Greetings, travelers! I’m a sucker for a great twist on a popular myth or legend, and I’d wager that tons of fantasy readers are in the same boat. The good news is that is exactly what we’re going to be exploring today as we settle in to talk to storyteller Aaron Baker.
Baker is in the process of finalizing their story, Arianrhod, which is a twist on Welsh mythology that covers the woman from folklore, as well as her child, Lleu Llaw. It’s an entertaining departure from the established fantasy, and those reading will be sure to enjoy learning more about the story itself, as well as how Baker found his way to it.
Tellest: Greetings, Aaron! I know that you’ve been busy polishing up your tale, Arianrhod, so I wanted to extend my appreciation for you giving us some of your time. I’m excited to push past the veil of mist that exists in this version of the legend, and to find out more about you, the story, and everything else you’ve got planned as you explore your storytelling.
Aaron Baker: Thank you, I am happy to be here.
T: I like to start my interviews off with something foundational to get to know who I’m talking to. Every storyteller starts somewhere, and that usually begins with them finding a favorite talespinner of their own, or a story that got its hooks in them and never let go. Do you have a storyteller that you grew up with that you sort of assign credit to for sending you off on this creative journey? It could be someone that tons of other people know, or perhaps just someone in your family or community.
AB: We are not always certain of the thread that sends us chasing after some new obsession. I remember the first book that I daydreamed through. It was by Marko Pogacnik—any writer that can get us fully into the imagination shows us a power that moves the great rivers of the Earth.
T: What did you enjoy about Pogacnik’s work? Do you think that it was ultimately the first step into your own journey as a storyteller? What do you think convinced you to take the leap from a reader to a writer?
AB: I liked how his books helped me experience other aspects of myself. It was like an early seed but did not bud until early 2025. Some seeds need to be shaken before they’ll grow. I wrote a short-short story to encourage someone in the bitter winter and the response was good. The story later expanded into a local folktale.
T: You mentioned writing a short story for someone else. When it comes to your writing, do you typically picture a specific person as your market or audience? Or is it more of a flow state where you write what strikes you in the moment?
AB: I don’t typically think about the audience. Sometimes a scene or character reminds me of someone from real life. I do want it to be a good reading experience for the reader but am not aware of it affecting the storyline.
T: Let’s find out more about Arianrhod next. This novella takes a popular bit of Welsh folklore and retells it in a brand-new way. What was it about the original mythology that gripped you and told you it wanted to be reimagined?
AB: The first I ever knew of Arianrhod was from my bardic studies, informal, yet steady.
She was one of the constellations of the sky; as was Bloudenwedd who was a grove of stars.
I was purely fascinated by both names. It was not until much later as I was reading an Arthurian novel that both names appeared on the same page in a song.
Lancelot was entertaining the court of Tintagel with a ballad my heart expanded with excitement to hear the tale of the tempestuous queen and the boy who wanted a name.
T: You mentioned your bardic studies. What prompted you to go down that route, and what were some of the other interesting things that you discovered while pursuing that?
AB: It happened subtly. I was attracted to people that had left their signature on the human experience. Most of them were in books. I steadily consumed their biographies, appreciating each one’s contribution. A bard can often recognize in true fantasy the layer that is sublimely planted where others need the ember of the night to unveil it.
T: You’ve also gone in that direction, essentially starting down the path of a modern-day bard. With your writing experiences, you’re also a bit of a scribe as well. Is this something you thought you’d be doing several years back, or even when you were a child? What challenges have you faced along the way as you explore these parts of yourself?
AB: It has been a surprise for me. A few family members are shocked as well. I was taught to let others speak and hold my perspective within. While the imagination swelled, the ability to express was muted. I became too good at being concise. It has been good to expand that capacity through writing.
T: As you were telling the story, certain elements shifted, appeared, or vanished, did you have any concerns? You’re telling a story that has a lot of characters, but you’ve managed to put together something that feels more fleshed out with fewer distractions. Did you find yourself missing any characters from the original mythology?
AB: Fortunately, I never read the original; all that I know about the tale was sung by Lancelot. I have such a deep respect for all myths that I would tremble to change the original. I fell in love with one aspect of the myth and want to tell that as a story.
T: You’ve got a great love for poetry, and that carries over to the cadence and structure of your story. Do you find that marriage of prose and poetry tricky to bring about, or is it a creative outlet that sort of energizes you?
AB: It is tricky yet utterly rewarding. Some of the edits eliminate a rhyming word but I protect the prose to the uttermost whenever possible.
T: On your YouTube channel, you’ve got some poetry that you recite, and it’s clearly something that you enjoy doing. As Arianrhod becomes nearer to complete, do you imagine you’ll take that skillset and also narrate it for audiobook purposes?
AB: I have an interest in doing that. I don’t think that I could express the emotional range of the story. I have been dreaming about a voice actress doing the narration. One who can sing a few of the lines 🙂
T: As you are near finalizing Arianrhod, have you considered what you’re going to be working on next? Are you sticking with this myth and working on a part two? Or are you stepping a way from it to work on something different?
AB: In my view the story will be complete in this one version. There won’t be another part. I like the late medieval time period, the 1400’s and 1500’s. There could be a story emerging from there in the future.
T: Have any of the characters that you’ve written in this story pulled at you to flesh out their story? Arianrhod and Lleu Llaw both get a decent amount of time to grow, but there are other characters in the legend that also play considerable parts in that growth.
AB: The handmaid Debora wants to become more endearing. I am conflicted in this because the river has taken from her character by being everything for everyone and has given her only a few scenes. I keep thinking of the Maid in Wuthering Heights who becomes the main character to the surprise of anyone who makes it through to the ending.
T: You mentioned that there wouldn’t be another part earlier, but have you ever felt like any of the characters have demanded more from you? If Debora’s tale becomes interesting enough, as an example, would you consider seeing what else has transpired in her life?
AB: Both Dylan Don and Debora need to have more background. Some insights on her are in progress. I do struggle with Dylan Don who is only six years of age in the story. I have little memory of being that age. I don’t want to expand too much in that it’s an illustrated novel and that would mean more illustrations.
T: Since these are essentially new versions of mythological characters, have you run into any scenarios where the characters try to tell the story out of turn? Have they tried to lead you in directions you weren’t expecting?
AB: Llue Llaw has a personality that reflects Merlin’s and I have had to resist giving him any supernatural abilities. All of the numinous experiences happen for him; by who is another question entirely. They don’t come from him. They are distinctly outside of him. He is clever, but not wizardly.
T: In this instance, Llue is entrenched in existing folklore. I can understand the desire to try and keep him “on rails”, so to speak. But if you were writing an Aaron Baker original, from the ground up, do you think you’d allow your characters some flexibility, letting them take the story down paths you hadn’t considered at first? Or do you enjoy the structure of coming up with an idea and sticking pretty close to it throughout a story’s development?
AB: I feel like the essential structure of the story is enticing enough. If I can honor the basic images that show up each time the tale has been told, then it will create a more ecstatic experience for the reader.
T: You’re a bit of a mystery on the internet so far, but once this book comes out, you’ll likely have people who are eager to learn more about you. Do you have a website or social media handle that you would direct people to if they wanted to follow you?
AB: For anyone who wanted to chat, I have been active on Reddit for some time.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Arthurian/s/v5BSM8e1jY
I have several videos on YouTube about various books. Feel free to follow and comment on the channel.
Green Bard–Creator–Fantasy Writer
T: Aaron, I wanted to thank you for taking some time to talk to me and to elucidate readers to your process and to your story! I hope that you had an enjoyable time talking about your craft and your passions. I’m excited for more people to find you and your work!
AB: You’re welcome, Thanks for creating the story space. It has been a lot of fun participating.
T: Once again, I’d like to extend my appreciation to Aaron Baker for allowing us beyond the veil and into his creative workshop. If you’re looking for a great reimagination of a popular folk tale, you’ll love what this author is doing in that realm. Keep an eye here on Tellest, as we’ll alert you to when Arianrhod: Queen of Riverswide is live. And also make sure you’re following Baker’s YouTube where he’ll no doubt drop more information as well.
Michael DeAngelo
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