We chat with author Cinda Williams Chima about Bane of Asgard, which is the highly anticipated sequel in the acclaimed Runestone Saga with more adventure, mystery, and plot twists than ever before!
Hi, Cinda! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I was born and raised in Ohio. My first paying job at sixteen was taking classified ads over the phone for the local newspaper. Eventually, I moved on to editing advertising copy. In the process I became a lightning-fast keyboarder and honed my spelling and grammar skills while working my way through college. Great prep for a writer. My first degree was in philosophy, where I learned to evaluate arguments and make good decisions. One of those decisions was to go back to school in nutrition so that I could get a job. I worked in health care for years, taught at university and wrote scientific papers and newspaper articles on health and nutrition topics. I began writing fantasy novels for teens when I had two actual teens living in my home. My message: nothing is wasted. All of these experiences have made me a better writer. These days I’m a full time writer, living and dreaming in the mountains of North Carolina.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I wasn’t a strong student to begin with. It was my love of reading that saved me from failure. I started writing poetry in third grade. It was the first thing I did in school that I didn’t get in trouble for. I’ve never stopped reading and writing since.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Old Yeller. It’s probably not the first book I read, but it was the one that stuck with me. Never, ever, kill the dog.
- The one that made you want to become an author: A mosh pit of fantasy. I loved Game of Thrones because, while it was fantasy, it was really about politics and people behaving badly.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Demon Copperhead right now. Loved seeing what Kingsolver did with the David Copperfield story, set in Appalachia, where my roots are.
Bane of Asgard is the second installment in your Runestone Saga and it’s out October 22nd 2024! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
- Vikings
- Sorcery
- Swordplay
- Romance
- Vengeance
For readers who haven’t picked up the first book, Children of Ragnarok, can you tell us a bit about it?
The foundational stories of Norse mythology end with Ragnarok, the calamatous end of the war between the gods and the jotun, the forces of chaos. Which made me think, then what? What was left, and, more importantly, who was left? I envision Midgard after Ragnarok as a kind of Mos Isley Cantina—where the remnants of the original nine worlds—demigods, demons, issvagr (ice wolves) trolls, and humans–compete for survival. And I thought, we’ve been told the gods of Asgard and their allies were the heroes in the last battle. What if they weren’t? What if the jotun and their allies are plotting revenge—and, this time, they mean to win? Follow sixteen-year-old coaster Eiric Halvorsen, his sister Liv, and runecaster Reginn Eiklund as they navigate the dangerous aftermath of the end of the world.
Now, what can readers expect in the sequel?
In Bane of Asgard, Eiric, Liv, and Reggin have been thrust into the heart of the coming conflict, where Reginn’s ability to raise the dead makes her the linchpin of the jotun revenge. Meanwhile, Eiric forms an uneasy alliance with an ambitious jarl in an effort to save his homeland, even if it means going to war against his sister and the spellsinger who has captured his heart.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring further?
Minor characters often ambush me with their insistence on taking center stage. One of those is Eiric’s younger brother Ivar, whose role grew as the story progressed. (I mean, in the first draft he died in chapter three.) I also have an affinity for antagonists, including the fire demon Asger Eldr, Reginn’s master and principal tormentor. He, too, reveals multiple layers and motivations as the story goes on.
What’s your process when it comes to planning and writing a new book?
I wish I did more planning, I really do. My books are born of characters, crises, and chaos. It’s a wonder they ever make it to market. I usually begin with a character who wants something, and then I begin putting obstacles in his way. I continue with a series of ‘What if?s” forging unanticipated linkages among characters as the cast grows. It’s not a pretty process.
What’s next for you?
I always hate it when authors say they are working on a super secret project, but I am working on a super secret project because it’s a departure from what I have been doing and I don’t know if it will work out. If it doesn’t, I don’t want people asking me about it years from now.
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed so far this year and are there any that you can’t wait to get your hands on?
Loved Jeff Zentner’s debut adult novel, Colton Gentry’s Third Act, Erin Bow’s Simon Sort of Says, Nora Carpenter’s Fault Lines, Victoria Schwab’s Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. Looking forward to reading Mary Pearson’s The Courting of Bristol Keats.
