Fantasy Chose Me: A guest blog by Author Fiona Tarr
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Every so often we get a great up and coming author to share with you their personal story. Today we have Fioina Tarr, an Australian Fantasy writer.
Dig in as she discusses why she writes fantasy, and gives you an update about her latest work!
I have often wondered why I chose fantasy as a genre, but I have come to realise that I think it chose me.
Like most kids, I used my imagination; singing like a superstar in front of the mirror or making spaceships with sheets and cushions in the living room on sleep over nights, but fantasy is another step away from reality; or so I used to believe.
I became addicted to the fantasy genre when I read British author David Gemmell (since deceased). His novels are full of magic with good and evil characters, but what I most enjoyed about his writing style was how his evil characters often turned out to be heroes and his heroic leaders were sometime quite nasty people in private. This got me thinking how fantasy was not really so far removed from our reality as I had once thought.
Now I write fantasy adaptations of Old Testament bibles stories (among other projects).
Depending on who you speak with, the original stores are considered anything from pure speculative fiction to religious law. Over the years, as I have researched and worked with these Old Testament stories I have come to understand that although they are old, they still reflect so much of the cultural diversity we find today. Even though I reproduce my version in a fictional way, the reality and relevance of the context never seems to fade away.
The Jericho Prophecy is more than a retelling of a biblical tale, it is a fantastical reimagining of a time when genocide was normal practise, refugees were often murdered and women were traded as commodities. I never set out to be confrontational with my writing which is why I believe fantasy chose me as a genre, but it is my hope you enjoy the fantasy elements of my books and find the deeper humanity of why I chose to write the way I do.
