I’ve always been a fantasy reader and read mostly fantasy in my teens and twenties. It’s a natural progression for a writer to want to bring their own fantasy story to life. 

Rosemary Drisdelle – 19 September 2023

The Back Flap

When Marise Leeson gets her hands on a crystal ball, she believes her knowledge of Wicca is about to expand. The magic, however, goes horribly wrong. In short order, she’s thrown into an alternate world, attacked by a dragon, and rescued by Javeer, a young male dragon in search of a friend.

Marise is desperate to get home alive. Instead of dabbling in scrying and spells, she must now use her Wicca skills to survive in Moerden—navigating rival dragon factions, riding Javeer without falling, and dodging unknown perils of an alien landscape. Through a series of adventures and mishaps, she learns that the dragons face slow extinction from a mysterious disease. Some see Marise as part of the cause. Some hope she’s a key to a cure.

Marise grows up fast as her focus switches from escape from Moerden to saving the dragons. She draws upon her powers, intuition, and some help from home as she and Javeer begin a quest to solve the puzzle of the stagger. If they survive, and if their trust and courage are strong, they may succeed. If they do not, the dragons of Moerden will cease to exist.

About the book

What is the book about?

Follow the Shadows is the coming-of-age story of Marise Leeson, a teenage Wiccan who sets out to learn about crystal balls. Instead, she catapults herself into the alternate world of Moerden, where there are no crystal balls, no people, and lots of dragons. It doesn’t look good for getting home. Dragons try to incinerate her but, unexpectedly, a young male dragon called Javeer befriends her. Through a series of adventures and mishaps, she forms a bond with Javeer and learns that all is not well in Moerden. The dragons are dying. Now she has to choose between going home and trying to save the dragons, and it’s no choice at all. She and Javeer work to find the cure before the dragons are wiped out.

When did you start writing the book?

That’s a good question. I suppose most books begin long before they start to take shape on the page. The first pages gathered dust until at least ten years ago, while various people told me to do something with it. Once I committed to that, the pieces started to fall into place.

How long did it take you to write it?

A dragon’s age, and always during time carved out of other commitments. It had to share my time with other writing projects as well. My writing life is like that; I wonder what it would be like to write one thing at a time.

Where did you get the idea from?

I’ve always been a fantasy reader and read mostly fantasy in my teens and twenties. It’s a natural progression for a writer to want to bring their own fantasy story to life. The sickness afflicting the dragons in Moerden was inspired by a very similar disease that struck the caribou of the island of Newfoundland, Canada, in the 20th century. That story is told in my nonfiction book Parasites: Tales of Humanity’s Most Unwelcome Guests.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

I kept trying to save my character Earl Bonner. I wrote that part of the book at least three times but he wouldn’t be saved. Eventually I gave up and let him decide.

I also struggled a bit with the magic. I wanted it to be real but also subtle. Marise is inexperienced and Wicca isn’t the kind of magic where people get turned into frogs, but Moerden is also clearly a magical place. Getting the balance right was tricky.

What came easily?

I won’t say the plot came easily, but when I needed to know what happened next, the answer generally came. It was often a matter of visiting Moerden as I went to sleep at night instead of counting sheep, and waking up with new information in the morning. The geography and natural history of Moerden also fell into place like a jigsaw puzzle, complete with apex predators, lots of interesting things to eat, and an introduced species causing trouble.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

All my characters are unique individuals. If anyone sees themselves in the story it’s unintended.

We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

I love Tolkein’s The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings, and I return to them regularly. I’ve no doubt they inspired me from an early age. Other authors too many to list: C. S. Lewis, Anne McCaffrey, David Eddings, more recently J. K. Rowling, lots of others, famous and less so.

I think they’ve taught me what I want to write and what I want to avoid. I lean toward a sympathetic, or at least empathetic, view of dragons – though Tolkein’s Smaug is pretty much without redeeming qualities. I also think many fantasy stories suffer from an evil so complete that its motivation is hard to comprehend. If Tolkein’s Sauron had succeeded in total enslavement and complete environmental destruction, what would have been left to savor in victory? But perhaps that was the point.

Do you have a target reader?

I read somewhere that Harry Potter taught us young adult fantasy is universal. I think dragon stories are as well. Follow the Shadows is aimed at young adults but I hope readers of all ages will enjoy it.

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?

There’s not a lot to describe. I prefer to write on a computer, rather than by hand but I don’t like to sit at a desk while I’m writing. At the dining room table, in a rocker with the dog at my feet, or even on an airplane are all preferable. Thank goodness for tablets.

I do a lot of thinking about what’s happened in the story and what’s coming up – what Natalie Goldberg calls composting. Lots of things I didn’t know about in my story have revealed themselves to me with this process. When I sit down to write, I generally know what I need to do.

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

I do outline sometimes, but I’m not detailed or obsessive about it because I find that the writing often doesn’t follow the outline. I need to have a sense of where I’m going, but maybe not the details of how I’m going to get there. Sometimes when things get complicated, it’s good to make an outline to see where pieces fit.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?

I try not to edit while I’m writing but some of that’s inevitable. Often, when I sit down to write, I go back over what I wrote last time and do some editing. Most of the editing comes later though.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

I sometimes listen to music while I write; however, I’m careful not to put on anything that will be intrusive or distracting. It generally ends up being classical instrumental music.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

Only a couple. I had an agent for my first book, Parasites: Tales of Humanity’s Most Unwelcome Guests, so I know how that works. This time I approached a hybrid press at the same time I was reaching out to agents.

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher?

SparkPress is a hybrid publisher. I’ve been aware of indie and hybrid publishers for some time and I know they provide opportunities for talented writers who have trouble getting out of the slush pile that goes with traditional publishing. For many writers, I think they’re the best option.

Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

It was more of a gradual process, a long and thoughtful process.

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

It was professionally done and I couldn’t be happier with the result.

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

I have a marketing plan in place. My publicist is BookSparks.

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

Be sure you understand the process before you dive in, and be proud of what you accomplish. It will be hard work, but the rewards will be many.

About You

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Atlantic Canada, living in both Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia.

Where do you live now?

Bedford, Nova Scotia

What would you like readers to know about you?

That I’m just as curious about Marise’s pearlies as they are. I love fantasy and I also love science, so I want to understand the natural history of Moerden. You’ll find science in my fantasy, but no fantasy in my science.

What are you working on now?

The Tales of Moerden Book 2

End of Interview:

For more from Rosemary Drisdelle, visit her website and like her Facebook page.

Get your copy of Follow the Shadows from Amazon US or Amazon UK.