Fantasy author J. M. Shaw chats with me today about her new magical adventure, The Ascension.
Bio:
J.M. Shaw lives in Airdrie, Alberta, with her husband and two young children. She and her family embarked upon a journey of understanding, acceptance, and life-long learning when they discovered their shared diagnosis of autism and ADHD. Writing is her passion and, with experience and interests in healthcare, psychology, martial arts, and personal training, she pours her unique insights and knowledge into all her creative fictions.
Welcome, J. M., please tell us about your current release.
A magical war is brewing. While humankind is blissfully unaware, two evil brothers, a sorcerer and a necromancer, are marshalling deadly supernatural forces and armies of mythical creatures in a bid to destroy one another. The triumphant warlord will be free to impose their dominion over Earth’s natural world and a coexisting magical realm concealed from human knowledge behind an ethereal veil.
Meanwhile, Callum Walker is an introverted young man born with gifts that he struggles to understand. As monsters begin wreaking havoc in his city, Callum is compelled to use his unmastered arcane abilities to combat the growing menace. Unfortunately, the scheming warlords notice his vigilante escapades, and both see Callum as a potential threat.
Before coming to terms with his extraordinary powers, Callum discovers a cryptic prophecy that proclaims he will end the pervasive warfare now breaching the veil. However, Callum soon finds himself pursued by the agents of both factions, plus those seeking personal sanctuary or offering to help.
Ultimately, Callum Walker must overcome his fears and doubts if he hopes to survive, let alone bring the conflict to an end.
What inspired you to write this book?
I’m a very “what if” type of person, and I thought to ask, “what if fairy tales were more than stories, and monsters were flesh and blood?” Being a big believer of good triumphing over evil, I started my story with the idea that my protagonist would strive to do good in the world. Armed with magic—because what is a fairy tale without magic—I envisioned my main character using his abilities to save people. However, unlike the mainstream superheroes of our time, my protagonist is not skilled or confident and would like nothing more than live a normal life. While something about this story inspired me, it was not until this past summer when I realized my protagonists journey mirrors my own struggles with autism and trying to navigate the confusion of society, friendships, and life in general.
Excerpt from The Ascension:
We can never be fully prepared for our challenges until we choose to accept them. The trials of our lives teach us who we are, and only by embracing our paths, will we discover the strength to overcome whatever obstacles lay before us.
What exciting project are you working on next?
Following the release of The Ascension, I published the second and third books to continue my protagonist’s journey in this series. I am currently completing my fourth novel in the Callum Walker Series, and the fifth book is also in the works.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I started writing when I was twelve years ago because I needed a creative outlet and, since my mother had just bought me a typewriter, I tried my hand at storytelling and loved it. If I had to pinpoint when I became a writer, that first day, sitting at the dining room table and picking at the keys one by one was that moment.
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 am first and foremost a wife and mother. My husband and I have two very busy boys who demand a great deal of our time and attention. While I spend as much quality time as I can with my family, when everyone else is occupied, I will slip away with my laptop to a quiet corner of our house and write as much as I can until someone notices me. I usually get about twenty to thirty minutes of creative musing before my kids either start fighting or demanding snacks. Most of my writing happens during the weekdays, when my husband works and my kids are at school. I will typically rush through the housework and errands in the first hour or two so that nothing is left waiting when I finally take a seat at my desk. Being that I have autism and ADHD, writing can easily become a hyperfocus, which is why I must set an alarm before I begin because I have been known to spend several hours working without realizing the passage of time. Once my children and husband return home, I put away my writing for the rest of the evening. Occasionally, I will try to work after my sons have gone to bed, but more often I choose to relax.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I am not a planner. I have a solid idea of the beginning and ending of each novel, and approximately what needs to happen in the middle, but the rest is undecided. I feel that this allows me the freedom to let my creative juices flow, and, at times, the story seems to write itself, and I’m just along for the ride. These moments of in the zone writing have often create scenes for which I receive the most compliments.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a teacher when I was a kid. I even went to college for my Bachelor of Education. After attending my observation practicum in the days prior to a teachers strike, I was strongly advised to choose another career. I thought it might be cool to be a counsellor and thought about changing my degree so that I could major in psychology, but jobs in that field were hard to find. After much thought, I shifted my focus and became a Medical Radiological Technologist, otherwise known as an X-ray Tech.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
While I have been writing for most of my life, I was never brave enough to share any of my stories. After discovering that I had autism and ADHD in 2019, I wondered if writing was my special interest. My diagnosis gave me the courage to send my rough manuscript for The Ascension to an editor, keeping in mind that the worst they could say was “it sucked”. To my relief, my editor said that my story was not garbage and encouraged me to publish. While my neurodivergence is not without its difficulties, I have decided to view it as a gift rather than a disability. After all, my unique brain is what allows me to the see the world from outside the box.