Interview with L. A. Smith, author of Wilding
I haven't had a guest post or interview in awhile, probably because, during this odd time of lockdown, I've been retreating to my favorite reads and not venturing to new worlds.
Until now.
Wilding pretty much had me at hello. Not only is it a "meticulously researched historical fantasy," but it is also set during the Anglo-Saxon period. I adore research and historical fiction, and if you've browsed through my too-sparse Reflections, you've seen my posts touching on various things Anglo-Saxon. I didn't hesitate to purchase a copy, and I'm so glad I did. Wilding is a beautifully crafted and well-written story. The language is evocative, with the magic of a thin place all its own (more on that later). I was thrilled when the author agreed to an interview. So without further ado, I am delighted to introduce L.A. Smith, author of Wilding.
1. Tell us about Wilding. What's the story about?
The story is a historical fantasy, about Thomas McCadden, a young man who, after a frightening encounter on Halloween night, finds himself transported to 7th century England. The book follows his story of discovery - about what happened and why it happened, to start with, but also about this long-ago era that he now has to survive in, and how or if he can get home. He also has some discoveries to make about himself along the way…
2. What were some of your inspirations or influences that shaped your story?
One of the first seeds of Wilding was seeing the Lindisfarne Gospels in the British Museum in London way back in 1987. The incredible beauty of these exquisite hand illuminated Gospels, the work of basically one monk, produced in the AD 700s, got me pondering about the man who made them and the place in which he lived. The second seed was planted when I read a book by Thomas Cahill called How the Irish Saved Civilization, which details the incredible contribution the Irish Celtic monks of the so-called Dark Ages made to the preservation of Western civilization. When I finally sat down to start writing a book, I thought that it might be interesting to tell part of that story in a novel form. But, the trouble is, I have been a lifelong fan of fantasy and speculative fiction. So before I knew it the story took a decided fantastical turn. It's become a much different book than what I thought it would be, but some of those first seeds are still in it, if you look hard enough.
ChiRho from the Lindisfarne Gospels
Saint Aiden
3. What was your favorite part of the story to write?
That is a hard question! I suppose I would have to say the climax of the book was my favourite part. It's quite satisfying to finally get to where all the characters are in place for that final confrontation. At that point you've set everything up and the fingers fly across the keyboard!
4. If you were given the opportunity to go back in time to seventh-century Britain, would you go? If so, where would you go, what would you do, and who would you like to meet?
Oh yes, in a heartbeat! With the stipulation that I wouldn't be there for too long. Seventh century life would be way too hard for this pampered 21st-century modern woman. I would definitely go where my book is set. I'd start at the monastery of Lindisfarne to meet the great bishop Aidan and then hop over to Bebbanburg (now called Bamburgh) to meet Oswy, the king. I would attend a church service and enjoy a feast at the great hall in Bebbanburg. I would love to spend some time at the scriptorium in Lindisfarne, watching the monks create the manuscripts. I would go to York, to see the first stone-built church in England. It would also be incredible to meet one of the great Anglo-Saxon women, such as the Abbess Hilda at Whitby.
5. Wilding presupposes the existence of thin places. Tell us about thin places. Do you believe in them? Have you ever encountered one?
Thin places are a beautiful idea of the pagan Celts (and some say, of other pagan people groups), which was, like many of their other pagan beliefs, transformed and reshaped into their Christian worldview by the Celtic Christians in the centuries after they came to Christ. It's the idea that there are places in the world where heaven and earth are close together, and in certain circumstances, either the time of the day, or the time of the year, the boundaries between the worlds become "thin" allowing those worlds to intersect, and for beings from one world to cross over into the next. For myself, I believe that in a sense the entire world is a Thin Place, a place where the kingdom of Heaven can suddenly intersect in startling and surprising ways. A shepherd walking down a path can be distracted by a burning bush. A young girl living in an obscure backwater country can be visited by an angel while in the midst of her everyday life. But that being said, however, there seems to be places where that imminence, that expectation of Heaven, is more evident. Often these are places of natural beauty or grandeur. Sometimes they are places where many people have sensed that expectation, and they become places of worship. Other times they are places where a person individually feels that it is a place where they can sense the holy, but others might not share the same feeling. I do believe there are some mysterious places in this world, places where one can almost sense a "holy hush". One Thin Place for me is Joshua Tree National Monument, out in the California high desert. There is something otherworldly about that place. Certain places in the Canadian Rockies, closer to my home, have imparted that sense to me, too. But I also get that "Thin Place" feeling from ancient places of worship – places were people have prayed and worshiped for centuries.
6. As someone who passionately loves history and research, I would love it if you would share some of your research sources with us (and talk about them a little).
One of the great blessings of doing research in the age of internet is that there are so many places to go to look for information on anything! There are many, many great places to look online. Wikipedia has its distractors, but I do find it a good first place to go to get some beginning facts on whatever topic you are researching. However, the danger of online research is that there are a lot of weeds to wade through to get to the good stuff. One always has to make sure you are reading credible sources, and always try to find three or four sources minimum on each topic. Online I have found the Early British Kingdoms site (earlybritishkingdoms.com) to have a great deal of good info. Regia Anglorum (regia.org) an Early Medieval Reenactment and Historical Living Society, has a great website with a lot of details about Early Medieval life, although they are focussed a little more on post-Viking invasion times.
I did a lot of actual "book" reading as part of my research, too. For information on Anglo-Saxon England, my trusty Blackwell Encyclopedia of Anglo-Saxon England has been a treasure-trove for me. In that book scholars and experts on Anglo-Saxon England have gathered together information on every aspect and person of the times, from A to Z. Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the British Isles is fantastic, because there you get a near-contemporary take on the times, even if you have to keep in mind that he is not exactly an objective historian. Bede was a monk from the Wearmouth-Jarrow monastery, and was one the preeminent scholars of the time.
7. Where is the story going from here?
There are two more books to come. Book Two, is coming out July 1st, and hopefully Book 3 will follow in spring/summer of 2021. I don't want to give away too many spoilers, but suffice it to say that Thomas has a lot more growing to do and a lot more challenges to face before the end of the third book!
8. Are you working on any other projects?
Well, not really. There is a lot of work to do in getting the books ready for publication, and writing, revising, publishing and marketing pretty much takes up my time these days. I am writing some short stories and other bonus content for newsletter subscribers and for book launch bonuses, but they all pretty much revolve around the book characters and settings. In the past I have done some short-story writing, and I hope to find the time to do some more of that. If you do a bit of a deep dive into my blog you will discover some of my previously posted short stories. I've also had some published here and there, but I'm not sure if they are available online anymore.
9. Your bio in Wilding says you love to drink tea. What is your favorite type?
My favourite tea is black tea. Over the last few years I have grown in my appreciation for other types, but I still love a good, strong, black tea, with milk and sugar, of course. I have discovered some really nice Fair Trade black teas that are a luxury that I indulge in whenever I can. Nepal Black from David's Tea is a really yummy one. I also love a good pumpkin chai!
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Thank you, L.A. Smith, for taking the time to share your thoughts with us! I enjoyed hosting this interview and look forward to your return after the release of Book Two.
