad-scientist looking man in in the foreground says: “Hello! Dr. Frankenstein here to say, Well Done on kid lit zombie week! I’m an expert at reviving the dead, and let me assure you, with a little spark, you can bring dead projects to life. Especially if you dig up parts from other dead things. I’ll even let you have a sneak peek at my laboratory’s store room to consider potential parts for your dead project. If you see something with a yellow glow, that means you should click it. Have fun!”

He points to the right side of the screen and a new scene slides in of a castle science/magic storage room. There are various cartoon Frankenstein body parts scattered around. Some of them have a yellow glow. If you click on them, the images below appear (I’ve added alt text to them, so I hope it works).

The Heart of your story is the main character. The protagonist is the beating core that truly brings your story to life. If your MC doesn't make kids (and their grown-ups) care within the first few pages, your story will flatline. </p>
<p>Your main character needs to be:<br />
• Relatable enough for kids to see themselves<br />
• Unique enough to stand out in the slush pile<br />
• Active enough to drive the story<br />
• Memorable enough to survive multiple readings at bedtime</p>
<p>Where do you find this amazing donor heart? It might be the very thing you loved so much about the manuscript you want to revive. It might be the younger sister from your shelved YA novel. Or maybe it’s the hilarious kid you blogged about meeting at a school visit. Find a character beating with potential and place it in the center of your story.<br />

The Brain of your story is the theme or central message. The theme is the big idea that controls everything else. Picture books are more than stories - they're tiny life lessons disguised with humor and heart.</p>
<p>But your theme needs to be:<br />
• Subtle enough not to trigger the dreaded "didactic" rejection<br />
• Clear enough for a four-year-old to grasp<br />
• Universal enough to speak to both kids and adults<br />
• Fresh enough to prevent agents and editors from responding with "Not another sharing/bedtime/first-day story!"</p>
<p>Check your other dead manuscripts to see if there is a recurring theme, something that really seems to be speaking to you. Find the bit of poetry you scribbled on the back of a receipt to see what theme inspired it. Reread the pep talk you texted your critique partner at 1am. Pick the theme that will drive your story, giving it purpose, direction, and deeper meaning.<br />

The Legs of your story is the plot. Not to be confused with a grave plot.🤪 The plot is what keeps everything upright and moving, as well as providing support for all the other elements. You have very few words to use in a picture book, so you need to do a lot with each plot point.</p>
<p>In general, your plot should:<br />
• Hook readers fast<br />
• Build tension that a child can follow<br />
• Create page turns that feel natural<br />
• Wrap up in a way that satisfies</p>
<p>You can borrow a plot twist (a leg) from one manuscript and the opening (the other leg) from a different manuscript. Consider if the subplot of the middle grade novel you trunked would work better as a picture book. Or maybe your Facebook post about a disastrous camping trip could become a story for kids. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other until you have your storyline.

The Arms of your story are the side characters.

The Torso of your story is the setting. Setting helps a story breathe and connects all the elements of the story. It isn't just where your story lives, it's what makes your story ALIVE. It's the difference between "this happened in a park" and "this happened in that park, the one with the twisty slide that burns your legs and the creaky swing that sounds like a baby crying.”</p>
<p>Your setting should:<br />
• Make your character's world feel real<br />
• Contain your story in a way that makes sense to young readers<br />
• Connect different scenes and moments organically<br />
• Give your illustrator enough room to add visual subplots</p>
<p>Half-finished manuscripts are a great place to dig up settings, since you worked out the place details before the plot petered out. Or maybe you had to cut a second fantastic location from your chapter book. You can also revisit the detailed caption from your Instagram carousel documenting your tour of that delish candy shop. Disinter a robust setting that can house all of your story's vital organs.

After you press the Click When Done circle button, the lights flash with the sound of electricity buzzing. Then the screen goes black and lightning zaps across the screen with the sound of thunder.

The screen then lights up to show the storage room, and all the Frankenstein pieces have been assembled into the whole monster. An upbeat song plays in the background. Then a speech bubble pops up with the words, “I’m alive! I’M ALIVE!” Then the screen goes to black.

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