Book One of a trilogy
(Upper) Middle Grade fantasy adventure
Date Published: October 15, 2020
Publisher: Rainscape Media Inc.
Walking talking rats aren’t real, right? After Kyra, 13, is transported from Earth to another world, Antiica, she’s thrust into her father’s war with the rat people, the Raturro, and must save her kidnapped mother. Kyra sets out on a dangerous journey to rescue her and is aided by Coyne, a teen who deserted the army and Mercy, a teen rat girl who was once Kyra’s childhood friend. But it’s Kyra’s new bond with the Chimera, a magical creature that travels through stone, which changes her life completely. The Chimera’s Apprentice is the story of a girl and her monster—and a desperate search for her family.
What is the
hardest part of writing your books?
The hardest
part of writing my books is actually the letting go. I never feel like it’s completely
finished, and I’m scared to death a reader will find a mistake. I come from the
film & TV industry where my words get translated into images, and my prose
doesn’t need to be all that literary. But any kind of writing is difficult. The
reader only sees the finished product, thank goodness. Now that I’ve thrown my
baby out into the world to have a life of its own, all I can do it put my head
down and work on the next book.
What songs
are most played on your Ipod?
I may be that
rare breed of writers who doesn’t listen to music while writing. I prefer
quiet. But when I take a break I will crank up the local top 40 radio station
and dance around the kitchen. I like to keep up on the latest songs and trends.
I’m inspired and awed by the divas. Some of my faves are Lana del Ray, Miley
Cyrus, Adele, Pink, and Annie Lennox.
Do you have
critique partners or beta readers?
Since The
Chimera’s Apprentice is my first novel, I’m new to the world of beta readers
and critique partners. I kind of stumbled through the editing process. I hired
an editor who usually gives me feedback on my screenplays. She was fabulous and
gave me copious great notes. Then I left the story for a couple of months
before going back and seeing it anew. After that I hired a proofreader then I
reached out to some people to beta read for me. I was still finding errors on
the printer’s proof, and some of my early reviewers found mistakes as well. It
really takes a village!
What book are
you reading now?
I just
finished The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. It was quite a tome and took me way
longer than usual to get through it. But it was worth the time. Her prose is
exquisite, and she rightly won the Pulitzer Prize for the book. Normally I eat
up murder mysteries and thrillers.
How did you
start your writing career?
I did write
stories when I was a kid and continued to have a rich fantasy life in my head
for a very long time. I dabbled when I was an actor, and then a high school
drama teacher. At one point a few of my friends started writing screenplays,
and I thought I’d give it a go. It took years to really hone my craft, but it’s
an enjoyable genre to write in. I made the transition from movies to TV and
wrote on the CBS/Global series, Ransom. Since then I’ve been developing TV
concepts and managed to fit in the novel writing between gigs.
Tell
us about your next release.
I’m currently
writing book two of The Chimera’s Apprentice. It’s the second book in the
planned trilogy, and it really feels more difficult than the first. You have to
keep the first book in your head and not repeat too much but also carry the world
and the story forward. I also need to keep book three in mind and think ahead
about the ramifications of the book two plot. The plan is to release book two
in spring of 2021.
About the Author
Roslyn Muir is new to middle grade fiction fantasy but feels she comes by it honestly—“I still feel like a ten year old making up elaborate adventure stories in my head.” Born in Scotland and now living in Vancouver, Canada, she often uses the similar landscapes of both countries in her stories. Roslyn has another life as an award winning screenwriter who writes YA stories, family drama and thrillers. She was a writer on the Global/CBS one-hour drama, Ransom, created by Frank Spotnitz (Man in the High Castle). Roslyn has also written several movies that have aired on TV around the world: Washed Away, Stranger in the House, and Reluctant Witness to name a few. Roslyn also wrote and produced the dramatic feature film, The Birdwatcher, directed by Siobhan Devine. Her half-hour YA comedy, The Tutors, is in development with the CBC.
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