'Winter's Shadow' WINNER

And the winner is . . . Cecilia!

Thanks to everyone for participating, and to MJ Hearle for letting me pick his brain!

M.J. Hearle Q&A and signed-copy giveaway!

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Hello Darling Readers,

Back in March I was lucky enough to get my grubby little paws on an advanced copy of a new Australian paranormal YA . . . 'Winter's Shadow' was full of lusty Gothicism and doomed romance. I was utterly blown away, and thrilled to learn that it was just the first instalment in a new paranormal series.

To celebrate this month's book-store release of 'Winter's Shadow', M.J. Hearle has been kind enough to let me pick his brain. I ask all the pertinent questions, like the obstacles of writing paranormal romance with a Y-chromosome, and where he falls on the 'Team Edward' VS 'Team Jacob' conundrum.

But wait! There's more! I also have a signed-copy of 'Winter's Shadow' up for grabs in an INTERNATIONAL giveaway!

So it is with grotesque amounts of giddiness that I present to you M.J. Hearle! Woot-woot!

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Q: How long did it take you to write ‘Winter’s Shadow’ – from concept to final manuscript?

It took about five months from the time I had the idea, to the manuscript I sent out to agents. That includes two months of false starts where I tried to find the story, exploring numerous narrative dead ends. Once I had the plot more or less hammered out, the actual writing took about three months. And then there were at least a dozen more drafts, first with my agent and then with the publisher. The entire process, from typing the first words to seeing the book in stores, took about a year.

Q: How were you first published – agent or slush pile?

Agent. I’m not sure it’s possible to get noticed in a slush pile? I suspect, for most publishers, ‘slush pile’ is just another word for the ‘recycle bin’. Any writer who is serious about being published needs to get themselves a literary agent. They’re not difficult to track down. I found mine on Google and just called her up to see if she’d be interested in reading my manuscript. She told me to send her the first fifty pages and we were off and running. From what I understand, I’ve been extraordinarily lucky in this process, but if it can happen to me it can happen to anyone.

Q: Were you already a fan of all things paranormal, or did you start reading and writing in the genre after you had the idea for ‘Winter’s Shadow’?

I’ve always loved horror novels. The whole ‘paranormal’ category sits uneasily with me. It seems like a marketing term cooked up by booksellers and publishers wary of some stigma carried by the ‘horror’ label. I didn’t even know it existed until I started meeting with publishers and found out Winter’s Shadow was a ‘paranormal romance’. I suppose some novels that slip into this genre, might not be overtly horrific, but if a novel has a werewolf or a vampire or some other supernatural creature, and there's a good amount of fear and bloodshed then it's a horror novel. Even if the central plot line is supposed to be a a romance. You can dress it up and call it something different, but the reason people pick it up is because they’re looking for that illicit thrill. They’re looking to be scared. Otherwise, they’d just buy a bodice ripper. As far as I’m concerned Winter’s Shadow is a horror novel with a strong love story at the centre. Sorry, for the rant – I just really dislike that word. Paranormal. It sounds like a psychological condition.

Q: On your website you stress that ‘Winter’s Shadow’ does not contain “sparkly vampires or shirtless werewolves”. But c’mon, tell us the truth – have you read ‘Twilight’? And if so, are you Team Edward or Team Jacob?

Ha Ha! I must admit, I have poked some gentle fun at the Twilight franchise, but you know what? I actually enjoyed the first three books (haven’t read the fourth). I thought Stephenie Meyer did a fine job of evoking a suitably emotionally charged, and spooky atmosphere to play out her love triangle melodrama. I’m probably more of a traditionalist when it comes to my vampires and werewolves, but there’s nothing wrong with a little experimentation. That said, I think Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles did the whole brooding, romantic vampire much more effectively and would urge anyone who liked Twilight to seek her stuff out.

As for which team I’m on, hmmm...tricky. I think I like Edwards ‘brother’, Jasper, more than either Edward or Jacob. So can I be Team Jasper? Actually can I be Team Alice (mainly because I have a massive crush on Ashley Greene who plays her in the films).

Q: ‘Winter’s Shadow’ hinges on a whole new supernatural mythology of your own making. This new world-building is refreshing for the YA paranormal genre (there’s no aforementioned vampire or werewolf in sight!). How did you get this universe straight in your head? And what are the benefits of imagining a whole new paranormal tradition (as opposed to relying on the old lore’s of vampires and werewolves?)

It was incredibly difficult. Believe me, there were many times I wished I’d just written about vampires. To begin with, I started off with very vague concepts – a being that could travel through shadows, that could kill with a kiss, the soul manifested as an aura, visible to a chosen few – and then I expanded upon those concepts, deeply confusing myself in the process. My dad was a big help in clarifying this strange, new mythology of mine. We sat down one night and just spitballed ideas back and forth, eventually coming up with an internal logic for all the supernatural elements. Now, as for the benefits, well the main one is you're not beholden to what came before. I can blaze a trail, and while that's a little scary, it's also more than a little cool. What would be great is if other writers started writing about this frightening new world I've created, the Dead Lands. That would be very gratifying.

Q: Blake Duchamp, the mysterious love interest in the novel, is a little bit dreamy. How hard was it to write a viable romantic hero to pique the interest of teenage girls?

It actually wasn’t that difficult. I basically just wrote myself into the story. Kidding! I’m far more light hearted than my poor, troubled Blake. When you’re creating a romantic hero I think it’s important to take as much time focusing on their flaws as you do on their strengths. It’s all well and good to describe him as being the epitome of physical perfection, but it’s the imperfections we tend to fall in love with: the shadowed glance, the secret sadness, the fear hiding behind their eyes.

Q: If ‘Winter’s Shadow’ was turned into a movie or TV show, who would be your ideal cast?

I think Sophie Turner who stars as Sansa Stark in HBO’s Game of Thrones could do a decent job as Winter, though she might be a little bit too beautiful. 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. He played ‘Billy’ in Six Feet Under, which is incidentally one of the greatest shows of all time.

Q: Since we’re on the topic . . . have you sold the movie rights for ‘Winter’s Shadow’?

No, not yet. Though there have been some exciting rumblings in that direction. I actually have a background in screenwriting and directing so I’m considering trying to make the movie myself. It might be the best way to safeguard the material from being compromised. I figure if someone is going to mess up the book it might as well be me.

Q: It’s fair to say that right now paranormal YA is dominated by female writers and readers. As a male author, what do you bring to the genre (apart from your Y-chromosome)?

This is quite a difficult question to answer because at the end of the day a good story is a good story regardless of the author’s gender. It would be easy to say that I bring a much more masculine, harder edge to the supernatural passages but I’m not sure that’s true? There’s a lot of scary stuff written by female writers. Likewise, one might expect, as a man, I struggled with the romantic elements of the story, but again this isn’t true. I’ve known love, lost love, had my heart broken and pined for the unattainable, all of which informed the writing of the novel. I’d tentatively suggest the relationship between Blake and Winter is sketched in a slightly less idealised way than is typical for the genre. Both are a little more broken, a little more real than the characters which generally populate this sort of fiction, which makes their love all the richer. I don’t know if this has anything to do with me being a man though.

Q: Did you find it difficult to get published in this female-dominated genre?

Not really. I’ve had a surprising amount of luck on the path to publication. It was suggested by my publisher that I use M. J. instead of Michael, just in case a female reader might be biased about picking up a novel in this genre written by a man. This didn’t bother me at all. I actually think it’s kind of cool. It creates a bit of mystery – Who is M. J. Hearle?

Q: Can you tell us a bit about the second novel, ‘Winter’s Light’, to be released in 2012? And how many novels are planned in this series?

Well, I’ve just finished the first draft of Winter’s Light and I’m very excited about it. With Winter’s Shadow I was focused on creating a very specific gothic atmosphere and establishing the mythology of the Dead Lands. The narrative was structured more like a mystery novel, following Winter as she uncovered Blake’s secret. Winter’s Light, however is more of thriller. It hits the ground running and the pace doesn’t let up until the final pages. There is still plenty of mystery, but it’s a considerably more propulsive story. The world of the Demori and The Bane is expanded upon and the characters have changed in subtle, and not so subtle ways as well. Winter’s carrying a lot of pain around with her but instead of just wallowing in her grief she decides to take action. This should be refreshing to readers tired of passive female protagonists (readers like me).

At the moment there’s one more novel after Winter’s Light, tentatively titled Winter’s Fall, but you never know? If the story dictates it there might be more.

Q: Favourite book(s) of all time?

Usually my favourite book is the last one I can remember reading. In no particular order here are a couple of my favourite titles – 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, Ghost Story by Peter Straub, The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie

Q: Favourite author(s) of all time?

Stephen King is the man that got me interested in reading and writing. Without him I wouldn’t be where I am today. However, I’d probably nominate Neil Gaiman as the author I’m most passionate about at the moment. The first works I read by him were the sublime Sandman comics, which stunned me with their complex and rich storytelling, and then I discovered his novels, which were equally brilliant. The man is quite simply a treasure trove of story.

Q: What advice do you have for budding young writers?

It’s obvious advice, but try and write as much as you can. The more you write the better you get. Also read widely. Not just your favourite genre – everything you can get your hands on. Not only will this help you develop your own writing but one day you’ll come across a novel and have that eureka moment, where you think to yourself, ‘I can do better than this!’

And you will.

♥ Giveaway! ♥

How to enter:

♥ Become a follower of my blog (if you aren't already)

♥ Leave a comment on this blog post

♥ Include a way to contact you (e-mail addy is fine)

♥ One post per entrant

♥ This is an INTERNATIONAL giveaway!

♥ Contest closes June 30th .

I will announce the lucky winner on July 1st

'Winter's Shadow' by M.J. Hearle

Received from the Publisher

From the BLURB:

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.

It has been six months since Winter’s parents died. Six months and Winter is barely coping with the swamp of school work and a guilty conscience. Her sister, Lucy, has put her life and university studies on hold to become Winter’s guardian . . . and how does Winter repay her? By getting behind in her school work and being forced to join the school paper for extra credit in photography.

And so one morning Winter finds herself atop Owl Mountain, taking photos of an old church for the upcoming newspaper edition. It is here that Winter first spies the mysterious new boy in town, Blake Duchamp. Not only does Winter meet him, she is saved by him – from the church’s collapsing roof. Blake is Winter’s knight in shining armour – disconcertingly handsome, kind, and for some strange reason he’s interested in Winter . . .

Blake lives in the haunted Velasco House. Residents of Hagan’s Bluff have been whispering warnings about the Velasco place for as long as Winter can remember . . . but as his story unfolds, it becomes clear that the only ghosts living in Velasco are the ones Blake bought with him, literally. Someone lives in the rooms above – playing music and laughing at Blake’s folly as he tries to resist the temptation that Winter poses.

Because Blake is dangerous. He is doomed and damned, and the last thing Winter needs is to fall in love with him . . .

M.J. Hearle’s debut novel is an ode to Gothicism – a sinister feast of fancy that draws comparisons to every dark tale, from ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ to ‘Jane Eyre’ and Edgar Allan Poe.

I will warn readers that ‘Winter’s Shadow’ has a slow start. Hearle revels in writing ambiance . . . before any of the action really begins; he takes time to tease-out the intrigue. He casts his characters in doom and desperation and sets the stage for a Machiavellian tale. It’s sinisterly delightful, if a little slow going.

Juxtaposed with Winter and Blake’s narrative is a flashback story set in 1878 and travelling between Paris, Munich and many places in between. The reader follows the tragic journey of Madeleine Bonnaire . . . a woman who flees her tormenting husband, only to fall in love with the equally dangerous and mysterious Ariman. I must admit, the story of Madeleine often seemed jarring and disconnected from Winter and Blake’s tale, and it’s not until roughly page-236 that the pieces of Madeleine’s puzzle start to fall into place and connect with the present-day. Readers will enjoy trying to guess the correlation between Madeleine’s past and Winter’s present, but it’s a curveball you won’t see coming until it’s too late . . .

I really loved the character of Blake Duchamp. Hearle offers Blake’s perspective haphazardly throughout the book, but never gives anything away. In fact, having Blake narrate only adds to his intrigue. Blake spends most of the book thinking himself unworthy of Winter’s affections. Meanwhile, mysterious laughter drifts down from the top-storey rooms of Velasco house, a maniacal manifest of Blake’s inner cynic;

A horrible rasping sound echoed from the floor above, shattering the silence of the old house. The cats scampered away in terror, disappearing into the shadows. The sound grew in volume. Laughter.

It was laughing at him.

I was constantly guessing about Blake’s character. Did I trust him? Should Winter be with him? What is he hiding and is he really as bad as he thinks himself to be? I kept trying to guess at Blake’s ‘secret’, and while I came pretty close in my assumptions, Hearle really does excel in making the character (and his mythical background) all his own. The world-building is quite artful and original (not a vampire or werewolf in sight!);

Winter dreamt that she awoke in the middle of the night to see Blake standing at the foot of her bed, his eyes burning with green fire, illuminating the darkness.

He didn’t say anything, just stood there watching her sadly. It made her heart ache to see him looking so mournful, and she tried to tell him that it was all right, that everything would be fine, but when she spoke no sound came out of her mouth. There was just the roar of the ocean and the sound of bells chiming in the distance.

If I have any complaints about ‘Winter’s Shadow’, it’s the (lack of) scene-setting. I have been reading some fantastic Australian fantasy novels lately. Between Jessica Shirvington, Kirsty Eagar and Marianne de Pierres, the land of Oz has been churning out some stellar young adult paranormal/fantasy books. One of the reasons I love reading Australian YA is the scene-setting – I loved Eagar’s ‘Saltwater Vampires’ for the way she manipulated the iconic Australian beach into something dark and sinister, an unlikely backdrop for her vampire tale to play out. So I went into ‘Winter’s Shadow’ excited that another author would utilize the Aussie scenery.

The story is set in the fictional town of Hagan’s Bluff. The opening chapters were promising, as Winter ventures to Owl Mountain for a school photography assignment. It seemed certain that Hagan’s Bluff would be a little Australian country town. But as the story unfolds it becomes (un)clear that Hagan’s Bluff could be in England, America or Australia – it’s a hazy background, at best. And I found myself wishing that Hearle had utilized landscape more – especially because he makes so many references to the importance of setting in Gothicism. Hearle mentions the moors in Emily Brontë’s ‘Wuthering Heights’, and Winter draws a comparison between Blake’s Velasco house and the house of Usher in Poe’s famous short story. I just think he missed a few opportunities to enrich the story and cast a more sinister backdrop for Winter’s tale to unfold. If he’d only written about the screaming magpies of the morning or the twisted limbs of the Owl Mountain gumtrees . . . anything to orientate the reader by casting a more precise scene and grounding the characters.

‘Winter’s Shadow’ is an incredible YA debut from Aussie author M.J. Hearle. I'm not sure if this debut is a stand alone, or the first in a series? I really hope there’s more to come, if only because Hearle has tapped into a fancifully frightening fantasy topic that’s unique to for the YA genre. ‘Winter’s Shadow’ is a gloriously Gothic young adult tale of love, redemption, and the monster in all of us . . .

4/5

'Winter's Shadow' will be released:

May 24th 2011