On Wednesday the 10th of October 2012 I started writing a story that would become “The Eagle Key.” I wrote the story in a 6 week blur, churning out thousands of words a day in an unexpected flow. If there was ever any doubt that writing could heal, could save, than “The Eagle Key” is living proof that it can.
Earlier in the year I suffered a rather horrendous break up. I was lucky I had good people around me but looking back on it I did have a breakdown. The relationship wasn’t a healthy one and it had taken me a long time to end it. On top of this I was re-writing the first two Firebird books and I hadn’t produced ‘new’ words as such for months.
The only things keeping me sane during this time were my very understanding flatmates and a non-stop flow of vodka, fairytales, Smallville, Disney and Doctor Who. I really wanted to write a fairytale for adults; something that could fit in the same categories as “Howls Moving Castle” or “The Princess Bride.” Something with True Love and magic. Something to make me believe in both again even if it was only on the page.
With all of this churning about in my brain I was driving home from the dentists, a little stoned I think on whatever they stick in their numbing needles, and suddenly I had a voice in my head not just talking to me (a common writers affliction) but SHOUTING at me. He was so loud that I jumped in my seat. I pulled the car over thinking I had finally cracked and I really was hearing ‘the voices’. Instead of telling me to burn things, this jerk that invaded my thoughts, started laughing at me. “If you have made me up your mind must be dirtier than I thought,” the voice said with a male smugness, “Write about me, I am fascinating I swear.” This is how I met Greyfeather; by the side of busy highway writing on the back of shopping dockets.
The next six weeks were a crazy blur, on one of the days I wrote nearly ten thousand words. I went to New Zealand for three of the weeks and while I fed the Hobbit within I wrote “The Eagle Key” at night. I had the idea that this story was for me only, that it would never see the light of day. That this goofy little tale would be the thing that made me laugh with a loveable rogue thrown into the mix.
I wrote it and cherished it. Then I gave it to a friend and I made her cry. Mostly I think because my books, while there are romantic aspects, aren’t really obviously about love so it caught her off guard. She loved it. As the years have passed I have handed it off to people and all have really enjoyed it.
These people are the reason why I am finally caving and releasing it out into the world. It was meant to be released as an ebook- a nice buffer between the first and second Firebird Fairytales. But then these people all cornered me and demanded it be released as a paperback too. I caved in again (cos I’m a sucker) and it will be available shortly after the E-book.
The ebook will be released on the 6th of June. For those who are interested it is my anniversary, because if you are going to release a book about love than that is the day to do it.
“The Eagle Key” at it’s heart is about True Love and magic. It is a small tale and a simple one but aren’t they the best ones?
Amy Kuivalainen 
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