Interview With Diane Magras!

Today I'm happy to present an interview with Diane Magras! Ms. Magras is the author of the MG book The Mad Wolf's Daughter, which releases March 6th! :)

Here's the interview!

The bold font are the questions I asked, the regular font are her answers, and the bold italic font are my comments about her answers.

1. Would you please describe your debut book, The Mad Wolf's Daughter, in seven words?

Lass, legends, swords, knights, brothers, loyalty, secrets

It sounds really good! :)

2. What character from The Mad Wolf's Daughter are you most like?

Ah, that's an easy one: my protagonist Drest! My sword-wielding lass is tough, strong, independent girl, and beholden to no man (I'm not exactly like her, but a version of that). She's fiercely loyal to her father and brothers (as I am to my husband and son), will risk her life for her friends (let's just say I love my friends and make cookies each year for my local library; that has to count!), and is constantly trying to do what's right (how I try to live my life). She makes mistakes, but owns up to them each time. And while I never had a named sword like Drest's, I did have my own sword when I was a teen: a fencing foil that I'd found in our basement and propped on the wall above my writing desk. I'd have loved a real sword then (and now!). Most of all, though, when I was 12 like Drest, I'd have loved to be the kind of confident, brave, and warmhearted person she is.

3. Random question! What's your favorite time period to read about?

I love reading about the early medieval period. It was a brutal time in Europe, but people were inventive and found ways to hope and live, despite all the violence. Authors who research this period often play with tropes and confront stereotypes, and there's a lot of natural drama but also places for warmth and heart. And I'd love to read a middle grade novel that focuses on a medieval Islamic world: Before the Ottoman Empire, the Middle East was a hotbed of culture and intellectualism, not at all the dark ages that we're taught to image for this period. As far as I know, no one had written this yet.

4. What's one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors?

Find joy in revision. This is a profession that takes practice, and most people don't succeed with a first or second draft--often not even a first or second novel. If you see revision as a pleasure rather than a chore, you'll discover new angles and depths of your work. It can be hard to accept that a seemingly final draft isn't truly final, but nearly all drafts have opportunities hiding between their folds. When someone you trust gives you constructive criticism, see if you can be inspired by it. But also know your story's core, and be careful not to upend what made your novel strong in the first place. There's a balance, and it takes practice--like everything else in writing.

 Excellent advice! :)

5. What are some books you're looking forward to reading in 2018? And if you've already read some '18 books, which books have you loved?

I can't wait for Jen Wang's The Prince and the Dressmaker (talk about challenging gender roles! And I love that it's the boy.); Sanyantani DasGupta's The Serpent's Secret (an Indian warrior princess, legends, and demon snakes?! Count me in!); and The Endless King, Book 3 of Dave Rudden's Knights of the Borrowed Dark (a magical knight fantasy series in the modern world with a boy of great power trying to understand his role and his destiny). By the way, there are over 100 more that I know about and also can't wait to read (my Electric Eighteens debut group is full of incredible talent), but I'll just keep this list to three and mention only Sanyantani's book from there because it's an #ownvoices story that the MG market dearly needs.

There are so many good sounding books releasing in 2018! :)

Thank you so much to Ms. Magras for participating in this event! :)

Author bio: All things medieval fascinate children’s author Diane Magras: castles, abbeys, swords, manuscripts, and the daily life of medieval people, especially those who weren’t royalty. Diane lives in Maine with her husband and son and thinks often of Scotland, where her books are set. The Mad Wolf’s Daughteris her debut novel.

Here are a few links:

Her Website

Her Twitter

Her Facebook