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July 17, 2007

Interview: Emily Gee

Thief With No Shadow by Emily GeeTHIEF WITH NO SHADOW is New Zealander, Emily Gee’s debut book. I caught up with Emily and asked about her recent release.

1. Tell us a little about yourself and your new release, THIEF WITH NO SHADOW.

Me? Well, I’ve spent quite a bit of time studying–everything from ancient Greek to canine behaviour to geophysics. I love to travel, and have lived in Sweden, worked in Scotland, and backpacked in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Currently I’m home in New Zealand and have a job in the wine industry in Marlborough.

THIEF is a dark and romantic fantasy novel. It’s set in a world where magic runs in certain bloodlines and nightmarish creatures live alongside men. The heroine Melke is a wraith and can become unseen. She’s forced to steal in order to save her brother’s life. Unfortunately her theft has devastating consequences….

2. You write romantic fantasy and it tends to be on the dark side. What attracts you to this particular genre?

I like the breadth of the genre–so many things are possible! And I like the lack of boundaries and rules. Also, the challenges the characters face can be greater, because I’m able to do things to them that are only possible in a fantasy world. But even though I enjoy writing ‘dark’, I also need a happy ending. I’m a romantic at heart!

3. When you create a heroine, what qualities do you like her to have?

Integrity is important, and courage. Intelligence. A sense of humour. She needs to have the strength to do what’s right, even if it’s incredibly difficult. But above all, I need her to be someone I like.

4. What can fans look forward to next from Emily Gee?

At the moment I’m writing another fantasy novel. It’s dark and romantic, but it’s set on a different world–less Medieval and more Elizabethan–with different magic. The main characters are spies and the working title is WITCH-EYE.

5. If you had an entire day to yourself, how would you spend it?

An entire day to myself? A day when I didn’t have to go to work? Well, it would probably include several hours walking up the hills, some writing, a yoga class, and an evening spent with friends and good food and wine! Or–if time and distance were no object–I’d spend the day walking the coastal paths of the Cinque Terre in Italy, and the evening eating Italian food and drinking Italian wine in the picturesque fishing village of Vernazza! (Oops, no writing in there…)

6. I’m going to ask the burning question, one that everyone wants to know–where do you find your ideas? What inspires you?

Where do I find my ideas? Honestly, I don’t know. I’m a huge daydreamer–my head is always full of stories. So many things spark ideas: things I hear and see and read. Fortunately, writing allows me to justify all the daydreaming I do!

7. Do you have a website or newsletter for readers to learn more about you?

Yes, I have a website. The address is www.emilygee.com. On it, there’s a book trailer for THIEF WITH NO SHADOW, plus behind-the-scenes pages. There’s also a gallery of photos taken during my travels–Italy, Romania, Turkey, and Syria, so far. I’ll soon be adding images from China, Pakistan, and Antarctica!

Congratulations on your debut release, Emily. You can find Thief With No Shadow at Amazon

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