Clara Diane Thompson lives in the swamps of Louisiana with her
loving family, dashing dog, and very confused frog that resides in the
birdhouse outside her window. Aside from writing she enjoys playing guitar,
singing, Broadway plays (particularly The Phantom of the Opera), ballet, tea
with friends, and long BBC movies. An enchanted circus may or may not appear
occasionally in her back yard.
Hi
Clara! It’s so wonderful to finally interview you on my blog! I’m sure many
here will recognize you as Goldstone Wood Imp Clara Darling (you coined the
term, Goldstone Imp, didn’t you?) and also one of the five authors to be
published in Five Glass Slippers! Could you tell use a little bit about
yourself? What do you enjoy doing outdoors?
Thank you for having me here today, Hannah! What an honor!
I’m eighteen, a Christian, a lover of music, fairy tales
(naturally), tea, and lots of other stuff.
Camping and hiking are the main two outdoorsy activities I
enjoy. I can be persuaded to go kayaking just so long as it isn’t in swampy
area. Alligators are not something I like to be in the water with!
What
drew you to become an author? When did you realize it was more than just a fun
hobby, but a goal?
Like with many other authors, I wrote a lot when I was
younger, never thinking seriously about it at all. Then I happened upon Anne
Elisabeth Stengl’s blog, and my world changed! Writing became a priority then
from her kind encouragement and fun fan-fiction contests!
Very
soon now, the writing genius of Clara Thompson will be revealed. Do you have
any writing plans for the future? Any books you’d like to publish? If so, do
you mind sharing what it’s about…just a little?
Oh, my,
yes! Writing will always be a major part of my life.
My “main”
story that I’m working on is centered around a young girl who is invited to
petition for a ladies maid position in the far-away kingdom of Guaire.
Unable to refuse a queen’s wishes, she leaves, carrying the burden of dark
warnings from an old friend with her. But whispers of rebellion and the sudden
reappearance of a long-lost castle causes her to wonder if she was called to
Guaire to merely become a ladies maid, or something else entirely…
Besides
writing, how do you like to pass the time? What are some of your other favorite
hobbies?
Playing the guitar and singing is one hobby I enjoy very
much! Naturally I read a great deal, and I also love a good movie. My brother
is attempting to teach me how to draw, so I hope that artistry will become a minor
hobby in the future!
Is
there anywhere you’ve always wanted to visit? Or, if you’ve already gone there,
what was it like?
Scotland,
Ireland,
or Italy!
I’ve got to go to either (or all!) of these places one day!
All
right, I know you’re a big fan of Doctor Who and Loki. (I know there’s many Doctors
so choose your favorite one. Let me guess, Doctor #10.) This is a cruel
question, but I’m really curious. If in a duel, who would win Doctor Who or
Loki? I know, you don’t like me anymore. ;)
Hannah, you fiend!
My favorite Doctor is probably eleven, but whenever I watch
one of ten’s episodes, I say that he’s my favorite. I simply cannot
decide…
As much as I adore Loki, I have to say that the
Doctor, as selfless and kind as he is, would probably win in a duel. But if
Loki ever turns completely good, then I’d have to say that he wins over
the Doctor!
Your
winning story in Five Glass Slippers, called The Moonmaster’s Ball,
has quite the intriguing and original storyline behind it. I’m very curious to
see how it will parallel the Cinderella themes. What inspired you for this
story?
I actually had a dream where a circus visited a castle (crazy dream, I know). I wrote down the idea in my journal, thinking that it would be the perfect setting for a Beauty and the Beast retelling. But then the contest was announced and I was flooded with ideas for a circus twist on Cinderella!
Although I wasn’t thinking of it at the time, the classic
movie Lili most likely inspired much of Moon Master’s. It’s a movie
about a young girl who finds work at a circus as the helper to a crippled
puppeteer. Definitely some similarity in Lili and The Moon Master’s Ball!
~
Thanks, Clara! Great learning more about you and your story! I can't wait to read it and all the others in the book!
Readers, make sure to go check out Clara Darling's blog, To Find A Castle, and also learn more about the Five Glass Slippers collection on its site and Goodreads!
12 comments:
What a fantastic interview! I'm so very, very excited about reading your story, Ms. Clara. I know this is a cruel question, but do you have a particular fantasy book that inspires you the most? Also, what is your favorite genre of music to sing? Have you ever performed in a musical?
I definitely agree about Mrs. Anne Elisabeth's encouragement. Her books and fan fiction contests have really helped me to have the courage to write more. And, Phantom of the Opera is one of my favorite musicals as well. It was the first musical I ever had the fortune to see, and I was utterly fascinated. I have every soundtrack of the show produced, probably, and I never see the show without dissolving into a puddle of tears. My favorite soundtrack is the most recent one recorded at the Royal Albert Hall. Did you like the sequel, or have you heard of it? Have you read the original novel upon which Phantom is based? I've always longed to play Christine but cannot reach that high E! If I had my way, I'd probably want to play Meg Giry.
Thanks again for this interview, and God bless you.
An interesting interview- can I just say how in love I am with the title of your story? If I saw it on a shelf, I'd be drawn to it. :-D Look forward to, hopefully, one day reading it.
@Meredith
Hello there, Meredith!
That IS a cruel question, but it's also very fun to think about:) I would have to say that the fantasy book that has inspired be the most is THE MISTMANTLE CHRONICLES! Yes, it's a series, but Margaret McCallister writes warm, cozy stories that are complex and simple at the same time. And animals star as the main characters in the story! The autumnal feel of MOON MASTER'S is very similar to MISTMANTLE....or at least I hope I've captured a small bit of McCallister's genius!
Ooh!!! Another Phantom fan?! We have much in common. I've seen the play once And hope to see it again in the future! It makes me tear up as well. I love the movie, but the Royal Albert Hall performance was the best! I have seen bits of the sequal, but am disappointed in the story :( I have also read the book several times...
It would be a dream come true to play Christine! But I don't think I could quite hit that E either!
I love singing slower songs...mainly ballads but I enjoy some country and old show tunes as well! And of course I can be heard belting Think of Me at home ;)
Thanks for commenting, Meredith! I love hearing from you :)
@Grace
Thank you so much, Grace! You are very kind.
Hi Clara,
It was very fun to learn a little more about you. Your loving family, dashing dog, and confused frog sound particularly endearing (who can resist a confused frog living in a birdhouse?) I agree with the others that the title of your story is very intriguing...almost spooky. Maybe the Moon Master is a very nice person. Well, I'm certainly looking forward to finding out.
I drove through Louisiana many years ago when I was a teenager, and I remember seeing some swamps and being very intrigued by them and the alligators that lived there,though I never saw one. I was a bit scared when the adults in charge had us swimming in a river that was only separated from a swamp by a parking lot, but we did it, and had fun. Nothing like a little knowledge to add to the scariness of a situation.
Thanks for sharing, Clara. All God's best to you in your writing, and all you will do as you follow His path.
Hi, Ms. Clara:
I love singing slower songs as well, and I agree about Phantom's sequel! There was no need for it, in my opinion. I did listen to the soundtrack, and some of the songs were good, but the story was definitely a disappointment for me. I've had a chance to read the first Mistmantle book and loved it! God bless you.
Hello, Clara! It's so great to hear more about you. I am sure 5 Glass Slippers is going to be amazing. My question is... what book did you learn the most from? (Not inspired the most by.)
I completely agree about the storyline for Love Never Dies. Gaston Leroux rolled over in his grave, but some of the music is beautiful.
@Mrs. Becky:
I wish you could meet my family, dashing dog, and confused frog! I'm sure we would all get along quite well ;) The confused frog, as bizarre as it may sound, does actually exist...I know its hard to believe, but he chills in the late afternoon, one arm propped up on the hole and snacks on bugs. It's hilarious!
I'm glad no gators got you on that trip!
The Moon Master's Ball is indeed a bit spooky...I hope you like it!
@Allison:
Ouch. Hard question! I've learned much from many different books and authors, but to avoid sounding cliché and saying that The Goldstone Wood series taught me the most, I would have to say that Elizabeth Goudge and her book The Little White Horse has taught me the most. If you haven't read it, I strongly recommend the classic! Anything she writes is sure to be fantastic and whimsical.
Some of the music IS stunning in Love Never Dies. I WISH the plot had been different!
I'm sure I'll love your spooky story, Clara. I've thoroughly enjoyed your Goldstone Wood fan fiction stories, and I'm really looking forward to reading The Moon Master's Ball.
Your little frog sounds hilarious! I think you should write a song or a story about him. I've always loved critters with character. When I was young, I had a confused pigeon who thought it was a cat. But..the strangest part of it was that the three or four confused barn cats we had at the time also thought Dudley the pigeon was a cat. He would stand with them around their bowl and eat their food, and when I stepped out of our backdoor and called the cats for a special treat, Dudley would start running with them, then take off in a low flight pattern right over the top of them and land at the bowl first!
By the way, I love Allison's question. Thanks for answering it.
Since you mentioned it...my confused frog makes an appearance in the story I'm working on now!
That pigeon sounds utterly adorable. And the cats treated Dudley as kindred! That's too cute :)
Yay for the confused frog in the birdhouse!
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