In conversation with.. Shami Stovall

Hi Shami! First of all, many thanks for joining me today. Can you please briefly tell us what Knightmare Arcanist is about?

A: Thank you so much for having me! I’m excited to be here.

And Knightmare Arcanist is a coming-of-age tale about a boy who wants to bond to a mystical creature in order to gain magical powers. It’s a fun adventure with some spooky villains!

Knightmare Arcanist is the first book in the Frith Chronicles series. Was this always going to be a series? And did you have the entire plot entirely figured out since the beginning?

A: Yes, this was always going to be a series! In the beginning, I had 5 books planned, but I’ve since moved that number to 7. Currently 6 of the 7 books are outlined completely. The 7th has notes.

What kind of research, if any, did you have to carry out while you were writing these novels? In general, is research something you enjoy or a means to an end?

A: I’m a history major, so I love reading about civilizations. I especially loved learning about the Golden Age of Piracy, which is the setting for this series! Pirates and swashbucklers are hilarious to read about it. The whole process was great from start to finish.

If this novel was going to be turned into a film, who would you cast in the role of Volke?

A: I’m not sure. Probably Alex Landi?

Without giving too much away, can you tell us about a scene in the book that you love or that was particularly difficult to write?

A: My favorite scene is in chapter 7. Volke comes across a white hart, and it definitely sets the tone for the entire novel. I loved it!

Is there anything that didn’t make it into the final version of the book?

A: I originally wrote this to be a middle grade novel, so a lot of things were cut later on. I aged everyone, and cut some scenes there were more “kid friendly” rather than “teenage friendly.”

If you are already working on your next writing project, would you mind giving us a little anticipation of what we are to expect?

A: I’m working on World Serpent Arcanist, which is the 5th book in the series. It’ll be the longest one to date!

What are you reading at the moment?

A: I’m currently reading A Daughter of Blood by Anne Bishop. It’s a good read!

Due to the popularity of social networking websites, interacting with readers – be it via Twitter, Facebook Instagram etc. – is becoming increasingly important. How do you cope with these new demands on authors and do you think that they somehow disrupt your writing schedule?

A: I do spend a lot of time interacting with fans on Facebook and Twitter, but I love every moment and I don’t think I’d want it to change. I do most of my writing in the evening, so it doesn’t interrupt me too much.

What one piece of advice would you give to aspiring writers?

A: Finish the novel! You can edit a bad page, but you can’t edit a blank one! Keep at it!

Thank you for your time!

A: Thank you for having me!

** A special thank you to Dave from TheWriteReads for making this interview possible! **