ISBN [Print] 9781910711057
ISBN [Epub] 9781910711088
|
|
Interview with Carla
AchesonAuthor of The Last
Gift, who has worked as a reviewer and interviewed
best selling authors: www.carla-acheson.com
Q. This book is superficially
about returning all twelve tribes to the fold of
humanity. Why twelve tribes?
A. Twelve is a very strange number.
The Chinese have a specific word that means 'one
dozen' Virtually all cultures do. In this trilogy,
it relates to the Twelve Apostles, so with Jesus,
the full number is thirteen. I offer the Twelve
Tribes of Humanity, plus the Ancestors. Follow that
analogy, and you will understand book three in much
greater depth.
Q. You wrote this referring to
future books?
A. Of course. These are not three
books, but one continuously, developing story, at
least to me. That is how I see it. Many times during
editing, I needed all three books open at the same
time, because a small change in one would ricochet
around the rest of the trilogy. And I don't mean
just in one place of those books, all over the place.
Some groundwork has also been laid for books four
and six. Yes, already. It's a bit like a building
site. You set the foundations and lay in the services
like water, gas, and electricity, before the house
building begins. Same with a trilogy. This stuff
goes deep.
Q. What is the most important
feature, chapter of this book?
A. The casting of The Sword of Destiny. Without
that, all is lost, and I mean totally. There is
a clue: Raem states, “You don't understand this,
do you? This blade was created for healing, not
destruction. Sometimes adults understand nothing.”
[Quote: SG-3, Ch 18, P. 119.] And that is your only
clue.
Q. What was most fun to write?
A. The names of the Giants. They
just came to me, and still make me chuckle to this
very day. Rambling Longshanks, Gangling Shortfalls,
Temerity Shortfalls, Footsure Fourgay, and Constance
Merryweather, to name but a few. The names create
an aura of perception, although often misunderstood.
Rambling is so named because of his storytelling
ability, and not physical prowess.
Q. You used a naming convention
I believe?
A. Yes, there is one specific
to each Tribe. Also, their dialect is different.
For instance, the Ddwyrth have Welsh names, but
speak with a Scottish lilt, and use Scottish words
and phrases. On the other hand, the Elves have long-winded
titles, and use 'for' in an older sense than what
is generally current today.
|