Interview with YA author Andrew McDowell

YA author Andrew McDowell is chatting with me about his new high fantasy, Mystical Greenwood.

Bio:
Andrew McDowell studied at St. Mary’s College of Maryland and the University of Maryland, College Park. He is a member of the Maryland Writers’ Association. His novel Mystical Greenwood was a finalist in the 2019 American Fiction Awards for Fantasy: Epic/High Fantasy, won the 2021 MWA Novel Contest in Science Fiction / Fantasy / Speculative, and was an honorable mention in the 2021 Top Shelf Magazine contest. He has had poetry, short stories, and essays featured in anthologies and literary journals.

Welcome, Andrew. Please tell us about your current release.
Mystical Greenwood is the first book in a trilogy, One with Nature. It tells the story of a teenage boy whose life changes after he meets a gryphon and a mysterious healer. Soon afterward, he and his brother are forced to leave home and take part in a quest to reunite a legendary coven of sorcerers and sorceress to stand against a dark wizard bent on dominating the kingdom. As the brothers spend time in forests and come to appreciate and understand the sacredness of Nature, they also slowly realize that not only is there something special to be found in the wild, but that their own role in this conflict is also greater than they realized.

It was first published in 2018, but the original publisher, Mockingbird Lane Press, was forced to shut down in 2022. A 2^nd edition was published that same year courtesy of Fae Corps Publishing.

What inspired you to write this book?
I originally set out to write something in the horror genre, but as I wrote it, I gradually realized it was developing more into a fantasy story. I decided to run with that, and as I continued to develop it, I began searching for a theme that I thought could make the story stand out and give it meaning, and so I decided to bring my love for the natural world and wild animals into the mix.

What exciting project are you working on next?
I’m editing the sequel to Mystical Greenwood, which my publisher is aiming to bring out in August 2024. I’ve also been working on a standalone YA mystery story that I first began in college about a search for a missing dog that uncovers some horrible cruelties pets face.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
When I was 13 years old. I started writing little stories when I was 11, but it was more of a childhood fancy than anything else. At 13 is when I started writing what would eventually grow into Mystical Greenwood, and as I invested more energy and time into it, that was when I knew then I really wanted to be a writer.

Do you write full-time? If so, what’s your workday like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I do not write full time. I’ve been writing on and off over the years, when inspiration hits me, to accommodate whatever else my schedule needed, such as school or, currently, my day job at a public library. Most recently, I tried a routine where, after breakfast, I either write around a couple hundred words or do some editing while I have my morning coffee. That has worked well for me, especially in completing a draft of my second fantasy novel.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
Presently, it’s probably that I’ve taken to sitting on the floor when writing so that I have a place to put my coffee while keeping my laptop at roughly eye level. It helps me with my spine, but my legs fall asleep a lot.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I dreamed of being a scientist. Initially I was going to pursue science in college, but I realized that wasn’t for me, and so I switched to History and English.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
When I was 14, I was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder. Because of this, I have had trouble with social skills and understanding communicational elements such as vocal tone and slang. I’ve been striving to improve them ever since.

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