An Interview with H. J. Ralles

H. J. Ralles is the author of many critically-acclaimed YA novels, including Darok 9, Darok 10, and the Keeper series (Keeper of the Kingdom, Keeper of the Realm, Keeper of the Empire, and Keeper of the Colony). Her newest book, Keeper of the Island, is the fifth and final book of the Keeper series, which chronicles the adventures of Matt, a young man who has been sucked into a video game and has no choice but to play his way out.

I caught up with the busy Ms. Ralles at Barnes & Noble Booksellers in Denton, Texas, where she was signing copies of her latest book and co-hosting a pirate-themed activity with Cindy Vallar (a.k.a. “The Pirate Lady”).

Did you intend to create a series when you started the first Keeper book?

HR: No, not at all. I wrote Keeper of the Kingdom for my son, who was ten years old at the time. After I sold it, my publisher said, “You know, this would make a good series,” and he asked me to change the ending so I could continue Matt’s story. When the first printing sold out in six months, we knew we’d made the right choice; there was definitely an audience for a series.

Series are popular with readers because when they read a good book, they want more of the same, only different. Is that a challenge for the author?

HR: It is. I hit on the idea of Matt moving to the next level of the game in every book, which allows me to keep things fresh. Each book is set in a different place, Matt meets a different girl who helps him, and he fights a different enemy. The only constant is the rules of the game; those remain the same at every level. I’ve also tried to make each book a separate story that can stand alone; you can enjoy the fifth book even if you haven’t read the first four.

How does time move over the course of the series? Does Matt get older in every book?

HR: A lot of readers have asked me that question, and the answer appears in Keeper of the Island. I can’t tell you more than that; I don’t want to give away the secret!

In the Harry Potter series, the books have become darker and more complex as Harry has gotten older. This is fine for readers who have grown up along with Harry, because they’ve had to wait a year or two between books, but for young readers who are starting the series now—

HR: Yes, that can be a problem. When kids find something they like, they’ll read the entire series in two weeks, so there’s no maturing period. The Keeper books are all written for kids between 9 and 13 years old. There’s no bad language or anything inappropriate for that age.

Why did you choose to write about pirates in the final Keeper book?

HR: I’ve always been fascinated by pirates. When I was a little girl, one of my favorite stories was about a pirate, and it was set in a place I used to visit quite often with my family. Two years ago I went on a cruise to Belize, which is very rich in pirate history, and I felt I’d come full circle. I knew I wanted to write a pirate adventure.

There’s a trend in YA fiction, and of course in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, toward a more positive view of pirates. Are your pirates good or bad?

HR: I suppose they’re bad pirates, but again, I don’t want to say too much . . .

CV: I think your depiction of pirates in Keeper of the Island is very authentic.

HR: Oh, do you? Thanks, that means a lot coming from you. I knew I wanted the pirates to be authentic, even though the series is set in 2540 A.D. People don’t usually think about modern pirates, and how pirates can exist in a futuristic setting is another one of the mysteries of the book.

Occasionally, science fiction and fantasy offend people’s sensibilities. Does it bother you when readers try to defend the authors by saying, “Oh, it’s just fiction”?

HR: Well, I do try to make sure that anything factual in my books is as accurate as possible. For example, in Keeper of the Island, I give some information about pirates and their ships. Matt incorrectly calls the pirate ship a galleon—because we always associate pirates with galleons, don’t we?—but the captain explains that it’s actually a square- rigger.

CV: The ships used in the old Captain Blood movies were galleons because they had nice big decks, perfect for staging a sword fight. But real pirates wouldn’t have used galleons because they’re big and unwieldy and hard to steer, plus they have a low draft, which means they can’t sail into shallow water. Pirates preferred quick, agile ships like schooners, sloops, and square-riggers.

HR: Well, that’s the sort of information I try to include in my books. Being a teacher, it’s partly my goal to inform my readers. For the Darok series, I had to do a lot of research on the potential challenges of space colonization, as well as on cryonics and cloning, and I shared what I’d learned with my readers. My books are taught in 7th and 8th grade science classes because they present factual information in an entertaining way. In fact, I was invited to sign Darok 9 and Darok 10 at the International Space Development Conference in Dallas, and the Space Frontier Foundation reviewed those books as well.

HR: My books have good moral values, which are important whether you’re writing fiction or non-fiction. Good wins out over evil. The kids work with adults, not against them, to achieve their goals. As a mother and a teacher, I’m upset by stories where 13-year-olds drive cars. Writers of YA fiction have a lot of responsibility. For myself, I want to show positive interactions between kids and adults: the kids respect the adults’ competence, and the adults listen to what the kids have to say.

To visit H. J. Ralles's website, click here.