A few months back, Karen Mahoney emailed us with the news that her Critique Partner and friend Chandra Rooney was coming out with her debut book, a novelization of the popular Tarot Cafe manhwa. Would we be game to read a genre we previously had little to no experience in?
Never ones to back down from a challenge, we agreed–and thus, the story of how we came in touch with the wonderful Chandra Rooney! We ended up enjoying The Wild Hunt, and had to have her over for an interview and giveaway (details on the giveaway at the end of the interview).
Without further ado, we give you Chandra!
The Book Smugglers: Hi Chandra, thanks for agreeing to the interview. It is great to have you here.
Chandra: Thanks so much for having me.
The Book Smugglers: Your novel Tarot Café – The Wild Hunt was released on Jan 6th and it made the thirteenth (as of Jan 10th) place on Amazon.com’s ‘Bestselling New & Future Releases in Occult’. Congratulations, you must be delighted.
Chandra: Thank you! Yes, I was so excited on when it broke the top ten and was at #8 on January 8. Not that I obsessively checked its ranking last week or anything.
The Book Smugglers: Tarot Café – The Wild Hunt is a novel that is a companion to the 7 volume manhwa (Korean comic) Tarot Café by Sang Sun Park. Whose idea was it to have a novel in the same world and how did you come to be the writer? Were you a fan of the series?
Chandra: I would imagine it was TOKYOPOP’s idea. Specifically? Perhaps Jenna Winterberg, the editor that I worked with, but I can’t say for certain. I wasn’t approached until after they had Park on board.
In early September of 2007 I received an email from Jenna after she’d found my blog stating that they were looking to hire writers for various prose projects. The writing samples on my blog got my foot in the door, but they understandably weren’t enough to secure the deal. I offered the short story that had been published in On Spec magazine, and then did a sample chapter and outline adapting The Fairy vignette from volume two.
That remains one of my favorite vignettes in the series—and I remember thinking that it was one of the few in the first two volumes that had the potential for expansion. All of the others seemed complete.
I became a fan through working on the novel. Hopefully, I’ll be forgiven for coming late to the series, as we worked very hard to create something the fans would enjoy.
The Book Smugglers: Did you work with Sang Sun Park at all? Did she have to approve your work before hand?
Chandra: My interaction with Park was limited and through several channels—my editor, a translator, and Park’s representative. We asked her several questions about the comic series, and she provided answers. She had approval over the outline and a sample chapter. From what I was told, her comments were minimal because she trusted we were going to do things right.
The Book Smugglers: The Tarot Café- The Wild Hunt has a mixture of new and old characters. Old characters like Pamela and Belus who were the protagonists in the Manhwa are not your creation. Was it hard to find a balance between old and new and to write characters that were not yours? Did you find it limiting?
Chandra: Limiting isn’t quite the right term for it. I agreed to the project because it involved working outside of my comfort zone, but the existing world and characters would create a safety net of sorts. When I got too focused on NEW!SHINY! Jenna would remind me that we had to ensure Pamela and the other characters were involved and playing important roles, even if they didn’t get as much screen time.
The largest concern when you’re working with another person’s creative property is how to be respectful of the source material. I think Robert Shearman described it as finding the beating heart of the series. Fortunately, we were able to ask Park what she specifically wanted to see and she said “betrayal.” [smile] I think we’ve more than delivered our fair share of that in The Wild Hunt.
The Book Smugglers: The novel is categorized as a “Light Novel” – which is the Japanese equivalent of YA…but with illustrations. Did you have to follow any set conventions whilst writing The Wild Hunt?
Chandra: The comic rather establishes all the conventions—tone, genre, etc. Without giving away too much about the novel, I did feel that we should have been able to establish in-text that our boy Jack was bisexual. To me nothing more than a bromance can evolve between two heterosexual males, because they are heterosexual. Apparently stating explicitly that a character is bisexual and establishing a believable threat that a successful seduction can occur violates the rules of the shonen ai (boy love) genre.
That’s really the only convention that I found myself knocking fists with, but it’s a tie-in so you have to do what existing series has established as the rules for the world.
The Book Smugglers: The book and the series have a Tarot Reader as the main character and Tarot itself play a major role in the series and the books. Did you have to learn Tarot to be able to connect the cards to the events in the novel?
Chandra: Part of why I was approached is that Jenna noticed my blog profile stated I was an amateur Tarot reader. Nowhere near as proficient as our Kaz, mind you. The spread that features in the novel is the actual spread done for Bryn before I started plotting the outline. We had basic ideas in place, but the majority of the story evolved from the story the cards told us.
The Book Smugglers: The series Tarot Cafe uses a lot of old myths and legends – from the paranormal to the religious and historical. Similarly in your novel you use The Wild Hunt – a folk myth present in Europe especially in the Middle Ages. Were you familiar with the myth before the novel? Are you a studious of mythology and folklore?
Chandra: I was vaguely familiar with the myth—and I wanted to work with it, but I had never really been able to conceive of a full-length novel concept involving the hunt and I wanted to do more than just a short story. (If that makes sense.) The length of the light novel format presented the perfect opportunity, and Jenna had previous experience working with a novel focused on the myth.
I’m a folklore and history junkie! I think if you read anything I write, you’ll see that I fixate on what we believe and how we involve the divine in our lives—as well as the every day role of stories. Both our personal and cultural mythology and how that shapes who we are and how we view the world.
The Book Smugglers: Are you aware of any plans to translate the novel into Korean and market it over there as well??
Chandra: Not to my knowledge, which of course doesn’t limit the possibility of it happening. Fingers-crossed, yeah?
The Book Smugglers: The Wild Hunt is now done, what comes next? Another book in the Tarot Cafe universe, perhaps? Or do you have anything else on the go?
Chandra: I have two personal projects on the go. One is an adult mythic realism series adapting Japanese fox and western fae lore in a contemporary Canadian setting. Closer in scope to Charles De Lint’s Newford tales than Neil Gaiman’s American Gods. The first book, THE TALE OF ARIAKE, is out on submission.
The other project is a yet-to-be-titled young adult series. Most of the time I refer to it as “the Valentine thing.” It evolved from a reaction to the careful attention to realistic contemporary settings for both THE TALE OF ARIAKE and The Wild Hunt. So the Valentine Thing is far-future speculative mashing up magic and science.
The influences for it are largely the manic tone and adventurous plots of the new Doctor Who series with various reoccurring fantasy and technological elements of anime and manga. Which is a mildly pretentious way of saying no one time travels but there is a great deal of running and CLAMP-like magic circles. Plus a handsome young god with a baseball bat fighting gas-mask wearing monsters that come out of mirrors and kidnap the main protagonist’s best friend.
The Book Smugglers: Who, or what, are some of your influences as an author? Who are your favorite authors? Do you have a genre of choice?
Chandra: I have always read speculative (sci-fi /fantasy), but I also read a lot of mysteries growing up as well as horror and thrillers. I’ve also lived as an ex-pat in both Japan and the United States, and that experience has had a tremendous impact on the kinds of characters and stories that I write.
Some of my biggest author influences have been Joss Whedon, William Gibson, Neil Gaiman, and Charles de Lint. Japanese comic writers like Nobuhiro Watsuki, CLAMP, Yukiru Sugisaki, and Sakura Kinoshita. Recent authors like Rachel Vincent, Vicki Pettersson, Marie Brennan and Melissa Marr, as well as television shows like Reaper, the new Doctor Who, Supernatural, Fringe and Pushing Daisies.
I want to like Heroes. I really do, but it nuked the fridge around the second episode of this season and not even the redemptive Syler arc could save it.
The Book Smugglers: If you were stranded on a desert island, what five books would you bring with you?
Chandra:
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
The Scent of Shadows by Vicki Pettersson
Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan
Spirits in the Wires by Charles de Lint
The Book Smugglers: We Book Smugglers are faced with constant threats and criticisms from our dear significant others concerning the sheer volume of books we purchase and read—hence, we have resorted to ‘smuggling books’ home to escape any scrutinizing eyes. Have you ever had to resort to smuggling books?
Chandra: [laughs] No, I own surprisingly few books in comparison to most authors. There was a time when I’d read whatever I could get my hands on, but in recent years I’ve found I don’t have as much time for it. Thus, I tend to be a very picky reader—a book has to do a lot and has to do it well to earn a permanent place on my shelf.
But if we’re talking about guilty pleasure books…I have a weakness for Jeaniene Frost’s vampporn—I mean, Night Huntress series.
The Book Smugglers: Thank you again for your time and we wish you all the best!
Chandra: You’re welcome, and the very best to you as well.
Chandra Rooney can’t remember exactly when she got her first Tarot deck, but she can remember she wrote her first short story in grade five. In the years since, she’s graduated from high school, been an English teacher in Japan, studied both fine arts and design, and worked as a freelance graphic designer in Los Angeles. Presently, she’s probably writing. When she has her cards read, she likes to use the Queen of Wands as her signifier.
Follow Chandra online at her blogs Dreaming In Red and Good Karma Reviews.
Want more? Check out the Six Shooter Interview with Chandra over at Urban Fantasy Land, Fantasy & Sci-Fi Lovin’ Blog, and Temple Library Reviews.
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And that’s not all (In our best “As Seen On TV!” voice)! We are giving away ONE COPY of The Tarot Cafe – The Wild Hunt!
To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment. The contest is open to everyone and will run until Sunday Jan. 18 at noon (PST). Our sorting hat, aka RANDOM.ORG, will impartially select the lucky winner.
Good luck!
67 Comments
Karen Mahoney
January 16, 2009 at 12:52 amThis isn’t a contest entry, just wanted to say how much I enjoyed the interview. Really interesting & fun! Well done Chan, and thanks again to Ana & Thea. 🙂
Virginia Hendricks
January 16, 2009 at 4:51 amWhat a great interview! I really can’t wait to read this book!
katayoun
January 16, 2009 at 5:23 ama great interview, and i would love to be in
katiebabs
January 16, 2009 at 5:35 amThe cover for The Tarot Cafe is great!
Anonymous
January 16, 2009 at 7:53 amThis book seems so amazing. I really can not wait until I can sit down and read it. 😀 😀 😀
kirstin
January 16, 2009 at 7:54 amI can not wait to read this book. It just seems amazing! 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀
azteclady
January 16, 2009 at 8:03 am*raising hand* Please, ladies, count me in!
I don’t know any more about Manga or manhwa than what you ladies have posted, so it would be truly venturing beyond my comfort zone to read The Wild Hunt 😀
Chandra
January 16, 2009 at 9:39 amThanks again, Ana and Thea. You girls have been so wonderful this week!
Carolyn G
January 16, 2009 at 9:59 amGreat interview. The book looks very interesting!! Thanks.
Deirdre
January 16, 2009 at 10:51 amI too find I read less when I’m writing, not due to lack of interest, just simple time constraints. (Of course, I want to do more of both, so count me in on this contest.)
Danielle
January 16, 2009 at 1:41 pmooohh, not really a fan of manga, but the book looks interesting…
Kris
January 16, 2009 at 3:47 pmA great interview, Chandra, and thanks for an interesting week of manga, Ana and Thea. It’s been really good to have the spotlight on this genre.
Casey
January 16, 2009 at 7:45 pmAh that was an interesting interview. I might actually pick up this book considering I’ve been getting more into novels lately since I can’t afford to buy too many manga (and I’m running out of space!) Thanks~ ^^
Chantal
January 16, 2009 at 8:10 pmGreat interview! I hope I win! And good luck to everyone!
Tahir Raines
January 16, 2009 at 8:13 pmI love Tarot Cafe’. My sister first bought it(now the whole series) and I started reading it and was surprised to find out I really like it. Thanx for creating the series! You made my life 13x(fave number)better! 😀
Samantha Watt
January 16, 2009 at 8:23 pmMy friend and I were looking up manga that we thought we would like and this was one of them! We love Tarot Cards and gothic stuff like this. So when we actually read the books, we fell in love instantly!
It makes me a little sad that there were only 7 volumes but still…at least it had a end in sight and we didn’t have to buy like 12 billion of them like most series!
We loved it, and can’t wait for more!
Emily Capella
January 16, 2009 at 8:28 pmWow, beautiful artwork for the cover. Can’t wait to see the inside! 😀
Daniel B. Grisso
January 16, 2009 at 8:36 pmi like the art work on the cover i cant wait to read it.:D 😀
Sabrina Kozsey
January 16, 2009 at 8:43 pmthis sounds like a great book and I love the interview. I can’t wait to read the book!
Allan-Hatai
January 16, 2009 at 8:50 pmIt sounds really interesting… We’ll have to see what happens.
Pa-sta Lee
January 16, 2009 at 9:25 pmWoo it seems interesting! 😮
The interview was pretty good also.
When I first saw the title it just captured me because it looked good!
Anyways thanks for the nice info. 😀
Kimberly B.
January 16, 2009 at 9:56 pmThis sounds like a terrific book! I am also a history and folklore buff, so it’s right up my alley!
Shari
January 16, 2009 at 10:34 pmI can’t wait to read this 🙂 Please enter me in the contest!
Caterina R.
January 16, 2009 at 11:09 pmWow this is so cool…I can’t wait to read the book!
Terri W.
January 16, 2009 at 11:12 pmWow what a great interview! I love reading manga and this definately a book I would love to read.
Please enter me in the contest!
Thanks!
Brittney Lake
January 17, 2009 at 12:50 am*raises hand also* “ohhhh-ohhhhh, cont me in tooooo, pretty pretty please!” I loved the interview and the cover of the book, im hoping to get it monday, at the book store with my birthday money! 😀
Margay
January 17, 2009 at 3:40 amI’ve never read anything manga or manga-based, but this one looks good. Please enter me.
Margay
Debby
January 17, 2009 at 4:24 amI am new to Tarot but love my cards so much already. Your book looks fantastic. I hope I win.
Meredith S.
January 17, 2009 at 4:55 amHow interesting! I love The Tarot Cafe manhwa series, and it’s great to hear that there’s a Light Novel for it! I love reading novel tie-ins or novelizations.
*crosses fingers* Let’s hope I can win a copy and read for myself; Rooney’s writing sounds awesome!
Caitlin
January 17, 2009 at 5:58 amThat interview was by far the most entertaining that I have read in a long time. Chandra Rooney’s book The Tarot Cafe, seems extraordinarily entertaining to read. I would love to win a copy of that for myself so that I could write a great review for it. I never seem to win any contests though, maybe this time my luck will be changed!
Dionythicus
January 17, 2009 at 9:19 amI’m in love with the manga and can’t wait to get my hands on the new book!I may even do some fanart myself.
Kari
January 17, 2009 at 9:41 amoooh!!! kool!!! I loe the Tarot Cafe! That was an awesome interview! Hope I win!
Rachele
January 17, 2009 at 11:38 amI love reading Tarot Cafe so much. I preorder the new volume the second i read the one i’ve just bought. They are so fantastic not to mention it’s spooky becuase my mum is a tarot reader and called Pam. Weird.
I love them soooo much. Keep writting please. Woop!
Hugs to everyone.
Alana Dennis
January 17, 2009 at 11:42 amQuite fascinating, I can’t wait to read it! Spectacular cover as well…
Brooke
January 17, 2009 at 11:53 amI know they say don’t judge a book by it’s cover, but DANG! that one is SWEET! 8)
Karen Kincy
January 17, 2009 at 11:58 amLove the interview, and dropping my name into the contest entry hat. 🙂
Amanda Williams
January 17, 2009 at 12:10 pmI really love the manga and I cant wait to read the novel! 😀
Stacie V
January 17, 2009 at 12:16 pmI would love to be entered!
Ruchelle
January 17, 2009 at 12:24 pmBrilliant work, its a novel that is a must-have in every book shelf! That way I can read it. ^_^
Jo Ly
January 17, 2009 at 12:25 pmI can’t wait to read it! I’ve already finished some of the Tarot Cafe manhwa and would like to read the novel crossover 😀
hagelrat
January 17, 2009 at 2:16 pmjust in time. I’d like to be considered for this contest please. 😀
Angela Wu
January 17, 2009 at 2:36 pmAwesome! I didn’t know there was a Tarot Cafe novel. I also have a Tarot deck and its quite interesting to use it when you want to see what awaits you in the future. Of course, its all for fun. I read all the Tarot Cafe manwhas and I simply loved it! The concept of using the Tarot cards is cleverly done as it foreshadows the events in the story. The art work is so handsome and drawn in great details. I admire Sang Sun Park’s work and her in depth imagination. Check out her other work called Ark’s Angels. Anyway, I can’t wait to read the novel. Yay! 😀
savannah
January 17, 2009 at 3:04 pmCongratulations chandra rooney! on your book its sound really great.I would love to read this manga.Kept up the good work and am sure you’ll go far where ever your writing takes you 😉
Carol
January 17, 2009 at 3:05 pmLove the manga and looking forward to the book!
Winnie
January 17, 2009 at 5:06 pmYeah!! I can’t wait to read it!!
Gossamyr
January 17, 2009 at 5:23 pmI cannot WAIT for the novel to come out! I LOVE Sang-Sun Park and both series The Tarot Cafe and Les Bijoux. This will be awesome when it comes out! ^.^
Nami
January 17, 2009 at 7:05 pmI can’t wait to read the novel ^.^ I loved the manga and am still in the process of collecting them for my collection. 😀 Im really excited about the novel.
Jennifer
January 17, 2009 at 8:13 pmThis was a great interview! The Tarot Cafe is one of my favorite mangas, I can’t wait to read the book! 😀 😀 😀
roxii
January 17, 2009 at 9:49 pmwow, i’m so glad they’re coming out with a tarot cafe novel…i’d wanted to read more after the 7th book came out…I actually like the side stories better…
Debby
January 18, 2009 at 3:34 amThis book looks fantastic. tarot, myth legend are all things I absolutely love. I have added t his to my list.
Kathy Moon
January 18, 2009 at 10:08 amI want to read the book (and enter the contest)!
Lisa Trevethan
January 18, 2009 at 10:23 amI’m throwing my hat in. This sounds awesome and I totally love what you guys have done with the place.
Lisa T.
BellaVida
January 18, 2009 at 10:32 amOh I’ve been eyeing this book for sometime. I hope I get lucky.
Thea
January 18, 2009 at 2:07 pmThanks for all the entries, folks! The contest is now closed (but feel free to continue to praise/ask questions of Chandra )
Ellie
January 18, 2009 at 4:24 pmThat sucks that I missed the dealine. I wasn’t even aware of the contest until now. TT.TT
I’ve only managed to read a few volumes of The Tarot Cafe, but it’s really cool. It’s quite interesting, and has a unique underlying plot. 😛
M. Chung
January 19, 2009 at 11:30 amGreat article and absolutely love the art work on the cover!
Lin
January 19, 2009 at 12:42 pmOh…missed the deadline. Tarot Cafe was pretty cool…the art was more interesting than the plot though. Sad, sad, sad…
Srirupa
January 20, 2009 at 10:55 amThe cover looks great! Makes me feel intrigued =)
Maria S.
January 21, 2009 at 9:30 amKool. Love the cover.
Kira
January 21, 2009 at 9:38 amGreat interview! Sounds interesting.
Nana
January 21, 2009 at 4:19 pmWow i really like your book but the thing about the vampire confused me
Chantel
January 28, 2009 at 2:54 pmThe tarot cafe is one of my favorite series. I like all the characters and the way they act with each other
MangaBlog » Blog Archive » Bonus weekend post
March 1, 2009 at 6:03 am[…] covers romance and speculative fiction and had a couple of interesting articles, including this interview with Chandra Rooney, the writer of the Tarot Cafe novel. I’m putting some of their reviews in […]
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