N.D Wilson Interview

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Audra: Well who says all fantasy novels have to take place in England. Sure they
got their classics but now its America’s turn. We met up with author N.D.
Wilson who sets he’s kids fantasy books in America’s heartland.

Looking back at his childhood growing up in Americas heartland author
N.D. Wilson can see now that he had it pretty good.

N.D.: When I was a kid chasing crop dusters in a wheat field with my friend
climbing up and all the way up into the pigeon roost on the top of his huge
barn and it was a blast. It was a great childhood and yet I was actually
disappointed with it.

Audra: Disappointed because he’s spirit of Kansas boy really long for a magical
adventure the kind that kids always seem to be having over in England at
least according to his favorite books.

N.D.: I didn’t have a wardrobe to Narnia and I would never see a Hobbit.

Audra: So when he grew up he decided to change all that by writing a magical
children’s book based in Kansas.

N.D.: I really wanted to connect classic fantasy you know middle earth Narnia
style fantasy with the America.

Audra: And so the 100 Cupboard series was born and eventually that follows a
boy named Henry who discovers a strange attic filled with a hundred
doors each leading to a different world but while the series is fantasy
there’s also a hint of realism behind those doors.

N.D.: Alternative history other worlds that kind of thing but primarily I’m trying
to connect to places that if kids started to research. If they started hunting
down particular words, locations that I’m using they would find the real
stories and the real history these locations aren’t just names, words that are
made of.

Audra: With the third book in trilogy the Chestnut King just released. The series
has won fans not only from Americas Heartland but all over the world
something it’s author says he never expected.

N.D.: I was thinking about that kid in the wheat fields with BB Gun that’s you
know that was the audience you know that I was right into so finding out
that’s it in hot you know getting emails from people in Hong Kong or
Turkey or South American that wasn’t on my radar when I was I starting.

Audra: But the most important thing he believes that the little kid in Kansas he
used to be would have a prove that was work.

N.D.: That kid, that boy floating down the stream you know on this chunk of
Styrofoam and chasing the crop duster and climbing the barn that boy
would love the story.

Audra: It looks like a fun series. Well the 100 Cupboards Trilogy is available in
bookstores now or online at Amazon.com.