Ask the Author: Celine Kiernan
Answered Questions (6)
Celine Kiernan
Hello Melissa, thank you so much for your question. It's actually something that folk ask me all the time, so I'm very happy to answer it for you here!
No, I didn't intend to imply that Wyn is pregnant in this scene. I meant it to imply that, though she never fears for herself on the scaffolding, she does fear for her incorrigibly reckless husband :)
'At the sight of (Christopher) hanging over the drop, the Protector Lady went a little pale. She placed her hand upon a strut, as if by steadying herself she might also steady him. If Isaac had not known her better he would think she was afraid she might fall. But of course, he did know better: the Protector Lady was famous for clambering the scaffolds, quick as any ship's boy. She was never afraid that she would fall. The boy grinned as the Lady called softly to her husband.
''Christopher,' she said. 'Come in.'
Quite a few adventure books end with their female protagonist either pregnant or already having had children, and that's grand. Wyn, however, does mention several times during the trilogy that she's not interested in having children (yet) Contraception is something that both she and Chris discuss quite a few times during the trilogy, and both of them consider it vital to a woman's independence that she have control of her own fertility. I felt that, by the end of the trilogy, Wyn and Chris are only just starting to have the happy life they fought so hard for. Wyn is only yet 21 years of age, and in the middle of the first of what will hopefully be many great works in her life. I thought it important that we still see her wishes respected in so far as children are concerned, not only to acknowledge that love can be maintained and flourish between a man and a woman without there also being children, but also to pay respect to the fact that childless woman are worthy of love and respect in the same way childless men are.
I had originally planned a both a prequel and a sequel to the trilogy - both of which I had very much looked forward to writing. In the sequel, I had planned Wyn to fall pregnant. Maybe it will be written some day!
Thanks again for asking! And thanks for letting me know how much you liked the trilogy. It means so much when readers take time to let me know that they've liked my work and my characters.
big hugs
Celine
No, I didn't intend to imply that Wyn is pregnant in this scene. I meant it to imply that, though she never fears for herself on the scaffolding, she does fear for her incorrigibly reckless husband :)
'At the sight of (Christopher) hanging over the drop, the Protector Lady went a little pale. She placed her hand upon a strut, as if by steadying herself she might also steady him. If Isaac had not known her better he would think she was afraid she might fall. But of course, he did know better: the Protector Lady was famous for clambering the scaffolds, quick as any ship's boy. She was never afraid that she would fall. The boy grinned as the Lady called softly to her husband.
''Christopher,' she said. 'Come in.'
Quite a few adventure books end with their female protagonist either pregnant or already having had children, and that's grand. Wyn, however, does mention several times during the trilogy that she's not interested in having children (yet) Contraception is something that both she and Chris discuss quite a few times during the trilogy, and both of them consider it vital to a woman's independence that she have control of her own fertility. I felt that, by the end of the trilogy, Wyn and Chris are only just starting to have the happy life they fought so hard for. Wyn is only yet 21 years of age, and in the middle of the first of what will hopefully be many great works in her life. I thought it important that we still see her wishes respected in so far as children are concerned, not only to acknowledge that love can be maintained and flourish between a man and a woman without there also being children, but also to pay respect to the fact that childless woman are worthy of love and respect in the same way childless men are.
I had originally planned a both a prequel and a sequel to the trilogy - both of which I had very much looked forward to writing. In the sequel, I had planned Wyn to fall pregnant. Maybe it will be written some day!
Thanks again for asking! And thanks for letting me know how much you liked the trilogy. It means so much when readers take time to let me know that they've liked my work and my characters.
big hugs
Celine
Celine Kiernan
Question answered via personal email as requested xox
Celine Kiernan
Hi Zoe,
I sent you an email re your questions. Hope we can get in touch,
C
I sent you an email re your questions. Hope we can get in touch,
C
Celine Kiernan
Hi Eva, so sorry for the lateness of my reply. My inspiration for Into the Grey is a little complex as different aspects of the book come from different areas of inspiration.
The idea of waking up to find a malevolent ghost occupying the previously empty top bunk of the bed in which you're sleeping is very straight forward. I slept in that bunk bed! The house in Skerries, the fair-ground, the bunk-bed and the creepy way the lights of the cars used to sporadically light up the top bunk are all memories from my childhood summers. I've never forgotten lying in bed, staring at the mirror, and wondering what I'd do if the next flash of light revealed something sitting in the empty bed above me.
The history of the Finnerty family is based very loosely on the history of my own family which was divided along maternal and paternal lines into people who had fought for the British during both world wars, and people who had fought against the British during the Irish war of Independence. The history of Ireland is a complex one, full of grey areas, and at many times it's difficult to understand who the heroes are and who the villains - often those who believed they were doing the right thing have survived only to be told by history that they were traitors or villains of one type or another. I wanted to explore this idea of looking back at your life and not recognizing the stories that are being told about you: of looking in the mirror and not recognizing the face looking back at you; of looking at your brother/loved ones and not knowing who they are or what they represent.
I also wanted to tell a creepy ghost story. This is the main thrill of story telling for me - to tell compelling stories which have (if you want to look for it) lots and lots going on beneath their surface.
I hope this answers your question?
Again, sorry it took so long to get to you.
The idea of waking up to find a malevolent ghost occupying the previously empty top bunk of the bed in which you're sleeping is very straight forward. I slept in that bunk bed! The house in Skerries, the fair-ground, the bunk-bed and the creepy way the lights of the cars used to sporadically light up the top bunk are all memories from my childhood summers. I've never forgotten lying in bed, staring at the mirror, and wondering what I'd do if the next flash of light revealed something sitting in the empty bed above me.
The history of the Finnerty family is based very loosely on the history of my own family which was divided along maternal and paternal lines into people who had fought for the British during both world wars, and people who had fought against the British during the Irish war of Independence. The history of Ireland is a complex one, full of grey areas, and at many times it's difficult to understand who the heroes are and who the villains - often those who believed they were doing the right thing have survived only to be told by history that they were traitors or villains of one type or another. I wanted to explore this idea of looking back at your life and not recognizing the stories that are being told about you: of looking in the mirror and not recognizing the face looking back at you; of looking at your brother/loved ones and not knowing who they are or what they represent.
I also wanted to tell a creepy ghost story. This is the main thrill of story telling for me - to tell compelling stories which have (if you want to look for it) lots and lots going on beneath their surface.
I hope this answers your question?
Again, sorry it took so long to get to you.
Celine Kiernan
Hi Eva,
Though ghosts feature quite a lot in my work - they're a rich source of symbolism for me - I can't say in all honesty that I believe in them anymore.
I used to very much believe in ghosts - and even thought I saw one once or twice. However, as I've gotten older, and especially since my father died, I've stopped believing in an afterlife, or even in any kind of God-being. If one doesn't believe in an after life, it's difficult to believe in ghosts. I'm open to persuasion, though. My books respectfully depict people with all kinds of religious/spiritual beliefs, and because of that I'm always exploring new possibilities and never stop trying to expand my understanding of the human mind and spirit.
Hope that answers your question!
Celine.
Though ghosts feature quite a lot in my work - they're a rich source of symbolism for me - I can't say in all honesty that I believe in them anymore.
I used to very much believe in ghosts - and even thought I saw one once or twice. However, as I've gotten older, and especially since my father died, I've stopped believing in an afterlife, or even in any kind of God-being. If one doesn't believe in an after life, it's difficult to believe in ghosts. I'm open to persuasion, though. My books respectfully depict people with all kinds of religious/spiritual beliefs, and because of that I'm always exploring new possibilities and never stop trying to expand my understanding of the human mind and spirit.
Hope that answers your question!
Celine.
Celine Kiernan
I've just started the second of the Raggedy Witch trilogy, book one of which is due out next year.
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