Ghost Spirits Walking the Otherworld

Rhonda Parrish, editor of the highly anticipated Fae anthology, interviews contributor Adria Laycraft.

What was the inspiration for your Fae story? 

I wanted to write about the lesser-known native people of the American southwest, and the Kawaiisu gave me the perfect history and setting for the story I had in mind (desert, water shortages, stories of the Otherworld, and belief in spirits).

What is it about fae that appeals to you?

Stories of magic, fae, and all things Otherworld have fascinated me my entire life. What appeals to me is that sense of more going on than we are aware of. I always want to remind myself to look beyond my assumptions and limited vision

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Can you tell us a bit about the specific type of fairy creature in your story?

The Inipi are ghost spirits walking the Otherworld that can lure people to their death or make them crazy and sick. My research on the Kawaiisu revealed many stories about Inipi, along with some interesting ways to keep them away (some of which are used in the story).

Is that your favourite type of fae?

No, not my favourite because they were new to me. I only learned about them through my research for the story. Pixies are probably my favourite because they're small and usually friendly.

Outside of your own writing, who is your favourite fairy character? (ie: Tinkerbell, Puck, etc.)

Oh, Legolas would have to top the list. I first read Lord of the Rings at age 8, and have reread it some fifteen times since.

What is it about them that makes them special? Well, duh, it's Legolas! What's not to love? =D

Do you believe in fairies?

While I have no personal experience seeing the Little Folk, some very close and trustworthy people in my life have seen both fairies and ghosts, so who am I to disbelieve?

Check out Adria's story, "Water Sense," in the FAE, available now. 

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Adria Laycraft is a grateful member of IFWA and a proud survivor of the Odyssey Writers Workshop. She co-edited Urban Green Man, which launched in August of 2013. Look for her stories in Tesseracts 16, Neo-opsis, On-Spec, James Gunn’s Ad Astra, Hypersonic Tales, DKA Magazine, and In Places Between. Author of Be a Freelance Writer Now, Adria lives in Calgary with her husband and son.

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