by Mindee Arnett
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication date: June 4, 2019
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Synopsis:
Could you describe yourself with five words or less?
If it’s okay, I would rather describe what I aspire to be in five words: Humble, happy, and hungry to improve.
What was the hardest thing about writing Shadow and Flame?
This is a strange answer, but the hardest part was the physical act of writing itself. The story and plot and character development, that all came relatively easy, but the actual physical process of getting the words on page was a struggle. Mostly this had to do with my health at the time. I had been struggling with an on going issue that really hit its peak right as I finished. So writing this book was highly stressful and took a lot of energy. But I’m glad to say I’m doing better now, and am able to look back on the experience with equal amounts of fondness and relief.
What's your favorite quote?
I have so many that I like but for this case, I’ll stick to one I find useful for writing stories: “The only way to get to the universal is through the particular.” –Aristotle
This one is a favorite because it reminds me to keep my focus on the part of the story that matters the most—the particulars, the details. Although as writers we strive to find universal appeal, it can be a trap to focus on the universal. The particulars are the path to finding it instead.
They say don't judge a book by its cover, but we can probably all admit to having done so at some point... How important is the cover to you as an author?
A good cover is extremely important, especially in today’s market. There are so many books coming out each week and the cover is the first and best way to attract the majority of readers into checking it out. A good cover catches the eye and coaxes the potential reader into checking out the blurb. Then with luck the blurb will coax them into trying the sample pages and so on. If your cover is lacklustre or ordinary, a potential reader might easily pass it by for something better. Of course, there’s a danger in having a really great cover as well. Sometimes it can create expectations in a reader that the book isn’t able to satisfy, and sometimes it can fail to represent the story well. Readers might go into the book expecting it to be a certain way and then get disappointed to find it different. In that sense, it’s crucial to not only have a great, standout cover, but one that is reflective of the feel of the story itself.
What three songs would you pick to represent Shadow and Flame?
I’m so glad you asked this question. I actually answered this very thing in a different post, but I’m so happy to give three more different songs. I love music and while I do most of my actual writing to soundtracks and the like, I also create playlists that help capture the aesthetic and emotional feel I hope to capture in the book. That said, here are 3 songs from my Shadow & Flame playlist that are reflective of key parts of the book:
Landslide – Stevie Nicks
Last Unicorn – America
A Thousand Years – Christina Perri
What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
The old adage most aspiring writers here is something Stephen King said in his book On Writing, which is to “read a lot, write a lot.” And that is great, solid advice, but I don’t think it goes quite far enough. I think to really break through as a writer you need to read and write with deliberate focus and intent on improving your skills as a storyteller. Don’t just read for pleasure but read with a critical eye on story structure, language, and all the other creative writing topics you hear talked about in college courses and writing conferences. And when you write, don’t just tell a yarn. Be intentional and knowledgeable about what you’re writing and about how you’re doing it. Know what you’re doing in other words. Study the craft and structure of stories as much as the art of them.
Thanks for such great questions!
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