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ENTRY TYPE:
WORK TITLE: CLEMENTINE AND DANNY SAVE THE WORLD (AND EACH OTHER)
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://liviablackburne.com/
CITY: Los Angeles
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME: SATA 371
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born in Taiwan; immigrated to United States; married; has children.
EDUCATION:Harvard University, A.B.; Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Ph.D.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer.
RELIGION: Christian.WRITINGS
Also author of novella Poison Dance, Lion’s Quill Press, 2013. Author of a blog.
SIDELIGHTS
Born in Taiwan, Livia Blackburne grew up in New Mexico and studied biochemistry at Harvard University. Blackburne was working toward her Ph.D. in cognitive neuroscience at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology when she completed the manuscript for her first novel, Midnight Thief.
Blackburne actually started writing Midnight Thief while she was in high school as a way to avoid the mandatory camping requirement. “It turned out that you could propose your own project instead of camping,” she told Anne Caldwell in an interview for the American Booksellers Association website. “so I proposed to write a novel, and to my surprise, they accepted my proposal. I wrote about forty pages of a medieval fantasy in 10th grade, and then reworked it for my 12th-grade senior project, this time getting to sixty or eighty pages.” Fast-forward to graduate school, where Blackburn read a series of young-adult paranormal romance novels about a girl and a vegetarian vampire. The series “reminded me just how much I loved writing and YA literature,” she added. “So I took out my old character Kyra and built a novel around her.”
In Midnight Thief readers meet Kyra, a smart and daring thief of the Makvani bloodline who lives in a poor area of the royal city of Forge. Handsome Tristam of Brancel hails from greater affluence: he is a palace knight whose dream is to do road patrols and inherit his family’s forest manor. The two meet when Tristam catches Kyra attempting to break into the palace at the behest of the Assassin’s Guild. Although Kyra is sent to jail, they cross paths again when Tristam goes in search of the Demon Riders, mysterious and vicious shape-shifting warriors that have killed his best friend. Kyra and Tristam acknowledge their differences but recognize that their best chance at survival is to work together to fight their common enemy.
While Voice of Youth Advocates contributor Lauri J. Vaughan wrote that “much of Blackburne’s story is not new,” she dubbed Midnight Thief a “well executed” novel demonstrating that “Blackburne’s strong suit is her plotting, which moves along quickly.” “This page-turning debut answers immediate questions and provides satisfying character development,” wrote Hannah Farmer in her appraisal of Midnight Thief in School Library Journal.
Kyra and Tristram return in Daughter of Dusk, as the marauding Demon Riders continue to terrorize villages around Forge. While her romance with Tristram strengthens over time, she must keep her warrior tendencies in check while attempting to broker a peace with her foes. The discovery that she is also a shapeshifter further complicates Kyra’s relationship with her beloved, and it becomes difficult to conceal when she detects a surprise threat to the king.
Blackburne’s “textured, well-coordinated plot … leads to a decisive conclusion,” noted Anita L. Burkam in her Horn Book Guide appraisal of Daughter of Dusk, while in Voice of Youth Advocates, Jennifer Miskec praised the sequel as a tale set in a “complex realm” containing “battle scenes, shape-shifting, and plenty of magical otherworld rules.”
With her 2017 novel, Rosemarked, Blackburne launched another fantasy duology. The nomadic warrior, Dineas, and the healer from the countryside, Zivah, are thrown together to battle a pair of enemies. First is the rose plague and second is the Amparan army occupying their land. These two are both survivors of the rose plague. Zivah, seventeen, contracted the plague from the military occupying her village, while Dineas, eighteen, caught the disease shackled in an Amparan dungeon. Survivors of the plague are marked by a red mark and will probably not live more than a decade after the illness. Though from different peoples, Zivah and Dineas are sent to Sehar City by their respective groups to gather intelligence on the Amparan and find their weaknesses. And as they struggle to fulfill their mission, they also find a growing mutual attraction.
An online Publishers Weekly reviewer felt that the novel is “slow to start, but patient readers will be rewarded with an intricately choreographed conclusion and a high-stakes cliffhanger that sets up a sequel.” The reviewer also noted that “[a]rguments against prejudice share the page with questions of faith in the face of tragedy.” Online YA Books Central contributor Bethany Wicker was also impressed with Rosemarked, terming it a “very intriguing and unique story.” Wicker further commented: “I love seeing the two sides of Dineas (a broken one with memories that plague his nightmares and a happy one who’s playful). It shows us what Dineas might be like if he didn’t go through so much hardship. Zivah’s character is very strong and it made me admire her. Even though she is marked for death, she doesn’t let it make her weak or lose sight of what really matters.” Voice of Youth Advocates writer Rebecca Moore similarly commented: “Blackburne has created a wonderfully detailed world with nuanced characters and a leisurely plot still wrung through with tension and heartbreak. … Hand this series opener to teens who enjoy non-Western fantasy and complex romance.” Likewise, a Kirkus Reviews critic concluded: “[R]eaders will find the characters engaging, and they will have a sense of the intriguing tribal histories behind them. A dark tale filled with tension and secrets and lightened by two brave companions.”
The duology concludes with Umbertouched, in which the secret mission of Zivah and Dineas has failed. Though they have discovered a powerful secret, they cannot use it without proof. So now that they have been discovered as spies, they race for home before the Amparan armies destroy their people. But now Zivah and Dineas are somewhat at war themselves, divided by their cultures and allegiances. They love one another, but can this love overcome their divisions? Now the healer in Zivah and the warrior in Dineas must come to the fore to save their people and their love for each other. Reviewing Umbertouched in Voice of Youth Advocates, Amy Cummins noted: “Blackburne’s richly realized fantasy world is grounded in tangible, gritty details. Readers will feel like they are standing alongside Zivah and Dineas in their struggles, hearing the arrows whistle by and seeing the symptoms of the deadly plague.” Cummins further found this concluding volume both “surprising and memorable.” Wicker, again writing on the YA Books Central website, also had praise, commenting: “I absolutely love everything about this book. Not one complaint. The twists and turns it took had me on an exciting ride and I didn’t want it to stop! … I would recommend this to fans of fantasy, romance, action, war, politics, proving yourself, and stories with strong heroines who are strong even though their days are numbered.” In an interview in the online The Young Folks, Blackburne remarked on what she hopes readers will take away from this duology: “I’d love for them to come out full of feels for Zivah and Dineas! And beyond that, I hope they can ponder the gray areas of right and wrong, good and evil, self and other, and the question of what makes a good or full life. You know, the usual stuff.”
Blackburne turned her hand to the picture-book format in her 2021 work I Dream of Popo, with illustrations by Julia Kuo. This is the tale of a young girl who emigrates with her family from Taiwan and must leave behind her beloved grandmother, or popo. The young girl visits her popo in dreams of being rocked in her lap, of walking with her in the park and holding her hand, of getting a red envelope from her on New Year’s Day and eating sweet cakes together. Though separated by thousands of miles, the connection remains strong between the little girl and her beloved popo. In an author’s note at the end of the book, Blackburne explains how this story was inspired by her own life, immigrating to the United States from Taiwan when she was five and forced to leave behind her grandmother, and connecting only by phone every few weeks.
A Kirkus Reviews critic had praise for this picture book, noting: “Readers will connect with this visual story on various levels or learn something new; possibly both.” Online Bookpage contributor Deborah Hopkinson also had a high assessment of I Dream of Popo, lauding the “plainspoken yet evocative first-person narration,” and further noting that the book “balances the bittersweet experience of being separated from family with an affirmation of the enduring bond between grandmother and granddaughter.” Hopkinson concluded: “This is a lyrical and heartfelt tribute to the power of love across geography and generations.” An online Publishers Weekly writer similarly observed: “Steeped in personal history, this picture book from a Taiwanese American author-illustrator-editor team tenderly portrays the time zone-transcending love between a girl and her grandmother.” The reviewer added: “A richly nuanced narrative that illuminates the interstices of one family’s diasporic experience.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, July 1, 2014, Stacey Comfort, review of Midnight Thief, p. 81.
Horn Book, spring, 2015, Anita L. Burkam, review of Midnight Thief, p. 101; spring, 2016, Anita L. Burkam, review of Daughter of Dusk, p. 101.
Kirkus Reviews, May 15, 2014, review of Midnight Thief; August 1, 2017, review of Rosemarked; December 1, 2020, review of I Dream of Popo.
School Library Journal, May, 2014, Hannah Farmer, review of Midnight Thief, p. 124; December, 2015, Patricia Ann Owens, review of Daughter of Dusk, p. 78.
Voice of Youth Advocates, August, 2014, Lauri J. Vaughan, review of Midnight Thief, p. 78; October, 2015, Jennifer Miskec, review of Daughter of Dusk, p. 66; December, 2017, Rebecca Moore, review of Rosemarked, p. 65; February, 2019, Amy Cummins, review of Umbertouched, p. 65.
ONLINE
American Booksellers Association, http://www.bookweb.org/ (July 9, 2014), Anne Caldwell, author interview.
Bookpage, https://bookpage.com/ (January 7, 2021), Deborah Hopkinson, review of I Dream of Popo.
Livia Blackburne, http://liviablackburne.com (April 7, 2021).
Publishers Weekly, https://www.publishersweekly.com/ (September 18, 2017), review of Rosemarked; (November 25, 2020), review of I Dream of Popo.
Reading Asian American, https://readingasiam.wordpress.com/ (May 27, 2018), “Author Interview: Livia Blackburne.”
VOYA, http://voyamagazine.com/ (March 23, 2018), Timothy Horan, “Wouldn’t You Like to Know … Livia Blackburne.”
YA Books Central, https://www.yabookscentral.com/ (October 29, 2018), Bethany Wicker, review of Rosemarked; (November 5, 2018), Bethany Wicker, review of Umbertouched.
Young Folks, https://www.theyoungfolks.com/ (November 6, 2018), Lauren Wengrovitz, author interview.*
Livia Blackburne
New York Times best-selling author Livia Blackburne wrote her first novel while researching the neuroscience of reading at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Since then, she's switched to full time writing, which also involves getting into people's heads but without the help of a three tesla MRI scanner.
Genres: Young Adult Fantasy, Young Adult Romance
Series
Midnight Thief
0.5. Poison Dance (2013)
1. Midnight Thief (2014)
2. Daughter of Dusk (2015)
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Rosemarked
1. Rosemarked (2017)
2. Umbertouched (2018)
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Novels
Clementine and Danny Save the World (and Each Other) (2023)
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Picture Books
I Dream of Popo (2021)
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Novellas and Short Stories
Lord of Time (2014)
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Non fiction
From Words to Brain (2014)
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Series contributed to
Queen's Council
2. Feather and Flame (2021)
Official Bio:
If you’re here for my official author bio for book covers and event programs, check out my press kit. For something a bit more rambling, see below.
LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads
10 Things About Me:
I write fantasy. Most often YA fantasy, but sometimes I branch out.
I was born in Taiwan, raised in Albuquerque, and spent my twenties in Boston, where I earned an A.B. in Biochemical Sciences from Harvard and PhD in cognitive neuroscience from MIT.
I started my debut novel Midnight Thief in high school, because writing a novel was the only way I could get out of the mandatory camping requirement. I finished about 60 pages. They were 60 awful, awful pages.
I finished Midnight Thief 12 years later, because writing a novel was the only way I could keep my sanity while conducting my doctoral research. This time, I got to 370 pages, and they were much less awful than the initial 60.
After over 20 years of alopecia, I finally shaved my head in 2021. It took me a long time to get to that point, but now I wish I’d done it sooner.
Like every good Asian kid, I played the piano as a child. I don’t do that as much anymore, but I still love to sing and dance.
I’m horrible at any sports that involve fast moving projectiles, and I dislike most sports that involve highly repetitive movements (running, swimming, biking, etc.). This leaves basically dancing and martial arts.
When I wanted sweets as a child, my mother would give me one M&M. I thought that was normal, and to this day, have very low tolerance for sweets. One bite of chocolate bar, half a scoop of ice cream is about all I can take.
If I had to choose one author with the biggest influence on my reading and writing development, it would be Tamora Pierce.
Some of my favorite books: The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner, Plain Kate by Erin Bow, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch, The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater.
FAQ
Below you’ll find answers to some of my frequently asked questions.
My Books
What inspired you to start writing MIDNIGHT THIEF?
I talk about the story behind my first book here.
Will there be another book in the MIDNIGHT THIEF world after DAUGHTER OF DUSK?
Kyra’s story ends with Daughter of Dusk. However, I do have a partial draft of a spinoff novel telling the story of her parents. That project is currently on the back burner right now because my publisher has not picked it up, though I do plan to finish it and publish it at some point. If this is a book that you’d like to see, the best way to make it happen is to spread the word about the MIDNIGHT THIEF series. (Amazon reviews are especially helpful!) The better the series does, the more incentive my publisher (or another publisher) will take it on.
When is the release date for your next book?
Check my goodreads page for info on my future books. I try to keep it as up to date as I can.
On Writing/Publishing
I am a writer. Can you read my manuscript/help me with my project?
Unfortunately, I have my hands full with my current critique partners and writing projects. But I encourage you to find other writers and form your own critique partnership. SCBWI or another writer’s organization is a good place to start (it’s where I found my critique group).
What advice would you give to beginning writers?
Find a critique group or critique partners that you trust. Finishing a novel is a lot of work, and having that accountability is really helpful. Plus, the feedback is essential. Find critique partners who enjoy the genre you’re writing in and give you a good mix of positive and negative feedback. It also helps if you like their writing as well.
What advice would you give to querying writers?
Check out my blog post about writing queries and personalizing queries.
What was it like being a young writer in high school (and then in college!) How did you find time to balance writing with your doctoral studies later?
The nice thing about being a student is that there’s a lot of support for those who want to get better at their writing. I had many English teachers mentor me throughout high school, and I was able to get academic credit for projects I wanted to do. It did get hard for me as an undergraduate. I was a biochemistry major, and between problem sets and laps, I really didn’t get to do much writing at all. I think I could’ve made time for it if it had been a priority though. At that point in my life, I was totally focused on science. Graduate school was actually easier—once you stop taking classes, scheduling becomes much more flexible. It really depends on the lab and your adviser. I had a lot of work in my lab, but I still had evenings and parts of weekends to do my writing.
What made you switch from studying science to writing novels? How did you gain the confidence to make such a big career leap?
It started as a hobby, and a distraction from my research (which I highly recommend in graduate school. It’s important to have stuff going on in your life besides research in order to stay healthy psychologically). And though it seems like a big career leap, for me it felt more like a series of very gradual steps. First I started writing in my free time, then I got a critique group, then I steadily got more serious with my writing, and eventually got a book deal. All the while, I was doing science, and I gradually realized that writing was what I wanted to do. And the timing worked out pretty well for me. I sold my first book a few months before I needed to start looking for postdocs, so it gave me a little more confidence in deciding not to look for one. Also, on a very practical level, I got married at about that time, and my husband’s steady income made it safer financially for me to take on a risky endeavor like writing full time.
How do you compose your novels? Do you outline, or just dive straight in? How much time do you devote to writing per day?
I do a hybrid method. Usually, I sketch out key scenes just here and there, very quickly. It’s all out of order. Then I go in and fill in the scenes in between until I have a general idea of where the book is going. At that point, I usually have about one third of the book written, and I’ll start from the beginning again and write a cleaner draft. As for writing per day, I’d say I spend about 3 to 4 hours actually at the computer drafting. And then besides that, there’s marketing, email, reading, administrative stuff to do.
The road to publication is different for every author. How was your experience? Did you run into a lot of obstacles before achieving success?
Getting published was a lot less stressful for me than for many people. I was lucky. At the time when I was finishing up my novel, the self-publishing revolutionwas just starting. And looking at what Amanda Hocking and Barry Eisler had achieved, I had actually intended to self publish Midnight Thief. My writing group was very supportive, but they suggested that I queried some agents just to keep my options open. So I sent out a bunch of queries while doing a last round of edits, and to my surprise, I got offers pretty quickly. And talking to the agents, I realized that they had really good editorial input about my novel, and I decided that I’d be able to write a better book with a traditional publisher than I could by myself. So I signed with my agent, did one round of revision, and then sold it to Disney Hyperion fairly quickly after that.
What are your sources of inspiration?
My inspiration comes from everything. Sometimes there is a key moment or climactic scene that really grabs me. Otherwise, a situation our core conflict, accompanied by a strong emotion. In Midnight Thief, that was the moment of the big reveal that really spoke to me. In Poison Dance, it was the character of James, and wanting to explore how a hardened criminal like him could fall in love. For my short story Lord of Time, the inspiration was a very vivid dream about a priestess in training and a man in pain.
Do you have any special soundtracks or playlists that you listen to while writing?
I don’t listen to music at all while working. I find it too distracting 🙂
Me
If you didn’t write books, where do you think you would end up?
Well, I have a PhD in cognitive neuroscience, so I’d like to do something related to that. I’m more interested in application than pure research, so perhaps educational research.
Is writing your full time job?
In terms of hours spent, I’d say my full time job is being a mom, and writing is my part time job.
If you could, what author would you like to speak to?
Megan Whalen Turner writes brilliant books with complex plot twists and layered characters. I’d love to pick her brain.
What inspired you to write/illustrate, and when did you know you would become an author/illustrator?
I’ve always been a bookworm, and I’ve always wanted to write stories. I also attended a high school that required you to go on camping trips as a graduation requirement. After going on one of these trips, I decided that camping was definitely not my thing. So I took advantage of an infrequently used option to propose my own alternative project instead. Maybe I could write a novel instead of camping! To my surprise, the committee approved it, and I wrote about 40 pages of a YA fantasy in 10th grade. I wrote about 40 more pages of the novel as my senior project. The book was about a thief who discovered she had magical powers. It was about as badly written as most first novels are, but I had an insightful adviser who told me that the main character’s best friend Kyra was actually the most interesting character of the bunch.
As a good Asian student, I didn’t think pursuing writing as a profession was viable. So I went to Harvard to study biochemistry, and then worked toward my PhD in Brain and Cognitive Sciences at MIT. During those years I was really busy and hardly had any time to even read for fun, much less write. Fast forward to the middle of my grad school years, when I was waiting for the bus near Harvard Medical School. It was cold outside, so I went into the booktore to stay warm. There was a display there for a popular YA series at the time. (About a girl and her vampire boyfriend). I read the book, and then binged the series over the weekend. That reminded me just how much I used to love writing, so I decided to start writing again. I promised myself that I’d write and try to publish 7 books before giving up. For my first attempt, I went back to my high school novel and gave the best friend Kyra her own story. I ended up selling that book as my debut Midnight Thief, and it soon became clear that I was much better at writing than I was at neuroscience anyways. So I became a writer and never looked back.
New York Times bestselling author Livia Blackburne wrote her first novel while researching the neuroscience of reading at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Since then, she’s switched to full time writing, which also involves getting into people’s heads but without the help of a three tesla MRI scanner. Her books include Midnight Thief (An Indies Introduce New Voices selection), Feather and Flame, and Clementine and Danny Save the World (And Each other), as well as the picture book I Dream of Popo, which received three starred reviews and was on numerous Best of Year lists. She is Chinese American and lives in southern California with her husband and daughter.
Livia Blackburne on 'Feather and Flame,' Writing Mulan, and Arriving at the Forbidden Romance Angle
BY
MAGGIE LOVITT
PUBLISHED JUL 7, 2022
She also spoke about the historical research that went into creating the novel and revisiting the 'Mulan' movies.
livia-blackburne-interview-feature
In 1998, Disney introduced a new kind of heroine with Mulan. She brought honor to her family by defying the odds and enlisting in the Chinese military to keep her ailing father from being drafted into the war efforts. Over the past twenty-four years, there have been a lot of stories that have revisited this epic adventure, including Mulan II, the Mulan live-action, video games, and novels; including Livia Blackburne's riveting historical follow-up to Mulan's wartime heroics.
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Feather and Flame, the second novel in Disney's The Queen's Council series, begins after the dust has settled, and Mulan has returned home to her village to train a militia of brave female warriors. The peace is a welcome reprieve from war, but the tranquility comes to an abrupt end when Shang arrives with an invitation to the Imperial City to meet with the aging Emporer who has an unexpected proposition for her. Mulan must quickly ascend the halls of power and find her place in the midst of ministers that seek to undermine her and the Huns that intend to exploit the weakness of the throne. Will Mulan be able to uncover her true destiny? Feather and Flame blends the power of Mulan with fairytales and history to create an unforgettable read for any Disney lover.
During this one-on-one interview with Collider, Blackburne spoke about her historical research for the novel, rewatching Mulan II, how she arrived at the forbidden romance angle for Mulan and Shang, and which aspects of Mulan's personality were the most important to her when she was writing Feather and Flame.
General Li Shang Mulan
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Collider: First, I have to know: how many times did you rewatch Mulan during the writing process? And did you rewatch the direct-to-video classic Mulan II?
LIVIA BLACKBURNE: I think I only rewatched Mulan straight through once, though I did return pretty often to check specific details like the architecture of the Imperial City or the layout of Mulan’s house. The plot of the movie was pretty ingrained in my mind even before I got the job, so I didn’t have to check back much for refreshers on story. And yes, I did watch Mulan II for the first time, and there are a few nods to that movie in the book—the reference to the Emperor’s daughters, for example. But I didn’t take it as canon, which you’ll see quite quickly if you read Feather and Flame.
Let’s start at the beginning with the Queen’s Council series. How did you get brought onto the project, and how did you settle on writing this gorgeous tale for Mulan?
BLACKBURNE: The way it usually works is: Disney Books conceives of a series, and the editor (Jocelyn Davies in this case) hires individual writers for each book. For Feather and Flame, Jocelyn asks literary agents she knew for suggestions. My agent sent back a list of names, and Disney expressed further interest in working with me.
Then I had to audition. Disney sent me a two-page dossier with the historical context for the novel and a very rough description of where they wanted the plot to go. From there, I proposed two sample scenes, and then wrote them a 20 to 25-page excerpt. (The scenes were Mulan training with Shang in the middle of the night, and Mulan receiving foreign dignitaries as empress. A version of both scenes ended up in the final novel.)
After I came on board, I worked closely with Jocelyn to develop the story. We had a brainstorming session in which we came up with the major plot points. From there, Jocelyn drew up an outline, which we then passed back and forth until we were both happy.
How much creative freedom did you have when plotting for the novel? Were there any key aspects you had to stick to?
BLACKBURNE: I had a great deal of freedom. When I asked Jocelyn how much of the story was set in stone, she told me that basically nothing was. The only stipulation was that Mulan had to exercise political power, since that was the premise of the series. Even the dossier Disney gave me during my audition process was more of a brainstorm than a roadmap.
As far as things that I could or could not change, Disney was much more concerned with keeping the characters true, than with any plot specifics. I wasn’t allowed to name a character that hadn’t been named in the movies, for example. Also, Mulan had to act according to her personality. Beyond that, I could spin the tale however I wanted.
Your first novel happened while you were researching the neuroscience of reading, how much historical research went into the prep for Feather and Flame, especially since Mulan is one of only a few Disney princesses who actually existed in real life?
BLACKBURNE: The original dossier from Disney said that the time period for Mulan’s story spanned between 200 BC and 900 A.D, which is a pretty long time span. I took that to mean that I could draw on history to add color to the story, but I didn’t need to stick with any one particular dynasty or aim for 100% historical accuracy.
I did end up basing most of my world-building on the Tang Dynasty, which fell on the later end of that time range. All of the clothing in the novel, is based on that dynasty, as is the government structure. And the research really did add color to the world. For example, the five ministers of Mulan’s government included a Minister of Rites, which is a position I would never have conceived of by myself.
One of my favorite research areas had to do with real-life female warriors in China. Mulan is one of those half legendary/half real figures. She first appeared in an ancient poem, so it’s hard to know how much of her story is historical versus fable. However, there were quite a few historically documented warrior women in China, and I thought it would be awesome to write them into the book. So I delved into history and found a long list of amazing ladies. There was Fu Hao, who was a general over tens of thousands of troops. When she died, she was buried with weapons as befit her rank. There was an old lady who rallied the women of her city to build better fortifications against enemy attacks. There was a concubine who trained her fellow concubines in martial arts to create a concubine army. Really fascinating stuff, and without going into spoilers, I was quite proud of how I was able to fit them into the story.
Which aspects of Mulan did you feel like were the most important to carry over into Feather and Flame and to ultimately build on for her arc?
BLACKBURNE: I really admire Mulan’s selflessness and devotion to family and duty. The legend of Mulan is reflective of Chinese culture in that it centers on filial piety (respect for one’s parents), duty, and self-sacrifice. It was very important to me that we preserve that dimension of Mulan’s identity.
The kickass female warrior trope is pretty common these days in YA Fantasy. I’ve read and adored many of those books. In a western literary framework, those kickass girls often become warriors to pursue glory or self-actualization. They don’t feel like they fit in a traditional female role, so they go off and have adventures to be true to themselves. There’s nothing wrong with that. I’m just pointing out that this is the direction many Western coming-of-age stories take.
Mulan is different though. While her outward actions are similar to those other heroines in that she breaks societal expectations, her underlying motivation is to save her father’s life and uphold her family’s duty to the crown. Having said that though, I’ll also note that the Disney animated version of Mulan weaves quite a bit of the “being true to yourself” theme into the Mulan story, which is what you might expect for a Western retelling of a Chinese story.
Feather and Flame really impressed me because it’s filled with a lot of political intrigue and strategizing, which is not always expected in a Disney novel. Were there any other novels, or movies, that inspired you while writing these elements?
BLACKBURNE: I watched a lot of movies set in ancient China, which gave me a feel for palace politics and the way people in that culture thought, interacted, and conducted themselves. Hero, Legend of the Black Scorpion, Curse of the Golden Flower, the Chinese Mulan movie from 2013, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon… All great sources of inspiration.
I’m a romantic at heart, and that aspect is something I’ve really loved about these first two Queen’s Council novels. How did you arrive at the forbidden love angle for Mulan and Shang?
BLACKBURNE: I love the forbidden love trope. It’s second only to enemies-to-lovers in my book, so any chance I get to write forbidden love, I will try to fit it in. Beyond that, the love story makes a great deal of sense when you take into account the themes of duty vs. personal happiness that I mentioned earlier. Mulan and Shang are both the type of people who put duty above all else. Once Mulan becomes Empress, she has to take on certain responsibilities, and it’s not hard to imagine how that might play out and the agony it would foist on both of them.
There were a few new characters that were introduced in the novel. How do you develop characters that fit into a pre-existing world? Do they just arrive as you’re writing and outlining, or do you set out to create them?
BLACKBURNE: Without going into spoilers, there were some characters that had to be in the story because of the Queen’s Council mythology that permeates all the series. I also mentioned the historical woman warriors that I put in simply because they were awesome. Beyond that, I inserted characters as I needed them for the plot. Mulan needed friends and enemies, allies, and subjects, and I aimed to have a good mix of different types in my cast.
What do you hope that readers take away from Feather and Flame?
BLACKBURNE: It might sound cliché, but I want people to come away from this book remembering to believe in themselves. And I don’t mean that in a blind confidence kind of way. Mulan goes into her position as Empress with many very real disadvantages and weaknesses. She’s completely inexperienced in politics, and her fixation on her weaknesses ends up hamstringing her. However, as she continues on, Mulan learns that she shouldn’t let herself be overwhelmed by her shortcomings. It’s okay not to be perfect. It’s okay to need help. The secret is having the wisdom to accept help from the right people.
This message is really important to me, because women in our society to often struggle with self-confidence. There are all kinds of self-help books talking about the confidence gap between the sexes and how it puts women at a disadvantage. If I can do anything to help young women learn to believe in themselves in a realistic and self-compassionate way, it would mean a lot to me.
Are there any other Disney characters that you hope to write about someday?
BLACKBURNE: Such a hard question! I’ve always had a soft spot for the Big Hero Six crew. Do they count?
Feather and Flame (The Queen's Council #2) is on bookshelves now.
Blackburne, Livia CLEMENTINE AND DANNY SAVE THE WORLD (AND EACH OTHER) Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins (Teen None) $18.99 7, 18 ISBN: 9780063229891
Two internet enemies team up to try to save their Chinatown community.
Under the username Hibiscus, 18-year-old Clementine Chan runs Babble Tea, a blog with a loyal following in which she reviews local tea spots. Danny Mok, aka Bobaboy888, is not a fan, however. What Clementine intends to be helpful suggestions to modernize and remain competitive in a changing world, Danny reads as Whitewashing to suit the tastes of influencers and gentrifiers. Then, shocking news hits that a mega-corporation is angling to take over the Chinatown strip mall where Fragrant Leaves, Danny's family's teahouse, is situated, and editor-in-chief of the school paper Clementine connects with activist nonprofit Chinatown Cares. Usually one to avoid conflict, Danny decides to join this community organizing initiative against the property purchase. As the classmates get closer in real life, they continue to trade barbs online. What will happen to their burgeoning romance when they discover the truth behind their online personas? Through her protagonists, Blackburne explores idealism versus pragmatism--and the need for a little of both. Both teens have their judgments and preconceptions, but they ultimately have productive, eye-opening conversations. Through canvassing, tabling, helping plan a rally, and spending time together, the pair learn to use their voices in new ways. Gentrification is explored as Clementine considers her family's residence in a new, upscale Chinatown apartment building. Ruminations on online spaces, including the ease of fostering misunderstanding and volatility, make this a resonant read.
A charming rom-com with community at its heart. (Romance. 13-18)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Blackburne, Livia: CLEMENTINE AND DANNY SAVE THE WORLD (AND EACH OTHER)." Kirkus Reviews, 1 June 2023, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A751049978/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=d7f53cf7. Accessed 9 Nov. 2023.
Clementine and Danny Save the World (and Each Other)
Livia Blackburne. Quill Tree, $19.99 (336p) ISBN 978-0-06-322989-1
Blackburne (the Queen's Council series) delights with this Southern California--set enemies-to-lovers rom-com that tackles serious issues regarding gentrification and community. Classmates Clementine Chan, an anonymous tea blogger and student journalist, and Danny Mok, who's spent most of his life working at his family's tea shop, are barely on each other's radars at school. But their secret online personae have been disagreeing with each other for years over Clementine's reviews of local tea establishments and her opinions about social issues in their Chinatown community. When a large corporation buys out the plaza that houses Danny's family's shop, intending to redevelop, Clementine and Danny resolve to preserve the plaza with a student initiative. Even as the teens work together IRL, they continue to feud online. Initially lukewarm responses from the community, conflicting family and school obligations, and differing values create obstacles for Danny and Clementine, but their growing mutual understanding and attraction encourage them both to expand their perspectives. Opinionated and endearing main characters drive this slow-burning, nuanced read, in which Blackburne discusses the pervasiveness of misunderstandings through online communication, and the myriad interpretations of community development and advocacy. Most characters are of East Asian descent. Ages 12-up. Agent: Jim McCarthy, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. (July)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 PWxyz, LLC
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"Clementine and Danny Save the World (and Each Other)." Publishers Weekly, vol. 270, no. 22, 29 May 2023, p. 120. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A753088992/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=55de47c2. Accessed 9 Nov. 2023.
Blackburne, Livia FEATHER AND FLAME Disney-Hyperion (Teen None) $17.99 11, 9 ISBN: 978-1-368-04822-4
Mulan ascends to the role of empress and continues to fight against self-doubt and sexism.
After helping defeat the invading Hun army, Mulan has returned to her home village and formed an all-female militia. Her life is forever changed when the emperor unexpectedly announces that she will be his heir. Mulan struggles with balancing her prevailing sense of duty to China against the loss of a future of her own choosing. This internal conflict is compounded by her feelings of insecurity and unworthiness. The emperor's sudden passing thrusts Mulan into the role of empress far sooner than expected, and she faces challenges from the existing leadership and another potential war. With the aid of her ancestors and the Queen's Council--spirits of female warriors who came before her--Mulan begins to trust herself and her leadership abilities. Quickly paced and full of action, this fantasy adventure includes numerous fight scenes and battles. Mulan's empowering journey is believable and, while readers may not be in doubt of the ending, still satisfies. Familiar events from the animated movie are revisited, such as her romantic connection with fellow soldier Li Shang and her male alter ego disguise, Ping. The story highlights real ancient Chinese heroes, such as Fu Hao and Xun Guan, even as the initial premise of Mulan's being named heir is only possible in fiction.
Stays true to the Disney canon while adding depth and maturity. (Historical adventure. 12-18)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Blackburne, Livia: FEATHER AND FLAME." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Oct. 2021, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A677072738/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=71483a83. Accessed 9 Nov. 2023.