In the village of Mystra, on the edge of the Wildwood, ancient magic permeates the natural air, and untamed spirits pave a path forward for this endangered clan. Vlali wants to train as a hunter and Whisperer, as her father once did, but these skills are rare and perilous to master.

Determined to prove ‎herself as more than just a vessel for ancient magic, Vlali sets out on a journey of self-discovery ‎and empowerment. But even with all the clan’s strength combined, ‎they may be no match for the looming threat that now haunts the Wildwood.

We spoke with Kara Lynn Amiot, the author of this heroic and fantastical adventure, about her influences and inspirations, how writing poetry has affected her literary work and how Vilal’s journey of discovery connects with her own.

Like the very best writers, you have a mighty collection of books that you regularly read and have enjoyed for many years. When writing your debut novel, A Fire Inside, which books from your collection were you using as influences or as inspirations?

I was most attracted to - and inspired by - coming of age novels when growing up. I have always loved fantasy as a genre, but when those imaginative and adventurous stories are combined with powerful narratives of becoming, they truly drive the soul far beyond what entertainment value alone can do.

My favourite novels to read were The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander, a master of the classical style I hope to emulate one day. These books are the perfect blend of sophistication and laugh out loud humour. Another favourite is the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan, who is also a blender of funny magic realism and powerful character arcs. Finally, I am a huge fan of the television series Avatar the Last Airbender. My inspiration behind my ragtag group of misfits in A Fire Inside really does come directly from this amazing series, which talks about how much more impactful harmony and teamwork are than competition and divisiveness.

Despite this being your first published novel, you are already an awarded author in the world of poetry, winning the Alexandra Writers Centre Society Youth Prodigy Competition at the age of twelve. How has your continued poetry writing affected your literary work?

I have always loved the lyrical beauty of poetry and the imaginative wonder of stories. And yet, my personal feeling about my writing has always been that these two voices of mine sound vastly different. When I write my poetry, I am diving deeply into some feelings that need release, in a very old-school, almost song-like style. But when I'm writing stories, I'm really just in it to enjoy myself and build something that someone else can love reading as much as I love reading my favourite novels.

I don't feel like my poems sound the same as my novels (almost like I have two different writing styles or personas) and my current goal is to eventually bring these two sides of my voice together. I would consider it the realization of a lifelong dream to eventually master a gorgeous, lyrical prose - like Peter S. Beagle or Toni Morrison.

A Fire Inside follows Vlali, a young girl on the brink of womanhood, forced to confront the changes in her life and her world head-on. Is there any of Vlali's story that connects with your own journey? For any young female readers, is there a part of Vlali's story that you hope they connect with?

This is such a great question, because I have recently come to accept the undeniable truth that an author's self has a way of sneaking into the work, voluntarily or not.

At first, I really thought that I had written a character who was the opposite of me: suffering from a vanity and overconfidence instead of from a lack thereof. But there is so much of me in Vlali. We both have this perfectionism, this discomfort with the idea of seeming "not enough" in the eyes of anyone else. I am, to a fault, an accommodator and a people pleaser. Even though I went through my own arc long after writing this novel, discovering my ability to be assertive, I have come to realize that I needed the same thing as Vlali all along: to pursue a deep sense of self-fulfilment instead of misguidedly placing my worth in the hands of anyone else.

I hope, more than anything, that this is what readers take away from my novel, as well.

You've previously shared with us your vast interest in the arts and crafts - everything from macramé to musical theatre. For creatives who are seeking advice for their own work, what do you do to help channel your creativity?

My best bit of advice is to never let a single flash of inspiration pass you by. Every creator is different, but I think all imaginative people have these sudden flashes at random moments (for me, I see scenes, like from a movie, in my head when I'm in the shower or about to go to sleep). Some of the stories and characters and scenes that I am most passionate about have come from just dropping everything and pursuing this burst of inspiration in a wild, creative frenzy. I wrote my most recent novel in three weeks, over 50 thousand words, because I just couldn't bear to let the rush of excitement and adrenaline die. Of course, there always comes the boring and monotonous task of refining a work, but that initial rush is the momentum that I always need, and that I always follow, to get my idea off of the ground. Like Shakespeare said, "there is a tide in the affairs of men which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune". I also get these flashes for crafts, and paintings, and I have even written a song or two for Broadway musicals that will probably never be finished, just because the mood hit me so strongly. I have sometimes let the feeling pass me by, and always regretted it, because I later find that sense of excitement has dimmed, and all the best art has great passion behind it.

Finally, after the triumph of your debut novel, we have to ask - on behalf of readers everywhere - what can we expect next from Kara Lynn Amiot? Are we returning to the world of A Fire Inside or is your mind set to explore somewhere new?

I intentionally left A Fire Inside off at a place where I could further pursue the stories of its characters and/or its world, but there is nothing in the works yet. I have a really good feeling that I will pursue a particular romantic interest more deeply in a future novel, and have definitely had some flashes of inspiration about it. In the meantime, what readers can expect from me are some more stand-alone fantasy novels in the classical style that I really love, and also an almost finished series of books that I really enjoyed writing just to challenge myself in a more contemporary style of writing, and in a genre that leans heavily towards the sci-fi facet of fantasy. I am so passionate about working in whatever mood strikes me, and always taking my writing a step further. That being said, I am so excited to share these other projects with the world soon, since I am that much more proud of each new work that I complete and how it takes my ideas, visions, and talents to a whole new level.

A Fire Inside is available now in paperback.