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to find three relics that could rally the Welsh--if she can outwit the English lord who wants to use her gifts to capture Prince Dafydd. Hyw is on the run with the prince and the straggling Welsh army. To escape the betrayal dogging their heels, Hyw takes refuge in his evolving gift—until shifting shapes puts his humanity in jeopardy. With Hyw trapped in his magic and her betrothed in an English prison, Catrin faces an impossible choice: save her brother, or save the one she loves. Book 3 will take the story to its conclusion, and I hope to have that out next year.
mariepowell.ca
What have you found the hardest to cope with during the pandemic? What are you looking forward to when a lot of restrictions are lifted?
She loves travelling. On recent trips to Wales, she immersed herself in the culture and landscape of her heritage. At the same time, she discovered valuable research for her YA fantasy series, Last of the Gifted.
Welcome to Marie Powell Welcome to Uncaged! Tell us more about your series, Last of the Gifted. With two books out now, how many are you planning for this series? Last of the Gifted is the tale of two siblings who pledge their magical gifts to protect their people from the invading English, with the help of the last true Prince of Wales—after his murder. This medieval fantasy series combines myths and magic with the historical realities of 13th Century Wales. I’ve planned at least three books, with two published and available now, and the third on its way. In Spirit Sight (Book 1), warrior-in-training Hyw can control the minds of birds and animals. His sister Catrin can see the future in a drop of water. After Prince Llywelyn is ambushed and murdered, Hyw’s gift stretches in unexpected ways to allow the slain prince’s spirit to meld with him and help them fight back against the invading English. Catrin must use her gift to convince her betrothed to help the slain prince’s brother. When Catrin and Hyw are reunited, they must work together to save the new Prince—and each other. Water Sight (Book 2) carries the story forward as the English pursue the remaining Welsh across North Wales. Catrin’s gift of Second Sight is their only hope
The thing I’ve missed the most is travel. I like to travel at least once or twice a year, in Canada and abroad. I also miss attending my favourite writing conferences, like When Words Collide in Calgary and the Surrey International Writing Conference (SiWC). I was actually booked on the SIWC-AtSea cruise and writing retreat when the pandemic hit, and I really hope that will return someday. Also, I’ve done a lot of research for these novels on trips to Wales. It’s not strictly necessary to travel to do historical research, but I like to soak up the ambiance and tune in the whispers of ghosts that lived through this unspeakable period of history. I had planned to go to North Wales a third time last year, before the pandemic hit. If and when these restrictions are lifted, I want to make another trip to follow my characters to the conclusion of their journey. You have written a lot of children books, what inspired the leap in the young adult genre? I think I’m a naturally restless person. I began my career as a dramaturg (theatre scholar and new play consultant), so I wrote plays. Later I turned to journalism, and I still write non-fiction articles. Then I worked as a part-time library programmer, reading children’s books to groups of kids. So it felt very natural to write children’s books, and before I knew it, I had 40-plus published by traditional houses like Issue 56 | March 2021 |
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