Interview – Anna Pattle (15 year old debut author of Sardaron)
What is the most difficult chapter you’ve ever written?
The most difficult chapter I’ve ever written was the final chapter in the book. I wanted the ending to be captivating so that the readers would be left feeling intrigued for the outcomes of the characters. However, I think that the chapters without major events definitely present a challenge. Connecting the pieces of the story while building suspense for future action is definitely difficult.
What have you found to be the most challenging about writing in fantasy fiction?
I have found that the detail of the plot and the fantasy elements require a large amount of attention. Sometimes I had to backtrack and make sure that the chapter I was writing matched up to previous ones. Inventing an entire dimension left me with a lot of material to create, which was fun but could be time-consuming
Share some advice for aspiring authors. What advice would you give to your younger self?
I would advise myself or other young writers to plan well. Sometimes my plans weren’t developed enough and I wouldn’t realise until I was mid-way through writing them! You can never have too much detail in your plan.
Have you experienced writer’s block? How did you deal with it?
At some points I found it difficult to continue writing. My language felt chunky and didn’t flow as smoothly as I wanted. Scenes wouldn’t develop the way I wanted them to, so I would turn to another part of the story to work on. Changing tack and working on an abstract scene in a different chapter helped me to overcome having a blank mind.
At what point did you decide to be an author and what was your path to publication?
In year 6 I was given the task of writing the opening to a story. Two years later, my mind returned to it and I began to develop it and continue writing. I loved the story so much that I wanted to see it through to the end. It took me two summers to write and edit, during the time that I wasn’t at school.
Title: Sardaron
Author: Anna Pattle
‘We are forced to fight a war with no cause and no escape. A war that leaves no victors, and no survivors; one which breeds hatred where love should spark.’
After they are forced to pay retribution for their father’s deal with a dark god, twins Kai and Amber are abducted from the security of the English countryside into new warring worlds of Near and Zio.
Confused and alone, they struggle to cope with their bizarre new position and the people they meet along the way.
In a realm where death fuels Sardaron’s corruption, a curse that he created forces the armies of the two worlds to endlessly battle one another.
The war has gone on for as long as time itself, but the twins may have discovered a way to halt it. Kai becomes convinced that defeating Sardaron is the only way to save them, and the teenage heroines are willing to risk everything to break his curse – even if it means going against this new world which is now their only home.
Their crusade is raging with action, tragedy and suspense as their journey unfolds. Their father’s mistake has cost them their freedom – but can they save their people’s?
About the Author
Anna Pattle is a fifteen-year-old native of London who started this novel at age thirteen after inspiration from an English assignment she was given at her school. Anna is currently a student at Wycombe Abbey School and loves reading and playing sport in her free time. Sardaron is her first attempt at a novel and she plans to keep writing more fiction in the future. Following the publication of this novel, Anna hopes to share this book with young readers who are currently unable to access the reading materials that inspired her as a young reader.
