Meet S.M Boyce, author of "The Grimoire: Lichgates"

I am currently reading S.M Boyce's book "Lichgates" and I am blown away. She is a superb voice in dark fantasy and if "Lichgates" is her first of a trilogy then I can't wait for the further adventures of the Vagabond! She is also a superb person to know and it is my privilege to have met her, to know her, and to introduce her to you. So without further ado...

Bio

S.M. Boyce is a fantasy and paranormal fiction novelist and author of Lichgates, the first novel in a dark fantasy trilogy. She also dabbles in contemporary fiction and comedy, since making people laugh at her seems to be a natural gift.

She updates her blog (http://blog.smboyce.com) a few times each week so that you have something to wake you up in the morning. Her B.A. in Creative Writing qualifies her to both be pompous and serve you french fries.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer? What was the deciding moment for you?

I wrote a book about a pickle when I was…what, five? It was about a lonely pickle who just wanted out of the fridge, and I’ve honestly forgotten how it ended. It was terrible! Still, it got my creative writing juices flowing. Since then, I’ve graduated with a Creative Writing bachelors and I think I’ve improved slightly.

Who is your favorite writer and why?

That’s like asking me to pick a favorite child! Well, I’ll do it anyway. I’m a Tolkienite, an avid fan of the father of modern fantasy. You have to give him credit where it’s due, even if he hated his fame for the Lord of the Rings.

Which writers have you learned the most from? What did you learn from them?

The beautiful thing about reading is that it’s also a lesson in writing. Though my writing professors at Florida State taught me gobs, I learn just as much from reading modern novels in my genres.

My good friend Rebecca Hamilton (www.beccahamiltonbooks.com) is a delight, and I love our writer discussions because she never just agrees with me. We discuss, give examples of what works and what doesn’t, and I think that’s the most powerful way to learn not only technique, but also to keep an open mind. That’s what writing is, after all – telling a story and keeping an open mind about what will happen.

What advice would you give to a writer just getting started?

Besides read endlessly? I’d say you need to develop thick, battered, callused skin. I’m talking bumpy and rough.

While you should always be nice and pleasant to people (and if you’re reading this blog, I know you’re a perfect human being!) but other people will not be so nice to you. Others won’t like what you write, or they’ll take a personal stance when you’re trying to make an objective comment. The very first thing you should learn, then, is to take everything – everything – with a grain of salt. Keep an open mind about whether or not the other person has a point, but don’t let it affect who you are as a person or what you think of yourself. Be true to yourself, and write from your heart.

Tell my readers about  “The Grimoire: Lichgates”. What is the premise of this story and who is Kara Magari?

The Grimoire trilogy is my first opus, and I say first because writers never really retire.  It’s a story about Kara, who stumbles across an old book called the Grimoire on a hike in the Rocky Mountains. It’s filled with stories and mysteries of a hidden world called Ourea, which is a beautiful world full of terrifying things – things that all want the Grimoire’s secrets. Since only Kara can read the book, they want her.

The series has magic, adventure, laughs, pain, heartbreak, loss, sarcasm, power, struggle, and a little bit of love. It’s even being taught in an advanced reading class in New Jersey! Life is good.

How do you develop ideas for a book? What is your process?

They’re mostly daydreams that I happen to write down. My mind never stops and never slows. At the DMV? I’m thinking about what that woman in the red socks would say if the guy behind her spilled his coffee on her. At the mall? I’m wondering why the clerk keeps sighing, and who gave her the heart necklace she’s wearing. At a café? Well, no, I’m probably just people watching.

As writers, it’s our job to look for conflict…and from there, build a story.

What new projects do you have in the works?

This is exciting! I’ve already begun book 2 of the Grimoire Trilogy, and most of book 3 is already outlined as well. Once those are done, I’ll polish off an encyclopedia of the world, and then compile the short stories I’ve been writing about Ourea and the side characters. Then, I’ll be working on two or three other novel ideas that have sprung up in the Grimoire process. It’s a busy, wonderful, exciting time!

Buy the Grimoire:

·         Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Grimoire-Lichgates-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B005W5L38G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321070834&sr=8-1

·         Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-grimoire-sm-boyce/1105159847?ean=2940013311343&itm=1&usri=the%252bgrimoire%252blichgates

·         Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/96682

Get in Touch with S.M. Boyce:

·         Blog: http://blog.smboyce.com/

·         Official Book Website: http://www.thegrimoirebooks.com/the-grimoire-trilogy/

·         Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/thesmboyce

·         Google+: https://plus.google.com/112175470463905024259/

·         Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/SM-Boyce/174950932556115

·         Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5280531.S_M_Boyce

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 I want to thank you,  S.M Boyce,  for coming to my blog and giving my readers an inside look into your life, your novel, and your process. You are a pleasure to know and a pleasure to read. Thank you!