| Esme Symes-Smith is the author of the ongoing Sir Callie series, which currently includes Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston and Sir Callie and the Dragon's Roost. They tell the story of Callie, who, with the help of their friends, is determined to become a knight and end Helston's archaic prejudice once and for all. We absolutely love the Sir Callie series, so we were thrilled to interview Esme Symes-Smith for this month's post! Rapunzel Reads: MG fantasy is one of my favorite genres, but all too often it steers clear of painful topics and realities. Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston does the opposite, and I can't remember the last book I read which faced such incredibly difficult realities with the same level of thoughtfulness, sensitivity, and authenticity. How did you go about writing these parts of the story? Esme Symes-Smith: One of the pieces of advice I once heard regarding writing for | 
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a middle-grade audience is that you can have the same topics with the same level of heaviness as YA or adult books, but in MG there is always hope. That really stuck with me. No matter how harsh the realities kids face, whether in fiction or real life, there is always hope and always something worth fighting for. Balancing darkness with light is something I most enjoy in writing; going through the shadows makes the light on the other side all the brighter.
RR: One of my favorite parts of Sir Callie was the characters. Particularly when a story sets a protagonist against an unjust society, the characters too often fall into familiar tropes, but Sir Callie's never do--instead, everyone (particularly Callie, Edwyn and Willow) is complex and multifaceted. How did you go about creating such a layered cast? Do you have a favorite among them?
ESS: I love writing characters and seeing how they interact with each other! Something I love most about ensembles is how each character has a different dynamic with each other, which leads to countless combinations and always keeps things interesting. It’s important to remember, too, that you’re writing about people. They each have their own lives, stories and motivations, so of course they’re different!
SIR CALLIE began with the seed of the trio. I knew I wanted to write the dynamic between a genderqueer knight, a fierce girl, and a soft prince, and from that everything else bloomed. Edwyn is a combination of the others; he is who Callie could have been if they’d stayed in Clystwell, he is Willow if Willow hadn’t had the support in his earlier years, and he is Elowen if she had given into their parents’ wills. I love watching him grow! I love watching them all grow, which is why I’m so stoked to get to write the whole series!
RR: For me, what brought the world of Helston most vividly to life was its nuance. To some people, like Callie's papa, the system helps them; for others, like most of the cast, society's expectations are incredibly painful, but for each of them this manifests in different ways--once more, I have to point to Edwyn and Willow, as well as Elowen. How did you go about creating such a flawed and fully fledged society?
ESS: Helston/Wyndebrel is unashamedly inspired by the real world. It is very familiar to too many people in that it’s a society on edge and afraid, and looking to blame someone other than the person culpable. Fantasy is wonderful because it gives a safe space to explore very real, very scary topics. Nick was a really interesting character to write because he did benefit from the society who rejected the people he loves, and could still benefit if he chose to comply. He has to actively choose to work against this system, which turns out to be much easier said than done.
I also love good characters who make big mistakes, who struggle to be good, who have to work for it. Healing societal problems is hard work, which few actually want to do.
RR: Do you have any tips for an aspiring writer?
ESS: WRITE! Seriously. Don’t get distracted by the idea of publishing or writing ‘the right thing’, just get words down in whatever way brings you the most joy. That’s the best way to practice your craft.
RR: There are too few MG books, and especially fantasy, which feature nonbinary leads, so Callie was everything I wanted and more--their fierce determination, courage, and vulnerability made me absolutely fall in love with them. What are your thoughts on trans and queer characters in books, and on Callie in general?
ESS: MORE PLEASE! Especially in genre fiction. There are some gorgeous contemporary MG novels with Trans/Enby/Queer characters, but I’m hungry for more fantasy!
RR: What is your favorite thing about being an author?
ESS: Being read. I love connecting with readers more than anything else. I love that everyone can take something a little bit different from a story, and there’s no one correct way to read. I love that my vision for the book is only one in a thousand, and I’m so grateful I get to have that conversation with readers!
RR: One of my favorite parts of Sir Callie was the characters. Particularly when a story sets a protagonist against an unjust society, the characters too often fall into familiar tropes, but Sir Callie's never do--instead, everyone (particularly Callie, Edwyn and Willow) is complex and multifaceted. How did you go about creating such a layered cast? Do you have a favorite among them?
ESS: I love writing characters and seeing how they interact with each other! Something I love most about ensembles is how each character has a different dynamic with each other, which leads to countless combinations and always keeps things interesting. It’s important to remember, too, that you’re writing about people. They each have their own lives, stories and motivations, so of course they’re different!
SIR CALLIE began with the seed of the trio. I knew I wanted to write the dynamic between a genderqueer knight, a fierce girl, and a soft prince, and from that everything else bloomed. Edwyn is a combination of the others; he is who Callie could have been if they’d stayed in Clystwell, he is Willow if Willow hadn’t had the support in his earlier years, and he is Elowen if she had given into their parents’ wills. I love watching him grow! I love watching them all grow, which is why I’m so stoked to get to write the whole series!
RR: For me, what brought the world of Helston most vividly to life was its nuance. To some people, like Callie's papa, the system helps them; for others, like most of the cast, society's expectations are incredibly painful, but for each of them this manifests in different ways--once more, I have to point to Edwyn and Willow, as well as Elowen. How did you go about creating such a flawed and fully fledged society?
ESS: Helston/Wyndebrel is unashamedly inspired by the real world. It is very familiar to too many people in that it’s a society on edge and afraid, and looking to blame someone other than the person culpable. Fantasy is wonderful because it gives a safe space to explore very real, very scary topics. Nick was a really interesting character to write because he did benefit from the society who rejected the people he loves, and could still benefit if he chose to comply. He has to actively choose to work against this system, which turns out to be much easier said than done.
I also love good characters who make big mistakes, who struggle to be good, who have to work for it. Healing societal problems is hard work, which few actually want to do.
RR: Do you have any tips for an aspiring writer?
ESS: WRITE! Seriously. Don’t get distracted by the idea of publishing or writing ‘the right thing’, just get words down in whatever way brings you the most joy. That’s the best way to practice your craft.
RR: There are too few MG books, and especially fantasy, which feature nonbinary leads, so Callie was everything I wanted and more--their fierce determination, courage, and vulnerability made me absolutely fall in love with them. What are your thoughts on trans and queer characters in books, and on Callie in general?
ESS: MORE PLEASE! Especially in genre fiction. There are some gorgeous contemporary MG novels with Trans/Enby/Queer characters, but I’m hungry for more fantasy!
RR: What is your favorite thing about being an author?
ESS: Being read. I love connecting with readers more than anything else. I love that everyone can take something a little bit different from a story, and there’s no one correct way to read. I love that my vision for the book is only one in a thousand, and I’m so grateful I get to have that conversation with readers!
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