Taming the Queen of Beasts

GOODBYE TO THE BEASTS – Reader Q & A – Part 1: KING OF BEASTS

The following are questions asked of me in the lead up to the author live chats for the end of the Anima series on 15 May, 2022. These are the basic answers, but if you want more in-depth, you can go onto my YouTube channel "Author Aimee" and listen to the full live chat!Â

ANIMA WORLD:

Q. Janell asked: If you've never written shifters or werewolves before, what inspired such a full and complex world with a unique story of different shifters?

A: My editor suggested I try fantasy (in general.) I'd never written fantasy before, so I thought about what fantasy books I enjoy reading. I'm pretty picky. But I've always loved fantasies that get creative and build societies and cultures, and that use fantastical creatures that are intelligent.

I had two days to come up with an idea and the combination of animals and humanity inspired me (because I love animals.) Also, my favorite fantasy series (Sarah J. Maass's A Court of Thorns and Roses) has an entire Fae culture and society of dozens of different kinds. I knew I couldn't handle that. I didn't have time to build it.

As for the world of Anima… it's just the kind of place I wish I could live. Pure and simple.

Q. Why did you choose the animal tribes you wrote about?

A.  The absolute truth is that I came up with some animals that I either knew really well, so could use their body language and instincts because I was familiar with them, or animals that have reputations and symbolism around them that I felt like I could stereo-type their characteristics.

Q. Melissa asked: Do the Anima eat other animals? Even the ones who aren't predators?Â

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A. Yes, just like in the Animal world, those who eat meat, eat meat. They see "silent ones" (as in, normal animals" as animals just like carnivore people do. Though they have more respect for the animal's feelings and are very careful to be considerate. They don't really hunt for sport, though many of the predators enjoy hunting for food (and hides.) Nothing gets wasted.

Q. Mary asked: What the heck are the voices? Why are they in the portals, how long have the been there?

A. The voices are definitely a 'stylized' demonic type of entity. They feed on pain and power taken from sentient beings. They want to hurt you, but try to deceive you so you'll go with them by choice because they can't force you to "let them in," so to speak. They are evil incarnate, that's the truth. But also, both literally and figuratively, they're the words we tell ourselves and the battles we fight every day. My goal with them was to make the battle resonate for any reader, whether they shared the same problems as the characters or not. That the intent and tone would feel real.

Q. Charity (and others) asked: Where did the Silent One at the beginning of King come from?Â

A. The reason Reth recognizes the scent on Gahrye as being the same as what was on the Silent One lion, is because the lion was "sent" by the humans. A test to see if they could put animals into anima to effectively collect information and data for them. That's why he was so big. He had been enhanced to give him a better shot at surviving.

That lion smelled and tasted bad to Reth because he'd been interfered with by the human scientists. Obviously, with time, the humans realized that they couldn't rely on infiltration like that. They needed to go into Anima themselves, in numbers. But that presented challenges that it took them a long time to find a solution to that.

Characters:

Q. Janell asked: Who are your top three favorite characters overall in Anima and why?

A. Reth is number one, without fail. But he's VERY closely followed by Gar. Then it's a toss-up between Lerrin and Suhle.Â

The truth is, Reth was my lynchpin for the whole story. He was the inspiration for the whole thing, and the male lead I'd always wanted to write. He feels like my husband, only near-perfect, lol.

I adore Gar because I feel like we have the same heart. Gar knows his strength and wants to do good, but (especially early on) has let pain and pride get in the way of him showing himself honestly to others. Gar goes through a similar journey of growing up that I did (in terms of, learning not to view himself through the eyes of others.)Â

Lerrin I adore because he was the greatest challenge, and because he's my type (lol.) I have never taken on the task of redeeming a villain before and I LOVED it. I loved that everyone fell in love with him in the end (though I had a couple late bloomers—I'm looking at you, Mameluca!) But in truth, while Gar sort of led a similar life journey, Lerrin feels like my spirit-animal. I was blind, but now I see, ha!

Suhle is the woman I wish I could be. I admire her. And I love her because she leads with love despite the pain and anguish she's been through. She's just amazing.

Q. Did Reth and Elia ever get in trouble when Reth was in human world (when they were kids.)

A. Not exactly. Reth was always very bold and confident, even as a child, which caused problems for him. People thought he was making trouble, but he was just functioning the way an Anima child would (they are much more independent physically at a younger age because they're bigger, stronger, and more capable—plus, with predators like Reth, their only real danger is other Anima.)

Elia was never a trouble-maker, she was a people pleaser as a child, but she had a fierce sense of right and wrong—and injustice. So she got in trouble for standing up for Reth when adults didn't understand what he was/why he acted the way he did. Adults thought she was blind to the danger of him. But actually, she saw him much more clearly than they did.

Q. Amanda asked: Since Elia and Reth enjoyed exploring so much on their list, which was each of their favorites?

A. Bahahaahaahahaaa! Okay, for real though…

Elia's favorite is being outside. So anything they do that involves finding a secret space out in nature, she loves. Though there is a little incident on the dining table in the Royal Cave that I never got to use, that is a favorite memory of hers.

Reth loves it all, honestly, because it's with her. But if he's choosing, he wants to be able to see her. So anything that gives him a view—which is why he often has her on top, or from behind, because he loves to watch her.

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KEEP READING! The questions that surround the time after KING OF BEASTS ended, and during QUEEN OF BEASTS will be posted tomorrow! I hope you enjoy them. It was such a joy to answer them!