From Drunken Faeries to Lost Ancients: An Exclusive Chat with Marie Andreas
In the realm of fantasy, few voices resonate as distinctly as that of Marie Andreas.
With elven artifacts, whimsical drunken faeries, and worlds that captivate the imagination, Andreas has etched a significant mark on the genre.
Today, we peel back the layers of the fantastical, diving deep into the mind of the multi-award-winning SFF author.
What inspired you to start writing in the fantasy…
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Unsurprisingly, a lot of the commentary I'm seeing about this has been of the "But--but--I would do the same thing because I don't want anything bad to happen to the deer!"
Look. I love wildlife, and I love getting to see deer, coyotes, and even the occasional black bear in my neighborhood. But they are here because there is good habitat nearby with lots of natural food sources, not because I deliberately put out food for them to eat. I respect them as wild animals with whom my relationship is very different compared to the domesticated animals I take care of every day. A deer is not a sheep or a horse; a coyote is not a dog.
People who do things like try to tame deer or, worse yet, try to raise a fawn or other young wildlife like pets are robbing those wild animals of their natural existences. We've already wrought our own preferences on the landscape to a severe degree, tearing the wildness out of it to create lawns and farms and subdivisions and strip malls. When we then dismiss the wildness of these animals and impress our own desire for connection on our terms on them, we are harming them.
I've already written elsewhere about the difference between "tame" and "domesticated". No matter how docile that deer seems, it is never going to be as (relatively) safe and tractable as a domesticated sheep or goat. It will always be more unpredictable, and more likely to lash out suddenly at a person due to fear, or hormones, or protection of young.
These animals need their wild instincts to be intact if they are going to survive without being dependent on us. They need those instincts in order to find mates and keep the gene pool stirred up. Their instincts keep them safe from danger, including humans. And their instincts never totally go away, no matter how much we may try to tame them otherwise.
This is why a good wildlife rehab is going to minimize handling of the wild animals they care for, especially those that are going to be able to be released back into the wild. The less comfortable these animals are with humans, the better their chances of surviving in the wild and having fulfilling, natural lives. Wildlife that retain their wariness of humans are less likely to end up falling prey to hunting, or being killed as nuisance animals when they get too aggressive in seeking food or otherwise coming into conflict with people.
The person who painted "pet" on a fully grown white-tailed buck and put a collar around his neck may have felt like they were doing that deer a kindness, but they have likely robbed him of the chance to just live a natural life as his own, independent being out in the woods and fields. He might be out there, sure, but perhaps he won't mate because he imprinted on humans. Or maybe he will end up shot by a hunter in spite of the precautions because he's just too friendly and those antlers are worth taking the shot.
There will always be something missing from this deer's life because of the arrogance of someone who thought they could own and keep and control a wild-born animal for their own enjoyment, instead of allowing him to come and go as he pleased. Honestly, it reminds me of King Haggard from Peter S. Beagle's The Last Unicorn, whose response to seeing something beautiful was to capture it and keep it rather than simply enjoying and remembering that magical moment:
"I like to watch them. They fill me with joy. The first I felt it I thought I was going to die. I said to the Red Bull I must have them, all of them, all there are. For nothing makes me happy but their shining and their grace. So the Red Bull caught them. Each time I see the unicorns, my unicorns, it is like that morning in the woods and I am truly young, in spite of myself."
That's how I feel about people who are willing to drastically alter a wild animal's behavior for their own selfish benefit, even if they think they're being kind. I know I'm fighting a bit of an uphill battle in this, but I'm rather stubborn that way.
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I will forever be bothered by how boys in fantasy shows lack whimsy.
The teen girls are riding unicorns, talking to fairies and being happy, while the teen boys are like "eew, fairies. Magic. Ew. I wanna go home and play videogames" I literally wanna punch them.
I want whimsical boys plz. Hell, I want whimsical men. Fully grown adult men, their eyes sparkling with childlike wonder as they cast spells and pet unicorns and protect magical plants.
Jupiter North. I want more Jupiter North please. Read Nevermoor, yall
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Unleashing the Magic: An Interview with Fantasy Author Clayton Wood
Clayton Wood is the mastermind behind several popular fantasy series, including the Runic series, Fate of Legends series, and Magic of Havenwood series.
In this interview, we will delve into Clayton’s journey as a writer, his inspiration, and his thoughts on fantasy writing.
So without further ado, let’s get started!
What inspired you to start writing in the fantasy genre?
Fantasy books were…
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