Today I’m welcoming Sylva Fae whom I’ve met through our work for “You’re Not Alone”, an anthology in aid of MacMillan Cancer Care. This interview is part of a series of blog posts to introduce my colleagues in this endeavour. The anthology is available for pre-order and will be released on July 11. Twenty-seven writers from around the world, including myself have entered an assortment of short stories for your pleasure, show your support by liking the new page on Facebook and expressing an interest in buying the book.
You’ll find the book on your Amazon for per-order via these links: http://smarturl.it/YoureNotAloneAnth http://bookshow.me/B00Y5RCOOE
You’ll find the Facebook page here:
https://www.facebook.com/yourenotalone2015
And here is the fund, in loving memory of Pamela Mary Winton
https://macmillan.tributefunds.com/pamela-mary-winto
Tell us a little about yourself as writer and as person.
I am a mum of three small girls and loving it. I love being outdoors in the countryside so when my first daughter was little, we bought a small woodland. Friends thought we were crazy to buy woodland just for fun, maybe we are slightly crazy, but it has been the best thing we have ever done. Our wood is hidden away in the Shropshire countryside, far away from our real and sensible lives. It is our magical haven, a place for adventures and the inspiration for writing stories for my little girls.
Tell us about your writing history. When was the first time you decided to write and when was the first time you did?
When we first bought the wood we really didn’t know what we were doing but we learnt quickly and embraced the new lifestyle. My husband busied himself doing ‘man-things’ with axes and making fires while I entertained our little one. We explored, creating new paths each time and discovering exciting places. Together we mapped out the wood, naming our special places as we stopped to play. Little toddler legs cannot wander far so we’d stop frequently for an adventure and all the while I drew upon my memories of beloved childhood stories and recounted them for my daughter. We found the tree throne where the fairy king of the wood sits, we made fairy gardens in Bluebell Bank and listened to the trees to hear what stories they had to tell. Remembered stories from The Faraway Tree and the Beatrix Potter animal antics gave way to made up ‘mummy stories’ about our magical adventures with the animals and fairies of the wood. Any parent will know how difficult it is to keep spirited children entertained on long car journeys! I discovered that my stories kept her engaged and content, in fact she preferred our ‘mummy stories’ because they were about her and the secret places we’d discovered and named together. Daughter number two came along shortly after and our stories grew to include her. They became my little woodland fairies and seeing the woodlands through their eyes was far more magical than I could ever have imagined. When my third little girl arrived I decided to start writing some of these stories down.
Did anyone influence you / encourage you to become a writer?
Last summer I ventured onto Twitter with the aim of learning how to get a children’s book published. Author Lesley Hayes was one of my first followers and has been there giving advice and support from the beginning. She recommended that I start a blog and introduced me to the Indie Author group. My husband has always been supportive of everything I do, and being the technical one in the family, set me up with a blog. He is always on hand with tech support when I accidentally ‘break’ stuff and is great at weeding out random commas.
When did you decide to write in your chosen genre(s)?
The combination of having three children to entertain and having the woodland for inspiration, it was only natural that I chose children’s stories. My stories started off suitable for a three year old but have grown as my children have aged.
Tell us about the concept behind your stories. How did you get the idea?
As little legs grew our woodland rambles became longer and more adventurous. My girls and I set off hunting for fairies and ended up at the bottom corner of the wood, a forest of ferns towering above the girls’ heads hides the world beyond. We decided to wade through to see what was on the other side. Imaginations ran wild as we carefully parted fern fronds – maybe a magical land like Narnia, would there be dragons, unicorns or talking animals? Of course I could see quite clearly over the top but watching the excitement of discovery through their eyes as we emerged on the other side was just magical. You get used to the shade under the trees so breaking through the dense ferns into the bright sunshine over a huge field was amazing. The girls ran and ran until exhausted then collapsed in the long grass of our Secret Field. Discovering the world beyond the woods led to new adventures and the field has become a favourite place. It is a great place to view the woods and appreciate the changing of the seasons. In spring we found a magic clover patch and pick a four-leaf treasure every time we need a wish. In summer we lie in the grass searching for mystical creatures in the clouds chasing mermaids and cloud dragons across the sky while we feast on sorrel. Autumn is great for foraging, the hedges rich in blackberries and chestnuts (if you can beat the squirrels) and winter is fabulous for stomping through muddy puddles. All these experiences provide so many story ideas and seeing the world through the eyes of small children adds the magic. My girls also love getting involved with planning a story and frequently give their demands. “I want a story with a rainbow and fairies in time for breakfast.”
What is your life like outside of writing?
When we’re not having adventures with our own children, we run children’s woodland adventure days and woodland survival courses for young adults. I love pottering around the woods taking photographs of the creatures we find on our rambles. During the week I work as an English teacher for learners with learning difficulties and disabilities. I am a PTA mum and can often be found running fundraising events or face painting at school discos. I also love reading but get so little time for it nowadays.
My children make me laugh most of all. My middle daughter is so like me as a child – clumsy, messy and always mucky! If there is a puddle to fall in, she’ll be the one. All three are little drama queens, they sing, dance and giggle all day long. It’s hard not to laugh at their antics.
Who would you like to invite for dinner?
I would invite some of the friends I have met through social media. It would be interesting to see if we all got on so well in real life or whether our friendships only exist on a screen.
What songs would you pick to go with your stories?
I asked my daughters this question and they said they’ll make some up for me. I’ll let you know.
What are you working on now?
I have always got at least one story in my head, one being written and notes for several others. Right now I’m working on a series of rhyming stories that encourage sharing, friendship and helping one another.
Who would you cast to play the characters in a movie?
My stories would best suit a cartoon series and my daughters would have be the inspiration for any cheeky pixie and fairy characters.
What are the best and the worst aspects of writing?
I love how the ideas flood in whenever I am having adventures with my daughters. I enjoy writing them down and reading them back to the girls – my biggest critics. The trouble is that because I only share them with my girls and time is short, I never polish my stories, I just move straight on to the next. Someday I will have to tackle my dodgy punctuation. I have so many stories ready to be illustrated and published, but just no time to do it. I know once I do the first it will spur me on to do more, but for now, I’m just having fun writing.
Tell us one odd thing about you and one really mundane thing.
I am mostly odd according to my friends. I have a fascination with numbers; nice even numbers or palindromic numbers but palindromic dates / times are my favourite. I set alarms and timers to nice times. I even wait until my alarm clock changes to 07.30 rather than get up at 07.28. I am obsessed with being on time but I’m married to a man who lives in his own time zone and has no concept of time in the real world.
Who are your favourite independent writers?
My favourite authors are Lesley Hayes, Eric Lahti and Max Power. My favourite children’s authors are NGK author of ‘Harry the Happy Mouse’ and Michelle R. Eastman author of ‘The Legend of Dust Bunnies – A Fairy’s Tale’ – my girls went to school dressed as dust fairies for World Book Day this year.
What book are you currently reading and in what format (e-book/paperback/hardcover)?
I’m currently reading Lesley Hayes’ ‘A Field Beyond Time’ for me, Anni Stewart’s ‘The Sea Witch’ with my eldest and a random selection of picture books with my littlies.
What (not who) would you like to take to a lonely island?
A hammock, a pillow (I need my comfort) and a solar powered Kindle.
Links:
My blog: http://sylvafae.co.uk/
My Twitter: https://twitter.com/sylvafae
My Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SylvaFae
What an engaging and magical interview – not surprisingly, knowing Sylva Fae. She writes beautiful stories, and I predict a prolific and successful future for her, not only with children’s stories but with adult fiction, too. The story she wrote for the Charity anthology was accomplished and moving, and an indication of what is yet to come. She’s also a lovely person, and I’d be honoured to be one of the guests at her Indie Author dinner party. Maybe one day we’ll make it happen in real life. 🙂
Thank you Lesley. You both are always welcome for dinner at my house in Wales. 🙂
I have had dinner with Sylva Fae many times and she is indeed as enchanting and fun as she sounds ! – Suzanne Downes
Thanks Suzanne. Sylva surely sounds that way. 🙂
A wonderful interview in the full sense of the word: The world is full of wonders, many of them so small that we mostly pass them by without a glance. It’s nice to read about someone who doesn’t; who not only notices them but also shares them.
I agree. Sylva chose the pictures for this interview and to me they show someone who sees magic and wonder everywhere. 🙂
The wood sounds enchanting, almost magical. A lovely interview. NIce to get to know the authors.
Thank you 🙂
Thanks for the interview, Christoph. Nice to meet Sylva.
I love your question (even if you don’t always get an answer) — when you ask writers who they’d cast as their characters. It is such a fun question. Hugs.
Thanks Teagan. Of course you know about being in the hotseat 😉
HUgs!
Reblogged this on echoesofthepen and commented:
Christoph Fischer’s superb interview with Sylva Fae, one of the contributors to the Indie Author Anthology ‘You’re Not Alone,’ in aid of the cancer charity Macmillan Nurses…
Thanks for the re-blog 🙂
Reblogged this on Ian D. Moore's Blog Page and commented:
Our very own ‘Fairy Queen’ and the voice of reason throughout the process of production to You’re Not Alone – the lovely Sylva Fae.
Another enchanting interview. Reblogged on iandmooreauthor.wordpress.com
Thanks for the reblog 🙂
Love this! …and that you have a wood, always wanted to do that, and one of my favourite places is Shropshire. I love it when children are our inspiration, writing stories for my kids is what convinced me to write too x
Thanks Lisa 🙂
Reblogged this on Eric Lahti.
Thanks for the re-blog Eric 🙂
Any time, Christoph. I need to reblog the rest of them, too. 🙂
A lovely interview and a magical writer. Nice to meet Sylva.
Thanks Olga 🙂
Reblogged this on Barrow Blogs: .
Thanks Judith!
Wonderful interview to read, simple, clear and informative; a magical story in it’s own right. Congrats, interviewer and interviewee. As a faraway twitter friend, I would love one day to visit your woodland. Perhaps … we’ll see. Take care and thanks again for a joyous read about your family and home. Sylva.
Thanks Neil 🙂
I loved this interview. We have woodlands within walking distance and spent a lot of time there with our boys when they were younger. I still do, and I know how magical they are. It’s fantastic getting to know you all.
Thank you 🙂
It was a pleasure reading your interview with Sylva Fae which certainly captures her spirit . My contacts with her on facebook have for me been quite special in many ways, but especially when I’m out walking or in my garden when I find myself looking at the trees, plants and sky for magical happenings. They are to be found…
Thanks Anni 🙂
I’m touched by all the lovely comments. Thank you Christoph for all these wonderful intervews. The paperback of You’re Not Alone is now available, I’ve ordered my copies and have the eBook on preorder. Thanks also to everyone who has shared and reblogged these interviews. If you haven’t already, make sure you check out the other interviews.
Thanks for participating Sylva! The pleasure was mine 🙂
Pingback: Interview with Sylva Fae – contributor to charity anthology “You’re Not Alone” | Michelle Eastman Books
Reblogged this on Michelle Eastman Books.
Thank you Michelle!
Reblogged this on Belly-up! and commented:
Author Christoph Fischer has been interviewing the authors from the charity anthology I just pre-ordered from Amazon. I can’t reblog them all, but this one… Well, the author and her husband bought a woodland! If you go out in the woods, today…
Her life sounds like an enchanted, magical one, to be envied by all who cherish faeryland. I have the anthology and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Thank you very much. Sylva was a fascinating interview guest. Glad you enjoyed the book and the post 🙂
Thank you. Thankfully my children have the same imagination as I do. I’m just enjoying the magic while they’re young enough to believe in it.