For those who feel small and quiet. Spread those wings and roar.
Sarah A. Parker is a gifted romantasy writer with several series to her name. A crowd of around two hundred predominantly female fans were treated to fantastic evening with this internationally bestselling author on Wednesday 24 June. Wine and excitement flowed in equal measure, with the Tautoru / TSB Space overflowing into the Activity Room next door.
Fans were there to hear the author bare all about her gorgeous romantasy series Moonfall. She talked with performing artist and motivational speaker Lizzie Tollemache, who warmed the crowd up with lusty yells and swoony sighs, before Sarah Parker took the stage.
Overflowing is a good way to describe Parker's books, too. She has been creating complex and clever 'worlds you can lose yourself in' since she was a child growing up on a farm in Masterton. Influenced by this environment, her Moonfall stories are rooted in a creation myth of gods that represent the elements, with dragons to match.
As the day dawned for this exciting author talk, I found myself looking to the skies and imagining dragons flying above the Canterbury ranges.
There are many characters in these books who will pull on your heartstrings, make you gasp at their ferocity, or make your heart beat faster with lust or hatred. Parker's antagonists are just as provocative as her heroes - many of whom are female. There are fae, who can do elemental magic; wisps, who can communicate with the spirit world, and all kinds of creatures, including dragons.
Reminiscent of Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern, Parker's characters are bonded to their dragons: soul-melded to their vast and dangerous companions. The kingdoms of the Burn, the Fade, and the Shade are representative of the element and dragon of their realms. The Moonplumes are from The Shade, a deeply cold, dark and icy side of a planet that doesn't spin. The Sabresythes come from The Burn, a hot climate facing the sun, while the Moltenmaws are from the Fade - a 'between' place, both light and dark.
The hunky, heartbroken character of Kaan has replaced most of the internet's Book Boyfriends, says Parker. And he rides a dragon, swoon. His story popped up while Parker was writing her Crystal Bloom trilogy. She tried to realise him several times, but he lacked emotion. Parker is a dedicated planner, charting her character development. Working nineteen hours a day raising her children, it wasn't until her (selfless, swoon) husband quit his job to enable her to write that Kaan took on a life of his own and began to write himself.
Was her writing inspired by easy, light reading, or trauma?
Parker says she 'found love with fantasy' by reading Tamora Pierce. She cites The Name of the Wind (Pat Rothfuss) as a subtle fantasy with great world and character building with characters who she couldn't wait to find on the page again. The Lord of the Rings trilogy was a favourite, The Painted Man (Peter V. Brett) and Sarah J. Maas' Throne of Glass - titles that combine romance, fantasy and violence.
Parker goes on to say that she writes for herself, using elements pulled from her childhood, resonating with incidents in her own life. Her 'personal stuff' (such as her Nana passing away) 'collided with' the book, and 'made it heavier.' Even in conversation, this author's gift for imagery is astounding.
The creation myth of this world is explained in When the moon hatched, the first book of the series. Those who can hear the song of the Creators, are elementals who wear a coloured bead to denote their status, according to which god or gods they can hear. Ignos - is represented by fire, Rayne is water, Clode is air, Bulder is the earth and Cealis is the aether; the 'invisible' god of empthy space who becomes central to the story.
Raeve: It's said the louder one hears the elemental songs, the greater the connection, the more power one can derive from learning their language and their words.A blessing and a curse when it comes to the wild Air Goddess, for her squeals can be sharp enough to split skin.'
Those who don't, are deemed 'null' with a clip in their ear to signify their low place on the social scale. This is a strongly held belief system - the songs of the gods are not only heard, they're felt, and those who hear the song can use it to command or fight.
Parker makes her readers feel, too. There is love, heartache and heartbreak in the life cycle and battles of this world, of people and dragons alike. You'd have to be as cold as a Moonplume to not be moved by the fate of these characters and creatures.
Are there key differences in feel between the first and second book, The Ballad of Falling Dragons?
Parker says that her publisher allowed her to take more time with book two, working towards a big reveal (no spoilers). In 'Moon', readers learn how independent Raeve has become: her backstory falling into place like chess pieces. In 'Ballad', we're playing chess: questions planted in Moon come around to answers, and emotions are turned up tenfold.
'So BUCKLE UP!' quips Tollemache.
The Ballad of Falling Dragons follows on from the myth that when they are dying, the dragons, if they can, tuck into themselves and rise into the heavens, calcifying to become visible moons in the skies. Better that than becoming food for scavengers and treasure hunters. The Ballad itself can be found in the beginning of When the moon hatched, sung by Raeve when assuming the identity of a bard, when on an assignment for the Fiur Du Ath (= assassination). Why are they falling? Well, you'll need to read the books to find out.
Favourite characters?
Parker says Nee, the parchment lark was one of her favourites. IYKYK. Parchment larks are origami birds become animate: carrying messages through danger to their recipients. Raeve isn't sure Nee's message was meant for her- some larks get lost when the recipient has passed on - but Nee has become her pet. This character 'fluttered in' to Parker's imagination - she closed her eyes and waited for images to fly around in her mind. The Fate Herder, and Kaan's waif in a jar are favourites, and of course Slátra the Moonplume, Elluin's dragon, is a large personality in the story.
Survival (is a) scorched skeleton of flame-forged rage.
Raeve's life is filled with trauma, memories and loss. She's an assassin, an Elder Blade blood-bound to the cause of 'scrubbing out the stains of this beautiful world I so desperately want to love.'
Having lost her own Nana while writing, Parker says Raeve is life experience reflected back at you: a journey cataloguing experiences. Parker tends to 'stuff everything down, not dealing with it' (like the things Raeve throws under the ice), which have a way of 'bludgeoning up'. In Ballad, Raeve is learning to accept love after 'white knuckling' her way through life in Moon: 'forced to face things and break cycles'. Parker says she tries not to 'imprint' herself into her books, but this way of dealing with things came up - and specific scenes were HARD.
'A lot of us have an 'other' inside of us', says Parker: hers is dealing with things so she can help her daughters into womanhood...much like Raeve.
Is Parker for justice or revenge?
Sarah says she's more of an 'absorb the blow and move on' kind of person who extends an olive branch, giving people many chances. Raeve, however, is purely driven by bloodthirsty rage, vengeance and fierce love.
Can Sarah Parker fold a paper crane?
Yes! She made the very first Nee, to find where the words should sit. Some of the images in the books are hers - Nee is, but not the delicious headers that remind me of William Blake - that's Alice Cao. The beautiful covers are the work of Aubrey from AtCoverDesigns on Instagram. The maps (maps!) are done by Virginia Allyn.
What inspired the language of the Gods?
The unique languages Parker has invented for this series came from days spent roaming her childhood farm, looking for dragon bones. They're words that represent the 'push and pull of negotiation'. Parker says these formative years were an upbringing by the elements, where the 'dips and dollops' of ground became the personality of grounded, sturdy Bulder. Ignos 'spitting like snakes', the rain feeling like the sky was actually crying, feeling like the elements were really speaking to her.
When is a book finished?
Parker says she has a reading ceremony where she tucks herself away for a final read of the story - she cried a lot over the ending of Ballad - then she closes the book and says goodbye - as if it's a big parchment lark.
Judging by the turnout to this event, the romantasy genre is thriving in Canterbury.
Further Reading
- Find books in our collection by Sarah A. Parker
- Fantasy fiction genre guide
- When the Moon hatched | Ultimate Guide
- Sarah A Parker Fantastic Fiction
Stuck for something to read? Ask the Readers' Advisory Team for a Reading recommendation
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