Page 25 - Reader's House Magazine Issue 48

C.B. Lyall masterfully weaves magic, love, and adventure in a captivating tale. Wilf’s journey is thrilling, emotional, and unforgettable, making “The Vassal of Magic” a must-read conclusion.
tion and power sharing. “We’re all in this together, if only the wizards weren’t afraid of losing their stran- glehold on power,” says Ermen- trude. This same argument can be applied to race, class, religion and sexuality.
In The Virus of Beauty, you introduce readers to a world where ugliness is power,
and beauty is a curse. What inspired you to create such a unique and thought-provoking premise, and how does it refle- ct your views on societal norms regarding beauty and power?
C. B. Lyall masterfully blends fantasy and social commentary, creating compelling narratives that challenge norms and inspire readers worldwide.
fairy tale snapshot of lives that can promote envy and hate. On these same platforms, drug companies advertise how wonderful people’s lives will be if only they take their drug. Cosmetics promise youthful skin to older people, sophisti- cation and attraction to
to prolong the writing process. I lived in Hong Kong when I started to write the first Virus of Beauty book, but I’ve had no experience of living in 1903 England. Historical details must be researched and it’s difficult not to info dump all the informational and cool discoveries in the draft. I suspect there will be a lot of revision.
My inspiration for the premise behind The Virus of Beauty is that our outward features don’t always reflect our inner beauty. A person should be judged by their actions, not by an airbrushed photo. Given the popularity of social media, how we look and present our lives has become our identity. This highly curated environment is often a
Wilf Gilvary, the pro-
tagonist of The Virus
of Beauty, is a teenage wizard who is reluctant
to use magic. What drew
you to create a chara-
cter who is both powerful and hesitant to embrace that power? How do you think his journey resonates with young readers today?
The teenage years are a search for and discovery of self and the quest for self- determination.
Wilf doesn’t want to follow his father into the family business and become a wizard. All his friends are non-magical. He knows no one else who can perform magic. He wants to be like his friends. He wants to fit in. The problem for Wilf is that he doesn’t realize this isn’t his world. Among witch-
es and wizards, he won’t fit in without magic. I think readers can empathize with Wilf’s search for his own identity and the pressures placed on teenagers to conform to perceived norms, even when they know they are different.
You’re currently working on an adult historical fantasy series, No Place for Decent Women. Can you share some insights into this new project and how it differs from your work in the Virus of Beauty series? What challenges have you encountered in shifting from YA to adult historical fantasy?
The new project, No Place for Decent Women, has the general theme of gender inequality. Lady Cordelia (Delia) Fowler wants
to be an independent, modern woman but it’s 1903 in Surrey, England. She is being blackmailed into a marriage with a man after her fortune, not Delia. In the first
book, her friend and mentor has disappeared, and Delia is deter- mined to find and rescue her friend and escape her own impending nuptials. I’ve discovered that writing historical fiction causes you to question setting and historical facts continuously, which tends
my own culture. Wilf is transported to a world very different from his own, and that is my acknowledgement of my family’s experience with culture shock. I think
it shows how looking at ourselves through a different lens often leads to self-dis- covery.
younger consumers. These social media and advertising stories are fantasy, but without the genre title. I hope to remind readers to look beyond their first impressions.
You’ve completed several writing courses, including a Master Fantasy/Science Ficti- on writer’s course and an ad- vanced novel writing course. How have these educational experiences influenced your writing style and approach to storytelling? Do you have any advice for aspiring writers who are looking to refine their craft?
The classes I’ve attended have been inspirational and have given me the belief that I could write
a novel. They encouraged the development of my writing and cri- tiquing skills. Through the classes
I met several incredibly talented writers in my area who have been supportive throughout my writing journey. I would highly recommend that any aspiring writer find local writers’ classes. I still attend classes at my local library, and my writer’s circle friends are the best.
Having lived and raised your family in multiple countries, including India, Belgium, and Hong Kong, how has this global perspective shaped the cultural elements in your fantasy worlds? Are there specific aspects of these cul- tures that you’ve woven into the Virus of Beauty series?
Although I raised my children in multiple countries, I haven’t specifically incorporated aspects of any of these cultures. Instead, I hoped to convey the sensation of feeling out of place and longing to belong. Wilf is from a mixed culture, but his surviving parent is white Anglo-Saxon, which is
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