Yesterday Orbit Books dropped a stunning announcement. They have signed on Aparna Verma and her indie debut The Boy With Fire. I was previously introduced to Aparna's writing when I got my hands on a copy of her debut. It was a complex epic fantasy with socio-political issues as well an intriguing magic system & world history. Today Aparna joins me to chat a bit about her writing journey & how she got inspired to write her fantasy book. Read ahead to know about Aparna and her official trad published debut The Phoenix King.
Q] Welcome to Fantasy Book Critic Aparna. For
starters, please introduce yourself, who is Aparna Verma?
AV: I’m a proud
Indian-American writer who drinks too much tea, has a weird, obsessive
fascination with desert kingdoms and forgotten myths, and dances (badly) to
Bollywood music.
Q] Can tell us what inspired you to write and
describe your journey to becoming a published author.
AV: I knew since I
was young that I wanted to be a writer. One of my elementary school teachers
reconnected with me a few months ago and showed me my “dream journal.” In it, I
wrote that I wanted to write “storeys.” Well, I am doing that now, although
with better spelling.
Stories (or
storeys) were always my escape. I was the Indian immigrant who didn’t know
English. I often felt uncomfortable and awkward in my skin. Fantasy books
allowed me to escape from myself and enter a new world where I wasn’t the odd
one out. The great irony is that although I am now a so-called “master” of the
English language, despite being a non-native speaker, I still feel like the odd
one out. But this doesn’t bother me as much as it did before. In fact, I’ve realized
it’s made me, and my stories, more unique.
Q] My next question is about the genesis of The Phoenix King and how it occurred?
How long have you been working on it?
AV: I’ve been
working on The Phoenix King (previously
self-published as The Boy with Fire)
for over 10 years. It started with a simple line: “Yassen the assassin goes on
an adventure.” It has gotten deeper and far more complicated than that.
I was mainly
inspired by modern-day politics and Hindu mysticism. Hindu epics are grand
stories of morality, spirituality, love, and courage. But one story drew me in:
the origin of Kali Ma and her chandikas. There are many versions, but my
favorite is when the gods, in a time of great need, gave parts of themselves to
form a being strong enough to defeat an evil demon. They created Kali Ma. And
the great goddess created fearsome female warriors, her chandikas, and swept
into battle, defeating the evil demon and his army. She went as far as drinking
his blood so that he would not regenerate.
At first glance, Kali Ma sounds
scary. Vicious, even. But I blame western media and Indiana Jones for that.
Despite her bloody origin, Kali Ma is a fierce, loving protector. She refuses
to fit neatly in the boxes of good and evil. She transcends them. Her story,
her chandikas, inspired the Phoenix goddess in The Phoenix King, as well as Elena and the Yumi.
The politics and
religion in The Phoenix King resemble
our own world. In 2020, when I finally decided to write the damn book, the
world saw the rise of alt-right fanaticism and nationalism, not to mention a
pandemic. In America and in India, we saw leaders abuse their powers. And as
their statements grew more and more ludicrous, their ardent followers did not
bat an eye. Instead, some grew even more dangerous, going as far as to storm
the capital in Washington D.C. In The
Phoenix King, religion and politics take center stage. We follow the story
of a religious tyrant and meet his ardent followers (handily nicknamed the
“gold caps.”) We also meet a princess who is set to inherit this damaged
kingdom, who needs to quickly uphold the religious standard while also forging
a path of her own. And then we meet an assassin who tries to turn a new page.
He battles with his own faith, his dual identities, and his loyalties.
Q] You previously published your debut via the
indie publishing route. Was this a specific choice? Were there any plans to try
traditional publishing?
AV: I decided to
first indie publish The Boy with Fire because
I didn’t want to wait. I had my story. I believed in my story. I knew it would
strike a chord, so I bet on myself. I gave myself a year and half to write,
publish, and market my book. If it worked, then great. If it didn’t, then I
would learn something valuable.
Lucky for me, it
worked! The Boy with Fire, and now The Phoenix King, is the first South
Asian adult fantasy to hit over 1 million views on TikTok. It’s been featured
on NBC News and multiple book festivals and became a finalist 2022
International Book Awards. Now, I’m going down the traditional publishing route
with Orbit, so let’s see what that brings!
Q] Since The
Phoenix King is your first novel, what did you think was the most
challenging part about writing the book? What about the easiest or most
rewarding?
AV: The easiest part
was drafting the book. The hardest was editing. I read the book so many times
that by the time I was done, I was sick of it! In a loving way, of course. But
I was tired of reading the same pages over and over again! But, I have to say,
the most rewarding part of being an author, and especially the author of The Phoenix King, is seeing the fanart.
I know every author says this, but I have the best readers. Full stop. They are
so passionate and incredibly talented. Whenever I come across a new fanart, or
a TikTok of the book, my heart leaps.
Q] In epic fantasy, some authors like to put an
emphasis on characters or worldbuilding; others on storytelling. Where do you
fit in this picture and what do you feel are your strengths as a writer? What
about weakness or areas that you’d like to get stronger in, especially in
future books?
AV: For me, I need to have strong, nuanced characters
and intricate worldbuilding. If a fantasy book lacks that, I instantly stop
reading. I think I’m pretty good at writing complex characters and intricate
worlds. I do struggle with pacing though, but that’s something I’m acutely
perfecting in Book 2.
Q] Your debut novel is the first volume in a
trilogy. Could you give us a progress report on the sequel & offer any
details about it, and outline your plans for the series as a whole?
AV: Book 2 is coming
along! That’s all I can say, ha!
Q] For someone who hasn't read any of your
novels, how would you describe the type of stories that you write? What would
be your elevator pitch for The Ravence Trilogy?
AV: I write worlds
where landscapes, like the desert, are their own characters. And the characters
are deeply intertwined with that landscape. I write about immigrants, about
people who live within the edges of identity, in the hyphens between
Indian-American, Mexican-American, Chinese-American, etc. As a young girl, I’ve
always been searching for a new home. It only makes sense that my characters
are too.
Q] There seems to be a number of authors out
there who are writing grittier, darker, more realistic fantasy books or are
blatantly attempting to defy traditional tropes like R. Scott Bakker, Mark Lawrence, Richard Nell, Michael R. Fletcher, Anna Smith
Spark, etc. What are your thoughts on this movement, the audience’s response to
such books, and fantasy tropes in general?
AV: I’m biased, but
there’s no better way to address our current world, modern-day politics, and
socioeconomic issues than fantasy. I think you suspend some disbelief when you
read fantasy. It seems like you’re
reading about a foreign world where there are phoenix goddesses and
firebenders. But as you read on, as you examine the text closer, you realize
that this seemingly foreign world is not so unlike our own. I think it is that
surprise that gets you. And it makes you feel more open to engaging in dialogue
about religion, politics, gender, etc.
Q] For some authors it’s easier writing their
second novel, while for others it’s more difficult. How are things going for
you with book two and did you learn anything when writing The Phoenix King that
helped prepare you for writing the sequel?
AV: It’s funny.
Drafting The Boy with Fire was a
piece of cake. Drafting Book 2 has been a battle. I was exhausted after
debuting as an indie author, and though I’ll be debuting all over again next
year with The Phoenix King, I’m wiser
now. I now know how to protect my sanity and create space for myself to work
uninhibited. The Boy with Fire, or
now called The Phoenix King, taught
me to love my story. To treasure my characters. I think that’s a valuable
lesson because when you don’t love your story, it instantly falls apart. I
honestly do cherish my characters, as chaotic and broken as they might seem.
Book 2 amps up the anti and puts our characters in even more troubling situations
that push them beyond their limits, for better and for worse.
Q] Thank you for
your time and for answering my questions Aparna. What new surprise lie ahead
for your debut book?
AV: The cover! It’s going to be so epic and gorgeous. I can’t wait for
you all to see it!
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