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WORK TITLE: Torn
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.rowennamiller.com/
CITY:
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born in IN; married; children: two girls.
EDUCATION:Master’s degree.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer and educator. Taught and tutored writing in colleges and universities.
AVOCATIONS:Historical reenactments.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Rowenna Miller grew up in the American Midwest and earned a master’s degree in English film and literature. She has worked as a writing teacher and tutor. A history buff, Miller is also a historical reenactor and seamstress. She specializes in the late eighteenth century. Miller is a fantasy writer whose works are inspired by her interest in the history of ordinary people. Commenting on her parents, who fostered her desire to explore the countryside where she grew up and her longtime fascination with history, Miller noted in an interview for the Qwillery website: “Between being encouraged to explore and then exploring history with the eye of a bibliophile—there are stories everywhere, and that is probably the strongest guide in my writing.”
In her debut fantasy novel, Torn, Miller writes about a seamstress who can weave magic charms into clothing and gets caught up in a political uprising. In her interview for the Qwillery website, Miller noted that she was inspired to write the novel during research into caracos, a popular woman’s jacket style from the mid-eighteenth to the early nineteenth centuries. Miller remarked in the Qwillery interview: “As I was digging into a set of fashion plates, I realized that they were produced in the years leading up to and during the French Revolution—and found myself wondering, if a seamstress could influence the outcome of major world events, how would she?”
In Torn, Miller introduces readers to Sophie Balstrade, a seamstress living in Galitha City. Despite coming from a commoner background, Sophie is very successful, partly due to the magic she weaves into her fashions so favored by the Galatine elite. When sentiments arise against the monarchy, a class war seems inevitable. Unable to stay out of the fray, Sophie finds herself being blackmailed to take part in an assassination attempt.
Sophie has always refused to use her magic to do harm. She has tried to stay out of the political turmoil; but her brother, Kristos, is heading a movement to gain rights and a better life for the poor. Still, if she becomes involved, she fears that she will lose her elite customers who allow her to support both herself and her brother. Torn is the first book in the proposed “The Unraveled Kingdom” trilogy.
“The different factions, ethnicities, and background details of life are clearly and carefully portrayed,” wrote a Publishers Weekly contributor. A Kirkus Reviews contributor called Torn “a well-executed historical fantasy debut whose author has a sharp eye for detail.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Kirkus Reviews, February 15, 2018, review of Torn.
Publishers Weekly, February 12, 2018, review of Torn, p. 62.
ONLINE
My Life My Books My Escape, https://mylifemybooksmyescape.wordpress.com/ (March 20, 2018), “Author Interview: Rowenna Miller.”
Qwillery, http://qwillery.blogspot.com/ (March 21, 2018), “Interview with Rowenna Miller, Author of Torn.”
Rowenna Miller website, http://www.rowennamiller.com (June 27, 2018).
A bit about me...
These are a few of my favorite things...
1) Fall. And spring. And snow. But I think, in the end, fall. And hiking!
2) Hand sewing and swing dancing
3) Casablanca, Last of the Mohicans, and The Mole People
4) The Princess Bride, Suite Francaise, and Mrs. Dalloway
5) Garamond
I'm Midwestern born and raised, and it turns out you can't take the Indiana out of the girl. I have a Master's in English Film and Literature because I can't shut up about stories, and have taught and tutored writing in college and university settings.
I write fantasy shamelessly inspired by my love of history, especially the history of ordinary people. My work is represented by Jessica Sinsheimer.
I'm also a historical reenactor and seamstress, specializing in the late eighteenth century, and enjoy the smell of woodsmoke and the rustle of silk taffeta more than I care to admit.
I live in the Midwest with my husband, two girls, and two demanding and adorable cats. I know, you're just here for pictures of the cats.
Wednesday, March 21, 2018
Interview with Rowenna Miller, author of Torn
Please welcome Rowenna Miller to The Qwillery as part of the 2018 Debut Author Challenge Interviews. Torn was published on March 20th by Orbit.
TQ: Welcome to The Qwillery. What is the first fiction piece you remember writing?
Rowenna: I was probably about four or five and couldn’t actually write on my own yet, so I dictated a story to my mom and then illustrated it. I think it was about ponies. I’m sorry, Mom.
TQ: Are you a plotter, a pantser or a hybrid?
Rowenna: Somewhere in between. I know where the story is heading, the basic plot points, and, probably most importantly for me, the major conflicts, themes, and character developments. I usually write a couple of guiding documents for myself—a short summary (like a book jacket blurb) that distills the main arc of the novel (who wants what, what’s in their way, what complicates their plans) and a longer synopsis that hits the major plot points and how the characters intersect and develop. If I can write both of those, I know I have a dynamic and productive enough idea that there’s a book there, but I’m pretty open to surprises.
TQ: What is the most challenging thing for you about writing?
Rowenna: Right now, just carving out enough time! I have two small children and, just in case anyone hasn’t told you, kids keep you kinda busy, especially when one is a baby. I don’t say “finding time,” because if you wait to find it, you never will, but scheduling enough time while still staying flexible and able to drop everything for a writing sprint if I do happen to discover a free half hour is a challenge. At the same time, writing is my happy place, so it’s worth it.
TQ: What has influenced / influences your writing?
Rowenna: As a kid, I read a ton—the Prydain Chronicles, Tamora Pierce, The Chronicles of Narnia—but I also explored a lot. I was lucky to grow up in the country with trees and hills and permissive parents who didn’t limit my exploration of our little slice of forest…or the neighbors’. I also was (and remain) fascinated by history, and love digging into the history of more ordinary people—women’s history, the lives of marginalized people, military history (not the generals or the campaigns but the average soldier). Between being encouraged to explore and then exploring history with the eye of a bibliophile—there are stories everywhere, and that is probably the strongest guide in my writing.
TQ: Describe Torn in 140 characters or less.
Rowenna: As revolution threatens her city, a magic-wielding seamstress must choose between family and ambition.
TQ: Tell us something about Torn that is not found in the book description.
Rowenna: Sophie has a lot to lose, as revolution threatens her business just as it’s begun to take off. As the story opens, she develops a professional relationship that grows into friendship with a very influential noble, who (along with giving her business some nice commissions) invites her to take part in her exclusive salon. The concept of a gathering place to discuss ideas was based on the historical practice from the Enlightenment. It’s like book club on steroids meets those late night talks in your college dorm’s common room, and the most interesting part (to me) is that the development of salons in eighteenth century France was heavily influenced by women, who hosted and guided conversation at these gatherings.
TQ: You've created an innovative magic system. Please tell us about it.
Rowenna: The magical system in Torn is not widely practiced in the culture it occupies, and what’s more, isn’t widely respected, partially because, in the nation Sophie lives, it’s a practice imported by immigrants. In it, practitioners can imbue physical items with charms for good fortune (or, as Sophie is adamant about avoiding, curses for bad luck). However, it’s not terribly powerful magic as practiced by most casters, and it’s considered by the majority of the people to be a superstition. (It’s very loosely inspired by ancient Roman curse tablets.)
TQ: What inspired you to write Torn? What appeals to you about writing Fantasy?
Rowenna: I am a historical costumer and living history nerd, and was researching late eighteenth century jackets called “caraco.” It’s a really interesting time, sartorially speaking, and we have many fashion plates and extant garments that survive to study and learn from. As I was digging into a set of fashion plates, I realized that they were produced in the years leading up to and during the French Revolution—and found myself wondering, if a seamstress could influence the outcome of major world events, how would she? I think that’s what appeals to me about writing fantasy—that “what if?” question, and the ability to think about the “real world” through a different lens.
TQ: In Torn who was the easiest character to write and why? The hardest and why?
Rowenna: Sophie and Kristos (sister and brother), especially the two of them together, were probably the easiest to write. Creating their characters and their interpersonal conflict happened in tandem and developed very organically. Quite a few central character traits emerged and were refined by writing their arguments! Oddly, one of the hardest things for me with this project was managing the “background characters”—the other charmcasters Sophie knows, her shop assistants, the nobles she meets. Secondary and tertiary characters are important, and it was important to me that they feel like real people, which is difficult to do when they only appear for short sections of text!
TQ: Why have you chosen to include or not chosen to include social issues in Torn?
Rowenna: The major conflict in the novel is a proletariat revolt, so social issues were a given! The system that Kristos and his peers are fighting against is clearly unjust, placing economic and legal power solely in the hands of the nobility. However, it was important to me to write a story with more nuance than the good guys fighting the evil empire. The nobles aren’t entirely blind to their privileged place in the system, but many honestly believe that they are using their wealth and power to benefit everyone. Even Sophie benefits from this system in many ways. The concept of “good” people still benefiting from and contributing to an unjust system felt very relevant to me right now. It’s uncomfortable, but I wanted to write something a little uncomfortable.
TQ: Please tell us about the cover for Torn.
Rowenna: I was totally surprised and blown away by the cover! The artists at Orbit created a gorgeous and evocative image—a silhouette in sewing needles that suggests mounting danger. Love it.
TQ: Which question about Torn do you wish someone would ask? Ask it and answer it!
Rowenna: Though “historical accuracy” in sewing arts is central to the book, are there inaccuracies?
YES! There are several small liberties taken, particularly that styles of gowns overlap one anther here in ways they didn’t historically, at least not fashionably so. The biggest deliberate inaccuracy for me was that I didn’t want this world to have a whaling industry. Whalebone (baleen) was widely used to build corsets in the eighteenth century (and whale oil and ambergris were major commodities, too), but hey, it’s my world, I got to create it, and whaling just makes me sad, so nope. So any place whalebone might be used, I imagined a lightweight metal (not accurate) substitute. This barely shows up in the text—a court gown is described as having metal in the foundation garments—but it was important to me.
TQ: Give us one or two of your favorite non-spoilery quotes from Torn.
Rowenna:
“There was a feeling, too, that welled within me when the process was working just right. A kind of deep-seated happiness, simple but complete, like the feeling that came with seeing a baby laugh or smelling fresh-baked apple pie or hearing soft rainfall on the roof. And though I was tired—and hungry—after working on a charm for a few hours, I was calmly content.”
“A single crow worries no one, but a flock can strip a field. Revolution must take wing under an entire flock, not one or two voices alone.”
TQ: What's next?
Rowenna: I’m hard at work on Torn’s sequel! More political intrigue, charmed silk, and difficult decisions on the way!
TQ: Thank you for joining us at The Qwillery.
Rowenna: Thanks so much for having me!
AUTHOR INTERVIEW: ROWENNA MILLER
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Today I am interviewing Rowenna Miller, author of the new fantasy novel, Torn, first book in The Unraveled Kingdom trilogy.
◊ ◊ ◊
DJ: Hey, Rowenna! Thanks for agreeing to do this interview!
For readers who aren’t familiar with you, could you tell us a little about yourself?
Rowenna Miller: I’m a novelist, living historian, and mom of two from Indiana, and have been a stationer, college administration lackey, and college writing teacher and tutor. I have my Master’s in English—Film and Literature—and I currently use this to annoy people who watch movies with me.
DJ: What is Torn about?
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Rowenna: The story follows a seamstress whose business is built on a traditional magic practice from her immigrant family—she stitches good luck charms into couture. Her business is blooming, but political unrest in her city is growing, spearheaded by her idealistic brother. As it becomes clear that revolt is likely, her attempts to remain neutral will be challenged.
DJ: What were some of your influences Torn and the series?
Rowenna: One of my hobbies is living history and historical sewing, so my real-world experience with needles, thread, and draping fabric show up in the story. In developing the plotline of political upheaval, the history of eighteenth- and nineteenth century revolutions, riots, and reforms was a major influence—not just our American Revolution, but the messier French Revolution and the fear of riots and subsequent reforms in England. How do the political elite deal with discontented citizens, and how do discontented citizens face political injustice? In a lot of different ways, it turns out.
DJ: Could you briefly tell us a little about your main characters? Do they have any cool quirks or habits, or any reason why readers with sympathize with them?
Rowenna: Sophie is a workaholic with understandable motivations of achieving economic stability for her family. Kristos is an idealist who sometimes forgets to pitch in at home because he’s too busy reading a fascinating political treatise. Theodor is a duke who is just becoming aware of his unjust privilege but also really likes botany.
DJ: What is the world and setting of The Unraveled Kingdom trilogy like?
Rowenna: The world of Torn is loosely inspired by late eighteenth century Europe, so fans of that particular period will find some familiarity there. The story unfolds in Galitha City, the capital of Galitha, a monarchy whose governance is by a noble elite. The city is fairly cosmopolitan, with active international trade and foreign nobility mingling and intermarrying with neighboring countries, and the lower class includes immigrants from the impoverished nation of Pellia, like Sophie. Long-standing stability, both economic and political, has highlighted the stagnation of the common people under an unjust system; broadsides and pamphlets fill the city’s taverns and coffee shops with debates and ideas. Despite a large cathedral dedicated to the Sacred Natures, most people are not overtly religious, and the role of religion, for most, is more traditional than active.
DJ: What was your favorite part about writing Torn?
Rowenna: It’s hard to pick a favorite! I enjoyed developing these characters and their relationships to one another, especially Sophie and Kristos’ sibling relationship. Writing about sewing was such a delight—translating the sound of silk to the page, or the kind of stitches one uses for each part of a project. And I really loved the ethical quandaries the characters found themselves in—each had competing motivations making “right and wrong” choices not so easy to discern.
DJ: What do you think readers will be talking about most once they finish it?
Rowenna: Without giving away any spoilers, Torn *is* the first in the series, and political change, historically, is rarely finished in one act. Revolution gives way to nation building; riots are quelled but unrest threatens until reforms are passed; factions fight for years, wresting control of a country from one side to the other. There are many variables, so however Torn’s political situation resolves—or doesn’t—I think readers will be wondering where the country will go next.
DJ: Did you have a particular goal when you began The Unraveled Kingdom trilogy? Torn is only the first book, but is there a particular message or meaning you are hoping to get across when readers finish it? Or is there perhaps a certain theme to the story?
Rowenna: I’ve always been interested in the choices of ordinary people during extraordinary times. Our narratives of revolution often focus on the ideals and ethics discussed at a high level—but people were still worried about their livelihoods, their families, their safety, what was for dinner…many concerns that we might identify with today. I wanted to explore the complexities of motivations and resist the impulse to simplify these choices, and to interrogate a bit those who are willing to simplify ideals to the point that they disregard the impact on the people around them.
DJ: When I read, I love to collect quotes – whether it be because they’re funny, foodie, or have a personal meaning to me. Do you have any favorite quotes from Torn that you can share with us?
Rowenna: There are some fun Easter eggs for history dorks in the novel, and one is the use of red caps by the revolutionaries as a wearable symbol—which is a nod to “liberty caps” used symbolically in the eighteenth-century revolutionary era. However, I think they’re kind of…awkward looking. Thus, as Sophie and Kristos discuss her sewing some caps some caps for them:
“Red wool caps.”
“I have a sketch.”
“Of course you do.” I took the paper. “These look ridiculous. You do realize that everyone in Galitha City…is going to think you’re wearing a phallus on your head, right?”
DJ: Now that Torn is released, what is next for you?
Rowenna: I’m busy working on the next book in the series!
DJ: Where can readers find out more about you?
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Rowenna-Miller
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRowennaMiller/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17086486.Rowenna_Miller
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/rowenna/
Twitter: @RowennaM
Website (with blog): rowennamiller.com
DJ: Before we go, what is that one thing you’d like readers to know about Torn and The Unraveled Kingdom trilogy that we haven’t talked about yet?
Rowenna: One element that I found myself exploring while writing is that Sophie is a woman in a fairly “traditional” culture in terms of gender roles. Even Sophie’s unique abilities of dressmaking and magic casting are, in her culture, from the women’s sphere. I love works that challenge typical fantasy tropes of a “male world,” but in this work I wanted to explore how women can effect change and make their mark in a male-dominated world. This probably comes from my love of history—sometimes it’s easy to forget that in any given period, the population was about 50% female J I love asking, “What were the women doing?”
DJ: Is there anything else you would like add?
Rowenna: You asked such great questions—I think Torn is fully covered!
DJ: Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to answer my questions!
Rowenna: Thanks for having me!
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Print Marked Items
Miller, Rowenna: TORN
Kirkus Reviews.
(Feb. 15, 2018):
COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Miller, Rowenna TORN Orbit (Adult Fiction) $15.99 3, 20 ISBN: 978-0-316-47862-5
In Miller's debut novel, political revolution threatens the livelihood--and the principles--of a seamstress who
sews enchanted clothes.
Sophie Balstrade has made a comfortable life for herself in Galitha City despite her common birth and her
descent from "backwater" Pellians. Her success as a seamstress is due to her hard work but also her magic:
Sophie innovatively combines the traditional charms of her people with the cosmopolitan fashions favored
by the Galatine upper crust. Though the demands of running her own business have isolated her from
everyone but her brother, Kristos, and her shop assistants, Sophie is happy chasing prosperity on her
terms...but her world is changing. Anti-monarchist sentiment simmers in the streets, the flames fanned by
poverty, frustration, and rival states. Even as Sophie's artistry draws royal eyes and earns her welcome into
the homes of the elite--and an introduction to dashing Duke Theodor--Kristos is leading a budding class
war. And in a war, no one gets to stay neutral. Good intentions lead to desperate measures, first by the
revolutionaries and then by Sophie herself, as she's blackmailed into joining an assassination attempt. The
murder plot threatens Sophie's newfound friendships and her ethics: She's never used her magic to harm
others, but now she has no choice. Can Sophie's ingenuity undo the dangerous thread tightening around the
throats of everyone she loves, or will there be a price to pay no matter which side she chooses? Strong
research, moral ambiguities, and an innovative magic system distinguish the story from similar offerings.
The off-screen resolution of a major confrontation is slightly disappointing, and Theodor is a little too
perfect a Prince Charming, but there's still plenty here to enjoy.
A well-executed historical fantasy debut whose author has a sharp eye for detail.
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Miller, Rowenna: TORN." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Feb. 2018. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A527248296/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=c14b3e56.
Accessed 4 June 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A527248296
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Torn
Publishers Weekly.
265.7 (Feb. 12, 2018): p62.
COPYRIGHT 2018 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Torn
Rowenna Miller. Orbit, $15.99 trade paper
(480p) ISBN 978-0-316-47862-5
Miller's disappointing fantasy debut, first of a series, sets an initially promising scene but doesn't live up to
it. Sophie Balstrade, a young business owner in class-stratified Galitha, must choose whether and how much
to support her brother, Kristos, who heads a rapidly growing movement of the working poor. Sophie is
reluctant to rock any boats for fear of losing the business that provides for her and Kristos--especially since
she is a charmcaster as well as a dressmaker, and her magic is unusual in Galitha. The different factions,
ethnicities, and background details of life are clearly and carefully portrayed, and Kristos and Sophie are
vibrant characters. However, the evenhanded treatment of class issues soon tips decidedly toward the
nobility. The nobles seen on the page are all well developed as characters, genuinely hardworking, and
devoted to everyone's best interests, while the leaders of the democracy movement are cardboard-cutout
villains. The humanity of Sophie's romance plot (with a noble in line for the throne) is a bright spot, but
readers excited by the thought of a fantasy novel about class struggle may be disappointed by this story's
implicit lean toward monarchism and apparent distaste for the messiness of revolution. Agent: Jessica
Sinsheimer, Sarah Jane Freymann Literary. (Mar.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Torn." Publishers Weekly, 12 Feb. 2018, p. 62. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A528615502/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=7d51b800.
Accessed 4 June 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A528615502