The Young World Builder: A Q&A with Lynette Noni

She might have had an isolated outback upbringing, but LYNETTE NONI believes that it was the vast, sparsely populated spaces made her a storyteller. The author of a YA fantasy series, Lynette talks with us about building worlds, why she would never want to visit the world of ‘The Hunger Games’, and her new book, Draekora: The Medoran Chronicles 3.

The Medoran Chronicles kick off when your main character, Alex Jennings, steps through a door into a bizarre new world. How did Alex first come to form as a character, and how has she developed or changed over the course of three books?

Something I wanted from the very beginning was a character who is real. Just your normal, everyday teenager who is suddenly thrust into this grand adventure – someone readers can relate to. Before Alex lands in Medora, she’s never had any real friends and she lacks the social development that comes with such relationships. She’s unsure of herself, she’s unsure of this new place she’s in, she’s unsure of everything. But over the course of the books, Alex grows and matures as the burdens of responsibility fall on her shoulders; she is, after all, the only person who that stands between the survival and destruction of the entire human race living in Medora. And instead of cowering at the prospect of such a huge task, she steps into it with her new-found friends by her side. This continues over all five books – the themes of adversity and courage in the face of overwhelming odds. And with each new challenge that Alex overcomes – or doesn’t – she grows a little more into the person she was always meant to become.

What is this strange place that Alex gets cast in to? How did you go about imagining the rules and limits of a completely different world?

Medora is purely a fantasy world, but it’s described as a kind of parallel Earth. This means that similar rules and limitations apply, such as a stable environment , weather systems and seasons and so on. Where it differs – vastly – is that it is at once both archaic and advanced in terms of everything from medicine to weaponry to travel and everyday lifestyle conveniences. The science and technology is beyond anything Alex has ever experienced on Earth, but on the other hand her school curriculum includes ancient practices like archery, combat and equestrian skills. The juxtaposition between both old and new is something Alex herself struggles to understand – especially when the sentient library of legend is added to the mix (a library that talks to her and opens doorways to incredible new places). 

Do we learn anything more about Medora in Draekora?

The world building in this series is similar to what Shrek says about ogres being like onions – they have layers. So with each new instalment of The Medoran Chronicles, readers can expect every aspect of the world, story and characters to grow. This is particularly true in Draekora, where Alex becomes separated from her friends and is stranded in a place where nothing is as it should be, and she has to learn the rules of the world all over again – and new rules too.

In what ways did growing up on an outback farm influence you as a storyteller?

Only my first seven years were spent living on a farm, but those seven years were fundamental to the development of who I am today. The isolation meant there was a strong emphasis on relationships between family and friends. It’s because of this that I write characters who have strong friendship bonds – friends who are like family.

My mother, a teacher originally from Sydney, was concerned that the isolation might impede the intellectual and creative development of my brother and me, so every night she had us telling stories before bed. She claims that from about the age of three, I waxed lyrical about princes and princesses and magical worlds, while my brother (two years older) would offer one sentence and then fall asleep with me still going on and on (and on) in the background. Nothing has really changed.

What insights did you get from majoring in human behaviour at university? Have you used them in your writing?

I think the best insights that were offered were those of looking deeper into what makes a person a person (as odd as that might sound). Some of my subjects had names like ‘Connecting With The Human Story’ and ‘Understanding Humanness’, and in studying such topics I gained a greater understanding of the complexities of people from different walks of life. So I feel that my major has really helped to contribute to the character development in my stories, keeping my characters real, regardless of the role they play, and also keeping them in character while allowing them to grow naturally over the course of the series.

Of all the fantasy worlds you encountered in books when you were younger, which do you feel the most nostalgic about?

I will probably always be nostalgic about ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’ by CS Lewis. Whenever I re-read the series, it never fails to speak to me in some way, whether just as a fun escape or on a deeper allegorical level.

‘Harry Potter’, too, was such a huge part of my life during my teenage years, so I’ll always have fond nostalgic feelings when thinking about The Boy Who Lived. At age 14 when I first started reading the books or when I reach age 90, I solemnly swear J.K. Rowling was right when she said, ‘The stories we love best do live in us forever. So, whether you come back by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home.’

Which fantasy world would you choose to live in?

This changes daily depending on which book or series I’ve most recently fallen in love with. (The only exception being Panem, since I don’t ever want to visit, let alone live in, the world of ‘The Hunger Games’!) But if I absolutely had to pick one fantasy world to live in, it would have to be one that means I get to visit Hogwarts. The magic and wonder of the Harry Potter world is something I will forever want to experience.

Why do you think readers are so attracted to the unfamiliar settings of fantasy worlds?

The beauty of these worlds and these stories is the escapism they offer. Real life is difficult; people need a break from time to time, an opportunity to step into fictional shoes and go on adventures with characters as if walking the journey themselves. This escapism gives readers a chance to leave behind the problems they might be facing in reality for a little while. And, hopefully, if they’re reading the right book, they can be fortified and emboldened by the end of the journey enough so that they’re ready to face real life again – at least until it’s time for the next book.

Draekora: The Medoran Chronicles 3 by Lynette Noni is published by Pantera Press, rrp $19.99.