Shadows of Penumbra Tour
I’m so pleased to be able to be a stop on my CP, Margaret Alexander’s, blog tour for her fantasy story, Shadow’s of Penumbra, that she self published. I was even luckier to be able to interview her! Find out about her and her awesome urban fantasy thriller below:
Rachel: Thanks for doing this interview, Margaret!
Margaret: Thanks for having me! It’s kind of weird to be interviewed by your critique partner, who knows virtually everything about me (and my books), but I can only hope to return the favor one day.
Rachel: The pleasure is all mine! So, why don’t you start off by telling us about where you got the idea for Shadows?
Margaret: I’m not sure it was really one “idea” as it was a culmination of ideas from books and movies I read, just grabbing onto things I liked and putting a twist on them. Originally, I wanted to write a pure middle grade fantasy. Those were the days of Harry Potter. That idea left me when I entered high school and I kind of didn’t think about writing for a while since I wasn’t in a writing environment (my middle school promoted writing a lot more than my high school).
But I had a lot of prods to write novels. I had recently read His Dark Materials around that time and I started thinking about guardians, like the daemons in the books. I wondered if I had a supernatural protector what they would be like, what they’d look like, and how they could protect me. It came down to a spirit form of a guardian angel, sort of like a doppelganger that was a perfect version of me, and I eventually called these things Shadows. The rest sort of stemmed from there.
The story also has an apocalypse theme, the idea for which came later. I started to get interested in conspiracies around the time of high school and secret organizations seemed like something really fun to write about. I also like the idea of a dying prodigy leaving a secret to the world, kind of like in One Piece where the great pirate Gol D. Roger tells the world there’s a treasure out there that could make the one who finds it the next pirate king. I really loved that concept and it stuck with me. Like I said before, it’s the things we love that we take from.
Rachel: And what about the vices? That was a plot concept that really struck me. Why did you involve those in the end of the world plot?
Margaret: The Vices stemmed from the Seven Deadly Sins. I’m not sure why they inspired me, but they seemed like an interesting plot device (yes, pun). I think it was an fun way to categorize characters, by their sins, and I also wanted to have sort of a treasure hunt. I felt like giving them something to search and fight for would give meaning to the story and build dynamic between characters, especially with a competitive edge.
Rachel: How long did it take to write this book?
Margaret: You were there so you know, haha. But for those who don’t, one year for the first draft. Then many more years of writing sequel drafts and editing. I would say three years of self-editing at least.
Rachel: Are their other books in the series (as if i don’t know…)?
Margaret: Yeah, just keep pretending. It’s a series of five books. The cover for the second book has already been designed and I’m actually getting the second novel back from my editor this week. There’s still lots of work ahead, but I’m in love with my characters so it’s not something I’d ever want to give up.
Rachel: What’s your main character, Diane’s, drive throughout this series? Does she want the world to end or to save it?
Margaret: She’s the hero type so she naturally wants to do the right thing, but there are lots of nuances that make her doubt wanting to save the world. For one, her biggest desire is to live a normal life. And while saving the world would be the right thing to do, it comes in conflict with her finally having a chance to not deal with death and fighting. It’s definitely a big moral question for her. She’s pretty determined on getting the life she wants. It just might be a lot harder to get than she thinks.
Rachel: Have you written other stories?
Margaret: I wrote a few young adult short stories, one of which inspired a YA thriller titled THE EXECUTIONER AT THE INSTITUTE FOR EXTRAORDINARY CHILDREN. I’ve had mixed reactions to the title. Most are, “Woah, great title!” while others are, “What the heck?!” Haha. I love it, though. It’s a dark concept but very contemporary. The novel is currently signed with Crescent Moon Press.
Rachel: Wow, you’re on a roll! Tell us, what is your normal process for writing? Brainstorming, outlines, betas?
Margaret: I like to know the ending before I start writing, but with this series it was kind of a stab in the dark. I went where my heart told me to go, with a fuzzy outline of the general plot, and very detailed outlines of every chapter as I went along before I actually sat down to write them. I write in small bursts. It’s unusual for me to sit down and write an entire chapter or several chapters in one go, unless I already have many scenes pre-written. Writers are different, though, so they should go with what works for them. I’ve heard that’s a pretty effective way to write, though, since you put in 100% of your energy into every small scene you write.
After writing, I usually swap with my critique partner (that’s you!) and then do a few beta rounds. Then it’s off to the editor. Content editing typically takes a full month before the manuscript makes it back to me with detailed notes. I go through the notes page by page and make corrections, after which I return the manuscript for proofreading. Then it’s ebook and paperback formatting, with a few more rounds of final read throughs to catch last minute mistakes. It’s quite a process, but the process is my favorite part.
Rachel: Where can people buy / read Shadows of Penumbra?
Margaret: You can read sample chapters on the official website, and you can also get the book at a few retailers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords. It’s also listed on Goodreads if you’d like to add it to your to-read list. There’s a few giveaways going on during the blog tour, so be sure to check them out if you’d like the chance to win a free copy!
Rachel: Great to know! Thank you so much for the interview and I encourage everyone reading to go on over and read Shadows of Penumbra
Margaret has always gone after creative, thought-provoking books with 
deep characters. When she didn’t find too many with that exact blend, she decided to try and write some of her own. She explored her creative side with a major in engineering and a minor in studio art, and traveled half-way across the globe, from Bulgaria to the tropics, and finally the California desert. Maybe that’s why her characters never sit still. She loves to read, illustrate, watch historical movies, ice skate, and dream, and has a high regard for culture, martial arts, and the French and Japanese languages. At the end of the day, there’s nothing she enjoys more than a good story.
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Series’ Website
Favorite Moments
Well, dear readers, I won’t lie to you It’s been a tough week for me! With work, friends, family and of course writerly things, I am sure glad that it’s Friday! Everyone has their down days, of course, but we writers definitely get our extra share. Because of this, I’ve found the best way to combat the inevitable second-guessing and worrying that comprises the life of a writer is to always stay positive. I thought that given the bumpy road we’re all on, it could be really fun to share all our best memories with each other!
I’ll start by sharing a few of my fondest memories from my writerly life and then open up my blog for you to leave comments about your favorite memories!
My First Book– When I was 10 and in 4th grade, we were instructed to write a short book and then read it to a class of kindergarteners. You can read the full story here, but the short version is that I immediately fell in love with writing and knew that it was the something meaningful I wanted to do with my life.
Reading a Final Draft- I have written a total of 5 books (4 of which are a series) and each time I read the final draft, I can’t help but feel euphoric and in awe of what I was able to accomplish.
Twitter- Believe it or not, twitter is one of my great memories because that’s where I met such an amazing collection of talented writers and industry professionals. It has really opened doors for my writing career and allowed me to make some great friends!
Your turn! What are some of your favorite writing memories?
Important Plot Points
Since I’ve written on this blog before about planning versus pantsing and the benefits / drawbacks of both, this post will be about the specific concerns one should consider while planning. First things first, an outline is different from the plan for your novel. At least to me it is. I see an outline as a list of events and necessary character development as well as foreshadowing notes. The plan is much broader in that it focuses on the most important points in your novel from a reader’s perspective. Plotting out these significant points might seem daunting at first, but they’re actually a lot like a roller coaster. Ups and downs, twists and turns that are planned to give you the best experience on that ride. Do the same thing for your book!
The 250- These initial words are indescribably important. They capture the reader’s attention and draw them in to read more of your opening. It also happens to be a common sample in contests.
End of Chapter One- Most people will give a novel at least one chapter to convince them about the story as a whole. The end of your first chapter should have an outstanding hook and create the burning desire to turn the page.
End of Chapter Three- If the reader was unsure of your story to start, this is an early marker for a big event to happen that should have them begging for more. This is also a common request amount for agents.
End of Chapter Five- At this stage, the reader is likely invested in your story so continue to show them the thrilling/mysterious/frightening/steamy nature of your novel. This is also a common request amount for agents.
Close of Act 1- Ending your first act (a good rule of thumb is 10 chapters per act) on a twist is a great way to switch things up for the reader and keep them guessing.
Midpoint- By the halfway mark, your characters should have endured quite a bit and the plot should be at its “lowest” point. By lowest I mean events should start building their way to the climax at this point.
Close of Act 2- Just like the end of Act 1, use this point in your story to introduce a major reveal without giving away the whole kit and caboodle.
Climax-The final showdown, the big shocker, the turning point—once you reach the climax of the novel, everything you’ve written before this should come together.
Close of Act 3- Given that this is the end of your last chapter, you’ll want to leave an impression, so make it count.
Which of these points do you find is the hardest to plot? The easiest?
Types of Betas and CPs
I was lucky enough to have nearly twenty readers for my latest story—most of whom were beta readers—but I also had a select group of wonderful critique partners. First of all, I cannot believe so many people agreed to read my novel. Secondly, I was more than thankful to each and every one of them for being honest and specific enough to help me edit my story to its best form yet.
Working with these other writers made it clear that there were different but distinct types of betas and CPs that you can encounter during this phase. So, I put them in a list:
The Cheerleader– This reader acknowledges your novel’s flaws, but they are encouraging and supportive of your capability to make it better.
The Nitpick– Just as the name suggests, the Nitpick seems to only find what’s wrong with your story, but their attentive eye can often spot plot holes you miss.
The Booster– No matter the state of your draft, this reader boosts your confidence by showering you with complements that are often the ones you deserve.
The Giver– When you run into snags or are not sure of what needs fixing, the Giver is an excellent reader to call upon because they love to suggest ideas.
The Joker– Generally providing level headed feedback, this reader tends to mask their dislikes with humor and alleviate any editing stress.
The Negative Nancy– As expected, people who fall under this category likely aren’t your target audience but their blunt feedback can be eye-opening.
While it’s obvious why a writer might like some of these over the others, I think it’s important to have them all review your work. They’re each useful in discovering different problems and successes in your novel that will ultimately help you revise your work into the best version possible.
What are some of the types of betas and CPs you’ve encountered?
Pitch Wars Mentee 2014
Awards
