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ENTER DRAGON THE
Priory of the Orange Tree might just be the most magically anticipated fantasy novel of this year. And we can say with absolute certainty that it is worth the hype. Magical women, brave warriors, powerful queens and, of course, dragons – what more could you want. We were lucky enough to chat to author, Samantha Shannon about the experience of writing Priory and her favourite fictional dragons! 1. Priory of the Orange Tree is home to epic queens, dragons and magic – there is so much to unpack with all of the glorious detail that flows through it – can you tell us where you got your first inspiration for the novel? There was never a single eureka moment for this book, as there was with The Bone Season – it was a few different ideas coming together over twenty years. I can trace the thread of inspiration right the way back to my fifth birthday, when I first saw Dragonheart. That film sparked a lifelong love of all things fire-breathing and scaly, and once I knew I wanted to be an author, I also knew I wanted to write my own dragon book one day. In 2014, I decided to do that by contesting and re-imagining the legends surrounding Saint George and the Dragon from a
modern feminist perspective. I also wanted to write a novel that explored the different ways in which dragons are imagined across the world, had religious (mis)interpretation as a prominent theme, and intertwined mythology with some fascinating periods of history.Priory hatched out of all of this and more. 2. How did you feel about writing Priory while also writing the Bone Season series - was it refreshing to work in a different genre of fantasy? It was, yes. I thought it was going to be impossible to divide my time between the two, as they’re so different – one set in Paris in the year 2060, the other a standalone in a
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fictional world inspired by the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries – but both projects ended up benefiting so much from my multi-tasking. Moving between them kept my inspiration for both alive. If I started to lose steam in one manuscript, I could switch to the other and recharge my creative batteries. I plan to always have at least two projects on the go from now on, as I find it so helpful to have that breathing space. 3. Ead and Sabran and Tané are wonderful characters, made more wonderful by their differences, can you say which character’s story you felt you knew first? I’m so glad you like them! Tané was the first Priory character to walk into my head, and she’s also the character who’s most like me – an anxious workaholic –
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so she has a special place in my heart. Ead was probably my favourite to write out of the four narrators, though. Most of her story takes place in an Elizabethan-style court, and I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed writing about the intrigue, opulence and pressure of life in the entourage of a queen.
I knew from the beginning that I wanted dragons to form the basis of the main religions of the book, with some people viewing them as gods and others as purely evil. There are benevolent and unpleasant dragons in Priory– the former connected to one branch of magic, the latter to another – and that divergence 4. Was it exciting to be able to tell a story using is the source of an age-old misunderstanding dragons - one of the most loved fantasy tropes? between the two sides of the world. Writing creation myths for my dragons and turning them into opposing faith systems was such It really was! I loved being able to write my an enjoyable challenge. own take on the most beloved of mythical beasts and create a taxonomy of creatures related to them, from cockatrices to wyverns 6. One of the most satisfying aspects of Priory to dragons born of fire and starlight. I sense of the Orange Tree is the wideness of the world that dragons are about to make a huge resur- and the richness of the detail of the court and gence in fiction, and I can’t wait to see new its magic. How long did you spend building the takes on them. world before you began writing? I don’t clearly remember this, as I started the 5. What was it like to take the story of the drag- book more than four years ago, but I think I on rider who revered dragons and contrast it spent a few weeks sketching the basics bewith the characters who fear dragons more than fore I jumped in. I believe in worldbuilding on anything? the go, allowing your character to guide you
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as they go about their life. You never know if a paracosm is going to hang together, what details you need to add, or what gaps there are to caulk, until you throw a character in there and let them start telling you. I essentially built a skeletal world and added flesh as I went along. 7. Was it important to you to tell the stories of these diverse women?
myths that lent inspiration to Priory? Yes. The main one was the legend of Saint George and the Dragon – which isn’t a single legend, but a mythos. The one I most wanted to retell was a 1596 version of the story by Richard Johnson, a contemporary of Shakespeare, who turned Saint George into an Englishman from Coventry. I took several elements from that story and re-imagined them in a way that I hope challenges Johnson and his frankly disturbing ideas about what makes a hero. The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser and the Japanese tale of Hohodemi, which involves a magical fishhook and two jewels that control the tides, also had a significant impact on the story and worldbuilding.
Epic fantasy has historically been a male domain. Fortunately, many authors have been working hard for many years to change that, and I hope Priory does its small part in pushing that change forward. There are two male narrators, and I loved writing their stories – but the women are the ones whose actions have the greatest impact on the narrative. I wanted to write a feminist tale that allowed women from 10. Can you name your favourite fictional dragmany backgrounds to control the fate of na- ons? tions, eviscerated the damsel in distress trope, and wasn’t set in a violently misogynistic world. Draco from Dragonheart was the first dragon I ever loved. I also love Rollo from Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho, Saphira from Eragon by 8. Priory reads like an homage to the wonderful Christopher Paolini, and Firedrake from Dragepic fantasy of the 70s and 80s but with a thor- on Rider by Cornelia Funke, which was my faoughly contemporary head on its shoulders - was vourite childhood book. it fun bringing this type of fantasy right up to date? It was great fun, and very liberating. I always meant for it to be a story that utilised many of the tropes of classic epic fantasy – an enemy returning from the dead, a hero with a magic sword, a hidden society of magic users – but left some of its more negative features behind.
11. What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received?
Neil Gaiman once told me to enjoy myself. Not exactly writing advice, but excellent life advice. Sometimes I can get so anxious about my work as I strive to make it perfect, so this was a reminder to sometimes sit back and enjoy the 9. Would you say there were particular stories or ride.
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Incredible Feminists You need to know about
At Cinders we love to learn about incredible trailblazing feminists who we love to admire and help to inspire us. Here are a few of our favourites who have changed and are changing our world!
Alexandra Ocasio Cortez Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, also known by her initials, AOC, is an American politician and activist. A member of the Democratic Party, she has been the U.S. Representative for New York's 14th congressional district since January 3, 2019. At age 29, became the youngest woman ever to serve in the United States Congress. A member of the Democratic Socialists of America, Ocasio-Cortez has advocated for a progressive platform that includes Medicare For All, a federal jobs guarantee, guaranteed family leave, and abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Sinead Burke SinĂŠad Burke is an Irish writer, academic and broadcaster, popular for her TED talk on 'Why design should include everyone'. Burke actively campaigns to highlight the importance of inclusive design in all areas of life due to the practical challenges she faces in living and moving in a world that was not designed for people with disabilities. "Design is an enormous privilege, but it is a bigger responsibility".
Jameela Jamil Our Good Place fave, Jameela Jamil has been a wonderful addition to our social media. Her straight-talking body positive feminism has called out a number of celebrities and brands for their pressure on women to use dangerous weight loss methods or to reject their bodies. Her I weigh campaign has grown incredible legs and has become a stalwart and true reminder of our priorities.
Cinders Ruth Bader Ginsberg Ginsburg spent a considerable part of her legal career as an advocate for the advancement of gender equality and women's rights, winning multiple victories arguing before the Supreme Court. She advocated as a volunteer lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union and was a member of its board of directors and one of its general counsels in the 1970s. In 1980, Ginsburg was appointed by President Bill Clinton and took the oath of office on August 10, 1993. She is the second female justice of four to be confirmed to the court. She is generally viewed as belonging to the liberal wing of the court.
Lynn Ruane Lynn Ruane is an Independent politician who has served as a Senator for the University of Dublin constituency in Seanad Éireann since April 2016.In the 25th Seanad, Ruane sits with the Civil Engagement group; an alliance of independent senators seeking to bring civil society expertise and experience into the Oireachtas. She was a member and vice-chair of the special Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment, which was established to examine the repeal of Ireland's constitutional ban on abortion and recommend the legal grounds to access an abortion in Ireland.
Catherine Corless Catherine Corless is an Irish amateur historian, known for her work in compiling the information concerning the deaths of children at the Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, Galway. She spent her spare time searching records in libraries, churches and council offices, after which she uncovered that 796 children died in the home and she identified that there were death certificates but there were no burial records. She has received a number of awards in recognition of her work, including a People of the Year Award in 2018.
Mary Robinson Mary Therese Winifred Robinson served as the seventh President of Ireland, becoming the first woman to hold this office. She also served as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights from 1997 to 2002. She first rose to prominence as an academic, barrister and campaigner. It was announced on 1 November 2018 that Robinson had been appointed as the Chair of The Elders, succeeding Kofi Annan who had died earlier in the year. She has spoken out frequently about climate change and has been lauded by the LGBT community for her work on equal rights for those of all sexualities.
Cinders Emma Dabiri Emma Dabiri is an Irish-Nigerian academic, writer, and broadcaster. She is currently a teaching fellow at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, her book, Don’t Touch My Hair will be released in May. Emma Dabiri does incredible work writing about her experience growing up as a black woman in Ireland. Her writings are incredible and insightful and we cannot wait for her book
Mara Wilson Mara Elizabeth Wilson is an American writer and former child actress., Since retiring from film acting, Wilson has focused on writing, penning the play Sheeple which was produced for the New York International Fringe Festival in 2013 as well as publishing a memoir, Where Am I Now?: True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame. In May 2013, Wilson wrote a brilliant article for Cracked.com, offering her opinion of the delinquency of some former child stars. She is an outspoken feminist and a frequent contributor to many delightful podcasts.
Margaret Atwood Margaret Eleanor Atwood is a Canadian poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, inventor, teacher and environmental activist. As a novelist and poet, Atwood's works encompass a variety of themes including the power of language, gender and identity, religion and myth, climate change, and "power politics.Many of her poems are inspired by myths and fairy tales which interested her from a very early age. Among her contributions to Canadian literature, Atwood is a founder of the Griffin Poetry Prize and Writers' Trust of Canada.
Roxanne Gay Roxane Gay is an American writer, professor, editor, and commentator. Gay is a contributing opinion writer at The New York Times, founder of Tiny Hardcore Press, essays editor for The Rumpus, and co-editor of PANK, a nonprofit literary arts collective, and worked at Eastern Illinois University and Purdue University.
Cinders Aisling Bea Bea is a vocal supporter of the Repeal the 8th campaign to introduce legal abortion in Ireland, and contributed an essay to Una Mullally's Repeal the 8th in 2018. She previously campaigned for same-sex marriage legislation in the successful 2015 Irish referendum. She was most recently dazzling us all as Amy Huberman’s new flat mate in Finding Joy.
Valentina Tereshkova Valentina Vladimirovna Tereshkova is a retired Russian cosmonaut, engineer, and politician. She is the first woman to have flown in space, having been selected from more than 400 applicants and five finalists to pilot Vostok 6 on 16 June 1963.
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a Different
Kind Hero of
Beauty and the Beast has provided inspiration for countless writers however few create such a beautiful story of their own from the most famous of fairytales as Brigid Kemmerer. Released today, A Curse so Dark and Lonely is an incredible adventure into the life of a curse prince and a remarkable heroine. Cinders was lucky enough to speak to Brigid about how she created the fantastic world of Emberfall and the wonderful characters who inhabit it. 1.A Curse so Dark and Lonely is inspired by Beauty and the Beast, did you have a favourite fairytale as a child? Beauty and the Beast has always been my favorite. I remember when the original Disney cartoon version was coming out, I would stalk the Disney Channel for any chance at seeing the preview. I was so excited I could hardly sleep. Cinderella and The Little Mermaid would have to be a tie for a close second. 2.There have been many Beauty and the Beast retellings in recent years what made you decide to tell yours partly from the perspective of the beast?
When I tell stories, I really like to look at my characters from all angles, and this one was no different. In most versions, we see the “beast” only through “Beauty’s” eyes, which is fine, but I wanted to give him the chance to tell his side of the story. 3.There’s a contemporary twist on your version - Harper is from a very different world to most of the Beauties we have had - where did the inspiration for her story come from? I’ve always loved the idea of being whisked away to a fantasy world, so this was easy for me. 4.Harper is a very compelling and relatable hero - were there any heroic characters who helped to inspire her?
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Harper was so much fun to write! I wanted a girl who wasn’t afraid to kick butt, but at the same time, I didn’t want her to be over-the-top and in your face. I wanted her to be vulnerable and uncertain and gentle, too.
our fictional worlds should be too.
5.The fact that Harper has cerebral palsy is a central part of the story, and a key reason as to why she is underestimated - how do you feel about characters with disabilities increasingly getting more representation in YA?
Oh wow, I loved writing them all, from Rhen’s arrogance that hides his fear, to Grey’s stoic patience, to Harper and her merciful kindness. I loved Freya’s mothering and Zo’s bravery and Jamison’s willingness to fight and Noah’s knowledge and Jake’s fierceness. I just had so much fun writing this book.
I think it’s fantastic! Our world is made up of people from all walks of life, and
6. A Curse So Dark and Lonely is filled with diverse and interesting characters, did you have any one in particular who you enjoyed writing most?
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I wanted a girl who wasn’t afraid to kick butt, but at the same time, I didn’t want her to be over-the-top and in your face. I wanted her to be vulnerable and uncertain and gentle, too.
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I love when characters have a chance to really get to know each other before they fall in love. You’re never going to see “insta-love” in any of my books. Insta-lust, for sure. But love takes time, and I want to reflect that on the page.
7.The juxtaposition between our world and Emberfall, makes the latter seem even more fantastic. What kind of world were you hoping to create? I wanted a world where readers would feel comfortable, that wouldn’t be too intense for Harper, either. I wanted there to be magic and palace intrigue and battles and swords and lots of horses. I built Emberfall as I went along, and I’m so happy with how it came together. 8.You have a penchant for romance both paranormal and traditional - what do you think makes the best love stories? I love when characters have a chance to really get to know each other before they fall in love. You’re never going to see “insta-love” in any of my books. Insta-lust, for sure. But love takes time, and I want to reflect that on the page.
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Read as much as you can, including manuscripts for other aspiring authors.
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Matilda
A role model for life Méabh McDonnell is no stranger to nostalgia and last year’s celebration of Matilda’s 30th birthday brought up some big memories of how she fell in love with reading and with feminism for the first time. It’s a new volume and a new piece of book nostalgia for Cinders. It’s hard to believe that it’s been over 30 years since child genius Matilda Wormwood wandered onto children’s bookshelves. The consummate reader, Matilda made being a reader being a rebel. With her Roald Dahl delivered an empowered, psychic, independent genius who was three feet tall and had hair down to her ankles. Matilda wormed (pun fully intended) her way into my life when I was about four years old through the magic that was Weetabix tokens. My parents cut out the individual tokens from 24 pack after 24 pack for the free book offer. And then, when the magic day arrived they collected them all up and posted them off with the appropriate p&p. A few weeks later I received Matilda in the post. I miss the 90’s. The book was one that made reading a forbidden joy and found in my young
self a kindred spirit. I lived in hope of the day I would wake up with those powers of genius. Needless to say, I’m still waiting. It’s a book that epitomises the idea ‘Knowledge is power’. Matilda is one of those books that really set me up for life in the real world, whether by teaching me that 1) There are times when you can have too much chocolate cake. 2) To this day I have never worn my hair in pigtails to school. 3) Always share your crisps (They will gain you friends). 4) Peroxide blonde hair is a difficult look to carry off (unless you’re Leslie Knope!). 5) How to spell the word ‘difficulty’ at the age of 5. 6) I was damn lucky never to eat a TV dinner.
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But possibly the biggest reason that Matilda is such a ‘readers’ favourite (or the reason it always has been with me) is it understands the sacredness of libraries. When the moment that packs the biggest emotional punch is the defiling of a library book, you know you have a classic on your hands. The seconds Mr Wormwood begins tearing up The Red Ponywere always those fraught with horrible danger for me. I could have taken on Miss Trunchbull a hundred times over- but don’t send me back to the library with a destroyed book. Matilda’s own illicit trips to the library were the stuff of legend. I treated my library card like it was made from gold and was only granted it by my parents under the condition that I practised my piano when I was nine (I was always an easy bribe). The concept of stealing away to the library before I had even started school was quite frankly amazing, mostly because I didn’t even know where the library was at that age. Matilda was the first book I ever encountered that acknowledged the privilege of education, the importance of standing up for what you believe in and that any situation can be made funnier when there’s a newt involved. To this day I still stare at glasses filled with water, silently willing them to tip over. First published at Meabh Childhood Reads.
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“It Wasn’t Me” Our resident friendly neighbourhood psychologist, Dr Teresa Mulhern gives us an insight into just how often people who are not guilty will admit to wrongdoing and some of the reasons they may be prompted to do so. FOR THOSE who don’t know, I’m a 90’s baby and I grew up to Shaggy’s “It Wasn’t Me” in the early noughties. Despite being caught in the act, Shaggy was able to vehemently deny his involvement in inappropriate activities – almost making it look easy to do so. However, there are people who will admit to crimes they have not committed, with dire consequences. For example, some of you may be familiar with Netflix’s “Making a Murderer” docuseries in which Brendan Dassey is seemingly coerced into providing a false confession for murder. The results of this have been catastrophic for Brendan who was convicted for first-degree murder at the age of 16 and sentenced to life in prison with eligibility for parole in 2048. It is generally acknowledged that his videotaped interrogation and confession substantially contributed to this
verdict, and at the age of 29, it seems that freedom is nowhere in sight for him. But is this an isolated incident? How often do people admit guilt, when they may not actually be to blame? According to the National Registry of Exonerations, in the US alone there have been 284 exonerations based upon false confessions since 1989 with these individuals losing an average of 12.5 years in jail. In 2017 alone, there were 29 exonerations - but in a country that favours the death penalty, time lost in prison pales in comparison to potentially losing your life for a crime that you did not commit. The case remains – how did those now exonerated cases end in conviction? Dr Glenys Holt recently gave a gripping research seminar on the topic and simply stated that the answer may lie in false confessions. Why do
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we lay such confidence in confessions, even when they are possibly coerced? Dr Holt outlines that we have a tendency to assume that people are telling the truth, however, there are a multitude of reasons as to why people may provide false confessions including a desire for notoriety, wanting to assuage unrelated guilt (for either a real or imagined event), being unable to distinguish between fact and fiction (this can occur with individuals with compulsive psychological disorders), providing a confession to protect someone, or to simply end the interrogation. Knowing these possibilities behind giving a false confession,
it’s disconcerting to know that 80% of confessions will result in conviction and that a confession can be used to convict without the existence of other evidence and is often impossible to retract. In the example of Brendan Dassey, he has attempted to retract his confession as his conviction hinges upon this, but has not been successful in this arena to date. Worryingly, Dr Holt outlines that even when people who are exonerated after providing a false confession people regard them as being “less innocent” than other individuals exonerated as a result of other evidence. The area of false confession is one of great in-
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Worryingly, Dr Holt outlines that even when people who are exonerated after providing a false confession people regard them as being “less innocent” than other individuals exonerated as a result of other evidence.
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terest to Dr Holt and she has dedicated considerable attention to this area, generating research herself on this topic. In one study, she examined if a suspect’s confession was inconsistent or coerced would this impact whether people viewed them as guilty or not. Although the participants noticed inconsistencies, overall participants gave a guilty verdict for the scenarios provided. This finding led Dr Holt down a further rabbit hole and a subsequent study which looked at the possibility of jurors generating their own
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There was no significant difference in the participants ability to generate alternate explanations as to why the suspect may have provided a false confession. So – contradictions in the story didn’t impact a guilty verdict.
alternate explanations as to why the suspect may have confessed if they were innocent and provided scenarios in which suspects gave accounts with and without contradictions. The findings showed that again, the jurors noticed these contradictions, but this did not reduce guilty verdicts. Further, there was no significant difference in the participants ability to generate alternate explanations as to why the suspect may have provided a false confession. So – contradictions in the story didn’t impact a guilty verdict.
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Essentially, Dr Holt’s advice comes down to “Don’t Confess!”
In Dr Holt’s final study she examined the impact of factual errors in a case and looked at subsequent juror decisions of guilt. In this study, the suspect gave an account with or without factual errors regarding their involvement in the crime. The results indicated that juror participants noticed these factual errors. But did this impact the verdict that participants gave? Put shortly, yes it did and indicated that jurors could imagine that although the suspect confessed, that he may not actually be guilty and instead has some ulterior motive for confessing. So, where does that leave us? Essentially, Dr Holt’s advice comes down to “Don’t Confess!”, as even when inconsistencies are noticed, and jurors can imagine alternate explanations for a confession, this doesn’t reduce the possibility of the guilty verdict!
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‘That kind of girl’ By Méabh McDonnell
She lives in glossy magazine covers And warped window reflections
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In Instagram profiles and half-read horoscopes
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In re-wound videos And moonlit evenings. She breathes life into books And hides between pages
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Ready to unleash her Undiscovered self In rains of metaphors And glitter. I wonder is she lonely?
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I wonder how to make her me. How to hold out my hand And have us melt Together Like used candle wax At the bottom of the jar.
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Quotes that help us keep moving forward Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world. Harriet Tubman With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts. Eleanor Roosevelt I think you have friendships that come and go, and then there are ones that the girl becomes a part of your bones. Betty Gilpin Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage. Lao Tzu Everybody understands friendship, and friendship is different than love - it’s a different kind of love. Friendship has more freedom, more latitude. You don’t expect your friend to be as you think your friend should be; you expect your friend just to love you as a friend. Carole King Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved. Helen Keller Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses. Ann Landers My friends are my estate. Emily Dickinson