The author talks about using fantasy to explore God’s reality.
Working in youth ministry left Gillian Bronte Adams with a passion for journeying alongside young readers. Now, she writes novels that follow outcast characters down broken roads, through epic battles, and onward to adventure. She wraps up her Songkeeper Chronicles with Song of Leira (Enclave): As Leira falters on the verge of defeat, the Song bids her rise to battle, and the Songkeeper must answer. In this interview, Gillian tells how her dad got her started on her literary journey, explains why her fantasy tales are grounded in Scripture, and shares the challenges of worldbuilding…
Song of Leira is the third book in the The Songkeeper Chronicles. What can you tell us about the world of this trilogy?
In the world of The Songkeeper Chronicles, music is extremely powerful. Birdie, the main character, can actually hear and sing the Song that the Master Singer used to create the world. This ability draws the attention of the warlord who rules her country and puts her in his crosshairs as he seeks to control her and the power of the Song.
As the Songkeeper, Birdie can also hear the broken remnants of that master melody in the hearts of every living thing, including the wild creatures. This ability allows her to understand and talk with the animals in her world.
I love listening to music and have very eclectic taste when it comes to the styles and songs that I enjoy. But I particularly love music that can engage with and stir up my emotions. It’s incredible to me how powerful music can be! So, it was fun to imagine music as magic in a fantasy world!
No spoilers, but what can you tell us about Song of Leira without giving away too much?
In Song of Leira, Birdie is challenged to truly step into her role as the Songkeeper, to rise to battle against the forces that seek to control and enslave her world. She struggles with the tension between knowing that someone must fight this oppression and her longing to seek peace instead and wondering how she can provide hope against the overwhelming weight of the brokenness she sees.
Because it is the final book in the series, it is the culmination of everything that’s been building since the beginning, and the action and intensity ramp up page after page, to what I think is a truly epic and beautiful climax and conclusion.
Click through to learn how Gillian’s father launched her on the path of becoming a fantasy writer…