Colleen Helme's Blog - Posts Tagged "character"

Many times I have been asked why I write fantasy. Growing up on fairy tales makes it a little easier to understand, but there is much more to it. All books take us away from our reality, but in fantasy we travel to completely different worlds. Worlds where the question "What if?" is answered in compelling and challenging ways. Magic is always an element in fantasy, giving the story an even broader perspective. The fight between good and evil is distinct and the trials our heroes face teach us courage and determination. It is satisfying when those we have come to care about win against almost insurmountable odds. In a way, it is life-affirming. We can find these same strengths in those around us if we are looking. Strength of character from witnessing a noble act of selflessness is an affirmation that life is good, and in a way, magical.

Why do I love fantasy? I think it's mostly because I love the idea of magic. First of all, I grew up on fairytales. Cinderella needed a fairy godmother to make things right. In a way magic means having a special ability to help control your world. Magic or special abilities give us heroes to save the day when nothing else will. In my book Songbird, the magic is manifest through music. What if someone could use their singing voice to heal, influence people, bring down lightning, or kill? What would this kind of world be like? The magic in Flame of Destiny is quite different. Here, there is one person who has been given the power to destroy the shadowbeasts and the evil wizard who created them. They are both heroes given difficult challenges. Their courage in the face of these challenges gives us hope that we too can overcome the things we face, and be better people because of it.