Hello Erika, and welcome to MG Book Village! KELCIE MURPHY AND THE HUNT FOR THE HEART OF DANU is the sequel in your hit fantasy series, which launched with Kelcie Murphy and the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts last year. Can you give us a brief summary of what fans can expect?
Hello Middle Grade Book Village! THANK YOU so much for having me! In the next installment of the KELCIE MURPHY SERIES, The Hunt for the Heart of Danu, the Never-Ending War escalates. Readers are introduced to Lexis, a confident and loyal student at Braverwil, Winter’s military academy. She is sent to Summer as spy, on a mission to steal the Lands of Summer’s source of light and warmth, the Heart of Danu. Meanwhile, Kelcie has barely settled into school when her mother, the war goddess, appears to warn her of the impending doom. And of course, while all of that is going on, the Summerfolk, including the students at the Academy, must prepare for the Ascension, a ceremony that will choose the next Regent to replace the Queen. If you’ve read book one and are confused by that statement because you believe you know who the Regent is, as that person was mentioned in The Academy for the Unbreakable Arts, well, you’re in for a few surprises. The festivities include a ball, and all the stresses that comes with first dances (asking dates, revealed crushes, and heart breaks,) as well as a military tattoo, or as we call them, a parade.
Is this a book readers can jump into without reading the first one, or is it essential to start with the first one?
I did a lot of brief reintroductions and summaries that should make it accessible for anyone who wants to start reading with The Hunt for the Heart of Danu, but the worldbuilding and character relationships began in book one, and if you want all the feels, I think you should read book one first.
Your series is rooted in ancient Irish mythology; can you give us some insight on the inspirations?
The Academy for the Unbreakable arts was inspired by a legend from the Ulster Cycle of Irish history. A warrior teaching goddess named Scáthach taught the biggest heroes in Ireland’s ancient past how to fight with magical weapons and martial arts. Her school was located on the Isle of Skye, and called Dunscaith Castle which translates to The Fortress of Shadows. If you’ve read book one, you’ll know that Scáthach is the preceptor of the Academy in the Lands of Summer. In book two, readers meet her sister, Aífe who is the preceptor of Braverwil, Winter’s military training school. In the legends, the two sisters have a very argumentative past.
Also in book two, readers are introduced to an iconic legendary Irish artifact called the Stone of Destiny. You might’ve heard of a similar stone in Scottish mythology that resides in Edinburgh Castle and was recently brought to London for King Charles III to sit on during his coronation. In Irish lore, the Stone of Destiny that sits on the Hill of Tara would cry out when touched by the rightful king (or queen) who should rule Ireland. I think you can guess that this artifact has something to do with the Ascension Ceremony.
Kelcie is the star of the series, but Lexis is at the forefront in Book 2 and much of the story is told from her perspective. What can you share with us about their relationship, and the dynamics between the two girls?
In arguments, they say there are always two sides to every story. There are also two sides two every war. At its heart, this series is about ending the Never-Ending War. It was imperative that readers meet both sides. Lexis introduces us to the Lands of Winter. We first meet her at her school, Braverwil, and in a great battle that becomes a turning point in the war.
Kelcie meets Lexis in the first chapter, over break from school, when she enters Chawell Woods to visit her grandmother. From the very beginning, Lexis sees Kelcie as an adversary, and is determined to hold on to her anger over what happened in the Lands of Winter. Kelcie sees Lexis as lost and alone, much like herself last year, and tries to befriend her. Slowly, Kelcie begins to realize Lexis may not be who she seems.
Through her time at the Academy with Kelcie, Lexis comes to realize that the people of the Lands of Summer are no different from her own people in Winter. But all too quickly, their time together comes to an end. When truth comes out, and the Lands of Summer is on the brink of extinction, it’s that spark of friendship and hope for a better future that brings them together.
Kelcie struggles with not fitting in—first in Book 1 when she seemed to have no parents, now because who her parents are. Why do you think writing real world issues against a fantastical backdrop can be so impactful to young readers?
Real world issues create a commonality between the reader and the characters while so much else in the fantasy setting is different. I like to think of emotions as a universal language. Writing characters that tap into real world circumstances draws emotions that every reader has likely felt at one time or another. For example, in book one, having been moved all over Massachusetts, Kelcie was perpetually the new kid at school, a circumstance every reader, young or old, can identify with. We’ve all been the new kid, in the classroom, on a sports team, at camp, at least once in our lives. But Kelcie’s reaction is unique to her circumstances (and maybe other children in the foster care systems throughout our country) because she’s built emotional walls around herself. Friends don’t stick. She moves too much. Her skills at making friends are seriously lacking. She’s a recluse and quick tempered and is more concerned with her own miserable past to worry about others who might be hurting. But that all changes when she’s put in her fianna, and others show concern for her. Kelcie must step out of her comfort zone to say hello, ask what’s wrong when a classmate’s upset, and offer a helping hand for no reason other than to be nice. That can be a hard thing, but if Kelcie can do it, other kids who have might have similar walls, can do it too.
I suppose what I’m trying to say is that stories lead by example.
There’s such chemistry between Kelcie and her friend Niall! Tell us what it’s like to write about young romance for middle grade readers.
It’s so much fun! I get to go back to that time in my life and remember what it felt to crush on someone for the first time. Young romance is all about firsts. First butterflies. First burning cheeks. First awkward smiles. First misinterpretations of returned awkward smiles. So many stilted conversations. Stumbling over words, trying to make complete sentences. Oh, the dreaded symptoms of a first hard crush.
For a crush to grow into something more, whether it’s between real life young adults or fictional characters, takes time—time to get to know one another. And Niall and Kelcie have three books for that.
In book one, Niall is Kelcie’s first real friend, and she feels all the first feelings for him, but that friendship is also invaluable to her, and at risk in book two because of her father.
Any chance you can give a taste of what readers can look forward to in Book 3? And will that conclude the series?
Book three is the dramatic conclusion to the end of the Never-Ending War. Summer and Winter must unite against a common enemy, or it will be the end of both realms.
Book three will be the end of this series. Will there be more books set in this Otherworld? One never knows, but Kelcie’s story was always meant to be a trilogy.
Thank you so much, Erika, for sharing your thoughts with us today. All the best with your book’s release on July 25th!
A graduate of Vanderbilt University, with a passion for storytelling set in magical places, Erika Lewis spends as much time as she can traveling. When she’s not writing, she can generally be found scribbling notes in a blank book while wandering through abandoned buildings, all sorts of museums, and graveyards. Her list of credits spans the comics and novel space, including The Color of Dragons from HarperCollins, co-authored with the critically acclaimed fantasy author R.A. Salvatore, Game of Shadows from Macmillan’s Tor Books, Firebrand and Acursian from Legendary
Comics, #Guardian from Awesome Media & Entertainment, and The 49th Key from Heavy Metal Publishing.
Website: https://erikalewis.com/
Twitter: @ErikaElyLewis
Facebook: @TheErikaLewis
Instagram: @erikaelylewis
TikTok: @erikalewisauthor
Goodreads: Erika Lewis | Goodreads
MG Book Village 