Your first publication, Shadow
Stalker: The Hidden Truth is being release August 30, 2014. What can you
tell us about your book without giving anything away?
Without giving anything away, all I can say is
that it’s about a girl who learns a startling truth about her past, which
ultimately puts her life in danger. As the series progresses, she learns that
she has more enemies than friends, and finds that she has to rely on herself
for survival.
Shadow Stalker:
The Hidden Truth, is a part of an interesting publishing design that has
begun to become popular for young writers. Can you tell us about the process of
doing a serialized book over the traditional route?
It took me a little over a year to work out how I would be
able to do the serialization of the series effectively. I was in a ‘novel’
mindset, and these types of stories can’t be written in the same way. They are
much shorter than a novel, and each one not only has to be part of the larger
story, but has to contain a story within itself. It’s much like the episodes of
a TV series, which is how I came up with the idea of writing episodes. I had to
plan the overall storyline first, and then start coming up with subplots that I
could put into each episode that would drive the main plot. I’m only planning
about 3 or 4 episodes ahead at any given time, though. I want to leave the
story open to evolve on its own, as long as that evolution doesn’t deviate from
the main plot.
Who
are your main characters that will be featured throughout episode one? Can you
also tell us about each?
The main character is Auren. She is raised in the Serpent
Isle to believe that she is as normal as any other person, but then she has to
cope with the reality of who she is and what that might mean. She is a good
person and doesn’t like hurting people, but she is often easily influenced to
do the wrong thing. She has a bit of a stubborn streak as well.
Another important character is Kado. He is Auren’s guardian
and has raised her since she was a baby, but he is much more than just a father
figure to her. He’s very reserved and doesn’t really show much affection at
all. He likes to just get right to the point, and is very logical in how he
solves issues. It’s not often that he lets emotions dictate his actions, but on
very rare occasion it does happen, which is not a good thing for the person who
angers him.
How
is your book important to your readers? And what type of entertainment will it
provide for them?
I believe it’s important for my readers because it’s really
going to get them to look at people and situations from a different
perspective. Not everyone who is good does the right thing, and not everyone
who is bad does the wrong thing. In many stories the lines between good and
evil are clearly drawn, but in Shadow Stalker, that will not always be the
case. It will be an exciting and sometimes very suspenseful story, though. I
think people who love fantasy mixed with a bit of thrill and suspense will get
a lot of enjoyment from the series.
What
are shadow stalkers and what are their purpose throughout your serialized
novel?
Shadow stalkers are a very shamanic-like race of people.
They come from an island that is far from the Serpent Isles, but they have a
tie with the people of the Serpent Isles and that as well as their true purpose
will become clearer as the series progresses. They are very powerful, but their
power and their purpose is governed by beings that exist in their version of
the afterlife, known as shadow people. There are rules and codes that they have
to follow or they can lose their power and/or be banished from the shadow
stalker’s society. They are very feared by the people of the Serpent Isles who
tend to shun the shadow stalkers until they need their help for something.
Does
Shadow Stalkers: The Hidden Truth,
have an interesting background in its creation?
I have actually wanted to write a story with a shamanic type
of race for a long time, but I wanted the story to be something that might
change the way a person looks at the world. I was actually inspired to write
Shadow Stalker after reading The Celestine Prophecy back in 2007, but all I had
was a concept. It took a few years for the characters and the story to start
developing.
I had an entire novel completed where the main character was
a guy, but a friend of mine, who is a published author, encouraged me to change
it to a female. I'm glad I took her advice. It was also originally written in
the 3rd person, but I decided it would be better told from the main
character’s point of view, as though she was telling the story herself. The
serialized version that I’m writing now is actually the start of my third
rewrite of the series.
Who
designed your cover and how did you come up with its concept?
My cover was designed by a friend of mine (who wishes to
remain anonymous). At first I wanted to design a simple cover that had the
symbol of the shadow world on it. Then I decided I wanted some kind of image of
what it might look like in the shadow world. I attempted some of my own graphic
design work for it (which really wasn’t all that bad for someone who knows
nothing about graphic design), and showed it to my friend. She asked if she
could play around with it, so I told her to go ahead, and she came back with a
similar version to what the cover is now. I loved it because it represented
what it looks like in my mind for a shadow stalker to enter the shadow world,
leaving the physical world behind.
Would
you say that each episode of Shadow Stalker, can be a stand alone book? Or is
it depended on the whole work to make sense?
No, I thought about doing this, but it would
have been too difficult. So it will need to be read from start to finish to
make sense.
After
finishing your first episode are you happy with the direction you took?
I am extremely happy with how it is going. As I
said, this is my third attempt at writing the series, so I’m definitely ready
for the story to be told. I think I’ve been very successful in working out all
of the kinks, and even after all these years I’m still coming up with ideas. If
the series does well, I’m considering writing a prequel novel that explains the
events leading up to the series. Also, at my daughter’s request, I’m
considering a series of chapter books for junior readers that will be based on
the world, but with new characters and new adventures.
What
is the hardest part about writing Shadow
Stalker: The Hidden Truth, in a serialized book? What advice would you give
other writers that wish to use this publishing model?
The hardest part is being consistent. I think
this is an issue for any writer, but once one of the episodes is published, I
can’t deviate from the concepts and storyline I’ve already established. So even
if I come up with a great idea in the future, if it contradicts what I’ve
already written, I can’t use it. So making sure you know the story well enough
before you start publishing each segment is very important. I’ve been writing
and planning this story for about seven years, so it is firmly imprinted on my
brain by now. Planning is very important for serialized fiction.
Interview provided by: Kathryn Jenkins
Synopsis:
A young shadow stalker is destined to enslave the people of the Serpent Isles, and the Galvadi Empire want this child of prophecy dead. Auren Trasks perfectly normal life is disrupted when the Galvadi invade, and she learns a startling secret about her past. A secret that will change her life forever.
Get your FREE download at: Smashwords & BN
Other episodes in the Shadow Stalker Series:
The Delohi-Saqu's Fate (E:2)
Shadows' Betrayal (E:3)
About the Author:
Renee Scattergood
Renee Scattergood is the author of the YA Fantasy Series, Shadow Stalker. She lives in Australia with her husband, Nathan, their daughter, Taiya, and their four furry friends. She prefers to spend her free time with her family and reading fantasy novels.
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