Happy Publication Day to Joanna Ruth Meyer! For the occasion, I have the pleasure to host a Q&A with her.
In today’s post, Joanna Ruth Meyer answers a few questions for us about her writing and her newly released young adult fantasy novel, Beyond the Shadowed Earth. This YA Fantasy is published by Page Street Kids. This Q&A is part of her Blog Tour hosted by FFBC Tour.
Learn more about the book and enter the giveaway for a chance to win your finished copy. Now, let me introduce you to Joanna Ruth Meyer.
Joanna Ruth Meyer, Author of Beyond The Shadowed Earth
When did you realize that you wanted to be a writer?
My initial career aspiration was to be a poet, but that pretty quickly (and thankfully!) morphed into author. I’ve been writing since I was seven years old, and haven’t really stopped! I entered writing contests as a kid, and started seriously pursuing publishing a book after graduating from college.
What was your journey to publishing like?
BEYOND THE SHADOWED EARTH was an option book with my publisher. I wrote a full synopsis and a few sample chapters, my agent submitted them to my publisher, and then they offered to buy it based on that material. In other words, I sold a book that wasn’t written yet! If you’re thinking that made for a stressful year of writing and rewriting and rewriting, you would be right! 😀
Where did you find inspiration for this book?
Since it’s a companion novel, BEYOND THE SHADOWED EARTH grew out of the already established world of my debut, BENEATH THE HAUNTING SEA. My editor suggested a story about Eda, the antagonist in SEA, and after initially being resistant to the idea, I started brainstorming about her character and motivations and found that she absolutely had a story to tell!
I wanted to write her a redemption novel, as well as exploring a different branch of the mythology I invented for SEA, and EARTH was born!
If you had to describe your main character in three words, what would they be?
Fierce. Resilient. Lonely.
What were the challenges you faced when writing this book?
One of the main challenges I briefly mentioned above: the pressure of writing a book under contract! I didn’t have a period of months (or years!) where this book belonged just to me—I had a deadline, I had a contract, and I had to buckle down and write it!
It was a different experience than writing my other books—the entire process of growing a story from initial concept to print-ready book in about a year. Not for the faint of heart! Another challenge was making sure all of my world and character details were consistent between SEA and EARTH. I’m sure I probably still missed some!
Who is your favorite author/book and why?
Anyone who has talked to me about books for any period of time will know the answer to this question: Megan Whalen Turner!! She is the Queen of subtle, brilliant plotting. Every single word in her books is there for a reason. Read The Queen’s Thief series, starting with THE THIEF. The less you know about the series going into it, the better. Just trust me!!
Is there something about this book you can share with us that isn’t in the blurb?
I like to imagine that EARTH could be the strange lovechild of LORD OF THE RINGS and QUEEN OF ATTOLIA. Also, there’s totally rooftop makeout sessions. 😀
What is your favorite place to write?
I likeIt’s “winter” in Arizona, which means the outside temperatures are actually habitable during the day, so I’ve been GREATLY enjoying writing out on my back patio! If not there, I love my writing desk. It’s wonderful and green and in the same room as all my books, which obviously make for great company. Wherever I write, though, I’m happy as long as I have a cup of tea at my elbow!
THANK YOU SO MUCH, Joanna Ruth Meyer, for taking the time to answer these questions.
Beyond The Shadowed Earth – Synopsis
It has always been Eda’s dream to become empress, no matter the cost. Haunted by her ambition and selfishness, she’s convinced that the only way to achieve her goal is to barter with the gods. But all requests come with a price and Eda bargains away the soul of her best friend in exchange for the crown.
Years later, her hold on the empire begins to crumble and her best friend unexpectedly grows sick and dies. Gnawed by guilt and betrayal, Eda embarks on a harrowing journey to confront the very god who gave her the kingdom in the first place. However, she soon discovers that he’s trapped at the center of an otherworldly labyrinth and that her bargain with him is more complex than she ever could have imagined.
Set in the same universe as Joanna’s debut, Beneath the Haunting Sea, Beyond the Shadowed Earth combines her incredible world building and lush prose with a new, villainous lead.
BOOK DETAILS
- Author: Joanna Ruth Meyer
- Publisher: Page Street Kids
- Release Date: January 14, 2020
- Book Length: 400 pages
- Genre: YA Fantasy
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About The Author: Joanna Ruth Meyer
Joanna Ruth Meyer hails from Mesa, Arizona, where she lives with her dear family, a rascally feline, and an enormous grand piano. When she’s not writing, she’s trying to convince her students that Bach is actually awesome, or plotting her escape from the desert.
She loves good music, thick books, looseleaf tea, rainstorms, and staring out of windows. One day, she aspires to own an old Victorian house with creaky wooden floors and a tower (for writing in, of course!).
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US/CAN Giveaway – Beyond The Shadowed Earth by Joanna Ruth Meyer
Prize: Win finished copy of BEYOND THE SHADOWED EARTH by Joanna Ruth Meyer (US/CAN Only)
Starts: January 8th, 2020 – Ends: January 22nd, 2020
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