An Interview with Darielle Mac, Author of North Star Rising

1. If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?

Visionary- witty – explorer  

2. How did you come up with the title of your book?

 I wanted to explore the majestic  “Northern lights”  and islands as a platform for a mysterious realm to search for ancient   guidance and answers

3. From ancient times to contemporary times, much of the internalisation and socialisation is done within the family rather than outside. How do you overcome that socialization, because it happens without question?

Chose an adventure and  travel  to meet other people’s cultures  and languages and make yourself challenge the norms 

4. Destiny is a commonly used word but one that is mostly misinterpreted. What do you think destiny is all about? 

Destiny to me is challenging life‘s day-to-day and stepping outside yourself and comfort, to find your authentic soul, and the strengths that are unique to you as an individual,  that can empower you and those around you to be better….And discover the unknown …

5. In a fantastic world, the reality is shown as multidimensional beyond the binary and sophisticated images. Do you think living in fantasies can be more real than living in reality?

i think that fantasy opens your imagination mind  and  heart to embrace fears and give you inner courage act with more power in the real  /mundane world

6. In your book “North Star Rising,” there is a huge emphasis on relationships, but balancing them makes them controlling and alienating. What advice do you want to give teenagers about how to build strong and healthy relationships? 

Each young soul has gifts and strengths that are fragile and challenges make the unique  individual shine and enables them to lead then  help others find the spark that can lift Others out of their own darkness-…families are being redefined we need perceive each other with gentler more receptive eyes and hearts  and mend the anger fear and hate that has festered from long hurts .

7. In the world of appeasement, teenagers have forgotten to quest for themselves. According to you, what is the way to self-discovery in this self-destructive world? 

the quest I base the journey of the book on is the classic heroes  journey  … expulsion form your comfortable  family  or society  and experiencing at least three challenges  that  help build courage character  and d self-identity

8. One of the most emotional elements, or, to say, an integral part of your book, is the description of your companion as a bird. Why have you chosen a bird over any other living creature?

Pavarotti, bird flies above, watching  collecting  feed   and building nests  in the cliffs which  become a  collection  of historical elements  to weave a story or song  for a life

9. The character Amber has shown herself facing lots of trolls, commentaries, and socially acceptable prejudices. This is truly relatable, as everyone at some point is put into the victim role, maybe because of his past, present, or future. What are your opinions on these trolls and the negativity that surrounds them and deprives us of virtue?

  TROLLS  carry  ancient baggage  as monsters, from story and history that promotes fear. Only  confronting  monsters and the baggage  of history  will unblock your way   forward   to overcome your fear so you  can  grow and face the unknown

10. While reading your book entitled “North Star Rising,” identity has played a role. Why do you think even for a teenager it’s important to have identity consciousness? Do you really think that the identity we have or are on the quest for is really something we have realised for ourselves or something that has been imposed on us by others?

I think that if a  youth can accept a personal self and soul and that their identity is different form all others  this is accepting your self as a sentient being with purpose,  morality, meaning and value –

11. Limitations are always there in front of us, whatever we put into our talent. Do you think there is something that limits you while penning down your words? 

When I write I feel fluid and limitless to  weave an ontology  of  a world  that has its own rules  and magic

12. According to you, what are the essential things that you find missing these days in storytelling books? 

Healing  to lift spirits  and consciousness,   violence and  destruction have overwhelmed  youth  who become  the adults of the future aan they are made  numb  to the positive power of belief in positive magic  they possess

13. Amber is searching for the gem as a mirror to her soul. What do you think of this world as really being a mirror to our souls—the people or the incidents or situations around us? 

THE GEM  is  guidance through the prism that is life , it is not   “mirror of the soul” it is  portal  to offer   to guide in making choices .

14. You have mentioned on your website that you are grateful for the fortune of having been raised in many countries. Did this travelling across countries turn you into a free bird, or has your nature of a

 – to be free to  fly like a bird and see the world  from  above  –

15. One of the tremendous things about you is that you know five languages. Would you like to name them?   

 I  have learned to  French. Dutch   English   Greek Hebrew  and speak some Spanish Italian and Arabi  

16. You have also worked in experimental theatre, which is also interesting about you. What are the major differences you find between theatres and society outside theatres?

In my experience theatre is  a community  filled  with  creative  and  alternatives  personalities who  create intimate small families  work   via intensive creations of projects,  in outside  society  creative and alternative personalities   are seen as the  outsiders upsetting the norm and rules of day to day normal life –

17. You also love spending time with your dogs and running with dogs on the beach. While loving dogs is one thing and taking their responsibility another, how do you manage to balance your work with your family?   

Dogs are part of the family  everything is delicate balance as a  writer  to whom solo  time   is needed .

18. In your work, I felt that whether one is emotional or not hardly matters, but turning over the pages of the book, one is surrounded with emotional moments. Do you think emotions are socially constructed?

 Emotions  can be  a new sparks of new light , like love, but also can be  learned  by  family and social  experience –

19. In your opinion, these days the uncertainty and distance that are coming into the relationship between children and parents are justified by the idea of a generation gap. What do you think about this?

 TECHNOLOGY  has created a  generation gap  that is  warping imagination  human interaction  growth and family

20. The character Amber has recognised her love for her mother, and you have beautifully portrayed the daughter-mother relationship. Why do you choose Amber Mother as the only starting point of her quest?

 We all owe our life to our mother and mother earth  ad overlook  their struggle to survive

21. How do you select the names of your characters?  

Mythic and heroic folklore characters …

And Would you like to share which of your characters is your favorite as of now?

 I feel kin to FURY, her rage for the loss  of her  kind, and the damage to  the planet,  and her  kind,   but this is overcome in the story   

22. Can you please share which are your favorite books that you want to recommend to your followers out there?

Favorite books : 2  classics in my mind that resonant, Alice and wonderland- Lewis Carrol, Mists  of Avalon- Marrrion Zimmer Bradley, Shantaram – Greggory David Riobet

23. Would you like to share some tremendous outlines about your book entitled “Sko0tter Girl”?

:Skooter girl “was the outline of North Star Rising –

24. Do you have other writers in the family?

Yes  father science   mother education  cousin   spirituality

25. What is the most surprising thing you discovered while writing your book(s)? at heart

it’s a story about healing family  –

26. Do you have any plans to work on your next book? If yes, could you share something about it?

 It’s a work investigating rewriting western history across the seas of time from a female point of view  –

27. You have done your MFA work at CCA in Oakland, California, in film, video, and performance. What are your opinions about Hollywood films as don’t you think the Americans’ obsession with film characters is taking them from worshipping ideals to hero worship? 

 Too much formula  recreation  for box office

28. If you didn’t write, what would you do for work?

Director

29. You have addressed yourself as a “young adult author.” Why did you choose to focus your writing on youth? How do you describe youthfulness in your language? 

Minds and hearts  open to magic  to imagine the  ability  empower change  to heal  what is broken and not working  personally and globally