Ask the Author: Mackenzie Flohr
Answered Questions (25)
Mackenzie Flohr
That's a good question! I can be pretty stubborn about not giving up and tend to also obsess until it is just right. But there does come times when one may have to just step back. My advice would be to trust in yourself. If you're meant to re-address a project, that book or project will let you know when it's ready. You never know what or who may inspire you.
Mackenzie Flohr
I was really into The Boxcar Children series, the American girl collection (Molly, Samantha, Felicity and Kirsten), The Little House on the Prairie, The Babysister's Club and Sweet Valley High.
Mackenzie Flohr
That's actually a really good question! I'd say it's a probably a combination of places, people and characters. I've always been fascinated with Ireland, so that definitely did have an influence in the world building of Iverna. Writing fan fiction for LOTR helped inspire the characters Friedrich and Froebel, actor Matt Smith inspired Mierta, and the character Marquise de Merteuil from Dangerous Liaisons inspired Lady Anya.
Mackenzie Flohr
This will probably come across as shocking, but I really haven't read that many fantasy stories. There is a saying that you must read so many books in the genre you are going to write in, in order to write it correctly. But I disagree with that! Instead, I believe in order to hone one's craft, they must write. However, they must also read, even if it's not in their chosen genre. I find myself being pulled towards thrillers or mysteries, which are elements also found in The Rite of Wands.
Mackenzie Flohr
This will probably come across as bias, but it would be Mierta. I find myself having to be loyal to this character because without him in all honesty, The Rite of Wands wouldn't have ever been finished.
In majority of my rough drafts, this character was completely omitted. In fact, he only starting to appear about 3 years ago when I imagined him to be completely different than he actually turned out to be. For example, I originally called him Girard, and he was mostly in the background, having others perform his dirty deeds. To quote author Rachel Aaron, if there's a problem with your book it usually is your bad guy. And that statement is so true! I discovered Girard wasn't the bad guy. The problem was he needed a "face" and a new name.
I am one of those people who believe that people come into your life for a reason. I can honestly say if I hadn’t gotten the opportunity to meet actor Matt Smith at Wizard World in Chicago, IL, back in 2014, this book would be still sitting somewhere in my writing office unfinished. Matt has some kind of “magic” about him, I can’t really explain. But whatever it was, seems to have cast a spell on my muse. So, instead of fighting it, I went with it, and turned Matt, so to speak, into a wizard, and thus Mierta McKinnon was born.
In majority of my rough drafts, this character was completely omitted. In fact, he only starting to appear about 3 years ago when I imagined him to be completely different than he actually turned out to be. For example, I originally called him Girard, and he was mostly in the background, having others perform his dirty deeds. To quote author Rachel Aaron, if there's a problem with your book it usually is your bad guy. And that statement is so true! I discovered Girard wasn't the bad guy. The problem was he needed a "face" and a new name.
I am one of those people who believe that people come into your life for a reason. I can honestly say if I hadn’t gotten the opportunity to meet actor Matt Smith at Wizard World in Chicago, IL, back in 2014, this book would be still sitting somewhere in my writing office unfinished. Matt has some kind of “magic” about him, I can’t really explain. But whatever it was, seems to have cast a spell on my muse. So, instead of fighting it, I went with it, and turned Matt, so to speak, into a wizard, and thus Mierta McKinnon was born.
Mackenzie Flohr
The Neverending Story by Michael Ende. I love the world of Fantastica. When I was a child, my Mom gave me a necklace that belonged to her Mom, and I used to wear it and pretend I had Auryn, and imagine I was actually in that world.
As for a top ten to read list? Absolutely!
1. A Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
2. The Neverending Story - Michael Ende
3. The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien
4. Harry Potter - J.K. Rowling
5. In The Lake Of The Woods - Tim O'Brien
6. The Things We Carry - Tim O'Brien
7. The Shining - Stephen King
8. The Count Of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
9. Night - Elie Wiesel
10. Dead Even - Brad Meltzer
As for a top ten to read list? Absolutely!
1. A Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
2. The Neverending Story - Michael Ende
3. The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien
4. Harry Potter - J.K. Rowling
5. In The Lake Of The Woods - Tim O'Brien
6. The Things We Carry - Tim O'Brien
7. The Shining - Stephen King
8. The Count Of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
9. Night - Elie Wiesel
10. Dead Even - Brad Meltzer
Mackenzie Flohr
I don't think I have a favorite fictional couple because my favorite isn't actually a couple (at least not in canon). However, if they were a couple, it would be Frodo and Sam from Lord of the Rings. It is such a powerful story about companionship and friendship while going through hell and back.
Mackenzie Flohr
I find it intriguing when a character and the world he or she belongs in simultaneously evolves. I've heard that's very rare. But that's exactly what happened with The Rite of Wands. If Mierta didn't exist, neither would this series. It really makes you realize how important certain elements are to building a story.
Mackenzie Flohr
I definitely believe it is possible. However, at the same time, I don't believe everything is set in stone. You have the opportunity to change it based on how you react to it.
Mackenzie Flohr
Good question! There are many elements of my novel which are compelling. If I had to choose just one, I believe it would be wanting to know if the predictions in the individual Rite of Wands will become reality for both Mierta and Orlynd.
Mackenzie Flohr
I like the possibility of branching out into other genres in order to reach new audiences. I believe that is really up to the author's personal choice, but I can assure everyone, my muse wouldn't allow me to stay loyal to just one genre even if I wanted to!
Mackenzie Flohr
Being able to create my own worlds and being able to share them with my readers.
Mackenzie Flohr
Mierta was always intended to be a boy. He just prefers his name to be spelled the feminine way ;-)
Mackenzie Flohr
J.K. Rowling, J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Paolini, Michael Ende, Neil Druckmann, Stephen King, Tim O'Brien and George R. R. Martin. I would say Tolkien and J.K. Rowling have both influenced my writing equally.
Mackenzie Flohr
I am working on the beginnings of a short story to hopefully be included in upcoming an anthology. I am also beginning to work on another series, which is going to be a futuristic science-fiction horror. The series revolves around a teenage man who is living in an advanced medical facility in Area 51 and is suffering from amnesia. And I’m brain storming for the second book in The Rite of Wands series!
Mackenzie Flohr
I wouldn’t say I came up with anything, it more like came to me! When I’m traveling, I often stare at road signs to see if I will come across any names that just kind of jump out at me, and this one particular sign did more than just that. It gave me a story!
Mackenzie Flohr
Writing is A LOT harder than it looks. If someone tells you that writing is easy, don’t believe them. It’s one thing to write a story, it’s another thing to actually finish it. There are so many people out there who falsely believe they will write the next bestseller on the first try. But don’t let that discourage you. Don’t give up, keep pressing on, and if someone tells you can’t do something, don’t believe it. As one of my dear friends has said, sometimes in order for something to happen, you have to give to the universe, and the universe in turn, gives back.
Mackenzie Flohr
What motivates me is being told I won’t succeed. I know that sounds odd, but I’ll elaborate. Back in 2006, I was at the airport in Orlando waiting for the plane to arrive to take my Dad and I back to Cleveland, OH. I was working on a scene, which happens in a later book in the series. There was a young girl who looked about my age with her Dad sitting across from us. They asked what I was writing about, so I mentioned a little bit about it. Afterward, my Dad smiled and told them that I was writing a fantasy series, and that I would never finish it. I was shocked, embarrassed and hurt by the outburst. Even as I am recalling that moment now, it still angers me! But that’s where he went wrong. Not only did I write it, not only did I finish it, I found a company to PUBLISH it!
Mackenzie Flohr
I've been fortunate with this novel to have a really good editor who also has young children. She will find something in my writing, which either needs further explaining so young readers will understand it, or needs to be taken out so it will be suitable. Thankfully there were very few things that needed to be taken out!
Mackenzie Flohr
It would probably be fantasy, but I also really enjoy a really good mystery, a crime story, or a scary book!
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