Welcome to Inside the Mind where we here at The Faerie Review interview authors and creators.
Our guest today is Jane McGarry, the author behind A Prophecy of Wings

Lily:  Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview Jane, I enjoyed reading A Prophecy of Wings. What inspired you to write this?

Jane:  Thank you so much for having me. A Prophecy of Wings is a Young Adult Fantasy retelling with an ending twist that is loosely based on Thumbelina by Hans Christian Andersen. I remember taking a copy of Thumbelina out of the library over and over when I was little. On the cover, the tiny girl was sitting inside a flower, and it simply fascinated me. Though I loved the story, the ending never quite satisfied me, so I decided to do my own take on it.

Lily:  I loved your personal twist on it. What would you have done in Lina’s shoes if you found out you were part of a prophecy to save the Fairy World?

Jane:  Hopefully, I could be as resourceful as Lina, who finds her strength as the story progresses. She aims to do the right thing even though she is in danger. I hope I would show her bravery and be able to sacrifice as she does to fulfill her destiny.

Lily:  It was wonderful seeing her grow, and she was certainly quite resourceful. If you could spend a day with Lina, what would you do, and would you want to spend that day in the Fairy World?

Jane:  I would want to visit as much of the Fairy World as possible. There were so many fun places and different types of fairies to create for the story. It would be amazing to actually see it all in person. 

Lily:  Sounds like it would be fun and adventurous. Do you have any more books in the works?

Jane: At the moment, I am working on another retelling of the lesser-known Italian fairy tale, Biancabella and the Snake. I stumbled upon it a while back and felt a strong connection to the story, which also focuses on the relationship between sisters. Additionally, I am working on a Greek mythology retelling. Stay tuned for more details.

Lily:  I can’t wait to hear more about both in the future! Now we’d like to talk about you as a writer. What’s your favorite time of day to write?

Jane:  Generally, I like to write in the afternoon. However, as all mothers know, sometimes my day does not work out like that. Over the years, I have learned to make the most of small increments of time. When I have a free fifteen minutes or so, I try to use it to write. Of course, I prefer the days when I have a more substantial period to write, but I have found that the shorter blocks do add up over time and are the only option on certain days.

Lily:  Totally understandable, I’m glad you find time to write! Do you like to handwrite, type, or dictate your first draft?

Jane:  I write free hand for the first draft. My initial round of edits is when I type it into the computer. I tried writing directly on the computer, but found that I am more comfortable and creative when I am writing freehand. This also gives me a great excuse to buy some beautiful notebooks!

Lily:  I’m betting you probably have a wonderfully colorful collection of notebooks housing your first drafts! How do you keep track of inspiration when it strikes?

Jane:  Lots of notes. I keep small notebooks in my purse or use the notepad app on my phone for ideas that strike me when I am out. When I write, I always have an extra pad next to me in case new ideas or details for the story direction come to mind.

Lily:  That’s awesome! Sometimes I forget my phone has the notes app, and I’ll hunt around for a scrap of paper. Let’s finish up with some fun questions and get inside your mind. What’s your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?

Jane:  Weekday breakfast is usually a quick protein bar or shake, stuffed in while getting the kids out the door. But, on slower days, I love pancakes with lots of butter and syrup the best.  

Lily:  Pancakes sound delicious right now, but I usually end up with a protein bar as well. If you could spend a week anywhere in the world, (assuming no travel restrictions and money was no issue), where would you go?

Jane:  I was fortunate enough to have recently visited Italy for ten days—a trip that was the top of my bucket list. Someday, I would like to visit are Istanbul, Athens, and Prague. as well as New Zealand to do the Lord of the Rings tour. (Yes, I’m a LOTR geek!)

Lily:  Hehe I’m a LOTR fan too, and I love your travel bucket list! Would you rather live in the city or a remote cabin in the woods?

Jane:  I’m very much a city girl. I attended college in New York City and still live in the tri-state area. The bustle of city life brings me peace and centers me. I would feel out of sorts in a remote cabin, though I am sure I could get a lot of reading done.

Lily:  I love visiting the city, but don’t think I could live there. What’s your favorite animal?

Jane:  Cats have always been my favorite. I have sister and brother tabby cats named Zelda and Link (I’m also a Legend of Zelda geek!). They are my comforters and like to snuggle by me while I read or write. I am blessed to have them.

Lily:  They sound adorable, and I love the names. If you could go back in time, just as an observer, when and where would you want to go?

Jane:  Wow, hard question. There are so many times I would like to see, but I think I would choose Ancient Egypt. The culture was incredibly advanced for its time, and there is not much historical data to show how they achieved many of their accomplishments. It would be interesting to learn.

Lily:  I think that would be fascinating to watch. Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven’t included?

Jane:  I like to write strong female protagonists with enough self-doubt to resonate as authentic with readers. My Not Every Girl trilogy has a heroine, Olivia, who is brash right from the start. Lina from A Prophecy of Wings needs time to develop her strength over the course of the story. My aim is to create characters young adult readers can see part of themselves in and provide a feeling of connectedness with the world. 

Lily:  You do a wonderful job making heroines that feel real, and I’m sure many can relate to them. How can readers discover more about you and your work?

Jane:  I have a website, Amazon age, Goodreads page, BookBub page and various social media pages. If you visit my website, you can sign up for my mailing list for all the latest info.

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