Guest Post- JA Andrews- Plus a Chance to Win a Free Book!

While this blog shows all the stuff that goes into my writing behind the scenes, there are a lot of other writers who have their own unique experiences. That is why I am super excited to present the very first guest post by another author! JA Andrews is the author of A Threat of Shadows. This is a delightful fantasy which has enough suspense and plot twists to keep you guessing all the way through. I was able to read this book, and I enjoyed it very much. In fact, I am looking forward to the sequel when it comes out. The extra super good news is that JA Andrews has been kind enough to offer to give a free ebook copy of A Threat of Shadows to one lucky person. If you would like to enter a drawing to win this book (which it would silly to pass up this chance) just sign up to receive emails if you haven’t already (this is how we will announce the winner) and then leave a kind comment for JA Andrews. One lucky commenter will win the free ebook! The drawing will take place in two weeks from today, (so Aug. 29). Even if you don’t win, I would recommend checking out this book anyhow. Here is the link to find it. 

A bit about JA Andrews:

JA Andrews is a writer, wife, mother, and unemployed rocket scientist. She doesn’t regret the rocket science degree, but finds it generally inapplicable in daily life. Except for the rare occurrence of her being able to definitively state, “That’s not rocket science.”

She does, however, love the stars.

She spends an inordinate amount of time at home, with her family, who she adores. Living deep in the Rocky Mountains of Montana, she can see more stars than she ever imagined.

To learn more about JA Andrews and her writing, visit her website at jaandrews.com (Seriously, there’s some good stuff on here, so you should really visit it).

Now, without further ado, please welcome JA Andrews!

I love Katymarie’s analogy that a story is like a lovely three-tiered cake. The tiny top layer is what a movie can show of a story, the bigger middle layer is all the good story contained in a book, while the huge bottom layer is the vast amount of ideas, knowledge, backstory, future story and details that are filling the authors head.

Making up one big, yummy bottom layer of story goodness.

I’ve always known this was true. But this summer, I published my first book, and it turns out that my third layer is big enough to feed a small country. And those details are tasty! It’s hard to leave such good stuff hidden down in the third layer.

I began writing my book, A Threat of Shadows, almost nine years ago. I wrote the first chapters to entertain my husband who was stuck out of town for a month. My entire plan was, “Write an interesting chapter each day.”

One of those early chapters was a flashback introducing a side characters, an elf named Ayda. At the time I didn’t know that she would end up being almost as important as my main character. I didn’t even know what all the parts of her flashback meant. It was just a scene to entertain my husband, full of mystery and longing.

I loved that scene.

I still do.

It is the beginning of all Ayda’s troubles. Her first moments dealing with a tragedy that will change her life. Since she’s my character, I care about her more than I expected to. (In, what I’ll admit, is a borderline-crazy way.) And I care about her backstory.

Unfortunately, years later when I decided to turn my chapters into the beginning of an honest-to-goodness book, the sane, Rational-Author-Me had to face the fact that Ayda’s flashback just didn’t fit.

Lover-of-My-Own-Characters-Me didn’t like that idea. I took my plot and prodded it, rearranged it, even smacked it around in an effort to squeeze the scene in.

It refused.

I may have gone through an author’s version of the five stages of grief when I finally admitted it needed to be cut.

But, I did cut it, and the story is better for it.

It’s not gone for good of course. Lover-of-My-Own-Characters-Me would never let that happen. The second I published my book, I stuck that scene (and one other) onto my website and listed them as “Extras.”*

After meeting Katiemarie, I may have to rename that section “The Third Layer”…

It’s a little way of letting some of that big third layer surface, offering a slice of its hidden yumminess to the story-cake eaters everywhere.

*If you are interested in reading it — it’s short and you don’t have to have read my book to understand it — you can find Ayda’s Flashback here.

Want to know more about JA Andrew’s book A Threat of Shadows?

A Threat of Shadows is the first book in The Keeper Chronicles, a new classic fantasy series by JA Andrews.

In a land of magic, elves, and the occasional dragon, an engaging adventure unfolds about what it means to reconcile who you are, with who you thought you’d be. A story of sacrifice, love, and the weight of our pasts. If you enjoy epic fantasy with a likable cast of characters, you’ll love this entertaining beginning to Andrews’ new series.

Once again, here is the link to purchase this book. And don’t forget to sign up and comment for a chance to win your own free copy!