I had the best opportunity to travel down to Moira's hometown of Bath to celebrate with her and many others the publication of Raging Star, the final installment in her Dustlands trilogy.
Photo by Ferla Paolo
Welcomed warmly by staff at Waterstones and Moira's colleagues, after our long journey from London, we were given wine and encouraged to mingle. After this, the event started with an introduction from Moira's UK editor, Helen Thomas, who took over editing duties from Marion Lloyd, who I was very surprised to hear is a direct descendant of Charles Dickens! Helen described Moira as a perfectionist, but not one that never meets her own standards. In fact, she implied that Moira's writing especially in this last book will live up to everyone's expectations!
Moira herself then took to the floor, beginning with addressing her two most important focuses in her writing of the trilogy: voice and landscape. For the former, she talked about how Saba's world widened, so did her vocabulary and across the three books you can certainly see her language and voice changing with the latter - landscape. Moira's concerns about climate change when she began writing in 2006 inspired her to ask questions about what would happen to the world if it heated up by one, or two or even three degrees? Moira told the audience that for her, with voice came landscape; it was a natural process, and for Blood Red Road, she succumbed to Saba's voice in her head and relinquished her own control via channeling that voice. This, she said, did not happen with the last two books, in which she regained control.
Moira also gave an in-depth re-telling of the events in her life that inspired her. From Saturday morning trips to the library with her father, who was also a bookworm, to staying up late into the night reading with a flashlight, which she joked is the reason she now has to wear glasses! Her father, as manager at an Odeon, introduced her to the world of film, which for her, at such a young age, was of extreme significance and excitement. Moira made specific reference to Gone With the Wind, whose glorious colour amazed her, and also to the Last of the Mohicans, whose fast-paced and tension-packed opening credit scene inspired the opening of Raging Star; the idea of fighting on the run. A question from an audience member asked Moira whether she saw her books in black and white or colour, and she was stumped for a minute before answering that Blood Red Road, like her favourite westerns was in black and white for her, whilst Rebel Heart had some more colour and Raging Star was in technicolour.
Her reading from a young age got her started from the age of 8 to 12, on writing projects. Her first two stories were named The Heirloom Mystery, and Kitty's First Case. However, in following years, she 'got bitten by the acting bug' and moved to the UK for drama school. Here, she performed in the West End as a chorus, and then cabaret, girl. Yet, she soon realised that this wasn't her calling in life. And so, Moira retrained as an opera singer in Vancouver. Alas, this never fulfilled her enough either.
The next course of action was to take up sketchwriting, but an unfortunate fall from a bus on the way to the performance, made Moria rethink this career also. Which is how she came to CityLit, a course in London for writers. Here, she met Sophie McKenzie, author of Girl, Missing, Blood Ties and The Medusa Project. With Sophie and a few others, they set up a writing group that has just recently celebrated their ten year anniversary. Through this, Moira found the support she needed in order to keep going with a project.
And thus the Dustlands was born.
In 2006, Moira began writing Dark Eden, the first draft of what would come to be Blood Red Road. In this, two protagonists - Alexander and Saba, lived in an ice world, with the former living in a biosphere, and the latter in a clan community in a cave. Yet, Moira felt discouraged by this draft and found the only aspect she liked was the character of Saba. Over the next few years, she played around with Saba's age, at one point making her an 8 year old, in order to find the right voice. It took Moira three and a half years to create another draft. She claims that it was a mess, but that she saw some sparks in it. On the advice of a friend at Bath Spa University, Julie Green, she started the story again. The story began to take shape as a western.
Moira would listen to conversations and use the idioms of people she met, much like a 'word magpie', in order to create Saba's world and her voice. She talks of the three books each having an emphasis on either the gut, heart or head - can you figure out which is which? I have my suspicions...
Following this recounting of her creative process, Moira did a reading of the first few pages of Raging Star, in which she stressed the rhythm that she worked into inspired by the opening of Last of the Mohicans.
Following this, the floor was opened up to the audience for questions. I asked what the significance of destiny, as a theme, is to the books and Saba's world? Moira answered that she wanted to present the two different sides to it - those who believed and those who didn't, because she herself doesn't know which side she stands on. It's personally one of my favourite parts of the books.
Another question, this time coming from long-time friend and author, Jeff Norton, was what similarities and differences are there between Moira and Saba? Moira was adamant that there are very few similarities; she says she wishes she could have the physical abilities of Saba and could do such wonderful things, but she was more than pleased not to be quite so rude! However, she can relate to certain parts of Saba's life, mainly the journeys she goes on, her self-absorption, and also her difficult and complex relationship with her sister, Emmi.
Moira's own husband, Paul, then asked over what time period are the books set? For those of you wondering, it takes place over a year.
Inevitably, the topic of the film adaptation came about, and Moira expressed a desire for an unknown actress to take on the role of Saba and for a new star to be born. She also added that the script is currently in its third round of development. Moira is hopeful for the film.
There was also the question that no-one can seem to precisely answer. Just why is dystopian fiction such a big deal with young adults? Moira's own view is that adults write about what concerns them in the modern day but they write it for the teenagers they used to be, and thus it is relatable for young people even today.
Another interesting question was about the sense of place in the books. For Moira, this was a very important aspect. She talked about being subconsciously influenced by her growing up in Canada. The landscape she remembers and writes down is transformed by the nature of memory and Hollywood visions. One distinct memory she recalled is of a car-trip she took with her family in the 1960s around British Columbia, namely the Rockies. They travlled past Frank's Slide, which is a site where 90million tonnes of limestone fell from Turtle mountain onto the town of Frank and it's inhabitants slept. They were buried underneath it all. Moira's vision and memory of this sleeping town inspired the idea of Saba living in a place left behind by others - the Wreckers, who have all been buried by the sands and winds.
Moira adds during other questions that she read Raging Star aloud three times in order to perfect the rhythm, didn't really want to research much into cage-fighting and thus most of the violence and action is suggested, and feels that, if justified, killing off characters, although tough, is sometimes needed in order to help and progress a story.
This vast array of information was applauded by the audience, who then all rushed to have their books signed by the lady of the night.
I took some time to talk with Moira's agent from Aitken Alexander's, Gillie Russell, who shared by enthusiasm with the books. She told me how when she got the manuscript for Blood Red Road, she gave the first 50 pages to an assistant who within a few hours was demanding the next 50 pages! Seemingly, these books touch everyone!
By the end of the night, I had had my own books signed and talked with Moria about the site and meeting again soon. It was a brilliant experience, and although it's sad to see the trilogy end - although I still have 90 pages left to go of Raging Star (review to come soon) - it' been a journey that I wouldn't have missed for the world!
~Ella
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