She was happy to meet her audience at the book market on September 22. Alas, the weather wanted it otherwise! Never mind, Free Midday asked Marina Carrieu a few questions so that she could present her youth series to us The Guardians of the Crystal whose setting of volume 1 is none other than the village sauta roc.
How did you end up writing novels?
I’ve been writing since I received a diary for my 10th birthday. I gave up on continuing it. But it was too late, the virus was there! The years passed and, after obtaining my nursing diploma and joining a hospital service, I returned to writing. That was in 2017. Since then, this activity has taken up almost all of my free time! I find there the possibility of contemplating, of inventing… Writing a story to turn it into a novel had become logical.
And why did you choose Saint-Guilhem?
After Iceland and Scotland for two previous novels, I wanted to turn to my immediate environment. And Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert seemed like an excellent starting point. It is one of the most beautiful villages in France, on the way to Santiago de Compostela, with a historical character, Saint-Guilhem, endowed with particular power. It was perfect!
What attracts you to the world of fantasy for young audiences?
After writing two 300-page novels on heavy subjects, I needed some lightness. Turning to children was obvious to me, having worked in daycare for more than seven years. I preferred to address pre-teens. I don’t regret it at all!
What messages do you want to send to them?
The essential message that I want to convey in The Guardians of the Crystal comes in a sentence from Nelson Mandela, which opens my novel: “ Courage is not the absence of fear but the ability to overcome what scares you. “My two 12-year-old heroes will not only have to face evil forces but also overcome their fear of the outside, of the dark, of the void… I therefore address the themes of courage, friendship, mutual aid, empathy, self-improvement and self-esteem…
Midi Libre correspondent: 06 03 15 26 05
