Dystopian Fiction
Date Published: June 29, 2018
Described as Dune meets The Hunger Games, this epic narrative of survival will have you in suspense and intrigue. Set in the futuristic world of Eldon, our hero, Zelenka, is forced to abandon everything she loves for a chance at freedom.
With parallels to today’s global crises, this book will have you questioning; would you risk it all?
It is year 2107 and the planet which was once called Earth (now Eldon), is ruled by a single, oppressive government. Many of those who suffered under the tyrannical rule of Eldon, have fled to a neighbouring planet, Amaryllis, and attempted to grow a utopian society.
Relations between the two worlds are fraught. Each believe the other to be evil. Each believe it is their responsibility to save humankind from the other.
Within this interplanetary political backdrop, lives Zelenka. The Eldonian teenager is forced to hide her intelligence and knowledge. Naïve and idealistic, she has never fitted into Eldonian life. She longs to openly be herself but is terrified of the government’s harsh rules and punishments.
“Zelenka is a true hero to me,” says the author, Elisa Hansen. “She has a strength of character that I see in many women facing similar fates today. Facets of the Eldon society mirror the present. Our heroes should not always the ones who succeed, but the people with true intent, and drive, to change.”
Interview with Elisa Hansen
Can you tell us a
little bit about the characters in Days of Reign?
Zelenka is a teenager living in the
harsh world of Eldon. She is brave and intelligent, with an admirable sense of
truth and justice, but soon she will be sent to the horrifying government
factories. Her love, the handsome Fraco, may be the only person who can save
her. He is smart and good looking, but traumatised by his family’s past.
Fianna tries to help Zelenka. Fianna is
from the rival planet, Amaryllis. She is astute and driven, knowing her purpose
in life but struggling to achieve it. She cares for Zelenka and pushes her to
risk everything for freedom.
Can you tell us a
little bit about your next books or what you have planned for the future?
I am working on a follow-on novel from Days of Reign. I am loving being in
these worlds that I have created. After that, I also plan to work on a young
adult novel that I wrote some years ago, but have never edited. Both are
dystopian fiction.
How long would you
say it takes you to write a book?
For Days
of Reign the first draft was quick – about three months – but the editing
process was extremely slow – over a year. I am much faster at this now that I
know what writing process suits me best.
What is your favorite
childhood book?
I loved The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton. Her stories are completely
inappropriate in today’s society, but back then as children, we did not know
such things. I loved the idea of climbing a tree into a different world. I had
the whole illustrated set and my father would read it to me every night.
If you could spend
the day with one of the characters from Days
of Reign who would it be? Please tell us why you chose this particular
character, where you would go and what you would do.
I really like Aurora, who enters later
in the book. She is so vivacious, centred and open, whilst having formed deep
opinions on the two worlds. But overall, hanging out with her would be a lot of
fun. Just to sit and converse over a nice meal – I am sure we would have very
interesting discussions.
What was the hardest scene
from Days of Reign to write?
The hardest scenes were the in between
ones, that had to be written to complete the story, but not a major action in
the plot. The big events in the plot were easy to write. I had a lot to say on
those.
What made you want to
become a writer?
It’s funny as I still struggle to think
of myself as a writer. I love to write and always have. When I was eight years
old, I would be on the phone to my friend for hours each night. Most of our
conversations would be reading each other creative stories that we had written.
Most of my writing since then has been in my diary. But then I started Days of Reign. I knew it had to be
written – even just for my own self-expression and creativity.
Just for fun
(a Favorite song: I really love Christina
Aguilera, her voice and talent are incredible, as is her strength to inspire
others to heal and live their dreams. She has fabulous songs for dancing too.
(b Favorite book: Oh, there are so
many! I also love science fiction – especially comedic ones like the
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, and Starship Troopers by
Robert A. Heinlein. My Family and Other Animals, by Gerald Durrell, was another
great book (autobiography) that really made me laugh. And Going Solo by Roald
Dahl was an autobiography that made me laugh, cry and think. Other books that
get me thinking tend to be fantasy with a poignant commentary on real life.
Also, anything by Isobelle Carmody. Where to stop? There are so many books that
I love.
(c Favorite movie: This is a difficult
question. There are so many movies that I love. The one I have watched the most
is probably The Matrix. When I was
studying at university, I would suddenly get an urge to watch the entire
trilogy every time we had exams (talk about procrastination). I love the sense
of honour, and the whole idea of a world run by machines.
(d Favorite tv show: I don’t watch TV. I
know, I’m weird. I used to love the Simpsons when I was a kid. I feel like I
grew up on that show
(e Favorite Food: Pizza and Phad Thai.
(f Favorite drink: Tea. I am very fussy with my tea, but enjoy it
immensely every morning.
(g Favorite website: Not really a
website, but I love watching dance videos on YouTube. There is so much talent
out there.
Thanks so much for
visiting with us today!
Thank you! I hope you enjoy reading Days of Reign.
About the Author
Growing up in Melbourne, Australia, Elisa Hansen was curious about other worlds. The travel bug bit her young, and she spent her early years with a pack on her back and hiking boots on her feet. Beyond exploring she loves to dance, cook, eat, learn other languages and paint.
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