Larry Pearson - An Interview

We recently read and reviewed Balin And The Hollow Knight.

Open Shelf caught up with author Larry Pearson to find out more. 

You can find Balin And The Hollow Knight HERE. Let's get started...

What first sparked the idea for Balin and the Hollow Knight?

Four of the books in my Balin’s World series were written in the last three years, but I started writing Balin and the Hollow Knight many years ago for my oldest son when he was a child.

The initial inspiration came from watching him and his friends at play. The hollow knight was inspired by the spark in the eyes of a toddler as he figured something out for the first time.

I sent the initial draft to Little Brown publishers in Boston and got a nice reply. I was told I had written half a good book, but one that lost its atmosphere in the second half. I agreed and set it aside while I helped raise my family. That’s the longest stretch of writer’s block I’ve ever had. I did do some work on it over the years, but returned to it seriously only recently. What finally emerged was a book intended for all ages, not just young readers. My son, after all, had long since grown up, and I wanted him to still find it entertaining.

The Wizard of Oz books including Bumpo of Oz that I read as a boy deserve some credit as influences as do the works of the Brothers Grimm and other fairy tales.

Did Balin arrive fully formed, or did he evolve as you wrote?

He’s evolved (maybe devolved) some. In the first three books in the series he’s the oldest wizard in the world, so old he may be losing his magic. But he is portrayed as being very wise. In the last two books, he is depicted in his somewhat younger years as being a little less sure of himself.

What drew you to writing a gentler, whimsical style of fantasy rather than something epic or darker?

It comes, I suppose, from making up bedtime stories for my children when they were small. I didn’t want to tell them tales that would keep them awake long into the night.

That kind of storytelling comes easily to me. I have written some darker short stories which I might include in a collection, but that collection will include whimsical stories, too, although they won’t be in this genre.

How do you balance humour and melancholy in your storytelling?

I want to make the characters as real as I can. My characters are of all ages and they face a variety of problems. The youngest face uncertainties in growing up. The grownups face uncertainties, too; it’s just that their nature changes.

My characters also face challenges in their adventures. Melancholy and humour are at home in those situations.

Balin’s fading magic is both comic and poignant - what interested you about writing a character in decline?

I didn’t want to create a generic wizard. As the oldest wizard in the world gave him a unique status and raised questions I thought would be interesting to deal with. At the time I created him, I was in my thirties. The book depicts someone who may be in decline, but it also addresses the issue of how very old people are regarded.

Let's look at some of the others. Joey insists he was once a prince. What inspired him, and what role does he play in the emotional heart of the story?

Joey is a boy who had a predictable future. He was destined to be a king. Instead he became a frog, an outcast. The three books are in large part the story of how he redeems himself. All three of the young characters in the book – Joey, Gregory and the Hollow Knight – were inspired by the children I observed, though they don’t share the characters of those children.

As you have mentioned Gregory, he brings a grounded, practical voice to the trio. How did you approach writing him?

He is meant, in part at least, as a contrast to Joey. His future is not so predictable. He has a kind of flexibility denied to Joey.

And of course the Hollow Knight, who is such a striking creation - what was the idea behind him?

I’ve suggested it already. A toddler just beginning to figure out how to function in the world. The Hollow Knight is a magical creation that gains capabilities as the three books in the series proceed.

Do you have a favourite minor character from the story?

It would have to be Mimsey, the witch. That character was a weakness, almost one dimensional, in my first draft. I think she became one of its strengths as I rewrote the book. She has significant roles in later books, even a title role in Mimsey and the Moon Child. Her flaws and idiosyncrasies help keep her from being a forgettable minor character.

Looking a little closer at the world of Balin, that world feels whimsical yet grounded. How did you approach building a magical world that still feels real?

I wanted it to be the ancestor of our world, a world in which magic had not yet disappeared. Balin’s ability to see the future ties the two worlds together. I make references to fairy tales throughout the series so that, too, makes it a familiar place for readers (I hope).

Magic in your story is powerful but delightfully unreliable. Why did you choose to make magic behave this way?

If it was always available and always reliable, this would only have been a short story. Probably a boring one. The magical misfires can be fun, and they make big contributions to the plot.

The book has a cosy, read‑aloud quality. Was that intentional from the start?

I’m glad you found it that way. It was indeed my intent. As I noted, I was in the habit of making up stories for my children at bedtime. They grew up on tales of Little Mouse Fauntleroy that were never written down. This story is in that tradition.

What role does humour play in shaping the world and its characters?

It is important but it has only a supporting role.

Both aging and renewal run quietly through the story. What made you want to explore those themes?

Growing up; growing old. It’s what we do. Those themes are hard to ignore.

Friendship is central to the narrative - what does it mean to the story?

An English professor (which I’m not) might say the book looks at relationships. The three main characters enjoy comradeship, count on each other in various ways. In contrast, the witch, Mimsey, is a loner and has difficulty dealing with people.

Many fantasy stories focus on grand battles, but yours focuses on small acts of kindness and ingenuity. Why?

Fantasy, on the surface at least, is a form of escape. Writers are influenced by the times they live in. Looking around in retrospect, what do we want to escape from today? I think my kind of fantasy fits the present times. It’s not a deliberate decision I made beforehand. It’s just what I enjoy writing.

A less pretentious answer would be that this approach is intended to make the story more relatable to our own lives.

The narrative voice feels warm and timeless. How did you develop that tone?

I’ve been writing since I was old enough to hold a pen. One of my teachers in high school said I had already developed a style. I don’t really think about my style. I have read thousands of writers and have favourites, but I have never tried to imitate their styles (except as an exercise, to see if I could).

What’s your approach to pacing in a story that mixes cosy moments with adventure?

The main characters in this story go off in different directions much of the time. Keeping the reader up to date with each of them helps in managing the pacing, including sustaining a level of suspense.

How do you decide which magical details to include - whiffle dust, moonbeams, carrot scrapings, and so on?

Good question. Wish I had a good answer. Brainstorm?

Do you outline your stories, or do you discover them as you write?

I let the characters take over and solve the problems I set for them. It makes writing both fun and challenging. I hope my enjoyment in the writing shines through for the readers.

Just the other day one of my characters showed me how to end the novel I’m currently working on in a most unexpected way. I’d been worrying about that for a week but, once again, a character came through.

That last answer is a good message for authors - you can have a plan, but keeping the flexibility to let the story develop can also offer you some surprising twists and turns.

You’ve written other Balin stories - how does this book fit into the larger world you’ve created?

This book is the first in a series of three: Balin and the Hollow Knight, Companions of the Hollow Knight, and Mimsey and the Moon Child. The main characters in the first book remain the main characters in the subsequent books.   A number of supporting characters come and go.

I am about to complete a series of three prequel novels. The two in print are Wizardry in the Woods and Balin and the Crystal Dragon. My working title for the one not yet ready for publication is Balin and the Magic Bean. The wizard Balin appears in all three of these as a younger wizard. Mimsey appears in the first of these, but all the other characters are new.

What can readers expect from the sequels and prequels?

More adventures, new characters, new villains. Characters in the subsequent books include a girl who wants to become a witch but who discovers she is destined to become much more than that, a flying horse who escapes from a herd of night mares, a will o’the wisp who gives the Hollow Knight his voice, and a black cat who can communicate with two elves who are not exactly his owners. Villains include an ogress, an ogre, a dragon, and a shapeshifter.

Are there characters or creatures you’re excited to explore further in future books?

I think the sixth book will complete the series, though I am not sure of that. It would be easy to do another book featuring Mimsey, the witch.

Let's come back to the start of the series. What do you hope readers feel when they finish Balin and the Hollow Knight?

Satisfied.

And who do you think will especially enjoy this story?

Young readers to very old readers.

Well that's everyone covered! What’s the best way for new readers to enter the Balin series?

With this book or either book in the prequel series.

And to finish… How much do you have in common with Balin?

More than I’m comfortable admitting, but less than I might like.

Thanks to Larry for joining us to discuss Balin And The Hollow Knight and more!

You can read more about Larry and his work HERE.