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WORK TITLE: The Runestone Saga
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.cindachima.com/
CITY: Asheville
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COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME: SATA 395
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born 1952, in Springfield, OH; married Rod Chima, a rocket scientist; children: Eric, Keith.
EDUCATION:University of Akron, B.A. (philosophy), 1975; post baccalaureate degree, 1981; Case Western Reserve University, M.A. (nutrition), 1984.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Author, nutritionist, and educator. Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, OH, advertising salesperson and proofreader, 1969-81; University of Akron, assistant professor of nutrition, 2004-09; Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, former clinical manager; MetroHealth System, Cleveland, former director of clinical nutrition department. Presenter at schools and workshops; speaker at writers’ conferences and World Fantasy Convention.
AVOCATIONS:Cooking, gardening, genealogy.
MEMBER:Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.
AWARDS:Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults designation, American Library Association (ALA), and Great Lakes Book Award finalist, both 2006, and Cleveland Lit Award for Fiction and New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age designation, both 2008, all for The Warrior Heir; Books for the Teen Age designation, 2008, and Young-Adult Choice listee, International Reading Association, 2009, both for The Wizard Heir; ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults selection, 2009, for The Demon King. New York Times and USA Today Bestsellers lists.
WRITINGS
Contributor to books, including A Cup of Comfort for Christmas, edited by Coleen Sell, Adams Media (Avon, MA), 2003; A Cup of Comfort for Courage, edited by Sell, Adams Media, 2004; The World of the Golden Compass: The Otherworldly Ride Continues, edited by Scott Westerfeld, BenBella Books, 2007; Flirtin’s; with the Monster, edited by Ellen Hopkins, 2009; and The Way of the Wizard, edited by John Joseph Adams, Prime Books, 2010. Author of nutrition column for Cleveland Plain Dealer, 2004-07.
Several of Chima’s novels were adapted for audiobook by Recorded Books, including The Warrior Heir, 2007, The Wizard Heir, 2008, The Dragon Heir, 2009, The Demon King, 2010, The Exiled Queen, 2011, The Gray Wolf Throne and The Crimson Crown, both 2012, and The Enchanter Heir, 2014.
SIDELIGHTS
A nutritionist by profession, Cinda Williams Chima has channeled her curiosity and her many interests into a second career as a fantasy novelist. As she does in her popular “Heir Chronicles” stories, a series of urban fantasies, Chima treats fans to a saga of wizards, warriors, powerful talismans, and compelling heroes in her “Seven Realms” novel sequence. Likewise in her “Shattered Realms” and “Runestone Saga” series, the author takes young readers into magical realms. Chima “is adept with teen culture” wrote a reviewer in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, and her efforts to reference both “slasher-film references” and “the works of Shakespeare” in her fantasy novels “strengthens both her narrative voice and … adds subtly to the moral subtext” of her fiction.
In The Warrior Heir, Chima takes readers to small-town Ohio and high-school student Jack Swift. When Jack teen neglects to take the medicine he has been given as long as he can remember, the magic within him is exposed. Now a group of wizards recognizes Jack as a Warrior Heir, a rare being used by their kind to amass power and gain supremacy. This warrior will fight to the death for his wizard in tournaments designed to allocate power within the magical community known as the Weir. Jack’s friends and relatives are soon revealed to be equally magical creatures—enchantresses, soothsayers, wizards, enchanters, and the like—and they help the teen gain the fighting and magical skills required to help him meet his destiny.
Noting that Jack’s maturation is well portrayed in The Warrior Heir, Kliatt contributor Michele Winship added that Chima “cleverly entwines ancient magic and contemporary adolescence in a coming-of-age story that works on both levels.” Because “many details about the Weir are initially hidden from readers,” the author is able to reveal her story’s intricacies in a way that is “involving and often surprising,” observed School Library Journal reviewer Steven Engelfried, the critic dubbing The Warrior Heir both “suspenseful and entertaining.”
In The Wizard Heir, Chima shifts her focus to a teen wizard-in-training as he attempts to control his growing magical powers. Orphaned as an infant, Seph McCauley is sixteen years old when the sorcerer who has guarded him from the world of magic dies. Now alone, Seph is increasingly frightened by his growing power, because his inability to control it has made it destructive and even deadly. After causing a terrible fire, the teen is sent to a reform school located in a remote area of Maine, and there he comes under the tutelage of the school’s wizard headmaster. Seph soon begins to question his mentor’s motives, however, and when he encounters other powerful creatures, including Warrior Heir Jack Swift, he realizes that the powers he possesses may also lead to his demise.
In School Library Journal, Sharon Rawlings observed of The Wizard Heir that Chima’s “exciting page-turner is darker than The Warrior Heir due to the introduction of several violent characters.” A Kirkus Reviews contributor had a similar reaction, writing that the fantasy “sequel improves on the original, leaving fans eager for the foreshadowed resolution.” In Booklist, Krista Hutley called Seph an “appealing” and resourceful protagonist and deemed The Wizard Heir an “absorbing, suspenseful” installment in Chima’s Weirland saga.
Seph’s story continues in The Dragon Heir, as the power struggles among wizards force many to seek sanctuary in Jack’s hometown of Trinity, where he and his friends will provide protection. Meanwhile, the search for a magical opal called the Dragonheart forces Seph and Jack, as well as several powerful friends, into a battle with those who would usurp all magic. Chima’s “finely structured tale … roars to a satisfying conclusion,” wrote Sue Giffard in her School Library Journal review of The Dragon Heir, and a Kirkus Reviews writer noted that “centuries of wizardly scheming, slavery and slaughter reap apocalyptic fallout” in the author’s “superlative” story.
The fourth book in the “Heir Chronicles” series, The Enchanter Heir is set ten years after a tragedy at the magical Thorn Hill community. Thousands of adult wizards were murdered and the children who survived—known as savants—now possess mutated powers, some of them dangerous. Seventeen-year-old savant Jonah Kinlock works as an assassin charged with hunting down undead souls. He soon crosses paths with Emma Greenwood, a talented musician. When Emma receives some startling news about her own past from her dying grandfather, she and Jonah work to uncover the truth about the Thorn Hill massacre in what a Kirkus Reviews contributor described as “a smoldering story soaked in tears, sweat and blood, constantly threatening to blaze into an inferno.”
Chima’s first “Seven Realms” novel, The Demon King, is set in another mythical world. Sixteen-year-old petty thief Han Alister no longer lives on the streets of the city of Fellsmarch; he has escaped into the mountains with his friend Fire Dancer. When they meet three young wizards bent on destruction, Han confiscates a magic amulet from one of them. Only later, he learns that the amulet was once the property of the evil and destructive Demon King. Meanwhile, Princess Raisa ana’Marianna, the teenaged daughter of the queen of the Grey Wolf clan, is forced to return to court and an arranged marriage, although she would rather be out among her clanfolk, who are suffering hardships. As war and rebellion threaten, the queen is preoccupied by the advances of power-hungry High Wizard Gavan Bayar, leaving the Grey Wolf clan in need of a new leader, a warrior queen like the legendary Hanalea who killed the Demon King.
“Chima shows a sure hand with details and history, and readers will be drawn into the lives” of her teen protagonists, predicted Beth Meister in her School Library Journal review of The Demon King. A Kirkus Reviews writer cited the “rich characterization and exquisite world building” of the first “Seven Realms” novel, adding that its pantheon of characters, “complex and distinct in personality, are placed with jewel-like precision, [and] set off by dark glints of villainy.” A Publishers Weekly contributor remarked on the “elegant prose” in The Demon King, deeming it characteristic of the “complex and comprehensible world” Chima establishes in her “Seven Realms” series.
The adventures of Han and Raisa continue in The Exiled Queen as Han works to evade the relentless Bayar family. Joining Fire Dancer, he travels south to Oden’s Ford, where a bargain with the mystical Crow allows him to enhance his talent for wizardry. For Raisa, disguised as a gentlewoman, Oden’s Ford also provides a safe haven. The teens’ paths cross when Raisa becomes Han’s tutor, although she keeps her identity secret as she prepares for her future as a Gray Wolf queen. “Chima has created an intricate world with a rich history, cultural prejudices, and complicated political dynamics,” wrote Heather M. Campbell in appraising The Exiled Queen in School Library Journal, and “her characters are multifaceted.”
In The Gray Wolf Throne, Raisa returns to the Fells after her mother dies unexpectedly, even as mounting tension between the Spirit Clans and the flatlanders threaten to destabilize the realm. Learning of her true identity—and their significant class difference—disheartens Han, whose feelings for Raisa have deepened. “Chima’s tour-de-force world-building keeps readers rapt, with cutthroat action sequences running parallel to the political ones,” remarked Anita L. Burkam in a review of The Gray Wolf Throne in Horn Book, while a Kirkus Reviews critic recommended the novel as “indispensable for those already committed to the series; those who aren’t should go back to the beginning and start.”
With The Crimson Crown Chima draws her “Seven Realms” series to a conclusion by centering on Raisa, who has ascended to the throne during a dark and tumultuous period in the Fells. Although she has an ally in Han, who is now a member of the influential Wizard Council, she begins to doubt his loyalty when he becomes the prime suspect in a series of deadly attacks on wizards. As his political fate hangs in jeopardy, Han uncovers a long-buried secret that may hold the key to reuniting the kingdom. According to a writer in Kirkus Reviews, in The Crimson Crown “Chima manages to resolve this impossibly tangled skein of politics, intrigue, history, prejudice and passion with style and grace.”
Chima opens her “Shattered Realms” fantasy series with Flamecaster, which is set in the same world as the “Seven Realms” series, but a generation later. Here, Adrian sul’Han, known as Ash, is young prince of the Fells and ardent enemy of the ruthless King of Arden. He trains now as a wizard healer, but also an assassin. Jenna, who bears a mysterious mage mark on her neck, is a poor coal miner who joins the rebels fighting against the crown. These two are thrown together by chance, but join forces because of their mutual hatred of the King of Arden. When they team up with their magical and deadly skills, they might find true vengeance. Reviewing this initial installment in the “Shattered Realms” series, Voice of Youth Advocates contributor Jonathan Ryder commented: “The book deals with issues of friendship, loyalty, and the fulfillment of destiny. This would be a solid addition to the fantasy section of most high school libraries.” A higher assessment of Flamecaster came from a Kirkus Reviews critic, who called the novel a “welcome return for loyal fans and a splendid jumping-on point for new ones.” The critic added, “Both will be panting for the next installment.” Similarly, School Library Journal reviewer Gretchen Kolderup termed the work a “solid fantasy story for fans of the genre.”
The series continues with Shadowcaster, and two new characters are introduced. Alyssa ana’Raisa, is the princess heir to the Gray Wolf throne of the Fells, but a young woman who feels much more comfortable with sword in hand that dealing with court intrigue. Her great desire is to end the war that has been waged during her entire lifetime. Meanwhile, in the enemy camp of Arden, Captain Halston Matelon is engaged in increasingly dangerous assignments across enemy lines. The fate of these two will be linked as a new enemy threatens all of the Shattered Realms. A Kirkus Reviews contributor commented: “By no means a stand-alone but—like the entire saga—essential for any epic-fantasy collection and catnip for lovers of the genre.” The series continued with Stormcaster and Deathcaster, in which the large cast of characters all battle to preserve the Gray Wolf Line and also the way of life in the Fells.
Chima opened her “Runestone Saga” fantasy series with the 2022 novel, Children of Ragnarok. The war between the gods and the forces of chaos, Ragnarok has become a defining line for the humans of the Midlands. Their land is dangerous and without an ounce of magic. Sixteen-year-old Eiric Halvorsen is among the lucky ones, for his family still is prosperous. But Eiric’s life is in danger, wrongly accused of killing his abusive stepfather. His half-sister Liv is also in danger, accused of practicing magic. A Viking descended from the gods, Eiric soon strikes a deal with a local leader, Jarl Karlsen, who will pay to get rid of their persecutors if the siblings are able to locate the Temple at the Grove, the last stronghold of witches and wyrdspinners, those who practice sorcery. Meanwhile, young Reggin Eiklund is busy performing at alehouses to provide money for her master, Asger, the fire demon. Anxious to escape his power, she jumps at the chance when a pair of wyrdspinners offer to free her from Asger is she returns with them to the Temple to be trained in magic. The fates of Eiric, Liv, and Reggin converge when the trio meet in New Jotunheim, a paradise fueled by magic and the site of the Temple. However, they soon see that there is evil beneath the surface of this place and enough negative force to start another cataclysmic war. It is now up to them to prevent this from happening.
A Publishers Weekly reviewer praised Children of Ragnarok, calling it a “sweeping, Norse myth-inspired series opener.” The reviewer further noted: “Chima’s epic never outstays its welcome, stoking anticipation for the sequel.” School Library Journal contributor Emmy Neal also had a high assessment of Children of Ragnarok, noting, “Infused with Norse mythos and spellbinding from start to finish, Chima’s new series should find its way into every library.” Likewise, a Kirkus Reviews critic concluded: “This innovative story with a satisfying ancient mythology baseline strikes a refreshing note for the genre.”
In an interview on the JeanBookNerd website, Chima remarked on why storytelling is important: “I come from a family of Appalachian story tellers on my mother’s side. I think it was the stories that got me interested in genealogy. … Stories help us understand who we are and how we fit in.”
When asked if she had any advice for budding authors of fantasy literature, Chima told Cynsations online interviewer Cynthia Leitich Smith: “Start with the basics of story: character, setting, plot. If they don’t work, it doesn’t matter how much magic you layer in. It’s not about the magic, after all, it’s about the people.”
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Continuing the “Runestone Saga” after Children of Ragnarok, Bane of Asgard finds Eiric, Liv, and Reginn reunited in New Jotunheim. After Eiric killed the old council, Tyra, a powerful wyrdspinner and Liv’s mother, wants to go to war with Asgard, and she convinces Liv, who has been elevated to god status, to raise an army. Reginn helps Eiric escape to warn Asgard of the impending attack, but they realize that although they were in New Jotunheim for six months, ten years have passed in Asgard. Now Rikhard is king and Asgard has become prosperous. Reginn learns to use her powers, granted by the demon Asger Eldr, to ensure victory for New Jotunheim and prevent Ragnarok. Meanwhile, Eiric fights for Asgard, taking up arms against Reginn and his half-sister, Liv.
“The twists and turns will leave readers breathless as the characters edge ever closer to the apocalypse,” Emma Neal commented in School Library Journal, adding that some of the interpersonal relationships are sacrificed for the rapid pace of the plot. Nevertheless, a “satisfying conclusion to a complex duology” will please readers, according to Neal. In Kirkus Reviews, a critic declared that nothing is as it seems with “Norse mythology, and magical beings galore, as well as a healthy dose of romance.” The critic added that readers will be kept guessing “in this densely plotted story, which contains betrayal, [and] violence.”
In an interview with Cherokee Crum at YA Books Central, Chima explained how writing the sequel differed from the first book: “Writing a sequel can be challenging for a pantser like me. When the plot takes an unexpected turn, or a character reveals hidden agendas, there are times that I wish I could go back and make small changes in Book 1…On the other hand, in a sequel, the groundwork is laid when it comes to character and place and conflict. There’s the opportunity for accelerated action on the page.”
Speaking with Elise Dumpleton online at Nerd Daily, Chime remarked that in writing the Bane of Asgard sequel: “Minor characters often ambush me with their insistence on taking center stage. One of those is Eiric’s younger brother Ivar, whose role grew as the story progressed… I also have an affinity for antagonists, including the fire demon Asger Eldr…[who] reveals multiple layers and motivations as the story goes on.”
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BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, April 1, 2006, Holly Koelling, review of The Warrior Heir, p. 31; May 15, 2007, Krista Hutley, review of The Wizard Heir, p. 59; May 15, 2010, Mary Burkey, review of The Demon King, p. 58; September 1, 2013, Cindy Welch, review of The Enchanter Heir, p. 113.
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, January, 2010, Karen Coats, review of The Demon King, p. 190; January, 2014, Karen Coats, review of The Enchanter Heir, p. 259.
Horn Book, January-February, 2010, Anita L. Burkam, review of The Demon King, p. 83; September-October, 2011, Anita L. Burkam, review of The Gray Wolf Throne, p. 84; March-April, 2013, Anita L. Burkam, review of The Crimson Crown, p. 96.
Kirkus Reviews, April 1, 2006, review of The Warrior Heir, p. 344; May 15, 2007, review of The Wizard Heir; September 15, 2009, review of The Demon King; July 15, 2011, review of The Gray Wolf Throne; September 1, 2012, review of The Crimson Crown; August 15, 2013, review of The Enchanter Heir; February 15, 2016, review of Flamecaster; November 15, 2024, review of The Runestone Saga.
Kliatt, March, 2006, Michele Winship, review of The Warrior Heir, p. 8; July 15, 2008, review of The Dragon Heir; September 15, 2009, review of The Demon King.
Plain Dealer (Cleveland, OH), August 10, 2008, review of The Dragon Heir.
Publishers Weekly, September 28, 2009, review of The Demon King, p. 65; November 23, 2022, review of Children of Ragnarok, p. 81.
School Librarian, spring, 2012, Anne-Marie Tarter, review of The Warrior Heir, p. 48.
School Library Journal, July, 2006, Steven Engelfried, review of The Warrior Heir, p. 98; December, 2007, Sharon Rawlins, review of The Wizard Heir, p. 120; October, 2008, Sue Giffard, review of The Dragon Heir, p. 140; November, 2009, Cynde Suite, review of The Dragon Heir, p. 59; December, 2009, Beth L. Meister, review of The Demon King, p. 108; October, 2010, Heather M. Campbell, review of The Exiled Queen, p. 110; February, 2014, Sabrina Carnesi, review of The Enchanter Heir, p. 82; March, 2016, Gretchen Kolderup, review of Flamecaster, p. 88; December, 2022, Emmy Neal, review of Children of Ragnarok, p. 88.
Voice of Youth Advocates, June, 2007, Melissa Moore, review of The Wizard Heir, p. 157; October, 2008, Melissa Moore, review of The Dragon Heir, p. 347; October, 2009, Melissa Moore, review of The Demon King, p. 328; October, 2010, Melissa Moore, review of The Exiled Queen, p. 364; April, 2013, Melissa Moore, review of The Crimson Crown, p. 671; October, 2013, Stacey Hayman, review of The Enchanter Heir, p. 78; June, 2016, Jonathan Ryder, review of Flamecaster, p. 76.
ONLINE
Cinda Williams Chima website, http://www.cindachima.com (January 10, 2023).
Cynsations, http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/ (September 26, 2006), Cynthia Leitich Smith, author interview.
JeanBookNerd, https://www.jeanbooknerd.com/ (December 27, 2022), “Cinda Williams Chima Interview—Children of Ragnarok.”
Nerd Daily, https://thenerddaily.com/ (October 22, 2024), Elise Dumpleton, “Q&A: Cinda Williams Chima, Author of ‘Bane of Asgard’”
School Library Journal, https://www.slj.com/ (December 13, 2024), Emmy Neal, review of Bane of Asgard.
Teenreads.com, http://www.teenreads.com/ (September, 2010), Melanie Smith, author interview.*
YA Books Central, https://yabookscentral.com/ (October 25, 2024), Cherokee Crum, “Interview with Cinda Williams Chima.”
Cinda Williams Chima, YA Fantasy Author
Q: How do you pronounce your name?
A: http://www.teachingbooks.net/pronounce.cgi?aid=4809
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cinda Williams Chima nearly failed first grade because she was always daydreaming. By junior high, she got in trouble for writing novels in class. Yet the magic of books took her from first grade failure to first generation college graduate to college professor to bestselling author.
Her Heir Chronicles young adult contemporary fantasy series includes The Warrior Heir, The Wizard Heir, The Dragon Heir, The Enchanter Heir and The Sorcerer Heir all from Hyperion.
Chima’s young adult high fantasy Seven Realms series (Hyperion) include The Demon King (2009), The Exiled Queen (2010) The Gray Wolf Throne (2011) and The Crimson Crown 2012.) The Shattered Realms (HarperTeen,) follows a new generation in the world of the Seven Realms, and includes Flamecaster, Shadowcaster, Stormcaster, and Deathcaster.
Her newest series, The Runestone Saga, launched in November, 2022 with Children of Ragnarok, and concludes with Bane of Asgard, coming Oct. 22, 2024. Set in the Midlands after Ragnarok, the series marries Norse mythology and witchcraft with swordplay, axeplay, longships, romance and cut-throat politics.
Chima’s books have received starred reviews in Kirkus and VOYA, among others. They have been named Booksense and Indie Next picks, an International Reading Association Young Adult Choice, a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age, to the Kirkus Best YA lists, and the VOYA Editors’ Choice, Best Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror, and Perfect Tens lists. They appear on numerous state reading lists and have won the South Carolina and Ohio Teen Book Awards. Translation rights have been sold in numerous countries overseas.
Cinda lives in North Carolina with her husband and dog Loki, who would rather play catch than read.
Loki thr Labradoodle with two balls.
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CindaWilliamsChima
Twitter https://twitter.com/cindachima
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cindachima/
Subscribe to her blog/newsletter for occasional news about books and events at
https://cindachima.substack.com/
How to Contact Me
Please read this before emailing!
Is it all right if I email you?
Totally! I love hearing from readers—that’s one of the awesome things about being a writer today. Still, it can be overwhelming at times. If you have questions about movies, book release dates, my background, etc. please review the info on the webpage first, especially the Frequently Asked Questions, because you’ll often find the answer there. That will help me meet my other deadlines!
Can I send you my writing to read?
I’m sorry, but no. I cannot read unpublished work, and will delete it unread if you send it. That includes your story ideas and outlines. I get deluged with requests, and I want to avoid any misunderstandings. I do offer considerable help to writers on my Help for Writers page. For more information, read these two blog posts.
http://cindachima.blogspot.com/2011/07/finding-feedback.html
http://cindachima.blogspot.com/2010/03/on-mentorship.html
Can I interview you for my school project/book report?
Can I send you a questionnaire for my school project?
I’m sorry, but no. As a former teacher, I used to respond to all of those individually, but found it was taking hours a day at certain times of the year. Many of the questions are the same, so I have posted answers to frequently asked school project questions, and I hope that’s helpful!!
If you’re working on a book report, you’ll find resources specific to each book under the individual book listing.
Email me at Sorry, e-mail has been replaced with an image.
Warning: you can snail mail me at one of the addresses below, but, fair warning: I’m very sketchy about answering snail mail. It takes FOREVER to get to me and then it sits in a little pile. Even if your teacher wants you to snail mail a letter to me, ask if you can write it in a formal manner and then paste it into the body of an email (no attachments).
Back to About Me
The Real Story -
Cinda Williams Chima in her Own Words
I come from a long line of fortune-tellers, barn dancers, musicians, tavern brawlers, and spinners of tales.
HOW I STARTED WRITING: When I was little, I always provided voices for pets who couldn’t speak for themselves: English bulldogs, mostly, and tropical fish. I still do that, for birds, guinea pigs, and even my sons’ old stuffed animals. (My sons are a lot older now, but the bears still drop in ocasionally.) They all have different names and personalities. Brown Bear is neurotic and anxiety-ridden. Icy has the heart of a lion; he’s a risk-taker, a daredevil, even though he’s a rather small polar bear. Snowy is the Garfield of teddy bears; constantly ordering pizza, driving the car without permission, turning down the thermostat, and throwing parties when we’re away.
Snowy the (stuffed) polar bear
Snowy
Brown Bear and Icy, stuffed animals
Brown Bear and Icy at my monitor
FIRST SUCCESS: When I was in fifth grade, my poem, “Science is a Wonderful Thing,” was displayed at the Elementary Science Fair. I was hooked by the notoriety. I wrote a lot of poems after that. Most of them bad.
Photo of Carol WilliamsCarol Williams
FIRST CRITIC: I ran into my first snag as a writer in 9th grade. I wrote romance novels starring me and my friends. My English teacher used to confiscate them. But my mother stuck up for me at the parent-teacher conference. My teacher said, “Does Cinda write those…(gasp) stories at home?” And my mother said, “I would think that any English teacher would encourage that kind of creative activity.”
MY HERO: Which is one reason my mother is my hero. Another is the fact that she always had books in the house. My choices in reading material were limited only by my interest and ability. She never saw danger between the covers of a book, only gateways into new worlds.
MY NAME: In fact, my name comes from a novel. When my mother was expecting me, she was reading a book called House Divided, about the Civil War. The heroine’s name was Cinda, and my mother liked both the character and the name, so she decided to name me after her.
"House Divided" book spine
BACK TO WRITING: After I left high school, I didn’t write for a long time. I worked my way through college; it seemed like I was always working and going to school. I came back to writing after my children were born. I started out writing about them. Like every other mother, I thought my children were the most fascinating beings on earth. When they got older, they were totally embarrassed. “You’re not going to put that in the paper, are you?”
Then one day, I sat down and started writing a novel. After lots of revisions, it became The Warrior Heir.
HOW DO YOU WRITE? I write headlong. Then I go back and clean up the mess. I follow my characters around to see what they’ll do. Sometimes they surprise me. This can lead to trouble and lots of revising, but that’s my method. No outlining, although I do like to have things roughed out in my head.
GREATEST WRITING CHALLENGES: Sometimes I become enthralled with a minor character and spend way too much time on her when she really deserves her own book.
I also have this problem with commas.
PEN OR KEYBOARD: I write on the computer. I can’t write by hand fast enough to keep up with my characters. I can type very fast, though. I used to type for a living. Sometimes I write dialogue in the car, speaking it aloud. That kind of thing can get you into trouble. I also write while lying in bed, imagining scenes on the insides of my eyelids.
FAMILY: I have two sons, Eric, now graduated from college and gainfully employed, and Keith, who is in graduate school. I am married to Rod, a rocket scientist.
Apollo, my African gray parrotApollo
PETS: We had an African Gray parrot named Apollo for 19 years. He could say lots of words and mimic lots of sounds, like a cabinet closing, zippers being zipped, and sirens on TV. Apollo died in May, 2011.
EDUCATION: In college, I changed majors a lot. Most of my majors had little chance of resulting in employment. So it took me a long time. I ended up with a degree in Philosophy. Later I went back for a Master’s in Nutrition.
PROFESSIONAL: I worked in advertising for a long time, typing ad copy. That’s how I became a fast typist. After I went back to school, I worked as a dietitian for a long time, then taught nutrition and dietetics at the University of Akron. I also wrote a nutrition column for the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
OTHER INTERESTS: I write constantly. When I have time, I like to garden and cook. I am a handweaver and spinner, and I have a large loom in the loft. I used to do a lot of genealogy, but my writing has kind of shoved that aside.
FAVORITE THINGS
Food: I love popcorn, fresh Ohio sweet corn and tomatoes, homemade cookies, ice cream, grilled vegetables with basil, pot stickers.
Vacations: I love relaxing beach vacations. Give me a view of the water and I’m there.
Holidays: I love Christmas and the Fourth of July
Graveyards: I love graveyards. They are full of stories. One time I went to Boston for a meeting and I made my friend go to the Granary Graveyard with me. I was oohing and aahing over the grave markers, and she said, “Wow, Cinda, put you in a cemetery and you’re ecstatic.”
Baby picture of Linda and Cinda Williams
Linda and Cinda Williams
MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW: I have a twin sister, Linda. We used to be in a folk music band.
ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE ABOUT MYSELF IS: I would like to be taller. And I would like to be better at remembering names (that’s two things.)
I HAVE A WEAKNESS FOR: chips and salsa and flashy clothes
ADVICE FOR WRITERS: Don’t be a writer unless you have to. That’s how you know.
Cinda Williams Chima
USA flag (b.1952)
Chima is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University and the University of Akron. Chima is an active member of the Society for Childrens Book Writers and Illustrators and the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. She has been a workshop leader, panelist, and speaker at writing conferences, including the Northern Ohio SCBWI Conference, the Western Reserve Writers Conference, and the World Fantasy Convention. She frequently speaks to young writers and readers at schools and libraries nationwide.
Chima lives in Ohio with her family.
Genres: Young Adult Fantasy
Series
Heir Chronicles
1. The Warrior Heir (2006)
2. The Wizard Heir (2007)
3. The Dragon Heir (2008)
4. The Enchanter Heir (2013)
5. The Sorcerer Heir (2014)
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Seven Realms
1. The Demon King (2009)
2. The Exiled Queen (2010)
3. The Gray Wolf Throne (2011)
4. The Crimson Crown (2012)
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Shattered Realms
1. Flamecaster (2016)
2. Shadowcaster (2017)
3. Stormcaster (2018)
4. Deathcaster (2019)
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Runestone Saga
1. Children of Ragnarok (2022)
2. The Bane of Asgard (2024)
Cinda Williams Chima
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Cinda Williams Chima
Born 1952 (age 72–73)
Springfield, Ohio, U.S.
Occupation Novelist
Language English
Education Master's degree in Nutrition
Alma mater University of Akron (BA)
Genre Young adult and fantasy
Notable works The Heir Chronicles and The Seven Realms Series
Spouse Rod Chima
Children 2
Website
www.cindachima.com
Cinda Williams Chima (born 1952) is a New York Times bestselling author of young adult fantasy, best known for The Heir Chronicles, The Seven Realms and The Shattered Realm series.
Her Heir Chronicles young adult contemporary fantasy series was originally published by Hyperion from 2006 to 2008, with two more installments in 2013 and 2014. Her young adult high fantasy series Seven Realms was published between 2009 and 2012, and a sequel series, Shattered Realms, set in the same world only generation later, was published between 2016 and 2019. She is currently in the middle of another series, The Runstone Saga, the first book of which, Children of Ragnarok, was published in 2022.
Early life
Cinda Williams was born in Springfield, Ohio in 1952. She began writing in high school before stopping to focus instead on college. She has a twin, Linda. Her fortune-telling grandmother and the Celtic magical beliefs in her native Jackson County heavily influenced her writing. She graduated from the University of Akron in 1975 with a BA in Philosophy, and in 1981 received a post-baccalaureate in Nutrition. She received her master's degree in Nutrition from Case Western Reserve University in 1984.[1]
Career
Prior to becoming a novelist, Chima was a clinical dietitian and filled several clinical management and leadership roles at the Cleveland Clinic and The MetroHealth System in Cleveland, where she directed the Clinical Nutrition Department and established the Diabetes Self-Management Program. Chima was also a freelance contributor to The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, Ohio) and other local and regional publications, focusing on health-related topics and personal essays about family life.[1]
From 2004–2009, she was an assistant professor of nutrition at the University of Akron before leaving to write full-time.[1]
When her sons were in their teens, she began writing again. Her efforts ended up becoming The Warrior Heir.[2] While she was shopping around The Warrior Heir, she began a high fantasy series for adults called Star-Marked Warder. The series was never finished because the Heir Chronicles were picked up for publication, but the world of Star-Marked Warder was adapted for Chima's young adult high fantasy series Seven Realms (set a generation before) and Shattered Realms (refocusing the story on teenagers).[3]
Awards and honors
Chima's books have received starred reviews in Kirkus Reviews and VOYA, among others. They have been named Booksense and Indie Next picks, an International Reading Association Young Adult Choice, a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age, to the Kirkus Best YA list, and the VOYA Editors' Choice, Best Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror, and Perfect Tens lists.[1]
She was a recipient of the 2008 Lit Award for Fiction from the Cleveland Lit and was named a Cleveland Magazine Interesting Person 2009. She has been active in the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) for more than five years.[1]
Bibliography
The Heir Chronicles
Main article: The Heir Chronicles
The Warrior Heir (2006)
The Wizard Heir (2007)
The Dragon Heir (2008)
The Enchanter Heir (2013)
The Sorcerer Heir (2014)
The Seven Realms
Main article: The Seven Realms
The Demon King (2009)
The Exiled Queen (2010)
The Gray Wolf Throne (2011)
The Crimson Crown (2012)
The Shattered Realms
Flamecaster (2016)
Shadowcaster (2017)
Stormcaster (2018)
Deathcaster (2019)
The Runestone Saga
Children of Ragnarok (2022)
Bane of Asgard (2024)
Personal life
She lives in Ohio with her husband, rocket scientist Rod Chima, and two sons Eric and Keith.[4]
Interview With Cinda Williams Chima (The Runestone Saga: Bane of Asgard)
October 25, 2024No Comments
Written by Cherokee Crum, Blog Manager and Staff Reviewer
Posted in Authors, Interviews, News & Updates
Today we are very excited to share an interview with Author Cinda Williams Chima (Bane of Asgard)!
Meet the Author: Cinda Williams Chima
Cinda Williams Chima is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who writes fantasy for teens of all ages. In addition to the Runestone Saga, her critically acclaimed work includes the Heir Chronicles and the Seven Realms series. She lives in Asheville, North Carolina, and she is always working on her next novel. Find out more at cindachima.com.
Website * Instagram * Facebook * X
About the Book: The Runestone Saga: Bane of Asgard
The highly anticipated sequel in the acclaimed Runestone Saga from New York Times bestselling author Cinda Williams Chima—with more adventure, mystery, and plot twists than ever before!
Reunited in New Jotunheim, Reginn, Eiric and Liv discover that they are game pieces being played on a hidden board. Eiric’s slaughter of the old council has opened Tyra’s path to power—she now has the perfect excuse to launch a war against the Archipelago. Tyra is also using her dottir, Liv, as a vehicle to raise a dangerous goddess. And Reginn is tasked with crossing the boundary between the living and the dead to gain access to powerful magical secrets.
With Reginn’s help, Eiric escapes prison and returns home to find his brodir and warn the Archipelago of the impending attack. Meanwhile, she remains at the Grove to try to prevent the outbreak of war. Soon, though, Reginn learns her true role in this game: use her power to raise the dead to ensure victory for New Jotunheim. The demon Asger Eldr tells her that she alone can prevent another Ragnarok. But how?
Back in the Archipelago, Eiric agrees to join the king’s forces, though that means taking up arms against his systir, Liv, and Reginn, the spinner who has ensnared his heart. For perhaps the first time in his life, he dreads the coming fight.
As the two sides prepare for an apocalyptic battle, Eiric, Reginn, and Liv find allies and enemies in unexpected places and draw on new strengths as they seek to prevent the destruction of the last of the Nine Worlds.
Amazon * B&N
~Author Chat~
YABC: How was writing the sequel different from the first book?
Writing a sequel can be challenging for a pantser like me. When the plot takes an unexpected turn, or a character reveals hidden agendas, there are times that I wish I could go back and make small changes in Book 1 that foreshadow these events. Short of pasting sticky notes into published books, there’s no getting around what’s in print.
On the other hand, in a sequel, the groundwork is laid when it comes to character and place and conflict. There’s the opportunity for accelerated action on the page, without the clutter of description and narrative and world-building that can slow things down.
YABC: How has the NC flooding impacted the release tour of this book?
The greatest effect has been the cancellation of my hybrid launch event at Malaprops in Asheville, with my friend Nora Carpenter and me in conversation. I’m working out a plan with the store to get preorders signed and out to readers as quickly as possible. Travel in and out of western North Carolina has also been impacted. I am so lucky, however, that my house is still standing, considering so many people lost everything in a place that was thought to be a haven from the most strenuous effects of climate change.
YABC: What research did you do to write this book?
Many people assume that fantasy writing doesn’t require much research, since it’s mostly hand-waving and magic. Not true! Even in secondary world fantasy, such as the Seven Realms, it’s important to get the details right with regard to weapons, castle architecture, horse husbandry, and the like. That convinces the reader that they are in good hands.
The Runestone Saga is my first series since the Heir Chronicles (set in Ohio) to take place in a real place (Viking-age Scandinavia.) I knew Ohio pretty well—even speak the language–but this latest series required considerable research.
The Vikings were dealt a hard hand, but they were survivors. In Viking age Scandinavia, it was too cold to grow wheat, so the primary grain was barley. It was too cold to grow grapes, so mead (made from honey) and wines made from tree fruit were most common. One of their greatest accomplishments was in their ships—light, shallow-draft vessels that could both stand up to heavy seas on the blue ocean and yet could sail far up shallow rivers to target prosperous European towns and cities. First, they raided, and, then, they conquered and settled in present-day England, Ireland, the Scottish Isles, and France.
As I read original sources and their derivations, I became aware of a profound tension in Norse mythology between the pantheon of Norse gods and the practice of sorcery, which was seen as the province of women. Even Odin, who learned the practice of magic from the Vanir gods, came under criticism (mostly from Loki) for being unmanly.
In the poem Voluspa, the sorceress Gullveig visited Asgard, where the gods were so threatened by her practice of seidr—sorcery—that they stabbed her and burned her three times, yet still failed to kill her.
Which raises a question–what happened to Gullveig? Is it possible that she might have survived the calamity of Ragnarok—and be out for revenge? It was said that she brought delight to evil women. That’s a story starter if I ever saw one.
YABC: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I began writing in third grade. It was the first thing I did in school that didn’t get me into trouble. I never stopped. It was just something I needed to do. It took me a long time to realize that it might be possible to make a living at it. Though fiction was my first love, my first published work, other than scientific papers, was newspaper articles and personal essays. It wasn’t until my sons were in their teens that I began reading young adult lit. I thought, wouldn’t it be cool if I could write something that they might enjoy reading? So I began to write The Warrior Heir, about a high school boy in Ohio who discovers that he is among the last of a guild of magical warriors. Bane of Asgard is my fifteenth novel.
YABC: How do you keep your ‘voice’ true to the age category you are writing within?
To be honest, I don’t work very hard at it. The Heir Chronicles was my only contemporary fantasy series. At that time I had two actual teenage boys living in my home. I’ve always tried to stay away from popular culture or of-the-moment slang, because it changes so quickly.
One advantage in writing high fantasy is that, in that world, adolescents are basically adults, dealing with adult threats and challenges, getting into adult kinds of trouble. Nobody speaks Old Norse in the present day, so it is unlikely anyone will challenge my use of Viking slang. What is most important in writing books that young adults enjoy is centering them in the story, so that they are the engines of the conflict and resolution. It’s also important to honor the reader by telling them the truth, as you know it. Teens have highly-developed BS detectors.
YABC: What type of scene do you love to write the most?
My favorite scenes involve conflict, because characters change in the crucible of conflict. Conflict is the engine of story, whether it has to do with relationships, power, or warfare. Conflict begins when a character wants something, and I put obstacles in their way.
YABC: What word do you have trouble overusing?
My greatest challenge is coming up with physical business to replace dialogue tags. Suddenly, all of my characters are raking back their hair or narrowing their eyes or rubbing their chins.
YABC: What is your favorite writing space?
Any place that I can see or hear the water.
YABC: What other age group would you consider writing for?
My books are marketed as young adult lit, but, in truth, I write the kinds of books I love to read. When you think about it, in classic adult fantasy, the protagonist is often an adolescent when he comes into power. Certainly, the notion of writing for adults is tempting, simply because it takes gatekeepers out of the picture.
I also love middle grade, because that is the golden age of reading. My first Heir Chronicles books danced along that borderline. In middle grade, books change lives.
YABC: What’s up next for you?
I’ve been playing with a young adult/adult dystopian romance for some time. It remains to be seen whether it comes together in the end.
Title: The Runestone Saga: Bane of Asgard
Author: Cinda Williams Chima
Release Date: October 22, 2024
Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books
Genre: Young Adult
Age Range: 13-17
Q&A: Cinda Williams Chima, Author of ‘Bane of Asgard’
Elise Dumpleton·Writers Corner·October 22, 2024·4 min read
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We chat with author Cinda Williams Chima about Bane of Asgard, which is the highly anticipated sequel in the acclaimed Runestone Saga with more adventure, mystery, and plot twists than ever before!
Hi, Cinda! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I was born and raised in Ohio. My first paying job at sixteen was taking classified ads over the phone for the local newspaper. Eventually, I moved on to editing advertising copy. In the process I became a lightning-fast keyboarder and honed my spelling and grammar skills while working my way through college. Great prep for a writer. My first degree was in philosophy, where I learned to evaluate arguments and make good decisions. One of those decisions was to go back to school in nutrition so that I could get a job. I worked in health care for years, taught at university and wrote scientific papers and newspaper articles on health and nutrition topics. I began writing fantasy novels for teens when I had two actual teens living in my home. My message: nothing is wasted. All of these experiences have made me a better writer. These days I’m a full time writer, living and dreaming in the mountains of North Carolina.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I wasn’t a strong student to begin with. It was my love of reading that saved me from failure. I started writing poetry in third grade. It was the first thing I did in school that I didn’t get in trouble for. I’ve never stopped reading and writing since.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
The first book you ever remember reading: Old Yeller. It’s probably not the first book I read, but it was the one that stuck with me. Never, ever, kill the dog.
The one that made you want to become an author: A mosh pit of fantasy. I loved Game of Thrones because, while it was fantasy, it was really about politics and people behaving badly.
The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Demon Copperhead right now. Loved seeing what Kingsolver did with the David Copperfield story, set in Appalachia, where my roots are.
Bane of Asgard is the second installment in your Runestone Saga and it’s out October 22nd 2024! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Vikings
Sorcery
Swordplay
Romance
Vengeance
For readers who haven’t picked up the first book, Children of Ragnarok, can you tell us a bit about it?
The foundational stories of Norse mythology end with Ragnarok, the calamatous end of the war between the gods and the jotun, the forces of chaos. Which made me think, then what? What was left, and, more importantly, who was left? I envision Midgard after Ragnarok as a kind of Mos Isley Cantina—where the remnants of the original nine worlds—demigods, demons, issvagr (ice wolves) trolls, and humans–compete for survival. And I thought, we’ve been told the gods of Asgard and their allies were the heroes in the last battle. What if they weren’t? What if the jotun and their allies are plotting revenge—and, this time, they mean to win? Follow sixteen-year-old coaster Eiric Halvorsen, his sister Liv, and runecaster Reginn Eiklund as they navigate the dangerous aftermath of the end of the world.
Now, what can readers expect in the sequel?
In Bane of Asgard, Eiric, Liv, and Reggin have been thrust into the heart of the coming conflict, where Reginn’s ability to raise the dead makes her the linchpin of the jotun revenge. Meanwhile, Eiric forms an uneasy alliance with an ambitious jarl in an effort to save his homeland, even if it means going to war against his sister and the spellsinger who has captured his heart.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring further?
Minor characters often ambush me with their insistence on taking center stage. One of those is Eiric’s younger brother Ivar, whose role grew as the story progressed. (I mean, in the first draft he died in chapter three.) I also have an affinity for antagonists, including the fire demon Asger Eldr, Reginn’s master and principal tormentor. He, too, reveals multiple layers and motivations as the story goes on.
See also
Hollie Overton The Runaway Author Interview
Interview: Hollie Overton, Author of ‘The Runaway’
What’s your process when it comes to planning and writing a new book?
I wish I did more planning, I really do. My books are born of characters, crises, and chaos. It’s a wonder they ever make it to market. I usually begin with a character who wants something, and then I begin putting obstacles in his way. I continue with a series of ‘What if?s” forging unanticipated linkages among characters as the cast grows. It’s not a pretty process.
What’s next for you?
I always hate it when authors say they are working on a super secret project, but I am working on a super secret project because it’s a departure from what I have been doing and I don’t know if it will work out. If it doesn’t, I don’t want people asking me about it years from now.
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed so far this year and are there any that you can’t wait to get your hands on?
Loved Jeff Zentner’s debut adult novel, Colton Gentry’s Third Act, Erin Bow’s Simon Sort of Says, Nora Carpenter’s Fault Lines, Victoria Schwab’s Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. Looking forward to reading Mary Pearson’s The Courting of Bristol Keats.
Chima, Cinda Williams THE RUNESTONE SAGA Harper/HarperCollins (Teen None) $19.99 10, 22 ISBN: 9780063018730
The second book in the Runestone Saga further explores the forces of greed and ambition.
Blond, blue-eyed Eiric, imprisoned in magical New Jotunheim for killing its council of elders, finds an ally in copper-skinned Reginn, who has "hair like spun gold and copper." She's now counselor to ambitious, powerful spinner Tyra, the mother of Liv, Eiric's half sister. Tyra wants to wage war on Asgard, the land that Eiric comes from, and she convinces Liv (who as Heidin has been elevated to the status of a god) to build an army. With Reginn's help, Eiric escapes and sails back to Asgard, both to warn Rikhard, the jarl, and to keep a bargain he made with him. In Asgard, he finds that he's actually been gone for about a decade, although he only spent six months in New Jotunheim. While he was away, Rikhard has become king, and Asgard seems more prosperous under his rule. Meanwhile, as Reginn calls up an army of the dead to fight against Asgard, she's forced to choose between Eiric and her queen. The chapters in this densely plotted story, which contains betrayal, violence, Norse mythology, and magical beings galore, as well as a healthy dose of romance, largely alternate between Eiric's and Reginn's points of view. As the plot lines unspool, nothing is as it appears, and readers will be kept guessing until the very end.
Suspenseful, deeply drawn, and action-packed. (map)(Fantasy. 13-18)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Chima, Cinda Williams: THE RUNESTONE SAGA." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Nov. 2024. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A815560364/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=97402f9b. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
FICTION Bane of Asgard by Cinda Williams Chima HarperCollins. (Runestone Saga: Bk. 2). Oct. 2024. 640p. Tr $19.99. ISBN 9780063018730.COPY ISBN Gr 8 Up–Eiric, Reginn, and Liv have been reunited in New Jotunheim after the events of Children of Ragnarok where Eiric killed the counsel and has provided Tyra, a wyrdspinner and Liv’s mother, the perfect excuse to go to war with Asgard. Reginn has become an advisor to Tyra, while Liv, who is also Eiric’s half-sister, has been raised to godhood with dangerous consequences. Reginn helps Eiric escape and head back to Asgard to warn the jarl, but upon arriving he discovers that the months he spent in New Jotunheim were nearly 10 years in Asgard. After all her work crossing between the worlds of the living and the dead, her fire demon makes it clear: Reginn must choose between her love for Eiric and her queen, because only she can stop Ragnarok. Chima crafts a propulsive narrative primarily in Eiric and Reginn’s points of view, with some input from other characters to raise the stakes. The twists and turns will leave readers breathless as the characters edge ever closer to the apocalypse. Despite the multidimensional cast of flawed and inspiring characters, some of the interpersonal relationships falter as the plot drives relentlessly forward. Many of Eiric’s relationships, in particular his romance with Reginn, don’t have the emotional resonance readers might expect. Main cast is cued white, with additional diversity in secondary characters. VERDICT A satisfying conclusion to a complex duology; recommended for collections that have the first installment. Reviewed by Emmy Neal , Dec 13, 2024