Exploring Fantastical Realms with Britt Asher
Britt Asher is the talented author behind the middle grade fantasy-adventure series King of Realms. In this interview, Britt shares insights about her writing journey, the inspiration behind her captivating stories, and her creative process. Discover how she weaves humor, adventure, and valuable life lessons into her books, and get a sneak peek into her exciting upcoming projects.
Could you share a little about yourself and your current middle grade novel?
Absolutely! My name is Britt Asher, and I reside in Minnesota, USA. I’ve been writing stories since I was a wee lass (or so says my mother), and I spent most of my early years writing animal stories and then fanfiction. In 2018, I got serious about writing and publishing my own stories. I wrote a trilogy around that time that I ended up throwing away. It wasn’t very good, but I learned a lot while writing it. Around 2020, I started working on my current series, King of Realms. It is a fantasy-adventure series that straddles the line between MG and YA about a boy who gets entangled in the plot of a vengeful genius seeking to destroy humanity by unleashing an ancient monster on the realms. The boy and his two companions (a knight-princess and a tough mercenary) must travel the magical realms and face fantastical creatures on their quest to stop their enemy’s world-ending schemes. All five books are complete and currently available.
What inspired you to start writing middle grade fiction?
I write what I love to read! Some of my all-time favorite books are in the MG genre, including Fablehaven/Dragonwatch by Brandon Mull, the Ascendance series by Jennifer A. Nielsen, and Ranger’s Apprentice by John Flanagan. I love reading books with heroic characters, strong external plots that propel the characters forward, and happy endings where heroes triumph and evil is defeated. I also like to avoid the more mature content prevalent in most YA to adult books nowadays. I like PG-13 and under, and I’m talking old-school PG-13, before PG-13 got edgy.
Can you describe your typical writing day?
Chaos!! I work a full-time job with an hour daily commute, so I’m one of those people who squish in writing wherever I can. My brain is nonfunctional in the mornings, so I never could get into the habit of writing before work like many authors. Instead, I write on my breaks at work, and then immediately after work. On my breaks, I’ll put on some headphones, turn on an epic movie soundtrack, and go on a power-walk (either outside or in one of our conference rooms). During that time, I’ll imagine the next scenes in my story. Immediately after work, I’ll take another quick power-walk with my music, further flesh out those scenes, and then promptly sit down (either in my office or in my car) and write on my laptop. It’s usually fast and ugly writing, but it’s something I can edit later. I’ve found this works well for me, because if I get in my car, drive home from work, do chores, and THEN try to write... I can’t function anymore. I’m too tired. Otherwise, I usually write on Saturdays. I go to the local library, write for a few hours, take a power-walk with my music and imagine more scenes, return to the library to write for several more hours, and repeat until the day is done. At night, that’s when I do social media and marketing, with whatever time is left over.
What do you hope young readers will take away from your books?
More than anything, I want readers to enjoy themselves when they read my stories. But I also want them to leave my stories feeling a bit stronger, a bit more encouraged, and a bit more heroic than before. I believe Neil Gaiman is the source of a quote that has always resonated with me. Slightly paraphrased, it goes like this: fairy tales exist not to show that dragons exist, but to show that they can be beaten. That’s what I want readers to take away from my stories. Life is going to come with a lot of darkness, but the darkness can be beaten by doing good instead of evil, by helping others whenever possible, and by never giving up.
Can you share any tips or advice for aspiring middle grade authors?
This is honestly the advice I give to any authors: don’t be afraid to struggle. Struggle is normal. You didn’t learn how to walk in a day—you crawled, you climbed, you staggered, you fell, and you fell, and you fell. Writing is a lot like that. Give yourself room to fall. Your first book might not be great. Your first series might not be great. That’s one of the amazing things about being human: you are never stuck as you are or where you are. You can learn and grow. So study, keep learning, and write the next book. You’ll keep growing with every word written.
The same can be said to authors who have just completed their first drafts. First drafts are messy. Write it out anyway. You can work with a rough draft—trust me. Editing is a totally normal part of the process. My first drafts always look like a hot mess. By the time I’m on draft five or six, the book doesn’t even look the same anymore. Know that your early drafts can and should be edited. They can be changed and made better. Don’t let a lack of perfection in the beginning prevent you from moving forward.
How do you incorporate humor and adventure into your middle grade stories?
I write fantasy because I want your entire time spent in my world to feel like an adventure. You’ll quest to unique and magical places, and you’ll meet powerful humans and creatures that are fanciful and sometimes very dangerous. I admit that a lot of my inspiration in storytelling comes from JRPGs. I always loved video games with these big, epic quests, beautifully created worlds, deep stories, and strong character bonds—so you’ll probably find a lot of those vibes in my stories.
As for humor, I’d say mine is more sarcastic in nature than anything else. You’ll mostly just find characters in my stories who banter back and forth like normal humans, being sassy and ridiculous to each other (or sometimes to themselves). I’ve had a few reviews and comments that make specific mention of some of these comic scenes in King of Realms, so I guess it’s working okay.
What upcoming project can readers look forward to from you?
I’m currently writing a new series that I’m super excited about! IT HAS DRAGONS! It’ll follow the adventures of a boy cursed with dark magic as he trains to become a powerful mage so he can join the war against the invaders that destroyed his home and his family. Little does he know that the invaders are going to be the least of his problems. This series will also straddle the line between MG and YA. While I don’t think the content is edgy enough to be YA, I think the plot and characterization might be too complex for modern MG. I write in that weird in-between space that doesn’t really exist on bookshelves. *Sigh* As of right now, it’s looking to be a four-book series. It’s Inheritance Cycle meets Avatar, the Last Airbender meets Keeper of the Lost Cities? Yes. It’s a strange mix.
Is there anything else you’d like to share that I haven’t covered in the interview?
Not particularly, but thanks so much for having me! I love when authors help and support each other. You’re sweet! I really, truly appreciate it!
