For fantasy fans of all ages! A fascinating look inside the minds of top fantasy authors.

What kind of child were you? When did you decide you wanted to be a writer? Why do you write fantasy?

"Fantasy," writes Leonard S. Marcus, "is storytelling with the beguiling power to transform the impossible into the imaginable and to reveal our own 'real' world in a fresh and truth-bearing light." Few have harnessed this power with the artistry, verve, and imagination of the authors encountered in this compelling book. How do they work their magic?

Finely nuanced and continually revealing, Leonard S. Marcus's interviews range widely over questions of literary craft and moral vision, as he asks thirteen noted fantasy authors about their pivotal life experiences, their literary influences and work routines, and their core beliefs about the place of fantasy in literature and in our lives. In a series of incisive interviews, Leonard S. Marcus engages thirteen master storytellers in spirited conversation about their life and work, providing inspiring reading for fantasy fans and future writers alike.

"[A]n awesome collection of interviews....I am delighted with this collection and will recommend it easily to any writer, of any genre, who wants to learn more about the craft." Colleen Mondor, BookSlut

Finely nuanced and continually revealing, Leonard S. Marcus's interviews range widely over questions of literary craft and moral vision, as he asks thirteen noted fantasy authors about their pivotal life experiences, their literary influences and work routines, and their core beliefs about the place of fantasy in literature and in our lives.

Includes interviews with:

• Lloyd Alexander
• Franny Billingsley
• Susan Cooper
• Nancy Farmer
• Brian Jacques
• Diana Wynne Jones
• Ursula K. Le Guin
• Madeleine L'Engle
• Garth Nix
• Tamora Pierce
• Terry Pratchett
• Philip Pullman
• Jane Yolen

In a series of incisive interviews, Leonard S. Marcus engages thirteen master storytellers in spirited conversation about their life and work, providing inspiring reading for fantasy fans and future writers alike.

Marcus engages 13 master storytellers in spirited conversation about their life and work, their literary influences, and their core beliefs about the place of fantasy in literature.

Leonard S. Marcus is one of the world?s most respected writers about children?s literature. His essays, interviews, and reviews appear in the New York Times Book Review, a regular column for Parenting magazine, and numerous other publications. His books include A Caldecott Celebration, Author Talk, Storied City, and other titles for both adults and young readers.