I learned about the Finnish legend of the northern lights: a magical fox creates them by sweeping up the snow with its tail. I loved that image so much that I knew I had to use it.
E.C. Hibbs – 23 February 2020
The Back Flap
If you sing to the Spirits, be prepared for their answer…
The Long Dark has come and the Northlands will not see daylight for two months. Silence falls with the snow, and the Spirits roam the three Worlds. It is a time of beauty, magic and danger.
When the Spirit of the Northern Lights steals his best friend’s soul, apprentice mage Tuomas is determined to find help. However, his own fledgling power gets the better of him, and he accidentally rips the Spirit out of the sky, trapping her in human form. Alongside his feared icy companion and the mysterious wandering mage Lilja, Tuomas begins a quest across frozen tundra and into ethereal Spirit realms.
But a terrible shadow lingers just out of sight, its gaze fixed on him. And behind her composed facade, the Spirit holds secrets of her own…
About the book
What is the book about?
When the polar night begins, a young mage called Tuomas accidentally pulls the Spirit of the Northern Lights out of the sky. But putting her back – and, by extension, saving his best friend, who she has incapacitated – turns out to be a steep learning curve for the two of them. They need to learn how to work together, not just to set things right, but also to defeat an enemy who has set his eyes on Tuomas. It’s a story of acceptance, coming of age, and inner discovery, wrapped up in ice and snow.
When did you start writing the book?
June 2016 – because of course, the best time to write a very wintry story is in the middle of summer!
How long did it take you to write it?
Each draft only took a month or less, but there were about 12 drafts and edits, so all in all it probably took the equivalent of a year to complete.
Where did you get the idea from?
I’m very fortunate to be able to spend my winters in Finland, so my love of the Arctic and winter played a major part. During my first trip, I learned about the Finnish legend of the northern lights: a magical fox creates them by sweeping up the snow with its tail. I loved that image so much that I knew I had to use it. I also drew on shamanism and the cultures of the indigenous people of the Arctic, though the story isn’t meant to represent any of them. I have a few Sami friends from Finland and Norway, and having experienced their culture first-hand, that had the largest impact.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
The passages set in the World Above. It’s a Spirit realm in the sky, and the whole point of it is that nothing there has a physical form. So trying to describe it; how one feels when they enter it, the way the Spirits move and communicate without speech – that was a challenge, but an enjoyable one! Those sections turned out to be very lyrical, and I love when my writing takes on a beautiful flow like that.
What came easily?
The descriptions of the Northlands. Because I have my real-life experiences of living in a place just like that, it wasn’t very hard to create the frozen wilderness. Those beautiful pastel colours, the air sparkling from the ice in it, the way the trees bend under the weight of the snow… capturing those images was very important. It was like writing a love letter to a place, season and way of life that truly speaks to me.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
All the characters are a melting pot of people I know, aspects of my own personality, and a collection of other influences which have been molded into something new. But they are definitely their own people as well. For example, there is a character called Lumi, which is one of my nicknames in real life. But most people who know me will say the two Lumis are pretty different!
Do you have a target reader?
This story would appeal to teens, young adults, and people in their 20s who love fantasy, with a sprinkle of mythology and nature thrown in. Someone who has an interest in winter, magic, shamanism, or even Frozen would probably enjoy it!
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
I only write one novel at a time, but I’m always working on at least five more in my head. It usually takes a few years for an idea to be ready enough for me to start planning how I’m going to bring it to life. When I’ve got that nailed down, I’ll research as much as I can – sometimes for another couple of years, before I begin the first draft. As for my day-to-day process, I work very intensely – once I know what I’m writing, I can write it fast. Whenever I’ve also been at my day job, I tend to do about five hours writing in the evening, but on days when my schedule is clear I’ll start in the morning and keep going for as long as I can.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
It’s a step I never skip. It helps me to make sure my three-act structure is in place and balanced, figure out where the chapter breaks need to be, make sure every character arc works and every plot thread is tied off. But I don’t let the outline restrain me. I use it as a guiding hand, so I can let the story breathe naturally while still keeping the writing tight. If I stuck to it religiously, I think it would suck out a lot of the joy and humanity.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
I tend to write one chapter a day, and do a quick edit of the previous one before I start. Then, after taking a few weeks to get some distance, I do a massive edit at the end. This is where I’m ruthless because I can see the whole picture in front of me for the first time. I’ll do several of those huge butchering edits and rewrites, until I can read through the entire manuscript and not see anything else that doesn’t feel right. Then I know it’s time to pass it over to a fresh pair of eyes.
Did you hire a professional editor?
Yes. The story went through a few different people to get it as polished as possible.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
I can’t write without music. For The Winter Spirits, I listened to a lot of Sami joiks and Swedish kulning, so I was always surrounded by true Arctic inspiration. Jon Henrik Fjällgren, Elin Kåven, Mari Boine, Jonna Jinton and Sophia Jannok were all on the playlist. But the ultimate theme song for the entire story is ‘Spirit in the Sky’ by Keiino.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
Yes. I’m still hoping to sign with an agent in the future, but ultimately, I decided that releasing The Winter Spirits independently was the best option.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
It’s been a pretty gradual process. My first two books were published with a small press back in 2012 and 2013, but when the company closed, I was in the middle of a series. I decided the best route was to release the rest of the books independently to ensure they got to my readers. I love the creative freedom it grants me.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
Luckily, as well as being a writer, I’m also an artist and graphic designer, so I was able to do all the work myself. I’ve designed most of my own covers, plus some for other authors such as David Fingerman, Donna Milward and Donna Marie Girouard.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
I have a few interviews lined up and signings will be happening at some point – I’m just waiting for confirmation.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
Don’t assume the work ends when you’ve finished the book. Even if you release your story through an indie publisher, there’s still a lot which you need to do yourself and take responsibility for. “If you build it, they will come” very rarely applies. And if you’re a one-man (or woman) army, you will also be much more than just the author. So be prepared for what comes afterwards, budget accordingly if you need to, and grab it by the horns. Once you lay the groundwork for yourself, it will be much easier to manage and to find your tribe out there.
About You
Where did you grow up?
In a tiny little Victorian village that was only a street long, out in the middle of nowhere in Cheshire, England. Aside from the houses, there was only a postbox and phone box, and it was my job to bring in the wood and coal for the fire.
Where do you live now?
About thirty miles away from my childhood home; still in a village, but slightly bigger than the other one. This one has a corner shop and a pub as well as the postbox.
What would you like readers to know about you?
I’m probably what you’d get if Wednesday Addams, Alice in Wonderland and Tinkerbell were thrown together! I love fairy tales and creepiness, finding joy in the little things and unabashedly being myself in all my weird and wacky glory. I’m basically a typical Ravenclaw!
This year I want to really focus on connecting more with my readers and letting them see the person behind the books, as well as continuing to create more valuable content on YouTube. The best ways to stay in touch with me are on social media, and I also have a mailing list which you can sign up for on my website. I call my readers the Batty Brigade, because we’re all a little ‘batty’ on the inside, and together we’re a wonderful little army who aren’t afraid to be different.
What are you working on now?
Later this year, the two sequels to The Winter Spirits will be coming out – The Mist Children and The Night River. I’m also going to be releasing all three of them in audiobook, which will be the first time I’ve ever ventured into that market! I also have a new dark fantasy in pre-production which I’m hoping to start writing in summer.
End of Interview:
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Get your copy of The Winter Spirits from Amazon US or Amazon UK.