Interview with Amy Neftzger

1.  Tell us briefly about your book?

The Orchard of Hope is a middle grade fantasy  (targeted for ages 9 - 12) novel that takes place in a land that under the spell of an evil sorcerer. The spell prevents the people who live there from determining what’s real and what’s not. The spell alters perceptions and deceives people (we learn more about how he’s doing this as the plot unfolds). The book features two main characters. The first main character is a boy named Nicholas who’s figuring out his talents and how to develop them as he trains to become a sorcerer. The other main character is an adventurous and sometimes hot-headed girl named Kelsey who’s in training to be a soldier in the king’s army.

2.  Where did you come up with the idea for your current book?

This book is part of a series called The Kingdom Wars. Each book in the  series is an allegory that centers upon a different life issue. This particular book  deals with the topic of hope and how some people attempt to steal hope from others. I came up with this idea from watching how both adults and children deal with having others attempt to discourage them from achieving their potential.

3.  What inspires you to write?

People. We can be extremely different and yet we all share some common experiences, and I love the fact that there are things that touch all of us. There are some experiences that transcend the artificial barriers that we’ve created to separate people.

4.  Will there be future books in the series?

Yes. This is the second book. The first book is called The Orphanage of Miracles. I’m currently working on the third, which further explores how the sorcerer alters perceptions and creates division between people within the kingdom.

5. If you could spend a day with a famous fictional character, who would it be and why?

Sherlock Holmes. I love watching the new BBC TV series because I feel that it captures the essence of Holmes in a modern setting. I think it would be fascinating to listen to him talk about his cases, observe his wit as well as his quirks, and get a glimpse inside such a keen intellectual mind.