Interview with an Author - Lavinia Urban

Lavinia Urban is the author of the Erin the Fire Goddess series. She is currently working on a novella and the fourth book in the series. The main character is named for the older of her two daughters, Erin, also a published author in her own right, who was being bullied in a new school. Lavinia wanted to show her daughter that "she is special and to believe in herself and that things will get better." (Quoted from the 'Message from the author' in the beginning of each book.) 

Her portrayal of the new student being bullied is painfully accurate. She brings heartfelt honesty in Erin's responses to her situation as the new kid in school and how she makes a place for herself. Although written with a teen audience in mind, these books are simply good reading. In spite of being a very different type of fantasy, this series captured my interest every bit as much as the Harry Potter series did. Her books have won a place in my box of "favorite authors." You know, that special box you pack so you know where the best books are when you move.

JH: First I’d like to offer my congratulations. I saw your post on Facebook that your daughter Erin has published her first book. That’s a pretty big accomplishment at 12 years. Do you think the two of you may collaborate on EtFG books in the future?
 

LU: Honestly…… NO lol. Gosh that sounds so bad. But my series is my baby and Erin and her sister do inspire me to write with the little things that they do. Erin has written a poem for Kasey-ray in my series. I also print off my work and ask her what she thinks and whether certain things are working but that is it. She is actually working on lots of her own stories.

JH: How long have you been writing?

LU: Feels like all of my life but I would say seriously writing I was 12, I think. I remember in my teen years I had written several books in a series and poems. I had sent them to lots of different publishers and got them all back saying they did not accept unsolicited documents. Quite disheartening when you are so young and it is the exact reason why I have supported my daughter Erin as I want her to know that if you dream hard enough they will come true.

JH: In the message from the author you put in the front of your books, you tell readers you get your inspiration from your daughters. Your character, Erin, starts out very shy and withdrawn because of her birthmark, while Kasey-ray is very outgoing and likes to run. How much of the real life Erin and Kasey-ray find their way into your characters?

Erin the Fire Goddess:The Beginning

LU: Excluding age my girls are very much like their characters and I have adapted the characters on how I see my girls growing and blossoming in real life. For example Erin was bullied at the last primary school she went to but she overcame it. But during this time she became very withdrawn, now she will stand up to anyone. She is still allergic to sport though lol. Kasey-ray is very similar to her character as well especially in the ways where she hates school work and reading and would rather be outside having fun.

JH: Do any other of your characters have real life counterparts?

LU: No just Erin and Kasey-ray

(I also had questions for some of her characters)

JH: Jessica, in Erin the Fire Goddess: the Beginning, you took an instant dislike to Erin as soon as you saw her. Did you really dislike her that much or was it all Justin’s doing?

Jessica: No comment

LU: Hmmm now this I cannot answer ;) You need to read Jo’s Story: An Erin the Fire Goddess novella which should be available as soon as I get a cover made J

JH: Okay, do you think we’ll see you again?

Jessica:  Yes ;)

JH: Any idea when?

Jessica: I’m not allowed to say or I may get killed off ;)

JH: Dr Hammersmith, when you gave Erin the final test, why did you feel it was unnecessary to make sure Jessica didn’t get hurt?

Dr. Hammersmith: It may look like that from a certain angle ;)

LU: Nice try but you can’t speak to this character ;)

JH: Erin, you didn’t trust Dr. Hammersmith after your final test. Why would you trust him to help you at the beginning of Torment?

Erin: Because I have recently uncovered who he really is and I am sure he is trying to make amends and the way I was feeling I just wanted the pain to stop and I didn’t care how.

JH: Louise, why did you decide to continue to pursue Sean after learning he and Erin were a couple?

Louise: I was always told that if you really want something in life then you should not let anything get in your way.

JH: Louise, do you think what your aunt is doing is right?

Louise: Of course. My aunt is wonderful. She’s always been there for me and putting my best interests first.

Joyce: Ms. Forrester, more than once you tell Erin that ‘you see the truth in everything.’ Is that your special talent then?

Ms. Forrester: Possibly

LU: Jo’s Story: An Erin the Fire Goddess novella will give you this answer

Erin the Fire Goddess: Betrayal

JH: Ms. Forrester, I get the impression that you know more a lot more about what is going on than you’re sharing. What can you tell us about what is happening to Sean?

Ms. Forrester: I have been around for longer than you can possibly imagine. Sean is under a spell.

JH: (Ms. Forrester) At the beginning of EtFG: Torment, you tell Erin that Mr. Thomas is just a “big friendly ogre.” I get the feeling there is more to that statement than would first seem to be. Would you care to expand on that?

Ms. Forrester: *laughs* I think I will keep you guessing.

JH: Sean, your feelings for Erin are pretty intense. Don’t you think you’re both a little young to be thinking of each other as soulmates?

Sean: I didn’t plan on this. To be honest I wasn’t even interested in having a serious girlfriend of any kind this time a couple of years ago but when I came into my powers something inside me changed and bit by bit things started clicking into place -Erin being one of them.

JH: Sean, what do you see going forward for you and Erin?

Sean:  I can’t actually see the future but I hope it is happy.

JH: Erin, I'd like to pose the same question to you. Don't you think you're a little young to be thinking of each other as soulmates?

Erin: If I am honest I never expected to ever get a boyfriend. I have had many crushes growing up but that is all they would ever be. I used to dream of having a dream romance like all those ones I have read about in books. I knew when Louise came onto the scene it was all too good to be true.

JH: What do you see going forward for you and Sean?

Erin: I am not sure. I don't want to get hurt again. It's weird to think that I actually love this guy. It is love right? I've never been in love before and this is never anything I have ever felt before and when I saw him kiss Louise it was as if someone has reached inside me and ripped my heart out. I don't ever want to experience that again. Yes Sean was under a spell, but I don't know much about spells or even that much about the supernatural world. I still have so many doubts which I need to deal with. I am not sure if I can ever trust Sean 100% again.

JH: Wow, I'm sorry to hear that. I really hope things work out for you and Sean.

Erin the Fire Goddess: Torment

JH: Erin, why were you so surprised when Scott and Dr. Hammersmith tell you that Jo is part witch and part fairy? I mean, you already believe that part of the townspeople have special abilities because of the meteorite in the lake. Why did you think this wasn’t possible?

Erin: Come on fairies and witches? Growing up I was read plenty of fairy tales and soon realized, at the time, that they never existed. I think before finding out about Jo I was still struggling to deal with the fact that some people actually did possess superpowers. I often expected to wake up and it all be a dream.

JH: Scott, why have you kept your relationship with Jo as secret?

Scott: I didn’t, no-one actually asked if I was in a relationship.

JH: Having learned what your Aunt Linda is up to, do you agree with her?

Scott: *Shrugs*

JH: Are you really only getting close to your sister and aunt to help Erin and Sean?

Scott: *Shrugs*

JH: Jo, will you be staying in Galladale and will we be seeing any of your family in the future?

Jo: *Smiles* Most definitely. 

JH: Back to you, Lavinia. Torment took a couple of pretty surprising turns at the end. What can you tell us about the next book in Erin’s adventures?

LU: I have just completed writing Jo’s Story. I absolutely love this girl. The story stems from her childhood right up until the end of book one in the series. It should hopefully tie up a few lose ends and no doubt open up a few questions.

Now as for the next main book, I have had my characters screaming at me. I know it will have something mentioned about the ground floor. Kate is going to get over her fear of going into Dr Hammersmiths building as well. She realises that she must put Erin first and that she has to deal with the ghosts that haunt her.

JH: When can we look for the next one?

LU: Next year some time. I not sure exactly when but hopefully early 2014

JH: What do you like to do whe you aren't writing EtFG?

LU: I love reading - a lot.  I am also a  big gamer. I love playing games.

JH: Is there anything else you would like your readers to know?

LU: Just expect the unexpected J

JH: So here’s a random, off the wall question for you. If you could be any character from a book you’ve read, who would you be?

LU: I would want to be Hermione Granger from Harry Potter, except I wouldn’t marry Ron ;) I love, love, love Harry Potter. If not I would be a teacher J

JH: What is it about that character that made you choose her? 

LU: Honestly I am not 100% sure. Maybe because I love the way she has grown

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. You can find this series online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords. Book one is free at all three booksellers.