Wings of Destiny
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Howard Bahr
Children's Authors
Arlene Alda |
Fiction with vision -- and visions
INTERVIEW BY SANDY HUSEBY We recently chatted with novelist Catherine Lanigan about the challenges of finding an audience for her new novel, Wings of Destiny. Wings of Destiny is the story of two families entangled in a generations-long struggle; the conflict between the Dukes and The House of Su dates back to the Chinese opium war. The Duke lineage began with the illicit relationship between Jamaican plantation owner Ambrose Duke and his slave, Yuala. Destinies converge and a battle of good and evil ensues in San Francisco in the late 1800s, where Nan-Yung Su is driven to destroy forever the family of Ambrose and Yuala's grandson, Jefferson Duke. The scope of Lanigan's novel is global, ranging from the Caribbean to the Forbidden City in China, and is decades-long. That span is scarcely grand enough to encompass this unforgettable tale.
BookPage: You wrote the novelizations for Romancing the Stone and Jewel of the Nile. Wings of Destiny is a multi-generational saga, complete with ghosts and paranormal phenomena. What compelled you to write a story so different from what you've been writing?
My favorite story about Wings of Destiny was over a decade ago when my agent took it to the head of a prominent publishing house, and the editor read it and said, "There's a ghost from the future as a main character. Everyone knows there's no such thing. Stonefaced, my agent replied, "You never read A Christmas Carol? Next!" Visionary fiction is destiny driven. I know I am following my divine path in seeing this book to publication. Though I can't speak for Peter, his actions certainly show that he shares this belief.
BP: Where does your writing go from here?
Angel Watch, the second book from HCI, is a series of factual accounts of paranormal and angelic intervention experiences in my personal life and those of my family and close friends. These are the real stories behind Wings of Destiny and how this book came into being. This is a book I have lived. Other than that, I have three visionary fiction novels, fully formed in my head, but yet to write. Not to mention another half-dozen paranormal adventures, both contemporary and historical. I have no fear that I will ever run out of tales to tell. Sandy Huseby writes from her homes in Fargo, North Dakota, and Nevis, Minnesota. She is online at SHuseby@aol.com. |
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BP: It took a little-known publisher to launch Tom Clancy. Likewise, your publisher is taking a leap of faith with you. What do you hope this demonstrates to booklovers?