Introduce yourself; who are you and what types of books do you write?
My name is Anamarija Mraz and I write under the pen name of Mary-Anne Frost. I write fairytale-fantasy books rooted in Slavic mythology and Australian folklore. I live in Australia, but I was born in a small-town in Croatia famous for fairytales written by Ivana Brlic Mazuranic. My maternal grandmothers were oral storytellers, and they filled my childhood with Slavic fairytales, which is how my love for writing started. My stories are lyrical and emotional, and I draw a lot of influence from the works of Naomi Novik and Katherine Arden.
What are your books about?
My first book, ‘Pepelina, The Slavic Cinderella’ features a silenced writer who struggles to share her stories in a Slavic-inspired mythical world that controls stories, demands obedience and requires women to conform to the chains of patriarchy. Apart from the power of stories, the book explores grief, silence, and resilience. It carefully weaves Slavic motifs with important themes such as feminine empowerment, ancestral bonds, healing the father wound through art, and the power of imagination and creativity.
What was the inspiration behind writing your first book?
My initial spark began when I looked for stories to help me process my late father’s death. Cinderella was one of the first stories that resonated with me, because of her special bond with her father who dies in the fairytale. From there, I worked to reimagine Cinderella as a writer since I never encountered a retelling that portrays Cinderella as a creative heroine, let alone a children’s writer. The magical ‘what if’ question helped me use the common struggles of writers and weave those writerly experiences with the classic Cinderella story.
What is the most rewarding part of being an author?
I love being an author because I enjoy creating rich, fictional worlds and populating them with characters who resemble people with modern day struggles and dreams. Also, writing helps me to develop emotional resilience, and it lightens the everyday burdens of the real world. When possible, I like to use my stories to raise issues particularly around the power of creativity in a world that worships ‘logic,’ the benefits of ancestral healing and women’s experiences in the patriarchal world.
What elements do you think make for a good story?
I think the seed of a good story is not plot, characters or the writing style, but emotional depth. I am all about cathartic experience and love stories that can wound me deeply and/or heal me profoundly. If a story makes me cry or laugh, it will stay with me forever which means the writer did an excellent job.
What is the hardest part of being an author for you?
The hardest part of being an author is marketing and finding my readers, especially since my first book is ‘niche.’ As a beginner author with only one published book, I must admit I am not particularly good at promoting myself and my stories. Still, I see marketing my book as a long-haul journey, and I am hoping to learn from my peers and other indie authors. I genuinely believe publishing more books will give me the confidence to start actively promoting myself and my work.
What is your current writing project?
My current writing project is another dark Cinderella retelling aimed at adults and young adults. Although I have Slavic background, I live in Western Australia, so this time I am weaving the rich Australian folklore in the classic Cinderella. Some of the themes I am exploring in this book are belonging, invisibility, and healing of the mother’s wound.
What is the best writing advice you’ve ever received?
I got so many good ones over the years! I think the one that stuck out with me the most is to find your writing voice, stay true to it, and never try too hard to imitate other writers, particularly those you admire. I believe writers should always first listen to their intuition before seeking advice elsewhere. It does take time and practice to find your voice and to feel confident about using it, so I learnt patience is a must have!
Where can readers discover more about you and your books?
Readers can learn more about me by visiting my website – www.maryannefrostauthor.com I publish short fairy stories weekly which readers can read for free.
To discover more about my writing journey and inspiration, readers can follow my X account – https://x.com/MaryAnneFrostAU
I love to connect with fellow authors and readers, especially those who are passionate about mythology, fairy tales, ancestral healing, fantasy, and feminist stories.