I'm thrilled to introduce Mariclaire Norton, a talented author who has immersed herself in the world of fantasy fiction with a passion that stretches back to her high school days. Having written and directed a short play based on The Crucible and published poetry in the National Treasury of Poems Anthology, Norton has honed her storytelling skills over the years. She draws her inspiration from the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, Anne McCaffrey, and Morgan Llywelyn—authors who have influenced her richly detailed fantasy novels.
Norton is especially known for weaving her deep knowledge of pre-Christian Celtic and Norse cultures into her Tales of Eirlandia series, which began with Tara's Journey, the first of a planned trilogy. Her love for history, mythology, and folklore shines through her stories, where she transports readers to vibrant, fantastical worlds. Her trilogy continues with The Master Lifenstone and concludes with the upcoming The Ruling Crowns.
When she's not crafting her novels, Mariclaire can be found volunteering as a therapeutic harper, a role that complements her dedication to healing and creativity. She lives with her husband and cat in the Salt Lake Valley, Utah, where her passion for reading and gardening thrives.
Her writing, much like her life, is a beautiful blend of ancient lore and modern storytelling, and she writes for the sheer joy of sharing stories that educate as much as they entertain. Get ready to dive into an enchanting conversation with this wonderful author!
Star Trek or Star Wars?
Star Trek
Firefly – gone too soon or overrated?
Gone too soon
Coffee, tea, or cacao?
Brewed cacao – Crio Bru specifically
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve been writing since high school, never considered it as a career, still don’t. I write for the joy of telling the story and bringing a little bit of my knowledge of Pre-Christian Irish and Norse culture to other people under the guise of a good story.
Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
Tara’s Journey started out as a role playing game between my now husband and myself. Later I attempted to turn it into a historical fiction, but it didn’t work time period-wise, so I decided to make it a fantasy, which let me bring in more of the folklore and mythology aspects. I’ve been a student of Pre-Chrstian Irish and Norse culture for many years.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I’m a trained therapeutic harper. I volunteer at a local hospital a few times a week. I also love to read and garden.
What does your family think of your writing?
My husband and daughter are both very supportive, even though they aren’t fantasy fans themselves.
What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
I learned that my characters have a life of their own, which I simply have the priviledge of bringing into the world.
Do you like to create books for adults?
I write, actually for anyone 14 or older. I love what I do and I don’t think about the age of the reader as I write.
As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
As a child and even a teen, I wanted to be a teacher. But that wasn’t in the cards. Now I hope that I expose people to ancient Irish and Norse culture that they might not have known until reading my books. I think stories should teach something, either something of other cultures, or morals or life lessons of some kind.
Does writing energize or exhaust you?
It can do both, depending on what’s going on in the story.
Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?
I sort of do that now. My writing name is not Exactly my legal name, although they are close. People write under pseudonyms if they feel threatened, or their legal name isn’t ‘sellable’ or they write in different genres and use a different name for each one so as not to confuse their followers.
Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
My stories are mine and no one elses. I don’t ‘cater’ to possible readers. I’m new at this so couldn’t even tell you what others might think or what. I write about what I feel is right for the story.
Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions strongly?
I think that would depend on what is being written about. Fiction, I think, needs strong emotions, other subjects do not.
Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you building a body of work with connections between each book?
Each of my books, so far, lead one into the other, although the first book Could stand on its own with a little judicious editing.
Do you write novels, novellas, short stories, episodic fiction, poems, screenplays, or something else? What is your preferred format?
I have written poems, short stories and novels. I’ve only published novels, although I have had one poem published in an anthology, and I have put some other poems on my personal FB page, many years ago.
What do you have coming next?
The second of my planned trilogy, ‘The Master Lifenstone’, is complete and awaiting publication. My third book, ‘From Darkness to Light’ is in the process of being written.
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