Rebecca King: 'There is magic just beyond our reach and if we only looked close enough, we might find something incredible'

Rebecca King studied on our Writing YA & Children’s Fiction course in 2018. Her magical debut children’s novel, Ember Shadows and the Fates of Mount Never, is out now from Hachette Children’s.

We spoke to Rebecca about how she set about building her fantastical world, her experiences on our YA course, and her advice for aspiring children’s writers…

You studied on our Writing YA & Children’s Fiction course in 2018 – how did the course impact your approach to writing?

The course had an enormous impact on me. It was the first step in understanding the different skills in creative writing. Until beginning the course, I hadn’t properly considered things such as the point of view of the impact of the narrator. It also allowed me to feel confident calling myself a writer, prioritising writing time, and working on the craft. It was incredibly valuable being surrounded by so many like-minded creative people and I learned so much from critiquing their work and having their feedback on my own.

Your debut children’s book Ember Shadows and the Fates of Mount Never is out now from Hachette Children’s. It is a fantasy adventure story, set in a magical village where everyone receives a fate card before their twelfth birthday outlining their future. Can you tell us a bit more about your debut and the inspiration behind it?

I have always been interested by the idea of fate and whether we might want to know how our futures would look if we could. I loved the thought of receiving a card with my fate on it, but for a long time, this remained as just the germ of an idea. Then, I went on the trip of a lifetime to Tibet and was fortunate enough to visit Mount Everest. Staring up at the mountain felt so magical, and suddenly I had this idea for a mountain that the protagonist would have to climb to change her fate, filled with magic and trickery. From there, the story snowballed and I couldn’t stop thinking about magical realms, fantastical creatures, and all the elements that might make up a person’s fate.

How did you set about building your very own fantasy world?

I’ve always been the sort of person who looks at an ordinary thing and says ‘imagine if…’. I love the thought that there is magic just beyond our reach and if we only looked close enough, we might find something incredible. But building Ember’s village of Everspring and the magical Mount Never meant going beyond those initial ideas. I spent a lot of time fleshing out details about the village, such as the schooling system, the surrounding areas, and the clothes – some details that didn’t make it into the book, but all helped to build the world. With Mount Never, it was all about having fun and playing with the lack of limitations. I was able to make my fantasy world outlandish and bizarre including rollercoasters, magical libraries, and enchanted creatures. Each element has its own rules and it all fits with the idea of fate, but there’s an element of nonsense and fun that I love reading, so was excited to include it.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors writing children’s fiction?

Read! My CBC tutor Catherine Johnson said that if you have a problem that you can’t figure out, another author will have found the solution already. So it’s important to read new children’s books as much as possible. Dissect how the author attacks plot, character, or pacing. A lot has changed in children’s fiction over the years and it’s important to know what the market is like right now so that you can write books children of today will enjoy.

What does a typical writing day look like for you?

I like to get my writing done before anything else if I can. I get up, have breakfast, take our dog out, and listen to a podcast as I get ready. I find that listening to authors talking about writing helps me get into the mood for a day of creativity. I then get settled at my desk with usually what is already my second or third cup of coffee. I’m not a morning person, but I find that if I set myself a target of words and start right away, I’m much more motivated to hit that target than if I get started later in the day. Usually, I aim for 2,000 words a day when I’m in the early drafting phase, but I try not to worry about the quality at this point. Instead, I’m just getting the story down and I’ll return to rewrite, edit and polish much later. This approach means I have more editing days than writing days, but that suits me as it is much less scary than a blank page! Then, when I hit my target for the day, I can move on to any editing, emails, and other work projects.

What books have you enjoyed reading lately?

I’ve just finished reading The Hatmakers by Tamzin Merchant and I adored it! So much fun and such a vivid, detailed world. I’ve also loved Rebel Skies by Ann Sei Lin and Rumaysa by Radiya Hafiza.

Finally, what’s next for your writing journey?

More adventures with Ember Shadows! I’m working on the next installment and there’s a lot of fun to come for Ember and her new friends… I’m really excited to keep learning as a writer, whether that’s experimenting with new genres, developing more fantasy worlds, or plotting fresh adventures for Ember, I’m really looking forward to the next challenge.

Get your hands on a copy of Ember Shadows and the Fates of Mount Never.

You can find Rebecca on Twitter @RKingWriter