Q&A with Heather Fawcett

Q&A with Heather Fawcett!

Author of our February Book Pick: The Grace of Wild Things

Hi Heather! We always enjoy a good witchy story and had such a fun time reading The Grace of Wild Things! Where did the idea for this book come from and how did it evolve over time?

Thank you! I've always loved Anne of Green Gables, and I love the fantasy genre, so the initial spark was: What would a fantasy retelling of Anne look like? But I initially really struggled with moving beyond that. I wrote several opening chapters that I abandoned because they just weren't working, then put the project aside for a year. Eventually I realized that my problem was that I was attempting to hew too closely to the framework of the original story; once I gave myself permission to honour the spirit of Anne rather than following the plot beat-by-beat, everything flowed more smoothly.

What’s your favorite thing about Grace, and what do you think she would be reading right now?

I love how in tune Grace is with what she's feeling. I think if she were around today (and a real person!) she'd probably love big-hearted fantasy books with themes of compassion for others and social justice, like Wishtree, The Girl Who Drank the Moon, and Amari and the Night Brothers.

If you could join Grace in one of her adventures from this book, which one would you choose?

That's a great question. I love spending time in the woods, so I think I'd join Grace in gathering ingredients for one of her spells.

This story discusses so many great themes! How do you balance writing lighthearted adventures alongside more difficult subjects?

I think that, even in the most light-hearted of books, you need shadow to make the story feel alive and truthful. I generally tend to skew more towards humour and whimsy, but getting that balance right is absolutely something I think about during the outlining stages of a book.

What were the first books that sparked your love of reading?

It will probably come as no surprise that one of those books was Anne of Green Gables! I remember being captivated by the way Montgomery painted a picture of Green Gables and Avonlea; it reminded me of the worldbuilding I loved in fantasy books, vivid and textured with touches of the otherworldly from Anne's abundant imagination. But I also loved everything by Diana Wynne-Jones and Kit Pearson, the Earthsea books, and The Hobbit.

Catch up with all the amazing stories Heather Fawcett is creating by following her on instagram! 

Did you miss out on our February WITCHES IN TRAINING box? You can purchase one here in the shop, while supplies last.