The Falconer by Elizabeth May, Blog Tour: Author Interview

Hello & welcome to today's The Falconer blog tour hosted by Chronicle Books. Today I'm thrilled to have author Elizabeth May on the blog to talk about her recently released debut. First, here's a little bit about the book:

The Falconer

By: Elizabeth May
Published by: Chronicle Books
Released on: May 6, 2014

Ages: 14 and up
Purchase from: Amazon | B&N

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Edinburgh, 1844. Beautiful Aileana Kameron only looks the part of an aristocratic young lady. In fact, she’s spent the year since her mother died developing her ability to sense the presence of Sithichean, a faery race bent on slaughtering humans. She has a secret mission: to destroy the faery who murdered her mother. But when she learns she’s a Falconer, the last in a line of female warriors and the sole hope of preventing a powerful faery population from massacring all of humanity, her quest for revenge gets a whole lot more complicated. The first volume of a trilogy from an exciting new voice in young adult fantasy, this electrifying thriller blends romance and action with steampunk technology and Scottish lore in a deliciously addictive read.

Praise for The Falconer

"A combination of steampunk tech and supernatural danger with a multitalented heroine who can hold her own against murderous faeries and romantic foils alike." —Publishers Weekly

“Forget Bella, banish Katniss and Expelliarmus Hermione-there is a new breed of ass-kicker in town. . . . Elizabeth May’s debut is a wicked cocktail of Jane Austen and the Grimms’ fairy tales.” —Claire Nicholls, SciFiNow

“Simply put, my favorite YA paranormal this year. A must read!"--New York Times Bestselling author —Jennifer L. Armentrout

"A riveting world, a fierce heroine, and electrifying action--I burned through this sparkling debut!" —Sarah J. Maas, New York Times bestselling author of the Throne of Glass series

Hi Elizabeth. Welcome to Mundie Moms, and congratulations on the release of The Falconer. How would you describe your debut in 5 words or less?

Thank you!! :) Five words: Victorian-era debutante kills evil faeries.

I was hooked with your book from the moment I read what it was about. You have a lot of my favorite elements in your debut, a tough heroine, romance, action, paranormal, steampunk and more. What element did you have the most fun creating?

I think the paranormal aspect. I’ve studied Scottish folklore while at university, so faery lore is a personal interest of mine. My favourite part of writing this trilogy has been in nodding to aspects of original tales and adapting them for the story. So things like faeries being repelled by iron are mentioned, but in the book it’s considered human misinformation after centuries of faery lore being passed down (and dismissed) as children’s stories. There are probably certain aspects not many people would see unless they were familiar with the stories, but it’s got some easter eggs for those who are.

I love this time period and the setting! What inspired you to set The Falconer in 1844 Scotland?

I’ve always been a huge fan of historical novels; next to YA, it’s actually the genre I read most. So I knew I wanted to write a book set in an historical period. Once I made the decision to use faeries in the book, it was only natural that I set it in Scotland because – while faery lore exists elsewhere – it’s largely entwined with a lot of places in this country, and Edinburgh has its own fae lore. So history and location just naturally entwined together in that regard.

I chose the particular time period I did because it’s the post-Enlightenment, during a time when there was a concerted effort (by the church and influential philosophers and scientists of the day) to purge Edinburgh of what they considered “superstitious thought.” There was a bit of lingering faery belief among people who moved to the city from the country. Those from the Highlands and islands were less influenced by the ideals of the Enlightenment, which emphasized the rejection of anything that couldn’t be proven by reason or science, including belief in faeries. So The Falconer takes place during a time when these stories still exist, and they’re still a part of the culture, but they’re also dismissed by Aileana’s peers.

Lady Aileana is simply put, AWESOME! What is one of the things you came to admire the most about her in The Falconer?

Aileana is such a flawed character, but the one thing she’s never lost – that never wavered at all after her mother’s death – is loyalty to those she loves. In most other things, she can be a bit reckless and single-minded in her quest for vengeance, but not at the expense of her friends and family. I admire the fact that despite everything, she still puts them first.

You have created a great cast of characters. Which of the characters surprised in terms of the role they ended up leading in Aileana's story? 

Definitely Derrick. Derrick had a completely different incarnation when I first came up with his character, but his original character (which would be a bit long-winded to explain here, but I did a summary about him on the Gollancz Blog: http://www.gollancz.co.uk/2013/09/falconer-friday-a-exclusive-interview-with-elizabeth-may/) just didn’t work.

I realized I needed a foil to Kiaran’s character, to show that some faeries could be good. The revamped Derrick ended up having a larger role and a greater influence in Aileana’s life. He’s meant to be her voice of reason about the fae. He’s why she doesn’t kill faeries indiscriminately and, instead, goes after those who hunt humans. If it weren’t for his guidance, she probably would have killed any she came across.

I'm really looking forward to reading the next book in this series. Can you tell us a little bit about what we can expect in it?
Book 2 is pretty different than Book 1. It explores a lot of the darker themes of the faery world, some that Aileana isn’t prepared for. And, yes, you learn Kiaran’s secrets, too. :)

Who are some YA authors who inspired you to write?

Authors like Charles deLint, Garth Nyx, Susan Cooper, Robin McKinley, and Juliet Marillier have been incredible influences on me. And they’re why I love fantasy.

About the Author

Elizabeth May hails from Ohio and is a PhD student in social anthropology at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. An accomplished commercial photographer who counts many book publishers among her clients, she has also spent time in front of the camera as a model for book jackets, including those for young adults. The Falconer is her first novel.

Read an Excerpt

The Falconer by ChronicleBooks

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5/6  -  Chronicle Books.com   
5/7 -  Girls in the Stacks        

5/8 - The Book Cellar         

5/9 - Presenting Lenore         

5/10 -  Mundie Moms               

5/11 - Literary Rambles           

5/12- Page Tuners                  

5/13 - Forever Young Adult