I've already mentioned elsewhere that I met author/illustrator Betsy James at BayCon and was so impressed that I asked to interview her for the Chronicles Network. Afterward, when looking up her books online, I realized there was a very good reason that her name sounded vaguely familiar. A number of years ago, I read and liked two of her books. The reason I didn't remember this immediately was because I had given up looking for more by her after searching unsuccessfully for about a year.
The books in question,Long Night Dance and Dark Heart, are excellent YA fantasy with an anthropological flavor and a style (but not plot or characters) reminiscent of Ursula K. LeGuin's "Earthsea" trilogy. I was delighted to discover that she has written, and recently published, a sequel, Listening at the Gate, which I had the opportunity to read in June. It was definitely worth the long wait. While it moved the story forward to a satisfying resolution, it also added depth to the characters and the setting.
All three books are well worth looking for, and although reading them in order is recommended, it's not absolutely necessary. Listening at the Gate, especially, can be read as a stand-alone, because the early chapters reveal enough about the characters and their situation to bring the reader up to speed. (Look for me to write a review of this book before the end of the summer.) The two older books have recently been reissued in new editions and are readily available.
Just this last week, I sent her a page full of questions for the interview -- however, suggestions for further questions about YA and children's fiction in general, and her own work in particular, would be welcome. Here is a link to her website, to give you some idea of who she is and what she writes:
http://www.betsyjames.com/pages/books_index.html
The books in question,Long Night Dance and Dark Heart, are excellent YA fantasy with an anthropological flavor and a style (but not plot or characters) reminiscent of Ursula K. LeGuin's "Earthsea" trilogy. I was delighted to discover that she has written, and recently published, a sequel, Listening at the Gate, which I had the opportunity to read in June. It was definitely worth the long wait. While it moved the story forward to a satisfying resolution, it also added depth to the characters and the setting.
All three books are well worth looking for, and although reading them in order is recommended, it's not absolutely necessary. Listening at the Gate, especially, can be read as a stand-alone, because the early chapters reveal enough about the characters and their situation to bring the reader up to speed. (Look for me to write a review of this book before the end of the summer.) The two older books have recently been reissued in new editions and are readily available.
Just this last week, I sent her a page full of questions for the interview -- however, suggestions for further questions about YA and children's fiction in general, and her own work in particular, would be welcome. Here is a link to her website, to give you some idea of who she is and what she writes:
http://www.betsyjames.com/pages/books_index.html
