Discussing The Arcanium Saga with N.P. Thompson

N.P. Thompson joins us to talk about The Arcanium Saga, the middle-grade fantasy series. The first book in the saga, River of Crows, was a finalist for the 2023 Canadian Book Club Awards and a 2023 Wishing Shelf Book Awards Silver Medal Winner and shortlisted for the 2024 Rubery. The fourth in the saga, Chalice of Caladriai, recently came out, but we’ll be talking about the first book and the story as a whole so you and your middle grade reader can start there. Find N.P. Thompson online: https://nptwrites.com/ https://bsky.app/profile/nptwrites.bs... We dive into the inspiration behind the series, the appeal of portal fantasy, writing believable child characters, planning an epic fantasy saga, and the importance of friendship, resilience, and community in stories for young readers. We discuss: What compelled N.P. Thompson to write a middle grade fantasy series. How the main characters, Ty and Asylenne, first came to life, and how a real "river of crows" inspired the entire series. Why River of Crows embraces classic portal fantasy traditions (similar to Chronicles of Narnia) while putting its own unique spin on the genre. The importance of giving young readers hopeful stories that still tackle difficult topics. Why Thompson intentionally avoided the common trope of neglectful or uncaring adults in children's fantasy. How friendship develops across the series and why relationships continue to evolve long after the first adventure ends. Exploring what happens after the heroes defeat the villain, including healing, trauma, and rebuilding friendships. Why perseverance, frustration tolerance, and resilience are important themes for today's young readers. Planning a seven-book fantasy saga and balancing long-term storytelling with satisfying individual novels. Plotting versus "pantsing" and how new ideas continue to reshape a story during the writing process. Character development, believable personalities, and why readers stay invested in characters who feel authentic. What adult readers can enjoy in middle grade fantasy. The central message of The Arcanium Saga: that meaningful change happens when communities work together, not when everyone waits for a single hero.