5 Minutes With Tiffany Trent

I'm excited to get five minutes with author and environmentalist, Tiffany Trent, whose award-winning Hallowmere series has expanded this month to include the third installment, "Between Golden Jaws."

This is especially exciting for me, because not only is she an amazing author, she's worked all over the world, including in China, so natch, I had to ask about that as well as the next installment of Hallowmere!

1) The third book in the Hallowmere series, "Between Golden Jaws," has just been released, which is always exciting! But from what I understand, you're currently writing Book Seven out of ten (!!)

How do you keep your own spoilers straight when you have to talk about a book that's current for your fans, but four past for you?

I tend not to talk much about the books publicly for that very reason, because I'm afraid I'll say something I shouldn't. I realized when I was trying to explain what would happen after Book 3 that I gave away big spoilers whether I meant to or not.

2)You've worked everywhere from Hong Kong to Montana- are there pieces of each of those places in your books? Any sneaky tips of the hat that we might not recognize on first read?

There aren't any tips of the hat from places I've lived in Hallowmere. But Culpeper is definitely the setting of Book 1 because it's where a friend of mine grew up and still owns a 200-yr. old farm (and where she told creepy stories to me on her porch deep in the night). In Book 2, there's a nod to Baltimore history when Corrine has a vision of the Great Fire of 1904.

3)So let's say you could throw a party for, oh, I don't know, Corlath from Robin McKinley's Blue Sword, The Mock Turtle from Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard Howl from Howl's Moving Castle, Roiben from Holly Black's Modern Faerie Tales, Mrs. Whatsit from A Wrinkle in Time and Irulan from Dune, what would you serve, and would Corinne be invited?

Hee. You saw my Main Character Dinner Party post! Of course Corrine could come, though it would probably be a good idea to have Ilona along, too. I'd have to have some malak for Corlath, I suppose. And I guess I'd better not have mock turtle soup or else the Mock Turtle would be offended.

4)You have an incredibly diverse career, but it must be exciting to have the opportunity to teach emerging writers. But that means I have to know, which is harder: writing, or teaching other people to write?

I think having to do both at once is probably hardest. But if I had to choose between the two, I'd say teaching writing is harder. Because the fact is that I can't really teach anyone how to write; I can only show them the path. My students either step onto that path and teach themselves what they ultimately need to know or they don't.

5)I saved the most important question for last. Forgive me for straying from your books, but could you tell me a little more about the Asian turtle crisis, and is there anything readers can do to help?

You are so attentive! Thank you! The Asian turtle crisis has been caused by the near-extinction of over half of Asia's native turtle species, mostly due to the food and medicine markets, although habitat loss and pollution are also big factors.

Turtles are very important members of the ecosystem; they're responsible for recycling tons of carrion and detritus. When I worked in Hong Kong, my employer (Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden) became the rehabilitation center for thousands of turtles after two giant wildlife trafficking busts.

It was heartbreaking to see so many turtles wounded, ill, and dying; my colleagues worked throughout the night to do triage care and to find re-homing facilities around the world. Luckily, we're seeing the first fruits of those efforts now, with rescued endangered turtles reproducing in breeding centers around the world.

Organizations to consider aiding are: The Turtle Survival Alliance and Turtle Conservation Fund.