Ask the Author: Shonna Slayton
Answered Questions (13)
Shonna Slayton
Great, Nick! Thanks for letting me know you loved the mermaid book.
Yes, this is the last planned novel in this series. I say "planned" because fairy tale ideas have a habit of popping out of nowhere, and there is already an idea that keeps trying to form.
However, the series I'm currently working on is an original fairy tale fantasy. Something new, and most likely a trilogy. Stay tuned.
Yes, this is the last planned novel in this series. I say "planned" because fairy tale ideas have a habit of popping out of nowhere, and there is already an idea that keeps trying to form.
However, the series I'm currently working on is an original fairy tale fantasy. Something new, and most likely a trilogy. Stay tuned.
Shonna Slayton
Yes...eventually. Here's what happened: I started writing the next book in the series and the story turned out much bigger than expected. So much bigger that I've separated it out, and it's going to be its own trilogy (!) Look for those at the end of 2021 and into 2022.
Shonna Slayton
1912, set on the Titanic!
Shonna Slayton
Hi, Sarah! Snow White's Mirror is set in 1902.
Shonna Slayton
Hanan, thanks for asking. I'm not sure which of my books you are referring to, but the answer is the same for all of them. You can tell your parents that my books are often referred to as "clean teen reads." Read away :)
Shonna Slayton
I've got a stack of books saved up for summer reading, but before I can dig into those I have to finish a final read of my next book, The Tower Princess. (It'll be up on Goodreads this summer!) Then I'll be free to tackle the TBR pile: The Daughter's Walk by Jane Kirkpatrick (1896 historical), Fading Starlight by Kathryn Cushman (contemporary with a tie-in to former Hollywood ingenu,so I suspect a historical feel), The Year of Lightning by Ryan Dalton (YA sci-fi with a good dose of humor), Thorn by Intisar Khanani (YA fantasy/fairytale?) Oh, and I can't forget The Lost Girl of Astor Street by Stephanie Morrill (YA historical). I've been wanting to read that one for months. It's going to be a good summer!
Shonna Slayton
Hi, Adrianna! I reserve the right to change my mind on this answer, but I'll go with "it's about the same" for me. The trick, or rather ONE of the tricks for writing a new story is to narrow down your choices. When you start with a fairy tale, some of those choices are already made for you. A slightly different question/answer would be: Is it easier or harder to SELL a book based off a fairy tale compared to making up a new story all together, and in my experience, it was easier :) Using a known fairy tale gives marketing something to hang their hats on. My completely new fairy-tale stories haven't sold...yet.
Shonna Slayton
Short answer: yes. Medium answer--I'm assuming you are an aspiring or soon to be selling author (?): When you are still a new, unknown author and after all your friends and family have bought your book, you do not make very many sales at a book signing. However, your signed books are now in the store with "autographed" stickers on them to catch people's attention. Not only that, you get a chance to introduce your books to the booksellers, who go on to hand sell your books after you have left. Long answer--I think I might write a blog post. I have many more thoughts :)
Shonna Slayton
Hi, Rae! I was swimming in research for Cinderella's Dress. (One of my favorite things about writing historicals!) In fact, after I got my book deal I bought a cake for my local librarians to celebrate and thank them for pulling all those books for me.
As for movies, I watched several 1940s flicks. I can't remember if I specifically watched Shop Around the Corner for this book or not. I've seen it, but that may have been much earlier as a comparison to You've Got Mail. I own several 1930s diaries (1940s diaries are expensive to buy because of the WWII content, but you can read some online) and it struck me how many movies these teens would watch...seems like if a movie was in town they went (remember, no TVs yet).
I took the A to Z challenge last year and wrote about the 1940s if you'd like to learn more: http://shonnaslayton.com/1940s-z/
As for movies, I watched several 1940s flicks. I can't remember if I specifically watched Shop Around the Corner for this book or not. I've seen it, but that may have been much earlier as a comparison to You've Got Mail. I own several 1930s diaries (1940s diaries are expensive to buy because of the WWII content, but you can read some online) and it struck me how many movies these teens would watch...seems like if a movie was in town they went (remember, no TVs yet).
I took the A to Z challenge last year and wrote about the 1940s if you'd like to learn more: http://shonnaslayton.com/1940s-z/
Shonna Slayton
Hi, Alice! I'm so glad you enjoyed DRESS. SHOES ties up the story with those characters, although perhaps one day I'll do a prequel (I have ideas...) In the meantime, I've got a Sleeping Beauty inspired novel coming out Oct 2016 called Spindle (link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...) And a Snow White idea is floating around in my brain, so that might be next. I've got a newsletter sign up on my website if you want to know more details about upcoming books :) Fairy tale and otherwise.
Shonna Slayton
Cintia, now I'm curious about where you live! (Do you know about Book Depository? They offer free shipping to over 100 countries.) As for writer's block, I never call it a "block" because that sounds too hard to move. Instead I think of it in softer terms of simply not knowing what to write next. Since I write historical fairy tales, all I have to do is a bit more research about the time period and the ideas start flowing again. See if that works for you :)
Shonna Slayton
Oh, Jordan, such a simple question with a complicated answer! No, there will not be a third book with Kate and Johnny and this particular cast of characters. Their story ends here with all the loose ends tied up in the 1940's.
However, I have written an outline and some sample chapters for a prequel. I so enjoyed imagining the backstory (which you see glimpses of in the novels, particularly in both prologues) that I am interested in going back to tell my version of Cinderella and what happened to the dress immediately after the servant Nadzia hides it....but that will likely be another two-book endeavor. I haven't figured out a way to make it all happen in one book...so I'm still thinking about it--one book or two???.
In the meantime, I'm writing another fairytale/historical mashup that will come out fall 2016 and I'm having lots of fun with it. Was that a longer answer than you were expecting?
However, I have written an outline and some sample chapters for a prequel. I so enjoyed imagining the backstory (which you see glimpses of in the novels, particularly in both prologues) that I am interested in going back to tell my version of Cinderella and what happened to the dress immediately after the servant Nadzia hides it....but that will likely be another two-book endeavor. I haven't figured out a way to make it all happen in one book...so I'm still thinking about it--one book or two???.
In the meantime, I'm writing another fairytale/historical mashup that will come out fall 2016 and I'm having lots of fun with it. Was that a longer answer than you were expecting?
Shonna Slayton
Thanks Steph! And LOL on your required question mark ;)
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