AL Knorr - Mesmerizing Stories of Elemental Transformation
USA Today Bestselling Author, A.L. Knorr is an award-winning Canadian fantasy writer. Readers love her vivid characters and mesmerizing stories of elemental transformation, adventure, friendship, and love. Born of Water (AL Knorr's first published title) is a 2018 Readers' Favorite Gold Medal Winner in the YA Urban Fantasy category. As our Author of the Day, Knorr tells us all about her Elemental Origins series.
Please give us a short introduction to what Elemental Origins is about.
Basically this series introduces four highschool friends at the beginning of their summer holidays. They are each going to a different country and while they stay in touch with one another, each character has her own adventure and supernatural transformation into an Elemental, which is why the series is called 'Origins'. Each story is written in first person POV and occurs over the same timeline. While you're reading one story, you get glimpses as the girls text back and forth about what is happening in their lives, they're also keeping secrets from one another, which the reader gets let in on along the way.
Did you know from the start that this was going to be a series? How do the books in the series tie in together?
Actually, no, I didn't know from the very beginning it was going to be a series. I started with Born of Water, which is a mermaid story I had in my imagination for a long time. As Born of Water was in editing, I was writing a screenplay to do with fairies, which kicked off the idea of creating a Born of Earth character. From there, I loved how the two friends I created each went through their own supernatural transformation and couldn't resist making the friends group bigger so I could write Born of Fire, Born of Aether and Born of Air. The events of each book happen over the same summer, and the girls stay in touch with one another over text, which means the readers gets a glimpse of what is going on in the other characters lives. As you read more stories, you get more 'aha - that's what was going on!' moments because you learn more and more, until the final book brings together all the characters in one big exciting ensemble finale.
Why elemental powers? What drew you to this theme?
As far as magic goes, I always loved elemental magic the best because it harnesses the power of nature––something that we can all relate to, I think. With the girls combining their abilities in the ensemble story, they together have the power of creation, which is exciting and full of possibility.
Your protagonists are all teenagers. Why do you enjoy writing young adult books?
Our teen years are full of learning and development, self-discovery, tumultuous feelings and hormones. These are the years where young adults cross the threshold into responsibility, they start to decide what direction their lives will take, and I find this moment in life to be rife with potential for storytelling. I also find that even though my books are YA, most of my readers are adults who want to escape and maybe relive their youth a little. I love providing that escape.
Besides writing, what other secret skills do you have?
I'm a cracking good mountain biker once I get going. I make a yummy keto-friendly bread. I studied dance and performed as an Irish dancer with a traveling troupe for ten years. Being an introvert, I'd rather listen than talk, so I'm pretty good at just listening and asking questions. I'm what's known as a 'plate-spinner', keeping lots of things going at the same time, which probably makes me a bit of a jack of all trades, master of none.
Which one of the books in this set is your personal favorite and why?
I'd have to say Born of Water because I am a water sign and adore the ocean and all things in it. One of my passions is ocean conservancy and I hope to get more involved in this in the future.
What do you hope readers take away from the series?
Mostly I want to provide an escape for readers and to make them feel good by the time they've come to the end. Themes of friendship are strong in my stories, as well as justice and doing the right thing, even if its hard. I hope my characters are memorable for readers, like they've made a friend they can hang out with and relate to. I believe those who read can live thousands of other lives before they die, and I want to make those fictional lives they live worthwhile.
In your mind, what happens to the characters after you write their final chapters? Do they continue to "live on" in your imagination?
Yes, they live on. I picture their lives pretty much all the way to the end, though not in great detail. The more you write a character the more real they seem, and I think that's a good thing because only if they're real to me can they be real to a reader as well.
What is your favorite motivational phrase?
Compare yourself to who you were yesterday rather than who someone else is today.
Do you have any interesting writing habits? Favorite writing spot, time of the day to write, inspiration etc.?
I used to write solely in cafes when I was a nomad. Now that I've settled down a bit, I write in a little office nook in front of a big window. I write my chapters out of order and sort of feel like I'm doing a jigsaw puzzle as I write my stories––filling in the holes to create a full and hopefully beautiful picture.
What are you working on right now?
Right now I'm editing a book called Salt & the Sovereign, which is the 2nd book in a series called The Siren's Curse. This series picks up the characters from Born of Water and takes the reader into what happens with them after the Origin series finishes.
Where can our readers discover more of your work or interact with you?
My website is www.alknorrbooks.com, my facebook page is www.facebook.com/alknorrbooks, and if readers sign up for my newsletter they'll be invited to a private facebook group where they can interact with me and other fans and also have an opportunity to request review copies of my latest work. I protect my work time but I also love interacting with readers and do so nearly every day.
