She writes under the pen name, Astrid V.J. and is a USA Today Best-selling and International Literary Classics award-winning author. Additionally, she is a trained social anthropologist and certified transformational life coach. She finds being a Jack-o-all-trades fun, but says it also comes with quite a juggling act. Between her passion for writing, her calling to see others succeed, and her drive for greater tolerance in the world, and being a mother of two, and a wife with a full-time day job, she has her hands full. She currently lives in Sweden and when she’s not busy with all of the above, she loves to read, play the violin, and cross-stitch.
Books:
YA Fantasy: The Adventures of Tyrina Tursam. Pixie Tricks is part of the first volume of the Ytherynia: Gifted Blood Academy anthologies. Blood Island and Spells and Potions will be released in 2021.
Enchanted Waters. This is an anthology of short stories about magical water creatures. All proceeds of the anthology go towards protecting our ocean by donating the monies to the charity Oceana. My contribution to this anthology is The Naiad’s Curse, a short retelling of The Nix of the Mill-pond.
Fairytale retellings (YA and NA Fantasy): Elisabeth and Edvard’s World series highlights my speciality for retelling lesser-known tales. I have a two-part retelling of the Grimm fairytale, Brother and Sister, Aspiring, Part 1 of the Siblings’ Tale, and Becoming, Part 2 of the Siblings’ Tale. Another Grimm tale is The Nix of the Mill-pond: Naiya’s Wish, which is currently part of a limited-edition box set of fairytale retellings, Enchanted Kingdoms, which is raising money for an autism charity.
I also have a retelling of the Slavic folk-tale underlying the ballet, Giselle: Gisela’s Passion
Forthcoming titles: The Lion, the Lark, and the Lady & Firmament (a two-part retelling of The Singing Soaring Lark); Johara’s Choice (a retelling of The Tinderbox); and Down the Well (a retelling of Mother Holle)
Fantasy/Space Opera: The Wishmaster Series
The Apprentice Storyteller follows a storyteller and her apprentice on an adventure through a Star Wars-like universe and offers a parallel journey of the soul in the discovery of our human potential to achieve success in the face of adversity.
Forthcoming titles: Finding the Way; Becoming Spellwright; Master Wordmage
Historical Fantasy: The Wordmage’s Tales
This is a series of novellas. These are the tales the storyteller teaches her apprentice in The Apprentice Storyteller, and they build on the universe I created for The Wishmaster Series.
The Sewing Princess is available exclusively to my street team as a free gift. Two of three parts are free to those who subscribe to my newsletter.
The Artist and His Muse releases on April 30th
The Last Warrior releases on June 9th
The Companion’s Tale release to be announced.
Further titles in this series are to be announced.
Where available:
Website: https://www.elisabethandedvard.com/
Newsletter Sign Up: https://www.subscribepage.com/subscribeE+EWORLD
Street Team Sign Up: https://forms.gle/CTfHQY3mBa4ruCE46
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Astrid-V-J/e/B07S8WGPTT
Wattpad Writings: https://www.wattpad.com/user/AstridVJ
Additionally, some of my books are available on iBooks, Barnes and Nobles Nook, Smashwords, Scribd, and other platforms.
What sets your books apart from all others? Is it your individual style, your subject matter, etc., how is it different?
I write what I term transformation fiction. This is different from Up-Lit as I specifically engage with the core principles of human transformation and explore, through my characters, how we humans have the capacity to overcome any obstacle. I like to see how we can transform our experiences and achieve success in the face of adversity. In essence, you could say I combine self-help with Up-Lit, providing the tools for my reader to apply in their own lives while also offering an uplifting read.
Who is your target market?
Human beings. Anyone can enjoy my books. Yes, some are targeted more to teen readers, while others are targeted to adults, however, all my books thus far are appropriate for readers fifteen years and over. Nonetheless, I do not flinch away from difficult topics in the hope of broadening my readers’ experiences and encouraging open thinking and discussions.
What authors inspired you most and how so?
Since my journey as a writer spans more than twenty years, I have many authors to thank for inspiring my writing. Some key authors who’ve helped me soar are:
Guy Gavriel Kay, whose Fantasy writing is both poetic and epic. I never cease to be amazed at this incredible writer’s turn of phrases, and I am disappointed at the world of fantasy that hasn’t placed this incredible writer alongside Tolkien and Lewis, because Kay definitely deserves to be there.
Michael Ende, whose adventures inspired me more than any other as a child.
Jane Austen and Charlotte Brontë, whose wonderful books introduced me to the complexities of relationships, and whose writing style is ever-present in my own.
Neil Gaiman, whose dark musings and quirky humor never cease to entertain me while simultaneously boggling the mind.
Phillip Pullman, for showing me that even the most difficult topic can be explored through Fantasy
J.V. Jones, Ursula K. Le Guinn, and J.K. Rowling, for showing me that woman CAN!
Tomi Adeyemi, for beating me to it. Her first novel, Children of Blood and Bone is everything I wanted in a fantasy book as a child, and since it didn’t exist when I was younger, that desire spurned me to start writing in the first place.
What advice do you have to offer in support of other authors?
Write from the heart. You must write what is important to you. Everything else will find its place later, but if you don’t write what is meaningful to you, nothing can come of it.
What is your genre of choice and why?
I write Fantasy. It just happened that way. My first novel, which I started writing when I was twelve, was Fantasy. Since then, all my other ideas have grown out of that first seed. That said, however, I incorporate a lot of other aspects in my writing, even if, at first glance, it is fantasy. As someone once said about my debut novel: “If Jane Austen had lived in our time and written Fantasy, Aspiring, Part 1 of the Siblings’ Tale would be it.”
The Apprentice Storyteller, for example, is very much a combination of The Alchemist and The Little Prince. It is a philosophical piece set in a fantasy universe.
How’d you come about discovery of your writing talent, gift or ability?
I read a non-fiction book that was rather advanced for me, but there was something about it that drew me in, and even though a lot of it was difficult to understand, it sparked an idea. The idea grew with me and has taken on a life of its own. During my twenties, when I gave up on the idea of ever publishing my works, I found I couldn’t live without the writing. I become depressed and unbearable to live with when I’m not writing, and that says a lot about this aspect of my life. It is my passion. Writing fills me with life and is something I will keep on doing for the rest of my days.
What are your future writing endeavors? What’s next on your authorship agenda?
I’ve already mentioned some of my ongoing projects and what’s in store for my readers in the coming years. In addition to what I’ve already mentioned, I fully intend to complete my very first novel, which has expanded into a five-book series. The Atlantis series, thus far, will contain the following titles: Nyesha’s Dreams, The Sacred Stones, Defending Atlantis, Time of Prophecy, and The Custodians of Truth. This is an epic, urban, wizards and witches, African occult fantasy series.
Additionally, I’ve started conceptualizing The Last Vasa series, which is an Urban Fantasy set in Sweden, detailing the battles of multiculturalism my current place of residence is experiencing.
Is writing for you synonymous with living and breathing, or just something you do as a hobby, and how so and why?
Yes, absolutely. I’m not myself when I’m not writing. It is my life. It is who I am.
What do you feel we need to hear or read more of, that is rare today in a book?
Death. I find fewer and fewer books are dealing with this core aspect of human life. Since reading Sirius’ death in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and Reepicheep’s death in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader I cannot think of a death scene that moved me to deal with the weight of death. Those scenes helped me when I was faced with the passing of my grandparents and I am forever grateful to the authors for dealing with this important and difficult topic, and, as such, it is a theme that recurs throughout my writing.
Considerations of historic change are also important to me. I find the modern perspective on life now as opposed to life in the past is very skewed. Few people today truly understand the immensity of how life has changed thanks to medical advancements, social change, and technological invention. The recent situation with covid-19 has further highlighted this issue for me and it is part of the reason why I write fairytale retellings and Historical fantasy. I want my readers to really put themselves in the shoes of our ancestors, to be able to appreciate what we have now.
What changes in the literary world would you most like to see?
More tolerance. Even in this era of social justice warriors, time and time again I see cases of intolerance, and it really upsets me. For example, I, as an ethnically Caucasian writer found it difficult to get a traditional or indie publisher who would consider my work with characters of color. In part, this is because there is an unspoken rule that books about minorities should be written by those minorities because of the misguided idea that “others” cannot fathom the difficulties and lived experiences of these minorities. I am of the opinion that if a person has an interest in something and wishes to write about it, their interest is enough. We make more of an effort when we are interested in something and we are more likely to get things right when we make an effort.
I have since come to the conclusion that I write for tolerance and inclusion because those are aspects I see that are wanting in the societies I have lived in. I choose to write Fantasy literature with people of color because as a child I found my genre of choice lacking in true diversity because whether they were Hobbits, Elves, or Wizards, they were clearly white folk, and I lived in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment and wanted to see that reflected in the books I read.
Indie/Self-Published Author and/or Traditionally Published? What do you favor more and why?
Self-published. I spent close to fifteen years doubting myself and my writing, constantly putting myself down. When I finally reached the point where I saw how much damage I was doing to myself and decided to publish my work, I realized I’d already wasted enough time. If I wanted to move forward with my life and my writing, I couldn’t allow the negativity of rejections from publishing houses to further sabotage my intention. I also realized that the changes in publishing which have come about through technological advancement meant that I could publish on my own and retain control over my own work. For my writing to remain true to my purpose with it, I knew I couldn’t sell out to a big publishing house that would, if it accepted my work, have the power to make changes according to “the market”.
How is your writing controversial, profound or mind-boggling, or how would you describe it?
I don’t hesitate to look at difficult social situations or even examine taboos. For example, all my fairytale retellings contain subtle examinations of sex and sexuality. Knowing when sex is okay. Being strong enough in oneself to say no, and make the other person accept it. Understanding what a good partner will do or say, as opposed to a manipulative or egotistical partner. These are important topics for teens to consider, and society is failing them by not giving scope to discuss sex in an open and supportive manner. Despite all the changes that have come about since the sexual revolution of the ’60s, we don’t talk about sex that often, and I see that as a mistake. Because when you live in a society where sex is easier to come by than any other in history, but don’t talk about what a healthy sexual relationship looks like, we are setting up the younger generation for a quagmire of potentially horrific situations.
What do you hope to accomplish with your literary creation? What change or enlightenment do you want to bring about in your reader if any?
I grew up in South Africa under Apartheid and lived the transition to democracy in my formative years. My father is German and I attended a German foreign school in South Africa, learning about the horrors of the Third Reich and the Holocaust. I currently live in Sweden and am watching with trepidation the daily shifts towards racism and intolerance taking place in this country as we speak.
All my writing has always been about embracing who we are, no matter how different we are from the society we live in, and on the other side of the coin, fostering tolerance of difference. This is a theme throughout my writings, whether it is Elisabeth from Aspiring, battling her own perceptions of her difference, to Tyrina from Pixie Tricks, who is a character modeled on Asperger’s Syndrome. All my characters have to face the shifting dimensions of culture contact and culture change and find their feet in a confusing world.
What’s the greatest compliment that you ever received regarding your literary accomplishments and what did this remark do for you, how did it transform your life or your writing?
This review of The Apprentice Storyteller never ceases to lift my spirits. I’m truly humbled that my writing could reach a reader in this way.
“Word painting. It is a talent that all authors pursue, but few ever accomplish. Astrid is a master word painter. In the matter of a few short sentences, you abandon the doldrums of your daily life and cross the threshold into the world of her creation.
But it’s more than just vivid scenery. So much more. Her characters breathe with their own life, bolstered by peccadilloes and emotions that evoke those same feelings from your own soul.
Our hero is a small boy, without home or family, but what he lacks in creature comforts, he makes up for in faith. Despite his pitiful existence, he believes fully in destiny. As he said himself, “it’s by knowing things that I survive.”
Viola is worn and weary from a world that doesn’t often play fair. She abides by the motto—kill or be killed. It’s not a preference. It’s a necessity…until her apprentice teaches her that there is more power in innocence and respect than there will ever be in all the weapons in the worlds. She has a choice—discard the boy and his foreign ideals or open herself up to the idea that this frail creature might open her heart up to limitless possibilities.
Once again, Astrid has woven lessons into the layers of story with skilled precision. Each chapter will leave you thinking—not only about the remainder of this story, but your very outlook on life.”
This review reminds me day after day why I write and that this is my purpose.
What’s the most memorable criticism you received regarding your literary works and how did this remark transform you as a writer or influence your writing if at all?
Below is one of the more critical reviews I’ve received and my thoughts on it.
“Astrid’s world-building skills were exceptional as always. Unfortunately, this novel was not my cup of tea. I only really enjoyed the last quarter of the novel where Amina found her quest to rescue her husband, I wish this was a bigger portion of the book. The backstory in the first 3/4 of the novel, while detailed did not allow me to connect with the characters in the novel and I found most of the actions of the parents of Phillip to be incomprehensible i.e. when Nate his father willingly gives up his son to the Nix for an exchange of money. Although it is later revealed he believed the new-born to be of an animal and not his own, the true horror of the situation is not depicted. Additionally, his wife’s response of eternal hatred for him due to his foolish mistake although they are able to keep the child with them is far too much, no other feelings are really shown from the characters regarding this incident which I found baffling. Amina and Phillip’s own love story from their childhood is something that is lacking and unexplored. Finally, Naiya the Nix herself seems to only have one purpose in life i.e. having a kid.”
The fact the reviewer considers the actions of Nate and Hilda incomprehensible in this example from Naiya’s Wish, and couldn’t fathom Naiya’s emotional anguish relating to her infertility, is a high compliment for me. This reviewer resonated most strongly with Amina who represents the experiences of the younger generation, i.e. of a person who has not yet had children. I also get the sense from this review that, at a subconscious level, the reader understood what I am getting at, but rejects it because of their ideological worldview. I wrote this book to challenge some of the postulations of feminist ideology, which I find problematic because they are cutting away core aspects of the identity of some women. On the whole, Naiya’s Wish became my exploration of the female condition over time, including things that we can hardly grasp in this day and age, such as the immense impact of child mortality from centuries past. I hope, one day, when this reader is faced with difficulties later in life as part of her experience as a woman, she may remember Naiya’s Wish and find guidance for her difficulties. To me, that would be the most meaningful outcome of having read my book, more powerful than anything else.
Another criticism I’d like to mention, which cut deeply, but which I’ve overcome, was the rejection from the Swedish association of writers claiming that my writing didn’t have any “artistic merit”. Considering the same book received two Literary Classics Awards, I can safely say, I clearly don’t need to associate with the snobbery of the Swedish writers’ association that cannot see beyond their prejudice of the Fantasy genre to experience and understand the deeper meaning of my writing.
