Author Interview with R.A. Denny of “The Alchemy Thief”
Hello readers! I got the chance to interview author, R.A. Denny about the first installment of the Pirates & Puritans series, how she creates her fantasy worlds and the overall writing process. I hope you all enjoy the interview!
When the secrets of the past threaten to destroy the future.
A tale of hope, resilience, and the indomitable spirit of a woman, this sweeping epic spans the Atlantic from New England to Morocco during the Age of Exploration.
2019: A young woman finds a relic engraved with a mysterious symbol off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard. Terrorists in Morocco steal a 17th-century book engraved with the same symbol. As the woman struggles to unravel the secrets behind the symbol, her life changes in ways she could never have imagined.
1657: Transported back in time, she meets the alchemist, John Winthrop, Jr. who is plotting to lure the greatest scientific minds to the New World. But the more she learns, the more she fears for the lives of the loved ones she left behind.
In a stunning twist of fate, a modern terrorist has traveled into the past, where he has become a Barbary Corsair. He has plans of his own. And he will stop at nothing to succeed.
Q&A Time!
Hi R.A. thank you for agreeing to this interview and stopping by the blog! Tell us a little about yourself and your background.
Thank you for inviting me, Rachel! I grew up in the Washington DC area, so I had amazing access to knowledge long before the internet existed. I remember the first time I visited the Library of Congress at age 11, gazing in awe at the books lining the shelves, as numerous as the stars. When I grew up, my love of books and research served me well in my career as an attorney. I was known for leaving no stone unturned to find the precise case law or the missing evidence to win the trial.
To me, learning is a great adventure, whether it involves reading, listening, or traveling. Always hungry for new knowledge, even when I’m out walking or driving, I listen to University professors from The Great Courses, hoping to find interesting tidbits to slip into my novels.
I have been blessed with two wonderful sons, a rescue cat, one adorable grandson, and another on the way. In addition to books, I enjoy outdoor activities like swimming, kayaking, and horseback riding.
What inspired you to write “The Alchemy Thief”? A time-travel historical fiction novel sounds thrilling!
This is the novel I was born to write. A hint of pirates in a father’s desperate hope fired my imagination. As a child, helping my parents to research genealogy, I was captivated by the story of Reverend Mayhew of Martha’s Vineyard and the young Wampanoag who sailed for London and “drowned at sea.” Refusing to believe his son was dead, Governor Mayhew clung to the hope that his son had been captured by Algerines. What a strange hope.
Years later, the mystery of that fateful voyage haunted me. Why would Mayhew focus on Algerines? Weren’t they in the Mediterranean? Digging into the research, I discovered that the Salé Rovers of Morocco had scoured the Atlantic and raided villages as far away as Iceland. In the 17th century, they were often referred to as Algerines. Bingo. I was on to something!
Along with the threat of shipwrecks and pirates, my protagonist faces a diabolical scheme involving ancient alchemy and modern terrorists. She struggles against rising powers, both old and new.
How long did it take to write this book? Did you run into any difficulties while creating the story?
In a way, I’ve been researching this book my whole life. Once I actually began writing, it took me three years to complete.
In 2018, I visited Morocco to research the locations in my novel. I enjoyed it so much, I planned a second wonderful trip. But I ran into trouble. On the morning of March 1, 2020, my packed suitcase lay by the front door in preparation for my afternoon flight. But I woke up with a fever. A physician ordered me not to travel. Disappointed, I stayed home.
In the following weeks, my disappointment changed to disbelief and then relief as I watched news of the growing pandemic. All flights in and out of Morocco were abruptly canceled on the day before I was to have flown home. If I had gone, I would have been stranded alone in Morocco for months. Although Morocco is a beautiful country to visit, I feel so blessed to have stayed safe at home. I hope to go on my Moroccan adventure sometime in the near future.
In the meantime, my research and writing transported me to the world of 17th century Morocco. And what an adventure it has been!
Give us an insight into your main character. What does she do that is so special?
When the novel begins, Peri is an intelligent young woman who has garnered a lot of knowledge from reading books, but she has very little life experience. A history buff, Peri discovers just how little she knows about history when she is transported back into the 17th century with her cell phone but no internet. Before long, she is assisting in an alchemy lab full of dangerous chemicals. Yet despite all her modern knowledge, Peri is willing to open her mind and heart to the people of the past.
Although she faces the brutal reality of the 17th century, Peri never gives up. And while forming bonds with the people she meets in the past she refuses to forget those she loves in the future. Can she save them?
Do you have a special time to write or how is your day structured?
Your question made me laugh because I write whenever the urge strikes me. I love going down rabbit holes, and I sometimes succumb to FOMO. My friends and family claim I have ADHD. So how do I finish anything? Who knows? I guess it’s my ability to hyperfocus. I do it my way, but I get it done.
The Alchemy Thief is the first novel in a trilogy. I’ve finished writing the other two books in the Pirates and Puritans series and hope to launch them before the end of 2021.
Your bio mentions that you were inspired to write epic fantasy novels when, after watching the first Hobbit movie. What other fantasy novels, movies, TV shows do you enjoy?
Although the movie was amazing, my inspiration came more from the way C.S. Lewis and Tolkien came together to create great literature. Books bring people together in a shared emotional and intellectual experience, which inspires me. Not to mention that my son challenged me to a writing contest as we left the theater. As a result, writing has become a family business.
With regard to my favorite fantasy novels, I love anything written by C.S. Lewis. I enjoyed all the interesting cultures, poetry, and songs in The Name of the Wind. Other favorites include Emissary by Thomas Locke and Updraft by Fran Wilde. And of course, like millions of people, I’m a fan of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings.
I am drawn to both historical fiction and fantasy because of the varied cultures portrayed.
What are some tips you would suggest to writers who want to create fantasy novels?
Learn everything you can about the cultures, science, history, and geography on earth. You can create utterly foreign but completely familiar new worlds by mixing and matching the most fascinating things on earth.
Are you currently working on any future projects? Yes! I’m editing The Sultan’s Court and The Mind Tree, books 2 and 3 of my Pirates and Puritans historical fiction/time travel series.
About The Author
R.A. Denny started writing epic fantasy novels when, after watching the first Hobbit movie, she began excitedly spouting off information about C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien’s writer’s group called the Inklings. One of her sons commented, “We could do that.” She laughed. Then he turned it into a challenge. Her unexpected journey had begun.
For several years, she continued her day job as a criminal prosecutor and escaped by night to the world of the Tzoladian Empire. Then she decided to just do what she loved.
She completed writing her five-book epic fantasy series: Tales of Tzoladia. The series should be read in this order: (1)The Emperor’s Harvest, (2)The Emperor’s Trap, (3) The Emperor’s War, (4) The Emperor’s Visions, and (5)The Emperor’s Doom.
R.A. enjoys ancient history, nature, and almost any type of game. She received her law degree from Duke University. As a child, she raised two flying squirrels, but now she has two cats. When she’s not writing, she rides horses, swims laps, goes kayaking, or invents things with her family. She has two wonderful sons. Oh, and did I mention that she loves a challenge?
Find R.A at: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Thanks again to R.A. for taking the time for a Q&A session and stopping by the blog! Be sure to add the time-traveling adventure, The Alchemy Thief, to your to your reading list!
I just received this book! Now I’m even more excited to read it 🙂
Yay! Hope you enjoy the book!
Yay! Thanks so much, Cheryl. I can’t wait to hear what you think of it!
This doesn’t sound like a match for my reading taste, but I enjoyed reading the interview. Flying squirrels! And I understand the compulsion to sample Great Courses…so much to learn. 🙂
Glad you enjoyed the interview! I’ve been eyeing the Great Courses too. The classes seem so interesting!
Thanks so much interviewing me, Rachel.
Years ago, when I was visiting my father I saw a brochure for The Great Courses on his coffee table. I was intrigued by the variety of courses they offered. My first course was Biology and Human Behavior by Robert Sapolsky. I found it so interesting that I’ve been ordering their courses ever since! When I wrote my fantasy series, The Tales of Tzoladia, I included many items from various cultures, mythologies, or time periods in history that I learned about in those courses. I will bet some people could guess which course I was listening to while I wrote certain chapters!
I think that’s so cool that you’ve gotten inspired by The Great Courses classes. I should give it a try in the future.
Thanks for taking the time to read my interview, BuriedInPrint. The Great Courses are my guilty pleasure! I have a huge collection on audible so that I can listen to them when I’m out driving or walking. As part of my research for the Alchemy Thief I listened to The History of Science and Science and Religion with Professor Lawrence Principe.
Dr. Principe has actually recreated many alchemical experiments. I love all the history and literature courses! Right now, I’m listening to Redefining Reality, which is fascinating! Do you have a favorite?