Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Firstly, because I know you’re thinking it and might be too polite/constrained by the fact that this isn’t an actual conversation to ask, my name is pronounced Kine-Wen.
I’m 27 years old, and have been writing for most of my life, and professionally for the last five years. I studied film at university (and was dubbed the worst film student in history on the basis that I’m not huge on Tarantino and I still haven’t seen the Godfather) and got my first of two lucky breaks in my third year, when I was allowed to intern with a local kids TV show and was then hired for the rest of the season. My second lucky break came after I finished my Masters degree, when I won a six-week internship in the Neighbours (Australia’s longest running TV drama). I worked there for four years, making my way up from intern to storyliner to scriptwriter. I went a little scatty after spending that long focusing on the same group of people, so last year I took the time out to write my first novel, The Edge of the Woods. So far it’s the only one I have published, but it’s definitely woken up the sleeping novelist in me. As much as I love writing for TV, and will continue to do so, novels and prose was my first love. I’m very happy we’re back together.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Although I had amassed quite a few novel ideas over the years (all of which I love and still intend to write), I decided to take the pressure off myself and write something completely new. I made a rough outline for what was supposed to be a teen romance and then mostly winged it, but it turned out Emma, my protagonist, had other ideas!
The first draft quickly veered away from a romance (though there are still touches of it in the story) to a coming of age adventure focusing on Emma’s relationships with her mother, her best friend, and the other women in her village versus the oppressive attitudes of the zealous Mayor. I wanted to focus on the courage it takes to do the right thing, standing up for yourself and the people you love. The fantasy elements are constantly present as a temptation for Emma, but as always, something too good to be true usually is.
It’s been called an anti-fantasy by one reviewer on Goodreads, which is an interesting take on it. Mostly I just wanted to take a different spin on what I’ve read in YA fantasy and give my readers a range of interesting characters.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tie my hair up and let it out roughly every fifteen minutes when I write. I have no idea why, but it does make me look like a bit of a weirdo when I write in public.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
My earliest influence was J.R.R Tolkien. The Hobbit is the first full novel I ever read, and at last count I own five different editions of it. I love his scope, how he built an entire world out of nothing and made it feel so real you felt like you were running after Bilbo and into the unknown. As a little kid living in a tiny town with barely any other kids and one shop, I turned to books. Tolkien made me feel like I was going on an adventure, and I think he was instrumental in teaching me how to use my imagination.
I discovered Isobelle Carmody when I was ten or eleven, when Mum brought home the first book of the Obernewtyn chronicles. Suddenly I was reading a book where the protagonist was a girl my age living in an incredible dystopic world. I devoured every book by Carmody I could. She wrote interesting women and put them in fantastic worlds and fairytales, sending them on adventures and showing incredible courage, intelligence and loyalty. Her writing style is so clear and evocative. She made me want to be a writer too. I got to meet her last year and I’ve never been so starstruck!
What are you working on now?
I’m writing a new YA/children’s fantasy adventure, this time a novella. A little inspired by my childhood love of stories and films like Alice in Wonderland, Spirited Away and Labyrinth, it’s about a girl who is blackmailed into helping a witch when her father is kidnapped.
I’m only in the first draft, but it’s a lot of fun to work on. I’m hoping to have it out before the end of the year. Then I’ll get stuck back into novels.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still learning that one! I’m waiting until I have more books out before I start promoting properly.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Your first draft will always be bad, so embrace it! Just write as it comes to you, experiment with POV and tense and character and don’t worry that it’s not consistent. The other drafts are for fixing up and honing. The first draft is a creative explosion. Enjoy it!
…But maybe don’t show it to people until the second draft.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Just write.
What are you reading now?
These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner, The Fictional Woman by Tara Moss, Elemental by Amanda Curtin, Betrayal of Thieves by C. Greenwood and American Gods by Neil Gaiman.
I have a problem, I know.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m getting back into some TV work and I have nine novel concepts just waiting for me to write. It’s very exciting!
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The only way I can answer this is to cheat and include whole series under one umbrella. The Hobbit and LOTR, obviously, Obernewtyn (assuming the last one is out by the time I get washed up on this island), The Hunger Games and Pride and Prejudice. And when I’m done I can strap them together and make a raft.
Author Websites and Profiles
Ceinwen Langley Website
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