What drew you to fantasy writing?
I always enjoyed reading it, so it was a natural draw to write it, too. I especially loved C. S. Lewis, so I knew I wanted to contribute in some of the same ways he did.
Where did the idea for Aisha’s Secret come from?
Actually, it was from a TikTok live I was a part of with some readers and writers. The idea of a switched-role Aladdin retelling was brought up, and I promised to write it as soon as I was done with my first series.
Did you find writing from a female perspective challenging?
At times, very! I remember just absolutely losing it laughing with my wife after writing a kiss between Aladdin and Aisha and feeling just so out of my element, but I felt it was important to expand my writing horizons by being willing to go outside of my comfort zone.
Why did you decide on a female protagonist?
Largely because the story necessitated it. Aisha needed to be female for the story, and I follow the story. My next book will have both a female and a male protagonist.
Are you planning any other fairytale retellings? If so which one(s)?
Right now, I’m about to start writing a Cinderella retelling in the same vein called “Chip’s Chance.”
How does this story differ from the worlds and characters within the Eternal Chronicles?
It’s in a completely different world, actually. I closed the chapter on Eternal Chronicles and let those characters have their ending.
Was the Eternal Chronicles always a series, or did it develop?
I always planned a series, but the idea started as a trilogy.
What did writing your novel planning workbook teach you about writing non-fiction as opposed to fiction?
I have done a lot more non-fiction writing, actually. I have a masters of education and am working on the research block of my PhD, so I’ve done quite a lot of academic writing. Learning to write fiction was actually more difficult for me, but I learned how to apply my procedural lens to fiction writing.
Do you include specific elements/messages into your stories?
Absolutely. I think fiction without a point of view is rather boring. I don’t aim to be preachy, but I do try to make a core of truth present in my stories so that they feel real and relevant to readers.
Where can readers find you and your books?
Amazon has all my books, and all my social media is found on my website at zacharyhagenwrites.com
Bio:
Zachary Hagen is a Minnesota based fantasy author and editor. He lives there with his wife, Claudia, and their dog, Flynn. When he isn't busy writing his next book or working with an editing client, you can often find him walking around his neighborhood, or hiking.
From a young age he was enthralled with the world of story. From the stories his parents read to him from his blue bedtime story books (if you know, you know) to the first two series that he read, The Chronicles of Narnia and A Series of Unfortunate Events, Zachary's tastes continued to develop throughout his years of reading. The influences for his first series, The Eternal Chronicles, include Christopher Paolini, J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, and others.
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