Adrienne Young is a born and bred Texan turned California girl. She is a foodie with a deep love of history and travel and a shameless addiction to coffee. When she’s not writing, you can find her on her yoga mat, scouring antique fairs for old books, sipping wine over long dinners, or disappearing into her favorite art museums. She lives with her documentary filmmaker husband and their four little wildlings beneath the West Coast sun.
Sky in the Deep by debut author Adrienne Young, is a violently beautiful tale that follows the story of seventeen year old Eelyn, a ruthless Aska warrior who is locked in a generations-old blood feud with the Riki clan. On the battlefield, Eelyn must confront the impossible- the brother she watched die five years ago is alive, and fighting for the enemy. Conflicted and confused, Eelyn must put aside her preconceived notions of loyalty in order to unite the two warring clans and battle a mythical enemy that threatens to destroy them all.
Interview
What novel inspired you to become an author?Â
When I was in elementary school, the library was my refuge. I read so many books and counted down the days to when our class got to go back. I actually used to ask for a bathroom pass and instead of going to the bathroom, I would slip into the library and look through books to plan out which I'd borrow next. I secretly dreamed of being an author all that time but it always felt like this far off thing that would never really happen. The book that made it all real to me was A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. It's a quiet book and not at all the genre I write, but after I finished it, I was like... I have to do this. I think the reason that book impacted me so much is that the characters are explored on such a moving, human level and I wanted to have the chance to do that. It was a huge turning point for me and I started writing my first book right after that.Â
Eelyn and Fiske's romance is wonderfully different from other YA relationships, in that they never apologize for who they are or are shocked when the other doesn't do things their way. They have a great understanding of each other and recognize the warrior heart that lies within them both. Can you speak to the importance of this and the role it plays in the overall message of the novel?Â
I am so happy that you mentioned this because it was so very intentional. I get really frustrated with YA romantic storylines that I can't relate to. For example, I don't find having a lack of power or control romantic. That sounds terrible to me! I want to see more books where the girl in the relationship doesn't have to give up things that are important to her for love and where she is respected for her strength. The relationship between Eelyn and Fiske is really admirable to me.
Were there any world events or life experiences that inspired you to write about the theme of loyalty and shifting world views?Â
Definitely. I wrote Sky in the Deep during the most difficult year of my life. I went through some incredibly painful experiences that really challenged the way I thought and the way I saw the world around me. I was forced to confront some things that I'd been avoiding for a long time and had to let go of the things in my life that were keeping me from living the life I wanted to live. It was scary and so, so hard, but it truly transformed my life. This is so clearly reflected in Eelyn's journey, so I was definitely working some things out as I wrote this story.
On your twitter you spoke about writing female characters who "are just born with an knife in their teeth, apart from deep seeded anger". Could you elaborate on this thought and speak to the importance of this idea in your writing and the world today?
That girl is me! I grew up feeling like there was really something wrong with me. I felt like I needed to water myself down - be softer, gentler, sweeter - in order to be "feminine". It wasn't until like 5-7 years ago that I really began to accept myself for who I am and really celebrate my own strength. I think our world is slowly changing to do the same. So, that does and probably will always influence my writing.
What advice would you give your younger unpublished self?
I will tell myself to chill the F out. I am very driven and I love to work, so the process of getting published moved at an excruciating pace to me. I spent so much time feeling frustrated. If I could call my 24-year-old self up and chat, I would tell her that those experiences were shaping her to be the author that would be published down the road. Every crap manuscript I wrote, every rejection, every time where I had to take a deep breath and keep writing - those moments truly made me who I am as a writer now and will become.
What was the first thing you did after getting the news your book was going to be published?Â
My book went to auction, so we knew the day and time that we would get the offers. It also happened to be my birthday, so we made a little celebration of it and two of my best friends came over with mimosas and waited while I took a billion calls and went through everything with my agent. When I made the final decision, we toasted and drank in our pajamas and it was just a really great moment. Â
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A big, big thank you to the lovely Adrienne Young for doing this interview! Be sure to pre-order her debut novel (which is seriously amazing!) and be prepared for an epic viking adventure.
Click to purchase Sky in the Deep
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