6/25/2008 11:09:00 AM Area woman's grandaughter releases new fantasy novel
By Gretchen Mensink Lovejoy
The characters bugged Victoria Kasten - so she inked them.
"I've been 'bitten by the bug,' so to speak, and I can't wait to write more books of this length. I definitely learned that I love writing novels," said 17-year-old Webster, Minn., author Kasten, whose new non-magical fantasy novel, "IronHeart" was published earlier this spring.
Tori, granddaughter of Spring Valley resident Ilene Kasten, was first published at age 11 in two nationally-circulated newspapers, and released her first book in a series, "Mighty Stallion," in November 2005. Her first magazine article appeared in the 2006 winter issue of "American Livestock Magazine," and the same magazine published one of her poems in its spring 2007 issue.
Tori has been featured in "MN Parent Magazine" and "Women, Inc., Magazine," has taught children at young writer's conventions in Mankato, Winona and Anoka, been a guest author at the Northfield Historical Society for Northfield's "Jesse James Days" and "Winter Walk," as well as been a VIP for the Minnesota Academic All-Stars Program, taught at the Sinclair Lewis Writer's Conference for adults in Sauk Centre, and had the opportunity to work with authors Jack Koblas, three-time Newbery Award winner Gary Paulsen and Lois Greimann.
"I decided to write 'IronHeart' because I wanted to explore the possibilities of my writing, and it was somewhat of a test of my abilities. I wanted to see if I could write a full length fantasy novel. I chose fantasy in particular because I love having no boundaries and being able to unleash my imagination. The result, 'IronHeart,' was an extremely rewarding outcome for me." The 19-chapter book is written in third-person perspective for high school teens and adults. "It is the story of a struggle for a throne and a kingdom, between the rightful heiress - the main character Kikpona - and her stepfather, who is determined to see his own son become king. The main themes include destiny, friendship, determination, and hope. There are talking animals, beautiful landscapes, a deep and complex culture that I created through hours of work, epic battles, and a struggle between good and evil."
Early character development lent initial ideas as to what the book's plot might be. "I did have a couple of my main characters developed a little at the beginning, including my main character Kikpona and her best friend, a black bull named Atoru. However, I found that in writing the book, most of the characters came to life right under my fingertips as I was writing. I had so much fun seeing them grow and develop, shaping them into the characters that are quickly becoming beloved among my readers."
She particularly likes meeting her characters and getting to know them personally. "My favorite part of any book that I write has always been my characters. I develop a closeness to each one that really helps me when I'm writing. I take a lot of time to hone the details of each character, making them as realistic and believable as possible. When I published 'IronHeart' and started marketing it, I have to admit that I was nervous about how it would be received. It was kind of like sending your first child off to kindergarten, when you hope that they'll fit in, make friends and be loved for who they are. My favorite part of the book itself is in chapter 19, starting on page 283. It's an innocently romantic part that really shows a vulnerable side of two of the main characters."
"IronHeart" took Tori approximately a year and a half to write. "I did take about two months off in the middle, and a week or so here and there. It helped to take breaks because then I would come back ready for more, with more inspiration." Though she expected most of the difficulties she encountered, the length of the book posed some challenges. "The length of the book was definitely a factor. I wasn't used to developing a plotline that would fill so many pages...314 pages. Other than that, however, most of the difficulties were temporary."
The book was first released last year, and has been sold at events such as the Mankato and Anoka-Ramsey young writers' conferences, Minnesota's and Pennsylvania's homeschool conventions, the San Antonio homeschool convention and in bookstores in the Webster-Mankato area that carry Victoria's "Mighty Stallion" series.
"My book tours have been going really well, and I've been so blessed by the support of so many people. My first national tour was completed a few weeks ago, and I was very well received in Pennsylvania and Texas, at the two conventions I attended. I'm also going to be at the Georgia homeschool convention in July."
The genres she has chosen to explore simply don't compare, but she's awed by readers' enthusiasm. "To be completely honest, 'IronHeart' has such a different appeal than the 'Mighty Stallion' series that it's nearly impossible to compare them. However, for the short time that 'IronHeart' has been available, it has been receiving extremely high support from teen and adult readers."
Her readers surprised her with requests for more tales of courage and friendship. "I didn't plan on a sequel from the beginning, but I kind of had an idea in my head for one if I should ever change my mind, so when my fans clamored for a book two, I had no problems with complying."
Her next fantasy effort will be "The Iron Spear," due for publishing later this year. "I can't wait to write more fantasy, and I'm thinking about several other genres in the future which may include historical fantasy, historical Christian romance, historical fiction, science fiction, modern fiction, modern Christian romance, and much more."
She described being a teenaged author as "pretty wild."
"I love being able to make a difference in so many people's lives. I really hope that young aspiring writers can draw inspiration from my work and gain confidence in their own dreams. Sometimes it gets overwhelming, but I still love it. Signing autographs is a lot of fun, but I still find myself wondering how I got to this point sometimes!"
Tori has matured in both her public appearance presentation skills and in understanding how her books progress from idea to novel.
"My presentation skills have definitely shown the most improvement, as well as the depth of my writing, plotlines and characters. I have a bigger appreciation for all the work that is involved with writing, speaking and publishing. I have also accepted and been able to earn my position as a role-model and teacher for the next generation of writers."
Kasten has "quite a few interests, and has been blessed to be able to explore most of them." "I still am a huge lover of world and ancient history, and spend some time studying that. I also have discovered a love of acting, and was able to perform in a community play earlier this year called "Flaming Idiots," produced by the Curtain Call Theatre Company. I had a leading role in the play and had a blast with it. I also love riding, and hope to do more of that this summer. Singing has always been a huge passion of mine, and I am writing some songs with the hopes of a possible album in the next few years. I have no idea what the future will bring, but I'm ready and waiting."
Perseverance and a lively imagination will serve her well in the coming years. "I've never given up my dream of becoming a lifelong author. I don't know if I'll write full time all the time, but I will always keep my passion for writing alive, no matter where life takes me. I have so many ideas and visions for the future, but writing has always been a big part of that."
She continued, "The rewards of this career are too numerous to even begin to list. Being able to share your thoughts and stories with others is a huge part of it. With writing, as with the other similar arts, your voice can be heard by thousands of people, and gives you a chance to change lives. I wouldn't trade it for anything else. It is a lot of hard work, but with dedication, passion and guidance from God, it is rewarding beyond imagination."
Tori advised other young authors, "You are never too young to start your writing career. Let other people help you, and dream big. It may be scary at first, but remember that every soaring flight begins by taking that first step into the unknown."
To write to Victoria, e-mail her at victoria@epicscrolls.com or send letters to Epic Scrolls, 5465 Glencoe Ave., Webster, MN, 55088, or for more information on her books, log onto her new Web site, www.epicscrolls.com.
