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Author 411 June 2008 - Michael Scott Photo © 2007 Perry Hagopian
He
holds the secret that can end the world. The truth: Nicholas Flamel
was born in Paris on September 28, 1330. Nearly 700 years later,
he is acknowledged as the greatest alchemist of his day. It is said
that he discovered the secret of eternal life. Sometimes legends are true. And Sophie and Josh Newman are about to find themselves in the middle of the greatest legend of all time.
AUTHOR 411 A: What great questions, thank you. What intrigues me is that so many of you have picked up on some of the big story threads that weave throughout the entire series.
Before I answer the specific questions, let me just say that the six books in the Flamel series are essentially one large story that takes place in less than one month. The story must finish before the month is up because, of course, Flamel and Perenelle are aging. However, this means that I cannot answer some of the questions you raise here because it would ruin some of the revelations in the later books. I promise you that there are some big surprises coming . . . but let me also add that some of your guesses are just so good!
Q1.) How did the idea for the Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel first come to you? Specifically, what compelled you to create a story in which the modern world collides with the ancient? A: It has always fascinated me that the technology we use today was unimaginable in our grandparents’ and even our parents’ times. Most of us have a cell phone that plays music, takes pictures, maybe even goes online to IM and check e-mails . . . and makes phone calls anywhere in the world. And all of that in a device smaller than a bar of chocolate. Thirty years ago such devices didn’t exist outside of science fiction.
Arthur C. Clarke, the great science fiction writer, is quoted as saying: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” I wanted to write a fantasy that was set very much in the here and now where magic and technology co-existed.
Initially, I started writing about Dr. John Dee. He was one of the most extraordinary men of his time, and I wondered what it would be like to take a man like him and move him forward into the 21st century. (I almost wrote 20th century then—it is hard to believe we live in the 21st century already!)
So, the initial idea began with wanting to write about Dee in the present day, but when I stumbled across Nicholas Flamel’s house in Paris, that’s when the entire idea fell into shape.
Nicholas Flamel was one of the most famous alchemists of his day. He was born in 1330 and earned his living as a bookseller. One day he bought a book, the same book mentioned in The Alchemyst: the Codex, the Book of Abraham. It, too, really existed and Nicholas Flamel left us with a very detailed description of the copper-bound book. Although the book itself is lost, the illustrations from the text still exist.
Accompanied by his wife Perenelle, Nicholas spent more than 20 years trying to translate the book. He must have succeeded. He became extraordinarily wealthy and used some of his great wealth to found hospitals, churches, and orphanages. Perhaps he had discovered the secret of the Philosopher’s Stone: how to turn base metal into gold.
Of course the greatest mystery linked to Nicholas Flamel is the story of what happened after he died. When his tomb was opened by thieves looking for some of his great wealth, it was found to be empty. Had Nicholas and Perenelle been buried in secret graves, or had they never died in the first place? In the months and years to follow, sightings of the Flamels were reported all over Europe. Had Nicholas also discovered that other great mystery of alchemy: the secret of immortality?
Q2.) Why do you think it’s important to learn about mythology? What’s the origin of your interest in magic and mythology? In what ways has your own background influenced your interest in myths and legends? A: For a start, they are just great stories—imaginative, shocking, surprising, and daring. Just about every piece of modern fantasy writing, TV, and movies has parallels in ancient myth or its roots in legend.
If we read them as more than just stories, we discover that they have important lessons to teach us and, of course, we have also discovered that sometimes there are real truths in myth. For example, Heinrich Schliemann had grown up reading Homer’s Odyssey and Iliad. Everyone believed that the stories and the city, Troy, were nothing but myth. Schliemann believed that they might be more than just stories . . . and, of course, it was this belief which eventually led him to discover the whereabouts of the historical city of Troy.
My own interest in mythology goes back as far as I can remember. Coming from Ireland, where we have a very rich and dramatic mythology has certainly helped. My very first children’s book, The Children of Lir, is based upon the first story I remember learning, and that is the myth of the four children changed into swans.
Q3.) You clearly know a lot about mythology. What kind of research went into writing these books? How long did it take you to prepare? How did you go about choosing which myths and characters to integrate into the series? A: My notes indicate that I started working on this series about 10 years ago. It started, like so many books do, with the beginning and the end. All I had to do was to fill in the middle. Discovering Flamel brought so much to the story: an immortal bookseller guarding an ancient book, with a strong background from history, helped shape the story.
Once I had worked out the very detailed synopses, the real research began. I visited and stayed in all the locations in the books not once, but many times. It took me a long time to find the right historical and mythological characters to fit the story. I wanted to use a mixture of well-known characters as well as some slightly more obscure but equally interesting ones. I also wanted to go beyond the common mythologies, like the Greek and Roman (though these appear) and use the older myths, which in many cases inspired the “newer” Greek and Roman stories.
Q4.) What are your favorite stories from mythology? A: The Celtic mythologies remain my all-time favorites. I’ve published several collections of the best stories. I suppose because I grew up with them they remain special. Also, because Ireland was never under Roman or Greek rule, our mythology remained relatively pure. The role of the storyteller is firmly fixed in Irish tradition and so the stories have been kept alive by constant retelling—even into this generation. It is extraordinary to think that the story you are hearing today is more or less the same story that an Irish clansman sitting around a fire, one thousand years ago, would have heard.
Q5.) Are any of the mythological references noted in the books factual? Are you aware of any evidence of the Codex in real life? A: One of the things I wanted to do with this series was to show how interesting and exciting mythology and legend is. Just about all the references are real; all the gods and goddesses come from various worldwide mythologies and even the casual “throw away” comments are often revealing. I’ve also made sure that none of what I’ve written contradicts the traditional myth—though I’ve often added my spin to it. In Ireland, where I live, there is the tradition of the shannachie—the storyteller. These would travel from village to village telling stories of myth and legend. Often, they would adjust the story slightly depending on the audience. So, sometimes, I’ve adjusted my myths—but not by much.
The Codex: it did actually exist. We have very detailed descriptions of it, and there are even copies of some of the drawings and, of course, we have Nicholas Flamel’s own diary and writings taken from the book. It is reported that the original came into possession of Cardinal Richelieu, (Nicholas mentions this in The Magician.)
Q6.) Would you consider introducing mysticism from other cultural traditions later on in the series? Any chance Merlin will make a cameo, or anyone else from Arthurian legends? What about drawing more on Roman gods and goddesses? One reader brought up the Mayan legends, as well as the indigenous histories of what is now India, China, Japan, and African nations. Another reader suggested Kabbalist and Druid legends, for instance. A: Good call. Book 3, The Sorceress, opens in England. Naturally, I’ve got to include some of those myths. I love the Arthurian stories and have spent years collecting versions of the tales. The Arthurian stories were around for a long time before they were first recorded by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his Historia regum Britanniae in the 12th century. Then, the French poet, Chrétien de Troyes really popularized the stories and added another layer of tales. In 1485, Sir Thomas Malory gathered all the various Arthur stories and wrote them down in Le Morte d’Arthur, which was printed by William Caxton, the first English printer. There are already several Arthur-related mentions in the two books: we know Scathach trained Arthur, and we know Dee has Excalibur and Josh has Clarent. And (exclusive revelation #1), my all-time favorite Arthurian knight appears in Book Three, and no, it is not Lancelot. The Roman gods are interesting. Many of the Roman Gods were borrowed from the Etruscans or the Greeks or even the Egyptians, so although we’ll see more of them, we’ll probably see them under their original names. Sophie touches on this when she calls Mars by other names—Nergal (the Babylonian God of the Sun) and Huitzilopochtli (the Aztec God of War and the Sun). Maya and Aztec mythology will feature prominently in the later books. Spelling them is such fun—lots of z’s, x’s, and k’s jumbled together.
Q7.) How would you explain the cover art for these books? How much input do you have in the design? A: The cover art is by Michael Wager, an incredibly talented artist. The design of Book One is drawn from the Codex and the overall design for the series will follow this pattern. You’ve seen the cover of Book Two and I can reveal (exclusive revelation #2) that the color pallet for Book Three is purple. Each of the icons in the corners has some relevance to the story and the color has to do with the overall theme of the story. (The red color of The Magician represents fire.)
Q8.) In The Alchemyst, you took us through San Francisco, and The Magician brought us all over—and under— Paris. Have you lived in either city? How do you know so much about these places? A: I’ve lived in all of the cities mentioned in the Flamel series. I’ve visited them many times over the past 10 years and taken thousands of photographs. Nowadays, if I need to check some data or directions, I can drop in using Google Earth. Young writers are always advised to write what they know. I always say, “Write what interests you.” However, I will add, if you are writing about a real place, you really do need to know it very well.
Q9.) A few times, you refer back to a generation that existed before the Elders. Would you expand upon that era a bit more? What was happening in the world before the Elders took the stage? A: This is such a great question and do you know, I’ve only hinted at this a couple of times in the book so I’m thrilled you have picked up on the hints. Yes, as part of the back story to this series, I have created a civilization predating the Elders. Remember, our world is very old—an article in Scientific American suggested that it is perhaps 4.5 billion years old—and I am hinting that there were civilizations in the ancient past. Little bits of that ancient past are still around. (Nidhogg for example and the special words of power that are used to trap Areop-Enap.) But the short answer is I cannot tell you. Yet!
Q10.) Before we go any further, let’s address all the “funky” names in the books, as one reader observes. How do you pronounce the following? Scathach Hekate Yggdrasill The Disir Nidhogg Aerop-Enap (Any others you think we should know?) A: I’ll tell you how I pronounce them, but one of the great joys of fantasy is that you can pronounce the names any way you wish. Also, a lot of the names are pronounced just as they are spelled. Scathach — Ska-tack Hekate — Heck-kay-tay (or Heck-a-tay) Yggdrasill — Egg-dra-sill The Disir — Diss-ir Nidhogg — Nid-hogg Aerop-Enap — Air-op En-ap
Q11.) Why did you choose Nicholas Flamel to be such a prominent character in the series? When did you first hear about him, and what about him sparked your interest? Were you aware of Nicholas Flamel’s presence in the Harry Potter books when you first started writing? A: Well, as I said above (and written about in the back of Book One), discovering his house in Paris really gave the series a shape. I’ve known about Flamel for a long time; he was a very famous character, and there is even a street named after him in Paris. Dee, who had one of the largest libraries in private hands in Elizabethan England, had a copy of Flamel’s work on alchemy. I knew he had been referenced in the first Harry Potter, but J.K. is not the first author to mention him: he’s mentioned several times in The Hunchback of Notre Dame and more recently, of course, in The Da Vinci Code.
Q12.) What about Niccolo Machiavelli and Saint-Germain? What made you weave them into your rich cast of characters? A: Saint-Germain appears because he, like Flamel and Dee, was also an alchemist. Saint-German’s history is even more extraordinary than Flamel’s, and just about everything I write about him in The Magician is true. Like Nicholas, he was spotted several times after his “death” and many people wrote about his ability to create diamonds out of stones. Along with Dee, Machiavelli, the master manipulator, was there right from the very start. He was such an interesting man and one of the few people in history who have lent their name to a word: Machiavellian, which means cunning. Interestingly, even Mars Ultor does not know what Machiavelli wants.
Q13.) Speaking of that well-dressed techno star, how did Saint-Germain become immortal in the first place? A: We get a tiny clue in the book when Sophie reveals that the Witch of Endor didn’t like Saint-Germain because he had discovered the secret of immortality in Tibet. But the Witch didn’t believe that and didn’t trust him. We will discover a little more about the Count, and we’re not done with him yet.
Q14.) John Dee is one creepy guy. One reader asks about his soft side—is there such a thing? Has he ever been in love, for instance? After all, even Mars was once in love. A: The historical Dee was married at least twice that we know of and had eight children. Interestingly, both his wives’ graves are unknown and even Dee’s own grave is lost, and the date of his death is also unknown. Like Saint-Germain and Flamel, he, too, was spotted after his death.
Q15.) So, who is John Dee’s master, anyway? (It’s worth a try, right?!) A: Hah! Good try, but not a chance. This is probably the #2 question after “When is the next coming out?” I’ve had lots of guesses via e-mail, but so far no one has come close. Not even my editor knows yet. What I will reveal (exclusive revelation #3) is that we get to see (and hear) a lot more about Dee ’s master in the next book. We will ultimately discover just who it is.
Q: 16.) Let’s get back to the good guys—or so we think they are!—as of Book Two. Why did you choose vanilla and orange scents to complement the twins’ auras? A: I wanted distinctive smells that everyone could instantly identify. The rough rule of thumb is good guys smell good, bad guys smell not so good . . . unless, of course, you could change your smell. I bet someone like Dee could do that!
Q17.) What’s the deal with Sophie? So far it seems like she hasn’t done anything wrong, whereas, in the words of one group, “Josh is being set up for a serious goof-up.” One reader wants to know if you intended for us to feel sympathy for Josh. Along those lines, another commented that Josh’s situation in The Magician actually made him more likable. A: By the time The Magician ends, everything has happened in only four days. Both Sophie and Josh are still getting used to the bizarre situation they’ve found themselves in. True, everything has happened to Sophie, while Josh has been forced to look on helplessly, but all that is changing now. Both the twins have been Awakened. Sophie’s got two powers, but Josh has none, yet. The two who were “equal” became briefly “unequal” are now becoming more “equal” again. I think we should feel sympathy for Josh; he’s in way over his head, and he sees his sister, whom he obviously cares for a great deal, changing before his eyes.
Q18.) Sophie, Josh, and Scatty are unlike any other teens in this world (that we know about), yet there is so much about their personalities and relationships with which we can relate. The friendship and loyalty among them is striking, yet we’re all a little concerned for the future. How worried should we be about Josh’s increasing jealousy and separation from the rest of the group? A: I think there is genuine cause for concern. Remember, he’s been awakened by Mars and the God of War is not one of the good guys. There is a connection there which, I’m sure, Dee will exploit, and what did Mars give Josh at the end of The Magician, I wonder . . .
Q19.) Speaking of Josh, what consequences should we expect for his dramatic Awakening, especially now that Mars has been ousted by Dee? One reader insists that someone should avenge Mars’s death! A: Who said Mars is dead! He’s trapped in the solidified bone in the Catacombs. He’s been around a very long time; I’m not sure Dee is strong enough to kill him.
Q20.) One reader states, “Every good book has something romantic in it.” Will this hold true for the teens? All agree that Sophie, Josh, and Scatty could use a love interest during this stressful time! A: Remember, Book One takes place over two days, Book Two takes place over another two days, so that hasn’t been a whole lot of time. I think Josh quite likes Scathach and I know there’s an interesting character coming up for Sophie to like, but time is the great problem here.
Q21.) Several readers noticed “product placement” in The Alchemyst and The Magician. We hear about Josh’s Gmail account and Joan’s precious Citroën car, for example. Was this deliberate? One reader pointed out the many brand references to cars and electronics—was this to attract male readers? Why not mention references to fashion, for instance, to address female readers? A: I didn’t deliberately choose brand names. I wanted this to be a contemporary fantasy set very much in the here and now. I was very careful, when mentioning real-world artifacts, to choose things which would not date the book. Josh uses Gmail because so many people nowadays (including me) are using Gmail all the time and I reckon it will be around for a long time. Some of the games Josh mentions are classics that have been around for a while too; similarly the music. When I picked bands or composers, they were ones that had an established presence. And I deliberately didn’t mention any fashion because it changes so fast it would instantly date the book. Joan’s Citroën was chosen because it is such an immediately identifiable icon—and I thought this incredibly powerful, immortal, and patriotic Frenchwoman would certainly choose to drive a quintessentially French car.
Q22.) We were captivated by your depiction and personification of the Yggdrasill tree in The Alchemyst. “Vivid” and “awesome” were some of the words readers used to describe it. How did you devise this concept? A: I first read everything I could about the World Tree in the Norse Eddas, the great collections of poems and stories. It is described as being at the center of the universe, with Asgard, the home of the gods at the top; Midgard, the home of humans in the middle; and Hel, the Underworld in the roots. Nine separate worlds from Norse and German mythology are associated with the tree. I researched ancient trees to give me the shape and character of the Yggdrasill . . . and then I just hollowed it out.
Q23.) We’d like to know more about your writing, in general. When and why did you decide you wanted to write books? What is your favorite part about writing, and on the other side of the coin, what challenges do you face as an author? Do you have deadlines for your books, or do you work at your own speed? A: I started writing in 1982 and my first book was published in 1983. I’ve published over 100 books to date. Like most writers, I started out as a reader. If you read a lot then, some day, you may very well decide to become a writer. The trick is to keep trying. I write every day, usually all day. For me, the best part is the research, preparing all the materials for a new book. Usually, I am researching a new book, while writing a different book. I often work years in advance. The Flamel series is a great example of that. This is a six-book series. I will deliver the last book in 2011 and it will be published in hardback in 2012 and paperback in 2013. The physical act of writing is exhausting and it can be incredibly frustrating too, because no matter how good the image in your head, somehow is never comes out properly on the page. I always write to deadlines. Usually, I get my books in on time or even a little early but, I have to admit, I’ve been late with all of the Flamel series so far! Part of the problem is that I have to ensure that everything in the six books fits together. A mistake in Book Three could have terrible consequences in Book Five or Six.
Q24.) At the beginning, did you have one Nicholas Flamel book in mind, or did you intend for it to be a series? Once you established it was to be a series, did you determine how the entire story would play out? Or, do you come up with new twists and turns as you go along? How has the story already changed—if at all—from what you originally had in mind? A: It was always going to be a six-book series right from the very beginning. It is such a complex and interwoven story that I had to plot it out in great detail. In fact, the notes on the series now run to almost 80,000 words, which is about the same size as Book One. The big parts of the story will not change—I can tell you now how the very last book will end, for example. I can even tell you what exactly the last words will be. But there are always surprises. Little characters suddenly take on much more important roles or incidents will be moved around. But the story itself will remain essentially the same.
Q25.) Would you entertain the idea of adapting a screenplay or allowing a movie version of your books? Anything in the works? A: The movie rights to the entire series were actually bought by New Line Cinema before the books were published. Mark Burnett, who created the Survivor series, read an early draft of the first book. He contacted my agent and we showed him the synopsis for the rest of the series and he immediately took an option. Mark and I then pitched it to several studios in Hollywood and in the end we went with New Line. Many of the same team who worked on Lord of the Rings and The Golden Compass will work on The Alchemyst. I will not work on the scripts of the early movies because I’ve got the rest of the series to write. Eric Bress, who wrote Kyle XY and The Butterfly Effect, has already delivered a first draft of the script. However, all I’ll add is that movies take a looooooooong time to happen.
Q26.) Aside from basing your characters on mythological and historical figures, do you find you’ve borrowed personality characteristics from people you know in your own life? A: I deliberately never base any of my characters on anyone I know. Far too dangerous! But what I will do is mix and match real people I know to create a composite character. However, it is also true to say that everyone you meet sooner or later ends up in a book!
Q27.) So far, who is you favorite character in the series? A: I am particularly fond of Dee. Scathach comes a very close second—she’s such a great character and, of course, Perenelle, who may very well be the most powerful character in the series. However, with this series, I get to put in all my favorite historical and mythological characters. People are sometimes surprised that I don’t say Nicholas Flamel, who is supposed to be the hero of this series. Actually, I don’t believe he is the hero. This is the twins' story; they are the heroes.
Q28.) The Alchemyst is dedicated to “Claudette, of course.” Who is Claudette? A: Claudette is a dear friend, and when you write a book, you do have the opportunity to thank those people who’ve been especially helpful during the creation of the work.
Q29.) Have you written any other books besides those in the Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel? Do you have any planned? A: I started writing in 1982 and published my first book in 1983, to date I’ve published over 100 books. When I’m finished the Flamel series, I have a new series, Otherworld, that I’m planning right now.
Q30.) We’ve noticed that terrific writers are often avid readers. What is your all-time favorite book? What other kinds of books do you enjoy reading? How does what you’ve read affect what you choose to write about? Which authors have influenced you as a writer? A: I don’t have any one single favorite story. I was a voracious reader as a child and still have many of those books. Some stand out very clearly in my memory: Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn; The Borrowers by Mary Norton, a series of absolutely wonderful books about tiny people who live alongside humans; Susan Cooper’s amazing Under Sea Ovwer Stone series; Alan Garner’s extraordinary series, especially Elidor; and of course Ursula K. Le Guin’s E arthsea trilogy. I read a lot of crime and fantasy novels. Interestingly, if I’m writing fantasy, I will not read any fantasy or, if I’m writing a young adult novel, I’ll not read any. It is not that you would copy them, but it’s to ensure that you don’t take on aspects of their style. I’m not sure that any fiction I’ve read has ever inspired me to write something. I always feel that story has been told, but nonfiction always sparks ideas. The idea for the new series, Otherworld, came out of a National Geographic magazine article on global warming.
Q31.) What advice can you offer for teenagers who aspire to write books? A: Read. Read some more and then read a bit more. Also, do not read just one type of book. You need to be reading right across the genres, you need to be reading both fiction and nonfiction. If you only read one type of book (say, vampire fiction or science fiction or fantasy), then your book is going to be nothing more than the repetition of other authors' thoughts and ideas. Reading will inspire new ideas. Your ideas. And then write. Write every day. Even if you throw it away the next day. Writing is all about practice, getting into the habit of putting words and thoughts down on paper. Also, because publishers will only accept typewritten manuscripts, I also always advise new writers to take a typing course, so they can type at full speed on their computers. There is nothing more frustrating than having an idea coursing through your head and having to hunt and peck at a keyboard, looking for the letters. And of course, you need to travel. You need to see places and meet people. Because these people and places are the raw material for your work. Finally, let me thank you again for the great questions and taking the time to think about the story. * * * * * Can't get enough mythology books? Neither can we! Click here for more. * * * * * Thanks to the following Teen Book Groups for participating! Black Rose Teen Tellers Allentown, PA Elizabeth High School Book Group Wilmington, DE Spring Valley Library Book Group Spring Valley, CA Top Shelf Book Club Bellows Falls, VT
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