We got to talk with bestselling author Julie Johnson to discuss her spellbinding new novel, The Wind Weaver. A captivating mix of fantasy, mystery, and romance, The Wind Weaver introduces readers to Rhya Fleetwood, a young halfling with the power to unleash storms and a destiny tied to an ancient prophecy. As Rhya embarks on a perilous journey through a war-torn realm, she must confront her own identity, master her powers, and navigate a dangerous connection with the enigmatic Commander Scythe. Julie takes us behind the scenes to share the inspiration for her richly detailed world, the complex characters at the heart of the story, and the themes of self-discovery and destiny that shape Rhya’s journey. Get ready for an insightful conversation about magic, world-building, and the powerful dynamics of The Wind Weaver!
The world of The Wind Weaver is a rich blend of fantasy, mystery, and romance. Can you share the inspiration behind the world-building, particularly the unique magic system, and how you approached creating it?
Worldbuilding is one of the things I love most about writing fantasy. That said, it can be tricky to strike a balance between too little detail and too much, creating an immersive experience without bogging down the plot in the process.
I try to approach it like an artist with an oil painting, adding new details with each pass through the manuscript. I’m a very visual person by nature, so I lean in to sensory details whenever I’m writing, whether I’m fleshing out the world or describing how certain characters use their magic. (Rhya, for example, must physically combat the tempest inside her in order to access her power.) My ultimate goal is to make readers feel like they’re living in every scene – their boots crunching in the snow, their hair blowing in the wind.
Rhya’s character is central to the story, beginning her journey as a condemned halfling. How did you develop her character arc, and what aspects of her personality were most important for you to emphasize in the context of the genre?
Everything started with Rhya. She came to me before the rest of the story and, in a way, I built a whole world around her. The initial inspiration for her character was the song “Rhiannon” by Stevie Nicks, specifically the lyrics about a woman “taken by the wind.” As the embodiment of air, Rhya’s personality traits mirror the wind itself. She’s strong, but also gentle. Ethereal yet tempestuous.
I employed this same developmental strategy while crafting all four main characters of this series – air, fire, water, earth. The element they each embody influences every aspect of how they act on the page, from their physical appearances to their internal motivations to the way they wield their magics.
Commander Scythe is a compelling and complex character. How did you approach writing his role, especially his dual nature as both captor and potential ally? Was it a challenge to keep him mysterious yet relatable?
My stories are always driven forward primarily by my characters. How they relate to the world around them, how they relate to one another. Where they align, where they butt heads. The way their different upbringings color their points of view.
Scythe was interesting to craft because he tends to speak more with his sword than his mouth, especially at the very beginning of the book. He’s a bit mysterious, as you said, but I think that’s half the appeal of his character. Slowly peeling back his layers, chapter by chapter. Figuring out what makes him tick, so to speak. He has deep battle scars, even if he doesn’t show them right away. I genuinely hope readers will be shouting “Why are you like this?” at the book as they read, and furiously turning the pages to find out.
The concept of Remnants—souls destined to restore balance—plays a crucial role in the plot. How did you come up with this idea, and how did you weave it into the story’s larger themes of fate and identity?
Once I developed Rhya’s character as the Remnant of Air, it was only natural that there would be three other Remnants: Earth, Fire, Water. Independent, yet irrevocably linked by a shared fate. A huge part of this trilogy is about exploring their identities – both on their own and as a fated group of four.
Like the elements they embody, certain Remnants are simply more compatible than others. They each have inherent strengths and weaknesses. Only as a group are they at their most powerful. And that’s certainly something they continually struggle to come to terms with. I really enjoy playing with their different dynamics. I’m writing book three now and, I can assure you, things only get more complex as the series goes on!
The Northlands are essential to the story’s atmosphere. How did you go about constructing this setting to feel both dangerous and mysterious, and what role does the setting play in Rhya’s development?
I actually designed the world map in tandem with writing this book, which really helped me to visualize the settings. I love geography. I’ve always been fascinated by the role it plays in shaping climates and cultures. When creating the Northlands in particular, I focused on the natural isolation provided by the mountain range. That huge geographical barrier enabled me to shroud the region in mystery from the first page.
Rhya’s sheltered upbringing leaves a whole world to explore. Her journey to the Northlands forces an inward journey as well, as she confronts her preexisting beliefs about the world and the entire fae race. By writing in first person, I’m able to take the reader along for the ride through Rhya’s eyes. They are exploring and learning everything as she does. Unpacking the twists and turns simultaneously.
At the heart of The Wind Weaver is Rhya’s internal struggle with her powers and desires. How did you explore the themes of self-discovery and the acceptance of one’s identity through her journey?
Rhya is raised in a society that shuns magic in all its forms. As a half-fae, she was cast aside by others during her formative years, and she definitely carries those scars with her into adulthood. When coming to terms with her power, she must also come to terms with her identity. Her journey is about more than just embracing her element; she also must embrace the parts of herself she was told to hide away from a world inclined to hate her. Self-acceptance is just as important as self-discovery.
The tension between Rhya and Commander Scythe is a major part of the story. How did you balance the antagonism and conflict between them with the growing emotional and romantic tension?
Without getting too deep into spoiler territory, I think it’s safe to say that the connection between Rhya and Scythe is foundational to their characters. The bond they share is there whether they want it or not. At first, it’s safe to say that neither of them wants it, which really does play into the complexity of their feelings for one another. I really enjoyed the progression of their relationship from adversaries to reluctant allies… and eventually to something more.
Fear of magic is a prominent theme, with halflings being persecuted for their magical connection. How did you explore this fear and prejudice, and what commentary does The Wind Weaver offer on these issues?
In my experience, people often fear what they don’t understand, and tend to cast blame on those who are in any way different from them. I grew up not far from Salem, Massachusetts, which was the site of the infamous Witch Trials in the late 1600s. So, themes of religious extremism, mob mentality, paranoia, and political unrest are never far from my mind.
In a war-ravaged realm like Anwyvn, where circumstances are generally rather terrible for most folks, it was easy to envision a very angry population at play. And immense anger always finds an outlet. Unfortunately, it’s rarely a just one.
Rhya’s battle to control her powers is a central conflict. How did you develop this struggle, and how does it tie into the broader themes of control, destiny, and self-determination in the book?
One of the best things about writing a series is that you have a lot of pages to develop your characters, scene by scene, but also book by book. For this trilogy, Rhya starts off essentially clueless about who she is. She really struggles to control her powers. By the end, she’s certainly made progress, but she still has quite a bit of growing to do. This was an intentional choice on my part. I think it’s important that her character isn’t immediately in command. She’s not a master. She’s still learning, changing, and maturing. I hope readers will stick around for books two and three to watch just how much she comes into her own power by the final chapter.
Rhya’s relationship with Commander Scythe evolves throughout the story. How did you approach the “enemies to lovers” dynamic in a way that challenges or subverts typical fantasy tropes?
I wanted to craft a true enemies-to-lovers dynamic here, which meant no instant attraction between the two main characters. They genuinely do not like one another at first, but are bound by a shared fate. Their slow, simmering tension takes almost the entire book to finally boil over. I think the additional complexity of their elemental connection, as well as the concept of the Remnant bonds, really influences everything about their dynamic as a couple. Without revealing too much, I will also say that past relationships play heavily into present connections, whether that’s with friends, family, or romantic partners.
Creating the world of Anwyvn must have been a major undertaking. What was your process for developing its history, culture, and mythology, and how do these elements influence the characters and plot?
It was indeed a major undertaking! I have an extensive (and ever-evolving) series “bible” which lists every character, setting, and major theme of this trilogy. As I mentioned earlier, geography played a large role in developing the physical world. But it took far longer to sort out the historical aspects that precede page one.
Several characters have been around for hundreds of years, which gave me a very rich palette to paint from, but also required a lot of consideration — especially as I began writing book two, which is where things get truly complex. I ended up creating a timeline that stretches back two centuries, just to keep things straight in my own head. I use it as a constant point of reference, along with my series bible. Most of those resources will never see the light of day, but I found them essential tools. I knew this world had to feel like a real place inside my head before I even attempted to set it down on paper.
Rhya’s birthmark and her ability to summon the wind are key symbols in the story. How did you use symbolism to deepen her connection to the natural elements and reinforce the themes of the book?
Rhya is raised to hide her birthmark at all costs. It’s a point of shame for her in the very beginning, and a source of fear for others who see it. But as she begins to embrace her power, and herself, she no longer hides it away. By the end of the book, in the most pivotal scenes, her Remnant mark is on full display for the world to see. I love how that outward confidence mirrors her inward journey. Symbolically, she comes full circle.
With a world so rich in conflict and mystery, pacing must have been a challenge. How did you balance keeping the plot engaging while allowing space for world-building and character development?
Whenever I felt overwhelmed by the scope of this story, I grounded myself in Rhya’s character. Her journey. Her eyes. Her perceptions. Her experiences. The intimacy of writing in first person point-of-view allows for a unique balance of intrinsic and external development.
Yes, there were absolutely times when I lamented not being an omniscient narrator, with the ability to “zoom out” and describe the world at large. But in the end, I think the pacing was actually better established by being inside Rhya’s mind for the duration of the story. In being limited to only what was in front of her eyes, I never strayed too far from the central plot.
The blight that ravages the land is central to the plot and the characters’ struggles. How did you develop the concept of the blight, and what does it symbolize in the context of the characters’ journeys and the overall themes of the book?
The looming threat of the blight is a direct consequence of the war against magic. Anwyvn is a land deeply rooted in natural power. That power was thrown off balance when the mortals began killing off the fae race in their grim crusade. I see an undeniable link between societal decay and real, tangible decay of the earth itself. Nothing can grow effectively in a hostile environment. Nothing gets better when war and death are more commonplace than community and love.
The four Remnants are foretold as the key to restoring their realm. Yet the odds of them ever finding one another grow slimmer as their world sickens. It’s a vicious cycle, perpetuated by the violence of their circumstances. And it’s a theme I continue to explore throughout the entire trilogy.
As readers reach the end of The Wind Weaver, what message or emotion do you hope they take away? And how do you plan to continue developing these themes in future installments of the series?
I hope that readers will close The Wind Weaver feeling electrified by the final battle scene – no puns intended here! – and also very much on the edge of their seats for what’s still to come for Rhya and the rest of the Remnants. As the series continues, things only get more complicated between the fated four. Their natural strengths and weaknesses are a vital point of conflict, as are their innate compatibilities. You can expect more magic, more complex character dynamics, and a broader exploration of the other elemental courts in book two.
About the Author
Julie Johnson is a New England native and internationally bestselling author. When she’s not writing, Julie can most often be found adding stamps to her passport, drinking too much coffee, and avoiding reality by disappearing between the pages of a book. She published her debut novel on a lark, just before her senior year of college, and she’s never looked back. Since, she has published twenty other novels, which have been translated into more than a dozen different languages and appeared on bestseller lists all over the world, including Der Spiegel, AdWeek, Publishers Weekly, USA Today, and more.