You may remember about six weeks ago I read and reviewed an amazing book by debut author MJ Hearle called Winter’s Shadow (you can read my review here), well in just a few short days Winter’s Shadow is going to be released and I am very exciting to be able to share it with you all!
I recommend Winter’s Shadow to anyone who loves paranormal young adult romance novels. If you love Twilight, you are going to love Winter’s Shadow! It is now among my favourite books and so I was very excited when MJ very kindly took time out of his busy schedule to answer a few of my questions to share with you:
Firstly, could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Well, I was born and raised in the small coastal town of Port Macquarie, which is just below the Queensland border. I went to University in Newcastle where I managed to graduate with a BA majoring in Film and Psychology. Afterwards, I floundered for a bit trying to find a way to make a living without selling my soul. I failed at this and spent the next ten years working 
for ad agencies as a graphic designer while trying to break into the film industry. On the eve of my thirtieth birthday, I had brief moment of panic about where my life was heading. I didn’t want to be a graphic designer and it didn’t appear that I was going to be a filmmaker. This mini breakdown forced me to realise that what I cared about was telling stories – this is why I was initially drawn to film – and that the most pure way to do this was through the written word. You might call it an epiphany – I didn’t need to make films. I could write a book. Since school, I’d been writing pretty consistently – screenplays, short stories etc. – so it wasn’t something that was unfamiliar to me, however, I’d never attempted anything as ambitious as a novel. Figuring, I didn’t have anything to lose I fired up the old laptop and just set to it. Three months and 100,00 words later (not to mention several new grey hairs) I had a manuscript which I dutifully sent off to a couple of agents. One of the agents signed me up and the rest, as they say, is history. Winter’s Shadow will be in bookstores next Tuesday (June 2nd) and I couldn’t be more excited.
Now could you tell us a little about Winter’s Shadow?
Winter’s Shadow is the first instalment of a spellbinding (it will literally bind your spells!) new Paranormal series. Here’s the blurb, which will hopefully wet some of your readers appetites:
Blake Duchamp…
He’s all that Winter Adams can think of. Ever since their fateful meeting at Pilgrim’s Lament. Ever since he looked at her with those emerald eyes. Ever since he saved her life.
But Blake isn’t all that he seems. There is a strangeness about him, something dark and otherworldly. Something dangerous. In his attic is a secret he would kill to defend, but Winter seems to have a special ability to make him forget his duty. And he is her only protection against the gathering darkness.
The only problem is, to protect Winter, Blake must risk exposing her to an even greater danger. Himself.
What’s great about the blurb is it doesn’t give too much away. One of the chief pleasures of Winter’s Shadow is uncovering the mystery at the same time as the heroine. I will say this though, Winter’s Shadow contains no vampires, werewolves, fairies, angels, demons, gods or any of the other creatures currently cluttering up the YA bookshelves. It is with no small amount of pride that I can let you know I’ve created a brand new mythology and a new monster for readers to fall in love with.
I heard that you are currently working on the second book, do you have a set number of books in mind for the series?
At this stage I have three books in mind. The second Winter’s Light (or perhaps Winter’s Key? I haven’t decided yet), will hit bookstores next year and the third, tentatively called Winter’s End, will hopefully arrive 2013. Each book will expand the supernatural element I introduced in the first novel and will take the story in exciting and (hopefully) unexpected directions.
I’ve heard some Authors have been inspired by an event, a song, a dream etc. What was your inspiration for Winter’s Shadow?
Somewhat appropriately a cemetery was the inspiration behind Winter’s Shadow. I started jogging a few years ago when I noticed my metabolism wasn’t doing a very good job of keeping up with my love of pizza and chocolate. It was either give up the junk food or start exercising, so I began to jog. One day, my route took me through Waverly Cemetery which overlooks Sydney’s Bronte beach. It was just on sunset and I thought I was alone in the cemetery when I noticed a teenage girl taking photographs of the tombstones. As I passed by she took a photograph of me and thus gave the inspiration for the story. I began thinking what would happen if when that girl had her photograph developed there was a hint of something strange in the picture. Something supernatural. Not a ghost or a vampire or a werewolf but something infinitely more terrible and mysterious.
When you are creating your characters, do you base them on people you know or are they completely fictional?
More or less fictional, though if I find a character feels a little two-dimensional on the page I might steal a character trait from someone I know to add a little shading.
For my readers that haven’t yet guessed you are not a 17 year old girl, so how were you able to write Winter’s character so convincingly?
Ultimately, I just drew on my own experience as a teenager. Apart from the plumbing, I don’t think there’s a huge difference between a slightly shy, imaginative teenage boy and a slightly shy, imaginative teenage girl. The devil’s in the details though, so I did have to turn to my mother, sister, aunt and girlfriend for help at certain stages in the writing. For example, at one point I had Winter going to bed with rollers in her hair, her face slathered in a beauty mask. I thought this is something all girls do until it was kindly pointed out to me by my mum that I might have been getting modern teenage girls confused with housewives from the 1950’s. (Rachel here – this literally made me LOL and I very nearly spat Coke Zero on my laptop! Thanks MJ :) )
If Winter’s Shadow were to be made into a movie, who would you like to see play Winter and Blake?
I’d like to play both roles. I could do Winter in a red wig. (Rachel again – you’d look great in a red wig MJ :) )
Seriously, though I think Sophie Turner who stars as Sansa Stark in HBO’s Game of Thrones could do a good job as Winter, though she might be a little bit too beautiful. It’s tricky because Winter isn’t supposed to be stunning but most Hollywood actresses are nothing less than draw dropping. Ultimately, I’d probably go for an unknown actress, with an emphasis on talent over looks. As for Blake, I wish I could go back in time and cast a young Jeremy Sisto because he would be perfect.
Ok now we move on to The Fictional Fantasy Five!
What book are you currently reading?
Justin Cronin, The Passage. Wonderfully written, an epic in every sense of the world. (Seriously, I can barely lift it, the book’s so big. Reading The Passage is better than a workout at the gym – they should use that quote on the cover!)
Who is one of your favourite Authors?
Stephen King is the man that got me interested in reading and writing. Without him, I wouldn’t be where I am.
What is your all time favourite book?
These questions are so unfair! How can I possibly pick one? Usually my favourite book is the last one I can remember reading. Here’s a scattershot of some of my favourite novels – Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut, Salem’s Lot by Stephen King, The Thief of Always by Clive Barker, Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger, The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie (sorry for cheating)
What is your all time favourite movie?
The Wizard of Oz. I must have watched it a thousand times when I was a kid. I think no other film straddles the line between fear and wonder as effectively .
Where is your favourite place to write?
I don’t have a favourite place unfortunately. I have the only space available to me which is at a small desk squashed at the foot of my bed. I’ve read interviews with successful authors who talk about writing in a separate cottage they’ve had built in their garden. That sounds pretty good to me. One day I would like a small garden cottage to write in. Until then, I’m stuck here:
Thanks MJ for allowing us to get to know you a little better, I wish you every success with your debut novel and will be trying to wait patiently for the next book in the series.
If you want to find out more about MJ and his writing head over to his blog mjhearle.com and “like” Winter’s Shadow’s Facebook page!
Winter’s Shadow is the Book of the Month over at Aussie Twilight Mums so feel free to come over and join in the discussion :) MJ will also be joining the ATMs for an online Q & A at the end of June, so keep your eye out for more information about that in the coming weeks :)
