CJ Hosack is joining us today to talk about her novel, The Slayer’s Magic. Here’s the publisher’s description:
CJ grew up in Southern California loving fantasy and science fiction. She is married to her husband of thirty plus years, has four children and seven grandchildren. Adopted at eight months old, she recently found her birth parents. She has a Masters Degree in Public History from Southern New Hampshire University, and if she’s not writing you can generally find her quilting, costuming, or traveling to spend time with those she loves. She’s a wannabe dress historian, and has worked with museums on historical dress recreation. CJ is currently working on her YA fantasy series about adoption and hereditary magic.
What’s CJ’s favorite bit?
In 1992 my senior thesis class professor was G. Wesley Johnson, former history professor at the UC Santa Barbara . I wasn’t aware of his importance at the time, I just knew him as the professor with the captivating stories about what historians did with their history degrees besides teaching history at a university, but he was one of the founders of the Public History movement. For those not a history geek like me, Public History is teaching history to the public – just like the name implies – instead of in a classroom–so museums, archives, family history, historical societies, and re-enactors–even the History Channel (though I am sure Aliens don’t count).
When I went back to school to get my Masters degree I was excited to build on what Professor Johnson had been teaching me, and learn more than just how to do historical research, but also how to properly store and preserve documents in an archive, or how to put on a museum exhibit. It’s true the mere mention of history can make people’s eyes roll back into their heads, and the talk of accessioning, storing, and preserving items in the collection of a museum or archive probably doesn’t sound like an exciting basis for a fantasy world. Throw in family history research and it starts to sound even worse. But what if – hear me out – The Library isn’t just your typical library?
When I decided to write a story about an adopted girl, like me, who needs to find her family bloodlines to obtain a hereditary magic, I knew my story needed an enigmatic archive/museum/library for her to navigate. I loved the idea of mashing all three types of institutions into one powerhouse that was the center of heritage and magic.
So I built my Library with high stone walls and a menacing presence. Magic in this world is hereditary, and in order to receive the magic, ancestry must be proven through documentation certified by the Library. In many respects, this makes family history researchers more powerful than those who do magic. The Library controls who receives power, and the Library doesn’t make the process easy. Do you get the sense that the Library is more than just a library? You should. A place with history and presence, and more than a little intrigue. Directions to find information leads to all sorts of compressed shelves, locked doors, missing documents, strange apparitions, and hidden passageways. Entering to work or study there is not easy, in fact it is tightly guarded. Much tradition and ritual have been built up around the Library, rules are strict and consequences severe. Even though my Library is of the fantastic, I drew heavily upon what I learned about museum and archive basics.
Ryn is not an orphan searching for a family, she has a loving adoptive mother and father. However, she lives in a community of Ancestor descendants who do magic. I have found in my life that being adopted and loved doesn’t equate to feeling like I belong. Having a hereditary magic that requires a documented heritage, documentation that is near impossible to retrieve, highlights Ryn’s feeling of being disconnected. Ryn thinks that finding evidence of her birth family will fill that need to belong, and decides to find a way into the exclusive Library to do research. Her quest gives me the excuse to throw in all my knowledge about preserving collections – details about lighting and temperatures, and caring for precious historical records becomes a fun fantasy setting to explore the arduous task of finding a birth family.
The Library is one of my favorite creations for The Slayer’s Magic. I’m thrilled that I got to use my Masters degree in Public History in such a fun way. I’m hoping that the details of taking care of historical collections will be a fun backdrop for Ryn to find her way into where she belongs. I may have also thrown in some details about a passion of mine, historical dress, but that’s another favorite for another time. In the meantime, get lost in the Library with Ryn. Just make sure you know how to find your way out!
LINKS:
BIO:
CJ grew up in Southern California loving fantasy and science fiction. She is married to her husband of thirty plus years, has four children and seven grandchildren. Adopted at eight months old, she recently found her birth parents. She has a Masters Degree in Public History from Southern New Hampshire University, and if she’s not writing you can generally find her quilting, costuming, or traveling to spend time with those she loves. She’s a wannabe dress historian, and has worked with museums on historical dress recreation. CJ is currently working on her YA fantasy series about adoption and hereditary magic.
The Slayer’s Magic: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookbub
Cover artist: Amy Maker
Publisher: Space Wizard Science Fantasy
I am not normally a fiction reader kind of person. The only fiction books I read were Harry Potter (all 7 books), Chronicles of Narnia (all 7 books) and the Lord of the Rings (all 3 books). I have certain expectations if I am going to read fiction books, it has to catch my attention, and allows me to wanna read the next chapter, and of course suspense and unexpected. Well, that’s what I got from The Slayer’s Magic. CJ Hosack is a brilliant author. I was impressed by her imagination in using the library as her story settings. I worked in the library while I was in school for 3 years and I know how boring for some to go to the library. You only go there to study, which sometimes not a fun thing to do. However, CJ was able to make the library an exciting place to find mysteries. A must read book.