I wanted to make sure to do this early on into Wyrd & Wonder, because what better way to start off a fantasy month than to introduce myself as, first and foremost, a reader of fantasy.

Also sometimes a dreamer of fantasy, wrangler of fantasy, fantasizer, and potential witch who would gladly sacrifice her neighbors if it meant opening a portal to a fantasy world. Allegedly. If anyone comes round asking questions, I know nothing.

This tag comes from The Book Pusher over on YouTube, who adapted it from the romance reader version. I won’t be tagging anyone, but I encourage anyone who’s interested to obviously DO IT, because it’s a lot of fun.

What is your fantasy origin story? (How you came to read your first fantasy novel)

Oh gosh, I was so young. I wouldn’t remember, even if I wanted to. Let’s see what I can do, though.

Once upon a time, on a dark, stormy night, when the wind was shrieking and the rain battering the siding of the old house, a young girl discovered the most valuable of treasures. Its binding was unimpressive—worn and torn by many small hands over the years. The pages were stained, the cover old and dulled with time, but the world inside was still vivid and very much alive.

How’s that for an origin story? xD I’m pretty sure my first fantasy was Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes. Does that count? I know we had a book from when my grandfather was little, and I was read out of that, so we’ll go with that.

For bonus points, the first fantasy I read in Spanish was El Bosque de los Pigmeos (which, very impressively, I remember absolutely none of … except there was a forest?), and the first fantasy book I read in French was Le Petit Prince.

If you could be the hero/heroine in a fantasy novel, who would be the author and what’s one trope you’d insist be in the story?

Two words: TALKING. SWORDS. Hell yes. It needs to be pointy and sharp and obviously freaking sarcastic (because what proper talking sword isn’t). Does that count as a trope? I don’t think that’s a trope, but that’s what I’m going with.

My author would definitely be Fredrik Backman. It was a hard decision, because I love, for example, Brandon Sanderson, but man, his books feel like work. I don’t know if you could tell, but I’m not very coordinated, and I for sure don’t want to go to war or something like that.

Fredrik Backman feels more my speed. He’s not a fantasy author, but given the fairy tales he weaves into My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She’s Sorry, I think he could manage it just fine. Not to mention that he’d obviously decimate all my readers’ emotions, and I see that as a win, without me having to have some big epic quest/adventure.

What is a fantasy you’ve read this year, that you want more people to read?

Wait. Just one? I could never choose just one. What kind of question even is that?! How about I break it down by group? Yeah, let’s do that.

Adult:

Black Leviathan by Bernd Perplies

Young Adult:

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

Middle Grade:

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia

What is your favorite fantasy subgenre? What subgenre have you not read much from?

My favorite is dark fantasy. The darker, the better. Except without too much gore. Give me horrible characters that are mouthy and grey and sometimes leaning towards straight-up evil. Give me complex plots. Give me death and betrayal and stabbiness. All the good stuff.

One subgenre I haven’t read much (but am trying to rectify that) is epic fantasy. It’s been hit or miss with me in the past, but I’ve found some that I’ve really loved recently. So what I’m saying is if you have any must-read recommendations for epic fantasy, throw them at me!

Who is one of your auto-buy fantasy authors?

I mean, there are obviously the really cliche ones like Brandon Sanderson and Terry Pratchett and Neal Shusterman, but I feel like those are a given. I want to put some lesser known author here.

How about we go with Sarah Cannon. She’s only got two books out. I read Twist earlier this year and just loved it! I immediately put her other book Oddity, on my to-buy list (even though I haven’t done that yet, but … I plan to?). I definitely intend to buy whatever the next book she comes out with is.

Minion wanted to make sure I mention that her must-buy fantasy author (even though this post isn’t about her, but there’s no telling nine-year-olds that) is Laura Ellen Anderson. She insisted that I had to add it, because technically, I’m the one that buys them, so she’s a must-buy author for me, because I must buy them for her. She just loves the Amelia Fang books, so whenever a new one comes out, she gets it for the next holiday.

How do you typically find fantasy recommendations?

Bloggers! Y’all are the bane of my existence. I just want you to know that when my TBR eventually seeks revenge and eats me, it’ll be all your faults.

The biggest pains in my TBR are the following bloggers:

• Leelynn @ Sometimes Leelynn Reads
• Susan @ NovelLives
• Tammy @ Books, Bones, and Buffy
• Annemieke @ A Dance With Books
• Dini @ DiniPandaReads
• Dave @ TheWriteReads

What is an upcoming fantasy release you’re excited for?

Um … ALL OF THEM. Duh. I’m going to separate this by age group again, too, because I can’t choose just one, because that’s too difficult.

Adult:

A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians by H.G. Parry
The Angel of Crows by Katherine Addison

Young Adult:

The Way Back by Gavriel Savit

Middle Grade:

The Gryphon’s Lair by Kelley Armstrong

What is one misconception about fantasy you would like to lay to rest?

It’s too descriptive and boring.

Okay, yes, sometimes the older epic fantasy was definitely too descriptive for me (and that’s what turned me off epic fantasy for a while to start with). But fantasy doesn’t have to be. If you like that sort of thing, there are definitely authors out there that do that. More than that, though, there are authors who build these vast, beautiful worlds that describe just enough to plop you squarely in that world and let you travel there, and they trust your imagination to build the rest.

Fantasy exists in degrees. It’s totally possible to find whichever one you prefer and find authors who write like that.

If someone had never read a fantasy before and asked you to recommend the first 3 books that come to mind as places to start, what would those recommendations be?

Oh, oh, oh, can I do this in groups, too?! I mean, I’m asking for permission, but ha, you know I’m totally going to do this anyway, even if the answer is no.

Adult:

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson
The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune
Mort by Terry Pratchett

Young Adult:

Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Marrow Charm by Kristin Jacques

Middle Grade:

The Super Life of Ben Braver by Marcus Emerson
The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
The Wolf of Cape Fen by Juliana Brandt

Who is the most recent fantasy reading content creator you came across that you’d like to shoutout?

I’m not actually sure what this means. Fantasy bloggers and booktubers? Oh gosh, SO FREAKING MANY.

How about I use this to plug all the wonderful bloggers participating in Wyrd & Wonder? These are obviously fantasy lovers, who will proceed to shout about fantasy for the rest of your month, until you’re sick of it and decide if a door to a new world doesn’t appear for you soon, you’ll just make your own. So go check some of their blogs out.

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