Theresa Shaver is the author of the Post Apocalyptic Stranded series and has also just released Snow & Ash, the first book in a whole new series.
For the benefit of those not familiar with the Stranded series, can you tell us a bit about it?
AN EMP shuts down everything electronic in North America leaving a group of high school kids from Canada stranded in Disneyland. They split into 3 groups. One group travels by Land, one group by Sea and the rest stay in the City. The series is the story of their journey Home and what they face along the way as the world falls into chaos.
City Escape brought some closure to the series. How has the response been and is this the end of the series?
City Escape was well received by most of my readers. They were happy to have closure on the group that had stayed in the city. I had thought it would be the final book in that series but I now have one more planned for release after I’m finished with the Endless Winter series. It will be titled Frozen A Stranded Novel and will take place during the first winter after the EMP in Alberta. Minus 40 is not fun when there is no electricity or central heating!
You have also just released Snow & Ash which is the beginning of a new series. Can you tell us a bit about it?
Snow & Ash, like the Stranded novels, is set in a wrecked world. A full out nuclear war sends the earth into an endless winter. Civilization and governments collapse leaving survivors to struggle to stay alive in a world with no sun and deadly radiation clouds circling around the globe. The two main characters are ten and eleven year old Skylar and Rex. Skylar’s dad, with the help of a well connected family friend has been preparing for something like this so she has a safe haven filled with food, water, heat and comfort to live out her days in. Even with such a bounty of safety, her world is rocked by tragedy. Rex is traveling with his mom and small brother across the country when the bombs drop. A horrific car accident that day leaves him and his brother all alone in a strange place on the side of the road. He must place his trust in strangers to survive the coming collapse. Two children in very different circumstances struggle over the next seven years to survive until one explosive meeting will change them both forever. Trust is in short supply when you live your life in the Snow & Ash.
It’s rumored that you’re a prepper, how has this influenced your writing?
To address the prepper rumor, I have 87 cans of spam, 4 gigantic just add water bags of pancake mix and a hundred bottles of duty free booze in my basement…bring it on, I’m sooo ready!
As for the writing part, I write what I know I SHOULD have if I was a prepper and if I had the funds to buy it. Hmmm, crowd funding for preppers anyone?
What sort of challenges, as a writer, might you have faced before your first book was published? Any insights you would be able to share for those aspiring writers seeking advice?
The reason I didn’t start writing books earlier was because of the intimidating process of the publishing world. Just the idea of getting constant rejection letters made me suppress the dream. Thank God for modern technology! With all the self-publishing platforms now available anyone can live their dream to write and share their stories. This new, do it yourself world means that real people can get your stories and tell you what they think. No guy who studies market trends can tell you your work won’t sell. To all aspiring writers…JUST DO IT!!!
Have you ever struggled between what you would like to happen to a character and what you considered more sensible to occur? Can you tell us when and what did you do at last?
Oh yeah, spoiler alert!!! When Mason dies at the beginning of Home I was like, WHAT??? That’s not in the plan! I actually had to walk away from my computer for a few hours and re plot because of that one. In the end I went with it and it worked out…he annoyed me anyway lol.
What are your thoughts on good/bad reviews?
Probably not what you think lol. When I get good ones, I’m immediately grateful but I’m also like REALLY? I still have a hard time believing that so many people like my stories. When I get bad ones, not the mean ones, just the “I didn’t like it and this is why” ones, I’m like, I KNOW RIGHT? I’m my biggest critic and I always will be. I try and take the bad reviews and make my work better because of them. The mean ones usually give bad reviews to everything so it’s just them spreading hate and misery around.
How do you define success as an author?
That’s easy! If you finished my last book and hugged it to your chest satisfied, that’s success. If you finished an earlier book of mine, screeched in outrage and rushed to get the next one because you NEEDED to know what happens next, that’s success! Just being able to share the highs and lows of my characters is success.
What is the hardest thing about writing?
STOP playing Facebook games and get back to work! Seriously, it’s so much fun to make these stories, editing them, not so much.
How do you market your books?
There are so many great ebook promotional web sites out there. Bookbub was by far the best promotion I’ve done with 30,000 downloads in a day. I also offer the first book in my Stranded Series as permanently FREE. It gives readers an easier choice to try a new author.
For your own reading, do you prefer ebooks or traditional paper/hard back books?
Ebooks, who doesn’t love the instant gratification of click then read. That being said, there’s just something about spending an hour or two browsing through a book store with all those shiny covers.
What kind of books do you read, any favourite authors?
Hugh, Hugh, Hugh my heart beats for Hugh Howey. I’m in love with that man’s imagination. I also really enjoy James Dashner. I thought it was pretty cool that I was reading his Maze Runner series at the same time my 10 year old was reading his Infinity Ring books.
Anything apocalypse from zombies to economic collapse are my go to reading.
What do you do when you’re not writing, any hobbies?
I live in Canada my hobby is staying warm for 11 months of the year. One month of the year I camp and dodge very large mosquitoes! I’m not kidding…
What’s next, what are you working on now?
I’m currently working on Book 2 of Endless Winter, Rain & Ruin and then on to book 3 Sun &….? Still working on the title for that one.
After that series wraps up I’m excited to be going back into the world of the Stranded Series for Book 5, Frozen.
After that, I will keep on wrecking worlds in a new series!
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Interview by Dag Rambraut – SFFWorld.com © 2015
Love, Love, Love your books!! Keep them coming please!!
I have read books 1 and 2 of the Endless Winter series. As well as all of the Stranded series. My hats off to Ms Shaver. My new favorite author! I am one of those people screaming for the next release, please dont keep me in suspense between books about the release date for Sun & …? (book 3). Also what is your forecast for “Frozen”?