If you are itching to pick up a new fantasy read, then may I recommend Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim? She’s a phenomenal storyteller, and this particular story is a lush and beautiful retelling that features a young woman who loses her voice, and has to find a way to save herself and six brothers who have been turned into cranes by her evil stepmother! Along with a dragon, and a scorned betrothed, you will not be able to put this story down. I’m so excited to share my interview with the amazing Elizabeth Lim!
Hi, Elizabeth! Can you tell us a bit about yourself and about Six Crimson Cranes?
Yes, of course! I’m Elizabeth Lim, author of The Blood of Stars duology and two tales in the Disney Twisted Tales series. My newest book, Six Crimson Cranes releases this July, and it’s my favorite book that I’ve written so far. It’s a reimagining of the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale The Wild Swans mixed in with Chinese and Japanese folklore, and is about a princess whose brothers are cursed into cranes. To break their curse, she must place her trust in a flying paper bird, a shapeshifting dragon, and the boy she was supposed to marry.
If you were to be cursed by an evil stepmother, what might you be cursed with?
Oh gosh, what a good question. Hmm…I think being cursed to not be recognizable to anyone you know would be extremely rough, and it’s similar to what happens to Shiori. Also to not be able to hear music or play music would be devastating for me since I was a serious musician for so many years!
What characters did you find yourself gravitating toward while drafting the story?
I loved writing Kiki and Seryu. I have a fondness for writing banter and sassy dialogue, so those two were especially fun for me to develop.
If Shiori were trapped on a desert island, what three things would she bring with her?
Shiori might be a dreamer, but she’s also pretty practical. She’d bring a cooking pot, a knife (double use for defense and for cooking!), and a sturdy lantern.
Food seems to play a big role in this story, is there a dish or food that you particularly loved writing about?
Strangely enough, I actually really enjoyed writing about the fish soup that Shiori makes. It’s a simple dish, with no real set recipe, but it’s something that my grandmother made for me nearly every day when I was a kid that writing about it brought back a lot of fond memories. The cakes, of course, make my mouth water whenever I read about them. The monkeycakes that Shiori makes are inspired by the colorful kuih (steamed cakes) that my grandma in Malaysia used to buy for me. They usually have a rice base, but they’re often flavored with taro, pandan, peanuts, and/or coconut. They’re hard to find in the States, but if you get a chance to try them, you absolutely should. They’re delicious!!
Was there any sort of research involved when you started writing this book?
Since Six Crimson Cranes is set in the same universe as Spin the Dawn, I referred to the research I conducted for my previous duology as well as my studies from university (I minored in East Asian Studies). Given that both series are fantasies, I didn’t research too heavily and relied a lot on my imagination!
What is absolutely essential to you when you’re working on a new writing project?
Having a main character that leaps off the page, an outline that fleshes out the beginning, middle, and end of the story, and a deadline (hah!).
Who designed your amazing pre-order goodies?!
They’re beautiful, aren’t they? I owe them to Mona Finden, who designed the character cards, Catarina Book Designs, for the quote bookmark, and Margaret Morales, who painted the rabbit on the moon sticker as well as the art print of Shiori and Seryu.
If you could have Six Crimson Cranes adapted, what format would you choose and why?
Easy question! I would pick an animated film. I love animation (even wrote my dissertation on music in cartoons way back when) so it would be a dream to see Six Crimson Cranes adapted this way. But I’d also be ecstatic to see it as a graphic novel.
Can you give us any hints as to what is to come in the next book?
There will be more dragons…and the return of a main character from The Blood of Stars duology!
