| Robert Beatty is the New York Times bestselling author of the Serafina series (beginning with Serafina and the Black Cloak) and the companion series Willa of the Wood. Serafina and the Black Cloak tells the story of a mysterious girl raised in the basement of the Vanderbilt's Biltmore Estate who must come into her own to protect it from encroaching darkness. We loved its evocative setting and interesting charac-ters, so we were thrilled to interview Robert Beatty about the Serafina series! Rapunzel Reads: The Serafina series seamlessly incorporates historical elements with magical ones. How did you do the research for this series, and how did you choose what magic to weave into it? Robert Beatty: I live near Biltmore Estate and visit there often when researching my Serafina books. I explore the nooks and crannies of the estate and the surrounding lands looking for inspi- | 
Photos credit: Robert Beatty website |
ration and interesting details. Most of the settings and scenes in the Serafina books come from my personal experience at the estate. I also read all the historical books that have been written about Biltmore Estate to help fill in my knowledge.
RR: What inspired Serafina and the Black Cloak?
RB: When I began writing Serafina, my goal was to write a story for and with my daughters. I wanted to give them a story that would engage them and keep them on the edge of their seats. Serafina is flawed and relatable, a bold girl with a kind and heroic heart. One minute she’s innocent and frightened, and the next as fierce as can be. She possesses so many traits that young people, my daughters included, can relate to.
The character of Serafina is inspired by my middle daughter, Genevieve. When she was young, she used to like to prowl around our house and try to sneak up on me in my office when I was writing.
RR: How did the catamounts come about?
RB: Mountain lions (a.k.a. “panthers” here) used to live in this area and people would talk about them. They had a big presence here. Sometimes there are reports of people seeing them even today. The idea of mysterious animals living among us that we do not see has always fascinated me. The idea of the catamounts sprang from that. Catamount was the old name that people sometimes used for mountain lion (a contraction of “cat-of-the-mountains”). There has always been lore and stories about mountain lions, pumas, cougars, catamounts, painter, and panthers, which are all different names for the same species of animal.
RR: If you could meet one of the characters in Serafina and the Black Cloak, who would it be, and why?
RB: I would love to meet Serafina because I think it would be fascinating to encounter such a person. I would also enjoy becoming friends with Mr. Vanderbilt because he was such a smart and well read man.
RR: What books did you love when you were growing up?
RB: When I was young, I enjoyed many kinds of books, and especially loved reading medieval fantasies. I loved J.R.R.Tolkien (The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings), C.S. Lewis (Narnia series), and T.H. White (The Once and Future King, The Sword in the Stone, and The Book of Merlyn).
RR: Do you have any tips for an aspiring writer?
RB: It’s important to create a system of feedback that works for you. For me, that means sharing my work throughout the writing process with a trusted circle of readers to get their reactions to the story. My network includes educators, family and friends, professional editors, and general readers of all ages.
Write now and as often as you can. Carve out some time in your day, everyday, if possible. And keep at it. I started writing at the age of 11, and 40 years later, published my first book, "Serafina and the Black Cloak.”
RR: What inspired Serafina and the Black Cloak?
RB: When I began writing Serafina, my goal was to write a story for and with my daughters. I wanted to give them a story that would engage them and keep them on the edge of their seats. Serafina is flawed and relatable, a bold girl with a kind and heroic heart. One minute she’s innocent and frightened, and the next as fierce as can be. She possesses so many traits that young people, my daughters included, can relate to.
The character of Serafina is inspired by my middle daughter, Genevieve. When she was young, she used to like to prowl around our house and try to sneak up on me in my office when I was writing.
RR: How did the catamounts come about?
RB: Mountain lions (a.k.a. “panthers” here) used to live in this area and people would talk about them. They had a big presence here. Sometimes there are reports of people seeing them even today. The idea of mysterious animals living among us that we do not see has always fascinated me. The idea of the catamounts sprang from that. Catamount was the old name that people sometimes used for mountain lion (a contraction of “cat-of-the-mountains”). There has always been lore and stories about mountain lions, pumas, cougars, catamounts, painter, and panthers, which are all different names for the same species of animal.
RR: If you could meet one of the characters in Serafina and the Black Cloak, who would it be, and why?
RB: I would love to meet Serafina because I think it would be fascinating to encounter such a person. I would also enjoy becoming friends with Mr. Vanderbilt because he was such a smart and well read man.
RR: What books did you love when you were growing up?
RB: When I was young, I enjoyed many kinds of books, and especially loved reading medieval fantasies. I loved J.R.R.Tolkien (The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings), C.S. Lewis (Narnia series), and T.H. White (The Once and Future King, The Sword in the Stone, and The Book of Merlyn).
RR: Do you have any tips for an aspiring writer?
RB: It’s important to create a system of feedback that works for you. For me, that means sharing my work throughout the writing process with a trusted circle of readers to get their reactions to the story. My network includes educators, family and friends, professional editors, and general readers of all ages.
Write now and as often as you can. Carve out some time in your day, everyday, if possible. And keep at it. I started writing at the age of 11, and 40 years later, published my first book, "Serafina and the Black Cloak.”
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